Forced to Live Together After Picking Up the Child of My Rival Alpha - Chapter 25

Neither side was willing to back down, and the online war of words between them grew increasingly intense.

Many netizens were spectating on forums, each holding their own opinions. Some fans of Song Yuan’s rivals even posed as professionals to smear her reputation.

【”Expert Rebuttal”: Based on my years of experience, this recording shows signs of editing and is likely synthesized in post-production. This suggests Song Yuan genuinely abandoned Wei Yang to ride on Yu Jin’s popularity.】

【”Industry Expert”: The audio quality of the recording provided by Song Yuan’s team is exceptionally clear with no traces of editing, it’s undoubtedly authentic. If you claim there are edits, why not point them out? Otherwise, I have every reason to suspect you’re a fan of Wei Yang here specifically to tarnish Song Yuan’s name.】

【”Cola with Ice”: In my opinion, Song Yuan only came forward to clarify for Yu Jin’s sake. It’s clear that what Wei Yang said earlier was true Song Yuan and Yu Jin really are involved.】

【”Yu Jin’s Number One Wife”: Hands off my Yu Jin! You can argue all you want, but leave my sister out of it. Whether the recording is real or fake has nothing to do with her. As for any connection between her and Song Yuan there is none!】

Song Yuan had a substantial fanbase, far outnumbering Wei Yang’s supporters. To divert the heat from Song Yuan’s fans, Wei Yang’s followers disguised themselves as neutral netizens and dragged Yu Jin into the fray.

They insisted that, regardless of the recording’s authenticity, Song Yuan’s actions were entirely for Yu Jin’s benefit.

Yu Jin’s fans were not ones to sit back and take the blame, immediately joining the chorus of criticism.

Over time, the controversy over the recording escalated until it trended on social media.

Although the recording sparked a new wave of public opinion, at least the discourse was no longer one-sidedly condemning Song Yuan as before.

Song Yuan had taken Yu Jin to the hospital the previous night and didn’t return until very late. By the time she woke up, Luoluo was already out of bed.

After getting dressed and stepping out of the bedroom, Song Yuan found Luoluo sitting obediently on the sofa, hugging a stuffed toy and watching cartoons.

“Good morning, Luoluo.”

Hearing this, Luoluo pointed toward the window.

“Mom, it’s not early anymore.”

Song Yuan smiled, walked over to Luoluo, and gently patted her head.

“Mom woke up late. Are you hungry, sweetie?”

Luoluo shook her head and pointed to the opened packet of cookies on the table.

“I ate these. I’m not hungry.”

“Okay, next time if you’re hungry and Mom hasn’t gotten up yet, remember to wake me, alright?”

“Mm!” Luoluo nodded seriously, committing her mother’s words to memory.

Seeing Luoluo’s earnest expression, Song Yuan couldn’t resist lightly pinching her cheek before heading off to wash up.

It was already noon by the time Song Yuan checked her phone again to gauge the online sentiment. Frowning slightly, she saw that fans were still fiercely arguing.

The recording she had given Luo Wei was clearly genuine, yet people insisted she was slandering Wei Yang.

Although she had clarified her relationship with Wei Yang, she remained mired in the court of public opinion.

It seemed she still needed someone to verify the authenticity of the recording.

Song Yuan thought of Yu Jin, she had been present when Song Yuan chose her partner. Perhaps she could discuss it with Yu Jin and see if she would be willing to help clarify the situation.

After making up her mind, Song Yuan immediately sent a message to Yu Jin, asking her to meet and discuss matters. Yu Jin quickly agreed, as she also had something she wanted to discuss with Song Yuan.

Upon seeing Yu Jin’s reply, Song Yuan stood up and began changing her outfit.

As a celebrity who had gained fame through controversy, her face was widely recognized. Moreover, with the current online discussions revolving around her, Wei Yang, and Yu Jin, being spotted in public would likely cause a commotion.

Song Yuan put on a mask, then added a baseball cap and sunglasses, leaving almost no skin on her face exposed.

Luoluo blinked her eyes, watching Song Yuan curiously.

“Mommy, why are you covering your face? I can’t see you anymore.”

“Mommy has to go out, but a lot of people recognize me. I don’t want to be noticed, so I have to do this.”

Song Yuan’s voice came through the mask, sounding somewhat muffled.

Though Luoluo still didn’t quite understand her mother’s actions, she didn’t say anything more.

Not feeling comfortable leaving Luoluo alone at home, Song Yuan decided to bring her along. To be safe, she disguised Luoluo as well before they left the house.

At three in the afternoon, Song Yuan and Luoluo arrived punctually at a teahouse. The teahouse had private rooms, offering good privacy.

Led by a staff member, Song Yuan entered the private room.

Yu Jin was already there. When Luoluo saw her, her eyes curved into crescents.

She toddled over on her short legs toward Yu Jin.

“Mommy!”

Yu Jin’s previously tense and cold expression softened instantly upon hearing Luoluo’s voice.

She reached out and caught Luoluo as she ran over, lifting her onto her lap.

It had indeed been the right decision to let Song Yuan raise Luoluo. In the past, Luoluo had rarely expressed her happiness so openly.

Because of Luoluo, Yu Jin’s attitude toward Song Yuan also softened considerably.

“It seems you’ve been taking good care of Luoluo.”

Song Yuan walked over and sat down opposite Yu Jin, unsure why Yu Jin had suddenly said this.

She smiled at Yu Jin, taking it as a compliment for now.

“Luoluo is my daughter. It’s only natural that I treat her well.”

Hearing Song Yuan refer to Luoluo as her daughter, Yu Jin’s eyes flickered subtly.

The private room was filled with the faint aroma of tea, and elegant music drifted through the air.

Yu Jin picked up the teapot in front of her and poured tea for herself and Song Yuan. It was pre-rain Longjing tea, refreshing in taste with a long-lasting aftertaste.

Just as Song Yuan was marveling at the fact that Yu Jin, who disliked her so much, had poured her tea, she heard Yu Jin speak leisurely.

“Go ahead. Why did you invite me here?”

Song Yuan was not one to beat around the bush and answered Yu Jin directly.

“My team released a recording online today. I assume you already know about it.”

As a celebrity, Yu Jin was highly sensitive to online public opinion, especially since the recording had dragged her into the matter. Even if she hadn’t seen it herself, her agent would have informed her.

In fact, before coming, Yu Jin had already guessed the purpose of Song Yuan’s invitation. Song Yuan’s words now only confirmed her suspicions.

Yu Jin gave a soft “Mm” in response.

Truthfully, when she learned that Song Yuan’s team had released the recording, Yu Jin had been quite surprised. She hadn’t expected Song Yuan to have recorded the conversation under those circumstances.

Fortunately, Song Yuan had chosen to record the conversation. Otherwise, given the situation Wei Yang had previously created, it would have been very difficult for her to turn things around without the recording.

“Since you already know, I assume you’ve also seen the discussions online. I’m sorry you got dragged into this,” Song Yuan said, carefully observing Yu Jin’s expression.

She still remembered the slap Yu Jin had given her before just thinking about it made her cheek sting. Now that she had involved Yu Jin again because of the recording, who knew if Yu Jin might slap her again? It was better to apologize first.

Yu Jin, however, didn’t seem to mind. She shook her head and said, “It’s not your fault. There’s no need to apologize.”

Song Yuan raised her eyebrows in surprise. Had Yu Jin changed today, or was it because she had taken her to the hospital last night that moved her?

Yu Jin waited for Song Yuan to continue, but after a long pause, Song Yuan remained silent. Frowning, Yu Jin asked, “Song Yuan, did you ask me out just to apologize?”

“Ahem,” Song Yuan took a sip of tea to hide her embarrassment. “Well, many people are now questioning the authenticity of the recording. Wei Yang’s fans are insisting that the recording my team released is fake.”

“You were there when I rejected Wei Yang, so I was hoping you could step forward and help me clarify. Besides, you’ve already been dragged into the public opinion storm. If you speak up now, it would benefit you too.”

Yu Jin didn’t respond. Song Yuan knew she was thinking it over and quietly waited for her reply.

After about seven minutes, Yu Jin finally spoke again.

“I can step forward and clarify this for you, but I have one condition.”

“Please, go ahead.”

Yu Jin looked up, her gaze sharp as nails, piercing straight into Song Yuan.

“I want you to fake a relationship with me.”

Song Yuan, who was in the middle of drinking her tea, choked and coughed several times upon hearing Yu Jin’s request.

Yu Jin’s expression turned cold, her voice like icy water in winter.

“What, you don’t want to?”

“Are you serious?”

“I never joke.”

Now Song Yuan was utterly confused. In her understanding, Yu Jin had always disliked her. On the show, the two of them avoided interacting as much as possible. So why, out of the blue, did Yu Jin suddenly want to fake a relationship with her?

Could she have been triggered by something again?

Song Yuan didn’t understand and had to ask, “I’d like to know the reason.”

“You’ve already heard about my situation from Chen Man. My heats will become more frequent from now on. If I rely on myself alone, there’s a chance someone might discover that I’m an Omega.”

Yu Jin’s face was tense, her fingers gripping the teacup so tightly that her knuckles turned white.

“I don’t want anyone to find out. I want you to fake a relationship with me so you can cover for me when my heat strikes. We’re on the same show and are partners. If we fake a relationship, everything we do will seem reasonable.”

“Besides, this will benefit you too. If you agree to fake a relationship with me, I’ll help clarify things online and tell everyone that the recording your team released is genuine.”

Song Yuan fell silent, deep in thought.

Since her debut, Yu Jin had never actively faked a relationship with anyone. Compared to her, Yu Jin had a much better reputation in the entertainment industry. If Yu Jin stepped forward to speak up for her now, the tide of public opinion would naturally shift in Song Yuan’s favor.

Yu Jin is a film queen with substantial influence, so the two of them forming a CP would bring nothing but benefits.

These thoughts flashed through Song Yuan’s mind in an instant. She had pondered for less than half a minute before reaching a decision.

Song Yuan declined, “I can cover for you when your pheromones go haywire, but I won’t engage in a CP partnership with you.”

Support Forced to Live Together After Picking Up the Child of My Rival Alpha