Hong Yinling's words sparked some reaction from the curious onlookers.

"Oh, I know about that!" someone piped up. "There was a viral video on TikTok for some time. An auntie spoke about breaking relations with her ex-daughter-in-law, who poisoned her son on his birthday!"

"Oh, no, is she talking about this Miss Fang Ruoye?"

"Wait a moment, didn't Miss Fang Ruoye just talk about divorce with this strange man?"

"So this is the man who got poisoned?"

"And why is he coming here with Hong Yinling?"

More and more questions floated to the surface, emboldening Hong Yinling. She hollered, "You all heard what I said. A vile woman like this should never be allowed to enter this place. Is she here to register as a talent? All dolled-up and walking around with high heels... she is indecent enough to bring a small child to find a new man to support her!"

Fang Ruoye was rendered speechless by Hong Yinling's brazen words. But before she came up with a retaliation, Jiang Yue already pulled her aside and stepped in front of her like a knight protecting a princess.

"You should watch your mouth, Hong Yinling," he said with a frown. "Vile woman? There is only one vile woman in here, and it is none other than you."

"But, Brother Jiang Yue..."

Hong Yinling was visibly shaken. Why was Jiang Yue protecting Fang Ruoye? Just what kind of relationship did they have?

"And stop calling me 'Brother Jiang Yue'," Jiang Yue snapped in displeasure. "Just who is your brother? Who gives you the right to call me a brother? Call me Mr. Jiang Yue just like everyone else."

"..."

Hong Yinling's heart almost stopped then and there. Why was Jiang Yue so mean to her? But... wasn't he the one who promoted her name? Wasn't he attracted to her...?

Jiang Yue then took Fang Ruoye's hand in his and kissed her knuckles, causing the ladies on the floor to squeal in both excitement and envy.

"My Ruoye is the epitome of beauty and elegance," he praised. "I will never let anyone badmouth you in front of me. Especially not this shameless couple."

Jiang Yue then directed his gaze at Luo Yanming, who shot back with a glare.

"Shameless? Mr. Jiang Yue, what epitome of beauty and elegance are you talking about? This woman has only been divorced from me for several days, and already she is coiled around you like a snake. Are you blind?"

Jiang Yue scoffed.

"For someone who cheats on his wife and brings back his pregnant mistress home, you sure have a thick skin, Luo Yanming."

Luo Yanming and Hong Yinling both gasped in shock.

Madam Luo's video on TikTok did not mention anything about Luo Yanming's cheating and his pregnant mistress, so how did Jiang Yue find out about this?

Dread, cold as ice during winter, pooled at the bottom of Hong Yinling's stomach.

No way, she told herself.

Was this why the company decided to kick her out?

But no way...

No one could have found out.

Unless...

Her eyes drifted to Fang Ruoye, who remained unaffected by the poisonous words they hurled at her face.

Did Fang Ruoye spread the news to Longyue Entertainment...?

Hong Yinling trembled from head to toe.

She did not know what kind of relationship Fang Ruoye had with Jiang Yue, but it could only be Fang Ruoye. Fang Ruoye was so bitter about losing Luo Yanming that she went as far as destroying her filming career.

Just then, Manager Lin stepped out of the back room with a folder. She was stunned to see so many people gathered in the entrance hall.

"I have taken a look at Miss Hong Yinling's file," she said. "She was dismissed due to immoral conduct. Do you need me to go into details about said immoral conduct, or will you go back home in peace?"

She was trying to spare Hong Yinling the embarrassment, but Hong Yinling, this stupid woman, actually dared to challenge her statement.

"Please go into details, because I firmly believe there were absolutely no legitimate grounds for my dismissal."

Either way, it was her words against Fang Ruoye's words.

So what if Fang Ruoye had Jiang Yue by her side? She had no piece of evidence at all. She had always been meek and reserved. She could never win against Hong Yinling and Luo Yanming!

Manager Lin stared at Hong Yinling for a while before she let out a heavy sigh.

As someone who worked in the entertainment industry for so many years, she had seen many shameless people walk in and out of the headquarters. But she had never seen someone as shameless and stupid as Hong Yinling. How did she even enter the company?

"Well, then. I would like to draw your attention to several clauses in our contract stipulating that Party B, the talent, must refrain from any immoral behavior that could tarnish the company's reputation."

Manager Lin lifted a USB stick in her hand.

"I have in here several photos and videos that show you entering various hotels with this man next to you. To my knowledge, you are not married, but he is. And his ex-wife..."

Her curious eyes wandered to Fang Ruoye. It was impolite to just point her out, so Fang Ruoye identified herself voluntarily.

"That would be me."

"The woman who poisoned her husband," someone said in a whisper.

"Technically, I didn't poison him," Fang Ruoye turned to the person who just spoke, making her flinch. "It was a birthday cake with peanut butter inside. I have already been kicked out of the house before the cake was cut, so no one can accuse me of shoving the cake into his mouth."

Jiang Yue snickered.

"That's why it's important to never trust random people on social media platforms," he said. "You don't know who the real villain is until you hear the story from both sides' perspectives."

Manager Lin cleared her throat.

"You have just entered the company, Miss Hong. You should have conducted yourself properly. Otherwise, Longyue Entertainment won't be able to protect you. Who would want to hire someone like you, who knowingly engages in an extramarital affair with a random married man?"

Manager Lin would have understood if Luo Yanming was someone of half Jiang Yue's caliber, but Luo Yanming was just a CEO of a small tech company. He wasn't exactly a peasant, but he was not worth ruining an entire filming career for.

Just then, little Luo Xianxian, who until then claimed that she did not recognize her own father, came up with an additional information, "Actually, Auntie Hong was Mommy's best friend."