It was evident that his statement and his attempts to control the comments only exacerbated the situation, pushing things further into an uncomfortable direction.
More and more people began to suspect a connection between Gu Hanyun and Luo Qinghan.
When the online comments became too much to control, Gu Hanyun, breaking out in a sweat, immediately called Lin Xiao.
"Mr. Lin, regarding the rumors online, I swear, I truly have no improper thoughts about your wife. Those are just netizens spouting nonsense..."
"Your call is timely; I was just about to look for you." Lin Xiao found the situation somewhat exasperating. "Since you know it's a rumor, why can't you interfere less? It would naturally dissipate on its own. This act of yours, protesting too much, makes me wonder who is working in entertainment, you or me?"
"I..."
Only then did Gu Hanyun realize he had lost his composure.
"Calm down and don't worry about it. I'm busy having dinner with my wife." Lin Xiao hung up the phone.
He couldn't be bothered with what was happening online. Every day, he continued to pick up his daughter from kindergarten as usual and took his wife out for good meals at noon.
However, just a few days later, another bombshell dropped.
Gu Qingyun had arrived.
Gu Qingyun, the current patriarch of the Gu family and Gu Hanyun's father.
A person of his stature personally came to Shashi.
Once his presence was revealed, the online rumors became even more outlandish.
Some people were already claiming that Xuner was Gu Hanyun's daughter, and Lin Xiao was merely a placeholder husband...
Gu Qingyun's purpose in coming was to appraise his potential daughter-in-law.
There were also rumors that Luo Qinghan's sudden surge in popularity was orchestrated by the Gu family behind the scenes.
After these rumors surfaced, they quickly became the most popular and seemingly credible among the current gossip.
Gu Hanyun and Gu Qingyun, father and son, met and looked at the current rumors, speechless.
The most absurd part was that Gu Qingyun's wife had called him just moments ago to confirm.
Only after hearing Lin Xiao's identity did she believe the truth.
That evening, when Gu Qingyun finally managed to invite Lin Xiao out for dinner, Lin Xiao's family was seated in a private room. Lin Xiao stared at Gu Qingyun.
"Patriarch Gu." Lin Xiao's smile was anything but genuine. "You've arrived?"
"Mr. Lin, I wouldn't dare!"
Gu Qingyun quickly stood up, picked up a wine glass, and raised it with both hands. "I'll pour three cups for myself to atone, my sincerest apologies."
"Don't rush. What did you do wrong?"
"I was wrong to come to Shashi at this time, making the rumors even harder to quell." Gu Qingyun finished his drink.
He then poured another cup and continued, "I was wrong for not disciplining properly, allowing my son Gu Hanyun to commit any illegal or unethical acts. I will punish him accordingly, and the relevant personnel are yours to deal with."
After finishing that drink, he poured a third. This time, he not only raised his cup but also bowed deeply. "I was wrong as the patriarch of the Gu family for not handling even such a minor matter correctly."
After three cups.
These were substantial glasses, and the drink was not some Romanée-Conti, but Maotai.
After the three cups, Gu Qingyun's complexion changed slightly, and he placed the cup on the table.
"Patriarch Gu, are you implying that since I'm here, you don't need to worry about your health and can drink freely? If your attending physician saw this, wouldn't they rush to your home, have a major argument with you, and then advise you to abandon treatment?"