Upon hearing her words, Wang Long's expression flickered slightly. But then, as if struck by a thought, his look instantly hardened. "What nonsense are you spouting! That was just a casual joke back then, and you actually took it seriously. I said it on a whim! I'll take full responsibility for my actions. I'll bear all the consequences myself!"
Hearing this, it caught Meng Nianchu off guard. Since Wang Long was uncooperative, Meng Nianchu didn't want to waste any more words on him. She turned to Mu Junze and asked, "Have you sent it to the other side?"
Mu Junze nodded.
Wang Long arrogantly declared, "It's just about compensating them. What's the big deal? I'll pay. I just didn't expect Boss Meng to go through so much trouble, mobilizing so many people to find me just for such a small amount of money. I thought it was something major."
With that, he lifted his leg and was about to walk out.
Meng's father grabbed the table beside him. He seemed to age ten years in an instant. His voice was weak as he said, "Do you know that what you've done has ruined your entire design career?"
"Anyway, I don't want to do it anymore."
That nonchalant tone infuriated even Meng Nianchu. Seeing Wang Long leaving Shangting, Meng Nianchu slammed the door shut, not wanting to see this man even for a second more.
Meng's father slumped to the ground.
The talent he had painstakingly nurtured for two years was now ruined.
His chest felt heavy and uncomfortable. Meng's father took deep breaths, his eyes fixed intently on the door.
"I really misjudged him back then!"
After leaving Shangting, Wang Long hid in a nearby coffee shop. Sitting on the chair with his back against the seat, the arrogance he had shown in Shangting was long gone.
The words Meng's father had said echoed in his mind: "What you've done has ruined your entire design career!"
Wang Long picked up a glass of warm water on the table and gulped it down. Then he took out his phone and dialed a number.
"Hello." After two rings, Meng Rong's cold voice came from the receiver.
Wang Long said in a flattering tone, "I've done everything you asked. But besides the money you gave me today, you need to give me another sum."
"What do you mean?"
Sensing Meng Rong's displeasure, Wang Long quickly explained, "I suddenly remembered there was something I hadn't finished in Linhai, so I secretly returned to the country. I didn't expect your father to have people waiting for me at the airport. He..."
"You got caught by them!" Meng Rong's voice on the other end suddenly rose in pitch.
Wang Long tightened his grip on the phone and lowered his voice. "To protect you, I admitted that I did it. But the other company is demanding compensation, so you should give me this money. You promised me that you'd find a way out for me no matter what happened."
There was a two - second silence on the phone.
Then Meng Rong's tone turned even colder. "I told you not to come back to the country during this period no matter what. You didn't listen to me and got caught. Do you think I'll give you the money? It's impossible!"
"But it was you who told me to do it!"
Wang Long panicked instantly. If Meng Rong didn't help him, how could he afford to pay back the money!
"Figure it out on your own." Meng Rong didn't want to entangle with him and was about to hang up the phone.
At this moment, Wang Long got anxious and threatened fiercely, "If you don't give me the money, I'll go back right now and tell Meng Nianchu that it was you who told me to do it. She already suspects you anyway!"
"How dare you!"
"Then give me the money quickly! Once you've paid it all off, we'll be even. If you don't, I'll go to Shangting right now!"
As he spoke, he had already walked out of the coffee shop.
Hearing the noise, Meng Rong was furious and frustrated.
She never expected that after all her scheming, she would end up being outsmarted by this man!
Hearing that she didn't say a word for a long time, Wang Long asked impatiently, "Have you made up your mind? I'm telling you, I'm almost at Shangting. If you don't say anything, this matter will be hard to handle!"
"Fine!" Meng Rong gritted her teeth and agreed. "I'll do as you ask. I'll transfer the money to you right now."
"It must be 35 million US dollars!"
"What?!" Meng Rong was shocked. She had thought that a few hundred thousand would be enough to solve the problem. How could it be so much?
Now that her appearance was damaged and her reputation was in tatters, no business partners had approached her for a long time. The savings in her bank card were almost exhausted. She could barely support herself, let alone come up with 35 million US dollars!
Wang Long crossed a road and swaggered along the street. "I'm warning you. If the money doesn't reach my account in five minutes, not only will Meng Nianchu and your father know about this, but all your fans will too! I'm not afraid since I'm already in this situation. But if you still want to stay in the entertainment industry, you'd better transfer the money to me obediently."
"Otherwise..."
"Screech—"
Just as Meng Rong was thinking of a countermeasure, she suddenly heard a shrill car horn from the phone. At the same time, the call was abruptly cut off. The ear - piercing sound hurt her ears, so Meng Rong moved the phone away.
"What's going on!"
Meng Rong angrily threw the phone aside. Thinking of Wang Long's threat, she bit her lower lip in distress. After a moment of thought, she finally picked up her purse and rushed to Shangting.
She couldn't let this idiot ruin her plan!
Tianmin Company had received the recording of Wang Long admitting that he had plagiarized. They also promised that as long as Wang Long was willing to pay the compensation, they wouldn't pursue the Meng family any further.
Meng's father had no choice but to suppress his grief and go to the company to handle work first. When Mu Junze was about to go to the company after packing up his things, he suddenly received a call from an employee saying that Wang Long had been in a car accident.
Meng Nianchu was also there at the time. After hearing the news, she immediately followed Mu Junze to the accident scene.
The car was parked in front of a coffee shop. The place was crowded with people.
Meng's father, who had left earlier, was also in the crowd. Meng Nianchu and Mu Junze quickly rushed over.
Seeing Wang Long lying in a pool of blood, Mu Junze immediately covered Meng Nianchu's head and pulled her into his arms.
"Why is he dead?"
He had just left Shangting not long ago, but in the blink of an eye, he was in a car accident and lost his life. Meng's father covered his chest, feeling extremely stuffy.
On her way to Shangting in a hurry from the villa, Meng Rong suddenly saw this scene. Taking a closer look and seeing Meng Nianchu and the others in the crowd, she got out of the car curiously. Then she put on her mask to avoid being recognized.
She quietly approached them and tiptoed to see Wang Long's unrecognizable face. Unexpectedly, Meng Rong let out a scream.
Although she quickly covered her mouth, Meng Nianchu still turned to look at her.
Their eyes met, and a fierce look flashed in Meng Nianchu's eyes.