This time, Yan Zhou responded very promptly.
With Xu Tingyu's help, he had officially started the process of terminating his contract with the company.
At first, the company disagreed and wanted to control all his accounts to prevent him from posting anything unfavorable to the company.
But the lawyer introduced to him by Xu Tingyu was extremely professional and assertive, so he got control of his accounts.
So as soon as the hot search broke out, Yan Zhou immediately posted a message.
"Teacher Xu is a teacher I like and respect very much. We are indeed not in a relationship. So I hope everyone will stop spreading false news."
"Moreover, Teacher Xu is extremely professional and outstanding. I hope everyone will not always focus on these false rumors. Instead, pay more attention to Teacher Xu's concert tour."
"Thank you all for your concern and help. Currently, I am indeed single, and I have no plans to enter the next stage of my life for the time being."
"If I have a significant other in the future, I will definitely let you all know. Finally, I wish everyone can achieve their wishes."
Within minutes after he posted this content, it made it onto the hot search list.
His fans quickly jumped in.
"Some people are really unbelievable. Yan Zhou has already denied the rumors several times, but they still keep spreading nonsense. It's really easy to spread rumors but exhausting to deny them."
"Yan Zhou is still sick now. As a friend, going to visit him when he's ill is now being said to be a sign of a romantic relationship. What, don't you guys have friends?"
"Exactly. He's sick and still has to deny these rumors. You guys are really heartless."
"I really feel so bad for him. He's already tired and not feeling well, but he still has to deny these rumors. Some people, you really have no heart."
...
Apart from the fans' comments, some passers - by also joined in.
"I think it's really strange. Both parties have already denied the rumors and said that the previous meal was a group gathering. I don't know who thought they were in a relationship."
"Because some people have a love - struck mind. In their eyes, as long as a man and a woman have a meal together, they must be in a relationship."
"I think those who say these things obviously haven't been to work. If they had participated in a team - building activity, they would know that the meal that was photographed was a team - building event."
...
However, there were also some anti - fans who said they didn't believe it.
"Cases of denying rumors one moment and officially announcing a relationship the next are not rare in the entertainment industry. I just hope it won't end up being a slap in the face."
"I also think so. There are so many cases where people were photographed, and it was basically proven, but they still refused to admit it. Obviously, the guy doesn't want to affect his career."
"I think it's also possible that the guy found out that there were other people around the girl, so their relationship might have changed, and that's why he just denied the rumors."
"Right. Didn't anyone notice that when Yan Zhou said he wished everyone could achieve their wishes, was it because he couldn't? There's obviously a story behind this."
...
People were saying all kinds of things, but generally speaking, most people were quite rational.
So when Xu Tingyu saw the hot search, she didn't take it too seriously.
Anyway, she was sure that someone was keeping an eye on her.
Releasing these news stories from time to time was just to ruin her reputation and cause her trouble.
She didn't know who was doing this.
But she knew that these things couldn't affect her.
Because she had always behaved properly, she was naturally immune to these things. These slurs wouldn't do much to her.
However, just because she didn't take it seriously didn't mean others didn't.
When Chen Yan saw the news, he first frowned, then showed his dissatisfaction. "Is this news even written by a human? Why is Yan Zhou mentioned first and me second?"
Since it was a baseless news story, why was he written as a home - wrecker?
Why wasn't he worthy of the title of a proper boyfriend?
What was he lacking?
He was indignant. Just as he was about to go to Xu Tingyu to talk about this, he found that his group chat with his buddies had exploded.
"Not bad, Young Master Chen. First, you got a place in Tingyu's WeChat Moments, and now you're on the news. Are you guys going to officially announce your relationship?"
"Don't tell me you two are really together? I've been wondering why you've been so chaste these past few years, not having a single girlfriend. Have you been secretly dating and not telling us?"
"I'd say that our Young Master Chen has finally seen the light after all these years. Having grown up with Tingyu for so many years, you two are a perfect match in any story."
"Quickly tell us when you two got together. You're so unkind. You should at least treat us to a meal."
...
These friends seemed even more excited than he was. In just a few words, they had already assumed that the two of them were together.
Although Chen Yan liked these remarks, he was also glad that Xu Tingyu wasn't in this group.
Otherwise, he would really want to find a hole to hide in.
"Don't talk nonsense. That news is just pure nonsense. Can't you tell?"
He frowned and typed this sentence and sent it in.
When those guys saw that he had shown up, they got even more excited.
The messages were flooding the screen every minute.
"Come on, come on. Our Young Master Chen is here to deny the rumors online? Don't you like Tingyu? Am I seeing things?"
"Exactly. You've peeled shrimp and crabs for her. We've never seen you do that for anyone else. And coming back to the country this time, wasn't it because you were worried about her?"
"I don't understand what you're so worried about. When you chased other girls before, you were never this hesitant."
Everyone didn't understand why he hadn't taken it to the next level after so long.
So far, Xu Tingyu didn't even know that he liked her.
Chen Yan let out a long sigh and no longer had the courage to go to Xu Tingyu.
He sank into the sofa, looking at these news stories, lost in thought.
He had had quite a few girlfriends, but his experience in chasing girls was zero.
Because no one he was with was someone he had to work hard to pursue.
When he was playing around, he didn't need to chase others.
Or rather, for those he had to chase, he simply wouldn't bother.
"Tingyu is different."
After thinking for a long time, he finally typed these five words.
Of course she was different.
She was the longing buried deep in his heart for many years, the biggest regret of his youth.
The most remorseful loss and the most precious person in his heart.
It was precisely because he had missed so much back then and had regretted it for so many years that he was now being so cautious and insecure.
"No matter how different she is, she's still a woman. Since you like her, be brave and chase her. If you always just claim to be a friend, that's all you'll ever be."
"Exactly. Besides, isn't there no one else around her? If you had been braver, you might have had kids by now."
Some people were恨鐵不成鋼.
In their eyes, there was no need for Chen Yan to be so cautious.
Because his conditions were so good. Once he expressed his feelings, there was no reason for Xu Tingyu not to accept.
"Otherwise, how about this? We brothers will help you plan. Find a chance and you can have a confession. What do you think?"