My Little Boy is Always Teasing Me | Chapter 39 | Public Declarations and Private Truths | Novela.app

Chapter 39 - Public Declarations and Private Truths The moment Xie Chengnan broke his silence, the "Nancheng Couple" fans erupted into a frenzy. The comments section of his post became a battlefield of excitement and speculation. "Ahhh! President Gege has appeared!" "What kind of overbearing CEO speech is this? I’m dying of sweetness!" "Emmm... I smell a storm brewing. Is the President about to drop some truth bombs?" "That post must be fake! Our Baby Yuan is so well-behaved!" Jiang Yuan watched the notifications scroll by, feeling a mix of amusement and exasperation. In the past, he hadn't been one to share his private life on social media. Aside from his recent interactions with Xie Chengnan, his Weibo account was mostly a collection of shared academic articles and professional insights. This had led many fans to construct an image of him as a studious, "good boy" who happened to be brilliant. Because of the malicious "unmasking" thread, the "Nancheng Couple" tag climbed another rank on the trending list. Jiang Yuan watched the two factions of netizens—the defenders and the doubters—clash with increasing heat. He leaned back in his chair, his gaze drifting toward the window. Reviving a small platform like Onion Live was, in the grand scheme of the Jiang Corporation, a trivial matter. Even if he won this bet against his father, Jiang Kunbo would likely view it as nothing more than a child’s successful game. Jiang Yuan knew he couldn't let his value be defined solely by this project. He needed more—he needed a more significant, more critical set of bargaining chips. He turned his head to look out at the rows of sleek business towers that defined the Nancheng skyline. His eyes eventually settled on the metal nameplate sitting on his desk. Under the afternoon sun, the name "Jiang Yuan" shimmered with a cold, sharp brilliance. He recalled a lecture from his marketing professor: a truly successful marketing case wasn't always about a brand or a product. Sometimes, it was about a person. A smirk played on his lips. He tapped his screen and forwarded Xie Chengnan’s post. *Yuan-Xiao-Ye: Yeah, I have a bad temper. It’s all because someone spoiled me. [Dog-head emoji] //@Chengnan-Gege: Wait for it. //@asdfg: Let’s unmask the ‘fake white lotus’ bottom in that trending couple.* The internet exploded again. "He’s here! He’s coming at us with the dog food!" "So bold... as expected of the Xiao-Ye who dares to delete comments." "Baby Yuan: Why should I have a good temper when I have a CEO backing me up?" "I’m done... why am I being forced to eat dog food while reading a hate thread?" "Mama will spoil you too! Don't back down, baby!" Amidst the support, there were still whispers of doubt regarding the "sugar daddy" rumors and the age gap. Jiang Yuan decided to address it all in one go. *Yuan-Xiao-Ye: 1. The bad temper is real; I’ll work on it. 2. Hiding my orientation is fake; I was straight for nineteen years and only turned gay because of Gege. 3. Being a kept lover is fake; no childhood sweetheart, but I do have a ‘bamboo horse.’ 4. The former sugar daddy is fake; just a friend. That’s about it.* He attached a photo he had just snapped of his desk. It showed only five words on the nameplate: *General Manager: Jiang Yuan.* The fans went wild. "At first, you said it was a rich guy and a puppy... then you said it was an overbearing CEO... now the truth is it’s a childhood friend romance where the older brother next door turned him gay? I’m dead!" "General Manager Jiang Yuan? Is it a coincidence?" one user asked. Jiang Yuan replied: *Internship.* "Are you kidding me? Why is an intern the General Manager?" Jiang Yuan replied: *Because the company belongs to my family...* The revelation that Jiang Yuan was a wealthy heir himself instantly dismantled the "kept lover" narrative. Then, Xie Chengnan added a final, legendary comment: *It’s true. He’s the one keeping me.* Jiang Yuan laughed out loud at his desk. His boyfriend was sometimes so cute it was almost illegal. He exited Weibo and sent a WeChat message. *Your Baby Yuan: You’re so free, huh? Finding time to browse Weibo.* *Nan: I’m tracing the person who started the thread.* *Your Baby Yuan: Found them yet?* *Nan: Almost. Are you done with work?* *Your Baby Yuan: Yeah, I’ve delegated everything.* *Nan: I’ll come pick you up?* *Your Baby Yuan: Okay~* Jiang Yuan stood up, buttoning his suit jacket and pulling on his overcoat. The secretary arranged by Qian勉 was waiting outside the meeting room. Seeing Jiang Yuan emerge, the man asked tentatively, "President Jiang, would you like to tour the departments?" "No need," Jiang Yuan said, his expression shifting into one of professional detachment. "I have other matters this afternoon. Send the proposal to my email once it’s ready." He knew his age was a hurdle. To establish authority in an established company as a young newcomer, he had to maintain a certain distance. It was better for the employees to fear him or find him unapproachable than to treat him like a child they could deceive. He maintained this cold, composed facade until he reached the parking lot and climbed into Xie Chengnan’s car. Once the doors closed and the car pulled away, he finally slumped into the passenger seat, exhaling a long breath. Xie Chengnan glanced at him with a smile. "Tired?" Jiang Yuan opened one eye lazily. "What. Do. You. Think?" "My fault," the CEO said with a straight face. "I shouldn't have teased you so much this morning." Jiang Yuan rolled his eyes. "Right. Admit the mistake, but never change." Xie Chengnan nodded in agreement. "Baby really knows me best." "Old beast!" Jiang Yuan muttered affectionately. The drive to Nanyuan Technology was short. Upon entering the office, Xie Chengnan went straight to Shen Qinian, who was stationed at a computer. "Any results?" Shen Qinian nodded, glancing at Jiang Yuan. "I didn't expect it to be him. I thought it was Jiang Hao." Jiang Yuan looked at the screen, which displayed He Luoluo’s profile. He let out a contemptuous laugh. "Jiang Hao isn't that stupid." "He wasn't entirely stupid," Xie Chengnan defended technically. "He hired someone who covered their tracks well. I had to use some... unconventional methods to find him." Jiang Yuan sat down in Xie Chengnan’s chair, crossing his legs and leaning back. "I don't understand the technical side, but in terms of starting rumors, he’s far behind Jiang Hao. Accusing me of being a kept lover? If that’s not stupid, what is?" Such a rumor might stick to an ordinary person, but for the heir of the Jiang Corporation, it was a joke that would crumble the moment his identity was confirmed. "Since he was making things up anyway," Jiang Yuan mused, tapping his cheek, "he could have done better. Those photos—one from a private yacht party, one from a nightclub—he could have claimed I had a scandalous private life. That would have been much more believable than saying I was being 'kept'." Shen Qinian was speechless. That would indeed have been a much more damaging angle. Xie Chengnan ruffled Jiang Yuan’s hair. "Do you have a history with him?" "Different paths, that's all," Jiang Yuan explained, catching Xie Chengnan’s hand to play with his fingers. "Back when we were on okay terms, he tagged along to a few high-society parties. Behind my back, he tried to hook two 'sugar daddies' at the same time." He held up two fingers, his calm expression making the story seem almost adorable. Xie Chengnan leaned down to kiss him. "And he got caught?" "Yeah. Within a month. I was going to help him at first. The two guys involved were willing to let it go if he just returned the money he took." "He wouldn't give it back?" Shen Qinian asked. Jiang Yuan scoffed. "He cried and said it was all spent. Tens of thousands gone in a month. Then he had the nerve to say, 'Didn't they get their fun out of it too?' It disgusted me, so I washed my hands of it." "Wait," Shen Qinian rubbed his chin. "Did he take a week off after that?" Jiang Yuan raised an eyebrow. "How did you know?" "It matches up," Shen Qinian grinned. "I won't go into detail about what happened that week, but the two guys involved used it as a talking point later. They didn't use his name out of respect for you, but it seems he’s held a grudge against you ever since." Some people never reflect on their own faults. Jiang Yuan shrugged. "Send a lawyer's letter to the person who posted the thread and demand a public apology. As for He Luoluo... leave him to Qiao Song." Xie Chengnan’s eyes sharpened. "How did you know Qiao Song was looking for him?" "That post practically shouted that Qiao Song was gay and had a messy private life," Jiang Yuan laughed. "Don't underestimate netizens. There were plenty of people at those parties. Other photos will surface. Once people get curious and start digging, Qiao Song will be exposed. Do you think he won't be furious?" This was why Jiang Yuan had ruled out Jiang Hao. Jiang Hao would never have been so reckless as to offend someone like Qiao Song just to take a swipe at Jiang Yuan. Xie Chengnan nodded and began typing lines of code. "What are you doing?" Jiang Yuan asked. "Giving Qiao Song’s people a hand," Professor Xie said coldly. "They’re searching too slowly. Anyone who touches my Yuan has to pay a price." Jiang Yuan grabbed his boyfriend’s face and gave him a firm kiss, his eyes sparkling. A scheming Professor Xie was truly handsome. ***