Chapter 612: Those Who Slander Her Will Pay the Price

The reporters blocked their way such that they could not move.

The camera flashes continued to be aimed at Xia Ling's face as the shutters clicked non-stop. She could barely open her eyes. She cried and instinctively blocked her face with her hands. However, the reporters shouted at her. "Miss Ye, put your hands down! If you didn't do anything wrong, why are you hiding from the cameras?!"

Many expressed agreement to the statement.

They wanted to get more photos for their news reports so they could do their job and earn their keep.

She was pulled and shoved through the crowd. Even though Lin Yunan was protecting her, he was one versus many and could hardly hold up. Suddenly, the crowd was parted by a strong force.

Xia Ling felt herself being pulled into the steady arms of a man.

This man had a familiar scent of mild sunlight and leather — it was Li Lei.

His deep voice was transmitted over the top of her head to the crowd. "What's the meaning of this for all of you here to be bullying a weak girl?" His tone was cold and forceful, and there was silence in an instant.

The reporters had thought that since the Skyart Charity Fund had such a big scandal, chairman Li Lei would try his best to keep a low profile. They had not expected him to come today and reprimand all of them. Everyone was in shock.

While they were still trying to regain their senses, Li Lei had already brought Xia Ling to a safe zone.

He hugged her as his cold gaze swept across the crowd of reporters. "Anyone with questions can direct them to me. I'm the Chairman of the charity fund and have the biggest authority to make any decisions. As for Xiao Ling, she's just an artiste, what does she know? She was chosen as the endorsement model for the charity under my command. She was told to take those photos under my command and give out those drugs under my command. Does she know anything about the components of the drugs or the business processes? As a charity endorser and spokesperson, she merely did what was within her scope of responsibilities — play with the kids, teach them to sing, and tell the public through the media to look out for the less fortunate. What else do you guys want her to do?"

There was complete silence.

Xia Ling was stunned. She didn't expect Li Lei to defend her so strongly. The tears that she had managed to stop threatened to fall again.

She had felt so wronged by this whole incident. There were millions of child who had taken the de-worming medicine, but why was she the unlucky one to had met with something so unfortunate? Yet, she couldn't say this to the media or they would construe her as someone that shirked responsibility and a cruel woman.

However, Li Lei was defending her without care at this moment.

Did he know what he was doing? This was a PR crisis, and with her shallow knowledge based on all that Lin Yunan had been brainwashing her with, wasn't this the time to keep apologizing and not to pin blame on anyone?

But he wasn't doing that.

What if Skyart Entertainment's image was hurt due to his tough stance?

She pulled at the edge of his shirt softly.

However, Li Lei held onto her hand tightly and firmly. He spoke again and, this time, he told the reporters, "It's Skyart's responsibility to investigate the reason for the de-worming medicine to have been of inferior quality. I will make sure to give the orphanage and the public a proper explanation for everything that has happened. However, this has absolutely nothing to do with Xiao Ling! Xiao Ling is an innocent party in this entire incident. If I see anyone slander her in your reports, there will be a price to pay!"

His final sentence was said with menace.

The reporters closest to him took a few steps back in fear.

This man was frightening when he was angry.

There was continued silence in the crowd as everyone was in shock at this scene. No one dared offend the Big Boss with underworld background. It was only now that they all recalled how scary Boss Li of Skyart Entertainment was, and all the rumors about him came back to the forefront of their minds.

Many lowered their heads, not daring to look Li Lei in the eye.

Li Lei gave a cold huff before looking down at his beloved in his arms, his gaze becoming gentle. He said in a low voice, "Let's go." Then, he held her hand as he parted the crowd and led her away.

The crowd automatically opened up to reveal a path for them.

Suddenly, a brave voice rang out. "If the incident has nothing to do with Ye Xingling, then why have this press conference at all?" This was not said in a particularly loud voice but was clearly heard by everyone in the large hall given the pin-drop silence.

Li Lei paused in mid-step and turned around.

All the reporters lowered their heads and silently chided that one person that had spoken out. If he offended Boss Li now, they were all in trouble of being collateral damage!

That person was also regretting saying anything and had his head lowered as well.

Li Lei's cold gaze swept across the room again, and he said in a tough voice, "Yes, I should never have allowed this press conference." Who were the ones who had put Xiao Ling in the limelight and arranged this press conference to torture her? He asked the staff members near him, "Whose idea was it to hold a press conference?"

"Boss Mai and Boss Lin." One of the staff members mumbled.

Boss Mai was the vice-chairman of the charity fund and was in charge of the day-to-day running of the fund. Boss Lin was Xia Ling's manager, Lin Yunan.

"Very good." Li Lei gave a cold laugh. "Inform Mai Ke that he's been fired! Lin Yunan, you're also fired!"

"What?!" Lin Yunan stared at him in shock.

"No way..." The reporters also looked on in shock and had exclaimed subconsciously. Did Boss Li fire two important executives in a split second just to protect his girl?

They looked toward Xia Ling again. This time, their gaze seemed like they were looking at a monster.

What in the world did this woman have to make Skyart Entertainment's Big Boss protect her like this? The reporters responsible for all the harsh questions earlier were starting to regret.

Li Lei did not care what everyone was thinking or feeling. Now, he lowered his head and told his girl gently. "Let's go."

"But..." Xia Ling glanced over at Lin Yunan worriedly. What should she say? How could he have been fired so suddenly?

Li Lei did not care for this at all. He grabbed her hand and led her away from the press conference venue.

They got into his SUV.

"I'm sorry that I was late." Li Lei's expression was ashen. She had suffered so much in the few hours since the incident was reported in the early morning. Li Lei felt like whipping himself and Lin Yunan for putting her in the helpless position in front of the reporters, such that she had been questioned until she was in tears!

Was this Manager an idiot?! How could he not be able to protect a small girl like her?!

His grip tightened on the steering wheel.

Seeing that he was in a bad mood, Xia Ling carefully said, "I'm okay."

"I know if you're okay or not." He retorted before growing silent. After a while, he said, "Xiao Ling, I'm so sorry. There was a family matter this morning, and I was summoned by my grandfather for a meeting. That's why I couldn't find time to settle the problems on your end."

Recently, there was a complicated issue in his family overseas.

This was something that was way more significant than the incident in the charity fund.

However, if it were up to Li Lei, he would still have placed Xiao Ling's issue as a priority. There were many capable individuals in his family who could deal with the family issue. Xiao Ling, on the other hand, only had him.

Yet, it was not up to him.