Chapter Eighty-Three: The Truth Revealed!

The words dropped like a bomb, stunning everyone present.

Unlike An Lan, who preferred to keep a low profile, Huang Pianru was somewhat more flamboyant. Everyone knew she was obsessed with medicine—she loved delving into medicinal herbs and foods, seeking out renowned teachers, and apprenticing herself to masters wherever she could find them. She even leveraged her father's connections, using the internet, television, and major media outlets to openly recruit mentors.

Over the years, she had apprenticed herself to no fewer than ten masters, but each mentorship had ended without success. Either the teacher’s skills were lacking, or they simply couldn’t instruct Huang Pianru effectively. Every time, she would make a grand entrance, only to leave quietly, her hopes dashed.

As the daughter of the guild president, her status was more than the simple word "heiress" could convey—she was practically a queen, holding real power in her hands. And yet, such a beloved and privileged young lady had now unexpectedly come forward, insisting that she was here to clear up a misunderstanding on behalf of Ye Wushang?

“A misunderstanding?”
“What misunderstanding?”

Lan Ruoshuang, her expression shifting, asked suspiciously, “Sis, what is this woman talking about?”
“She’s the president’s daughter—how could she possibly know that deadbeat...”
“You’re asking me? Who should I ask?” Lan Ruoxue’s face was dark, her breathing shallow, her mind spinning. The entanglement with An Lan was shocking enough. Now, with Huang Pianru’s every word and gesture revealing admiration and respect for Ye Wushang, she was even more at a loss. In three years of marriage, she’d never known any of this.

What else was Ye Wushang hiding from her? Was he, as An Lan had claimed, truly exceptional, with hidden talents she knew nothing about? Suspicion. Questioning. Confusion. All these complicated emotions tangled in her heart, making her feel as if something were stuck in her throat.

“Pianru, what on earth are you talking about...”
“Pei Qinghu!” Huang Pianru raised her voice, her tone stern. “I’ve told you—we’re not close. Call me by my full name, or just Huang Pianru. Only my family and friends can use my nickname. How thick-skinned can you get?”

With that, she ignored him and, accompanied by Xiao Cui, strode quickly toward Ye Wushang. Her previous indifference vanished; she pressed her lips together and said, “Mr. Ye, I’m sorry I’m late and caused you to suffer injustice.”

“Miss Huang, why are you here, and...”

“Wushang.” Before he could finish, An Lan hurried over and instinctively took Ye Wushang’s arm. This subtle move, in Huang Pianru’s eyes, was nothing short of a challenge—a declaration of their relationship, meant to make her retreat. However, her feelings for Ye Wushang were limited to admiration and respect; she had no other intentions.

“What’s going on? How do you know Miss Huang?” Anxiety gnawed at An Lan’s heart—a sudden, inexplicable fear that something precious to her might be taken away. In terms of family background and even appearance or ability, she was confident she could surpass Lan Ruoxue. But Huang Pianru was another matter. Her looks were impressive, but her background was simply overwhelming. Even the An family couldn’t compare.

Especially since the host of this medicinal cuisine competition was none other than the guild president himself, Huang Yuanxiang!

“I...”
“How we met isn’t important. What matters is that I’m here to clear up the misunderstanding for Mr. Ye. The rest can wait. Priorities first.” Huang Pianru cut in, clearly irritated by An Lan’s subtle display.

Seeing two men still holding Ye Wushang, her eyes flashed coldly as she snapped, “What are you two still grabbing Mr. Ye for? Let him go, now!”

The two henchmen hesitated, instinctively looking toward Pei Qinghu.

At this moment, Pei Qinghu’s face was clouded with rage. He’d thought Huang Pianru had come for him, but she’d come for Ye Wushang, spouting nonsense about clearing up a misunderstanding? He’d greeted her so warmly, only for her to give him no face at all, making a fuss over a trivial form of address. Vile woman! Someday, he’d get her into his bed—make her kneel and beg for forgiveness!

“Let him go, now!” Pei Huaide, knowing full well the weight of Huang Yuanxiang’s influence—and his notorious protectiveness when it came to his children—didn’t dare offend her any further. Though her sharp words stung, he quickly gave the order, and the two henchmen released Ye Wushang.

Meanwhile, Huang Pianru stood beside Ye Wushang, facing the bewildered crowd. She raised her voice and declared, “Ladies and gentlemen, I’m here today to clear up a misunderstanding for Mr. Ye. The truth is, someone did plant a bomb—but it wasn’t Mr. Ye. The real culprit is someone else!”

Ye Wushang trembled, bewildered. “Miss Huang, I know you mean well, but I don’t even know what’s going on myself. There’s no need for you to get involved.”

An Lan’s tone was even more forceful. “This is Wushang’s affair. I’ll handle it. There’s no need for Miss Huang to worry. Once he’s taken to the police station, I’ll find a way to get him out—”

“Miss Huang!” Pei Qinghu, feeling sidelined, suddenly interrupted, his voice cold. “You can say what you like, but you’d better watch what you say. The bomb and the device we found on Ye Wushang are a perfect match. Are you seriously calling this a misunderstanding? Who would believe it? Clearly, you have some connection to that loser, but don’t think you can use your family’s power to pervert the law.”

Others chimed in as well.

“That’s right, Miss Huang, you may have a powerful background, but you can’t turn black into white.”
“Catching a thief requires evidence. If you want to prove his innocence, you’ll need proof.”
“Otherwise, even if you step in yourself, we won’t let him off lightly!”

Buoyed by public opinion, Pei Qinghu was fearless. Even Lan Ruoxue and An Lan were powerless, both convinced that Huang Pianru was just trying to save Ye Wushang. But with the evidence so clear, how could anyone overturn the situation?

“Want evidence? Nothing could be simpler.”

But faced with their interrogation, Huang Pianru remained calm. She glanced at Xiao Cui and ordered, “Xiao Cui, show them the evidence.”

“Yes, miss.” Xiao Cui nodded, taking a high-end camcorder from her bag. As she began to play the recording, she explained, “This footage was taken at 4 p.m. today in Guanghui Tower. It shows Mr. Ye shopping with his sister and getting into a dispute with two women. During that time, one woman secretly tampered with his clothes. If you slow the video down, you can clearly see her slip the remote detonator into Mr. Ye’s pocket.”

The footage matched her description exactly. At the time, Lan Ruoshuang had been mocking Ye Wushang, while Zheng Yiren, standing nearby, had quietly completed the entire setup. Focused on standing up for his sister, Ye Wushang hadn’t noticed anyone tampering with his clothes. Who would have thought that woman would plant evidence on him and frame him?

“So, does this proof show that Mr. Ye was being set up?” Huang Pianru, brimming with confidence, looked around at the silent crowd, her gaze finally landing on the panic-stricken Zheng Yiren. “And the true culprit is this woman!”

With a cry, Zheng Yiren, terrified at being named, shuddered and collapsed to the floor. Shocked and bewildered, she had thought she’d been careful, her actions flawless—never dreaming someone would catch her on camera. Now, no amount of denial could save her.

“Yiren, what’s going on?”
“Why would you plant the remote on that loser?”
“You’re the one who planted the bomb?”

Lan Ruoshuang was dumbfounded, her cheeks flushed with shock. Her best friend had become the prime suspect in a crime—it was almost impossible to accept.

“I—I—I don’t know...” Zheng Yiren stammered through her tears, shaking her head helplessly.

Those in the crowd, regaining their senses, were filled with shame and anger. They surrounded Zheng Yiren, shouting:

“So it was you who tried to blow us up, you wretch!”
“We almost wronged an innocent man because of you—why would you do such a thing?”
“You wanted to kill us all—what a vicious heart!”
“Speak! Who put you up to this? If you don’t tell us everything, we’ll never let you go!”

They berated and shoved her. Zheng Yiren wept, lost in a daze. In her panic, she struggled free of the crowd and ran desperately toward Pei Huaide.

“Mr. Pei, I—”

“Wretch! Trying to kill us and frame an innocent man—how utterly depraved!” Before she could finish, Master Wang bellowed, charged over, and kicked her onto the stage, where she crashed into the stunned Xu Zifeng.

“Stay back! Come any closer and I’ll kill him!” Zheng Yiren grabbed a fruit knife from the floor and took the frail, scholarly Xu Zifeng hostage...