Chapter 286 - Retrieve the Patent

Shen Yan held her phone, waiting for Ye Fan to send the photos over, but saw that he had paused and couldn’t help but call out, “Send them on.”

Ye Fan looked up at Shen Yan with a bit of a bitter smile, “These photos didn’t turn out very well, let’s just delete them.”

“Didn’t turn out well?

Impossible, they looked clearly good when I was taking them.” Shen Yan disagreed, “I spent quite a bit of time on those shots.”

Ye Fan chuckled softly, saying in a low voice, “But the backgrounds of these photos aren’t very good.

Have a look for yourself.”

With that, he handed his phone to Shen Yan.

Shen Yan took Ye Fan’s phone and, reminded by him, paid attention to the background.

She immediately understood Ye Fan’s point, her pretty face reddening slightly.

She browsed through all the photos she had just taken, each one with the background featuring a bed.

“Just delete them,” Ye Fan said.

Shen Yan, being a popular celebrity and singer, would suffer a huge blow to her reputation if photos with such sensitive backgrounds were leaked, potentially leading to a slew of scandals and even ruining her pure and goddess-like image.

Therefore, Ye Fan decided to let Shen Yan delete these photos herself.

While browsing through the photos, each one pleasing her, Shen Yan said reluctantly, “These photos turned out so well, I really don’t want to just delete them like this.”

“Why don’t we keep two or three?” she asked Ye Fan with a pleading tone.

Ye Fan also wished to keep the photos, but reason made him firmly shake his head, “No!

These photos are a ticking time bomb.

As long as they’re stored on a phone or computer, one day someone will dig them out and spread them around.

I don’t care, but it could be fatal for you.”

“Let’s delete them.

We are friends, and there will be plenty of opportunities for us to take photos together in the future,” Ye Fan persuaded.

“But, these photos are really good.

Deleting them now, I fear we won’t be able to capture this feeling again,” Shen Yan said, her voice nearly breaking, “Don’t you think it’s a great pity?”

Of course, Ye Fan felt the regret too, but he still said sternly, “Delete them.”

“Ye Fan, you’re so heartless!” Shen Yan murmured reproachfully at Ye Fan.

Ye Fan remained silent in response.

After browsing through the photos wistfully again, Shen Yan finally, and with great reluctance, started to delete the photos one by one.

After the deletion, Shen Yan was a bit angry as she threw the phone back at Ye Fan.

Ye Fan quickly caught the phone and said with a forced smile, “We’ve been in here quite a while, we should come out now.”

Shen Yan didn’t say a word, her mood not very high as she stood up and walked towards the door.

Ye Fan also stood up and followed her out of Shen Yan’s private resting room.

Upon entering the studio, Ye Fan’s new mask immediately caught everyone’s attention and they began to comment on it excitedly.

“This mask looks great, and it’s more mysterious.”

“I think it adds a touch of ruggedness, very fitting for the name ‘Prisoner Two’, and has a literary vibe.”

“I find it really cool, that wig with countless braids, plus some colorful bands, it’s maximum cool!”

After more than an hour of rehearsal, Shen Yan finally returned to her normal attitude towards Ye Fan.

They continued rehearsing until past six in the evening when they finally stopped to take a break for dinner.

To save time, of course, the work meal was a boxed lunch.

After finishing the boxed lunch and taking a short rest, they started to head to the concert venue to prepare for the formal dress rehearsal after eight o’clock.

It was busy until half-past ten at night, and the dress rehearsal finally ended.

Ye Fan knew that Shen Yan must be quite tired, so he didn’t bother her much, greeted her, and then left.

On the way back driving, Ye Fan turned on his phone and saw several missed calls and two unread text messages, all from Lu Xiaoman.

He guessed Lu Xiaoman must have been in turmoil after meeting her biological parents today, probably calling him to chat.

However, since it was already half-past ten at night, Ye Fan worried that Lu Xiaoman had gone to bed, so he only replied with a text message.

But just after he sent the text, Lu Xiaoman’s call came right in.

“Hehe, did my text wake you up?” Ye Fan picked up the call and said with a smile.

“No, I might not have been able to sleep tonight even without your message,”

Lu Xiaoman’s voice sounded weak from the phone, and Ye Fan guessed she must be lying in bed taking the call.

Ye Fan said with a smile, “Is it because you’re feeling overwhelmed?

Hehe, anyone would feel the same in your situation.

I believe you’ll soon come to accept the truth.

Honestly, this is a good thing for you.

Your biological parents are clearly not ordinary people, and you will have a different life ahead of you.”

“But I don’t want to change,” Lu Xiaoman said.

“Ye Fan, I mean it.”

“Mm, I understand,” Ye Fan replied with a laugh.

Lu Xiaoman continued, “Today, my parents wanted me to go back to Chongqing with them, but I refused.

They wanted to give me money, which I also declined.

I will continue to live in Huahai City, work hard, and keep managing Huayang Martial Arts Gym.”

“Mm.

It’s good that you can stick to your true self, but don’t be too hard on yourself.

You should accept what needs to be accepted,” Ye Fan advised, “It’s hard to explain everything over the phone, let’s meet tomorrow morning and talk seriously then.”

“Okay.”

The next morning, as the stock market opened, Emali Group’s stock price soared.

The reason was that the previous afternoon Emali Group had recovered the patent for “Ji Lung Purification Tablets.”

This piece of good news meant that Emali Group’s major crisis was officially resolved, and not only was there joy and vigor throughout the company, but the stock price also rebounded dramatically.

While Emali Group was rejoicing, Tongyi Group was in a state of gloom.

Last night, U.S.

time Tuesday, Tongyi Group’s stock continued to suffer violent attacks from international short-sellers, resulting in heavy losses.

Xiao Yichen made an overnight call to question Li Zhaojun about her not keeping her promise, but, unfortunately, she had turned off her phone and was not taking his calls.

This morning, as work began, Xiao Yichen called Li Zhaojun’s office landline again to confront her.

Li Zhaojun replied indifferently, “I told you from the start that the person attacking Tongyi Group wasn’t me.

Tongyi Group forcefully took the ‘Ji Lung Purification Tablets’ patent, and returning it yesterday was the natural thing to do.

Tongyi Group has never helped Emali Group in any way; on the contrary, it has only caused us a severe crisis.

Did you think I bear any obligation to help Tongyi Group by stopping the attacks against you?”

“Please don’t call me again in the future.

I am very busy with work and do not have the time to concern myself with Tongyi Group’s affairs.”

After saying that, she hung up the phone.

After ending the call, Li Zhaojun pondered, “Now that I have recovered the ‘Ji Lung Purification Tablets’ patent, Ye Fan’s continued attacks on Tongyi Group might end up being a Pyrrhic victory, costing us a lot of social capital and resources.”

Thinking this, she picked up her phone, found a number, and dialed it out.