Chapter Ninety-Nine: Coercion and Enticement

After leaving the ward, things on this side proved even easier than expected. If nothing unexpected happened, she should be able to move far faster than Fu Zhichen’s side.

After getting the patient room number from the hospital director, Pei Susu went straight there.

As she reached the door, she heard cries of pain coming from inside. Pei Susu arched a brow and pushed the door open.

"Oh, heavens! The Fu Group is threatening and bribing me, just so I’ll tell a lie!"

The reporter was rolling about on the bed, bawling loudly as though he wanted everyone on the entire floor to hear him.

Pei Susu stood off to the side with her arms folded.

It was a pity his little scheme was useless before them, because by the time Pei Susu arrived, she had already noticed that the entire floor had been cleared out.

That must have been the hospital director’s doing.

It had to be said that money truly made things easy. No one dared offend Fu Zhichen; even now, with the Fu Group mired in trouble, no one would lightly underestimate him.

After so many years, how many interests had become entangled with the Fu Group beneath its vast and intricate network?

No one believed Fu Zhichen would fall so easily.

The ones who had wished for it so desperately had only made themselves into a joke.

“Fine, then let’s talk carefully about your problem.”

Pei Susu walked to Fu Zhichen’s side and exchanged a look with him. What had been settled at Madam Chen’s place was already clear without further explanation.

She took the medical chart from Fu Zhichen’s hand. It was this reporter’s chart.

“This medical record makes things very clear. Your condition is nowhere near as serious as you claimed, and even less as tragic as your family described it on social media.”

Pei Susu lifted a brow and laughed softly.

“You used public opinion on the internet quite cleverly, and you really did push us to the center of the storm.”

“But you’d better keep this chart well hidden. If it leaves this room and we post it online, those who have been condemning us will have their blades turned back on them. As a journalist, you should understand that very well, shouldn’t you?”

The reporter had not expected that even in the midst of today’s storm, Pei Susu could still be so sharp-tongued.

He had been rolling around and making a scene, refusing to cooperate, but now he could only stare at Pei Susu with a pale face.

“What are you trying to say? My condition really is serious. I think I’ve injured my brain, and I’ve also injured my mind. I’m requesting a reexamination!”

He was quite skilled at changing the subject. If this were truly classified as neurological damage, then even if it could not be verified immediately, prolonging the public attention would already mean he had won.

“Is that so?”

Pei Susu calmly took out her phone. On it was a video the assistant had just sent her.

It showed the moment when the reporter, clearly fine just moments before, was walking along, spotted other media, and suddenly collapsed to the ground and began rolling around.

“With this video, your motive should be very clear, shouldn’t it?” Pei Susu said with a faint smile. When she saw the reporter lunge toward her phone, she deftly turned her wrist and drew the device back behind her.

“Mr. Reporter, I didn’t realize you were so badly hurt that you could still move so nimbly.”

Smiling, she pointed to the camera in the corner.

“Sorry, but there are surveillance cameras in the hospital. Are you sure you still want to insist that you’re a critically injured patient?”

The reporter’s expression darkened terribly. He had never imagined that Pei Susu could expose him with just a few words.

“…No wonder you’re the woman Mr. Fu likes. You really are no ordinary person.”

Grinding his teeth, the reporter pulled out his phone.

“You’re just intimidating me here, which is why I had a stress reaction. I’m calling the police right now and having you all arrested!”

Hearing this, Pei Susu and Fu Zhichen remained unmoved. They stood by and watched his actions, with no intention of stopping him.

Seeing the two of them standing at the bedside while everything he did seemed to be nothing more than a one-man performance, the reporter’s face twisted with frustration.

“What exactly do you want? I’m only doing this under someone else’s orders. Why make things difficult for me?”

At that, Pei Susu revealed a gentle smile.

“Of course we don’t want to make things difficult for you. So long as you’re willing to give a statement explaining whose instructions you followed to deliberately spread information online harmful to the Fu Group, we won’t stay any longer.”

The reporter’s face looked grim.

Wouldn’t that be throwing himself into a pit of fire? He truly could not afford to offend Pei Susu and Fu Zhichen, but he also could not afford to offend the M Group.

“You have five minutes to think about it. Either give your statement, or we’ll handle this privately with the police.”

“Or perhaps… I can simply post all of this evidence online and let everyone judge right from wrong, then hand you over to the police for proper handling.”

Though Pei Susu seemed gentle, every word she spoke was driving the reporter toward a dead end.

This time, she was truly enraged. She would use every means at her disposal to deal with these people once and for all.

“…Fine, I’ll give the statement. I’ll give it, all right?”

What he was doing was disturbing public order. He had spread so many false claims online that if someone sued him for defamation, he would probably not only face enormous compensation but also end up in prison.

As for whether the M Group would come after him after he gave the statement, he did not know.

But if he refused Pei Susu now, he would be in trouble immediately.

“Then thank you for your cooperation, Mr. Reporter.”

“…”

There was no helping it if he refused to cooperate!

Having obtained what she wanted, Pei Susu and Fu Zhichen left the ward one after the other. The corridor was empty, and Fu Zhichen suddenly gathered her into his arms.

“Xiaozhen?”

The unexpected gesture surprised Pei Susu. After all, they were outside. Fu Zhichen was indeed rather clingy in private, but not to the point of embracing her in public.

Her heart softened at once.

“It’s all right now. We’ve got every piece of evidence that favors us. As long as we handle it properly, there won’t be any repercussions for either of us later.”

Her phone suddenly buzzed. Pei Susu looked down and saw that it was the assistant calling.

“Amazing, Miss Pei! Madam Chen actually posted on her own, saying that today’s miscarriage had absolutely nothing to do with you, and that she was sorry for dragging you into her private matters?”

The moment the assistant saw the post, he knew for certain that Pei Susu and Mr. Fu had done their part.

Although he had already believed this matter would soon pass when he saw Pei Susu and Mr. Fu personally step in, he never imagined it would pass this quickly.