After speaking with Shen Tao, Ye Huanqiu was instructed to visit Tomato TV immediately. Zhang Yanzhuo had fallen from grace, and now the show's ratings hinged entirely on Ye Huanqiu and Yang Chaoyue.
They were the key to the second season's success, and even though Director Zhang resented it, he had no choice but to protect Ye Huanqiu.
Ye Huanqiu returned home to retrieve his contract. He had already consulted Starbeam, who assured him that such a frivolous Lawyer's Letter was as worthless as toilet paper.
When the case went to court, the opposing party would inevitably lose.
However, Starbeam warned him that if they insisted on pursuing the lawsuit regardless of the outcome, Ye Huanqiu might be barred from filming the next season.
No wonder Shen Tao was so anxious. Ye Huanqiu was perfectly content to watch them fight it out.
Having someone else handle his troubles would save him time and effort—what could be better?
Arriving at Director Zhang's office at Tomato TV, Ye Huanqiu found the network's legal team already assembled. A television station's Legal Department was not to be trifled with.
Upon arriving, Ye Huanqiu presented his contract and briefly showed his social security records, which clearly indicated that he was not affiliated with any company and paid his social security contributions personally.
"Teacher Ye, do you have a history with Nuocheng Company?"
"Just an unpleasant departure," Ye Huanqiu replied, feigning nonchalance. "I suspect my former supervisor, Wang Tong, is behind this. He's likely trying to get the Legal Department to target me, hoping to drag out an appeal and prevent me from appearing on your show. But I have nothing to hide."
Director Zhang and Shen Tao couldn't afford to be indifferent.
"What audacity! Deliberately causing trouble for someone working on my show!" Director Zhang was genuinely furious. He was already fed up with the previous mess, and now this Wang Tong had the nerve to provoke him?
He glanced at Shen Tao, who immediately handed over Nuocheng Company's records: a small-to-medium-sized cultural and creative company with a registered capital of just over ten million yuan.
"What's he even worth in a place like the Demon Capital?" the middle-aged lawyer leading the legal team exclaimed.
"Their lawsuit is legally sound, but it appears to be a misunderstanding," he continued. "I recommend we file a counterclaim for defamation of the show's contestants and send them a Lawyer's Letter formally warning them. If they don't back down, we'll escalate the case. A standalone lawsuit might only cost them legal fees, but if we expand it, the liability will far exceed what he can personally afford."
"Do it," Shen Tao agreed, feeling the need to assert the show's authority. Zhang Yanzhuo's earlier punishment was his own fault for being foolish. But if Ye Huanqiu were similarly targeted, what would other TV stations think of them? If rival stations decided to harass them, wouldn't this set a precedent for anyone to do the same?
"Send it. I'll make a call..."
As the legal team prepared for battle, Ye Huanqiu casually bought a bottle of his favorite soda from a vending machine and drank it leisurely nearby, looking utterly unconcerned.
"Young Master Li, this is huge news! You have to see this!" Gou Bing burst into the room, pointing at the trending topic: "I Am a Creator" contestant suspected of violating a non-compete agreement and receiving a cease and desist letter.
Upon seeing it was Ye Huanqiu, Gou Bing immediately rushed to inform Li Yuanjie of this stroke of good fortune.
"Something's not right..." Li Yuanjie murmured.
"What's wrong? It's definitely him," Gou Bing said, looking puzzled.
Li Yuanjie explained, "Maybe he really was an employee of that company before, but someone's definitely protecting him. I've investigated his background thoroughly and found nothing. Now Nuocheng Company suddenly comes forward? That's too convenient. I'm not stupid... We can't touch this. I'll defeat him fairly and squarely on the show. Don't bother me with these underhanded tactics."
Gou Bing stared at Li Yuanjie as if he were an alien. Is this really Young Master Li? This was the perfect opportunity to kick a man when he's down, yet he refused to take it?
Earlier, Li Yuanjie had been furious, vowing to make Ye Huanqiu pay. Now he insisted on a fair showdown on the show. Gou Bing couldn't fathom how his young master's mind worked.
He had no choice but to slip away quietly.
"Impossible," Li Yuanjie thought. "If he's just a lowly employee, are my connections completely useless? If they can't even uncover anything about a resigned clerk, there's definitely something fishy going on."
Li Yuanjie had intercepted the information through his own connections. Stepping forward now would likely backfire badly.
Wang Tong of Nuocheng Company eagerly anticipated Ye Huanqiu's humiliation in court. He had sent the Lawyer's Letter today and planned to file the lawsuit next Monday.
Let's see how arrogant he is then...
Knock, knock.
Hearing the knock, Wang Tong called out, "Come in."
To his surprise, Li Tian walked in. Wang Tong immediately stood up. "Young Master Li, what brings you here?"
"My brother-in-law wants to see you in his office."
"Understood."
Summoned by the Chairman, Wang Tong straightened his tie and smoothed out any wrinkles in his clothes.
Li Tian had just left Chairman Li Tong's office. He could tell that Li Tong was seething with rage, though his expression remained unchanged. As his brother-in-law, Li Tian knew him all too well.
Meanwhile, Wang Tong, thinking the Chairman had some important task for him, practically skipped to the Chairman's office, eager to please.
The moment Wang Tong stepped into the office, the assistant slammed the door shut and drew the curtains.
Unaware of what awaited him, Wang Tong was immediately greeted with two stinging slaps across the face from Li Tong, followed by a kick that sent him sprawling to the floor.
"Look at the mess you've made, Wang Tong!" Li Tong roared. "Let me make this perfectly clear: settle your personal vendettas with that former employee privately. Don't drag Nuocheng's name into this! I'm the Chairman of this company!"
Li Tong had long turned a blind eye to Wang Tong's shady dealings. He knew Wang Tong exploited the staff, but maintaining the small-to-medium-sized company's current success required such sycophantic enforcers to do his dirty work.
But dragging the company's name into a personal feud was a line he couldn't forgive.
Tomato TV had high hopes for "I Am a Creator," and the Saturday ratings proved it was a smash hit.
Zhang Yanzhuo had ruined his own chances with his reckless mouth, but Ye Huanqiu was also a key part of the show—and one of the main reasons for its Saturday triumph.
On what should have been a day of celebration for Tomato TV, Nuocheng Company suddenly launched a surprise counterattack, directly confronting the network head-on.
This wasn't just about targeting Ye Huanqiu; it was a slap in the face to Tomato TV itself!
Li Tong had painstakingly built his foothold in the Demon Capital. How could he afford to antagonize the city's largest television station? Was he tired of success and eager to retire?
When Director Zhang reported the situation to his superiors, a casual message relayed to Li Tong sent him into a cold sweat.
He immediately launched an investigation into Ye Huanqiu's case. After uncovering the truth, it became clear that Nuocheng Company had no leg to stand on, either morally or legally.
Only then did Li Tong summon Wang Tong and give him a severe dressing-down, determined to teach him a lesson he wouldn't soon forget.
"Instruct the Legal Department to withdraw all the news articles immediately. Delete that blog post, and issue a public apology—to both Ye Huanqiu and the show. He's an independent musician now. If I ever find out you're using the company's name for any more of your underhanded schemes, I'll show you no mercy."
Li Tong's unspoken message was clear: "Do whatever you want privately, but never involve the company. And if things go south, don't drag us into it."