Love O2O- Beyond a Beautiful Smile

Chapter 55- The best defence is a strong offence

"We have a more aggressive option. One that I think we'd all agree to except for one thing..." he looked over at Mei and KO, waiting for the pair to give him their permission to share the details they had discussed before everything started. When they nodded at him, Xiao Nai closed his eyes briefly, hating what he was about to do. "But this options relies on Hao Mei and KO leaving. Not just Zhi Yi, but Beijing."

To say their friends weren't happy would be an understatement. It took the rest of the day for Xiao Nai, KO and Mei to explain their plan and by the time everyone was on board, night had fallen and Wei Wei had ordered a food delivery.

"I still don't understand why they have to leave Beijing." Li Qiang spoke around a mouthful of rice. "I hate to say it, but leaving the company makes sense if Mei's parents are only targeting the company to get at him. But why Beijing?"

"Pa will correctly assume that if we stay in Beijing, then we're still in contact with Xiao Nai and still working for the company on the sly. It will only make him focus on the company even more." Mei added more meat to KO's bowl before filling his own with rice.

"I don't get it." Ban Shan leaned back in his chair and waved his chopsticks for emphasis. "Spreading rumours like this, targeting Zhi Yi as an "immoral influence" because we have a gay couple on the team... his son is one half of that couple. So don't rumours like that hurt his own business as well?"

"The rumours don't name anyone." Shaking his head at the foolishness of it all, Xiao Nai reminded his friend of the basics. "There's no record of KO available to the public and they won't risk naming their son. This is about forcing me to make a public statement denying the rumours without firing the staff members involved, and therefore confirming, in the eyes of the conservatives, that Zhi Yi will be promoting homosexuality in our games."

"Which is why laosan needs to fire us. Publicly." For someone who's life was about to turn upside down, Mei was surprisingly calm. "That will reassure the conservatives about the company's morals and has the added bonus of naming and shaming my parents, without actually calling them out."

"But, Mr Beauty, why do you have to leave Beijing?" Wei Wei's eyebrows furrowed in concern. "Why do you have to be fired and then leave? Isn't that too much?"

"Distance." It was KO's turn to help clarify further. "We need to show that Zhi Yi is completely rejecting us. Xiao Nai has based his company on treasuring Chinese culture and sharing that culture, in a respectful manner, with a younger generation through gaming. Being seen to support homosexuality? Xiao Nai doesn't have the influence in the industry to survive that. Combine that with the rumours that certain parties are trying to spread about the demonstration for Dreams of Jiangshu 2 and whispers on the wind could make even a brick house fall over."

Everyone ate in a silence only punctuated with the click of chopsticks on bowls. When the last person leaned back from the table, replete and with all food containers empty, Mei abruptly rose to his feet.

"I'm sorry," he bowed to his colleagues. "This situation is of my making. I apologise."

"Sit down." KO's voice was harsh. "You did not cause the situation. It is not your fault."

"I could make it all go away so easily... but I'm selfish and I don't want to. That makes it my fault." Head down, Mei couldn't see the anger clouding his friends' faces.

"It's not your fault."

"You didn't try to force someone to be something they're not!"

"Children should be dutiful to their parents but parents are supposed to care for their children first."

"Why should you have to make it right? You didn't start the rumours!"