Chapter 408

Chapter 408: Chapter 408

Most of the people there had seen Chenyang’s photo online.

So when he stepped forward, the crowd immediately erupted.

"That bastard’s got some nerve. Anyone else would have run away by now, but he dares to just swagger out here like this."

"He looks presentable enough, but I can’t believe he’d extort a man and take advantage of a woman during a car accident. It’s degenerate scum like him that’s ruining the reputation of our Yang City."

"Damn it, if there weren’t so many cops here, I’d rush up and slap him across the face!"

"Don’t worry. The hospital leadership is here, the city officials are here, and so is that big celebrity. With so many important people here to condemn him, he’s guaranteed to pay a heavy price for his despicable actions!"

"Hmph. Just looking at a guy like him makes my fucking eyes feel dirty."

"He should be arrested and rot in jail for the rest of his life... Oh wait, just rotting in jail isn’t enough. It’d be best if he got locked up, beaten every morning, and had his ass reamed every afternoon!"

Among the nearly two thousand people, more than half weren’t just shamelessly shouting curses. Some even spat at Chenyang, and as he walked past, one person even stuck out a foot to try and trip him.

Just as some of them had said, if not for all the officials and police officers, they would’ve been dying to give him a slap or two.

Of course, not all the voices were curses; some people were also speaking up in Chenyang’s defense.

This was especially true for those who had learned the real story in the parking lot. While they tried to clear Chenyang’s name, they also cursed out Lin Jiji.

These people knew the real situation and understood that Chenyang was being framed.

But they were outnumbered by those who didn’t know the truth by dozens, even hundreds to one.

As a result, their voices had barely risen before they were drowned out by the chorus of curses aimed at Chenyang.

The number of people cursing Chenyang grew, and their voices got louder and louder.

Before Chenyang had even set foot on the steps, the situation had already become completely one-sided.

This scene made the expressions of Liu Yun, An Xiaoqing, and the others who supported Chenyang turn grim, and a sense of powerlessness washed over them.

Being wrongly accused is one of the most frustrating things in the world.

The information spread during a false accusation is, by its nature, fabricated. Without concrete evidence to debunk the rumors, any attempt to fight back, no matter how hard you try, is like punching at thin air.

Meanwhile, the other leaders, including Vice Dean Kang, also looked grim.

They were supposed to be examining and resolving this matter from a neutral standpoint.

They wanted to be as just and fair as possible.

However, they all understood that the matter was definitely not as simple as what was being said online.

If Chenyang hadn’t been framed, then going along with public opinion would not only lead to a happy ending for everyone but also earn them the public’s applause.

But if Chenyang *was* framed and couldn’t produce evidence, any attempt to force a correction would inevitably offend the citizens gathered here. On the other hand, if they did nothing, Chenyang would be left to take the fall.

At that point, not only would the hospital lose its internal credibility, but the city leaders would also leave a terrible impression on the true victim.

More importantly, if this incident escalated, it could easily stir up public outrage and resentment.

When that happened, many industries within Yang City could be affected to varying degrees.

"This is a tough situation," Zhang Hongtu muttered with a frown.

Vice Dean Kang murmured, "The situation is very unfavorable for Chenyang. These people have clearly made up their minds about him, and it’ll be difficult to change their perception with facts. This is going to be tricky to handle."

"The only way to avoid a tricky situation is to go along with the crowd and just cut him loose."

Another vice dean said this. After he spoke, Vice Dean Kang, Zhang Hongtu, and the other hospital leaders all turned to look at him.

The vice dean gave a dry laugh. "Don’t get me wrong, everyone. I have no malicious intent. I just want to quell this storm as quickly as possible and restore peace to the hospital and to Yang City."

Hearing this, everyone fell silent.

The method the vice dean proposed was undoubtedly the most direct and quickest way to solve all the problems in the current situation.

Only... if Chenyang was being framed, then their actions would be tantamount to twisting the truth and ignoring the facts!

They all hesitated. In front of so many people, could they really commit an act that would let a good man be wronged while the wicked one walked away scot-free and gloating?

In stark contrast to their worries, Lin Jiji was positively gloating.

Looking at Chenyang, who had just walked up to him, he smiled mockingly. "Let me ask you something. How does it feel to be cursed out by so many people in public?"