After Reborn, I Became the Bigshots' Beloved-Chapter 327: Preparing for a Rainy Day

Lu Sheng made the phone call, only to get a prompt saying "The number you dialed is currently in use".

It seems that Peng Hongyuan was on another call.

So, Lu Sheng hung up the phone.

However, it wasn’t long before Professor Peng returned the call.

"...Hello? Is that Shengsheng?"

Upon hearing his voice, which sounded a bit tired, Lu Sheng quickly responded, "It’s me, Uncle Peng, I’m calling because..."

"Shengsheng, you’ve seen that report on Weibo, right?" Peng Hongyuan sounded like he had checked Weibo too. Before Lu Sheng could finish, he interrupted.

Lu Sheng paused and then spoke very seriously, "Yes, Uncle Peng."

"That report accusing you of using special admission slots to trick me is complete nonsense."

"Those photos are nothing abnormal, it’s just because of the angle that makes us appear very close, and netizens are over-interpreting it."

"I’m not sure about the other so-called evidence listed in those accusations, but I trust in your character, Uncle Peng, you would never do such things as excluding colleagues and verbally attacking students."

"So, I called to ask what you are planning to do now. If I need to explain anything online, just let me know."

Once Peng Hongyuan heard Lu Sheng’s explanation, he said, "Shengsheng, you’re such a good kid, rushing to clear things up for me after seeing the report."

Then he sighed, "This whole affair, it seems like someone intentionally wants to frame me."

"Someone wants to frame you?" Lu Sheng paused on the phone.

"Yes," Peng Hongyuan continued, "let’s not even mention that we aren’t celebrities or internet stars, why would anyone take sneaky photos of us outside a restaurant?"

"As for the other pieces of evidence shown beneath that Weibo post, they’re all fake too."

"Those forum screenshots, where someone using the identity of my student anonymously posted complaints against me—it’s all completely fabricated."

"And those chat logs claiming I insult students in private? Those are entirely made up too."

"The only true part is the matter about me suppressing a fellow professor. Because I really did veto a professor’s promotion to the dean of Beijing University Medical School."

"But absolutely not for the reasons stated in the article, claiming I was worried he’d overshadow my position and vetoed him out of jealousy."

"My opposition to his appointment as dean was strictly because his character does not qualify. I was worried he’d lead the students astray and corrupt the Medical School."

Actually, when Lu Sheng read the report, he suspected that it might be a deliberate frame-up.

It wasn’t just that someone had taken photos of them secretly, in the comments there seemed to be many commentators like a paid internet army deliberately setting the narrative.

The person trying to frame Peng Hongyuan meticulously fabricated evidence and pinned so many charges on him, even implicating seducing underage girls.

If Peng Hongyuan really gets caught in a whirlpool of public opinion and fails to clear himself, he might even be dismissed from being a distinguished professor at Beijing University.

More seriously, as a professor at the National Science Academy, he represents the national image. If things really blow up, he could likely be taken away for investigation.

Not only would his reputation built over the first half of his life be completely destroyed, his beloved and revered career in scientific research would also end; he might never step into the research institute again.

But Lu Sheng originally did not know who would do such a thing to Professor Peng. It obviously indicates deep hatred, an attempt to destroy him through this incident.

Now, hearing Peng Hongyuan mention the professor he vetoed, Lu Sheng immediately asked, "Uncle Peng, could the person trying to frame you be this professor you opposed for promotion to dean?"

Peng Hongyuan immediately answered, "I’ve thought the same. Because, Shengsheng, you know, I’ve spent most of my life not interacting much with others, so I hardly offend anyone."

"That deputy dean is cunning and spiteful—he’s capable of doing such things. I’ve been trying his number all morning, but couldn’t get through, and I don’t know where he is."

"But the more I can’t get through to him, the more convinced I am that he’s behind this," Peng Hongyuan’s tone grew more certain.

After hearing Peng Hongyuan’s words, Lu Sheng paused for a few seconds, then asked, "Then Uncle Peng, what do you plan to do now? Should you register a Weibo account to clarify things?"

"Shengsheng, this internet and Weibo stuff, I’m a person over fifty and I don’t understand it. But I believe in one thing, if your conscience is clear, you need not fear sinister shadows."

Peng Hongyuan, having focused on his scientific research for so many years, also carries a scholar’s pride.

He is understandably upset about being framed and criticized by those misinformed netizens.

"Those unfounded accusations and fabricated evidence, what’s fake will remain fake. Let those netizens say what they want; I have a clear conscience."

"Neither Beijing University nor the National Science Academy have contacted me yet. If they really need to investigate this matter because of the incident, I will just explain everything directly to them and have them issue an official announcement to clear my name."

Peng Hongyuan has no intentions of explaining himself to the netizens.

Lu Sheng, after hearing his words, was somewhat concerned.

Peng Hongyuan, who usually doesn’t engage with the internet, isn’t aware of the huge impact of Weibo and public opinion today.

Sometimes, public opinion can indeed crush a person to death.

Even if he can later clear things up with the school and the National Science Academy, and get an official statement to vindicate him.

If it fails to convince the public and win the support of public opinion, then the netizens might unanimously accuse Beijing University and the National Science Academy of shielding him. Far from settling down, the matter would only escalate further.

With this in mind, Lu Sheng decided to take precautions.

If the issue doesn’t blow up and the trending topic drops after a day, that naturally would be the best outcome.

But if the situation escalates seriously, finding the person who framed Peng Hongyuan becomes crucial.

"Uncle Peng, how about this," Lu Sheng said, "since this matter also involves me, and I’m on winter vacation now and have time, you give me that professor’s name and phone number, and I’ll help you find him."

After thinking for a few seconds, Peng Hongyuan from the other end of the phone replied, "Okay, then I’ll trouble you, Shengsheng."

"The name of that professor is Jiang Yusheng, and his phone number... I’ll send it to your WeChat in a while."