[Family, I don’t know if I’m being too sensitive, but today’s live stream felt off to me… Not the content itself, and not the guests either. It’s just… for some reason, I felt like Geng Nian was acting strange…]
[I don’t mean anything by it. If I’m wrong, go easy on me, (armor up). Pure speculation, (armor up). Pure subjective feeling, (armor up). Not for reference.]
During the live stream, a post suddenly floated up in a certain forum’s entertainment group. The original poster, named [Just a Microscope], quietly shared their feelings. At first, the post didn’t gain much traction until the OP put screenshots from several guests’ live streams side by side in one frame.
Wu Zhiqi was flipping through unreleased footage, and every trainee had some, but Geng Nian’s clips were significantly longer than the others’.
Fang Peng and Fu Le were chatting, and the trainees mentioned Geng Nian the most.
Yu Xi and Yi Chen were talking to someone whose face wasn’t shown, their voice processed and altered, recounting that person’s tragic past.
[Just a Microscope: I just feel like something’s off. In Yu Xi and Yi Chen’s conversation, they never named anyone, but they mentioned a car accident, companies, and such. Then Wu Zhiqi flipped to the video of Geng Nian saying he was in a car accident before joining the training camp, and some trainees mentioned how he’d acquired several companies before…]
[Just a Microscope: It feels wrong, super strange, so I did a little digging, and I actually found something.]
[Just a Microscope: ]
Clicking into the links posted by [Just a Microscope] led to reports about a car accident from a few months ago.
Sometimes words lacked the shocking impact of visuals. The video came from old surveillance footage and wasn’t high-definition.
In the footage, a small car drove normally along a mountain road when a black motorcycle suddenly rushed out from around a bend. There was clearly a car ahead, but it showed no sign of slowing down, just kept honking.
The mountain road was narrow to begin with, and the motorcycle was going too fast. Even if the car driver wanted to pull over, there was no time. The motorcycle slammed into the car’s rear, sending the small car out of control. The whole vehicle plunged off the mountain path and down the cliff.
[Just a Microscope: That family was badly hurt. The couple died on the spot, and the little girl fell into a coma, became a vegetable, surviving only on daily ICU life support. The motorcyclist seemed fine, and rumor has it he fled before the police arrived.]
It was a pretty serious car accident, but it had drawn scant attention. There were only a pitiful few news reports, and no discussions on local forums. The rare similar posts that turned up had all been locked or deleted.
It was clean, as if someone had swept through and tidied up.
The post gradually gained heat.
[Actually, I felt off too just now. You don’t think that hit-and-run rider was Geng Nian, right…? The timing lines up.]
[That motorcycle… looks exactly like the one Geng Nian posted on Weibo a while back. Look, even the custom pattern on the fuel cap matches.]
[No evidence, don’t spread rumors or believe them!]
[We’re discussing motorcycles and street racers, how did it turn into spreading rumors? Some fans, don’t be so self-centered.]
[Ummm… Actually, I’ve got some insider info. I heard Geng Nian plays dirty (I mean his methods), totally different from how he acts on the show.]
[I’ve heard too. His company acquisitions are filthy. He plants moles in perfectly fine businesses, sabotages them from inside, uses Geng Corporation’s influence to ruin their partnerships, forces them into bankruptcy, then signs exploitative deals to buy them out cheap.]
[And he seems to love bankrupting companies just to acquire them, then abandons them to rot.]
[Don’t let him fool you with how he glamorizes business wars and takeovers. He’s ruthless to the rank-and-file. That couple who died in the crash? Geng Nian acquired their company. It employed disabled people, childless elders, and older workers—really decent place. After he took over, no management, no business, can’t even pay wages. It’s on the brink of collapse now. God knows what those employees will do.]
[Chilling when you think about it… I didn’t feel much at first, but your analysis is spot on. Now I’m scared of Geng Nian. Imagine if my parents worked at a company he acquired—doing fine one day, then new boss announced, then sudden collapse, no paychecks. Our whole family would fall apart.]
[So who was the guy they interviewed? Insulting him but giving him resources? Who in the camp could pull that off?]
[Not Chen Manman. His family’s well-off, but his resources only stretch to himself. If it’s like the interviewee said… then only one guy in the camp…]
[Captain Geng?]
[No way? It can’t really be him, right?]
Netizens cautiously started discussing. Posts about Geng Nian multiplied on the forum, but soon they realized Geng Nian wasn’t someone you could just discuss freely. As soon as anyone pointed out his flaws or used slightly harsh words, their replies got deleted instantly.
[?]
[Can’t talk about it?]
[Is Geng Nian a keyword?]
[Why delete? Hiding something?]
[Is this your personal forum? Did I even say anything?]
[Is Geng Nian’s team censoring? No wonder the show’s been nothing but praise since it started—no criticism at all. They’re controlling the narrative!]
[The more they censor, the more it seems like Geng Nian has issues.]
The live stream continued.
“Of course we all listen to Captain Geng!”
“He’s born to be a captain!”
“How could anyone dislike Geng Nian!”
“I won’t allow anyone to say a bad word about Captain Geng!”
—In the unreleased footage, plenty of trainees said things like that.
“Captain Geng is super nice! Listen to him and you’re golden!”
“I’m Captain Geng’s super fan!”
“Geng Nian, look at me! Next performance, team up with me!”
“Hehe, I’ve teamed with Captain Geng twice, first place both times. Captain Geng’s got real guts!”
—The trainees chatting with Fang Peng and Fu Le always steered the topic back to Geng Nian.
[So annoying.]
[Geng Nian, Geng Nian, Geng Nian—why is everyone talking about Geng Nian? Isn’t this an ensemble survival show? How’s it all about him?]
[Is this his variety show?]
[I don’t get it. He joined the show, so he’s an idol trainee. Shouldn’t he just focus on his performances and practice? Why hype him to the heavens?]
[Why does everyone obey him? Aren’t you people? Don’t you have your own opinions?]
More and more people posted frustrated comments.
In front of the screens, the director and staff monitored the data. Seeing the flood of comments, they were somewhat surprised.
Public opinion had truly shifted in the direction Yu Xi had planned.
“Overstimulation effect.”
In the meeting room, Yu Xi shared his view.
Overstimulation effect—when stimulation is too frequent, intense, or prolonged, it causes extreme psychological irritation or backlash. (From Baidu Baike)
“By frequently mentioning Geng Nian in a short time or endlessly hyping his ordinary traits, the overstimulation effect will soon hit some viewers.”
“Public sentiment is easily swayed. Like the flu—if one person coughs, thousands catch the virus.”
Data flowed rapidly online, with comment counts and discussion volume exploding. Geng Corporation’s dedicated studio for Geng Nian monitored public opinion in real time.
“What’s going on? Why are so many people suddenly badmouthing the young master?”
“We can’t delete them fast enough!”
“He’s totally normal! Even the program’s regular trainees praise him! No extreme comments on official platforms—what happened?”
“The live stream? Nothing there? Young master’s bullying? Hasn’t been exposed! Chen Manman’s the one getting hit for bullying now—not like he dragged the young master down?”
“Find a way to notify the young master! Don’t let him fall into a trap!”
“Can’t! Program team’s on a signal block today—jammers at max. Can’t contact him right away. We’ve sent someone over! They’ll notify him soon!”
They manipulated public opinion year-round, but when another hand muddied their pool, they found themselves trapped too, unable to escape.
Wen Yimeng took a deep breath.
He tried his best to calm his emotions. It was hard.
He truly didn’t know what Yi Chen and Yu Xi wanted. For him to expose Geng Nian? To rip open his own wounds for the public to see?
Yu Xi and Yi Chen exchanged a glance and silently turned off the miniature camera’s audio.
[Audio?]
[Why turn off the sound?]
[What’s that we can’t hear? VIP, I recharged, I recharged, that good enough?!!]
[Is the person you’re talking to Geng Nian?]
Yi Chen spoke up: “Let me list a few premises for you.”
“First, the Geng family is a prestigious clan.”
“Second, prestigious clans value bloodlines above all.”
“Third, the Geng family is in internal strife right now. Big families get archaic when fighting for power. After the family head passed, the sidelines are eyeing it hungrily. Current head Geng Qiao has only one son, one heir: Geng Nian.”
“Fourth, this son has no business talent. Whatever he invests in flops. He wrecks one company after another at home, then torments ordinary folks outside. Clearly not a qualified heir.”
“Fifth, exclusive clan gossip: Geng Nian… can’t perform.”
Wen Yimeng: “?”
Yu Xi nearly spat out his midway sip of water: “What?!”
Yi Chen shrugged: “Not that kind of can’t. The other thing—low vitality, hard to have kids. Just like his dad.”
Geng Qiao had tried everything for more children, but he was the problem. In his old age, he had only this one dud of a son, diagnosed with the same issue.
“The Geng sidelines are using Geng Qiao’s lack of a proper heir to demand shares. It’s a bloodbath.”
“So…” Yi Chen removed the miniature camera and pushed it toward Wen Yimeng. “Do you know how valuable you are?”
Wen Yimeng was silent for a moment, then picked up the camera, clipped it behind his collar, stood, and headed toward Dorm 224.
[? Sound’s back! Finally!]
[Eh? Only one person left? Where’s he going?]
[Saw the camera get taken off—is someone else wearing it now?]
[That direction… Dorm 224?]
[More drama?!!!]
Yu Xi and Yi Chen didn’t follow.
Wen Yimeng’s final strike against Geng Nian should be his alone.
Before turning the audio back on, Yu Xi asked Yi Chen: “How’d you know he can’t?”
Their thinking aligned: For the Gengs, obsessed with bloodlines amid a power struggle, Wen Yimeng was extremely valuable.
Yu Xi just hadn’t expected Yi Chen’s intel to be quite so spicy.
Yi Chen helped Yu Xi reattach the camera and straightened his collar: “No choice. Some people fish for gossip to get close. Whose gossip do you want?”
“Not for now.” Yu Xi turned his head away.
Right now, he cared more about Wen Yimeng’s situation.
At that moment, Wen Yimeng walked down the familiar corridor.
His steps were somewhat stiff.
The miniature camera hidden behind his collar was very light—he could barely feel it. But he knew he carried the gaze of countless eyes.
Countless eyes watching them, judging them, discussing them, scrutinizing them.
The corridor wasn’t long, but Wen Yimeng walked slowly.
He had visited hospitals many times, seen different doctors, undergone check after check.
But every doctor gave the same conclusion.
He had differentiated too late.
His reproductive cavity had only started developing after adulthood, wasn’t fully mature yet, and was in the fragile post-differentiation phase. Pregnancy wasn’t advisable. But it was too late now—if he insisted on aborting, it would endanger his life.
His only choice was to accept the child, to give birth to the child.
He didn’t want to hurt anyone, nor exploit anyone.
His parents were not wrong, his sister was not wrong, he was not wrong, and the child from the accident was not wrong either. The ones who deserved punishment had never been him and the child.
Wen Yimeng stood still at the door of Dorm 224.
Through the door, he heard the sounds of objects being smashed inside Room 8016.
It was obvious that people from Geng Nian’s studio had already contacted him and informed him of the current public opinion as well as the live stream situation. As expected, Geng Nian flew into a rage on the spot, losing his mind completely.
He had no phone, no electronic devices. Apart from a staff member who had secretly told him about the situation, he had no way of knowing any news from the internet.
He was going mad.
He frantically smashed everything in Dorm 224, his irritability and rage filling his brain.
He saw the door of Dorm 224 open as Wen Yimeng walked in.
Without any hesitation, he unleashed all his displeasure and anger on Wen Yimeng.
He gripped Wen Yimeng’s wrist tightly and yanked him into the room. He glared at him ferociously, his eyes nearly bulging out of their sockets. Unable to control his temper, he swung like a madman and slapped Wen Yimeng across the face.
“It’s you?!”
“What did you do?”
“What did you say?”
The crisp voice pierced through the microphone and reached the ears of every viewer in the live stream.
Wen Yimeng did not fight back or push him away.
He held his head high, his gaze slanting toward the frenzied Geng Nian, his voice flat: “Geng Nian, I’m pregnant.”
【！！！！！！】
【What?!】
【No way?!】
【Holy shit???】
【Pregnant with what? Pregnant how? Whose pregnancy is this?!】
【Is pregnancy even the point? Geng Nian is terrifying as hell!】
【Geng Nian has lost it! What the hell is he doing? Did he just slap him??】
【That’s a horror movie expression! Does that even exist in real life?!】
【He’s bullying! He’s the real bully!】
【I’m losing it, I’m really losing it.】
【It’s over, it’s over, it’s over!!!】
The live stream lagged.
The online public opinion completely exploded.
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