Chapter 27: Trending
For the rest of the evening, the two stayed together, and Huai Dan wasn’t called away again.
Luo Jing’s sullen mood finally eased a bit.
As the reception ended, he received the gift Huai Dan had mentioned earlier at the hotel entrance.
It was a smartwatch, very stylish, the same model his deskmate had longed for but couldn’t afford.
Huai Dan said it was a graduation gift, something he could use in high school.
“Brother, are you leaving tomorrow?” Luo Jing asked, holding the gift bag and looking up at Huai Dan.
Although he had been sulking for a long time this evening, as they were about to part, he still felt reluctant.
“Finally willing to talk to me?” Huai Dan chuckled, looking at him. “Mm, I’m leaving tomorrow. I’m a bit busy recently.”
Even attending this reception had been squeezing time out of his busy schedule. He probably had a mountain of work waiting for him back home.
Luo Jing replied dejectedly, “Oh.”
It felt like Huai Dan hadn’t had any free time since the winter vacation ended.
“Have a good holiday,” Huai Dan said, ruffling his hair. “Keep in touch.”
Late at night, a video quietly gained traction online, reaching the bottom of the trending topics list, then gradually climbing higher as time passed.
The video was posted by a fan of Xie You.
[Little Rabbit Mian Mian: Jiang Kun’s fans are usually so arrogant, what do you think after watching this video? Your so-called idol is just a disgusting thing hiding behind a mask, trampling on others’ dreams and hard work. #JiangKunLeaveTheGroup#]
The video wasn’t edited or processed in any way. Everything and everyone in it appeared as they were.
From the camera angle, it was clear that the person recording wasn’t in a good position. Half the lens was blocked by a wall, but the information revealed in the other half was more than enough.
Fengjing Entertainment’s marketing had always been excellent, so they had already attracted a group of fans before Xie You’s group officially debuted.
And due to various reasons, Jiang Kun and Xie You had the highest popularity within the group, implicitly becoming the two central figures.
Therefore, their fan groups were always arguing, trying to determine who was superior.
Since the video’s caption directly mentioned the artists involved, many fans browsing late at night saw it.
Little Rabbit Mian Mian came from a wealthy family, a young lady with plenty of time and money. She enjoyed following a few idols she was interested in, experiencing the fun of fan culture.
When Fengjing Entertainment announced the upcoming debut of a new boy group with a six-into-five selection process, she was immediately drawn to a young idol named Xie You. She went to see him a few times and even created a fansite for him.
Because of this, many fans followed her, and she gained a group of fans who also liked Xie You.
So this Weibo post also appeared on their homepages.
As the number of reposts, likes, and comments exploded, the video’s popularity soared, eventually reaching the trending topics list.
Little Rabbit Mian Mian had initially followed this young idol casually, with a “poverty alleviation” mindset, as her main idol had semi-retired, and she was in a bit of a lull. But as she gradually caught up with his materials and activities, she felt increasingly strange.
In the company’s official materials, Xie You barely had any screen time, so little that no one would probably notice if he was missing. If it weren’t for his exceptionally good looks, he would have been completely invisible.
As if he was being targeted.
But on the other hand, the official account was almost like a personal account for another teammate, posting abundant and comprehensive materials, even hinting at a carefully planned storyline.
The difference in effort was evident.
She initially thought this was just the company’s normal preferential treatment towards a favored artist, even complaining inwardly about how obvious it was, but the more she watched, the more she felt it had gone beyond that.
Things other teammates had, Xie You sometimes didn’t.
So, despite her usual principle of “distance makes the heart grow fonder,” she still attended the Fengjing Entertainment reception when she received the invitation.
Then she saw this scene.
After all, he was a young idol she had taken a liking to and followed for a while. Plus, perhaps because fans often resemble their idols, Jiang Kun’s fans were just as arrogant as he was, intentionally or unintentionally targeting and belittling Xie You, picking fights everywhere. She had been annoyed for a long time.
So when she happened to see the truth while getting some fresh air, she was instantly furious and impulsively posted this video.
Fans were enraged halfway through watching the video.
[Is this the original video? Jiang Kun is such a catfish [Doraemon scared]]
[. I feel like the months I spent checking in on the super topic every day and promoting him everywhere were all for nothing. [Cracked]]
[OMG, is he really like this?]
[Is this a script the company is filming? Little Jiang loves to act.]
[Even a script couldn’t produce such a perfect performance.]
[If this is really a script, then he can go debut in the acting department. Jiang Kun’s fans, stop whitewashing him, seriously. Stand up, stop licking his boots, okay? Okay.]
[The most disgusting thing in life is an 80-line celebrity who thinks they’re a big shot [vomit][vomit]]
Besides being angry, some passersby were also attracted by another person in the video.
[Who is this little brother? He seems quite good-looking [licking screen]]
[I think they said he was a trainee from some small company. Fengjing Entertainment, are you blind?… Signing someone like that and missing out on someone like this.]
[Ahhh, the moment he splashed the orange juice was so cool! I want to be his fan! Does anyone know who he is? Urgent!]
[Huh? What? What’s this twist? [Doraemon scared]]
[This is like a shockingly satisfying entertainment industry novel.]
[I also want to live like this… Who stole my handsome, rich second-generation life? [Melting]]
[I feel so energized after watching this! [So happy]]
[The case is solved, no wonder Fengjing Entertainment only signs good-looking people…]
[If I were a scout and found that the artist I found wasn’t even as good-looking as the boss’s son, I would also be worried about my career [sweat]]
Compared to the outrage of fans over a handsome but obscure celebrity being bullied, the melon-eating public preferred the satisfying story of an entertainment company’s young master acting like an underdog and then heroically saving the day.
Plus, the protagonist was also very good-looking.
[OMG, he’s so cute, calling his dad to complain hhh]
[Let him complain! The company will be his in the future, what’s wrong with complaining?]
[But, putting aside everything else, don’t you think his behavior of using his power to bully others is also very bad…?]
[What are some of you in the comment section trying to put aside? If you can still spoil someone like this, you’ll fail at everything in life [So happy]]
[Huh? Huh? Huh? Who started using their power to bully others in the first place? [Question]]
[He’s so cute. Although his tone was like that, he still seems very well-mannered. If I were him, I would have ridden on Jiang Kun’s head [tears]]
[The young master is so polite and reliable. I can’t imagine how much longer I could live if my boss were this kind…]
[I’m Xie You’s fan. I was very angry when I first saw this video, and I’m still angry, but seeing the boss’s son’s attitude, I’ll hold off on criticizing the company for now. Waiting for an explanation @Fengjing Entertainment.]
[Seriously, doesn’t anyone think Xie You and the young master are a good match? I’m doomed, I’ll say it first (just in case)]
[The young master is still a child!]
[Everyone calling him “young master” makes me feel like we’re a bunch of nannies… But young master, look at me, I’m willing, your loyal servant is here!]
Near the end of the video, Huai Dan came to take Luo Jing away. Although due to the angle, only his back and a bit of his side profile were captured, it didn’t stop netizens from going crazy again.
[? Damn, an even more handsome guy appeared! Who is this person? I need all his information within a minute!]
[Who can resist him calling him “Luo Luo”? If someone called me that, I would faint!]
[Luo Luo calling him “brother”… are they real brothers? If not, I’ll just…]
[So cute, who understands?]
[He’s still a child! And he doesn’t have a brother, only sisters [doge]]
[Ah, he left, take supplements, take Luo Luo with you!]
[Xie You’s hesitation makes me imagine all sorts of things.]
[Does Luo Luo have a social media account?]
Handsome celebrities were common, but a mysterious and handsome investor was incredibly rare. Everyone’s attention was immediately drawn to him, and another hashtag quietly climbed up the trending topics list.
#TheReasonWhyFengjingEntertainmentOnlySignsBeautifulPeopleIsFound#
The hashtag was filled with discussions and inquiries about this suddenly appeared young master’s personal information.
Although this hashtag only stayed on the trending list for a short while before being suppressed by some mysterious figure, it couldn’t dampen the public’s enthusiasm, so it still spread quickly.
Fengjing Entertainment’s statement was released the next morning.
The statement, stamped with the official seal, briefly and concisely summarized the investigation’s findings regarding how Jiang Kun had joined the company, as well as the company’s decision regarding him, his uncle, and Wang Jin—all of them were fired.
At the same time, they promised to compensate the other members of the group who had been affected.
At the end of the statement, the company reiterated its commitment to strengthening its vetting process for new artists, paying closer attention to their character, and being more cautious in hiring. They also asked the public to supervise them.
Because the incident happened late at night and the results were released early the next morning, and because the company’s PR team was very efficient, and because Luo Jing’s appearance in the video had already represented the company’s stance, netizens and fans hadn’t had time to direct their anger at the company. Instead, it became free publicity for Fengjing Entertainment.
The entire incident came to a close, a satisfying conclusion with the villains receiving their due punishment. Logically, the matter should have ended there.
But its popularity remained high.
The reason was none other than the public’s intense curiosity about Fengjing Entertainment’s young master.
When Luo Jing woke up the next morning and opened his phone, he thought there was something wrong with his WeChat.
What was with all these red notification dots???
