Chapter 31

【Holy crap, that’s terrifying!】

【Wait, I just connected all the dots. No wonder it felt off all along.】

【So, Geng Nian’s little car accident was a deadly disaster that ruined someone’s life, and he even fled the scene? That so-called flashy company acquisition and business war was just treating other people’s jobs like trash? The so-called gentle gentleman was all fake; he’s actually just a nasty, manic-depressive guy?!】

【How did such a disgusting person end up on the show as an idol trainee?】

【Not content with ruining someone’s job, he has to come swindle fans’ money and sincerity too?!】

【Why has no one ever badmouthed Geng Nian? Why do the other contestants on the show keep sucking up to him?】

【Upstairs, did you forget? The Geng Group is the biggest sponsor of Chase Dream Star, right?】

【So Geng Nian is the one manipulating the production team?!】

【Office workers empathizing here, and I’m already pissed off.】

Almost in an instant, all the screenshots and videos related to Geng Nian were dug up.

Hashtags like #GengNianBullying, #GengNianTheStinkingCapitalistSon, #GengNianAssault, and other keywords tied to the incident shot to the top of the trending lists.

Major platforms, marketing accounts, and topic moderators began excavating the accident from back then.

【Whole family in shock: Family, check what the editor dug up! I found the traffic police’s wanted notice. They were offering a reward for tips on the hit-and-run vehicle. Can I still claim a reward for reporting Geng Nian now?】

Employees from the company Geng Nian had acquired also came forward one after another. The one with the highest heat was a user named a string of numbers, PX289347, who got pinned to the top of the discussion and screenshotted across other platforms.

【PX289347: This is my alt account. My main got banned for cursing out Geng Nian.】

【PX289347: Here’s my employment contract (heavily censored), my old work badge (heavily censored). Don’t doxx me, everyone.】

【PX289347: Anyway, I just don’t get what Geng Nian’s goal was in acquiring the company. We were doing fine—supporting elderly parents and young kids, paying off mortgages and car loans, good relationships with the boss, colleagues, and clients. Not rich, but stable enough to take care of the family these past few years.】

【PX289347: Then Geng Nian parachuted in. Holy hell, he fired the top salesperson, clients bolted, no management skills but he insisted on these employee rules, arbitrarily docking wages. For months after, we only got base pay—not even enough for the loans.】

【PX289347: After I quit, I vented online a bit, and boom—account banned. So you ruined my job and nuked my account I’d had for years?】

“What’s going on?” The PR department at Geng Nian’s studio was in chaos, keyboards clacking nonstop amid employees yelling at each other.

“Wasn’t all this scrubbed clean? Who leaked it?”

“The young master himself! Who knew he’d blab about his car accident on camera during filming? The timeline got exposed!”

“It was just a car accident—not that big a deal!”

“It’s not just the accident! The company acquisition too! These are all wage slaves—they empathize even more! Put myself in those shoes, I’d break down too.”

“Contacted the young master yet? What does he say?”

“We did! That’s why he lost it and hit someone. Better if he didn’t know!

“Delete comments fast! Get the studio account out there to suppress and steer the narrative! The fan clubs too—mobilize them now!”

“All dug up! Studio posts get exposed as soon as we make ’em. Fan clubs bailed ages ago! With a collapse this total, who dares stan him?”

During a live stream break, the guests and directors huddled together tracking the online buzz.

Eating melon together was way more fun.

Wu Zhiqi had a half-finished yogurt in front of her, fingers flying across her screen, her tone thrilled. “It’s real! No one’s mentioning us—we’re invisible!”

“Even if they did, we were just chatting. Nothing more!”

“Didn’t say a word. If Geng Nian comes to his senses and tries to target us, he’s got no grounds!”

A phone rang. Chang Dao picked up a call from Geng Nian’s studio and signaled everyone to hush.

The voice on the other end was as arrogant as ever. “What’s this about? Did you orchestrate the online mess? Have you been plotting this all along? Don’t think I don’t know what you’re up to.”

Chang Dao chuckled. “What are you talking about? We’re worried about Little Geng too. You watched the live stream, right? Not one guest or trainee said a bad word about him the whole time. We were too busy praising him.”

Chang Dao meant every word, but to the furious caller, it sounded sarcastic. “What about that interview?! Without your setup, would guests go chat him up, interview him, dig up his past? You gonna claim it wasn’t on purpose?”

“Even if I wanted to, I couldn’t. You buried that accident spotless—how would I know? How would I know a trainee’s sob story tied to Little Geng? If you ask me, if Little Geng hadn’t run his mouth and lost his temper, none of this would’ve happened.”

Chang Dao’s tone turned serious. “Little Geng’s impact on the show is massive now. I haven’t even asked for your breach of contract penalty, and you’re coming at me? What right do you have to question me?”

Silence stretched on the other end before the line went dead.

Chang Dao and the director exchanged a glance, trying to stay cool and collected like proper directors, but they couldn’t hold back a laugh.

“Nice ‘hide in plain sight’ move,” Chang Dao said. “You aired the dirt, muddied the waters, and kept your guests squeaky clean.”

“Hey, don’t credit me—that wasn’t my idea.” The director glanced at Yu Xi.

Yu Xi and Yi Chen sat in the farthest corner, each glued to their phones, trading barbs now and then.

Unlike Yi Chen with his super influential dad, Yu Xi rarely mentioned family and seemed to lack big backing.

In this era, pure talent without background rarely beat out those with pedigree—unless lightning struck. That rule held especially true in entertainment.

Yu Xi debuted early with a wealth of experience, so he had real skill.

But how did he blow up without much backing? Pure luck?

No.

He’d known the power of public opinion from way back.

Not manipulating it.

But knowing what to say where to grab eyes, what to do when to hit goals without drawing heat.

He knew how to make the masses love him—and how to fly under the radar of certain folks.

Yu Xi had his own compass, skill to back it, and Guan Zifan fully in his corner. Impossible not to shine.

A guy like that as an enemy…

No, Yu Xi wouldn’t be an enemy. Wouldn’t be anyone’s foe if they played nice.

The training camp grew chaotic. Red and blue police lights flashed outside the gates—cops had arrived.

Geng Nian’s speeding had killed someone, and he’d fled. With fresh leads, they moved fast.

Trainees had no clue what was up. Staff herded them back to dorms, where they peeked out tiny door windows.

Geng Nian had locked his door tight, frantically dialing.

It was the phone he’d snatched from staff earlier. Calling Geng Qiao—busy tone, busy tone, busy tone—

On the fifth try, it finally rang through, and Geng Qiao picked up in a thunderous rage.

He was about fed up.

Geng side branches never let up, hammering his lack of a proper heir. He was neck-deep in family infighting with no escape, and now his only son pulled this?!

“I’ve been covering for you, wiping your ass all along.”

“Without me, think you’d have this life? Not even thinking to ease my burdens, you keep screwing up—and now you’ve got a body count? How much more help do you want?”

“Plead guilty, face the investigation. We’ll figure the rest later.”

“Quit whining! I gotta save the company first to save you!”

Geng Qiao hung up.

No time for Geng Nian now. A stint in detention wouldn’t kill him!

Geng Qiao needed to bring in that pregnant Omega. Only he and the baby could counter those stale old fogeys.

No, not just counter.

His wastrel son could just stay alive. He wasn’t old yet—plenty of time and energy to groom a new heir.

“Quick, quick.” Geng Qiao summoned his assistant. “Bring Wen Yimeng here. From now on, I’ll raise him and the baby as Geng Group heirs.”

The busy tone grated in his ear.

Geng Nian huddled alone on the bed, shoulders shaking, clawing at his arms, leaving white welts in his wake.

Poise, gentlemanly airs, wild flair—all vanished before fear.

All his life, when had he ever set foot in a police station? A detention center?

What would happen to him? How long would they lock him up?

No one to help—not even Dad. What could he do?!

The door opened.

Geng Nian jolted, looked up—and saw Wen Yimeng.

Same old icy demeanor.

No one ever defied him, disrespected him, failed to suck up.

But not Wen Yimeng.

Hardship never broke him. He stood tall, guarded his dignity—upright, untainted.

From the first glance at Wen Yimeng, Geng Nian had harbored one thought.

—To crush him underfoot, snap that rigid spine, watch him cry, beg, kneel and plead.

Then dole out scraps like they were gifts.

That’s what he’d done.

But now? Why had it come to this?

Wen Yimeng stood before him, cold, towering.

Their roles seemed to flip in a heartbeat.

Geng Nian had no recourse. In that moment, Wen Yimeng was his only lifeline. He grabbed him, begged no lawsuit, settlement, forgiveness for it all.

Geng Nian begged outright, tears instant. Wen Yimeng found it laughable.

The Geng family young master, spoiled rotten—crumbled at the first real trouble?

Wen Yimeng wanted nothing to do with Geng Nian’s voice.

He’d only come to pack his bags.

He pulled back, shook off Geng Nian’s grasp.

“Get lost.” Another word would’ve made him puke.

Geng Nian froze, like a startled animal—arrogance long gone. He stared blankly at Wen Yimeng.

Urgent, pounding knocks erupted outside.

The police.

The banging pierced eardrums, hammered his chest, echoed in his skull. In that instant, Geng Nian’s psyche shattered.

He stared blankly at Wen Yimeng’s indifferent back.

People changed in a flash.

Once the victim, now Wen Yimeng was the predator.

Invisible shadows seemed to spill from Wen Yimeng’s feet, cloaking him like a monster swelling into a behemoth, roaring to devour all.

Click.

The lock turned. Hallway light flooded in as the door flew open.

Geng Nian melted like ice, collapsing to the floor.

–

They watched the police car leave, then Wen Yimeng climb into Geng Qiao’s ride. The day’s live tasks wrapped up.

“Alrighty, as much as we hate to, it’s time to say goodbye to our viewers today!” The host beamed at the camera. “But don’t be sad—tomorrow, our guests will show you the city’s sights. See you then!”

As the words landed, nearby staff rose.

Today’s work had been a thrill.

“Everyone!” Xiao Lin from logistics taught the guests how to shut off their cameras. Once done, Xiao Lin added, “Keep ’em on tomorrow too—no collection today. Meet in the hotel lobby at 10:30 a.m.”

Yu Xi followed the steps to power down his camera. Honestly, it was tiny and light—barely noticeable on the collar unless you paid attention.

Just as he was about to remove the camera from his collar, Yi Chen suddenly wrapped his arms around his neck.

“Teacher Yu Xi worked hard today. Want to go out and relax a bit?” Yi Chen asked.

Yu Xi: “No…”

“There’s this amazing barbecue place. It’s on me.”

Yu Xi wavered a little: “I’ll gain weight.”

“No worries. Let’s play some ball first. I know a nice venue.” Yi Chen had precisely struck at Yu Xi’s inner defenses. “Exercise first, then indulge.”

Yu Xi pursed his lips, pondered, and hesitated. After about thirty seconds, he slung his bag over one shoulder. “Let’s go.”

At the same time…

On countless netizens’ screens, the same scene shook slightly, and the view began to move.

【?】

【Isn’t this Yu Xi’s live stream? Did he forget to turn it off?】

【This… I’m not the only one seeing this, right?】

【Is there more Easter egg content coming?】

【Nah, it should’ve ended already, right?】

【Yeah, they were just shutting off the camera… Ummm…】

【Fam, I’ve got a theory…】

【Yu Xi’s camera didn’t turn off properly, did it?】

【Ahem, so Yu Xi left the camera on without realizing, and now he’s heading out with Yi Chen (exercise + barbecue).】

【Are we… watching a live date right now?】