Chapter 39 – So he remembers

Translator: ChuRen/ YuQiChen

A small stone thrown by Wei Tingxiao unexpectedly stirred up a huge storm.

What happened afterwards even surprised Wei Tingxiao himself.

As public opinion turned, more and more people sympathised with Yan Shu and felt regret for him. They began to collectively condemn that unscrupulous agent.

At this time, an artist claiming to have once worked under Wang Shigang came forward with an explosive revelation.

He said that before he had officially terminated his contract with his former employer, Wang Shigang deliberately took him to a drinking party to get him drunk in order to help him connect with powerful capitalists.

He admitted that when he was young and naive, he didn’t suspect anything and got tricked. He woke up lying in the bed of a strange man.

The young artist forced onto this path felt devastated, but also enjoyed a period of privileged resources. This false prosperity ended completely after the falling-out with his former employer.

Wei Tingxiao did not arrange this leak. It was likely a countermeasure deployed by Longfeng Entertainment’s rivals, who probably paid the young artist to post the story online.

This put Longfeng Entertainment into a public relations crisis, while the young artist gained a wave of attention—a mutually beneficial arrangement.

Apparently, the young artist truly harboured grievances and cleverly chose to expose this while Wang Shigang was being vehemently criticised by the public.

Once the matter surfaced, attentive netizens quickly dug up the previous trending topic about Yan Shu hitting someone.

【I said that video was suspicious long ago. Back then, I spoke out online, but no one stood with me. Now look, who’s been proven wrong?】

【It must have been when Yan Shu was tricked by the agent into that drinking party. I don’t know who the person being hit was, but surely it was someone who did something disgusting to Yan Shu. He fought back—good on him.】

【That agent is a tumour in Longfeng Entertainment. With one tumour gone, who knows how many more are left? SAP, run! Don’t stay there!】

【The agent embezzled artists’ earnings and even resorted to bribery everywhere. What kind of person is this? Police should investigate quickly. Maybe there’s more illegal stuff going on!】

【Thankfully, Yanzi defended himself with a bottle back then, or else the outcome might have been like that guy’s. The entertainment industry’s current state is really sad.】

【Where are the keyboard warriors who criticised Yan Shu as violent back then? Now they don’t even dare to apologise? Losers all of them!】

【The all-powerful internet—can anyone find out the identity of that pixelated person who got hit back then? I know it’s a capitalist bigwig, but I want to expose them anyway.】

Yan Shu never expected that he would once again trend on social media for something like this.

Even though he had left the industry, he still managed to become a trending topic—his resilience was impressive indeed.

He hadn’t known about all this at first, since he hadn’t checked Weibo after quitting.

He only found out because of his fans in his livestream room.

Some of the newer fans were more active and sometimes chatted about other topics during the livestream, which was usually stopped by the older fans who would forbid off-topic behaviour.

One little fan only said a few words before getting stopped, but Yan Shu still saw it.

After the livestream ended, he saw that Weibo was in an uproar, and surprisingly…

Everyone was standing up for him.

When he left the industry, he never imagined a day would come when so many people would support him.

He had always taken those things lightly, thinking it didn’t matter. But now that people were actually on his side, he found his mood somewhat stirred.

Back then, any explanation would have seemed pale—he chose not to respond, thinking the heat would die down. As long as he left the stage, no one would remember him forever.

Now, though he remained silent, a large number of people came forward to encourage and support him—some to comfort, some to sympathise, some to apologise.

They say time heals all wounds. Sometimes, time also reveals the truth.

Every villain eventually meets their match—that was what Wang Shigang owed him.

Even the laid-back Yan Shu couldn’t help but silently think “serves him right”, seeing how everyone was now turning against that man.

The whole internet knew about this now, so…

Wei Tingxiao must have seen it too.

This man never talked about his experiences before he quit the industry, as if afraid to touch those wounds, but Yan Shu himself didn’t mind discussing them.

He randomly wanted to ask Wei Tingxiao what he thought back then—did he think Yan Shu was as negative as the internet said?

【YS】: [Little bunny poking a carrot.jpg]

Yan Shu sent a sticker tentatively.

【Night】: [Puppy gentle hug.jpg]

On the other side came a cute sticker back, as if offering comfort.

【YS】: You… must have been online today, right?

This sentence from Yan Shu actually struck a chord with Wei Tingxiao, breaking down some of his defences. The painful memories that had seemed dead began attacking him again.

Those days when Yan Shu left the industry were exactly when Wei Tingxiao had disconnected from the internet.

When he first learned about the incident, he felt uneasy for a long time.

Only now, knowing that he liked this person, did he suddenly realise what those inexplicable emotions really meant.

Maybe the signs were there back then, or perhaps even earlier…

【Night】: I’ve seen all the news online.

【Night】: Yan Shu, you’re truly a good person. Those who have ever bullied you will receive their due punishment in the future.

Wei Tingxiao could have told Yan Shu all about what he had quietly done behind the scenes, including playing a part in influencing public opinion this time.

But he didn’t want to morally pressure Yan Shu like that. He didn’t want Yan Shu’s feelings for him to be purely out of gratitude.

And what stance or reasons did he use to do these things silently? For now, it was impossible to explain to Yan Shu.

The turning point only happened today, so the groundwork had to have started a long time ago.

Yan Shu would undoubtedly wonder why, back then, when they didn’t even know each other well, Wei Tingxiao had felt compelled to help him.

Had his feelings started that long ago?

Recalling the subtle clues from the past, Wei Tingxiao felt deeply ashamed.

It really made him seem like a pervert secretly watching a pure-hearted youth behind the scenes…

【YS】: Was there ever a moment when you believed the rumours online and thought I was a bad person?

Yan Shu finally asked the question from his heart.

For some reason, he desperately wanted to hear the answer—and hoped it would be positive.

【Night】: No, I never believed the online chatter. I’m the kind of person who trusts my own eyes and feelings to judge.

【Night】: The moment I first saw you, I felt you were so pure and even a little adorable.

Yan Shu felt that Wei Tingxiao’s tone sounded somewhat familiar, but for a moment, he couldn’t recall where he had heard it before.

His attention was quickly diverted by what Wei Tingxiao said next.

【YS】: When was the first time you saw me in person? Wasn’t it at my home?

From Yan Shu’s perspective, at their initial meeting in the noodle shop, Wei Tingxiao definitely didn’t remember him and didn’t even know him at all.

The only real face-to-face meeting offline was that one rainy day when he took shelter at Yan Shu’s place.

【Night】: Did you like the sour and spicy noodles? Your mouth got swollen from the spice afterwards—did you listen and drink the milk?

He remembered! He actually remembered!

【YS】: You…

Yan Shu had never expected that Wei Tingxiao could recall that encounter. Back then, he didn’t know Wei Tingxiao, but he always remembered the kind person who helped him.

Thinking back to how flustered he had been at that time, Yan Shu’s face suddenly flushed deep red.

【Night】: [Puppy gently patting little bunny’s head.jpg]

【YS】: [Little bunny looks helpless and gazes at the sky.jpg]

Wei Tingxiao guessed that Yan Shu must be feeling a bit embarrassed, so he kept sending comforting stickers.

Until now, Wei Tingxiao had never mentioned this incident in front of Yan Shu, worried that it might make him shy.

Perhaps Yan Shu thought that was just a humiliating moment for himself, but Wei Tingxiao genuinely found him very cute back then.

Otherwise… why would he be so unable to let go now?

When you like someone, what you originally thought was cute gets magnified tenfold or even a hundredfold in your eyes.

Yan Shu finally composed himself and continued chatting.

【YS】: I thought you wouldn’t remember…

【YS】: Now I just want to say thank you for that encounter.

【YS】: You just said I’m good. Tingxiao-ge, I think you’re really good too.

Wei Tingxiao’s heart began racing once again, words he had been holding back were nearly slipping out.

Just as he was typing, the other side sent a message first—

【YS】: My dad is calling me, I’ll get off first. Talk later.

【YS】: [Little bunny waving hand.jpg]

A line of text Wei Tingxiao had just typed was quickly deleted and replaced with two simple words.

【Night】: Bye-bye.

He almost asked, “Have you ever liked someone? Do you like guys or girls?”

Better to stop here for now, let him build up his courage.

Wei Tingxiao has only now realised that although he’s usually so brave alone, he becomes nervous and hesitant around the person he likes.

He fears asking too much and revealing his intentions, worried he might lose even the chance to be an ordinary friend.

He’s never liked anyone before, but once he does, it has to be that one person.

That day, Lao Shen¹Old Shen. Doesn’t really need to be old to use this title. It’s more of an affix to a name like ‘Xiao’, also mentioned topics like going public or secret marriage in the future, and Wei Tingxiao couldn’t help but imagine it after returning home.

If he could marry Yan Shu in this lifetime…

Damn! He mustn’t think too much!

What if it’s all just a fantasy? He’d truly break down.

He hates that feeling of emptiness; he wants to turn the void into a concrete reality.

…

SAP boy group dormitory.

“Damn it! That old bastard Wang actually docked Xiao Yanzi’s salary like that — so hateful! No wonder I’ve never seen him wear anything too expensive,” You Qi fumed.

“I didn’t expect so much to happen… and Xiao Yan never told us,” Yu Chenzhou’s heart was full of sympathy.

As team leader, he felt he hadn’t done well and hadn’t noticed his teammate’s distress.

“So Xiao Yan must have spent his trainee years in such a threatened state?” Song Shi’an’s mood was complicated.

Suddenly, Guan Shuo slammed the table, “That surnamed Wang is fucking despicable, and that surnamed Jia guy too. Tonight I’m going to have someone anonymously expose his identity. I don’t care anymore. If I don’t do something, I’ll feel like something is stuck in my throat!”

The commotion online was more than any of them expected.

Their original plan was to hint—or basically state outright—with the new album, naming and shaming those people for their misdeeds, telling everyone that Yan Shu had been slandered and misunderstood for too long and deserved justice.

Who knew that afterwards, someone would fan the flames further—digging up everything the former agent did behind the scenes.

Even they were shocked—how many terrible things had Wang Shigang really done?

Whether someone helped expose this behind the scenes or it was just normal business rivalry tactics, they all had to thank whoever released this information.

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  Old Shen. Doesn’t really need to be old to use this title. It’s more of an affix to a name like ‘Xiao’ ↩︎