As soon as this was said, Si Fuqing's Weibo was immediately bombarded by disgusted fans on Nutou.
[???]
[Did Si Fuqing finally have a mental breakdown and go crazy?]
[I laughed, Si Fuqing, who are you asking to climb?]
[Si Fuqing, you are a member of a girl group. You can't sing or dance, so why are you a mentor for a boy group audition?!]
In just a few minutes, the number of comments under this Weibo post reached nearly 20,000, all of them filled with insults.
Si Fuqing glanced at her phone, which was flashing wildly with notifications. She ignored the call from Tianle Media and typed another Weibo post.
[@司扶悾V: You wear such feminine makeup, you don't look masculine at all. I have no interest in your brother. Take him away quickly, and don't bother me anymore. If you continue to spread rumors, I'll see you in court.]
This statement infuriated Lu Ni's fans.
[Who are you talking about? Do you even understand fashion?!]
[Si Fuqing, you are so shameless to say such things. Why don't you look at the makeup you put on yourself before criticizing others?]
[See you in court? Do you even have what it takes?]
While Lu Ni's fans raged, passersby simply watched the drama unfold. The more chaotic it became, the more entertained they were.
[Si Fuqing, I just became your fan. Are male idols bullying female celebrities because their fans are weaker?]
[It's so easy to edit pictures like this. I hate brainless fans. Please use your logic. By the way, I'm the reincarnation of Emperor Yin—pay me, and I'll make you a high official.]
[To be honest, Lu Ni's makeup is indeed too feminine, far inferior to Xie Yu.]
[Then please vote for our trainee instead. He's the all-around C-position candidate and worth the investment.]
The conversation quickly shifted to a debate over Lu Ni and Xie Yu's popularity.
---
Inside the "Youth Boy" Training Base
Lu Ni scrolled through the posts, suppressing his anger. He took a deep breath. "Muye, is this the plan you came up with?"
The program followed a strict closed-training format, meaning trainees weren't allowed to use mobile phones without permission.
However, with Lu Ni's powerful backing, the program team dared not restrict him.
Makino opened his mouth hesitantly. "Brother Lu, I…"
He had simply followed the company's orders, aiming to stir up a scandal against Si Fuqing to boost the show's popularity.
After all, in today's fan culture, any fabricated image could easily create controversy.
Lu Ni shot him a cold glance. "And now? Are you satisfied?"
He had a large fanbase willing to fight for him. He never needed to step in personally—his fans did all the work.
But he absolutely couldn't allow Xie Yu to gain more popularity.
There was no way he would give up the C-position.
"B-Brother Lu." Makino pursed his lips. "I just didn't expect Si Fuqing to dare to post on Weibo."
Before the show aired, Si Fuqing had been relentlessly attacked online for an entire month, never daring to fight back.
When did she become so bold?
Lu Ni sneered. "Even a rabbit will bite when pushed too far. Next time, if you want to set her up, don't mention my name. There are plenty of ways to do it, but you had to pick the stupidest one."
The other trainees remained silent.
"Brother Lu, don't worry." Makino's eyes darkened. "The day after tomorrow is the second evaluation. She'll definitely be there as a mentor. I'll make sure she embarrasses herself."
Lu Ni remained indifferent. "As for the company, handle it however you see fit."
Like Si Fuqing, he was also under Tianle Media.
Makino stiffened, a drop of cold sweat forming on his forehead.
Tianle Media had remained silent on the issue so far because they didn't care about Si Fuqing's reputation.
But Lu Ni was a different story.
He was the superstar Tianle Media was betting on—there was no room for mistakes.
Although the trending search had been suppressed, public sentiment had subtly shifted.
Makino clenched his fists, his knuckles cracking.
The day after tomorrow, he would make sure Si Fuqing paid the price.
---
Meanwhile...
After posting those two Weibo messages, Si Fuqing went offline and turned off her phone.
She didn't bother investigating who was behind it—it simply wasn't worth her attention.
On the other side, Feng San handed over a report to Yu Xiheng.
"Brother Jiu, I looked into it. The scandal is completely fake. The fabricated image was created by someone named Makino, who is in the same company as Ms. Si." He added, "It seems to have been orchestrated by the company itself. If necessary, I can bring in an entertainment industry expert for further analysis."
Feng San had realized that Si Fuqing was in a dire situation.
She was being targeted from both sides—by the Zuo family and Tianle Media.
A desperate situation.
Yu Xiheng, who was reading a document, didn't even look up. "And then?"
Feng San hesitated before handing over his phone. "Ms. Si has already handled it herself."
Yu Xiheng glanced at her Weibo post, his eyebrows shifting slightly, though his expression remained calm.
He read the word "climb" again and spoke slowly. "I see."
Feng San sighed in relief and nodded. "Brother Jiu, I actually think Ms. Si is a good person—aside from her habit of talking nonsense sometimes. Just don't take her words too seriously."
At least, Si Fuqing was easy to get along with. She was powerful but not arrogant—far better than most urban celebrities he had met.
"Talking nonsense?"
Yu Xiheng tilted his head slightly. The aroma of tea drifted in front of him, his expression remaining indifferent.
He recalled the night they had fought together.
He remembered her teasing smile as she asked, in that melodious voice:
—'Do you prefer being majestic, or would you rather be gazed at longingly?'
After listening to her playful words, he concluded that talking nonsense was the least of her offenses.
The real crime?
Disrespect.
---
The Next Day – Zuo Family Estate
Master Zuo's funeral was scheduled for the weekend.
Tension ran high among the dozens of Zuo family members, all eagerly awaiting the reading of his will.
But when the lawyer finally made it public, everyone was stunned.
According to the will, Si Fuqing would inherit Yuelan Jewelry, one of Zuo Group's core businesses, along with an 8% stake in Jingcheng Real Estate.
Both were crucial to the Zuo Group's empire.
"How could this be?!" Madam Zuo was livid. "Si Fuqing isn't even a Zuo by blood! Why would she get a share? Was the old man crazy?!"
They had assumed Master Zuo was simply fond of Si Fuqing.
But this?
This was practically giving her half the family's fortune!
Zuo Tianfeng clenched his fists, his temple throbbing with rage.
Taking a deep breath, he ordered, "Call Si Fuqing. Tell her it's urgent."
It was humiliating—just yesterday, he had demanded that Si Fuqing leave.
Now, he had to invite her back.
"If we ask her to return, will she just hand over these businesses?" Madam Zuo trembled with fury. "That little witch will be delighted!"
"Give her five million." Zuo Tianfeng waved dismissively. "She's an idiot who doesn't know how to run a company. She'll think she hit the jackpot. She's not a real Zuo—what else does she want?"
Five million.
Si Fuqing had probably never seen that much money in her life.