A cloudy afternoon.
In front of the minimalist floor-to-ceiling windows, Xu Xiaoyou stood still. Beside her ears, the Gingko Curtain flickered with light at a steady frequency.
The mountain scenery was reflected in her eyes; the courtyard embraced nature, with climbing plants growing quietly along the walls, creating a scene of harmony. Clear spring water occasionally flowed from a small fountain, and sculptures of varying styles lined both sides of the yard. A sharp flash of lightning suddenly streaked across the overcast sky, illuminating their silhouettes. A few were chipped or cracked, their cold, deep gazes seemingly fixed upon the girl behind the glass.
"I understand. I'll find a way to settle the public opinion as soon as possible. Yes."
"Don't worry, this matter will be handled properly."
Xu Xiaoyou, who hadn't slept all night, sighed softly, her expression weary. Just as she was about to answer a call from another investor, ripples spread across the surface of the swimming pool in the courtyard. A rose-red silhouette slowly emerged from the water, droplets rolling off his body as he leaned against the pool wall.
"How does it feel to have your rising career hit a brick wall?" Aivmey asked.
Xu Xiaoyou ignored Aivmey, who was clearly enjoying the spectacle. Even if he didn't say it outright, she could guess what he was thinking. He simply wanted to use this opportunity to make her seek help from the Dawn Society and join their cause—a venture that seemed both grand and incomprehensible to outsiders.
The public backlash had come too quickly. It had taken only five short hours to go from the initial spark to a total explosion. Such a severe and rapid PR crisis exceeded the control of even mature media companies with established internal systems, let alone her small private firm.
From the early morning until three in the afternoon, she had been occupied with nothing but managing the fallout.
The incident began because someone uploaded a video to the platform. It was a recorded edit of the Gloomy Girls Band in a basement.
["They don't even drop any gold coins, yet they keep looking at me with those disgusting eyes. It's revolting."]
["Heh, but thanks to them, the media companies noticed us."]
["So what? Those fat losers like me, not you. Don't forget who the most popular member of this band is. Without me, this group would have disbanded long ago, haha."]
["Combined, you guys don't even have as many fans as I do. Without me, do you think Chenguang Media would have even looked at you?"]
["You're all just accessories."]
The entire video wasn't long, only a dozen seconds. It featured the words of a girl named Ai and other band members. It ranged from a light pink-haired girl insulting fans with vicious language to a final scene where a blue-haired girl rushed angrily toward Ai, raising her hand as if to strike. The footage cut off right at that moment.
There was no doubt this was a malicious edit. The person who edited the video had a clear goal: by taking things out of context and cutting away seemingly trivial or unimportant footage, they left only the parts with intense conflict. Yet, it was precisely that "trivial" footage that contained vital information capable of swaying public opinion in either direction.
The editor wanted to convey only one message to the public.
The blue-haired girl had once been a member of the Gloomy Girls Band, and she was fundamentally no different from those poorly-behaved underground idols. If this were just a regular discussion about underground idols, it wouldn't have caused such a stir. They rarely appeared in mainstream media on the Star of Art. Everyone knew that these groups, which debuted without major talent agencies and operated under small offices, often had messy personal lives. Though they looked glamorous and energetic on the outside, they were frequently hit with scandals involving misconduct with fans or the smuggling of forbidden substances.
Even after achieving a degree of fame, being outed as a former underground idol could have a massive negative impact on a performer's career. This was even truer for Tang Xin, the "Starry Daughter." Those two keywords together formed the hottest topic in recent days.
The consequence of this public outcry was the shattering of the beautiful fantasy people behind the curtains had of the Starry Daughter. The jarring contrast triggered a wave of condemnation across the entire network, and Tang Xin was instantly submerged in a flood of messy controversy.
Xu Xiaoyou rubbed her brows and turned around.
Oil paintings with an artistic flair were displayed on the living room walls, with several harp chairs and lounge chairs scattered about. An exquisite gemstone chandelier hung from the bright ceiling, its light dimmed. In the fireplace below, firewood burned quietly, occasionally popping with sparks. For the sake of artistic atmosphere, the people of the Star of Art considered a few minor safety hazards to be of little consequence.
Amy stepped onto the wool rug, looking over with concern.
"Yuzu, is Tang Xin okay?"
"She didn't respond when I knocked. I'm a bit worried about her."
Xu Xiaoyou didn't speak. She walked to the second floor and headed toward the girl's room.
Inside the pitch-black room, the blue-haired girl sat on the bed. Words from the people behind the curtains scrolled before her eyes.
[: Oh my god, I really didn't expect her to be this kind of person.]
[: That's why you shouldn't think people are so perfect. Don't be fooled by her quiet look; it's all an act. Who knows how wild she is in private? She's probably visited the Life Daybreak gynecological clinic several times already, haha.]
[: Her Little Blue Bird account is @BuBird. I used to follow her. So disgusting...]
Watching the overwhelming tide of negative comments, Tang Xin was deeply stung by the words. She bit her pale lip hard until the sound of knocking came. She slowly looked up.
"It's me," a gentle voice came from outside the door.
The door opened slightly, leaving a crack. Using the dim light in the room, Xu Xiaoyou saw Tang Xin’s slender frame. The girl was clutching a tan guitar to her chest as she poked her head out.
"Is something wrong, Yuzu?"
"Are you alright?" Xu Xiaoyou lifted the bag in her hand. "Why don't you eat something?"
"I'm fine." Tang Xin took the bag. "Don't worry, Yuzu. I'm writing a score."
As if to dispel Xu Xiaoyou's worries and doubts, Tang Xin held up the score. The handwriting on it was upright, neat, and very elegant.
"There's a concert tomorrow. I'm getting ready."
Tang Xin then picked up the piglet alarm clock from the table, her eyes curving slightly as she shook it in front of her. "Fame brings trouble, just like a fat pig attracts the butcher."
Seeing that her spirits seemed decent enough, Xu Xiaoyou let out a small sigh of relief.
"Then get some rest early."
"Yeah, you too, Yuzu."
After the door was closed again, Amy stood behind Xu Xiaoyou, looking disappointed. "Why did Tang Xin treat me differently? She didn't even respond when I knocked."
Xu Xiaoyou said, "That's enough. Don't bother her if it's not important. No one would be in a good mood after something like this."
Aivmey walked over at that moment. "You don't plan to do anything? For instance, having her post a video on her social media account to respond to the controversy?"
Xu Xiaoyou sighed. "Information is fragmented. Right now, the sanity of the people behind the curtains is close to zero. They only believe what they see. With the storm being this big, having her respond would likely only incite a greater backlash."
Just as she was about to leave the villa, Aivmey's voice called out to her from behind. The young man's beautiful eyes were unusually calm, and the peaceful smile on his face had vanished.
"In this situation, you still intend for her to handle tomorrow's concert? Aren't you worried she might get hurt?"
Xu Xiaoyou didn't turn back. She simply stood in the doorway, putting on her black wool windbreaker and slowly straightening her arms as they passed through the sleeves. The dim light passed through the Palladian windows, casting a long shadow beneath her.
"The venue has staff and tuners, and all the investors are watching. I need to give them a response so they know how I intend to handle this."
Under the young man's gaze, the girl's somewhat lonely shadow gradually walked away, disappearing into the edge of the mountain forest as the sky grew dark.
Rate on N.U.
