Chapter 2.1
Editor: Jodi
“F*ck his unlucky! I’m the one who’s most unlucky!”
Mu Nan’s sudden roar startled his agent who was on the other end of the phone. His agent was just updating him on the latest crisis management situation when Mu Nan suddenly shouted.
His agent, Wilder1The agent’s name Wilder, actually comes from 野格利口酒 – Jägermeister, fell silent for a moment, then cautiously said, “Cub, you don’t need to stress too much. Just make sure you eat well, drink well, sleep well, and communicate if you’re having any mental issues.”
Only then did Mu Nan realize belatedly that he had blurted out what he was thinking. “I’m fine, just thinking about something else.” He explained awkwardly.
“Alright, don’t go online for now. Prepare for the recording properly, and if you need anything, tell Xiao Jin.” Wilder instructed before hanging up the phone.
But Mu Nan wouldn’t be Mu Nan if he listened obediently. After hanging up, his first action was to log into Weibo with a dummy account to check the latest updates.
The more he read, the more he gnashed his teeth at Cheng Han.
It all started with the paparazzi catching them at yesterday’s dinner. Somehow the paparazzi sneaked into the restaurant and snapped a close-up shot of Mu Nan and Shi Lai together, then, using the standard gossip technique, they cooked up a story about a sugar daddy sponsoring a star’s scandalous rendezvous of the year.
Finally, with the help of various marketing accounts and Mu Nan’s own A-list status, the hashtags #MuNanShiLaiLateNightTryst and #MuNanSugarDaddy trended in the wee hours.
Mu Nan’s team had a 24-hour online monitoring system, and so seeing the news, they immediately sprang into action, initiating crisis management. First, the studio clarified, then legal warnings were issued, and finally, collaborative marketing accounts counteracted the narrative. It was a routine they were all too familiar with.
Bored, he checked his timeline and saw many trolls spewing venom.
[I believe Mu Nan is sponsored, like this if you think so. How could he rise so fast without a sugar daddy?]
[Besides selling his face, he can’t do anything. His talents on the show are all fabricated edits. He relies on auto-tune for singing, mimics playing the piano, and even gets others to paint. Does such a person deserve to debut?]
[I said three years ago that Mu Nan is nothing. Cheng Han is hundreds of times better than him.]
After reading these insults, Mu Nan wasn’t even angry. As an idol, he was bound to face more criticism, and A-list idols had to endure more criticism than praise. He had long been accustomed to such comments.
Many fans defended him, saying that all this was Cheng Han’s doing, but this time, Mu Nan didn’t think so. Because he knew Cheng Han very well. That big-tailed fox might be annoying, but he would never stoop so low.
Watching his indignant fans and the numerous slanderous remarks, Mu Nan stretched lazily and got out of bed, walking to the study upstairs, where he took out a recent oil painting he had done and casually took a photo to post online.
The painting depicted a realistic grassland landscape. He was inspired to create this piece during a trip to the grasslands, and it was one of his proudest works.
Posting this painting on Weibo was not only to let fans see a peaceful scenery to calm them down, but also to respond to those who accused him of faking it.
With one post and a click, Mu Nan brushed off all the debates, returning to his happy-go-lucky self, humming a tune as he finished his morning routine and got ready for the recording session.
An hour later, his assistant Xiao Jin knocked on his door right on time.
“Mu Nan Ge, it’s time for styling. We have two hours until recording starts.”
“Let’s go.” Mu Nan ruffled his hair. “Another day of suppressing the urge to kill.” Just the thought of seeing that annoying hypocrite later drained him of energy.
But Xiao Jin hesitated, then couldn’t hold back any longer. “Ge, did you check Weibo?”
“Weibo? What now?” Mu Nan opened Weibo and instantly saw Cheng Han’s post on his feed.
[Cheng Han: I need to have a name.]
Beneath the text was a photo, the same blurry snapshot taken by the paparazzi, with a stick figure drawn next to the bathroom door. Above the stick figure’s head was a large “ME”.
With this simple drawing and text, it indicated that besides the two people in the photo, Cheng Han was also there, making it clear that the idea of them being alone together was busted.
So, Cheng Han was clearing his name, openly supporting him.
“D*mn it!” Mu Nan tossed his phone back into his pocket, his eyebrows knitted in frustration. “Is he out of his mind? What’s he trying to do?”
Xiao Jin shook his head in horror, with an expression that said, “We don’t know either, and we don’t dare to ask.”
And it wasn’t just Mu Nan who was puzzled. Weibo’s servers were instantly overloaded, fans staring at each other through their screens.
Cheng Han’s fans: Is he crazy?
Mu Nan’s fans: Is he crazy?!
The occasional CP shippers whispered: Is he crazy???!!!
But soon, the latter group was silenced by the former two joining forces.
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