Chapter 77 - 78: Trending Topic Aftermath

"Xingxing, have you disconnected from the internet? What you’re talking about is from ages ago!" "Hmm? Did something else happen?" Ruan Xingwen was puzzled. "Yeah, yeah, let me tell you, last night was so dramatic on Weibo!" As soon as gossip was mentioned, Yu Yue perked up instantly, even shaking off the drowsiness from overeating. Ruan Xingwen was eagerly waiting to hear the gossip too. Seeing these two so enthusiastic, Zhang He rarely discouraged Yu Yue; to her, last night’s trending topic wasn’t all that novel. Such things weren’t uncommon in the circle. Yu Xiaozhe was even less interested in these matters; if it weren’t for Mingsheng overreaching, he hadn’t planned to make a move against Mingsheng either. Unexpectedly, Yu Xiaozhe really did uncover so many sordid details. He wasn’t exactly a saint, but he did feel a sliver of sympathy for Zhou Xue’s plight. If it hadn’t been for what happened, Zhou Xue’s achievements and contributions to the entertainment industry wouldn’t have ended there. But with Zhou Xue’s so-called scandals being exposed, the honors she once received were completely negated, and in the beginning, her works were even banned across the internet. Now, in just one night, the online opinions had turned around; Zhou Xue was no longer the shameless "addict", and Mingsheng was no longer the innocent victim. Their roles had completely reversed: Mingsheng was the abuser, and Zhou Xue was the victim. For a moment, netizens were silent. Zhou Xue had long since passed away, and their previous harsh words could no longer hurt her. Looking back at their words now, they seemed so vicious! [I apologize for what I said about Zhou Xue before.] [Who could have thought the truth was like this... Is Mingsheng really so disgusting?] [My idol is also with Mingsheng... Could it be... Oh my god, I don’t dare to think about it!] [If this information is true, then the entertainment industry is really too chaotic!] [The industry was always chaotic; it should be Mingsheng that’s too chaotic and disgusting.] Since last night’s revelations, statements completely different from when Zhou Xue’s incident occurred were all over the internet. Ruan Xingwen watched these comments and suddenly felt a bit sad. He knew about Zhou Xue’s incident. At the time, he was still under Li Li’s supervision. Li Li had arranged a brand promotional event for him, of which Zhou Xue was the spokesperson, and he was just an unknown extra warming up the scene. When he saw Zhou Xue, he felt this girl was like a daisy growing under the blazing sun, both vibrant and with a touch of innocence. Who could have imagined that this bright girl would encounter such an incident later? He always felt that the rumors online weren’t the truth. Sure enough, a year later, the situation reversed. But what’s the use of that now? In the beginning, it was these people who elevated Zhou Xue to a pedestal, and they were also the ones who dragged her into hell. Yet fortunately, Zhou Xue can no longer hear their venomous and disgusting remarks. Now their so-called regret and apologies were merely them giving themselves an out for their previous inappropriate comments. Perhaps Zhou Xue, in another world, knew that those who harmed her would end up with this result and would feel happy? Water can carry a boat but also overturn it. People online only know how to "speak freely" without considering the consequences or seeking the truth. Perhaps now, they truly understand the damaging power of words. The four of them sat quietly on the sofa, none of them speaking. Among them, the most affected by the online situation was Ruan Xingwen, followed by Yu Yue. As for Yu Xiaozhe and Zhang He, they could not be said to be completely unaffected considering a vibrant life had been wrecked by those scumbags. What they could do was ensure those scumbags received their due punishment. Looking at the time, He Wei should already have been arrested. As for He Mingsheng, awaiting him was not just the board of directors and those old fellows, combined with the evidence Zeng Xu handed over to the police, should be enough to keep him on the run. Zhang Jian... that guy who once tried to exploit Ruan Xingwen. In the evidence Zeng Xu provided to Yu Xiaozhe, a large portion involved Zhang Jian, including embezzling public funds, luring minors, and coercing women into prostitution... Awaiting him was not only the punishment of the law but also the retribution from his wife at home. It seems even if Zhang Jian gets out of prison in the future, he won’t have a good life. Zeng Xu had already turned himself in, and all those involved in the Zhou Xue suicide case received the punishment they deserved. As for He Wei’s secretary Wang Xin, Zhang He had explicitly rejected her. Setting aside how important the evidence she could offer might be, her privately misappropriating the company’s top-level seals had already broken the law. Zhang He could not afford to break legal boundaries to help her. In just one night, Mingsheng Entertainment, which once stood shoulder to shoulder with Huasheng Entertainment and Xingyu Media, collapsed with a bang. Perhaps it still had some trump cards, after all, a starved camel is larger than a horse. But for Mingsheng, downfall was only a matter of time. Its internal affairs were so chaotic, with innumerable sordid deeds. Even without He Wei, He Mingsheng was just a puppet, and he lacked any self-awareness, the older generation on the board would teach him a lesson he wouldn’t forget. As for Mingsheng’s artists, now their reputations in the industry were plummeting. Regardless of whether they were involved in those sordid activities, in the eyes of netizens, they were no longer the same. Mingsheng’s artists were troubled but had no way out, as having signed five, ten, or even twenty-year contracts with Mingsheng for those resources they couldn’t pay those high breach penalties. They could only remain with Mingsheng. Ruan Xingwen knew little of this, only aware of what was shown to the public. "Brother Ze, is the situation with Zhou Xue really as it was exposed online?" Ruan Xingwen asked softly. Yu Xiaozhe, unable to suppress his sympathy, reached out and gently smoothed Ruan Xingwen’s slightly disheveled hair, "Yes, there might be some insider details we’re not aware of, but the truth is essentially like this." "..." Ruan Xingwen was speechless for a moment. Did he really want to continue in such a chaotic entertainment industry? But if not here, what else could he do? He needed money, urgently. And he had already agreed with Yu Xiaozhe, they had signed the contract; he couldn’t possibly break the agreement. But... "Xingxing, you don’t need to overthink. There are indeed many such cases in the industry, but I will never let such things happen to the artists in my company. Rest assured, trust me, okay?" Yu Xiaozhe saw Ruan Xingwen’s hesitancy and understood the impact of the online trending topic on him. Thus, he comforted Ruan Xingwen and gave him reassurance. Ruan Xingwen raised his head and looked directly into Yu Xiaozhe’s eyes. Yu Xiaozhe’s eyes, naturally attractive, at this moment were filled with unwavering belief and didn’t waver, evoking a moment of determination in Ruan Xingwen’s heart; he believed he had not misjudged the person. "Brother Ze, I trust you!"