TRYMBPIETM 56: Mirror, Night, Snow Peak (19)

“Really?”

Why don’t I believe it?

Chi Qingzhou lightly hummed, not bothering to argue with Xing Shuangzhan.

He just lowered his head and bit down hard on Xing Shuangzhan’s shoulder. The moment his teeth clenched, he didn’t hold back at all.

Xing Shuangzhan gasped, pressing a hand on the deep bite mark.

If he weren’t a ghost, he would have definitely bled.

He was genuinely amused and angry at the same time. He grabbed Chi Qingzhou’s chin, lifting his small head to gaze into his eyes. His voice lingered as he teasingly asked, “Throwing the blame, huh?”

Chi Qingzhou blinked innocently, his hazy peach blossom eyes seemingly filled with a hint of grievance.

But could Xing Shuangzhan not know him?

He immediately released Chi Qingzhou’s chin and warned by pinching the back of his neck.

“Being so unruly, do you really think I can’t deal with you?”

Chi Qingzhou curved his lips, his eyes twinkling, “Then come at me.”

Xing Shuangzhan chuckled softly.

The two of them locked eyes, both their gazes deep.

Xing Shuangzhan understood Chi Qingzhou. While Chi Qingzhou didn’t have a clear sense of what kind of person he was to himself, most of the time, he had an instinctive feeling about the things he would do.

Like the sudden irritation and unease this morning, and the silently appearing corpse energy.

Let’s not consider the abilities of the man in the trench coat for now, just talking about Chi Qingzhou.

He wasn’t an overly meticulous person, so it was possible for him to fall into someone’s trap, but he wasn’t that dull either.

If he had been schemed against last night, and his body had been affected, would he have really felt nothing at all?

So at least before falling asleep last night, Chi Qingzhou hadn’t been affected by the corpse energy and was still casually teasing Xing Shuangzhan.

The man in the trench coat definitely had some intentions toward Chi Qingzhou.

Just like Xing Shuangzhan thought, the man didn’t necessarily want to harm Chi Qingzhou, but he absolutely hoped to make Chi Qingzhou lose control.

However, with Chi Qingzhou’s vigilance, and Xing Shuangzhan’s constant protection, how skilled would the man in the trench coat have to be to successfully plot against Chi Qingzhou under their noses?

If Chi Qingzhou’s hand wasn’t involved, not only would Xing Shuangzhan not believe it, but Chi Qingzhou himself wouldn’t believe it either.

Similarly, Chi Qingzhou was very clear that he didn’t let the man in the trench coat off the hook last night. The origin of the few strands of corpse energy was definitely worth investigating.

He subconsciously shook his right foot, and as the crisp sound of the bell rang, his smile softened further.

For him, a silver chain that could restrain yin creatures didn’t have much use, but what if restraining yin creatures was just a decoy?

The chain was in Ah Ting’s hands. When the man in the trench coat stole Sheng Yihang, he had definitely come into close contact with the soul-quieting bell that stored the chain.

Who could guarantee that those few strands of corpse energy weren’t collected by the silver chain at that time?

Although he couldn’t remember the events of the past three years clearly, Chi Qingzhou instinctively felt that he had done this kind of thing before—deliberately provoking himself to put him into an uncontrollable state.

He could feel this way, and it wasn’t surprising that Xing Shuangzhan could guess his thoughts.

No wonder Xing Shuangzhan was in such a hurry to help him adjust his meridians.

Chi Qingzhou glanced at Xing Shuangzhan, seeing a deep, meaningful look in his eyes, and his smile quickly became obedient.

Xing Shuangzhan raised the corner of his lips, giving him a fake smile.

Now you’re feeling guilty?

It’s too late!

Since you dared to joke about your own injury, you’ll have to face the consequences of messing up.

Xing Shuangzhan gave Chi Qingzhou a look, signaling him to experience it himself.

Chi Qingzhou sulkily turned his head, not really feeling like he had messed up.

He avoided Xing Shuangzhan’s gaze, slyly blinking.

Isn’t there a possibility that, although Xing Shuangzhan helping him adjust his meridians would affect the injury caused by the Heavenly Thunder, this outcome might have been anticipated by the past version of him?

It would be best if Xing Shuangzhan didn’t act, but if he did, the consequences were something Chi Qingzhou could accept.

He lowered his eyes, staring at the silver chain on his ankle, his hazy peach blossom eyes filled with depth.

…

Xing Shuangzhan spent quite a bit of time adjusting Chi Qingzhou’s meridians. By the time they returned to the area near the villa from the renovation zone, everyone in the program crew had finished packing and was ready to leave the resort.

The reception staff at the villa were quite surprised, but after hearing the director say that there had been some unexpected issues at the next filming location and they were in a hurry to get there, they could understand.

The director wiped the sweat from his forehead while thanking the person in charge for their understanding, but internally, he was about to drown in tears.

They had initially set up many game segments at the resort, planning to stay there for at least three days, but after what happened last night, who would still dare to stay?

Everyone was scared that they might lose their lives here!

Of course, the director also understood that it was probably not the resort’s problem, but their own. But wasn’t this just about seeking probabilities?

What if leaving was the best option?

And if it was really their problem, they would have left sooner to avoid dragging the resort into it.

From the director’s perspective, regardless of the reason, it was wise for them to leave as soon as possible.

The guests responded enthusiastically to the director’s decision.

After all, their goal wasn’t to play as many games as possible, but to get as much attention as they could.

Chi Qingzhou had no objections.

After all, wherever they went, what was meant to happen would happen.

However, he kept his guard up. While packing his luggage in the room, he deliberately left a few strands of his own ghostly energy behind at the villa, forming a very concealed large formation.

Director Hu saw him walking around the villa a few times, and when he finally didn’t oppose the program group’s decision, his confidence was slightly restored.

After informing everyone that the next location was the tea plantation, Director Hu called Chi Qingzhou aside to pass on Xue Jinshi’s agent’s message.

Director Hu spoke tactfully: ” Teacher Xue’s agent sent me a list, saying that if you’re willing to cooperate, you can choose any resources from the list. Should I send you the list now?”

The implication was clear—”It’s not my business.”

He wasn’t really eager to pass on the message from Xue Jinshi’s agent, but the agent was very persuasive and had a wide network, easily connecting with the leaders at the station. Despite his reluctance, he had to accept it, considering the work situation.

However, he could only go this far. If he were asked to persuade Chi Qingzhou, he absolutely wouldn’t do it.

Chi Qingzhou didn’t know Xue Jinshi’s agent and wasn’t particularly concerned. He asked Director Hu to send the list to Guan Xihua, then called Guan Xihua to discuss the matter.

Xue Jinshi, after hearing this from his agent, felt a bit helpless and frustrated.

He didn’t think this was a huge flaw, but his family wouldn’t let it go, and the agent kept nagging him, which was really annoying.

But he couldn’t say anything.

After all, Chi Qingzhou wasn’t obligated to cooperate with him.

Feeling frustrated, Xue Jinshi appeared a bit silent on the way to the tea plantation.

In contrast, Zhong Lingxu and Xu Xinxin were unusually active in today’s livestream, eagerly participating in all the games, occasionally singing a couple of songs, looking very relaxed.

Comparing the two, Xue Jinshi, also an idol from a singing and dancing background, seemed particularly lackluster.

Ordinary viewers didn’t notice anything strange, but Xue Jinshi’s fans were heartbroken.

【Brother looks so tired, it’s obvious that last night’s punishment activity affected him.】

【The previous sister was too polite! Anyone with eyes can see how exhausted Xue ge is. They didn’t keep him up all night, did they?】

【It’s really frustrating. Our brother isn’t someone who can’t handle a game, and us, fans aren’t unreasonable either. But isn’t it too much to treat him differently?】

【Exactly! Why is it a punishment for our brother, but a special task for CQZ?】

【Honestly, we has been much more relaxed this year. We don’t expect equal treatment, just don’t go too far. Can’t the program team do that?】

After venting in Xue Jinshi’s personal livestream, they were still unsatisfied and turned to protest in the main program livestream and Chi Qingzhou’s personal livestream.

The guests couldn’t look at their phones, so they didn’t know what the fans was doing, but Director Hu and Lu Man could see all the backstage data and exchanged glances, their expressions strange.

They had a feeling that Xue Jinshi’s fans’ attitudes were off, and they couldn’t help but wonder if trouble was brewing.

The two sat in the livestream van, scrolling through the comments from Xue Jinshi’s fans, and couldn’t help but feel pity for Xue Jinshi.

If it were anyone else facing Xue Jinshi’s fans, they would definitely sympathize with the target. But given the current situation…

If something really went wrong, all they could say was: fan behavior, idol responsibility.

They looked at Xue Jinshi, who was unaware of everything, and shook their heads in pity.

With this mindset, the program team ignored the criticism in the livestream.

Chi Qingzhou casually glanced at the camera, offering a gentle smile.

Perhaps because of the type of curse, although any emotion, as long as it’s pure enough, could prevent the worsening of the tear in his soul, the most effective ones were always those more negative emotions.

Maybe his little brother had been more obedient recently. Apart from constantly saying his brother was innocent, the little Sweet Plum hadn’t done much else, and Xing Shuangzhan hadn’t collected enough emotions from them in quite some time.

Luckily, the little Golden Crows was sensible. Once the Sweet Plums left, they quickly stepped in.

Chi Qingzhou happily shook his suitcase and hummed a little tune.

“Teacher Xue is such a good person.”

His voice was very soft, and the recording equipment didn’t pick it up, but Tang Qichen and Chi Qingning, walking beside him, both heard him and looked back at him in shock, both feeling a sense of pity for Xue Jinshi.

Although there was no concrete evidence, they couldn’t shake the feeling that being praised by Chi Qingzhou might not be a good sign.

Chi Qingzhou noticed the gazes from both sides and innocently looked around, immediately receiving identical smiles from the two.

The little Golden Crows had been cursing in the live stream for a long time, but when the production team didn’t respond, and Chi Qingzhou was still happily playing around with the other guests, they were about to lose their temper.

Was Chi Qingzhou provoking them?

How could they still act so nonchalant while grouping together to exclude Brother Xue? Did they really have no shame?!

These fans were furious.

If the group leaders hadn’t remembered their agreement with the marketing accounts, they probably couldn’t have held back and would’ve directly bombarded Chi Qingzhou with the prepared materials.

They gritted their teeth and endured until the agreed time, unable to wait even a minute longer. They quickly switched to their alternate accounts, blended in with the army of online trolls, and pushed the hashtag #ChiQingzhouWearsFakeVNWatch# to trending.

Many bystanders and fans from other fan groups clicked on it, eyes widening in surprise.

Wasn’t this the director’s leak about the Scenery Along the Way show?

Some of the bystanders were still cautious after the previous fake young master twist and asked whether this revelation was reliable, but fans who disliked Chi Qingzhou were already getting excited.

Wearing fake items was a serious mistake in the fashion industry. The news about Chi Qingzhou endorsing Pearl Watches had not fully spread yet, but many fans had already caught wind of it.

In this industry, once someone becomes popular, they inevitably block the path for others.

Even if there was no direct obstruction, there would always be others in the industry who were displeased.

Chi Qingzhou was one of those people now.

Many fans hoped their idols would get the endorsement of Pearl watches, and now that the endorsement had gone to Chi Qingzhou, how could they possibly look favorably on him?

Suddenly, the topic was flooded with many ambiguous accounts, all of them claiming to be “pure bystanders” with no particular fandom, just here to comment on Chi Qingzhou’s actions, almost as if they were trying to turn his wearing a counterfeit watch into an insult to the entire fashion industry.

[“I don’t get it. Is he proud to wear a fake? He wore it to the interview as if he was afraid that people wouldn’t notice.”]

[“Sorry, I have to say this, making a mistake isn’t scary, but not admitting it is. I can understand he was poor before and wore knock-offs to maintain an image, others have done that too, but after being exposed, they just lay low and let the ridicule pass. But him? He’s just stubborn and refuses to admit it.”]

[“I’m really shocked. Didn’t they say he was going to endorse Pearl? How can he do this? Doesn’t it make Pearl Watches lose face?”]

[“Laughing my ass off. His fans used to praise his character, and now this happens?”]

[“Does he not know that endorsers can’t wear competing brands? With this kind of professional attitude, and fans still praising him!”]

[“Wearing competing brands, and a fake at that! I really feel sorry for Pearl Watches. How could they choose such an endorser?”]

[“I wonder if they regret it. If it were me, I’d say they’re really unlucky to be stuck with someone like this. I heard he’s backed by capital, and is pushed hard in variety shows. Even award-winning actors and singers don’t get as much screen time as he does. He’s really being forced into the spotlight.”]

[“Having capital backing is nice. I pity the honest entertainers who’ve worked for years, only to have their faces stepped on by a variety show star.”]

[“Laughing, he’s being punished for being overly pushed. Looks like even the heavens couldn’t stand it and are directly taking action against him.”]

The fans of other idols were focused on the resources, hoping Chi Qingzhou would immediately give up Pearl Watches endorsement.

Earlier, many of the people who mocked Chi Qingzhou focused on another aspect.

They hadn’t seen this topic at first, but when they clicked and analyzed it, they found audio recordings and leaks, which seemed solid enough to not be debunked by Chi Qingzhou. They immediately latched onto his “vanity” and went on a frenzy attacking him.

[“Really shows what kind of family raised him. Chi Qingzhou’s attitude really opened my eyes.”]

[“It’s obvious he’s the type who’s greedy for money. He didn’t recognize his real parents for love, it was just for money.”]

[“No wonder his real brother doesn’t like him. If my brother was lost for years and we finally found him, but he didn’t care about us and only wanted to make money, I’d feel heartbroken too!”]

[“Chi Qingzhou was a victim when he was switched at birth, but that doesn’t mean he’s without fault.”]

[“It’s just bad upbringing. He finally made it into a wealthy family but got dazzled by money. Now I get why he didn’t pursue academics, he just wanted the flashy stuff. Really gave up on himself.”]

[“I’ve got to say, if it were me, I’d make the same choice as Chi Qingzhou. Since capital is supporting me, why not enjoy the limelight and applause in entertainment? Only a fool would struggle in academics.”]

[“Enough! Does he even deserve the professors who trained him? But honestly, with his personality, maybe leaving was a good thing for them.”]

[“Makes sense. With his temperament, if he had stayed, he would’ve just made the professors angry!”]

The haters were quick to escalate, attaching labels like “impulsive,” “materialistic,” and “disrespectful to the country’s training” to Chi Qingzhou. Fans in the entertainment industry were nodding, calling these points savvy.

With the help of the online trolls, the topic blew up and surged to the top of trending in just twenty minutes.

Many bystanders, drawn in by the overwhelming hate, were misled into thinking Chi Qingzhou wearing a competing product was unprofessional.

The Golden Crow were overjoyed and increased their attacks.

Their water army had already infiltrated Chi Qingzhou’s live stream, filling the chat with malicious comments and nearly occupying the entire screen.

Because of the suppression by Yade Media, even though Chi Qingzhou had reversed his reputation in the last episode, his fans were still scattered.

The company had never arranged for proper promotion channels, and Chi Qingzhou didn’t post on social media much. His fans usually didn’t need to push data, and no one directed them.

After they started supporting Chi Qingzhou, their usual routine hadn’t changed much—it was almost as if they hadn’t supported him at all.

This led to many of their messages being outdated.

They only realized Chi Qingzhou was being attacked when the trolls stormed his live stream.

They wanted to respond, but after looking at the barrage for a while, they couldn’t figure out the logic behind it.

Confused, they scrolled through the trending topics and heard an audio clip. They then found another marketing account had entered the scene.

This account didn’t dwell on the fake watch issue, instead, it created a comparison chart, highlighting Chi Qingzhou’s lack of popularity compared to the other guests.

They mocked Chi Qingzhou’s popularity and ridiculed the production team for desperately pushing him.

[“Entertainment Scoop V: The difference in traffic is just embarrassing. It’s a shameful forced promotion. I really wonder how the sponsor feels about this. I have doubts that fans would buy Pearl products with a celebrity like this endorsing them.”]

The marketing account sarcastically suggested that by choosing Chi Qingzhou as the endorser, Pearl Watches was lowering the status of their Frost Blade series.

With Chi Qingzhou as their ambassador, loyal customers might even feel embarrassed and stop buying their products.

They recommended Pearl Watches cut their losses before it was too late.

This opinion was widely supported by fans eager for the endorsement, but until the deal was finalized, they only agreed with it—they weren’t yet ready to push forward.

After all, no one could be sure who would get the endorsement if Chi Qingzhou lost it. If it went to a rival, that would be troublesome.

Chi Qingzhou’s fans were speechless.

Why was their idol’s social media data looking bad?

It wasn’t because of any fault of his, but because he wasn’t actively promoting himself!

Every statistic about him was real, unlike those who artificially inflated their data.

How could they just sit back and let this continue? They started looking for ways to contact Guan Xihua.

What they didn’t know was that these marketing accounts were merely the vanguard, guiding the narrative.

The real weapon of the Golden Crows was the letters they had sent.

They had not only written physical complaint letters to Pearl Watches but also sent numerous emails in English and French to the VN official inbox, and even contacted the designer of the authentic watches, swearing to close the doors of the fashion industry to Chi Qingzhou once and for all!