Chapter 246: Chapter 246 The Good Person Filter is Shattered Everywhere
Shen Yi was sitting on the sofa, flipping through the breach of contract notice. Upon hearing the words, he lifted his gaze indifferently and asked lightly, "What loose ends? I thought my feud with Qingyue was already common knowledge."
The manager rubbed his forehead in frustration. "Precisely because of that, you need to take this opportunity to make peace with Qingyue. This is also a way to generate buzz. The topic name could be #CenturyReconciliation#. It’s a win-win for both you and Qingyue."
Shen Yi closed the breach of contract notice, stood up, and met the manager’s gaze squarely without arrogance or submission. "I don’t need this kind of topic hype. What is, is what is."
The manager continued trying to persuade him. "Why not reconsider—"
"No reconsideration necessary," Shen Yi cut him off coldly. "Since I’m the one initiating the breach due to personal reasons, I’ll pay the penalty myself. No need for the company to intervene."
The manager gave Shen Yi a complicated look.
Shen Yi shrugged indifferently. "I’ve been in this business long enough to afford the penalty for just one program."
"That’s not—" The manager hesitated to continue. "You’re no stranger to the unspoken rules of the entertainment industry. It’s normal for variety shows to favor certain participants. I thought you’d grown used to it by now..."
Shen Yi’s gaze slowly dropped, veiling his emotions. His tone was calm and detached. "Being forced to adapt over time is exhausting. This time, I choose not to compromise."
**
Several minutes later.
"Qingyue, Shen Yi refused to join forces for the publicity stunt and has even proactively proposed terminating the contract with the program team."
The manager reported over the phone, speaking with utmost deference, careful not to offend Qingyue.
"As expected. Shen Yi wishes for nothing more than my demise. If he agreed, it’d truly be a miracle."
Qingyue reclined against the hotel bedhead lazily, dressed in a loose bathrobe.
"So, what now?" The manager sought Qingyue’s next instructions.
"What else? Crush him." Qingyue’s tone was casually dismissive, as if eliminating Shen Yi was as simple as squashing an ant.
He hadn’t actually expected Shen Yi to obediently cooperate; this was merely an attempt at diplomacy before resorting to more drastic measures.
"But Shen Yi is a top-tier celebrity—" The manager still harbored concerns.
Though Qingyue had strong backing, the forces supporting Shen Yi wouldn’t let him fall easily. He was, after all, a lucrative money-making asset.
"So what if he’s top-tier?" Qingyue’s voice carried a palpable irritation. "He won’t be for much longer."
In the bathroom, the sound of running water echoed, and the glass door was coated with a layer of steam.
While on the call, Qingyue glanced toward the bathroom, his brows knitting tightly as he struggled to suppress his revulsion.
As long as Duan Wenhu remained interested in him, Qingyue could secure his position and take Shen Yi’s place, couldn’t he?
**
The first episode of *Who’s the Real Actor* was now airing.
As the program began, the screen remained entirely black. A few seconds later, emotional music played, and a line of bold white text slowly appeared in the center of the screen—
What is your understanding of acting?
Once the text disappeared, the first contestant stepped into view. It was an unknown actor with little reputation.
The camera focused on him only briefly; his response was bland and predictable, lacking any highlights. Within mere seconds, his screen time vanished, failing to ignite any notable discussion among viewers.
The second contestant to appear was Qingyue, who first bowed deeply toward the camera.
Only then did he slowly lift his head and share his perspective. "I believe it’s about redemption. A skilled actor can reach into the audience’s hearts, giving them the strength to climb out of the abyss."
As soon as Qingyue finished speaking, the barrage of comments on-screen exploded.
[Oh my god, what’s happening? Qingyue’s making a comeback? I’m freaking out!]
[My Brother Yue, I’m seriously crying. He must be talking about himself, right? He’s someone who once fell into the abyss himself.]
[Who can relate? Brother Yue is as kind as ever. Having been drenched in the rain himself, he wants to offer others an umbrella. Who even knows how he survived those dark times?]
[Healing himself and trying to redeem others—could this be Qingyue’s original reason for becoming an actor? If so, I’ll truly break down and cry. How can there be someone so kind and wonderful in this world?]
It must be said that the program team arranged the contestants’ solo interviews in a very clever order.
Although Qingyue hadn’t been prominently active in the industry for quite some time, he still retained a solid fanbase.
By placing him right after an unknown actor, the deliberate contrast appealed to viewers’ collective nostalgia, bolstering Qingyue’s buzz and discussion value.
Sure enough, tonight’s first trending topic on Weibo was contributed by Qingyue.
As soon as the hashtag #QingyueComeback# appeared, it quickly climbed to Weibo’s top trending spot under the operation of professional Water Armies.
This hashtag indirectly brought Shen Yi into the spotlight as well.
#TheYearsQingyueWasBackstabbedByHisFormerTeammate#
Although the topic didn’t explicitly mention Shen Yi’s name, anyone who frequently consumed gossip could immediately tell who it referenced. This hashtag quickly surged to the second spot on the trending list.
As a top-tier celebrity, Shen Yi, despite his somewhat aloof demeanor, was generally viewed as humble and courteous. He had cultivated a very positive public perception among casual onlookers.
Usually, these casual fans only paid attention to Shen Yi’s work—listening to his new songs or following his variety shows—all while staying far removed from his private affairs.
But tonight, as soon as the casual fans opened Weibo, they were faced with the two glaring hashtags dominating the top spots.
Unfamiliar with Shen Yi’s past, these casual fans clicked into the topics out of curiosity and participation in the gossip culture.
The captions under the hashtags detailed nine alleged instances of Shen Yi bullying Qingyue.
1. During the team’s new song roadshow, he started singing ahead without waiting for his teammates, his ambition to take the center stage written all over his face.
2. During the recording of individual solo tracks, he forcibly took over his teammate’s solo song, which went on to win that year’s Best New Song award.
...
9. Team bullying led to Qingyue being forced out of the group. Even after that, Shen Yi continued his harassment, even assaulting Qingyue at the hospital where he was undergoing psychological treatment.
Each accusation was accompanied by a high-resolution image. If the first eight accusations still allowed room for interpretation, the final one completely sealed Shen Yi’s guilt.
The last image depicted a hospital setting. In the photo, Shen Yi was mid-punch, aiming for Qingyue’s face. Qingyue’s expression was one of helplessness and confusion, tears brimming but not yet falling. Beside them, a doctor in a white coat was frantically grabbing Shen Yi’s arm to stop him.
The revelations in Gossip Town were too overwhelming, leaving the casual fans in a state of disbelief.
Once they regained their senses, their initial reaction was shock at how thoroughly Shen Yi’s image of humility and courtesy had been shattered.
The casual fans felt deceived and angry—they hadn’t expected Shen Yi’s likable persona to be nothing more than an elaborate facade. His private conduct turned out to be shockingly disgraceful!