Volume 1, Chapter 130: Zhao Yiyi's Triumph

With three days remaining until the concert, Jiang Yu and Su Muyu spent their time exploring Shanghai, taking the opportunity to unwind from the mounting pressure.

As they were strolling through a shopping district, a phone call interrupted them. It was Su Ling.

"Hello, Auntie," Su Muyu answered.

On the other end, Su Ling’s tone was solemn. "Where are you two right now?"

"We're at Happy Valley. Why?"

"Come back. Something has happened."

The two exchanged confused glances, cut their outing short, and returned to Bund One. Su Ling and Wu Kenan were both waiting there.

"What's going on?" Jiang Yu asked, noting their grim expressions.

Su Ling handed them a tablet. Jiang Yu took it and scanned the news, his brows arching slightly. "They really went to great lengths just to target me."

Su Muyu stepped closer, glanced at the screen, and the corner of her mouth curled upward.

It was the top trending topic of the day. Several major entertainment agencies had simultaneously announced concerts in Shanghai, scheduled for the same time and location as Jiang Yu’s. While Jiang Yu’s venue was in the center, the others had essentially surrounded it, creating a situation reminiscent of being besieged on all sides.

"Their intention is clear: they want to siphon off your foot traffic for that day," Su Ling explained. "But don't worry; this is a standard tactic. Your fan base is highly loyal, so it shouldn't affect us much."

"Worry?" Jiang Yu glanced at Su Ling with a smirk, his eyes full of confidence. "I'm not the one who should be worried."

"I truly don't know where you get your confidence from!" Su Ling rolled her eyes. "I was worried this would affect your mood, but it seems that concern was unnecessary!"

Jiang Yu chuckled, his gaze sharpening. "By the way, Auntie, we must stick to our plan for ticket sales. Do not let the company staff use any of the methods others are suggesting."

"Understood!" Su Ling replied with a huff. As she walked toward the door, she turned back with a playful smile. "Well, go back to your playing then. I have work to do. But you two, be careful—I don't want to be a great-aunt just yet!"

"Auntie, why aren't you leaving yet?" Su Muyu said, playfully shooing her away.

Just as Su Ling was about to leave, Wu Kenan received a call. As he listened to the voice on the other end, his expression slowly darkened. He hung up and tapped a few times on his tablet.

"Director Su, Jiang, we may be facing more than just one problem."

Seeing Wu Kenan’s darkened expression, they knew things were not that simple. Su Ling took the tablet. A new video was trending at the top of the list.

The title read: *“Chaos in the Entertainment Industry: Popular Rising Star Exposed as a Scumbag. Abandons Girlfriend to Shop with New Lover; Caught in the Act, He Does This...”*

The content showed a young woman holding onto a man, crying bitterly. The man, however, heartlessly shoved her hand away and climbed into a van with another woman. The location was clearly the Shanghai Gymnasium. Jiang Yu’s face was unmistakable, while the woman’s face had been blurred.

A sharp glint flashed in Su Muyu’s eyes. The camera angle was perfect, clearly prepared in advance. Although there was no audio, it captured Jiang Yu’s cold indifference and the woman’s tear-stained face with chilling clarity.

Scandals involving celebrities always capture the public’s attention, and when combined with the massive traffic Jiang Yu had been generating lately, the topic surged to the top of the trending list. In just over ten minutes, the comments had already surpassed ten thousand and were still climbing.

"Jiang Yu, I never thought you were this kind of person!"

"I misjudged him. He got arrogant after getting famous. A modern-day Chen Shimei, dumping his original girlfriend for a mistress."

"Isn't that woman a member of 'Hard Candy Super Sweet'? Zhao Yiyi, I think."

"She’s pretty. Jiang Yu has good taste. Even though I can't see the face of the mistress, her figure is amazing. Being a star must be great."

"What a beast. Look at that heartless expression. How can a person be so shameless?"

"Sisters, did you see that? This is what men are like. Do you still dare to get married?"

"Such a disgusting man. He looked so clean-cut; who would have thought he was like this?"

***

In a luxury apartment in Jiangxia, Zhao Yiyi watched the news online with a twisted smile. No matter who saw this video, they would view Jiang Yu as a total scumbag—especially now that his popularity was at its peak.

It was a pity that Su Muyu hadn't been blurred out, but looking at the video, it seemed Su Muyu’s background wasn't so simple. Regardless, it was enough. As long as Jiang Yu was ruined, she didn't care.

"Jiang Yu, since you were so heartless to me, I will never let you have an easy life." Having suffered blow after blow, Zhao Yiyi had long since lost her sanity.

Just then, the door opened. A woman walked in. "The video is up. It's time to honor your promise."

Zhao Yiyi nodded with a slight smile. "Don't worry. The money I promised you won't be a cent short. It has already been transferred."

"Thank you then. A pleasure doing business with you!" The woman checked her phone, smiled with satisfaction at the number on the screen, turned, and left the room. She headed to the underground garage and got into a car.

"Sister Hou, what did she say?" the driver asked.

The woman shook her phone. "The money is in. Let’s go have a good meal and split the cash."

"That’s good!" The driver smiled contentedly and sat up straight, then sighed. "Man, that woman is really poisonous. I actually liked Jiang Yu as a singer. Too bad, he's finished now."

"Forget it. Between your favorite star and money, which do you like more?"

"Money, of course! What does it matter if a star is good or not? I'll just find a new one to like. Enough talk, let's go get paid and feast!"

***

Back at Bund One in Jiangxia, the group watched the online news and the public outcry, their faces grim. Jiang Yu’s previously smiling face had also darkened.

Having lived two lives, he had never encountered a woman so vile as to weaponize her own reputation this way.

"Fanxing Entertainment!" Jiang Yu spat out the name, word by word.

For a video to gain such high traction in such a short time, it was clearly being pushed by Fanxing Entertainment behind the scenes. Zhao Yiyi was a signed artist under them; he should have realized that sooner!

More than three hours had passed. The video had been viewed over ten million times, and public opinion was completely lopsided.

Su Muyu stepped forward and took Jiang Yu’s hand. "Don't worry. Whatever problems there are, we will face them together."

Jiang Yu gave an indifferent smile. Just then, Wu Kenan rushed in, looking excited. "I made contact! The venue manager said that because the gym is frequently rented by celebrities, they have cameras with audio recording at every entrance. The footage has been sent over."

Hearing this, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Jiang Yu smiled faintly. He took out his phone, scrolled through his blacklist, found a specific number, and dialed.

A disgusting voice came from the other end.

"Jiang Yu, you finally decided to call me yourself."