Chapter 6 The Smear Search
I started rehearsing for the Concert, up early and asleep late.
The call came at noon. Director Xie phoned himself. "Zhiyi, look at the trending search."
A giant viral tag sat first on the trending list: Shen Xinrui liked a smear post on Xu Zhiyi.
My face stayed even. I read the whole chain, then asked, calm, "So you called to say what?"
Xie Kun hadn't spoken. I went on. "Anyone with eyes can see who's wrong here. You're not going to ask me to clean up after her, are you?"
Xie Kun's breath caught.
I laughed, sharp. It was so absurd it almost felt funny. "Director Xie, ask yourself. How much money have I made Haohai over the years. Something like this happens, and the first person you call isn't Shen Xinrui. It's me."
I suddenly shouted, "If I don't lose my fucking temper, you all treat me like an idiot, is that it?"
"I know, I know! But what can I do? At the end of the day I'm just a hired worker." Xie Kun said, "Zhiyi, this is Xiao Yuan's call. I have no choice."
It felt like drowning. The voice went distant and blurred. Pain started in my heart and closed around my throat.
I hung up and only then felt my nails in my flesh. The room spun.
The phone buzzed again. Xiao Yuan. He went straight at it. "Zhiyi, don't respond to the search yet."
I said nothing.
Xiao Yuan paused. His voice went softer. "It's my fault. I didn't think Shen Xinrui was that stupid."
I opened my mouth several times before sound came out. "And yet you're running around cleaning up after the idiot you just named."
"Zhiyi. She's in Spilt Water. The project signed a one-billion performance-guarantee contract. It cannot crash in her hands."
Xiao Yuan's pace stayed even. "I won't let you take the loss. I'll give you shares. After this, all of Haohai's resources go to you first."
"So? What do you want me to do." I actually laughed. "Afraid she didn't hit hard enough? Want me to turn the other cheek so she can slap that too?"
"Zhiyi, we're talking about interests. Don't always get emotional."
Xiao Yuan's tone turned coaxing, rare for him. "This is the first time I'm asking you. Help Brother Yuan this once, all right?"
The ringing in my ears stretched. I thought of that summer at twenty, when a rotten show crew stuck me with a huge penalty. He bent down, wiped my tears, and smiled. "What's the big deal. Brother Yuan will handle it."
I said yes.
The same answer as then.
Haohai launched PR, fast and hard.
Shen Xinrui posted, tagged me, said her hand slipped, dropped a cute sticker, and asked me to forgive her.
I didn't respond.
She debuted from trainee fan voting. Xiao Yuan had escorted her the whole way through blood and storm. Who knew how many people she had offended.
Add that her skill was weak. She lived on a face and a pure persona. Playing this two-faced dirty trick, she was bound to get bitten back.
Besides, my fans were not herbivores.
This time Haohai didn't dare ask me to respond. Maybe they were afraid my fans would slaughter their official site.
But I knew Xiao Yuan would have a backup.
Half a month later, Haohai launched the competitive music show I Choose You. I was a mentor and the PD.
Also joining, as a contestant, was Shen Xinrui.