Restraint? The agent rolled his eyes as he thought about the pictures Xiao Shulang had posted. Was that what he called restraint?
But we still have to try to salvage the situation, after all, Luo Tian is still a cash cow for them. If we can save him, that would be the best, but if not... he's not the only cash cow.
Agent: "You should also be prepared that you can't clear your name."
Luo Tianxin's heart tightened: "What if it can't be washed clean?"
The agent said casually, "Who knows? It's impossible to fully estimate how bad the backlash will be right now. I'll have someone write a short essay for you right away, and you can post it when you log in later."
Luo Tian's self-rescue essay was quickly posted out.
But an article whose arguments and points are completely untenable is wrong from the start. Luo Tian may want to defend himself, but does he think everyone is stupid?
"Posting 'I really miss you' when you're about to break up? Do you think we're stupid?"
"From another perspective, if he keeps showering us with sweet talk, isn't that even more of a jerk?"
"Get lost, you two-timing scumbag!!"
Some of Luo Tian's fans went from disbelief to heartbreak upon seeing such irrefutable evidence. It turns out that the person they liked was actually like this. It's like waking up to a completely different world!
"I always believed he was a positive, hardworking, and virtuous idol, but it turns out he's a scumbag. Everyone, I'm devastated! I cried my eyes out!"
"Wow, I was shocked too! What I was saying was, run!"
Rational fans have all left, leaving only a few die-hard fans who are still going strong, but their voices have been drowned out and can no longer make much of a splash.
Luo Tian has made enemies over the years, but most of them didn't dare to say anything because of his high status. Now that he has fallen from grace, they finally dare to say something about Luo Tian.
"Luo Tianzhen often acts like a big shot. He doesn't dare to mess with the director and his colleagues, but he acts arrogant and domineering in front of us staff."
"And during the talent show, they were clearly secretly ganging up to exclude people, they were just pretending!"
More and more negative information about Luo Tian is being exposed, and most of it is true. Only a small number of other companies are taking advantage of the situation, but the fabricated stories are quickly stopped or even deleted. This is because these people may have realized that they don't need to make things up to get so much gossip, so they might as well just watch the show quietly.
Luo Tian immediately became the target of ridicule online. His defense, lacking any concrete evidence, was utterly powerless in the face of Xiao Shulang's evidence. Xiao Shulang could produce concrete evidence, while Luo Tian had nothing but lies.
After realizing his true colors as a scumbag, the viewers of the dating show couldn't sit still anymore. They watch dating shows where guests can show affection and have emotional conflicts, but guests absolutely cannot be morally corrupt scumbags!
Viewers flocked to the "Heartbeat Encounter" program's booth, shouting: "Scumbag Luo Tian, get out of dating reality shows!"
Chapter 35 Keyword Search: How to Make Someone Happy
The calls for "scumbags to get out of dating reality shows" are getting louder and louder, and Luo Tian's team is too busy trying to control the narrative and manage the comments.
Although the paid trolls and "big fans" who were paid by the company tried their best to post messages like "believe in your brother" in his own super topic square, they basically had no fighting power outside. Those who still supported Luo Tian would only become a laughing stock.
Looking at the dense comments, Luo Tian broke out in a cold sweat in the cool room and felt dizzy.
what to do?
His Weibo follower count plummeted, which was like bleeding him dry, especially since he relies on online traffic for his livelihood. Despite his desperate attempts to stop the decline, the numbers continued to drop.
Conversely, more and more people are criticizing him.
Entertainment media outlets also got up and worked overtime. They even dug out past news to help Xiao Shulang sort it out again, from resources to cheating, restoring Luo Tian's complete image as a scumbag and a man from a poor background.
"Yes, and the things and resources Xiao Shulang gave him, I think I've figured it out. Luo Tian is just after the money. As soon as the Xiao family is in trouble, he dares to go out and have fun."
"No wonder. If I had a boyfriend like Xiao Shulang, I would definitely cherish him. If Luo Tian is only after money, his behavior is understandable. Could it be that he cheated on me with Xu Baichang because he also wants her connections and resources? Xu Baichang has always had pretty good resources in film and television."
"Get out of dating reality shows! Get out of the entertainment industry, you scumbag!"
Luo Tian was checking messages on his computer while still on the phone with his agent. The conversation on the agent's end was chaotic, with various cell phones ringing incessantly. The agent, assistant, and public relations manager were all overwhelmed.
As Luo Tian listened to their conversation, his heart sank deeper and deeper. He quickly logged into his social media account on his computer and saw that he had 99+ messages. He had originally intended to ask for advice in the group chat, but the first group at the top of the list started like this:
Zhou Tong: "@Luo Tian, is it true?"
Zhou Tong: "..."
Luo Tian almost cursed out loud. Why was he stirring things up at a time like this! But he held back. Back when they were in the talent show, their small team had created more than one group. Of course, an idiot like Zhou Tong wasn't in any of those groups. Luo Tian didn't have time to deal with him and opened another one.
The group fell silent. Luo Tian said, "Stop hiding! Come out and give me some advice!"
After a long while, Ji Mingming finally popped up: "Sorry, bro, I was just recording a show, and I haven't finished reading the news online yet."
Wu Feiyu seemed to have just connected to the internet: "I'm filming, and I finally got my hands on my phone for a couple of minutes. When I clicked in, I saw a message from Brother Luo. What's up? Any advice?"
"A bunch of bastards!" Luo Tian cursed inwardly. "What are they pretending for? We're all in the same boat, who doesn't know what kind of people we are?"
But he can't afford to offend anyone now. He has to genuinely find a solution, so he can only patiently forward some online comments to the group and show them to his face.
The group fell silent again.
Luo Tian sneered and sent a voice message: "Don't be so indifferent, everyone. We've helped each other over the years and everyone has benefited a lot. We've all become famous and are now successful. Who doesn't have some dirt on others? If I can't make it back, I can still make a living by leaking some information to the paparazzi."
Upon hearing this, the others finally stirred.
Ji Mingming sent several emojis, expressing helplessness and sadness: "Brother, we're friends, I'll definitely help you if you're in trouble, but I really can't think of a solution this time, the evidence is too irrefutable."
Wu Feiyu quickly added, "Really, I've racked my brains and still don't know what to do. How about... I try apologizing?"
Luo Tian: "Isn't an apology the same as admitting it?!"
Wu Feiyu said, feeling wronged, "But it seems like there's nothing I can do if you don't admit it now..."
Luo Tian took a deep breath, about to explode in anger, when his agent finally spoke to him again on the other end of the phone.
"Luo Tian, I just received a call from the director of Heartbeat Encounter."
The agent's tone was no longer discernible: "He said you violated the contract terms and are now demanding termination of the contract and payment of liquidated damages to the production team."
Luo Tian's anger was instantly extinguished by the ice water. With a "plop," it turned into a bone-chilling cold without even a wisp of smoke.
“I talked to him, but the director wouldn’t budge. After all, it’s a dating reality show, and your situation involves your personal life,” the agent said, pinching his temples. “We can only try to negotiate a higher penalty for breach of contract, reduce it a bit, and then hand it over to the legal department.”
"He wants to cancel my contract and even wants me to pay a penalty for breach of contract," Luo was furious. "Dream on!"
Breach of contract and compensation are always troublesome matters, and the back-and-forth wrangling takes a long time. The agent said impatiently, "Tomorrow, pack your things and go back to the company to follow up on this matter with the legal department."
Luo Tian: "Online public opinion—"
"It's all because of your own mess!" the agent said. "You think the losses are over? It's not over yet! I've received so many inquiries just now, and there might even be some people who are just waiting to see what happens!"
The agent was also getting very frustrated: "Come back first, then we'll talk!"
After hanging up the phone, Luo Tian stared blankly at the chat in the group. Ji Mingming and Wu Feiyu were still talking.
Ji Mingming: "Brother Luo, if this matter really blows up too much, just take a break for a while, and come back to work when they've forgotten about it. As long as we're still in the industry, we'll definitely help you with resources."
Wu Feiyu also agreed: "Yes, we're still here. We'll help you come back after things have calmed down."
Luo Tian didn't want to say another word.
He turned off the tablet, walked around the room twice without paying attention to the time, and then rushed out the door, slamming it shut.
"Elegant and sparse!"
Luo Tian made such a big fuss that before Xiao Shulang could even open the door, everyone else came out first, especially Qin Shuang, who appeared very quickly and looked coldly at Luo Tian.
"It's getting late, what do you want to do?" Qin Shuang asked.
“Heh,” Luo Tian said, “I still want to ask him what he wants to do!”
Tian Xiaole's room was the furthest away. She was startled by the knocking. She was standing with Zhou Tong, who looked at Luo Tian with a complicated expression. For the first time, he remained silent during their argument.
Xu Baichang opened the door, and when Luo Tian saw him, his emotions became even more complicated. He gritted his teeth and sneered, "Xu Baichang, I never thought you would betray me. I've been so good to you!"
"You call deceiving me good to me?" Xu Baichang no longer needed to give him any kindness. "You still have the nerve to say such things now."
"What's wrong with you?"
Xiao Shulang finally opened the door. He was wearing pajamas, his hair still damp, and he glanced lazily at Luo Tian: "You'll pay for the broken door?"
When the word "compensation" was mentioned, Luo Tian thought of the penalty for breach of contract, and he was furious. His chest heaved, and he was very angry, but before he could speak, Xiao Shulang cut him off.
"What I did was simply reveal the truth to the public. You deceived me and sucked my blood; it's time to spit it out. Nothing in this world is that easy. You sowed the seeds of evil, so you should reap the consequences."
"You just want to get revenge on me, don't you?" Luo Tian sneered, his eyes narrowing. "Your family is down on its luck now, you're short of money, and you can't stand to see me doing well. How much money do you want? I'll give it to you. Just take those messages down, and I'll give you the money, okay?!"
Luo Tian's words echoed throughout the corridor, and he probably heard them on the third floor as well, as rustling footsteps came from the stairwell. A normal person's reaction to such a statement would be—
You Zi'ang: "Are you even speaking human language?"
Yin Xingzhi stood there with the door half-open, holding the doorknob, silently watching their conversation unfold without joining in.
Xiao Shulang was amused and annoyed: "I can earn my own money, why would I need you to give it to me? You're an unrepentant fool, you'll never feel guilty, you'll never think you've done anything wrong. Be realistic, it's only at times like this that you finally get anxious and scared."
"Back then, he... you can experience my pain in a different way!"
Luo Tiancai was no match for the original owner's breakdown back then; he should just accept it!
Luo was furious. Taking advantage of his proximity, he raised his hand to grab Xiao Shulang's collar, his manner aggressive. Seeing the situation was not good, the others rushed forward. Qin Shuang was the fastest, but they were all some distance away, and even if they reacted quickly, they might not be able to catch up.
Seeing that Luo Tian was about to succeed, Xiao Shulang took two steps back into the house and quickly turned to the side. Luo Tian not only missed his target, but was also tripped by Xiao Shulang's foot as he turned, falling to the ground in a big tumble.
Xiao Shulang walked around him and out of the house. Qin Shuang stood beside him and asked, "Are you alright?"
Xiao Shulang shook his head: "He didn't touch me."
After saying that, he turned to Luo Tian with disdain and said, "Get up and come out. This is the second time. So you still have a habit of hitting people. You used to be a good actor."
Isn't the reason you've never made a move with your ex because you're too afraid?
Luo Tian angrily got up from the ground. He had bruised his knee, but he didn't show it in front of this group of people. Now, even the slightest bit of weakness in front of them was unbearable for him.
The director and crew did hear the noise and came down from the third floor.
"Don't fight, everyone. It won't be good for you if it turns into a violent incident and word gets out, right?"
As soon as the director opened his mouth, Luo Tian glared at him, his eyes filled with a fury that made the director's heart pound.
However, he was a seasoned veteran and not afraid of these youngsters. He remained calm and said, "I'm here to let everyone know that there will be no live stream tomorrow morning. We'll start in the afternoon, but the exact time is yet to be determined. Please calm down."
He didn't mention that he was already planning to replace Luo Tian, which was a way of giving Luo Tian some face at the last minute. He could pack his things and leave quietly tomorrow morning... Of course, leaving tonight wasn't out of the question either.
Luo Tian slammed back into his room, slamming the door shut with a deafening crash that hurt anyone's ears.
The director, seeing that the culprit had gone back to his room, told everyone to disperse—he was in a hurry to get back to his room and work overtime.
Xiao Shulang raised his hand and pinched the hair hanging by his ear. It wasn't completely dry yet, and his fingers were wet. The others went back into the house one after another, but Qin Shuang hadn't left yet.
With Luo Tian gone and no one else around, Xiao Shulang, having detached himself from the intense emotions just now, felt a very subtle mix of emotions as he saw Qin Shuang alone.