Oops! I Became a Fan of My Rival Idol! - Chapter 52

Silly Little Bird: Huihui, did you go to visit the set and end up missing?

Silly Little Bird: You didn’t come back all night yesterday. What’s going on?

Silly Little Bird: If you don’t reply soon, I’ll have to report it to the production team.

In the taxi, Qiao Huihui opened WeChat and saw the messages Xia Niao had sent her.

Perhaps because she had too much going on, she hadn’t checked her phone much in the past two days and naturally hadn’t replied promptly.

To avoid actually being reported to the production team, she quickly responded.

Huihui: On my way, on my way. Should be back by afternoon.

Silly Little Bird: You scared me to death! Not even a single reply—I thought you’d been kidnapped.

Huihui: No, just got held up with something. Stayed at a hotel for a couple of days.

Silly Little Bird: What was it?

Huihui: Kind of complicated. It’s about Teacher Shen. Hard to explain over text—I’ll tell you when I get back.

Silly Little Bird: Okay, waiting for you!

Silly Little Bird: Mwah mwah.jpg

There were still a few hours left to the filming base. Qiao Huihui had been too excited last night and stayed up way past midnight, leaving her sleep-deprived. So she simply tilted her head and dozed off on Shen Nanqing’s shoulder.

Shen Nanqing felt the weight on her shoulder and turned to see Qiao Huihui’s sleeping face.

Her milky skin was slightly flushed, like an unripe peach, and her long lashes rested peacefully, casting faint shadows on her cheeks.

Shen Nanqing’s fingers itched. After confirming that Qiao Huihui was indeed sound asleep by her steady breathing, she raised a hand and gently pinched her cheek.

So soft, like cotton candy.

The sensation at her fingertips seemed to seep into her heart, making it feel all warm and fuzzy.

After gazing quietly for a long while, she suddenly remembered to take a few photos and post them on her alt account for some subtle bragging.

Hamster Keeper: Her cheeks are so soft to pinch, so cute photophotophoto

Of course, she pixelated every photo, revealing only a tiny portion of her cheek.

She wasn’t sure how Qiao Guangzong and her former company had negotiated, but in the end, aside from the termination agreement, her Weibo account had also been handed over to her.

This was actually the first time she had access to her so-called “main account,” which had many followers, but in her heart, it couldn’t compare to this little alt account where she documented her life.

Even though it only had thirty-something followers, all lured in by Qiao Huihui’s pixelated photos.

Morning Dew: So cute, so cute! Her skin is just too perfect!

Stolen Pudding: OP, does your girlfriend need another girlfriend?

Cola Wings: Where can I get a girlfriend this adorable?

Bubble Milk Tea: OP, lock your doors and windows tight—I’m really good at climbing through windows. Watch out, or I’ll steal your girlfriend tonight.

Vanilla Ice Cream: QAQ A friend of mine is on her deathbed, and her last wish is to have a girlfriend this cute. OP, could you maybe… hand yours over?

Shen Nanqing scrolled through the comments one by one, her smug satisfaction at subtly showing off now mixed with irritation at all these people coveting Qiao Huihui.

Even though she knew they were all joking, she still felt displeased.

So she replied to each one earnestly—

Not a chance! Wishful thinking! Can’t steal her! Impossible!

In short, one message: My girlfriend—no one gets to take her.

…

Online discussions about the cast members of The Legend of Yan Nü getting injured grew increasingly heated. Amid the public outcry, not only did the production team issue an apology to fans, but the actors also took to Weibo one after another to reassure everyone they were unharmed.

As more and more actors clarified their statuses, the scope of speculation narrowed further, and fans seemed to calm down. Eventually, someone even came forward with a bombshell: the injured actor was just a minor supporting role with very little screen time.

Upon hearing this, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

“I know it’s not great to think this way, but as long as it’s not my idol who got hurt, I can relax.”

“Definitely not my goddess Yao either—she’s one of the hottest rising stars right now.”

“Still, I hope the injured actor is okay.”

“Alright, moving on. If it’s not related to my fave, I’m not paying attention anymore.”

In an instant, all the fans who had been concerned about the incident vanished, and the matter seemed destined to drown in the ever-churning waves of online news.

Then, out of nowhere, a Weibo hot search sent netizens into a frenzy.

#Shen Nanqing Is the Injured Actor in The Legend of Yan Nü

This blunt and straightforward hot search was, of course, bought by Bridge Splendor Entertainment.

Clicking into it revealed photos from the day of the incident—Shen Nanqing, unconscious and drenched, being carried onto an ambulance, her pale face captured with unsettling clarity.

Shen Nanqing’s fans exploded.

They couldn’t even question the authenticity—the photos were too clear. Unless there was someone out there who looked exactly like Shen Nanqing, there was no denying it.

The “Pumpkin Fans” (Shen Nanqing’s fandom) never imagined their beloved idol would suddenly become the center of this scandal.

OnePumpkinPeel: I’m losing my mind, I’m losing my mind! I barely even noticed this news a few days ago—what the hell happened?!

SwingingOnHerEyelashes: I was just casually following the drama, but who knew… I’d end up watching my own house collapse.

PumpkinBlossom: So worried for sis, praying for her safety!

QuackQuackMelon: I’m stunned. New fan here—wasn’t Shen Nanqing an idol? Since when did she become an actress?

BeepBoopBop: Why wasn’t there any official announcement about her filming? Are the company and her manager dead or what?

PumpkinNotHard: I’m so mad, I’m gonna tear this trash company apart!

This was nothing short of a jaw-dropping plot twist. Shen Nanqing’s fans were equal parts shocked and furious, while fans of other celebrities flocked to spectate the chaos.

The Pumpkin Fans’ combat prowess was no joke—they swiftly tore into the company, demanding answers.

Shen Nanqing’s former agency hurriedly posted a statement, clarifying that they had already terminated their contract with her and shifting the blame onto Zhao Wenlu.

Xinyue Media Co., Ltd. V: Ms. Shen Nanqing signed a management contract with @Zhao Wenlu five years ago. Since then, all matters pertaining to Ms. Shen have been under his responsibility. The company has never interfered.

In short: Not our problem, we know nothing. If you’re looking for someone to blame, go yell at Zhao Wenlu.

A large portion of the fans’ fury was redirected, though a small faction remained steadfast in their condemnation of the company.

Of course, some of this backlash was orchestrated by hired trolls from Bridge Splendor—some posing as long-time fans lamenting Shen Nanqing’s unfair treatment over the years, others pretending to support Zhao Wenlu, deliberately fanning the flames.

The fans’ rage had reached its boiling point.

One after another, insiders, whistleblowers, and marketing accounts emerged, exposing all of Shen Nanqing’s past experiences—particularly how she was suppressed by her agent and how resources were snatched away by the company’s top female star.

Old Chao Takes You Through Entertainment V: Based on the information I currently have, Shen Nanqing has had it really rough. She lost both parents at a young age and was coaxed into the entertainment industry by Zhao Wenlu before even finishing high school. Despite her excellent acting skills, she was ruthlessly suppressed for standing in the way of the company’s top female star. Over the years, she’s played fewer than ten roles, all of them minor villains or cannon fodder, with styling so bad it looked like she’d offended the makeup artists—her pretty face was practically unrecognizable. Just when she finally seized an opportunity through a talent show and began to rise a little, her agent maliciously assigned her another role as a disposable villain.

Marketing accounts like “Old Chao Takes You Through Entertainment” were everywhere—most bought by Qiaohua, while others jumped on the bandwagon for the traffic the scandal generated.

Of course, none of these marketing accounts exaggerated; everything they reported was entirely true to Shen Nanqing’s experiences over the years. Qiaohua had simply compiled these details and handed them over to the accounts.

Shen Nanqing wasn’t very famous before, so most of her current fans were drawn in during her participation in the talent show and knew little about her past. Now that the marketing accounts had dug deep, everyone was furious.

“??? Our queen has suffered so much!”

“Zhao Wenlu, go to hell!”

“Has anyone figured out who this so-called ‘top female star’ is? How can someone so vicious stay in the industry?”

“Ugh, I’m crying. My Qingqing, how much injustice have you endured?!”

“Zhao Wenlu and that so-called top female star—can they even be called human?!”

“The top female star at Xinyue… is it YY?”

“Don’t drag others into this, you nobodies. Our goddess Yao is known for her kindness and gentleness—she’d never do something like this.”

“Exactly, and back then, our Yaoyao was still a newcomer. How could she be the ‘top female star’?”

“Leave our Yaoyao out of this!”

Once someone brought it up, speculation arose that the so-called top female star might be Yu Yao. But Yu Yao’s fans weren’t about to let their idol be dragged into this for no reason, so they flooded Weibo with clarifications.

Shen Nanqing’s fans were already enraged, while Yu Yao’s fans were notoriously aggressive. As one side speculated and the other defended, it was unclear who started it, but suddenly, the two factions were at each other’s throats.

In an instant, the internet was once again engulfed in chaos.

…

The scandal had blown up so much that the contestants of Glorious couldn’t have missed it. So when Shen Nanqing and Qiao Huihui walked through the base’s entrance, they were met with a mix of overt and covert stares.

The two acted as if they didn’t notice and headed straight for their dorm.

“Huihui, you’re finally back!”

As soon as the door opened, Xia Niao exclaimed in delight at the sight of them.

But her expression quickly turned indignant as she turned to Shen Nanqing. “I saw what happened online. Your agent is just awful!”

Qiao Huihui and Shen Nanqing entered one after the other. Shen Nanqing set their luggage down on the table and responded calmly, “Yeah. But he’s getting what he deserves now.”

First of all, Zhao Wenlu would definitely lose his job. Secondly, with his reputation now in tatters, it was unlikely any other company in the industry would hire him in the future. On top of that, some morally upright netizens had already memorized his face—this guy probably wouldn’t even dare to go outside anymore.

Moreover… she recalled what Qiao Guangzong had said on the phone.

Even if the amount was small, stealing was still illegal. Though it might not be enough to file a case, they could still make him spend a couple of days in detention. Even if he went for plastic surgery, he’d never be able to wash away that stain.