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Huo Ren, sporting a head of pink hair, looked at Chi Ji with a smile.
“It’s still early.” He helped Chi Ji straighten the rabbit ears on his pajama hat. “You can rest for another half hour, then we’ll go out together.”
Chi Ji nodded, both bewildered and happy.
“I’ll be right there!”
Before this incident, there was already a fixed pattern to the frenzy on the internet.
The first important step is to choose a name, binding the target with the most filthy and dark symbols.
Only then, when calling out this derogatory name, does it have enough impact and amusement.
The second step is to fabricate accusations.
Those who enjoy mobbing together are not wrong, they are righteous, jointly eradicating the evil outliers.
If the reasons are plausible enough and the accusations sufficiently extensive, the collective desire to annihilate a person seems justified.
Even if that person is alive.
If there aren’t enough accusations, there’s a third step — provoke a fight.
When one’s own people provoke, it doesn’t matter how extreme their words or actions are.
But as soon as the other party responds even once, angrily cursing, they can be dramatically showcased for all to see.
This way, the bully appears innocent and pitiable.
Chi Ji was unaware that his name had become the center of an online frenzy.
His moderate depression stems more from repeated trauma, old wounds being prodded deeper and inflamed again.
Huo Ren and the others chose to accompany Chi Ji in a physical internet detox, shielding him completely from those dark whirlpools, not letting him hear a single word.
People are naturally afraid of loneliness, and it’s too easy to fall into darkness when alone.
So the brothers would involve Chi Ji in activities like songwriting, playing the piano, playing video games, reading novels, or going to the rooftop to garden and take care of fish, learning to cook soup and paint.
Before any media interview, they must be rigorously vetted, and the questionnaire has to be approved by Jiang Shu, with any malicious probing or stimulation strictly forbidden.
Xie Lianyun gifted Chi Ji a pair of noise-canceling headphones.
When they stepped out of the airport into the crowd, Chi Ji could only hear the pure music from his playlist, and he would smile and greet everyone, obediently keeping his headphones on.
He always deeply trusted Xie Lianyun.
And so, the world became pure and safe for him.
This year’s OSC award ceremony was held in Shidu, with the red carpet event scheduled to start at 6:30 PM, creating a lively atmosphere.
The venue was located at the Huasheng Exhibition Center, near an alley famous for its mango ice cream, which was particularly delicious because the owner liked to add chunks of brownie.
Chi Ji, wearing a slimming black down jacket and wrapped in earmuffs and a scarf, looked slender.
Due to the album promotion, he dyed his hair a light chestnut color in January and adopted a sea-salt style in dressing, making him appear clean and warm.
Huo Ren had dyed his hair pink and, for the day, wore a sky-blue coat that made his skin look almost translucent.
“Uncle Wang, stop the car.”
The nanny car stopped at the entrance of the alley, and Huo Ren led Chi Ji out, confidently walking inside.
“Which flavor do you want today?”
Chi Ji hesitated for a second, nervously glancing at the passersby who had taken out their phones, and said anxiously, “Ren Ren…”
“Is holding hands not good?”
Huo Ren, still looking at the ice cream shop’s new sign, turned back to look at him: “Does Chi Ji not like holding hands?”
“Ah… I do.”
“Then let’s hold hands.”
He was defiant.
Since they were going to be criticized anyway, why bother about what others said.
Huo Ren greeted the store owner and chose two flavors: “I’ll have the mango lemon, Xie Xie wants honey rum, and Yao Yao wants a bowl of curry fish balls—Chi Ji?”
“Strawberry flavor.” Chi Ji instinctively tightened his grip on Huo Ren’s hand, whispering, “And add a scoop of crushed dark chocolate.”
He had just finished a bowl of fish slice porridge boiled by Bo Jue before leaving, and now his stomach felt warm and comfortable.
Carrying their takeaway bags, they walked back to the car, where Mei Shengyao warmed Chi Ji’s cheeks with his palm: “Eating ice cream in winter is the best!”
“Give me a fish ball.”
“No sharing! Don’t touch my bowl, pig head!”
Chi Ji tasted a spoonful of ice cream, looked at the warm and lively atmosphere inside the car, and suddenly smiled.
“This is nice too.”
“Yes,” Bo Jue said, smiling as he brushed the snowflakes from Chi Ji’s hair, “Being together as a family is always nice.”
Bystanders quickly posted the photo on Weibo, and within minutes it was shared widely, sparking a flurry of discussion.
In the picture, snow flies like fog, and the alley is sparsely populated.
Chi Ji, who had been controversial and silent for a long time, finally appeared, and he was holding the hand of Huo Ren with pink hair.
The phone’s resolution wasn’t high, which added a bit of a blurry texture to the photo.
The two of them walked side by side in the picture, warm and natural.
Each of them was carrying a takeout bag, their scarves and hair sprinkled with snowflakes, holding hands tightly.
Some fans, out of selfish motives, had hoped their team leader would keep a distance from the controversial teammate.
They were stunned for a long time when they saw the photo, then turned to help the sisters on sunny days to fight back against the haters.
They believed in the leader’s choice.
As the leader stood firmly with Chi Ji in the midst of controversy, they too would walk with them all the way.
On the other side, in San Francisco, Assistant Zhang handed over a coffee and noticed that Pei Ruye was again looking at entertainment news.
The peach-pink hair suited Ren Ren very well.
His features were naturally beautiful, with sharp brows and eyes that were aggressive, complemented by such a light color.
“…Boss.” She said with mixed feelings, “How about you take a few days off and go back to the country with President Zhou next week?”
It had been half a year since they parted ways last August, and the photo on the desk had been wiped over and over, the frame worn out.
Pei Ruye rubbed his nose bridge and didn’t speak for a while.
According to the hierarchy at Millennium Dance Complex, Chi Ji would have to call him “Uncle Master.” He was a prodigy when he first entered the dance studio as a little boy, naturally the darling of the Red House.
After Chi Ji got into trouble, he had also been making moves behind the scenes, delaying his return to the country these past few days to arrange for informants to investigate Han Qu’s father’s network.
And he clearly laid a few traps as a warning.
Assistant Zhang knew the workaholic boss’s temperament and continued to report the schedule coolly.
“There are two and a half days left until Valentine’s Day.”
“There are four proposals that haven’t been finalized, and there are two meetings next door.” Pei Ruye sipped his coffee and continued to work, saying indifferently, “If I can finish in time, I’ll go back.”
He now needs to secure this blue ocean to provide more support for Ren Ren in the future.
Priorities must be clear.
“…You have six hours left,” Assistant Zhang said helplessly. “This is a two-day workload; it’s hardly possible.”
“Work comes first.”
“Okay, I’ll keep an eye on the flight for you.”
The OSC Awards ceremony was dazzling with stars, with nearly all top Asian artists in attendance, and the red carpet was filled with the unique fragrance of fame and fortune.
FALSE had put in a lot of effort to secure a guest spot from the collaborating brand, striking a winner’s pose when walking the red carpet, while fans outside screamed in frenzy.
Corona didn’t face them, having walked the red carpet and entered the venue half an hour earlier with other VIPs.
Huo Ren was worried that other seniors might view Xiao Chi with prejudice, but after observing for a while, he gradually eased his mind.
Successful people, who could use 48 hours in a day and still find it insufficient, hardly had time to pay attention to online disputes.
It was already an achievement for third or fourth-tier celebrities to get in, and they were extremely cautious even when encountering members of the Crown, fearing their expressions and postures might not be respectful enough.
In the eyes of these lesser stars, Corona was almost mythical, and seeing them in person felt like a dream.
—Who cares about the mess online?
Crown was this year’s hot favorite to win, with fans from all sides placing their bets, and just knowing they were truly nominated was impressive.
To achieve such results in their early twenties, they might dominate the Crown Awards in a few years, right?
As expected, they won “Best Album of the Year” and “Popularity Award of the Year.” When the six young men took the stage again, everyone was reminded of last year’s quadruple event, erupting into laughter.
“Good evening, everyone,” Huo Ren said, holding the trophy and pretending to be serious, “Yes, we’re back again.”
Qi Lin, sitting in the second row, whistled in support, and the crowd followed with laughter and applause.
Mei Shengyao was a bit nervous.
He had become very quiet since entering, and even when Mei Heng came over to greet him, he just nodded with his head down.
Jiang Shu had tried to coach this little fool early on, but to little effect.
“And the winner of this year’s highest Crown is—”
“Mei! Heng!”
Mei Shengyao gasped, instinctively wanting to apologize to his brothers.
Then he was embraced by Long Jia.
“Relax.” The big lion patted the little lion’s head, whispering in his ear, “Being nominated is already impressive, even the queen of the year wasn’t nominated.”
“But—”
“There’s no need to worry so much,” Xie Lianyun slapped his hand and whispered, “Smile, smile, the camera is coming.”
The six members of Crown simultaneously displayed friendly and warm standard smiles, their teeth shining brightly white.
As the live broadcast camera moved away, Xie Lianyun continued to mutter softly: “Today, you even gave your dad the cold shoulder, little ancestor. We would bow in respect upon seeing God Mei, what were you thinking?”
Mei Shengyao, still being embraced by Long Jia, was about to speak with his unyielding emotions, when Bo Jue coughed not far away.
The camera turned towards them again, and the six of them uniformly continued to smile and even waved their hands.
“I just feel really annoyed—”
“Camera, camera.”
“Damn! Why does it keep filming me!”
“Because your dad is receiving an award.”
Mei Heng, having been a single dad for so many years, was well aware of his son’s little quirks.
After the celebration banquet ended, he arrived with a bag of warm egg tarts, knocking on the door in a relaxed manner.
“Hi, good evening.” The pop king himself said with a smile: “Brought some late-night snacks for everyone, care to sit together for a while?”
The group, still applying facial masks and soaking their feet, hurriedly cleared the table to make room for the senior and teammate’s father.
The feeling of ‘we’re competing against my brother’s dad for awards’ was indeed very strange.
Mei Heng brought freshly baked egg tarts with barley tea, and thoughtfully included a pack of wet wipes for cleaning hands.
Mei Shengyao, sitting next to Chi Ji, sulked while eating a blueberry egg tart, still refusing to speak to him.
His rare display of sulkiness was indeed not easy to appease.
“Thank you, Uncle Mei,” Huo Ren sincerely said: “Your new song is really good.”
Mei Heng swallowed the egg tart, hastily wiped his hands, and opened another takeout bag.
A pure gold crown, worth millions, adorned with gems, was casually taken out.
The six juniors gasped in unison.
This was too casual!!!
Pigeon blood rubies were embedded in the center, with small diamonds adorning the sides, and sapphires scattered like stars, truly dazzling.
This was their first time being so close to their dream.
“Feel it.” Mei Heng handed the crown to Huo Ren: “Is it a bit heavy?”