Coach Ma immediately flared up when he heard that.
Wasn't the female reporter implying that Brother Yi had thrown the game?
He shot back at her, "Watch your wording. Brother Yi simply let the students play freely on their own. If they won, it was because of their ability; if they lost, it was because of their own skill and mindset. He let them play their way, not deliberately lose. He did it so they could understand their true abilities and learn a lesson. As reporters, you shouldn't downplay the important points, let alone say something as sensational as claiming they deliberately lost."
"I know you're an internet-famous reporter, but even internet-famous reporters can't disregard the facts and chase attention at all costs, distorting or even fabricating the truth just to attract traffic."
Those last few words struck Wei Wei'er right where it hurt.
Three months earlier, Wei Wei'er had fabricated a story to attract traffic and grab attention, leading netizens to cyberbully a 17-year-old girl.
In the end, the girl's family suffered immense harm and distress.
Once the truth came out, many people began condemning Wei Wei'er.
But first, the PR team Wei Wei'er hired was very capable. They managed to spin her fabrication as a case of reporting without having properly investigated, which greatly reduced her culpability.
Wei Wei'er also issued several public apologies, helping to calm people down.
Second, in this age of online traffic, a trending story lasted at most a few days to a week or so before being quickly replaced by other hot topics.
Before long, netizens stopped bringing it up, and Wei Wei'er lay low for two months.
She had only recently returned. After her comeback, she stopped covering the sensational stories that drew easy attention and started reporting on sporting events instead.