Ten million just to win a smile from a beauty

Sure enough, after the show's stream went down, the incident shot to number one on the trending list.

The comments under "An Appointment with Jia" were completely overrun.

Everyone was discussing who this mysterious [Shining Star Candy] was, with all kinds of guesses flying around.

Some said [Shining Star Candy] was Wu Jiangyuan's secret financial backer.

Some said the person behind [Shining Star Candy] was an incredibly powerful big shot who was also Wu Jiangyuan's diehard fan.

Others said [Shining Star Candy] might be a plant hired by the production team.

The production team made no response, so everyone flocked to Wu Jiangyuan's Weibo to flood his comments instead.

Strong Big Sausage: [Bro, sorry, I was blind before. Turns out you really are a force to be reckoned with.]

Word Mom Oh: [Seriously, who the hell is this Shining Star Candy? Sending Carnivals like drinking water.]

Happy Homebody Beast: [Crow Bro Wu, with a fan like this, you could crush every other celebrity, okay?]

Disciplined Trendy Guy: [Where did this Shining Star Candy come from? How come I've never heard of them before? Wu Jiangyuan has diehard fans like this?]

Champion Rabbit: [Forgive me for asking, but is that big-spending fan of yours really not looking for a guard dog? Would I do?]

Mapo Tofu Knight: [Someone toss the person above a pillow so they can go dream somewhere else. If anyone gets to do it, it's me.]

The Pickled Fish Has Wandered Off: [Bro, I'm going to see you in a new light. With a fan like this, you'll succeed at anything you do!]

Wu Jiangyuan saw none of it. He was still at the recording venue, sitting on the sofa and watching the staff scramble around in chaos.

Beside him, He Qu scrolled through his phone with trembling hands.

"Holy mother of heaven, Wu Jiangyuan, you have no idea how the internet's blown up."

"Everyone's curious about that Shining Star Candy of yours."

"Don't tell me you staged this with your family?"

Wu Jiangyuan looked irritated and listless. "How the hell should I know? I want to know who this Shining Star Candy is too."

He himself was wondering who this money-throwing dumbass was.

As far as he remembered, nine out of ten people were his haters, and the remaining one was a casual fan.

Where had a diehard fan come from?

And the more he considered the username [Shining Star Candy], the stranger it seemed.

After thinking for a while, he pulled out his phone and called Wu Chengnan.

The first call went unanswered. Wu Chengnan was probably busy.

So Wu Jiangyuan sent him a message: [Did you arrange that Shining Star Candy?]

Only after sending it did he notice the reply Xi Jie had sent him five minutes earlier.

[Sorry, I got stuck in traffic. I'll be there soon.]

Wu Jiangyuan raised an eyebrow. With things as they were, it probably didn't matter whether Xi Jie came anymore.

Meanwhile, Xi Jie had already arrived at the venue.

Director Zhong had heard in advance and brought him over. "I don't think there's any need to clarify things now. Nobody online cares about your scandal anymore."

What the netizens cared most about now was who [Shining Star Candy] actually was.

Xi Jie was a little confused. He hadn't checked his phone yet, so he had no idea that wave after wave of frenzy had already swept across the internet.

"What are you talking about? You don't need me anymore?"

Before Wu Jiangyuan could speak, Director Zhong smiled meaningfully. "You haven't seen the trending list, have you? During the show's live recording, a fan of Wu Jiangyuan's sent ten million worth of gifts on the spot."

Surprised, Xi Jie took out his phone to check online, then looked at Wu Jiangyuan, not knowing whether to laugh or cry. "Looks like I came all this way for nothing."

"Not for nothing." Wu Jiangyuan suddenly spoke, his lips curving into a smile. "Since you're here, clear things up for me before you leave."

The corner of Director Zhong's mouth twitched. "You already shut down the livestream. There's no way we're starting it again. What do you want to do?"

"Record it like a regular show." Wu Jiangyuan lifted his chin toward their camera. "Then put this segment in the show's bonus footage."

Director Zhong said, "We don't even know if this episode can air normally."

"After a livestream incident like this, the production team has already started considering switching to conventional recording."

Wu Jiangyuan's brows drew together. "Then send me the video. I'll clear things up myself."

That had been his purpose this time in the first place. Whether anyone cared or not, he would have clarified the matter.

Perhaps the clarification video would even serve an important purpose.

Director Zhong: "..."

This really was the first time he had met a celebrity as peculiar as Wu Jiangyuan.

Since they had benefited from Wu Jiangyuan this time, taking the show to unprecedented heights, Director Zhong made an exception and did as he asked.

Except for impractical requests like returning the proceeds from the gifts.

First, Shining Star Candy had sent them voluntarily.

Second, all of it was perfectly legal.

Wu Jiangyuan had no right to demand that the production team return them.

He understood that himself, so he stopped making things difficult for Director Zhong.

He only asked that they tell him truthfully if they discovered any information about [Shining Star Candy].

Director Zhong agreed.

After filming a separate clarification video with Xi Jie, the production team shouldered their cameras and left.

As Director Zhong put it, the production team was now like ants on a hot pan, and they still had to figure out how to wrap up this episode.

Soon, only Wu Jiangyuan and the other two remained at the venue.

Wu Jiangyuan took the initiative to ask Xi Jie, "Did you drive here?"

Xi Jie said, "No."

Wu Jiangyuan said, "Then I'll give you a ride. Where are you going?"

Xi Jie quickly shook his head. "No need... someone's waiting for me."

"All right, then."

Wu Jiangyuan said nothing more and called He Qu over to leave.

He Qu chattered the whole way. "I'm telling you, the pressure from this is on us now. Once we get back..."

Wu Jiangyuan only half listened.

In the parking lot, a casual glance was all it took for Wu Jiangyuan to spot Xi Jie ducking into a celebrity van.

Someone else was sitting inside, and his profile looked somewhat familiar.

Wu Jiangyuan thought for a moment, then recognized him. It was Nan Xiaoxing.

He paid it little mind and turned to get into his car.

Once he was inside, his ever-busy older brother finally replied.

Wu Chengnan: [What are you talking about?]

Wu Jiangyuan casually sent him a trending-topic link. [See for yourself.]

It took quite a while before Wu Chengnan replied.

His reply was just: [Not me.]

Wu Jiangyuan frowned. If it wasn't him, who else could it be? Surely it couldn't be his dad?

The thought of Wu Qi doing something like this gave Wu Jiangyuan goosebumps all over.

He pleaded with Wu Chengnan: [Bro, please~ help me look into this person.]

Wu Chengnan didn't reply for a long time.

While he waited, Dai Lan also sent a string of messages.

[Holy shit, Wu Jiangyuan, you've really made something of yourself. Someone spent ten million just to win a smile from a beauty~]

Wu Jiangyuan: [If you don't know how to talk, could you go back and study language again? I have absolutely no recollection of this person.]

Dai Lan: [Still being modest? This person's obviously one of your obsessive solo stans. Even their username is sickeningly clingy. Star Candy, seriously?]

A while later, he sent another message: [Speaking of which, isn't your nickname Tangtang?]