As Jiang Mingxi spoke, fury spread across Song Lan's already cold face.
Zhao Jiayuan bounded forward and stared at Jiang Ke in disbelief. "All this time, I thought you were a human being!"
Jiang Ke's head was still buzzing from Jiang Mingxi's repeated slaps when Zhao Jiayuan suddenly pointed at his nose and cursed him out.
Rage shot straight to the top of his head. He raised his hand to slap Zhao Jiayuan. "Who the hell are you? What gives you the right to speak!"
He was an investor in this show!
He was the money behind it!
Smack!
Chen Chong slapped away the hand swinging toward Zhao Jiayuan's face.
Chen Chong had a buzz cut, and his usual screen persona was the wild, unruly type. With hostile fury in his eyes, he gave Jiang Ke a cold, sidelong look. "Try laying a hand on him."
[Holy shit, Chen Chong is so hot!]
[Chen Chong debuted with that tough-guy martial arts star image. He really lives up to that combination of reckless bastard and tough guy.]
[Except he's kind of a dumbass when he fights with Zhao Jiayuan.]
[Come on, who doesn't turn into a dumbass around Zhao Jiayuan!]
[Hahahahaha, I actually can't argue with that!]
Standing beside Chen Chong, Zhao Jiayuan snorted. "Exactly. Try laying a hand on me. I've seen shameless people, but never anyone this shameless. Didn't you already post an announcement through your company's official account?
"Saying Jiang Mingxi had lousy character and wasn't worthy of your Jiang family?
"So let me ask you, what does that make you now? Trash?"
"You!" Jiang Ke choked on the retort, his face flushed scarlet.
Of course.
His face might also have been red from the slaps.
Jiang Mingle hurried forward. "You've misunderstood my big brother. That's not what he meant. He just felt that nothing too serious happened last night, and insisting on ruining someone's entire life over one little thing was going too far.
"That's why he discussed it with Xiaoxi, asking whether he could withdraw the case with the police.
"To give someone a chance to turn over a new leaf."
[What case? What little thing?]
[A thief broke into Jiang Mingxi's room yesterday and stole his watch. It's worth over five hundred thousand.]
[That's a little thing? Holy fuck!]
[It's not that big a deal, is it? The thief didn't know the watch was worth that much. Besides, that really isn't much money for a celebrity. Why ruin someone's whole life? Lele really is kind.]
[...]
[...]
Jiang Mingle bit his lip and looked at Jiang Mingxi with an aggrieved expression.
"Xiaoxi, how could you smear our big brother like that? He never told you to post on Weibo about being raped. How could you falsely accuse him?
"And how could you hit someone?"
[Exactly. Whatever happened, Jiang Mingxi was wrong to hit him!]
[Get that clout-chasing bitch off the show and out of the entertainment industry. He never has a single positive influence, day in and day out. Just looking at him makes me sick.]
After Jiang Mingle said that, it wasn't just the comments joining in the abuse.
Jiang Ke immediately said, "I never said any of that!"
Then he addressed everyone. "Jiang Mingxi has been malicious and underhanded since he was little. If he weren't my biological younger brother, I would never have let him on this show. Don't let him fool you!"
The instant those words fell-
Jiang Mingxi whipped out a voice recorder.
Hehehehehe!
Tremble!
Trash!
"Jiang Mingxi, post on Weibo right now and admit that the blond guy who went to your room last night wasn't there to steal. He was there to rape you!
"You framed him for theft!
"Post it right now, or you can forget about ever coming back to the Jiang family!"
Jiang Ke's voice came out of the recorder, crystal clear.
[Holy shit, what a slap in the face. That hurts worse than an actual slap! No wonder Jiang Mingxi smacked him!]
[Jiang Mingle's fans, come on out! Your idol is sooo innocent, sooo blameless, sooo wronged. He neeeever lies. It's aaall Jiang Mingxi's fault. Come on, say it!]
[What a vile bastard. Posting announcements online to smear Jiang Mingxi while doing this behind the scenes?]
[What an eye-opener!]
[Holy shit, this is our Tianli Group's boss? The company is going under sooner or later!]
[Fuck, no wonder Jiang Mingxi doesn't even want to speak to Jiang Mingle. If it were me, I'd want to stab that dumb fuck to death!]
[Unfollowing right this second and becoming a hater immediately. Being his fan was the curse of my life. Fuck!]
The comments flooded in, layer upon layer.
All of them were cursing Jiang Mingle and Jiang Ke.
Beyond the comments' view, Tianli Group's stock began to fluctuate.
Jiang Ke had never imagined that this bitch would record him.
His expression changed drastically, and he instinctively reached out to snatch it.
Bam!
Song Lan, who had remained silent all this time, looked livid. The instant Jiang Ke lunged for the recorder, he raised his foot and kicked him in the chest.
Jiang Ke practically flew off his feet, sent flying a full half meter backward by the kick.
He crashed to the ground.
[Hiss~]
[Holy shit!]
[That kick from Song Lan was fucking amazing!]
[This is the first time I've seen Song Lan stand up for anyone. I know this isn't the right occasion, but... can I ship it?]
[Song Lan just can't stand seeing someone bullied like this. He'd step in for anyone else too. Be good, no shipping, okay?]
In front of her screen.
Bai Ge: ...
All I can say is, ha.
At the scene.
Jiang Ke hit the ground hard.
The director's heart was breaking.
Clutching the pig's head, he stood there in disarray, unsure whether he should help him up.
If he didn't, this was his sugar daddy.
If he did, he was afraid he wouldn't be able to resist kicking him himself.
After a brief struggle, the director made a swift decision-
He would clutch his pig's head and act out Keyun's madness.
"Where's the pig's head? Where's my pig's head? I need to find my pig's head, aaah! Pig's head~"
The assistant director beside him stared, dumbfounded and aghast, but that didn't stop him from lifting a nearby crew member's arm and saying, "It's not here!"
[Hahahahaha!]
[You can tell they've watched plenty of Romance in the Rain!]
[Fuck, this show. One second I was cursing in rage, and now I'm rolling around laughing.]
While the director went crazy over there.
Jiang Mingle shakily helped Jiang Ke up.
First that bitch Jiang Mingxi had straddled him and slapped him, and now Song Lan had kicked him to the ground in front of everyone.
Along with the pain, burning shame spread across Jiang Ke's face.
He clenched his fist hard and glared at Song Lan. "What is the meaning of this, Young Master Song!"
Song Lan was expressionless. "Apologize."
"What does this have to do with you, Young Master Song?" Jiang Ke demanded furiously. "This is a private matter within the Jiang family!"
Zhao Jiayuan spat. "What private family matter? Jiang Mingxi isn't part of your family! Do you need me to show you a screenshot of Tianli Group's Weibo post?"
A cruel sneer curled Song Lan's lips. "Apologize, or Tianli Group's joint project with Song Corporation is gone."
As he spoke, he took out his phone. "I'll count to three. If you don't apologize, I'm making the call."
Jiang Ke's face instantly stiffened, shock rising in his eyes.
Jiang Mingle nearly went mad with jealousy!
Was Song Lan backing up that bitch Jiang Mingxi?
Why!
That bitch Jiang Mingxi!
Why did he get to have Song Lan's help?