The Villain Slaps The Protagonist’s Halo - Chapter 44

Chapter 44: I'll Tell You Who's the Boss

Nie Jia dozed off for a few more minutes, then sluggishly got up, stepping into the morning light flooding the room.

The faint scent of milk lingered in the kitchen. Shi Si was making an egg pancake for Nie Jia while the secretary stood at the kitchen entrance, loudly briefing on work matters. When Nie Jia emerged, they promptly ceased—the nod from Shi Si signaling the end of the briefing, and the secretary tidying up to leave.

Nie Jia, looking half asleep, shuffled into the kitchen and hugged Shi Si from behind, resting his face against Shi Si's back. Mumbling, "Want a kiss."

Shi Si turned off the stove. His heart almost melted at those words. He turned around, pecked Nie Jia on the lips, then embraced him like comforting a child. "You've been tired lately. Nervous about the finals?"

"As long as the other three don't lag behind," Nie Jia grumbled.

Shi Si chuckled, finished coddling Nie Jia, and urged him to freshen up for breakfast.

Nie Jia knew Shi Yan had come over, but he didn't ask anything. Shi Si didn't say anything either, treating Shi Yan, his half-brother, as if he were a negligible stranger.

The final showdown next week, followed by DDD's concert at the end of next month in the Red Exhibition Center, then gearing up for the release of a new album—the latter half of the year would keep Nie Jia occupied. Shi Si and he discussed it and decided to get their marriage certificate on Monday, planning the wedding for when Nie Jia's schedule eased up.

Regarding the current public opinion, Nie Kaiyi was the one setting the pace. Who in the industry would dare challenge her? A mere CBC wasn't enough for Nie Kaiyi's entertainment. If Shi Si didn't step in to quell the storm, it wouldn't settle unless Nie Kaiyi herself grew weary of playing. However, she had just declared herself the president of the Non-Only Association, riding high after getting close to Nie Fei; if she lost interest, CBC wouldn't have much left.

The moment CBC's restrictions on Nie Fei's development hit the headlines, it swept the internet and even made international news. Alongside this, the hot topic of Shi Yan's identity lingered. If Nie Kaiyi said it, who dared doubt it? Especially for such a significant matter—Shi Yan hadn't come out to deny it even after a night passed.

What else did Nie Kaiyi say? She mentioned Shi Yan liked Xie Yihang.

While same-sex relationships were no longer rare in today's society, public figures still faced some impact. Shi Yan was different, being an idol. His sudden exposure of a same-sex relationship shattered the hearts of numerous girlfriend fans.

Though there hadn't been an official response from Shi Yan or Xie Yihang yet, Nie Kaiyi's weight in this matter was apparent. Firstly, Shi Yan's official fan support accounts were voluntarily shut down by fans, losing millions overnight. Whether it was due to girlfriend fans feeling hurt or CBC's suppression linked to Nie Fei made people disgusted and led to the massive fan loss, it was unclear.

Xie Yihang's situation, being aligned with Shi Yan, was worse. Countless clips emerged online, tarnishing his image with phrases like "hypocritical" and "two-faced". Since Nie Fei faced CBC's suppression confirmed by Nie Kaiyi, the Non-Only members exploded. Even if a fellow idol was suffering from unfair treatment due to an equally competitive opponent, it wouldn't lead to this explosive reaction—it was all because of Xie Yihang.

He couldn't do anything right, not even a decorative figure. Not to mention his lack of musical talent; forget about singing or dancing, even in looks, he couldn't compete with Nini. It's just because he's the prince of Wankai that CBC paved such a smooth path for him, using Nini as a stepping stone!

Anyone in that position wouldn't tolerate it. Plus, for four years, Xie Yihang consistently stood on Nie Fei's shoulders, taking advantage of all his resources. When Nie Fei and Shi Yan clashed, Xie Yihang refused to offer a clear explanation to support Nie Fei!

Utterly shameless!

Externally, people couldn't help but think, ever since Nie Fei joined DDD, conflicts with Shi Yan had always existed. The altercation in the semi-finals' locker room wasn't their first public clash, let alone the countless undisclosed private conflicts.

Four years of Nie Fei's constant ridicule towards Xie Yihang seemed to finally have an explanation.

Many began to feel that when Nie Fei was suppressed in such a manner, his actions towards the main protagonist were merely sarcastic remarks, seemingly composed. Numerous netizens, upon imagining themselves in his shoes, expressed an inability to tolerate it, asserting they would have reacted differently if they were in his place!

But then again, Xie Yihang had the backing of the Wankai Prince. What could Nie Fei possibly do?

As the onlookers dwelled on this issue, their disgust grew. Non-Wei found it increasingly distressing, while Xie Yihang likely felt more and more aggrieved. Ignoring Xiang Xianmin's repeated advice, on Tuesday night, he posted a Weibo to clear his name: "Before the semi-finals aired, neither I nor my colleagues at DDD, nor the company, were aware of Shi Yanshen's background. Please refrain from speculating recklessly. Shi Yanshen has never used his status for anything. Otherwise, why would it take five years after debut for Miss Nie to expose it? I hope you won't judge Shi Yanshen based on his background. He isn't someone who abuses power. I believe the company hasn't restricted Nie Fei, after all, everyone acknowledges his talent. He is DDD's ace, our comrade. Despite our frequent quarrels, we rely on each other. Shi Yanshen, Chen Tian, Nie Fei."

Shi Yanshen felt a warmth upon seeing himself mentioned in those words. What he wanted to convey was precisely what Xie Yihang stated - he was Shi Yanshen, not just the Wankai Prince.

Shi Yanshen immediately retweeted Xie Yihang's Weibo.

However, the onlookers and Non-Wei were not buying it.

"Oh my, so Xie Yihang can speak clearly. Why did he always speak vaguely when clarifying things for Nie Fei before, saying things like 'It's not what you think' or 'Don't misunderstand'?"

"Exactly! Smiling face! Previously, I thought Xie Yihang was just naive or lacked emotional intelligence, but this Weibo instantly clarified it. This person is simply bad, with no other motives, a typical egoist. He probably doesn't even realize how repulsive his actions are, worse than intentionally being repulsive."

"If relying on each other means just you two, it's terrifying. Are you narrating a ghost story?"

"He probably couldn't bear the criticism, so he hurriedly tried to clear himself. Haha, can't stand it. Have you ever thought about how my friend Nie endured four years of abuse from your toxic fans, even worse insults, and did you ever say a word for him? Why do you dare to mention my friend!"

Later, Chen Tian also retweeted Xie Yihang's Weibo, with just two words: "KK."

This immediately drew more mockery towards Xie Yihang and Shi Yanshen.

Xie Yihang lay in bed, breathing rapidly under the covers, his hands trembling as he scrolled through the comment section on his phone. He didn't encounter a single encouraging comment; instead, it was filled with biting criticisms from random spectators and fervent condemnation from Non-Wei.

This was completely contrary to what he had anticipated.

After Nie Jia finished dinner and sprawled on the couch checking Weibo, he saw Xie Yihang being put on blast by everyone. Before he could finish reading the content, Xie Yihang had already deleted the post. Consequently, the hot search changed to "Xie Yihang deletes post," and clicking into it revealed numerous screenshots captured by the onlookers.

The way Nie Fei responded to the pressure from his oppressors seemed like mere verbal sarcasm to the onlookers. Some praised his composure, but many online imagined themselves in his shoes and vowed they wouldn't tolerate it, claiming they'd retaliate fiercely.

But here's the twist: Xie Yihang, he had the backing of Prince Wan Kai. What could Nie Fei possibly do?

The more the spectators dwelled on this, the more nauseated they felt. Non-Wei not only felt sickened but Xie Yihang probably felt increasingly aggrieved. Despite Xiang Xianmin's countless warnings, on Tuesday night, he posted a Weibo to clear his name: "Before the semi-finals aired, neither I nor my DDD colleagues knew about Shi Yanshen's background. Please refrain from baseless assumptions. Shi Yanshen never once exploited his status. Why would Nie Jia expose this after five years into our careers? Please don't judge Shi Yanshen solely based on his background. He's not an opportunist. I believe our company isn't restricting Nie Fei; his talent speaks volumes. He's DDD's ace and our comrade. Despite our frequent bickering, we rely on each other. Shi Yanshen, Chen Tian, Nie Fei."

Seeing himself mentioned in Xie Yihang's statement warmed Shi Yanshen's heart. He wanted to convey what Xie Yihang said – he was Shi Yanshen, not just Wan Kai's prince.

Shi Yanshen immediately retweeted Xie Yihang's Weibo. But the onlookers and Non-Wei were skeptical.

"Wow, so Xie Yihang can speak clearly now. Why were his previous clarifications for Nie Fei always so ambiguous, like 'It's not what you think' or 'Don't misunderstand'?"

"Exactly! Smiling, I used to think Xie Yihang was just a bit dumb, lacking emotional intelligence. This Weibo clarifies it all. He's just inherently bad, no ulterior motives. Probably doesn't even realize how despicable his actions are, worse than intentional malice."

"If you two are Nie Fei's reliance, it's terrifying. Are you narrating a ghost story?"

"He's just trying to distance himself when he can't handle the backlash. Haha! Can't stand it, can you? Did you forget how my Nie endured four years of vicious bashing from your toxic fans, even worse insults? Did you ever speak up for him? Who gave you the right to tag my Nie!"

Later, Chen Tian also retweeted Xie Yihang's Weibo with just two words: "K.K."

This sparked even more ridicule aimed at Xie Yihang and Shi Yanshen.

In his bed, Xiang Xianmin's breath quickened. Both his trembling hands held the phone, scrolling through the comments. Not a single supportive message; just harsh criticisms and vehement condemnations from anonymous haters and Non-Wei.

This was far from what he had anticipated.

Nie Jia finished eating and lay sprawled on the sofa, scrolling through Weibo. He stumbled upon a post about Xie Yihang being under intense scrutiny, but before Nie Jia could finish reading, Xie Yihang deleted the post. This led to a new trend: "Xie Yihang's Instant Deletion," flooded with screenshots from countless onlookers.

Nie Jia remained indifferent, his expression unchanged as he casually tapped the screen, sharing an announcement from a program's finals. Soon after, Nie Kaiyi reposted his ad with a comment: [Got my tickets! Ready to cheer for Nini at the finals!!! Fellow Mina members from Non-Wei Association, I've got your tickets covered!]

On Monday, the show announced a venue change for the finals to the Blue and White Theatre, with news of a live broadcast. Despite adding extra servers, the buzz about Shi Yan and Xie Yihang's recent controversies overshadowed this, failing to crack the top ten trends.

As Nie Jia shared, Nie Kaiyi boasted, and Yu Jingwei joined in, reposting the program's exhilarating "Night of the Final Battle" announcement with a comment: [You got lucky in the semis, but prepare to kneel in the finals! Ni Fei]

Yu Jingwei's personal challenge made the onlookers realize: the finals hadn't even taken place yet! What they witnessed was the semifinals!

Nie Jia's calm yet domineering response came effortlessly: [Saturday, I'll make you kneel eleven times in a row.]

Their banter was a refreshing deviation amidst the excitement, but while everyone else was engrossed in the spectacle, these two core figures from the male groups remained focused on challenging each other through the show. Their extraordinary popularity swiftly drew countless fans back to their showdown.

Will DDD defend their title in the finals, or will Galaxy, who've suffered ten consecutive losses, redeem themselves?

The Saturday night would witness a fierce battle between the aces of the two male groups, igniting enthusiasm just at the thought of it!

Fans and supporters of both groups and bystanders gradually snapped out of their daze. Many suddenly remembered they hadn't secured their tickets and desperately sought scalpers. How could fans of DDD and Galaxy miss this once-in-a-lifetime showdown!

However, most of the frenzy for ticket grabs online came from Galaxy's supporters. Surprisingly, DDD's passionate fans, who usually dominate, remained quiet. Firstly, they missed the ticket release due to other distractions, and secondly, conflicts between Chen Tian, Shi Yan, and Xie Yihang left DDD's fans unsure, lacking enthusiasm for the cheering.

The program almost distributed all its tickets, indicating that the finals might be dominated entirely by Galaxy's supporters.

Rumors suggest a change in the show's format. If there's an audience vote, DDD might face a considerable disadvantage!

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