The President Made Me Trend

“I heard he’s from the same talent agency as Mo Qinghuan, some new singer named Liang Yi.”

The banter at the table successfully caused Shen Meng to choke on the drink she had just swallowed. After a few coughs, the men pretended to help by patting her back, but in reality, they took the opportunity to grope her. Her breathing gradually returned to normal as she looked incredulously at the man who had mentioned Liang Yi’s name, confirming repeatedly:

“Are you sure about the news you received? Is Liang Yi really the male lead in Mo Qinghuan’s next movie? Are they going to play a couple in the film?”

She had thought it would be nearly impossible to bring down Mo Qinghuan, especially with Lu Yucheng as her protector. But unexpectedly, she stumbled upon this information without even trying.

“Yeah, why is Miss Shen so surprised? Surely Mo Qinghuan and that newcomer Liang Yi don’t have an unusual relationship, do they?” Everyone joked, finding it improbable. After all, Lu Yucheng’s status was worlds apart from Liang Yi’s, and a smart woman would undoubtedly make the best choice, which would be Lu Yucheng.

Shen Meng didn’t offer much explanation, just gave a mysterious smile and said, “The love-hate relationship between Mo Qinghuan and Liang Yi will soon be known to everyone. I won’t spoil the secret here, hehe.”

After the party, Shen Meng immediately spent money to hire a large number of paid online trolls, deliberately fabricating stories that Mo Qinghuan had been involved with Liang Yi even before his debut. They even released photos of the two together as evidence. Various bloggers, eager for attention, also shared and embellished the story, creating a romantic narrative that led many to believe Mo Qinghuan had cheated.

In almost one night, the entire internet was paralyzed by this news. Many netizens left comments attacking Mo Qinghuan, especially Liang Yi’s fans, who openly demanded that Mo Qinghuan leave showbiz.

The next day, Mo Qinghuan was awakened by a call from Huo-Jie. “Qinghuan, there’s big trouble. Get up and check your computer. The news about you and Liang Yi playing a couple has somehow leaked. Netizens are accusing you of having a secret affair, and some even say you cheated. I’m trying to organize a press conference to clarify things. Be careful, I’ve heard Liang Yi’s fans can be quite fanatical.”

“What? How did things escalate like this?” Even though she knew there were no secrets in showbiz, she never imagined such a storm could brew overnight.

Huo-Jie suddenly had a suspicion and quickly asked, “Could this have anything to do with the director or the film crew? Or Mr. Lu, since he’s the movie’s investor, leaking this news would be a piece of cake for him.”

“It’s impossible. Even though I verbally expressed my intention to breach the contract, I am still officially the lead actress of this film. If the film crew wanted to grab attention by hiring paid online trolls to spread this news, they should consider the damage it would do to my reputation. If we sue, the compensation they would owe would definitely exceed the threefold penalty for breaching the contract. Besides, Lu Xuan is a shrewd businessman; he wouldn’t engage in such a losing deal.”

Initially, when Mo Qinghuan received Huo-Jie’s call, her first reaction was to suspect Lu Xuan. But remembering Lu Xuan’s words from last night, she realized this matter might not be as straightforward as it seemed. After all these years in showbiz, she had countless people jealous of her achievements. It made sense that someone might seize the opportunity to bring her down with rumors.

“Well, no matter who the real culprit is, Qinghuan, listen to me. Don’t go out for a while to avoid any dangerous situations, okay?” Huo-Jie sighed. At this point, it wasn’t as important to figure out who caused the chaos online. The priority was to ensure Mo Qinghuan’s safety. No matter what, Huo-Jie would find a way to help her out of this predicament.

“I understand, Huo-Jie. Don’t worry about me.” After hanging up, Mo Qinghuan followed Huo-Jie’s advice and opened her computer. Sure enough, the first search result was the scandal involving her and Liang Yi, followed by ambiguous photos supposedly proving their secret affair.

The comments from netizens were like daggers:

“Damn Mo Qinghuan, she’s married and still cheating with Liang Yi. Shameless!”

“Mr. Lu showed such excellence on the variety show, undoubtedly the most qualified husband. But his biggest mistake was marrying a shameless woman like Mo Qinghuan, tarnishing the Lu family name.”

“No matter what, Liang Yi is just starting out in showbiz, alone and vulnerable. He probably saw Mo Qinghuan as a benefactor, but that vile woman took advantage of him. Poor Liang Yi, his life ruined by Mo Qinghuan. I suggest we boycott her movies and make her box office zero.”

Just reading the top comments, Mo Qinghuan felt her anger rising. She slammed her laptop shut and clenched her fists. These comments didn’t seem like they were written by ordinary netizens but rather by paid trolls deliberately smearing celebrities.

She gritted her teeth. Who could be so malicious to accuse her of infidelity? Her eyes burned with fury. She used to think showbiz was a quagmire where few could emerge unscathed. But now it seemed like a den where people would attack others without evidence for money. Mo Qinghuan regretted returning to the public eye, giving them another chance to harm her.

Little Bun, clutching his toy, arrived at the door and saw Mo Qinghuan fuming. The little guy frowned and asked softly, “Older sister, are you angry?”

“Indeed, some bad people have upset me. I’m sorry, Little Bun. Can you play by yourself today? I have things to handle.” Trying her best not to let the little guy sense her impending outburst, Little Bun, being smart and perceptive, nodded and returned to his room.

Soon, Huo-Jie appeared on television, speaking firmly yet calmly to the reporters under the flashing lights. “I can vouch for Qinghuan’s character. Her relationship with Liang Yi is merely that of a senior and junior. The accusations online are false. We will pursue this matter to the end and ensure those who spread rumors are brought to justice.”

“Huo-Jie, as Mo Qinghuan’s agent, you’re bound to defend her. If Mo Qinghuan and Liang Yi are truly innocent, why haven’t they come forward to deny it?”

“Exactly, the scandal has been rampant online for hours, yet neither Mo Qinghuan nor Liang Yi has clarified on their social media. Is today’s press conference just a talent agency’s attempt to appease fans? Are Mo Qinghuan and Liang Yi together now?”

“If Mo Qinghuan really cheated, would Lu Yucheng kick her out of the house?”