I Heard That I Am Poor

Chapter 101: Why don’t you dare?

Yu Nian was familiar with YouYu CP. Shi Rou had once briefly explained it to him, and he still remembered the slogan, “YouYu girls rely on imagination, never giving up”. However, he never expected to hear this term from Xie You, and that CP articles were being used as reference material!

Suppressing his laughter, Yu Nian composed himself and asked Xie You, “I’d like to read them too, is that okay?”

“No way!” Xie You quickly replied, realizing his reaction was too intense. He hurriedly explained, “Those stories contain a lot of explicit content. You definitely shouldn’t read them.” As he spoke, Xie You’s ears turned red.

With a mischievous intent, Yu Nian playfully licked his upper lip and asked, “What kind of explicit content do they have? Can you give me an example?”

Xie You lowered his gaze, fixating on Yu Nian’s moist lips for a moment. His gaze intensified, and without any warning, he leaned in and kissed Yu Nian. Their lips and teeth intertwined, and his hand slipped under Yu Nian’s clothes, resting on the skin at his waist, kneading gently. Yu Nian was already sensitive, and with this touch from Xie You, his breath became erratic, and even the teardrop mole at the corner of his eye seemed to take on a different shade than usual.

Breaking the kiss, Xie You’s eyes were deep and intense. In a husky voice, he said, “It’s this kind of content.”

Yu Nian clenched Xie You’s clothes in his hand and asked, “Is there more?”

Xie You’s gaze flickered across the water stain at the corner of Yu Nian’s mouth, as if he had just realized what he had done. He awkwardly averted his eyes and said, “For now… there’s nothing.”

“For now? So, there might be something in the future?” Yu Nian leaned against Xie You’s shoulder and chuckled softly.

After leaving Yulan, Yu Nian rushed to the evening rehearsal on time. When Meng Yuan saw him, he breathed a sigh of relief and asked, “How did it go? Smoothly?”

As Yu Nian changed clothes, he replied, “Smoothly. It seems like Xie You’s mother doesn’t oppose us being together.”

“Really?” Meng Yuan’s eyes widened in surprise. During the time Yu Nian was away, he had imagined many scenarios and even thought about how to comfort Yu Nian.

Though it was a good sign that she didn’t oppose it, Meng Yuan still felt uneasy. “Nian Nian, you should observe a bit more. There might be unexpected changes. It’s better to be cautious.”

Yu Nian nodded and thanked him, “Thank you,  Brother Meng.”

“No need to thank me,” Meng Yuan reminded him, “Oh, by the way, you need to record a congratulatory video later for the 20th-anniversary celebration of Chaoyang TV Station. Just read the lines they gave you, and it will be edited together with other artists’ videos for broadcast the day after tomorrow.”

“Alright,” Yu Nian recalled, “The airing of ‘Let Me Sing’ is also the day after tomorrow, right?”

Knowing what Yu Nian meant, Meng Yuan assured him, but his tone wasn’t great, “Don’t worry. If Zhao Shuya still wants to ride on your popularity and doesn’t get put in his place, my name isn’t Meng!”

On the night of the 23rd, as soon as “Let Me Sing” ended, a “battle” erupted online.

The first to speak up was one of Zhao Shuya’s major fans, who openly questioned Yu Nian’s professionalism and demanded a public apology for his allegedly unfair scoring. The fan threatened that if Zhao Shuya withdrew from the competition, all his fans would boycott “Let Me Sing” completely.

This Weibo post was quickly shared by a large number of Zhao Shuya’s fans, and the language used was quite aggressive.

But Yu Nian’s fans also made their presence felt.

[Nian Gao girl genuinely laughed! What kind of nonsense fans are these? Firstly, Yu Nian’s professionalism is beyond doubt. If you have doubts, make your Zhao Shuya win six Golden Melody Awards first!

Secondly, Yu Nian’s scoring was not unfair. So, the demand for a public apology is simply ridiculous. Your family has some nerve; it’s astonishing! If you can’t sing well, and you’re eliminated, don’t feel wronged and complain about being given five points!

Thirdly, if all fans boycott, so be it. To be honest, we really don’t lack those few viewers!]

[After hearing Zhao Shuya’s ‘Mountain Snow,’ Nian Gao girl can only say, please spare us from hearing him butcher this song. I got so scared after listening that I immediately went to listen to the original to cleanse my ears! We can’t even compare to your piano prince, really!]

[It’s like they only saw Yu Nian giving five points and nothing else. Didn’t the other three judges also give him five points? If you can’t sing and get eliminated, don’t take it out on others. If someone like him can make it to the top four, the competition might as well be pre-determined!]

[Before the mic was turned on, can your Zhao Shuya stop riding on Yu Nian’s popularity three times a day? Even if he’s praised to the skies, he and Yu Nian aren’t on the same level! I can feel the anxiety for Zhao Shuya just by watching him! Does he really think he’s the second Yu Nian?]

The program team firmly stood their ground, and they didn’t use excessive post-production editing in the broadcast. The poor singing was evident, and it became undeniable. Before long, Zhao Shuya’s fans couldn’t maintain their stance, and they stopped defending him. The water army retreated as well.

Meng Yuan closely followed the situation and marveled, “Truly eye-opening. How come there are always people who, once they are praised and worshiped, start thinking they are extraordinary and unmatched? They become so inflated that they lose sight of their true abilities!”

Shi Rou chimed in, “Only one brushstroke!”

Meng Yuan laughed and playfully glared at her, “You’ve got quick reactions, that’s for sure!”

“Of course, with Brother Meng, you can’t afford to be slow in your reactions,” Shi Rou said, then asked, “What title is Daibo preparing to offer?”

Yu Nian also looked at Meng Yuan.

“Brand ambassador, but Daibo usually has three ambassadors. Right now, there’s an international supermodel, of African descent, and a male actor who is white. Nian Nian fills the singer’s position, and the promotion will focus on the Asia-Pacific region,” Meng Yuan explained. “Both sides’ lawyers have reviewed the contract, and there’s no problem. Daibo’s offer and benefits are quite good. You can sign directly when the time comes.”

Yu Nian nodded, saying, “Alright.”

Meng Yuan chuckled, teasing him, “This contract comes at the right time. After you receive the endorsement fee, your little savings will be boosted again.”

Shi Rou, who had been fiddling with her phone, suddenly raised her hand. “Uh, I have some news to report!”

Seeing both Yu Nian and Meng Yuan looking over, Shi Rou said, “Do you remember Ding Wei?”

Yu Nian: “I do. The girl who sings pop jazz, and she made it to the top four.”

Meng Yuan added, “During the preliminaries, she said her entire family, including her parents and younger sister, are all your fans, and her wish was to have you sing a few lines of ‘That Girl’ on stage. What happened to her?”

“She added me on WeChat, and we occasionally chat. But these days, it’s become a bit frequent,” Shi Rou replied.

Meng Yuan pondered, “Can you tell what her intentions are?”

“She said she has some music theory questions that she can’t figure out, and she’s a bit embarrassed, so she wants me to help her ask you,” Shi Rou wasn’t foolish; on the contrary, she was sensitive to these matters. She speculated, “I guess the next step would be to keep asking questions, and if all goes well, I, as the intermediary, can step back, allowing her to communicate directly with Nian  Nian.”

She didn’t say the latter half of her sentence, but everyone present understood the insinuation.

She was worried, “Nian Nian, you must be careful.”

Shi Rou’s concerns were not unfounded. On the 27th, during the rehearsal for the eighth episode of “Let Me Sing,” after the opening performance, Ding Wei found Yu Nian.

Off the stage, Ding Wei was dressed elegantly and fresh. When she saw Yu Nian, she seemed pleasantly surprised and said, “We just watched a few teachers’ opening performances backstage, and the stage was really fantastic!”

Yu Nian involuntarily took a half step back and politely replied, “Thank you.”

Ding Wei smiled, revealing a dimple on the corner of her mouth, and her gaze became somewhat shy. “I really want to thank Teacher Yu Nian for encouraging me during my first performance, giving me confidence and believing that my singing is good.”

Yu Nian remained polite, “You have the talent to match, which is why you made it to the top four. It’s not because of me.”

“But…” Ding Wei’s expression dimmed, and she nervously toyed with the edge of her skirt, appearing slightly pitiful, “But there are too many talented people in the industry. Recently, two small companies have approached me, and I don’t really want to sign with them. But I’m afraid if I don’t seize this opportunity, I won’t have another chance. Teacher Yu Nian, do you have any suggestions? Or perhaps, do you recommend any companies? I heard—” As she spoke, she leaned slightly toward Yu Nian.

This time, Yu Nian took a step back, his expression no longer gentle, and his lips were cold as he remained silent, his profile seemingly covered in frost.

Ding Wei bit her lip, understanding Yu Nian’s meaning, her face turning red with embarrassment. She quickly bowed, whispered a hurried “I’m sorry,” and hastily walked away.

Once they left, Yu Nian quietly sighed with relief.

But the matter didn’t end there. Immediately after the recording ended, someone used blurry photos to expose a rumor that the contestant Ding Wei and judge Yu Nian of “Let Me Sing” had a close relationship. They claimed that during the rehearsal, they saw the two of them chatting affectionately.

Originally just a minor piece of news that didn’t attract much attention, it was quickly amplified by Zhao Shuya’s fans.

[I’m calling out those who use their power for personal gain while pretending to be fair and just, claiming they have no ulterior motives. Do you dare to say that Ding Wei’s advancement to the top four wasn’t influenced by you?]

[We demand again, cancel Yu Nian’s judging position! People who manipulate behind the scenes and play favorites have no right to continue as judges!]

[Return the spirit of fairness and justice to the competition! Reject manipulation! Reject shady dealings! Let the talented ones receive the recognition they deserve!]

Bai Yan had already packed up and left, but seeing the topic suddenly resurface, she said, “Truly eye-opening. This is how they twist black and white, right? Does Zhao Shuya’s team have their brains full of paste?”

Yu Nian was also watching, and he shook his head, “I guess the fans first targeted this point of attack to generate some hype, and the team followed along. If there really was something between me and a contestant, they might even succeed in their blind targeting. But if not, they can just blame it on the fans and won’t suffer any loss themselves.”

“That makes sense,” Bai Yan frowned, “I really can’t stand Zhao Shuya. The marketing tactics used by Fenghe Entertainment have always been disgusting. They’ve become even more nauseating lately!” She asked, “What do you plan to do?”

Yu Nian’s smile was relaxed, “A clear conscience fears no accusation. But Zhao Shuya’s conscience is crooked.”

#CancelYuNian’sJudgingPosition# This topic made it to the end of the trending list, but just three hours later, a prominent Weibo user known for exposing insider information posted a message.

“I originally didn’t want to get involved in this matter, but seeing the current momentum, as someone in the know, I feel compelled to speak up. First, Yu Nian didn’t manipulate or have any favoritism; that was Zhao Shuya and Fenghe Entertainment behind him. They prearranged his advancement during the preliminaries and the top fifteen to seven rounds, and later, the show’s team also prearranged Zhao Shuya’s advancement to the top four. Evidence [attached image].”

“The first question: Didn’t they say it was prearranged? Why didn’t he make it to the end? It’s because Yu Nian didn’t follow the show’s instructions and instead upheld fairness and justice, scoring Zhao Shuya only five points [wry smile].”

“The second question: How can Zhao Shuya, who’s so off-key during live performances, not fear being ridiculed by the audience after advancing to the top four? Young people, there’s a technique called post-production audio tuning; even the voice of a male duck can be turned into a heavenly melody!”

“The third question: Why would Yu Nian dare to challenge the show’s team when he’s getting paid to be a judge? It’s because he has strong backing, and real talent, and just won the Golden Melody Award. He carried half of the show’s early ratings and popularity. Why wouldn’t he dare?”

Once this Weibo was posted, it was widely reposted and commented on. After about ten minutes, sharp-eyed netizens were astonished to find that Xie You had quietly liked the post using his own Weibo account!