The Vicious Female Supporting Character Goes Viral After Her Masks Drop During the Talent Show - Chapter 31

In the afternoon, the official Weibo account for the show Best Girls released an announcement regarding trainee Tian Jingyu’s withdrawal from the competition.

The post was brief. It stated that Tian Jingyu had chosen to withdraw on her own initiative but offered no explanation as to why.

The internet erupted in speculation. When a reason isn’t given, rumors fill the void.

“Tian Jingyu is dropping out? Doesn’t this basically confirm the rumors about her and Yu Junran’s history of school bullying?”

“Industry insiders definitely know more than we do. Withdrawing at this specific moment makes me suspect the production team found something out and is doing damage control.”

“But the official post said she withdrew voluntarily. It wasn’t a forced removal by the show.”

“Exactly. And stop grouping her with Yu Junran. He hasn’t left the show yet.”

“But what reason would she have to quit voluntarily? She had a guaranteed debut spot. It’s not like she suddenly found a conscience, realized she was a bully, and was too ashamed to show her face, right?”

“‘Voluntary withdrawal’ is likely just a euphemism to let her save face.”

While the debate over whether her withdrawal “confirmed the black material” was heating up, several “insider” leakers began dropping “melons” (gossip).

Leaker A: “Tian Jingyu did indeed withdraw voluntarily. The reason has no direct connection to the online bullying rumors.”

Netizens: “Then what is the reason?!” Leaker A promptly vanished.

However, as soon as one leaker left, a thousand more appeared.

Leaker B: “Tian Jingyu withdrew because she drugged another trainee, causing them to faint during the first public performance.”

Leaker C: “The trainee she drugged is a fan favorite and Tian’s direct rival.”

Leaker D: “Dingming Entertainment found out about the drugging and abandoned her. That’s why she quit.”

Netizens were like badgers in a melon patch—completely overwhelmed by the sheer amount of information.

“Tian Jingyu’s character is atrocious! If she’s capable of that, the bullying rumors are definitely true.”

“A fan favorite and a rival? Oh my god… was the one drugged Teacher Zhong?!”

“If anyone dared touch my Teacher Zhong, I’ll kill them!”

“Dingming abandoned her? Wait, if they did that, maybe Dingming isn’t totally heartless? Does that mean Yan Shi’s whistleblowing yesterday was fake?”

The afternoon’s ripples hadn’t even settled before evening brought a follow-up to the saga of Yan Shi and Yu Junran.

While Yu Junran’s camp remained silent, new players emerged to “hammer” Yan Shi. These individuals were none other than the Dean of Students from Yan Shi’s high school and Yan Shi’s own parents.

The Dean, who had been in charge of the bullying incident years ago, posted a statement: “A severe bullying incident did occur at the school involving Yan Shi, Yu Junran, and Tian Jingyu. However, the truth is nothing like what Yan Shi claimed at his press conference.”

According to the Dean, Yan Shi was the true culprit who abused a cat and bullied a tenth-grade girl, surnamed Ji. Yu Junran and Tian Jingyu had supposedly intervened to stop him, only to be violently assaulted by Yan Shi.

The Dean claimed the school conducted a “cautious and objective investigation,” interviewing everyone involved—including the victim, Miss Ji. Everyone allegedly identified Yan Shi as the aggressor, leading to his expulsion.

To prove his claims, he attached a photo of a “Statement of Facts.” The document matched his story, bore the school’s official red seal, and contained the signatures of Yu Junran, Tian Jingyu, and a girl named Ji Xi.

He firmly denied any bribery, insisting all procedures were legal and fair. He concluded by expressing his “heartbreak” over his former student’s web of lies.

Meanwhile, Yan Shi’s parents didn’t post a statement; they granted a media interview instead. The efficiency was staggering—interviewed at noon, edited and released by evening.

In the video, Yan Shi’s parents wept. They described Yan Shi as a rebellious, violent youth who spent his days fighting with street thugs. They claimed they exhausted themselves trying to discipline him, but he only responded with violence before running away from home.

They alleged that since leaving, Yan Shi had cut off all contact. Now that he was a superstar earning millions, his parents were struggling with medical bills, yet he refused to give them a single cent.

Their tearful accusations, paired with the footage of their cramped, shabby apartment, painted a picture of two pitiful parents who had raised an ungrateful beast.

“Regarding the high school incident,” Yan’s father said, “the responsibility lies solely with Yan Shi. As parents, we would never frame our own child. He has made mistake after mistake, and now he is using the past to smear others. We are heartbroken and we apologize to those he has wronged.”

With the school and the parents speaking out, the narrative on social media shifted instantly.

“The school brought the receipts. It’s a double-hammer. Yan Shi is officially confirmed as a bully.”

“Even his parents admitted it. There’s no coming back from this.”

“Top stars earn 2.08 million a day, yet his parents can’t afford a doctor? He’s a cold-blooded ingrate.”

Hashtags like #YanShiCatAbuse, #YanShiStoryteller, and #BetterToGiveBirthToBBQPorkThanYanShi began trending.

Yan Shi’s fans tried to control the comment sections, but they were overwhelmed. A wave of “water army” (paid trolls) flooded the platforms, joined by Yu Junran’s fans who were eager for revenge.

Regular bystanders were left spinning.

“This story has more twists than a pretzel. I don’t know who to believe anymore.”

“I believed Yan Shi yesterday, but now that his parents are talking… I’m not so sure.”

“But Yan Shi said yesterday he had a bad relationship with them. Couldn’t they be lying?”

“No matter how bad the relationship is, would parents really destroy their own child’s career with lies? I don’t believe parents can be that evil.”

“The victim signed that statement. That’s the most solid evidence there is.”

Netizens waited for Yan Shi’s rebuttal. They waited all night.

Yan Shi remained silent.

The public began to wonder: Is his silence a confession of guilt?

The next morning, at the back gate of the production base.

Zhong Yan stood behind the iron fence and waved to Li Xing. Li Xing quickened her pace, told the guard she was delivering supplies for a contestant, and was let in.

Zhong Yan greeted Li Xing warmly. After several days apart, Li Xing gave her a genuine smile. They looked less like boss and employee and more like old friends.

“Regarding Zhang Jing,” Li Xing whispered, getting straight to business, “the deal is set. Once the dust settles on the scandal between Yu Junran and Yan Shi, and Zhang Jing has given his notice to Dingming, Guanke will officially sign the partnership agreement with us.”

Zhong Yan nodded, satisfied. “Great job. Thank you for your hard work.”

Zhong Yan trusted Li Xing’s abilities implicitly. In the original “script” of this world, Li Xing was a brilliant talent who was suppressed under Lu Mingqiu’s management. It wasn’t until Lu Tingashen took over Dingming that she was finally promoted.

Zhong Yan had no intention of letting Lu Tingashen have such a valuable asset. Before he could return to the country, Zhong Yan had reached out to Li Xing, shared her vision for a new company, and offered her a CEO position with equity. Li Xing, frustrated with her stagnant career at Dingming, had jumped at the chance.

“About the scandal… when do we make our move?” Li Xing asked. “Last night, the school leaked the statement, and they didn’t even redact Ji Xi’s name.”

Zhong Yan scowled. “Scum. Exposing a victim’s privacy without consent… they don’t care about the secondary trauma they’re causing.”

Zhong Yan calculated the timing. She guessed Yu Junran had played his last card, and Lu Tingashen had likely finished his internal investigation into Lu Mingqiu’s messes.

“The time is right,” Zhong Yan said. “The school paved the way for us by leaking that name. Let’s do it.”

Li Xing nodded, handing over the bag of supplies. She pointed to a small inner pocket. “Ji Xi’s letter is in there.”

“Got it. Thanks.”

Before leaving, Li Xing hesitated. “Are you sure Dingming won’t protect Lu Mingqiu and Yu Junran? One is a Lu family member, the other is their star artist.”

“Don’t worry,” Zhong Yan said confidently. “You might not know the new CEO of Dingming well. He can be annoying, but he isn’t a fool. He’s been looking for a reason to prune Lu Mingqiu for a long time. He won’t let this opportunity slip by.”