At the same moment, Jing Yuan’s voice rang out. Almost immediately, every camera turned toward Nie Luo.
In an instant, Nie Luo stepped back sharply.
Simultaneously, a muscular figure lunged forward.
He quickly positioned himself between Nie Luo and the cameras—a bodyguard in a sharp suit and black sunglasses, the very one Fan Qing had arranged earlier.
With the poise of a professional, he blocked Nie Luo completely, his expression warning everyone to keep their distance.
The cameras hesitated. The production team was shocked.
Nie Luo’s reaction—so guarded, so untouchable—what did it mean?
Before they could process further, Jing Yuan spoke again, projecting his voice for maximum effect:
“Nie Ge, what’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?”
As he spoke, he deliberately guided the cameras to follow him.
Excitement flickered in Jing Yuan’s eyes.
Soon… very soon!
Once he reached Nie Luo, all the cameras would capture any sign of discomfort, hesitation, or weakness.
The world would see Nie Luo in an unguarded, vulnerable state.
And Jing Yuan, posing as the innocent party, would appear sympathetic, drawing pity and attention away from himself.
Meanwhile, the meddlesome media and fans would eagerly twist the situation, turning every prior misstep of Nie Luo back on him.
The public’s scorn, which might have targeted Jing Yuan before, would now fall squarely on Nie Luo.
Victory was almost within reach.
Once Nie Luo fell, Jing Yuan would become the uncontested top figure in the industry.
And only then would he hand the broken Nie Luo over to that certain Zhuo…
At the very thought of the humiliation Nie Luo might suffer, Jing Yuan nearly laughed aloud.
He couldn’t believe anyone could retain their dignity under the kind of insult that Mr. Zhuo might deal out.
Step by step, Jing Yuan closed in. Nie Luo, blocked by the bodyguard, dared not move.
He had sensed that familiar anomaly.
Even a single step now would give him away.
But when exactly would it happen?
Nie Luo’s suspicious gaze flicked toward the director’s position.
Even so, he maintained his composure.
His usually perfect voice carried only a faint rasp as he spoke calmly:
“This is a recording of a program. Please focus on the recording itself.”
He raised his voice slightly, implying something more.
“And I don’t think we are so familiar that your first action upon arriving is to come over and reminisce with me.”
It was practically a direct warning.
Some in the room seemed to realize it instantly.
“Right, wasn’t it exposed before that Jing Yuan had quietly taken a lot of resources from Teacher Nie? How does he even dare appear here? And now he’s acting like they’re close—what is this supposed to be?”
“Who knows? And it’s in the middle of a recording. Maybe they’re no longer in the same company but still trying to benefit. Acting overly familiar to stir some buzz, maybe.”
“Ugh, this is disgusting. Honestly, how does he even qualify as a guest mentor? I really don’t understand.”
The trainees began whispering among themselves, and the atmosphere in the recording studio became tense.
Jing Yuan paid no mind to it. In fact, he hoped the discussion would escalate.
The more they criticized him, the greater the contrast would be when they eventually saw Nie Luo exposed.
The disgust, the hatred, all of it would soon become something for Nie Luo alone to bear.
Suddenly, Jing Yuan switched to a wounded expression, a touch of sorrow on his face.
“Nie Ge? How can you say that about me? I didn’t know about what my manager did. We were so close before—don’t you know what kind of person I am? If it still bothers you, I can apologize! I truly didn’t know my manager would act this way because of a disagreement between you two.”
He lunged toward Nie Luo.
He wanted to seize him. To pull him out.
The thought consumed him, twisting his features into a grimace.
The cameras instantly focused on him.
On the stage, Yuan Jing couldn’t contain himself any longer.
He tugged at Hua’er urgently.
“Brother, we have to stop him!”
Hua’er ground his teeth.
“Do you know what will happen to us if we step out?”
Yuan Jing spoke calmly:
“I know.”
He glanced around, lowering his voice.
“But you saw it too, right? Manager Fan and Teacher Nie…”
He clenched his fists.
“Manager Fan has been really good to us, and Teacher Nie’s guidance these past few days hasn’t been withholding at all. I don’t know what Jing Yuan is planning, but it’s too weird. I can’t let him get near Teacher Nie!”
Hua’er ground his teeth again, closed his eyes, and steeled himself.
“You’re right. Let’s do it!”
Just as the two were about to move, the entire studio suddenly went dark.
“Ah—!”
Panic erupted.
“What’s happening?”
“Is it a blackout?”
“I don’t know. Grab your phones for light.”
“Don’t run around! Who stepped on me?”
The studio became chaotic.
Yuan Jing and Hua’er, however, felt a momentary relief.
“Brother?”
“Stay put. Don’t move.”
Meanwhile, Jing Yuan’s voice rang out again.
“Nie Ge? Are you there? Are you okay?”
His urgency sounded genuine to anyone who heard.
How could there suddenly be a blackout?
Was it a coincidence? Or deliberate?
No matter what, he couldn’t let Nie Luo escape.
If Nie Luo dodged, his plan would be ruined.
Thinking of his dwindling points and Zhuo’s growing dissatisfaction, a sharp glint appeared in Jing Yuan’s eyes.
He raised his voice.
“Who are you? Why are you touching me? Help! Someone is harassing me!”
He screamed while blindly reaching toward Nie Luo, following the memory of his position.
The cry drew attention. Some even quietly pulled out phones to record audio and video.
Jing Yuan continued to feign fear as he groped forward.
“This… this scent… you—you’re Nie Ge? What are you doing?”
Then, he felt a body.
A scent he had once recognized on Nie Luo filled his senses.
It was him!
Jing Yuan’s eyes lit with sudden joy.
He gritted his teeth and grabbed Nie Luo’s hand, aiming to bring him closer.
“You’re too impatient.”
A deep, calm voice cut through.
Jing Yuan froze, then realized in horror.
“Fan Qing?”
How… how could it be him?
The next moment, a strong light cut through the darkness.
Everyone instinctively blinked.
When their eyes adjusted, jaws dropped.
In the sudden light, Jing Yuan was caught with his hands pinned behind him on the floor. Many recognized the figure restraining him—who else could it be but Fan Qing?
Yet questions swirled through the room.
Jing Yuan aside, who was this Fan Qing, suddenly appearing out of nowhere?
Fan Qing pressed Jing Yuan’s hands down, then looked up calmly, his expression bright and natural, smiling as he spoke.
“Sorry if I startled everyone. Nie Ge’s assistant had something come up today, so as a friend of Nie Ge, I came to lend a hand and run some errands.”
He casually waved the temporary work badge hanging around his neck.
Someone from the production crew quickly confirmed.
“Yes, that’s true.”
They glanced at Fan Qing, slightly raising an eyebrow.
So the favor he’d been sent to do for Jin Si… was this all it took?
After briefly explaining his presence, Fan Qing continued.
“When I arrived, the blackout had just happened. As I walked in, I heard Jing Yuan’s voice.
“But it seemed strange—because I saw Nie Ge moving toward him, and I remembered Jing Yuan was still quite far from him. Then, I suddenly heard his voice, and after that…”
Fan Qing’s gaze lowered to Jing Yuan on the floor, his tone steady yet tinged with anger.
“Then Jing Yuan suddenly rushed over, grabbed my arm, and kept shouting that Nie Ge had done something to him.”
Fan Qing let out a cold laugh.
“I’d like you to explain this, Mr. Jing Yuan. If you could voluntarily grab my arm, why would you simultaneously scream that Nie Ge harassed you?”
The recording studio fell completely silent.
The sharper minds realized that from the very moment Jing Yuan appeared, this chain of events was anything but simple.
But no one dared speak.
Nie Luo’s identity alone made him untouchable.
And Jing Yuan? Many knew exactly who stood behind him.
With two powerful forces at play, what chance did ordinary people have to interfere?
For a moment, the studio was eerily quiet.
Fan Qing didn’t push it further.
He swiftly lifted Jing Yuan to his feet, keeping him restrained, and spoke calmly.
“Sorry everyone, Nie Ge has some matters to attend to. Jing Yuan, we’ll take you away for now.”
A bodyguard promptly covered Jing Yuan’s mouth and escorted him out alongside Fan Qing.
Meanwhile, Nie Luo had already left the studio unnoticed.
The production team watched silently as Fan Qing carried Jing Yuan away. No one dared intervene.
Jing Yuan’s sudden actions had been too strange, and his cries too pointedly targeted at Nie Luo.
What could they say? Defend Jing Yuan?
Only Hua’er and Yuan Jing exchanged glances.
“Uh… are we still recording the show?”