When the marketing account released the recording, the entire internet exploded. Celebrity scandals were daily occurrences, but such explosive content was rare.

“Self-proclaimed top” instantly became a buzzword, spreading virally.

Cheng Ping’s fans tried to explain, “He’s currently playing the role of Crane Umbrella; the character is like that, he was probably just discussing the script…”

Immediately, someone analyzed, “This recording is solid proof. First of all, Li Baixi isn’t in the film, right? With his appearance and demeanor, it’s almost like he’s shouting ‘real gay’ on his face. He said he was a top, which shows this conversation has nothing to do with the movie. Known facts: Li Baixi is gay; Li Baixi knows Cheng Ping thinks he’s a top and wants him to be a bottom. Imagine the context of this discussion about numbers.”

Amid the laughter from the peanut gallery, suggestive words like “experience” and “forcing” from the recording were repeatedly posted.

Someone commented, “If fans insist it’s script study, ‘script study’ will definitely become the new joke of the year.”

The marketing account, the instigator, added at this moment, “Fans are welcome to continue their sophistry. I guarantee satisfaction.”

Fans: “…”

Once the topic was out, everyone wanted a piece of it. Soon, other entertainment accounts dug up photos of Li Baixi with his ex-girlfriend—he hadn’t bothered to hide his relationship back then. As a makeup artist, he never imagined he’d be in today’s situation.

On Cheng Ping’s side, various screenshots of his statements and early PR materials were dug up.

When he first entered the entertainment industry, he was straightforward and brash, and the company took advantage of this to establish his iron-clad straight man persona. Later, to avoid rumors with a certain actor surnamed Lu, he personally acted like he avoided gay rumors like the plague.

All these instances now turned into slaps in the face.

“Li Baixi was dressed like that, and the girls he fooled must be pretty dumb. Cheng Ping’s case is more sinister. Actually, I don’t care if you two are straight or gay, but deceiving girlfriends and female fans is your wrongdoing, right?”

On the ride back to the hotel, Li Baixi ignored countless call requests from Ma Koukou.

Cheng Ping kept his head down, scrolling through his phone, his face growing increasingly grim.

Li Baixi wanted to say something but didn’t know where to start.

The recording had leaked from his end; what could he say? He didn’t even know how to face Cheng Ping.

Would Ma Koukou betray me?

Would Cheng Ping believe Ma Koukou betrayed me?

There was an even more terrifying question he didn’t want to think about: Would Cheng Ping think I betrayed him?

Back at the hotel, Li Baixi said pale-faced, “Let’s figure out the situation first.”

Cheng Ping nodded, following behind him.

Li Baixi: “…We shouldn’t walk together. Let’s stay in touch by phone.”

Cheng Ping, barely listening, turned around and walked away like a wandering soul.

Li Baixi knocked on Ma Koukou’s door, stepped in, and the room temperature seemed to drop several degrees.

Both assistants were there. Ma Koukou’s face was pale, and her eyes were red.

At this critical moment, he couldn’t put on an act, holding back tears in front of Li Baixi for a long time before squeezing out, “It wasn’t me.”

Li Baixi, expressionless, sat down and sent a video invitation from his phone.

The other side quickly connected, and Cheng Ping, already back in his room, was sitting cross-legged on the bed.

Li Baixi finally spoke, “Ma Lihui.”

Coco Ma was startled, “…”

Li Baixi: “Wasn’t that conversation only between the two of us that day?”

Ma Koukou couldn’t look at Li Baixi, even less so at Cheng Ping on the phone, “Yes.”

Li Baixi: “Didn’t we specifically choose a corner and repeatedly checked that no one was around?”

Ma Koukou, trembling, “Yes.”

Assistant Yang couldn’t help but interject, “Actually, we can’t rule out the possibility of eavesdropping. If they had good recording equipment, even at a distance…”

Li Baixi: “Even if someone eavesdropped, how would they know in advance what we were going to talk about and prepare the recording in advance?”

As he said “in advance,” a vague thought flashed through his mind but was hard to grasp.

Ma Koukou had started crying, “I have nothing to say. I’ll leave tomorrow.”

Assistant Yang: “Don’t say that, I believe it wasn’t you!”

Ma Koukou, touched, looked at her, “Junior sister.”

Assistant Yang: “If it really was you, you can’t leave either.”

Ma Koukou: “…”

Li Baixi coldly said, “Leaving won’t solve anything. The difference is, if it really was you, then Zhang the actor definitely has more solid evidence.”

Cheng Ping finally spoke, “Zhang the actor? How do you know he’s behind this?”

Li Baixi mentioned the new lover’s words and added, “Besides, the current public opinion offensive looks like the handiwork of Zhang the actor’s PR team.”

While they were discussing, Cheng Ping’s name had already made it to the trending topics.

Fans were still searching for various flaws: the recording was maliciously edited, the content was Li Baixi’s one-sided words, and even if Cheng Ping had never claimed to be straight…

However, the marketing accounts that sparked the topic transformed into sociologists, debating “whether celebrities have the right to disclose their orientation,” even starting in-house debates, fighting both sides:

“It’s the 21st century, why can’t he come out?”

“No, no, political correctness depends on the person. If you’re an artist who deliberately sells a persona to attract female fans, then backlash is reasonable…”

The peanut gallery was successfully led by the nose, taking the recording content as a given, and started enthusiastically sharing their views. Amid the cacophony, the fans’ weak rebuttals were ineffective, and Cheng Ping’s closeted status was nailed down.

The air in the room grew thick and suffocating.

As if the atmosphere wasn’t stifling enough, Li Baixi pointed out a fact, “Not knowing what the other side’s next move is, responding rashly might play right into their hands.”

A dull thud came from the phone, Cheng Ping had hit something.

Cheng Ping: “We should report it to the police. Isn’t this an invasion of privacy?”

Ma Koukou’s eyes lit up, “Can reporting to the police clear my name?”

Li Baixi: “?”

Li Baixi calmly said, “Reporting to the police won’t trace it back to Zhang the actor. They’ll have prepared a fall guy. Plus, reporting to the police would validate their claims, harming your reputation further.”

Ma Koukou’s eyes dimmed again.

Li Baixi turned to another topic, “Ma Lihui, wasn’t that conversation recorded on your first day with the crew?”

Ma Koukou: “…Master, please stop calling me that.”

Li Baixi: “Didn’t you mention that day that you were stopped outside the set by two strangers who pulled you around under the pretext of an inspection—was that exaggerated, or did it really happen?”

Ma Koukou was stunned, then his face changed, “It really happened. And now that I think about it, I never saw those two people again afterward.”

Assistant Yang broke out in goosebumps, “Do you remember what they looked like?”

Ma Koukou struggled to recall, “One of them was Asian, with medium-length hair and a mole here.”

He pointed to his neck.

Assistant Yang’s face turned pale, “Isn’t that the assistant director who got fired?”

Ma Koukou: “What assistant director?”

No one answered him.

Li Baixi and Cheng Ping exchanged a glance, then asked, “What were you wearing that day?”

Upon hearing this, Ma Koukou finally understood his hypothesis.

Ma Koukou immediately went to his suitcase, pulling out a set of clothes from the bottom.

Without needing a reminder, he began to feel around, finally stopping at the waistband.

Everyone watched as he pulled a small object from the belt buckle and held it up to the light.

It was a tiny, dead bug.

Cheng Ping: “So, it wasn’t Zhang the actor, but the assistant director?”

Li Baixi: “No, the assistant director couldn’t have reached that far. Plus, the bug was planted on Ma Koukou; the assistant director never met Ma Koukou in the crew and wouldn’t know about his relationship with us.”

Assistant Yang: “So, the assistant director must have been bribed by Zhang the actor, holding a grudge against you two and acting as a pawn.”

Li Baixi closed his eyes, his mind racing, “Ma Koukou, did you wear that outfit again?”

Ma Koukou, feeling a glimmer of hope, “No, I never wore it again. It’s my go-to outfit for flights, so it stayed in my room. It couldn’t have recorded anything about you two. But it might have picked up on me and Albert… five, six, seven, eight times.”

Li Baixi: “…”

Assistant Yang rolled her eyes, “I don’t think they’ll use that.”

Li Baixi pondered, “So, the other side claiming they have more evidence is probably a bluff. Just that recording alone won’t cause a big storm, which gives us a lot of room to maneuver.”

Cheng Ping: “I’ll consult my agent about the PR.”

He started typing on his phone.

Hearing the typing sounds, Assistant Yang whispered to Li Baixi, “His agent…”

Li Baixi silently nodded.

Assistant Yang raised her voice, “Cheng, if she asks you to—”

Her words were cut off. Li Baixi held her back.

Meanwhile,

 Cheng Ping said, “My agent wants to talk. I’ll hang up here.”

The agent got straight to the point, “Just say that recording is fake.”

Cheng Ping was taken aback, “Li Baixi just did a live stream a few days ago, everyone can compare his voice.”

Agent: “Then say the whole conversation was made up by Li Baixi. We knew nothing about it, and he’s trying to smear you.”

Cheng Ping, astonished, “Do you think I’ll agree to that?”

The agent sneered, “In the end, was the recording leak really an accident? Why did he have to say those things to an assistant? Why did it just happen to get recorded? What if he planned this for hype?”

Cheng Ping found it grating, “Li Baixi doesn’t need to hype this.”

The agent got angry, “Who knows? Being a makeup artist has a ceiling for fame. In an artistic family, they live off being unconventional…”

“He’s not that kind of person.”

“Face value is not heart value!”

Cheng Ping: “…”

He could tell the agent was also at her breaking point, but there was no room for compromise, “The recording wasn’t his doing. Someone planted a bug.”

He roughly explained Ma Koukou’s situation.

The agent fell silent.

The silence lasted so long that Cheng Ping thought she might have had a change of heart. But then she spoke again, “So, there’s no recording of you, only of Li Baixi?”

Cheng Ping: “…”

Agent: “I’ll report this to the company. PR battles are time-sensitive and require immediate action.”

Cheng Ping exploded, “So, you’re still going to frame him? I won’t agree!”

The agent suddenly sounded weak and tired, “If possible, we don’t want to offend Li Baixi either. But as things stand, any other explanation will leave this ambiguous reputation following you forever. Li Baixi doesn’t mind, but what about you? What about your team?”

Cheng Ping: “…”

The agent sighed, “To be honest, it’s out of your hands and mine. The company must protect your public image. We will issue an official statement shortly.”

Cheng Ping asked, “What do you mean?”

But the agent had already hung up.

Cheng Ping’s heart raced. He opened Weibo, only to find the login screen.

His password had been changed.

Cheng Ping, trembling, called Li Baixi back, stammering, “My company has gone crazy! They’re going to pin it on you!”

Li Baixi: “…”

To his surprise, Li Baixi reacted calmly, even smiling, “It’s okay. Actually, I meant the maneuverable space I mentioned earlier for this exact scenario. Looks like I had the same idea as them.”

Cheng Ping: “???”

Li Baixi: “As she said, I’m not an artist, so this kind of reputation doesn’t matter as much to me. Right now, protecting you is the priority. Besides, that recording was my fault; I’m willing to cooperate with your PR.”

Cheng Ping was silent for a long time.

Li Baixi: “Hello?”

Cheng Ping’s voice, now calm, “You’re lying.”

Li Baixi: “.”

Cheng Ping: “With a history of harassing a co-star, your career as a makeup artist is over, right? You’re just thinking that your family is better off, and I have no other choice, so you’re willing to sacrifice yourself, right?”

Li Baixi smiled bitterly.

“The kid’s grown up, not easy to fool anymore.” He said gently, “But the last part is wrong. I want to help you because I like you.”

Cheng Ping almost cried.

He gritted his teeth, nearly growling, “Li Baixi, let me tell you, I won’t let this happen. I don’t regret dating you, and I won’t give you a chance to regret it. I’ll go talk to the company now.”

What Cheng Ping discussed with the company, Li Baixi didn’t know. He only knew that the conversation must not have ended well.

Because twenty minutes later, Cheng Ping’s studio’s official account posted a stamped statement.

They didn’t name names, only saying “certain staff members” maliciously slandered, causing damage to the artist’s reputation, and they reserved the right to pursue legal action.

With this statement, Cheng Ping’s fans finally found the right target and unleashed their fury on Li Baixi.

Since his debut, Li Baixi had never experienced such a spectacular backlash. His social media accounts were flooded with insults, even the brands he worked with were targeted. Fans were still unsatisfied, and someone mentioned that the voting channel for the competition between Li Baixi and his junior was still open.

A large number of fans and onlookers rushed in, forcefully voting for the junior.

In the final hours, the competition’s results dramatically reversed. The junior’s votes skyrocketed, almost overtaking Li Baixi, but the channel suddenly closed early.

While the enraged crowd attacked the organizers, the junior himself spoke up.

The junior: “I called off the voting. This is a contest between makeup artists; please don’t involve unrelated factors and insult our work.”

This move garnered praise: principled, with integrity, a true artist.

The junior, rarely acting upright, felt a bit tragic. Then he received a group chat message. Opening the makeup artist group, he saw his peers praising him:

“Top-tier PR, everyone should learn!”

“Mr. Song lives up to his reputation, always a step ahead. Winning might seem unfair, but losing with such honor is noble!”

“Turning a defeat into a glorious deed, high, truly high. Mr. Song, teach us more in the future.”

The junior: “…”

The junior was at a loss for words, finally giving up and sending a smiling emoji: “Of course.”

At this moment, social media was in chaos.

Everyone was digging for more dirt, eventually uncovering one of Li Baixi’s ex-girlfriends.

This ex-girlfriend, a tall and famous model, was unaware of the situation when a gossip reporter called her.

The reporter roughly explained the explosive news and eagerly asked, “When you were with Li Baixi, did you notice his true orientation?”

The ex-girlfriend was stunned, “Huh? He dressed like that, and people still thought he was straight?”

Reporter: “But he…”

Ex-girlfriend: “Can’t he be bisexual?”

Reporter: “This…”

The reporter regrouped, “Then why did you break up? Did you find out he deceived you?”

Ex-girlfriend: “No, we broke up amicably. We both enjoyed the relationship, and no one was thinking about marriage. The deception you mentioned…”

She paused, receiving a message on her phone: “If anyone interviews you, please don’t respond. Thanks.”

It was from Li Baixi, whom she hadn’t contacted in ages.

The ex-girlfriend hesitated, then cut the conversation short.

Ma Koukou: “Master, why not let her speak for you?”

After sending the message, Li Baixi smiled, “Don’t you see? Zhang the actor is targeting the movie. Defeating me is meaningless; it’s just incidental. His real target has always been Cheng Ping. Once I’m cleared, what will happen to Cheng Ping?”