Chapter 235: Probably a Fake Fan

Chapter 235: Perhaps I Am a Fake Fan

"Did you arrange that?"

Seeing the post on Weibo, Bai Zhi and Su Qingcen turned to each other simultaneously, uttering the exact same question, then shook their heads in unison, before finally looking at Meng Fan.

Meng Fan shrugged his shoulders. "I don't have that kind of reach."

"So it really is a fan turning against their idol?"

"I think it's natural. We saw those videos too. No matter how much you like someone, seeing such things with your own eyes would make anyone angry. The defection was inevitable; I just didn't expect the backlash to be so decisive."

"One could say she has a profound sense of righteousness!"

"In that case, the measures we prepared are no longer needed."

"I think this is better than anything we could have planned."

"Indeed! Boss Meng is truly blessed by fate; even without our preparations, things wouldn't have turned out poorly."

Meng Fan wondered to himself: had his "Luck +1" triggered again?

As the MV shoot continued, the truth behind the incident sparked a wave of discussion on Weibo—primarily consisting of curses and scorn—before transforming into a massive scene of fans renouncing their idols.

The video quickly surfaced on international platforms, where it was met with similar outrage, while the Korean internet fell into a deafening silence.

On domestic Weibo and major portals, once the necessary insults were cast, the praise followed naturally. There was no need for the PR teams of Bai Zhi or Su Qingcen to intervene; a swarm of marketing accounts and influencers scrambled to capitalize on the trending topic.

If Meng Fan had simply beaten up an ordinary bully, the internet might have shared it with a thumbs-up, but it wouldn't have become a national conversation.

As it happened, he had struck a Korean star, which instantly fueled the narrative.

When netizens realized the man who threw the punches was a topic of interest in his own right, the story went viral.

Indeed, it wasn't long before the hashtag #IronTowerRealMan# topped the charts, featuring not only the brawl with the bodyguard and the star but also Meng Fan’s past exploits—catching a thief on a bus and apprehending a creep at a scenic spot.

Violence?

Justice!

To be honest, even Meng Fan felt the praise was a bit excessive.

This incident pulled Meng Fan into the heart of a major entertainment scandal, giving him a firsthand look at the mercurial nature of the industry and its PR machinery—things he had only heard about until now.

"Are we done?"

"We're done!"

At 2:30 PM, half an hour ahead of the three o'clock schedule, both MVs were finished. The core of the MVs featured Meng Fan’s sand art, and his efficiency far exceeded the expectations of Bai Zhi, Su Qingcen, and the director, which naturally accelerated the entire production.

This didn't stop Meng Fan from scrolling through Weibo, nor did it hinder Bai Zhi and Su Qingcen from coordinating their response to the brawl.

The director was a heavy hitter in the industry. Though he had seen Meng Fan’s sand art at the Double Eleven gala and respected his talent, he had still been worried about the filming process and had hired an art director specializing in sand art. As it turned out, that money had been spent in vain.

Meng Fan not only displayed superb technique and artistic sensibility, but he had also integrated the plot framework of the songs into his art. To put it hyperbolically, the director only needed to point his cameras at the sand table and handle the remaining shots to be finished.

Despite the massive workload of shooting two MVs in two days, the director felt no fatigue, only enjoyment. He wanted to ask Meng Fan about future collaborations, but remembering the rumors about Meng Fan rejecting an invitation to David Copperfield’s show, he held his tongue.

As they were packing up to leave, Sister Sun entered. "There are many reporters outside the studio looking to interview Meng Fan. The staff has blocked them for now."

Bai Zhi laughed. "If you debuted now, Xiao Fan, you’d officially be an entertainment star!"

Meng Fan gave a wry smile. "Please, no. I still want to go back to drawing comics in peace."

Su Qingcen asked, "You aren't accepting interviews?"

Seeing Meng Fan shake his head, she had her assistant arrange for a car to take them out the back way.

The group split up; Bai Zhi and the director left through the front, while Su Qingcen and Meng Fan headed for the rear exit, where a car was waiting.

"Wait."

A short distance after pulling away, Meng Fan asked the driver to stop.

"Hmm?"

Su Qingcen looked out, following Meng Fan’s gaze. A short distance from the studio entrance, a young woman wearing a hat and mask was pacing back and forth, looking anxious.

Su Qingcen asked curiously, "Who is that?"

"I think it's the fan who was hit yesterday." Meng Fan thought for a moment and had the driver pull up beside her. He opened the door and leaned out. "Are you looking for me?"

The girl froze, startled; she hadn't expected to see Meng Fan here.

She had arrived early, hoping to find him, but hesitated as the reporters gathered. Fearing she would be recognized, she had hidden nearby.

"We were just about to grab something to eat," Meng Fan said with a smile. "Why don't you join us? We can talk while we eat."

He shifted over to make room.

The girl, still dazed and looking lost, climbed into the car. As she turned, she saw Su Qingcen smiling warmly at her. Perhaps it was that gentle smile, or the weight of the last twenty-four hours, but her emotions finally broke, and tears began to stream down her face.

The van was spacious. Meng Fan moved to the opposite seat as Su Qingcen reached out, pulling the girl into her arms and letting her rest her head on her shoulder.

The girl cried for the entire ride, soaking Su Qingcen’s shoulder, and didn't stop until they reached the restaurant.

They did, in fact, go to eat; Meng Fan wasn't joking.

"Thank you! I'm sorry!"

The girl had so much to say, but those were the only words that would come out.

Meng Fan took the pork rib noodles the waiter brought and placed them in front of her. "I'll accept the thanks, but don't apologize. You haven't done anything wrong to anyone."

Honestly, Meng Fan didn't know what else to say; he lacked the talent for comforting people. Seeing Su Qingcen place a plate of rice noodle rolls in front of him, he thought for a moment and said to the girl, "Actually, I stand by what I said: I think being a fan is a beautiful thing. Take me, for example—I’m a fan too. I’m a die-hard fan of Brother Shan Jin—well, I suppose I’m an 'Iron Tower' fan now—and to me, that beauty includes striving to become a better version of yourself. Your idol must have certain sparks that motivate you to improve. Fans support idols, and idols provide energy to fans. I think that is the healthiest and most normal relationship between the two."

Su Qingcen chimed in curiously, "What energy have you gotten from me?"

Meng Fan thought about it seriously, then shook his head. "None. Perhaps I’m just a fake fan."

The girl burst into laughter through her tears. She saw the spark in Meng Fan, like sunlight dispelling the gloom.

It's the end of the month; I'm asking for a monthly ticket. If you don't have one, a recommendation vote will do.