"Damn it! How dare he mock us to our faces!"
"The audience is always right! Is he upset about our comments? Giving him bad reviews is constructive criticism—we're doing him a favor! This guy's ego is insane."
"Exactly! He's not only ungrateful but also insults us individually. Brothers, let's boycott One Leaf Knows Autumn! We need to unite!"
Amidst this chaotic barrage of comments, one thing was clear: they were furious and panicking.
Ye Huanqiu's retort was like Garen rushing in with a Last Whisper: a devastating silence breaker.
Behind the scenes, Shen Tao watched the ratings soar. The average viewership had already reached 0.65%, just 0.03% shy of the previous episode's peak. The highest spike occurred when Ye Huanqiu confronted the trolls, shattering the 0.8% barrier!
The performance hadn't even begun, yet the ratings were already surging to new heights.
Shen Tao was ecstatic. He believed the show was on the verge of breaking the coveted 1% viewership milestone, as long as they maintained this momentum.
Director Zhang was pleased with the show's soaring ratings, but his joy was mixed with anxiety. Every peak in the viewership report was attributable to Ye Huanqiu.
How could he find a way to undermine Ye Huanqiu? Attacking him would be like sawing off the branch he was sitting on, cutting off the lifeline of I Am a Creator's ratings. The higher-ups were closely monitoring the show's performance, and if Zhang suddenly pulled the rug out from under Ye Huanqiu, causing the ratings to plummet, his career in the industry would be over. He might even be forced to leave Demon Capital.
His face shifting with conflicting emotions, Director Zhang wavered inwardly. He could only hope that a true replacement for Ye Huanqiu would emerge, someone capable of carrying the show's ratings. For now, he needed Ye Huanqiu too much to risk an open confrontation.
Ye Huanqiu's words rang in his ears: "You hate me, but you can't get rid of me!"
Ye Huanqiu's recent remarks had already gone viral on social media platforms, trending at the top. Public forums buzzed with commentary, and while some extremist voices dominated, many ordinary citizens offered balanced perspectives on Ye Huanqiu's words.
A Gold V blogger with over a million followers posted: "Those rushing to criticize Teacher One Leaf Knows Autumn with such vehemence are truly laughable. They're exactly the kind of idle, poor people he was talking about. He was clearly addressing the trolls and cyberbullies—why is it okay for you to hurl insults, but not for him to defend himself?"
"He doesn't owe you anything. We're all equals here. If you dish it out, you should expect to take it. And you're still trying to twist this into 'Teacher One Leaf Knows Autumn looks down on his audience'? What's the difference between you and someone who just throws insults indiscriminately? Everyone should learn from his attitude—it's truly admirable. Don't waste your energy on those who hate you, and certainly don't waste your breath on them. Ignoring them is the greatest humiliation."
This post garnered hundreds of thousands of shares, likes, and comments.
Traffic Idols might lack the credibility to make such statements, given that their fans are constantly engaged in varying degrees of cyberbullying.
Especially when it comes to fans of rival groups, they're constantly trading veiled insults and engaging in underhanded scheming.
Having just weathered a vicious online backlash the previous week, what was wrong with Ye Huanqiu responding?
Admittedly, his tone was arrogant, and his expression and manner made it clear he didn't give a damn about any of them.
This attitude stood in stark contrast to the current entertainment industry, where most celebrities fawn over fans, pandering to their whims and uttering platitudes they crave. In this environment, appeasement was the norm.
Now came Ye Huanqiu, this prickly maverick, unwilling to kowtow to the powerful fan circles that dominated the industry.
He was determined to defy them.
Otherwise, with two chart-topping hits already under his belt, he would have easily established a fan club.
But Ye Huanqiu had no management company, no studio, and no contact whatsoever with these fan leaders.
These fan leaders were often professional "fans," specializing in managing and manipulating fan circles. Every rising Traffic Idol fell under their sway. By controlling the narrative within these circles, they could effortlessly monetize popularity, regularly organizing commemorative events like birthday celebrations or debut anniversaries for their idols.
The fan leaders could then line their own pockets handsomely, profiting immensely from the situation.
Publicly, these prominent figures would spend lavish sums, undoubtedly the most generous contributors among the entire fanbase.
But as the shrewd accountants of Earth would say, every penny these wealthy patrons invested would be returned in full. No matter how much they shelled out, the fan leaders could swiftly recoup their investment by skimming from the fan community.
Ye Huanqiu's complete refusal to engage—neither initiating contact nor responding—left these profiteers with no opportunity for gain, naturally infuriating them.
In this world, a highly popular creator could attain the same status as a traffic idol, yet Ye Huanqiu made no effort to cultivate such a following.
In their eyes, this was arrogance, pure and simple.
With no money to be made and no profits in sight, their desperation grew palpable.
Meanwhile, the tumultuous online drama remained utterly irrelevant to Ye Huanqiu, who remained secluded in his villa, engrossed in gaming.
Elsewhere, Naza watched the television broadcast from her home, her face serene as a placid lake while her heart churned like a stormy sea. Ye Huanqiu had dared to voice the words she had long wanted to say but never dared to utter herself.
After pondering for hours, she finally dialed her manager, Ony.
"What's wrong, Young Miss? I was completely engrossed in the show."
"Ony, I want to reopen the comments section. It's been locked for seven years. Let's take this opportunity to unlock it. I'm ready to face whatever comes."
"Huh?"
Ony immediately retorted, "Don't tell me you've been swayed by that Ye guy? Did a few words from him really convince you?"
She had repeatedly urged Naza to keep the comments section closed. Locking it had fragmented her fan base and hindered the drama's promotion.
After much effort, they had finally managed to open a single comment slot, allowing the official fan club, managed by the company, to post updates. That was the only comment ever allowed.
Naza hadn't wavered on this decision for years. Could tonight's show have broadened her perspective?
"No, it's just... I've had some reflections. But this decision is my own, carefully considered. Thank you, Ony, for tolerating my stubbornness all these years. This time, I'm truly ready to face the rumors and gossip."
"Alright, I support you. Post an announcement on Weibo, and I'll inform the fan club."
"Thank you."
"Silly girl, we've been sisters for so long. Do we still need formalities?"
It's a true blessing to have someone who truly understands you, keeps you company, and shares your aspirations!