Chapter 573
C573 – The Internet Storm
Moreover, they described everything with such detail that it seemed like the real deal. Within minutes, a multitude of stories emerged, complete with sensational headlines. Stories like “The Untold Story Between Su Qiu and Me” and “That Night with Su Qiu…” Regardless, Su Qiu had quickly become the talk of Eastsea University.
At that moment, Su Qiu and Zhang Qianqian were huddled under their blankets, trembling with fear. “Qianqian, I warned you about posting, but you wouldn’t listen!” Su Qiu glanced at Zhang Qianqian. “I’m sorry, I had no idea it would blow up like this…” Zhang Qianqian was full of remorse. She had assumed Su Qiu was just a lurker on the forum, never posting or engaging much. She thought a simple post wouldn’t draw much attention, just serving as a little keepsake. But the result was an unexpected explosion of attention!
The incessant knocking on the door was relentless. The noise from outside was deafening, with the crowd’s chatter threatening to break the door down. Petrified, the two girls could do nothing but stay cocooned in their blankets, silent and still.
“Could they be out of their room?” someone speculated. “It’s possible they went out,” another suggested. “Who has Su Qiu’s number? I’ll pay 50 for it!” one person shouted. “Forget that! I’ll offer 100!” another chimed in. “I’ll go as high as 500!” When Su Qiu overheard this from under the covers, she was tempted to just throw open the door and say, “Here’s my number, now pay up!” Since when had her phone number become such a hot commodity?
Not only strangers but also Su Qiu’s former roommates were trying to reach her. Su Qiu ignored their calls. Her phone was bombarded with texts filled with concern and apologies, but she paid them no mind. Where were they when she needed them before?
As the situation escalated, Su Qiu felt she had no other option but to call Su Ming. Su Ming was torn between amusement and disbelief. “These girls… why on earth did they post in the first place?” With no other recourse, he called Principal Ye. The principal arrived in person, dispersed the crowd, and took up a vigil in a chair outside the dorm room. Finally, the two girls could breathe a sigh of relief.
Many people were caught up in the frenzy, yet there were just as many voices of skepticism.
They didn’t know Su Qiu, nor were they familiar with her relationship with Su Ming.
Doubt crept in.
How could it be possible?
An obscure girl suddenly in possession of such a valuable card?
It made no sense, right?
Then, in the afternoon, a bombshell of a news story broke.
“Ladies and gentlemen, Eastsea City police have just cracked a counterfeit ticket scam. It’s been reported that a group involved in ticket production colluded with concert staff to create a multitude of fake tickets, including diamond cards and various other seating categories!”
“The police have indicated that some of these tickets have already hit the market!”
“Here are the methods to verify their authenticity, please take note…”
Under normal circumstances, such news would barely warrant a second look.
After all, there are plenty of people who profit handsomely from concerts, including a whole host of scalpers.
But when such an incident unfolded within the school, it set off a seismic reaction.
The ticket in Su Qiu’s possession was a fake!
When envy finds no satisfaction, people suddenly discover an outlet, and their tongues can become the most venomous weapons in the world!
The frenzy within the campus morphed into a different kind of chaos.
Lyu Changping was beside himself with glee upon hearing the news: “It’s a fake? I knew it. How could he manage to get such a great ticket?”
“Oh, President, was I wrong? Can you forgive me, please?”
“President…”
The girls who had previously shunned Lyu Changping flocked back to him, making him the man of the hour once again. Reveling in his newfound popularity, he seized the opportunity to incite a torrent of vitriol on the Tieba forums.
“I thought it was the real deal, but it was just a sham.”
“Vanity can be so destructive.”
“I must admit, the counterfeits this group produced are impressively convincing. I couldn’t spot the fakes.”
“A girl from the countryside, burdened by a sense of inferiority, suddenly sees a chance to turn her life around. She wouldn’t pass up the opportunity to work hard for it.”
“My guess is that come tomorrow’s concert, she’ll claim she has other commitments and can’t attend…”
“Oh my God, she promised me a spot, and I gave her 2,000 yuan. I’ve been scammed!”
“What are you talking about? I gave her 5,000 yuan!”
“People these days just aren’t trustworthy anymore!”
An online storm erupted in an instant.
The two girls were nearly in tears as they read the comments online.
“Why are people being like this? They were begging us before, and now they’re viciously attacking us.”
“I thought we could pick a couple of classmates to join us, but now, forget it!”
The girls were fuming.
They could overlook everything else, but those two who claimed they paid money were outright lying. They hadn’t promised anyone anything, nor had they taken any money!
Just then, Su Qiu’s phone rang.
Su Ming instinctively wanted to hang up, but then he realized it was his own phone.
“Brother…”
Su Qiu found someone to vent her frustrations to, clutching her phone and speaking with a quivering voice, full of grievance.
“Alright, alright, don’t worry, little sister, your brother is here.”
Su Ming replied with a comforting smile, “Don’t worry, I’m aware of the situation. You two just get some rest. Principal Ye has already arranged dinner for you. I’ll come to pick you up first thing in the morning. The rumors will collapse on their own!”
“Okay.”
The girls had absolute trust in Su Ming. Since he had reassured them, they felt there was nothing to worry about. Their spirits lifted considerably, and after freshening up, they settled down to sleep.
The night passed without incident, and the next morning dawned.
Su Ming rose early and drove straight to the hotel.
Upon arriving, he saw Liu Dashan having a cheerful conversation with someone.
“Ah, Mr. Su.”
Liu Dashan hurried over to greet him as soon as he spotted Su Ming.
Having been Ann Chuxia’s agent for so long, Liu Dashan had developed a keen sense of savvy. He recognized that Su Ming was an enigmatic figure and had spent the past few days discreetly gathering information…
And he had uncovered some explosive details.
Most notably, Liu Dashan realized that the more he learned about Su Ming, the more enigmatic his background appeared. He was clearly dealing with a formidable individual.
“Is Ann Chuxia around?” Su Ming asked cheerfully.
”She’s here, she’s here. Chuxia is tidying up upstairs. As soon as she got your call, Mr. Su, she began doing her makeup. She’ll be right down,” Liu Dashan replied with a grin.
How wonderful!
Su Ming, so young with his air of mystery and striking good looks, paired with Ann Chuxia, they were the epitome of a golden couple – truly a match made in heaven!