Winter Wind (YiZhan)

37. Caught

"Please stop the propagation of false rumors. All of the actors that auditioned for the lead role of Wei Liwu were assessed fairly, and without bias. Xiao Zhan was chosen at the end because he was best suited for the role, and this he has proven over the last several weeks since the filming of this project began.

We will continue to work hard just as we hope that you will continue to support us.

Thank you.

Liu Guang, Director of 'One of these Things."

Xiao Zhan reads the post for a second time through Nini's phone, and then against his better judgment, heads into the comments section. The top comment he meets has gotten almost fifteen thousand likes and hundreds of replies and it is increasing by the minute. He expects them all to be unfavorable so he steels his hearts and begins to skim through.

"So why wasn't his name on the audition score sheet?"

"Are you saying that Xiao Zhan didn't even need to audition for the role? Is he seriously this popular? Even Cao Cao didn't have this much influence in his day!"

😂 He actually did. So at this point we should just rename Xiao Zhan to Cao Zhan."

"What an abomination of a human being, but it explains a lot. "I'll rather betray the world than let the world betray me. Way to go Cao Zhan. I thought Wang Yibo was your friend. He probably told you about the role didn't he? And the audition? How did it happen? Did you swoop in then with a call and lobby for it?"

"These idols have no shame," another commented. "Castrated roosters."

"I don't blame them. It's the rabid dogs they call fans that have given them this amount of leverage. Look at how Cao Zhan's fans disrupted the country in March, and in the middle of such a tough time! If they can act that way then why will you now think that their idol has a lick of sense or a good enough character to not betray his friend or lobby for a role instead of earn it?"

"All hail lobbyist Cao Zhan! 🙌"

"We're going to boycott this movie until Wang Yibo is replaced as the lead role. Director, I hope you can hear and see this. If you like ignore us and continue on. The moments it's released you'll see what we'll truly do then."

#Justiceforwangyibo# #RIPCaoZhan# #Saynotolobbying #endxiaozhan#

"Xiao Zhan," Nini calls but he refuses to stop reading.

"All of you are idiots!" a contrary comment reads. "Xiao Zhan doesn't need to audition for the role because he is more qualified than all the other empty cans on that list put together. Why does his name have to be on the list? Didn't you all send him into exile earlier this year? And has this not now been somehow leaked too? So why would he make anything that he is doing public when he knows that you demons will just come to attack it?"

"You're right," a reply under this says. "Plus hearing this news this morning made me happy. Wasn't Yibo's company behind all the attacks on him in March? Yibo is the true snake here so why can't Xiao Zhan steal this role from him?"

"If Yibo is the snake then why did XZ go to Beijing to apologize?"

"How do you know what he went to Beijing to do? He wasn't even spotted with Wang Yibo! Is Wang Yibo the only reason he can go to Beijing? Wait doesn't Xiao Zhan live in Beijing?"