Chapter 171: Yang Mimi and Xue Qianqian Speak Out

Yang Mi acted with incredible speed. The exact moment the astronomical penalty of 1.2 billion for breaching her contract was paid, her personal accounts across all platforms immediately published an official announcement:

"I, Yang Mi, hereby announce the termination of my contract with Jiaxing Media!"

"The Yang Mi Studio is officially dissolved!"

"Any statements I make hereafter represent solely my personal views!"

"I want to ask those on the internet who are attacking Su Bai, where is your conscience?"

"When Su Bai was attacked at the hotpot restaurant, he could easily have stepped aside to avoid injury. Yet, to protect a little girl he had never met before, he willingly suffered severe injuries!"

"When the nation needed an anthem to proclaim the spirit of the Great Xia nation, Su Bai willingly and gratuitously donated his song 'The Dragon Scales of Heaven and Earth'!"

"When countless netizens called to arms, Su Bai's very first reaction was to calm everyone down and prevent malicious actors from exploiting the situation!"

"And yet, regarding a man like this, you accuse him of instigating his fans to riot, of instigating his fans to smash up a hotpot restaurant, of instigating his fans to march in the streets!"

"When you make such claims, I beg of you to use your brains!"

"What would Su Bai's motive even be?"

"First to inflict severe injury upon himself, then to exploit his own injury to stir up public sentiment, and then to incite a mob riot just to ruin his own reputation?"

"Do you honestly believe this is the thought process of a sane human being?"

"Even with your eyes closed, any rational thought would tell you that someone is taking advantage of this to stir up trouble!"

"Wasn't the incident involving the beating of Xu Mingkun last time enough to wake you all up?"

"What was the ultimate outcome?"

"The ultimate outcome was that Xu Mingkun conspired with others to frame Su Bai!"

"Perhaps I have wronged everyone, and perhaps those who truly love Su Bai genuinely believe in him."

"As for those on the internet who indiscriminately smear Su Bai without regard for the facts, they are the exact same group of people who marched in the streets, who demonstrated outside the police station, and who smashed up the hotpot restaurant!"

"Perhaps this massive uproar is being deliberately orchestrated by someone behind the scenes!"

"Perhaps the entire population of Great Xia has wronged the true and loyal fans of Su Bai!"

"I have a question now: why is there still so much controversy on the internet?"

"Why has the interrogation footage of those who smashed the shop, those who marched, and those who demonstrated still not been released?"

"Don't you realize this is the crucial breakthrough in the entire case?"

"Is it that you don't want to release it? Or is someone forbidding you from releasing it?"

"If so, who is forbidding it, and why?"

"I want to know the answer!"

"As a public figure, I, Yang Mi, take full responsibility for every word and action of mine."

I am also willing to bear legal responsibility for this.

If any word I have spoken violates the law, I am ready to accept the consequences.

However, I will also fulfill the duties expected of a law-abiding citizen: to monitor the progress and outcome of the relevant authorities' handling of this case!

--- A Letter from Yang Mi to Everyone

The moment Yang Mi's statement was published, the entire internet suffered a massive earthquake!

No one could have imagined that Yang Mi would actually terminate her contract with Jiaxing Media just for Su Bai. Just how astronomical must that penalty fee have been?

It seemed that the rumors online were true after all—the two of them might indeed be lovers in private!

Even more people found themselves admiring Yang Mi's audacity.

As an artist and a public figure, openly challenging the authorities like this was an absolute first!

"Oh my god! I never expected Yang Mi to be this hardcore!"

"I used to look at the entertainment industry and swear I would never believe in love again, but I feel like I believe in it again now!"

"Just what gave Yang Mi such immense courage? She is so brave!"

"Making her willing to abandon everything and pour her all into Su Bai!"

"@Su Bai, if you manage to survive this ordeal, please do not betray Yang Mi's heart!"

"@Su Bai, cherish the woman who was willing to abandon everything for you!"

"@Su Bai, this is a woman who genuinely cares for you! Even though she has been married once before, this sincere heart makes up for everything!"

Yang Mi's proclamation quickly triggered a chain reaction!

The statement from Joker Xue's studio followed closely behind:

First of all, I want to apologize to Su Bai's vast fanbase.

Because it was I who invited Su Bai to my hotpot restaurant, this scene that none of us wanted to see took place in the first place!

Furthermore, I want to make it clear that those who smashed the restaurant were not sent by Su Bai. I suspect someone is using Su Bai's name to stir up trouble.

However, since the police are still investigating, it is not my place to jump to conclusions!

Still, I can testify to one fact: ever since Su Bai was scalded and hospitalized, right up until these events unfolded, I have been by Su Bai's side the entire time.

So, I would like to ask everyone, when on earth would Su Bai have had the time to arrange for fans to pull off such stunts?

Some might argue, 'Couldn't it have been arranged in advance?'

To that I simply reply: just as Yang Mi said, would you first inflict horrific, all-over injuries upon yourself and then seize the opportunity to ruin your own reputation?

Are you insulting the intelligence of the general public?

Just when everyone felt a hazy glimpse of the truth after Yang Mi's statement, Joker Xue's explanation instantly brought a feeling of the clouds parting to reveal the sun.

So, this was the real truth?

Had they all misunderstood Su Bai?

"Sob, sob. Suddenly, my heart aches so much for Su Bai!"

"He was clearly the victim, suffering severe injuries all over his body just to save a little girl, and not only did he not get praised by everyone, but so many people tried to smear him!"

"Su Bai, why didn't you step out and speak up yourself? If you had just said a single word, the fans wouldn't have been stirred up to this extent!"

"@To the person above, please use your brain. Su Bai was still hospitalized at the time. Tell me, if your entire body was scalded by boiling hotpot broth, would you still be able to come out and make a statement?"

"@To the person above, what about his studio? The studio could have spoken out! As long as they made a statement, the fans wouldn't have been in such an emotional uproar!"

"@To the person above, go check their accounts. They were all temporarily suspended by the authorities. Tell me what they were supposed to use to make a statement?"

"You can still see the videos he posted previously, but no new content can be published!"

What? All of Su Bai's company accounts were temporarily suspended?

No wonder, no wonder!

Just who wields such immense power?

Before the dust had even settled on the entire affair, they were able to control the life and death of Su Bai's accounts!

Joker Xue's explanation caused a huge uproar across the internet!

At the same time, many people turned their gazes collectively toward Yang Mi and Joker Xue.

Zhao Hongbing looked at the statements released by Yang Mi and Joker Xue with an expression as dark as iron!

"Ruining my plans!"

"It seems they've stayed in the entertainment industry long enough!"

Before long, Joker Xue's studio received a warning from a heavyweight figure.

If they did not delete their online statements and issue an apology for their inappropriate behavior, Joker Xue would soon face comprehensive blacklisting and cancellation!

Joker Xue smiled bitterly as he listened to his manager's report.

Even before making his statement, Joker Xue had anticipated this outcome.

He simply hadn't expected it to arrive so quickly!

Yet, if he hadn't spoken up for Su Bai this time, his conscience would have tormented him for the rest of his life.

In Joker Xue's eyes, the reason Su Bai had ended up in such a miserable state was entirely because of him!