The entrance of the Finance University was packed with an excited crowd, students standing on tiptoe to catch a glimpse—it was their first time seeing a real-life celebrity in the flesh.
Though Ding Yingyao wasn’t exactly a top-tier star, merely a top-ten finalist from this year’s Watch Me Shine talent show, the enthusiasm was still sky-high.
For one, in this era, the public tended to view celebrities and singers through rose-tinted glasses. And secondly, well, people just loved a spectacle.
Of course, some in the crowd were genuine fans of Ding Yingyao.
“Ding Yingyao!”
“It’s really Ding Yingyao!”
“Ahhh! He looked over here—he’s looking at us!”
“Damn it, stop pushing! My shoe got trampled!”
“Ding Yingyao, can I get an autograph? I loved your performance in the competition!”
“He’s even hotter in person than on TV!”
“…”
Ding Yingyao’s sudden appearance at the university caught many by surprise—including Liu Yutong.
But she quickly figured out the reason. This guy probably didn’t want to lose to Xue Qian at his first signing event. Or rather, he wanted to crush him, which was why he’d come here to rally support.
After all, when it came to fanbases, young people were the majority.
And where were young people the most concentrated in the university district? Obviously, at the universities themselves.
If he could get enough students to show up at his signing event, he could humiliate Wanlong Supermarket in one fell swoop.
Today you ignore me, tomorrow you won’t be able to reach me!
Choosing Xue Qian was the biggest mistake you ever made!
The scene was chaotic, with fans flushed and shoving forward, desperate to get closer to Ding Yingyao.
Ding Yingyao, for his part, was clearly basking in the adoration, flashing his signature sunny smile and waving at the crowd.
“Ding Yingyao! Can I take a photo with you?” A female fan fought her way to the front, cheeks pink as she held up her phone.
“Of course.” Ding Yingyao obliged with a smile.
With the first successful photo op, more students surged forward, clamoring for selfies and autographs.
Ding Yingyao didn’t refuse anyone—especially the pretty girls, whom he made sure to pose with.
Just as the commotion around him reached its peak, another wave of screams erupted from the other side of the campus gate.
“It’s Xue Qian! Xue Qian is here too!”
The crowd instantly split, a portion rushing toward the other side.
Ding Yingyao’s smile froze, a shadow flickering briefly in his eyes.
A guy in a hoodie stepped out of a black sedan, theatrically blowing at his bangs as he did.
“Hey, make way, make way!”
“Don’t step on my fake AJs—they still cost me 200 bucks!”
Xue Qian’s outfit was effortlessly casual, and he hadn’t even brought an assistant.
Then again, he didn’t have one to begin with. He looked more like a college kid skipping class than a celebrity.
“Well, well, if it isn’t Teacher Ding!” Xue Qian spotted Ding Yingyao in the crowd and sauntered over, giving him a once-over. “That hairstyle of yours… must’ve cost a fortune in hair gel, huh?”
The crowd burst into laughter.
Ding Yingyao instinctively touched his meticulously styled side part, his expression darkening.
“Xue Qian, still as… humorous as ever, I see.”
“Heard you landed a new endorsement deal—congrats.”
“Ugh, don’t remind me. The contract says I have to gain a few pounds. Absolute torture.”
Xue Qian smirked. “Wanna trade? That refreshing beverage endorsement of yours sounds great—drink it, then puke it back up to water the plants. So eco-friendly.”
If not for the sea of students watching, Ding Yingyao would’ve punched him right then.
What a damn nuisance. Who the hell pukes up their drink to water plants?
As the two locked horns, a student council member trying to maintain order hesitantly spoke up.
“Um, teachers… just ahead is the ‘Ice and Snow World’ installation our students built. Maybe you’d like to take a look first…?”
Xue Qian immediately slung an arm around the guy’s shoulders. “Now that’s what I’m talking about! This frosty scenery is perfect for inspiration—who knows, I might even whip up a new song on the spot!”
He turned to Ding Yingyao with a grin. “Teacher Ding, care to improvise? Let the juniors witness the legendary creative prowess of a top-ten talent show finalist.”
Ding Yingyao’s manager paled, cursing inwardly.
Are you freaking kidding me? Again? And now you want him to compose something?
If Ding Yingyao actually had that kind of talent, he wouldn’t be scrambling to buy songs from others.
Whether in this era or any other, most fans only cared about the performer on stage—few ever dug into who wrote the songs.
But anyone who did would instantly see the gap between Ding Yingyao and Xue Qian.
Xue Qian was a legitimate singer-songwriter, handling both lyrics and composition, with actual hits under his belt.
Ding Yingyao, on the other hand, hadn’t written a single song—every track on his album was handed to him by the company.
Now, cornered by Xue Qian in front of a crowd, Ding Yingyao had no choice but to grit his teeth and play along.
“Of course. Why don’t you go first, Xue Qian?”
“Oh no, no—you’re the big shot here. You take the lead. I’ll just find a good spot to… study your genius.” Xue Qian suddenly turned serious, putting on an exaggerated look of reverence.
Once they reached the Ice and Snow World, Ding Yingyao started spinning in place, supposedly searching for inspiration—only to nearly dizzy himself, stars dancing in his vision.
With no other options, he reluctantly picked up a guitar and attempted an impromptu performance.
But his playing was clumsy, the melody painfully generic.
And Xue Qian, of course, couldn’t resist heckling.
Every now and then, he’d let out an exaggerated “Whoa!” from the sidelines, sending the students into fits of laughter.
Ding Yingyao forced himself to keep going, until—
SCREECH!
A jarring, off-key chord snapped.
“Re~SO~La~Si—“
“Whoa!” Xue Qian popped up again, eyes wide. “Is this… postmodern deconstructionist music?”
“Teacher Ding, you’re a genius! Who else could compose something this avant-garde?”
The crowd roared with laughter. One bespectacled guy even choked on his own spit, coughing uncontrollably.
Ding Yingyao’s face burned red. “Xue Qian, what the hell is your problem?! Did I do something to you? Why are you always targeting me?!”
Xue Qian smirked. “Oho, can’t take the heat? When you hired trolls to trash me, I took it all in stride.”
“That’s bullshit!” Ding Yingyao snapped. “I never—”
“Never what? Never relentlessly trashed me?” Xue Qian cut him off, mimicking the tone of online trolls. “Like how Xue Qian looks like the auntie who sells pancakes near my place, or how his stage moves make him look like he’s searching for a bathroom…”
The crowd: “???”
Is it others who are slandering you, or are you slandering yourself?
"How outrageous!"
Ding Yingyao's die-hard fans were the first to attack, hurling accusations at Xue Qian.
"Xue Qian, have you no shame? Our Yingyao would even bother to slander a washed-up singer like you? Know your place!"
"Exactly! Does our idol need to blacken your name? Are you even worth it?"
"Look at your outfit—even the aunties at the wet market dress better than you. Where do you get the confidence?"
"..."
Xue Qian's fans weren't about to back down either, firing back immediately.
"Oh~ someone’s triggered! Hit a nerve, didn’t we?"
"Who doesn’t know Ding Yingyao faked tears during the competition for sympathy? And as a junior, he even blogged about slandering a senior—did he think no one noticed? Shameless to the core!"
"Right? A top-ten contestant? More like a top-ten joke!"
"Your so-called idol’s endorsed drinks aren’t even fit for dogs! How dare he show his face here!"
"..."
With the hardcore fans leading the charge, the students who had been peacefully spectating quickly split into two factions, hurling insults—and soon, actual snowballs.
"Snowball fight!"
"That’s for slandering our idol!"
"Take this!"
"..."
And just like that, the largest snowball fight in the university’s history erupted.
Liu Yutong stood at a distance, watching the chaos unfold, utterly speechless.
Xue Qian really had a way with words—look how he’d riled up Ding Yingyao, practically steaming with anger.
So why couldn’t he be this eloquent in front of her?
Just as she was about to step in and stop the farce, another van pulled up at the school gate.
The door slid open, and a stylish young woman stepped out gracefully.
It was Feng Caicai, the rising star of idol dramas.
The moment Feng Caicai entered the campus, the snowball-throwing students froze mid-motion, their attention snapping toward her.
"Feng Caicai! It’s really Feng Caicai!"
"Ahhh!! I can’t believe it!"
"What’s going on today? So many celebrities at our school!"
"..."
Clearly, Feng Caicai’s fame far surpassed Ding Yingyao and Xue Qian’s—after all, idol drama actors tend to leave a stronger impression on the public than singers.
Feng Caicai cut straight to the point: "I’m here to support my junior, Ding Yingyao, for his promotional event."
Xue Qian’s expression turned serious, his eyes flickering with something complicated.
With Feng Caicai’s declaration, many of the students who had been supporting Xue Qian began hesitating—and soon, nearly half of them retreated from the "battlefield."
In the blink of an eye, Xue Qian’s side was left with only a few dozen students, while Ding Yingyao’s ranks swelled to hundreds.
Ding Yingyao finally had the upper hand, his earlier frustration vanishing in an instant.
His manager, seeing the golden opportunity, wasn’t about to let it slip—another snowball fight was on the verge of breaking out.
But just as he was about to give the order to attack—
Suddenly.
A girl in a beige long coat walked gracefully toward them. Her dark hair cascaded loosely over her shoulders, her face free of heavy makeup yet radiating an ethereal charm—and an undeniable aura.
The moment the students saw her, their fanatical excitement melted away like snow under the sun.
She stopped before them, glanced around, and uttered just three words:
"Go home now."
Her voice was soft, yet it carried an inexplicable power. The students scattered instantly.
In the blink of an eye, the once-crowded snowy grounds were completely empty.
???
Ding Yingyao and Feng Caicai stood there, utterly bewildered.
What just happened?
Why did everyone leave?
They must be fake fans!!!
