Peninsula: My e-sports dream shattered, I chose to become an actor.

Li Mingye quickly clicked on the news link, the cold light of the screen reflecting his increasingly gloomy face.

The image shows a post Jaeho made on social media; the text is brief but full of malicious implications:

These younger generation kids are really something else, completely disregarding their seniors. They're arrogant and think they're above everyone else just because they're popular. I wonder what their fans will think when they find out their true colors.

This post was posted out of the blue, and if you only look at this one post, you might just be confused, but the key is in the comments section.

A fan using Sulli's profile picture couldn't hold back and commented below:

[Are they playing cryptic games again? It's kind of pathetic that they're trying to get attention this way lol]

Perhaps it was this comment that ignited the fire, as Jaeho replied almost instantly, tearing away all pretense:

[This is exactly what you love, you little rascal!]

This reply directly tore away the fig leaf, pointing the finger directly at Choi Sulli.

The hype exploded instantly.

f(x) is currently at its peak, being one of SM Entertainment's most popular girl groups. Sulli, as one of the most popular members of the group, has an excellent public image thanks to her pure and beautiful face and well-behaved and sensible personality, and is widely recognized as the "Nation's Little Sister".

However, in South Korea, a society that places great emphasis on seniority culture, once the label of "disrespecting seniors" is attached, the consequences can be devastating.

Even the most baseless rumors are enough to provoke a barrage of criticism from netizens, let alone the fact that a senior has personally stepped in to almost "name and shame" the person making the accusation.

Li Mingye shifted his gaze to the comment section below the news article, where it was already a scene of bloodshed and unbearable turmoil.

I knew she wasn't a good person; her smiling face was obviously fake.

[That's so rude, but I heard she's from a divorced family, so it's not surprising lol]

Seeing this face makes me want to vomit. I thought it was something wrong with me, but now I realize it was just my intuition acting up.

[This is truly disappointing; you should leave the group.]

When a wall falls, everyone pushes it down; when a drum breaks, everyone beats it.

The comments section was almost entirely filled with insults and mockery, with malice that usually lurked in the shadows now unleashed under the guise of "justice." A few scattered rational comments attempted to reason, but were instantly drowned out by the barrage of insults.

Can everyone please calm down? Are you making judgments based solely on this guy's side of the story?

[The person upstairs is definitely a brainless fan. They must be frantic seeing their idol's image collapse, haha. Even defending someone should be done appropriately.]

Among these attackers were anti-fans who already disliked Choi Sulli, casual observers who were misled, and even some fans who felt deceived due to love turning to hate.

Li Mingye stopped reading and quickly exited the comments section, his fingers moving rapidly as he dialed Cui Xueli's number.

"Beep...beep..."

A long busy signal followed by no answer.

Li Mingye frowned deeply, and some unpleasant images flashed uncontrollably through his mind.

He knew Choi Sulli's personality and couldn't help but worry that she might do something foolish.

Without much hesitation, he immediately hung up and dialed Jung Soo-jung's number.

"Feed?"

This time it was answered instantly.

"Where is the truth?" Li Mingye asked bluntly.

"She's in her dorm now, but the door won't open!"

Krystal Jung's voice was full of anxiety.

Send me the address.

"...Are you coming now?" Krystal Jung was taken aback, seemingly not expecting him to be so direct.

"Um."

After saying that, Krystal Jung didn't ask any more questions and quickly sent over the dormitory address.

……

Twenty minutes later, downstairs at f(x)'s dormitory building.

Li Mingye strode to the door and rang the doorbell.

The door opened, and Jung Soo-jung appeared with a bare face, her hair slightly disheveled, and her eyes filled with worry.

"Is anyone else here?" Li Mingye asked.

Krystal shook her head: "Everyone else has schedules and can't get back for a while. I happened to be nearby, so I came back first."

Li Mingye nodded slightly, his gaze falling on the tightly closed door at the end of the corridor.

"Has she not come out at all?"

"Yes." Krystal Jung pursed her lips, her hands nervously twisting together. "No matter how much I knock, she won't come out. She keeps saying she's fine through the door."

At this point, she looked at Li Mingye with a glimmer of hope: "Do you have any ideas?"

"I'll give it a try."

Lee Myung-yeop approached Choi Jin-ri's room and gently knocked on the door.

"The truth is me."

There was no movement inside; it was deathly silent.

Li Mingye did not give up. He leaned against the door, his voice soft but firm:

"I know it's not your fault. No matter what those people outside say, I believe you. I want to help you, can I come in?"

The silence lasted for several seconds, but it felt like an eternity.

Finally, a soft "click" came from inside the door—the lock had been opened.

Li Mingye glanced back at Zheng Xiujing, whose eyes held a complex expression, gave her a "leave it to me" look, and then pushed open the door and entered.

The room was dark, with thick blackout curtains drawn, making it unsettlingly dim.

Choi Jin-ri was curled up in the corner of the bed, still wearing her outdoor clothes.

Her eyes were noticeably red, and tears still clung to her eyelashes, but the moment she saw Li Mingye, she instinctively forced a smile that looked even worse than crying.

"Mingye, what brings you here?"

Her voice was hoarse and trembling, but she still tried to maintain a normal tone, attempting to hide her embarrassment.

Looking at her stubbornly putting on a brave face, Li Mingye felt as if something had clenched his heart.

He didn't say anything, but slowly walked over, opened his arms, and gently embraced her.

Choi Jin-ri's body stiffened for a moment, then, as if all her strength had been drained, she leaned softly against his chest.

After a while, Li Mingye felt a noticeable dampness on his shirt. The suppressed sobs finally turned into loud crying.

He didn't say anything, but gently patted her back, letting her vent her grievances.

When Choi Jin-ri's crying gradually subsided, Lee Myung-yeop spoke softly:

Why did he go crazy?

Li Mingye didn't mention a name, but both of them knew who he was referring to.

Choi Jin-ri, nestled in his arms, paused, then sobbed as she spoke:

"...I ran into him during the last recording of the show. He kept pestering me backstage for my contact information, and he even tried to touch me inappropriately..."

"and then?"

I didn't give it to him.

"Is there anything else?"

"That's all." Her voice trailed off, filled with barely concealed grievance and fear.

Li Mingye didn't ask her why she hadn't told him about this, but instead asked another question:

"What are the company's plans to do?"

Choi Jin-ri hesitated for a moment, but still spoke:

"My manager said... the company wants me to issue an apology statement first, saying it was a misunderstanding, to calm the netizens' anger..."

"Didn't you tell the company what happened?"

"I said it..." Her voice was barely audible.

Li Mingye was so angry he laughed.

Then, he reached out and stroked Choi Jin-ri's hair gently, but his voice carried an undeniable power:

What are your plans for the next part of the trip?

"I was supposed to attend the pre-show recording for the MAMA awards ceremony, but it seems the company is canceling my schedule..." Her voice sounded a little embarrassed.

"Go ahead."

Li Mingye loosened his embrace, placed his hands on her shoulders, and looked directly into her eyes, which were still tear-stained but clear.

"I'll talk to your company."

He had Lee Soo-man's phone number, and the two had even had a "friendly exchange" before regarding some investment matters.

This time, he wasn't there to plead for leniency, but to offer "help." SM had no reason to refuse someone who could help them resolve a public relations crisis and bring them huge profits.

Choi Jin-ri stared blankly at Lee Myung-yeop, his face clearly defined in the dim light, his eyes filled with a determination she had never seen before.

"Okay." She didn't ask why or how to do it; she simply chose to believe instinctively.

Li Mingye looked steadily into her eyes and asked the last question.

"Truth, do you believe me?"

His image was reflected in Choi Jin-ri's eyes.

At that moment, it was as if a beam of light shone into the dimly lit room.

In her world, the vicious comments, the hypocritical company, and the terrible seniors all disappeared, leaving only the man in front of her.

"I trust you."