Shot

The school slowly took on a different feel. The gate and walkway had become construction zones, as workers moved in and out daily, preparing for the anniversary celebration. Many students who didn't use Weibo or didn't follow their school affairs were left confused.

The common thread spread by all students with any spacial awareness was that something big was about to happen.

After another day, the students were shocked to return to their school, only to find the entrance blocked by unfamiliar faces. A few students spotted several large vans with large antennae protruding from the vehicle's roof parked around the school premises.

Finally, the last remaining students were filled in, as such a sight can only create curiosity. The answer those students received was singular;

The new producer, TMY, was having her live debut at their school!

But that wasn't all. Rumour had it that TMY's true identity was none other than a student from their school, which fueled a great deal of skepticism. It wasn't just the fame surrounding TMY that astonished them; it was also the reputation of her alter ego.

The name Tang Miaoyi held a special place in the hearts of most Shanghai No. 7 students, as she had a well-known title: the school mascot of Shanghai No.7 High School.

Every semester, she stood as the student representative during the opening ceremony and never failed to attend the annual school celebration. Her name consistently ranked among the top three whenever exam results were announced. She held a permanent place at the pinnacle of the students' self-made list of campus beauties, unchallenged and unmovable. Moreover, she had acquired a reputation for being kind yet aloof, which inexplicably elevated her status even further.

Naturally, due to the sudden increase in popularity, the entrance to Class 3 became a magnet for curious onlookers hoping to glimpse the renowned TMY. Students from every other class, spanning across all grades, could be seen crowding the entrance at some point throughout the day.

After all, the best way to verify the authenticity of the news was to hear it straight from the source. But despite the high expectations and the large number of people surrounding the classroom, they were left disappointed.

Tang Miaoyi was nowhere to be found. She had taken a leave of absence as if she had predicted the popularity of this new gossip beforehand.

However, even after learning of Miaoyi's absence, the curious student body didn't give up so easily. There was still one person they could ask about the situation, one who was personally involved...

Only one person could fit that description: Zhao Bin, who had a conflict with Tang Miaoyi!

That person was none other than Zhao Bin, who had clashed with Tang Miaoyi online, publicly calling her out on "Vote for Voice" and Weibo.

Therefore, with Tang Miaoyi missing, the next logical step was to approach Zhao Bin, hoping he could shed some light on the situation.

Zhao Bin belonged to Class 7 in the senior year, situated in a different building from Miaoyi's class. When the crowd realized Zhao Bin's significance, they swiftly changed direction and made their way to Class 7.

However, upon arrival, their eager anticipation was met with disappointment. The class leader of Class 7 delivered the news that Zhao Bin had not come to school that day.

While Zhao Bin hadn't taken a formal leave of absence, his absence from school raised even more questions among the curious students.

What on earth is happening? Everyone seems to be disappearing.

It's understandable if Tang Miaoyi doesn't show up, but how could Zhao Bin also disappear?

Only Zhao Bin would know.

And in reality, he didn't show up for a straightforward reason. It's not that he didn't want to attend class or was a delinquent...

He couldn't

Just two kilometres from the high school, Zhao Bin was blocked from leaving his apartment by a combination of a mountain of papers, and his manager, who brought said papers.

The atmosphere was heavy.

His manager slammed the papers onto the table in front of Zhao Bin and took a few seconds before speaking, his voice calm yet laced with an unsettling undertone. "Now, think carefully. Who did you offend?"

"Offend someone? Who else could I have offended? How would I know?"

Avoiding answering, Zhao Bin could feel himself becoming restless.

"You don't know?" The manager couldn't help but find it laughable when he heard those words, with a hint of frustration in his tone. "If you don't know, would they ban your account for three years directly?"

"I--"

"If you don't know, would the music agency immediately and unilaterally terminate your contract?"

Stunned, Zhao Bin momentarily lost his words as he stared at the pile of files before him. "I can't believe it!"

"Take a closer look. Want me to read it out for you? 'Letter of Intent to Terminate Cooperation with the Artist!'" The manager sneered. "You better start thinking hard about who you offended. According to the agency contacts, it's because of your actions. You offended someone you shouldn't have, and now you're paying the price."

As the manager said, the truth unravelled before Zhao Bin's eyes. The reason he was confined to his home and unable to attend school lay within those documents.

In fact, the termination papers bore a prominent red seal, leaving no room for doubt regarding their authenticity.

Already burdened by the weight of the situation, Zhao Bin couldn't bear the added pressure from his manager. He erupted in frustration, "How am I supposed to know? I haven't been anywhere besides school lately! And what's with your attitude? Without me, where would you be today? Take a look at what I've brought to this agency. If I'm unhappy, I can easily leave you behind and leave 'Vote for Voice.' I can find success elsewhere. I have influence and popularity. What do I have to fear?"

"Heh, you want to leave us? Fine, go ahead. There's no hope left for you," the agent retorted, finding the whole situation utterly unreasonable. "What's crucial for you now is to reflect on who you've offended and offer a sincere apology. Perhaps they'll consider forgiving you."

"That's impossible!" Zhao Bin vehemently dismissed the idea without a second thought. "I haven't done anything wrong, except..."

In the midst of his words, Zhao Bin suddenly froze.

Memories flooded back. He recalled the two girls from Class 12-3, his senior year, whom he had ruthlessly snatched the opportunity to perform at the school anniversary celebration. He even stooped so low as to post derogatory comments about them on the school forum...

Could it be them?

The notion didn't seem entirely implausible. If these individuals had enough influence to sway the school's decisions at the last minute, cancelling the performance slots that had already been confirmed for the anniversary celebration, then maybe they held enough sway to convince "Vote for Voice" to sever ties with him.

It seemed very likely!

But... what could they possibly have against him?

Zhao Bin couldn't figure it out.

"So, have you figured it out? What's going on?" The agent noticed Zhao Bin's sudden pause and grasped that he had stumbled upon something significant.

"Well..."

"Then prepare to apologize immediately and try to bury this incident completely." The agent's tone turned cold, devoid of the previous enthusiasm towards Zhao Bin.

"Apologize... No, it's impossible."

"I am Zhao Bin... I have influence. What does Vote for Voice matter? I can easily leave them and go somewhere else for my career."

Zhao Bin's face turned pale, and he gently held onto the chair.

This was a bitter pill to swallow for someone who had always been filled with pride. It was inconceivable for him to bow down before two young girls.

Ring~ ring~ ring~

At that moment, the agent's phone on the coffee table started vibrating and ringing.

"Hello, this is the manager of Xiao BinBin. Who am I speaking with?"

On the other end of the call: "Hello, this is Yun Jie, the electronic music producer TMY's manager. I hereby inform you officially that your artist, Xiao BinBin, used TMY's single 'Closer' in a profitable event without authorization and altered the song's title and artist, seriously infringing upon the personal interests and copyright of the producer TMY. I am notifying you that if the video is not taken down promptly and an apology and compensation are not made, we will proceed with legal action to pursue the copyright infringement issue."

TMY!

Zhao Bin's pupils contracted in an instant...

"Copyright infringement..." The agent nearly gasped for breath upon hearing the news. He gritted his teeth and asked, "If the apology is not made in time, what amount of compensation is being sought?"

"Based on initial estimates, 1,500,000¥. We recommend you visit Shanghai No.7 High School's official Weibo forum and the trending topic for further details."

Weibo!

Zhao Bin snapped out of his daze and immediately took out his phone, logging into his forum account and accessing the school's page.

Ten minutes later.

Zhao Bin collapsed as if his soul had been drained, lying on the ground with vacant eyes.

Finally, he understood what had unfolded...

"I... apologize..." he uttered each word with painstaking effort, his pride wholly drained. He no longer resembled the spirited teenager he once was.

Perhaps if given another chance, he might not have gone through with his plan after witnessing Qiuying's skill. Perhaps, even afterwards, after talking with Miaoyi, he might relent and give them their rightful spots. Maybe, if he had been smarter, he could have researched further before making additional online posts.

Or maybe, he should have heeded Zhang Dongyan's words in the first place.

What should have been him dodging a bullet turned into him taking the bullet through the chest by his own design.

"The mascot of Shanghai No.7 High School, Tang Miao Yi, is none other than the famous producer T.M.Y..." Zhao Bin's smile now seemed bleak. He wasn't a fool, and due to his own experiences, he knew and understood more than the average student. Therefore, he quickly pieced together certain connections.

No wonder the penalty for a single song reached a staggering 15 million. No wonder the school administration cancelled the student performance for the anniversary celebration altogether. No wonder the termination letter was faxed to Zhao Bin's agent overnight...

Perhaps the upcoming anniversary celebration would become very interesting, but it was destined not to involve Zhao Bin.

And he died, right there.

...

..

.

Not really, but it would have been funny, right?