After Amnesia, I Learn I'm a Scumbag Top?! - Chapter 65
Chapter 65
Sun Qi froze abruptly, stopping less than a meter from the door with his back to Pei Ji.
A few minutes later, he returned with a dark expression, snatched the IOU from Pei Ji’s hand, and hastily scrawled his signature. The pen scratched harshly across the paper, making an earsplitting rasping sound. After signing, he slammed the pen onto the table, his chest heaving violently. Suppressing his rage, he extended his hand and demanded, “Where’s the money?”
Pei Ji picked up the IOU and glanced at it. Sun Qi’s signature had been written with such force it nearly tore through the paper, a testament to his deep resentment.
But what choice did he have? The debt collectors were waiting for him outside the hospital every day, and if he couldn’t come up with the money, he couldn’t guarantee his own safety. Forced by circumstances, he had no choice but to sign.
Of course, this was entirely his own fault. Pei Ji felt no pity for him. He said coldly, “If you want the money, send the original video files to my email first.”
Sun Qi finally snapped. Gritting his teeth, he spat out, “I’ve already signed the IOU! What more do you want? Don’t push me too far!”
Pei Ji ignored him, repeating his demand: “The video.”
Sun Qi sneered, grinding his teeth. “Fine, I’ll give it to you. Just wait.”
He pulled up the original file on his phone and sent it to Pei Ji. After Pei Ji confirmed its authenticity, he transferred 100,000 yuan to Sun Qi’s mother’s medical card.
By the time they left the hospital, night had completely fallen. The hospital was located in a remote area, surrounded only by the sparse lights of nearby villages.
As soon as they got into the car and closed the door, An Zhu finally asked the question that had been nagging at her: “Why did you lend him 900,000 yuan? With his current capabilities, he probably won’t be able to repay it within the next decade, right?”
Pei Ji was well aware of Sun Qi’s financial situation and didn’t expect immediate repayment. He calmly explained, “Life is long. We’ll find a way to make him repay it eventually.”
An Zhu didn’t quite understand, but she sensed that Pei Ji’s plan was more complex than she imagined. “What do you mean?”
Pei Ji replied evenly, “That IOU is from Huazhang Films. To be precise, I didn’t lend him the money personally—it was Huazhang Films, acting in the company’s name, that lent it to him. Do you think they’d let Sun Qi drag out repayment for seventy or eighty years?”
An Zhu was stunned. “…Huh?”
Is this even possible?
Was Sun Qi truly so foolish or blind that he’d sign the IOU so decisively, without even checking who lent him the money?
Logically speaking, someone as cunning as Sun Qi shouldn’t fall for such a simple trick.
An Zhu replayed the scene in her mind, and a realization suddenly struck her.
No wonder Pei Ji had acted so nonchalantly earlier, even saying the interest would increase the moment Sun Qi walked out the door. It was all to provoke him!
The more composed and indifferent Pei Ji appeared, the more Sun Qi’s anger flared.
When people are consumed by rage, their judgment becomes clouded, and their actions are dictated by emotion. That’s why Sun Qi impulsively signed the IOU in a fit of anger.
Damn… Pei Ji’s scheming is surprisingly complex…
An Zhu couldn’t help but shiver.
As the saying goes, “Near vermilion, one becomes red; near ink, one becomes black.” After spending so much time with Chu Tinghan, even Pei Ji’s mind had grown deep and intricate.
Days later, the scandals surrounding Xu Wangxuan continued to ferment online. Netizens, following the trail of breadcrumbs, even unearthed his high school transcripts, subjecting both his character and abilities to widespread scrutiny.
Xu Wangxuan really has some nerve! He dared to fabricate this “genius” persona? He barely scored a 50 in Chinese in his first year of high school—isn’t that practically illiterate? What does that have to do with being a genius?!
Did he even write his own lyrics? With grades like that, he lacks basic literacy, let alone the depth and nuance needed for meaningful lyrics. He must be using ghostwriters.
His fans claim he led a band in middle and high school that was supposedly the school’s flagship club, making him a campus legend. But I’ve scoured the school’s official website and found zero mentions of him. What kind of “flagship band” is that? What kind of “legendary figure” is he supposed to be?
Probably all made up. His entire persona is based on empty words.
Honestly, it’s obvious Xu Wangxuan’s persona is a blatant copy of someone else in the industry, but I doubt anyone dares to call him out.
Who are you talking about? I don’t know anyone like that.
Holy crap! Did Xu Wangxuan even plagiarize his whole persona from someone else? Stealing someone else’s life—does he have no shame left?!
Is Xu Wangxuan even a real person? Everything about him seems fake.
Just curious, whose persona did he plagiarize?
Interested parties can search for the “hype” posts Pei Ji’s Fan Club put out during his audition days. The answer’s in there.
My eyes are practically crossed from scrolling, and I still haven’t found it. Can someone kindly post a screenshot?
Just finished reading it. If it weren’t for the “Pei Ji Fan Club” ID, I’d swear the personal information and life story described Xu Wangxuan. Apart from height, weight, and birthdate, everything else is eerily identical—even the strained relationship with his parents.
I don’t know if Xu Wangxuan was a campus celebrity, but Pei Ji was undeniably the universally known band leader at Communication University. Need I even mention Dreamcatcher’s legendary status?
I can vouch for that. From the moment I enrolled, I knew about the university’s legendary band. Pei Ji was their second leader and later became the Club President.
I checked Communication University’s official website, and it’s true. For all four years Pei Ji was there, he was involved in nearly every campus event, big and small.
“Wait, why am I being dragged into this Xu Wangxuan scandal? What does his downfall have to do with me?” Qiao He scrolled through the comments, his frustration growing with each line. “Just wait—Xu Wangxuan’s fans will soon claim you’re jealous of his current status, trying to steal his resources by smearing him.”
At this, Qiao He spat, “Who wants his lousy resources anyway?”
That evening, there was an anniversary celebration livestream hosted by a short video platform. Pei Ji was busy rehearsing lyrics and choreography, gesturing for Qiao He to calm down and be quiet.
Qiao He nodded belatedly, making a zipping-his-lips gesture.
But the silence didn’t last long. An Zhu spoke up: “I just found out Xu Wangxuan is performing at tonight’s gala. I bet he signed a contract ages ago, and the platform doesn’t want to burn bridges with him completely, so they’re still letting him take the stage.”
While Pei Ji showed little reaction, Qiao He exploded. “What?! How can he still perform? Shouldn’t a disgraced artist like him be blacklisted? Is no one going to step in and stop him?”
An Zhu sighed helplessly. “Xu Wangxuan has Huanyu Media backing him. As long as they protect him, most brands—except for those arrogant luxury brands that don’t need celebrity endorsements—will remain on the sidelines. He won’t be abandoned easily until he truly implodes.”
Qiao He frowned deeply. “With his character this rotten, isn’t that already an implosion?”
As they debated, Pei Ji, unable to focus on rehearsing his dance moves, joined the conversation. He said calmly, “Huanyu Media has issued a cease and desist letter. Xu Wangxuan refuses to admit any wrongdoing, and his fans are fiercely defending him. He won’t collapse anytime soon unless he makes another public blunder.”
Qiao He pondered for a moment, then asked, “Would singing off-key or cracking his voice count?”
Pei Ji paused before replying, “Yes, but didn’t you say he’s never sung live before? How could he possibly sing off-key?”
No sooner had he spoken than An Zhu interjected as if suddenly remembering something. “I heard he’s actually going to sing live this time. Apparently, there’s been a lot of online criticism lately about his lack of live performance skills. I bet he’s trying to prove his abilities and shut down the naysayers.”
Qiao He remained skeptical. “Him? I’d bet on a train wreck.”
At 8:00 PM sharp, the livestreamed gala began on time. Pei Ji’s performance was scheduled relatively early in the program. After waiting backstage for a short while, he took to the stage.
The song he performed tonight had been chosen by the platform itself—a recent viral hit, a sweet and upbeat track that seemed to feature in every fan-made compilation video.
The song’s upbeat style and simple melody made it an effortless performance for Pei Ji. He didn’t glance at the teleprompter once, delivered a flawless rendition, and even walked around the stage to interact with the audience below.
His performance was so perfect that some viewers in the livestream chat even wondered if he was lip-syncing to a pre-recorded studio version.
Did Pei Ji even turn on his mic? I can’t tell!
He definitely did. Listen closely, you can hear him breathe.
Pei Ji must have swallowed a CD. His voice is so steady.
Of course it’s steady! Pei Ji was the lead singer of his university band. You know how terrible the mics are at college. He could sound flawless even with the worst equipment. Professional gear like this is a piece of cake for him.
Pei Ji sang so beautifully! If I were the artist performing after him, I’d be sweating bullets. If I slipped up even a little, the comparison would be brutal.
Who’s performing after Pei Ji? Who’s lucky enough to follow him?
Holy shit?! It’s actually Xu Wangxuan.
Xu Wangxuan probably won’t even dare to sing live, right?
!!! What a drama! This is so juicy! I bet the platform deliberately set this up!
Xu Wangxuan must be under immense pressure right now. He’s most likely to screw up when he’s this nervous.
The audience’s comments hit the mark. Ever since taking the stage, Xu Wangxuan’s voice had been trembling. Every lyric he sang was inexplicably laced with a warbling vibrato.
The audience seemed stunned by his performance. The atmosphere in the venue was utterly lifeless, drowned in an awkward silence.
Xu Wangxuan visibly grew more tense. Cold sweat beaded on his forehead, veins bulged at his temples, and his voice grew increasingly hoarse and strained.
Seeing this, someone in the crowd actually shouted, “Refund!”
Perhaps out of mischief or sheer amusement, more and more voices joined the chant: “Refund! Refund!”
Overwhelmed by panic, Xu Wangxuan stumbled off-beat, completely losing the melody.
Before he even left the stage, a viral marketing account had already clipped the disastrous performance and was spreading it online.
#Xu Wangxuan Sings Off-Key#
#Xu Wangxuan’s Voice Cracks#
#Refunds#
The discussions about him were growing increasingly heated. His first live performance had been a complete train wreck, leading everyone to question his abilities and even the reasons behind his high-ranking debut on a talent show years ago.
“He’s been a professional for two years already, and he still sings like this? My three-year-old brother sings better!”
“At this rate, even I could debut! I could just walk onstage and belt out a couple of lines.”
“Musical genius? More like musical dunce! Does he even know how to sing? He’s supposed to be the lead vocalist in the group. Lead what? Lead everyone into singing off-key? What a joke!”
“From his character to his skills, he’s completely fallen apart. Even ruins would call themselves his juniors!”
Qiao He scrolled through the comments, chuckling in the backstage area. “See? I told you he’d collapse!”
His laughter was so boisterous that An Zhu rushed over and clapped a hand over his mouth. “Keep it down! If he hears you, you’re done for! I’ve heard he’s incredibly vengeful.”
Qiao He nodded belatedly, casually screenshotting the funniest comments and sharing them in the group chat before continuing to scroll.
I finally see it now—Xu Wangxuan is a complete fake. Even his persona is a carbon copy of Pei Ji’s. When will he learn to stand on his own two feet? Turns out he knows his own act won’t cut it.
Pei Ji got such a raw deal. He’s the real victim of corporate manipulation. Years ago, he was forced to withdraw from the show right before the debut lineup was announced due to a dubious recording. He endured two years of relentless online bullying. Not only was his debut spot stolen, but Xu Wangxuan even stole his entire persona. If I were Pei Ji, I’d be clapping and cheering right now.
Xu Wangxuan needs to apologize to Pei Ji. How dare he steal someone else’s entire persona? Why does he have to steal everything?!
Let me venture a wild guess—did Xu Wangxuan’s songs also steal from Pei Ji? Those songs are so clearly connected to personal experiences…
OMG… That’s totally possible!
Qiao He was about to ask Pei Ji about this when Pei Ji suddenly began hurriedly packing up his things, wanting to leave early.
“Wait, Ge, where are you going? Are you leaving already?”
Pei Ji had left Lucky, his dog, at home today. He hadn’t seen or heard from him on the surveillance cameras all day, and calling Lucky’s name had yielded no response.
Fearing something might have happened to Lucky, Pei Ji hurried to leave.
An Zhu, noticing his anxious expression, asked, “What’s wrong?”
Pei Ji grabbed his car keys and explained as he headed for the door, “I can’t find Lucky on the security cameras. I need to go home and check on him. I’ll bring the car back later.”
An Zhu and Qiao He followed him to the entrance, cautioning in unison, “Drive safely.”
Just minutes after Pei Ji left, Xu Wangxuan’s assistant, Xiao Yang, suddenly showed up, his face pale with panic. “Have you seen Xu Wangxuan?” he asked urgently.
An Zhu and Qiao He shook their heads. “No, we haven’t,” they replied. “What’s happened?”
Xiao Yang’s palms were slick with sweat as he blurted out anxiously, “After stepping down, Xu Wangxuan saw those vicious comments and stormed out with his car keys. He drove his sports car here today. He always speeds when he’s upset. I can’t find him now, and I’m afraid…”
“Why are you so afraid of him? Tell me!” Qiao He sensed hidden meaning in Xiao Yang’s words, and a foreboding feeling rose in his chest as he thought of Pei Ji driving back alone.
“I’m afraid he’ll speed and hit someone on the road. He’s done it before, but General Xu paid off the victim millions to cover it up and keep the news quiet. What if he does it again this time…? What am I supposed to do…?” Xiao Yang, terrified of being implicated, was on the verge of tears.
At these words, Qiao He and An Zhu’s hearts sank.
Pei Ji had just left, and Xu Wangxuan had followed right after. Could Xu Wangxuan be planning something?
Damn it!
Pei Ji might be in danger.
Without hesitation, An Zhu hailed a car and asked the driver to chase after Pei Ji.
In the car, she kept her eyes on the road ahead while calling Chu Tinghan.
Just as the call connected, the driver slammed on the brakes.
An Zhu lost her grip on the phone, and it slipped from her hand.
The driver switched on the high beams, instantly illuminating the pitch-black road ahead, revealing the entire scene.
About a hundred meters away, two cars were squeezed against the roadside, one behind the other. The trunk of the front car was mangled, thick smoke billowing from it, while the sports car behind it was empty. Streaks of blood trailed across the road, clearly indicating the culprit had fled the scene.
An Zhu recognized the front car instantly. It was Pei…
“An Zhu, talk to me!”
Chu Tinghan’s voice on the phone cut through the ringing in her ears. An Zhu frantically bent down to pick up her phone, but her hands trembled so violently with terror that she dropped it again.
She took several deep breaths to calm herself, finally managing to steady her trembling hands enough to hold the phone to her lips. Her voice shook as she spoke incoherently, “Brother, Brother, where are you? Can you… can you come? I saw a car… Pei Ji’s car is smoking! He might be… he might be hurt.”