Chapter 5
637 Words
Anthony looked toward the distant cashier area, which was already crowded with a long line stretching out of sight.
"No wonder he's a top-tier singer; his influence is so strong," Anthony felt a bit envious.
Everyone dreamed of being a star. It was just that some people had strong vanity, while others didn't.
Anthony once fantasized about becoming a star. In terms of looks and education, he was quite outstanding. But in reality, if it weren't for Eric giving him a push, he might still be a scumbag.
Anthony started monitoring the internet trending list. The second-ranking topic was #SorenFirstSigningEvent#.
By 9 a.m., another piece of news about Soren hit the trending list—#SorenScandal#. Following that, the third and fourth, #SorenMolestsGirl# and #SorenLipSyncs# came out. By 9:20, eight out of the top twenty trending topics were about Soren.
There were several trending topics about SuaveEdge, such as #SuaveEdgeFactoryIsMessyAndDirty#, #SuaveEdgeProductsExceedFormaldehydeLimits#, and #SuaveEdgeFactoryOwesWages#.
All of them were scandals!
Even though Anthony was confident in his ability to predict the future, he couldn't help but feel relieved when he saw these topics. What puzzled him was that the long line of people remained as quiet as before, seemingly unaware of the trending news.
At 9:25, just as Anthony got anxious, a voice that sounded like music to his ears suddenly came from the line.
"Damn it!" A young man with a backpack, holding his phone and wide-eyed, exclaimed, "How can this be? Soren lip-syncing and molesting a girl? That's impossible!"
The young man's voice was loud, and everyone around heard it.
"Don't slandering my idol. I'll beat you up!"
"Soren would never molest a girl! He's the most upright male star; I don't believe it..."
"Guys, check the trending news!"
The noise grew louder, and soon everyone was checking the trending topics. Several scandals about Soren were prominently displayed, along with several photos. One photo showed Soren sleeping in a hotel room with a young girl. Some people who claimed to be Soren's music collaborators confirmed his lip-syncing.
"Damn it, I was foolish to idolize him!"
"This is impossible..."
"Damn, SuaveEdge uses formaldehyde-laden materials?"
"Look at SuaveEdge's factory environment! I can't believe I wore shoes and clothes made in such conditions! Ugh, I need a health check-up!"
As more people checked their phones, some discovered SuaveEdge's scandals. About a third of them were fans who didn't care about celebrity scandals, but the brand's scandals drove them away too.
The long line quickly dispersed, and curses echoed around. The cashier, who had been so arrogant before, looked confused.
Being part of Soren's first signing event made the cashier very proud, especially seeing the growing line. He felt a strong sense of achievement and superiority as if he were Soren himself. But just in a flash, the crowd vanished.
Meanwhile, another news item hit the trending topics—#SorenSigningEventMightBeCancelled#. Seeing this, Anthony smiled and saw Kevin walking toward him.
"Anthony, what's the good news? Can't believe you'll share it with me," Kevin said cheerfully.
Anthony nodded toward the cashier desk. "Soren's signing event pre-sale access."
Kevin's smile froze. "Are you kidding me?" Kevin said, wide-eyed. "On my way here, I heard it all. Soren and the brand have been hit with many scandals. The event might be canceled. Why do you still want to buy his pre-sale access?"
"Not only do I want to buy them, but I also want you to buy them with me," Anthony said with a smile.
"See you!" Kevin turned to leave, thinking it was a joke. He knew some people made money by buying pre-sale access for those who couldn't attend and reselling limited-edition products, but with Soren's current scandals, doing this was a sure way to lose money.
"Kevin, you won't get another chance if you miss this one," Anthony's voice came from behind.
- Writer
