326: Chapter 326 The Unyielding Spirit of a Noble Family

The male reporter, emboldened by the pass for the culture channel of a major portal website hanging around his neck,

took advantage of a gap in his colleagues' questions to quietly hand the recording pen toward Dan Yi.

"Hello, Student Dan Yi. This publication of Fu Zhi Yao Competition is a mainstream cultural event with heavy official endorsement, and it's even benchmarked against national literary classics like ordinary world..."

The male reporter spoke at a steady pace, deliberately bypassing the literary value of the ice surface of black river itself, precisely steering the topic toward the most sensitive direction.

"Your creation is rooted in the far northern Mo City, and your personal experiences and external characteristics also show obvious differences from the mainstream creative circles present.

Do you think your work can fit the mainstream cultural positioning of this event?

And can it be accepted and recognized by the general public?"

These words seemed reasonable on the surface, but every word was meant to cut deep.

He deliberately emphasized the phrases 'born in Mo City' and 'differences in circles.'

For a Gossip Weekly, as long as they could provoke conflict and anger this seemingly out-of-place mixed-race youth, tomorrow's explosive news would be secured.

Several senior media people in the audience looked at each other and curled their lips in unspoken understanding.

Everyone knew this wasn't a literary discussion at all.

It was purely a common tactic used by gossip weeklies to boost performance and grab attention.

The atmosphere on the scene changed instantly.

The surrounding peer creators and cultural celebrities immediately heard the malicious guidance hidden in the barbed question.

A few suppressed discussions came from the audience:

"This question is too mean; isn't this exposing someone's shortcomings in public?"

"They're using the same tactics gossip weeklies use on celebrities. They're intentionally here to cause trouble, aren't they?"

Many people frowned, showing their dissatisfaction.

And these words hit Dan Yi's most vulnerable weakness with unerring precision.

Mo City, background, appearance.

These words were like jagged ice shards, stabbing hard into Dan Yi's eardrums.

His jaw was clenched tight, his breathing became heavy, and the veins on the back of his hands bulged one by one.

It was as if he had returned to that cramped corner in Mo City where people pointed fingers at him.

Dan Yi sat in his chair, his light-colored eyes darkening completely.

The crowd of readers below the stage suddenly erupted.

"Is this reporter crazy? Why ask about someone's looks at a great book signing?"

"That's just how gossip weeklies are; they'll throw away their bottom line for traffic!"

"But what he said is quite realistic. Stuff written in a place like Mo City is indeed a bit different from what we usually read, right?"

"Shh, don't talk nonsense. Look at that kid's face; something's wrong..."

These voices fell clearly into Dan Yi's ears, stretching his already taut nerves even further.

That defense mechanism from long-term marginalization was instantly activated.

The scene fell into a suffocating state of tension.

Just as the reporter saw Dan Yi's reaction and was about to add fuel to the fire, a figure in light-colored casual wear walked over quickly.

Xu Changge did not hesitate for a moment and walked straight to Dan Yi's side.

He reached out and gently pressed his hand on Dan Yi's slightly trembling shoulder.

This action was extremely restrained and powerful, without a hint of personal intimacy or that condescending deliberate care.

He was merely using this method to stabilize Dan Yi's emotions, which were about to spiral out of control,

while also protecting the collective dignity of all the young creators present today.

Seeing this, the surrounding peers stopped their conversations one after another.

"Young Master Xu is taking action..."

Someone sighed in a low voice.

Everyone stood in place in a tacit show of support; no one jeered, and their gazes all focused on Xu Changge.

Xu Changge picked up the microphone from the table.

He shed his usual gentle and easygoing manner as a young master from a prestigious family, looking at the male reporter with a candid and sincere gaze.

He didn't completely deny the other party's right to interview but precisely tore away that layer of hypocritical objective disguise.

"Literature has never divided high or low, noble or base, by background, appearance, or the region of upbringing, and it certainly shouldn't be held hostage by so-called circle positioning."

Xu Changge's voice was steady and powerful, spreading through the hall via the speakers.

"Every author who puts their heart into polishing their work, and the words they write, deserves fair respect,

rather than having their differences deliberately magnified to create senseless controversy."

These words were neither humble nor arrogant, well-reasoned and grounded.

They firmly held the line for literature while steadily suppressing the chaotic situation that was on the verge of spiraling out of control.

The aura cultivated from a prestigious family background since childhood was fully displayed at this moment.

Rebutted in public by Xu Changge, the male reporter was stunned at first.

A few snickers immediately came from below the stage:

"Young Master Xu really knows how to scold people without using a single curse word."

"This gossip reporter has hit a steel plate. Young Master Xu won't indulge them."

Hearing the mockery of his colleagues, the male reporter's expression changed slightly, but he was, after all, an old hand who had spent years in the world of fame and fortune.

He thick-headedly pushed the recording pen forward another half-inch, a hypocritical look of innocence on his face.

"Student Xu, isn't that a bit of a heavy label to pin on me?"

The male reporter's tone was slick, carrying a bit of fearlessness.

"As a media person, I have the right to freedom of the press.

The general public also needs to understand an author's most authentic creative background. Isn't analyzing a creator's regional environment done to better understand the work?

Isn't your forceful interruption of the questioning also a form of arrogance toward the public's right to know?"

This counterattack was extremely cunning, directly packaging personal malice as public interest, attempting to muddy the waters.

The atmosphere on the scene tightened again, and several young creators clenched their fists in anger.

Xu Changge looked at the man's stubborn face, the gentleness in his eyes completely receding, replaced by a cold and hard edge.

He wasn't led astray by the other's rhetoric; his logic remained clear and lethal.

"Analyzing background and exploiting pain are two different things," Xu Changge said coldly, not yielding an inch.

"Your so-called right to know is built on a predetermined stance and a deliberate attempt to guide conflict.

True media people use their pens to record the reality of the era, not their lenses to tear into the boundaries of others' lives in exchange for traffic.

Put away your trick of swapping concepts; it won't work here."

The male reporter's face stiffened.

But knowing he couldn't go head-to-head right now, he gave a dry laugh, trying to find a way out for himself:

"Student Xu, you're overstating it. I'm just representing the curiosity of some readers. Since it's inconvenient to answer, then..."

Before the male reporter's attempt to smooth things over could fully land, a deep voice came from behind the crowd.

"What a 'representative of the readers'."

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