Chapter 22 - 1#
As the largest anonymous entertainment forum in the country, “Yüqing” had attracted attention from various fan groups since its inception, with many industry insiders lurking among them. The number of inside scoops generated annually was countless.
On Wednesday evening, an anonymous post appeared on the forum’s front page:
“Here’s a little scoop. A recent guest who gained popularity thanks to a SeaTV variety show actually took the spot by pulling strings, squeezing out another artist. The capital behind them is no small thing. The buzz after the show aired was all pre-planned water army marketing, aiming for a nationwide recognition route. So far, it looks pretty successful.”
Though no names were mentioned, it still sparked gossip among bored netizens:
“Front row! SeaTV variety show ‘Real Job’? Are we talking about the workplace guests or the observation panel guests?”
“Took another artist’s spot? Definitely an observation room guest. Who’s that?”
“Hands off Fu Changting. The triple-gold TV emperor isn’t taking this blame~”
“Also hands off our Yami. She was originally a trainee from SeaTV’s own talent show. It’s normal for her to appear on the same network’s variety show!”
“Feels like it’s code. JS, right?”
“Jing Shun +1. I checked the official schedules of the other guests—they all had recording schedules for the same day. Only Jing Shun had nothing to be found.”
“Who’s the artist that got their spot taken temporarily? So unlucky! Running into a backdoor resource grabber.”
The initial heat of this post was moderate. It wasn’t until three hours later that netizens started piecing things together to decode it—
“Did Jing Shun take Dong Qihao’s spot? The latter’s studio previously released a schedule specifying ‘Variety Recording,’ and the recording location and date matched with Fu Changting and the others?”
Not long after this comment was posted, the anonymous OP liked it, clearly confirming the speculation.
Lurking marketing accounts on the forum immediately seized the opportunity. They reposted the scoop directly onto Weibo, including the full names of Dong Qihao and Jing Shun, further amplifying the spread.
Early Thursday morning, another gossip marketing account took the chance to stir the pot:
“A friend of mine worked on a film crew before. She said Jing Shun was very diva-like on set. Earlier rumors about him getting injured in a high fall while filming? That never happened! It was all a drama he orchestrated himself!”
“He had a conflict with the crew and didn’t want to film anymore, so he staged this whole act. Even the trending topic was a premeditated pity stunt to gain public sympathy!”
“People really don’t need to put him on a pedestal just because he’s a child star! Jing Shun’s private life is wild. In the last two years, he’s had ’that kind of relationship’ with quite a few investors and producers. He’s forgotten his original intentions and is just playing around!”
“Dong Qihao at least has a popular drama airing recently. The kid has no backing—he’s a hard worker in the entertainment industry. What does Jing Shun have in the last two years? Just relying on old fame through fan edits and clips. They’re not even in the same league! This just shows the industry is ruled by capital!”
These statements were vivid and highly inflammatory, as if the poster had personally witnessed Jing Shun’s true character behind the scenes.
His legs are fine? It was all a self-directed stunt for sympathy and attention?
He got on the show by cozying up to some investor sugar daddy? And maliciously replaced an innocent artist?
Countless gossip-hungry netizens were shocked. Dong Qihao’s fans, already raring to go, flooded Jing Shun’s Weibo:
— Resource hog, get out!
— Childhood filter shattered [on knees]
— I’m done. Hope you get hit by a car walking out!
— I genuinely felt sorry for you before. Now I think I should feel sorry for myself!
— @SeaCity TV @This! Is Real Workplace! @Yu Yinhe, you’d better explain yourselves too! Why replace our little Dong with a morally bankrupt artist like this?
— Sure enough, a veteran child star turned actor. Such a method actor—he’s acting in real life too? Impressive.
— I’ve seen a lot of shameless people, but this is my first time seeing someone this shameless. Legs disabled? Ha. How could you pretend? Might as well stay in bed forever and never get off. Why bother filming a variety show?
Overnight, scathing comments were everywhere.
Even if some fans tried to defend Jing Shun in the replies, they were quickly drowned out.
“…”
Jing Shun stared at the screen full of venomous, almost malicious curses. In a daze, he felt as if he was drowning again in those recurring nightmares, his breathing becoming rapid and erratic.
Suddenly, the phone clutched in his hand was pulled away. “Don’t look.”
“Hmm?”
Jing Shun turned to look, a beat slow, his eyes dim.
Chi Gui frowned, decisively swiping out of the Weibo interface and turning off the screen before handing it back. “Don’t take netizens’ words to heart. We’re here.”
They had received a call from Yu Xiuzhu at the dinner table. After learning the cause and sequence of events, they drove to Bamboo Forest Entertainment.
Now, the car was parked right at the company’s main entrance.
Jing Shun took a deep breath, trying to calm his tangled nerves. “Then I’ll go discuss countermeasures with Brother Yu. You all go ahead with your work.”
“There’s nothing urgent at the group today.” Chi Gui opened his own car door, got out, and walked around to Jing Shun’s door. “I’ll go in with you.”
Jing Shun was startled.
Chi Gui didn’t urge him, just said firmly, “Jing Shun, you did nothing wrong. So don’t be afraid.”
“…”
Yeah.
He did nothing wrong.
What was there to worry about?
Jing Shun looked at the face so close, and inexplicably, his mind steadied. “Mm, I know.”
…
Ten minutes later, Yu Xiuzhu led the entire PR team into the conference room. The logistics staff delivered coffee and quickly withdrew, closing the door behind them.
Jing Shun looked at the aromatic coffee but had no desire to taste it.
Chi Gui sat beside him and got straight to the point. “Who is Dong Qihao?”
The PR team leader vaguely sensed that Chi Gui was someone significant. She looked uncertainly at Yu Xiuzhu, and only after receiving his silent nod did she explain honestly:
“Dong Qihao originally debuted as a male idol. His group was active overseas. While their overall performance wasn’t top-tier in the industry, he personally gained attention for his looks several times, maintaining a relatively stable fan base.”
Last year, Dong Qihao terminated his contract with his original company and went solo, signing with another agency back in China.
He didn’t continue with stage performances domestically but shifted his focus to acting.
“Two months ago, the drama ‘The Tale of Hibiscus’ starring Dong Qihao aired. The investment and production were from Xiangjiang Television. It turned out to be a small hit to start the year, and he, as the male lead’s second, gained quite a few drama fans.”
The drama had just ended, and Dong Qihao’s fandom was at its most active. That’s why his fans had such strong attacking power against Jing Shun.
Jing Shun recalled the initial scoop and turned to Yu Xiuzhu for confirmation. “Brother Yu, what’s the real story about the observation room spot? I was told the originally scheduled artist couldn’t make it, so the production needed someone to fill in. How did it become me taking Dong Qihao’s spot?”
Yu Xiuzhu had anticipated this question. “Xiao Jing, listen to me—”
The moment he learned of the scoop, he had repeatedly verified it with Yu Yinhe.
“Dong Qihao was indeed one of the originally scheduled guests, recommended by Meng Zhide.”
“…”
Jing Shun’s mind flashed back to that brief, unpleasant encounter with Meng Zhide, and he frowned slightly.
“Sister Yin said that Dong Qihao and his agency initially cooperated well. The problem arose just before formal recording when ‘The Tale of Hibiscus’ started airing.”
Dong Qihao’s team rode the wave of the drama’s popularity and changed their attitude. They used scheduling conflicts as an excuse to delay signing the contract and tried to renegotiate for better variety resources.
In short, they looked down on the show’s core focus on workplace content, thinking the observation room guests had too little screen time.
“Sister Yin was very dissatisfied with Dong Qihao’s attitude. Seeing that cooperation was off the table, she approached me to ask if I had any suitable candidates.”
“Xiao Jing, even if I hadn’t recommended you back then, the production team would have found another artist.” Yu Xiuzhu said decisively. “Our contract with the show is legal and compliant. There was absolutely no misconduct.”
Jing Shun breathed a sigh of relief. “That’s good to know.”
Chi Gui understood the situation and speculated, “Is it possible that the anonymous post was Dong Qihao’s doing?”
Chen Yiming, who had been silently listening, was puzzled. “Does Mr. Jing know Dong Qihao? If there’s no past conflict, why would he target Mr. Jing specifically?”
The PR team leader, well-versed in the tricks of the entertainment industry, agreed. “It’s not impossible. The wave of public opinion in the early morning clearly had a team orchestrating it behind the scenes.”
Another team member added, “Dong Qihao just gained a batch of drama fans. He’s at a stage where he needs to stir sympathy to convert and solidify them. Plus, he has a quasi-first-tier magazine shoot this Sunday.”
Appropriate victimization would make fans feel sorry for him and more willing to fight for him.
“I suspect his team saw that Teacher Jing has no capital backing or active fan base.”
Compared to solid performers like Fu Changting, the C-position trainee Yami, or the capable singer Chun Hui, Jing Shun—who had no major works post-adulthood and had even been in relative obscurity—was the perfect stepping stone.
“As long as Dong Qihao doesn’t openly lead the charge, everything today can be dismissed as fan war, unconnected to him.”
“…”
Chen Yiming, an outsider to the industry, was speechless after hearing this. “This is a complete disaster. What should we do next?”
Jing Shun thought of the overly personal attacks on Weibo and looked down at his legs and the wheelchair underneath him, his long lashes hiding the shift in his expression.
If this had happened before his rebirth, it might have severely shaken him, possibly leaving him unable to recover.
But everything after rebirth was different—
He had a medical team to heal his legs, signed with a reliable agency, had friends who cared, loyal fans waiting for him, and that contract with Chi Gui as his support moving forward.
Now, he had the chance to stand up again—both his legs and his life!
Someone wanted to use him as a stepping stone? Dream on!
“Brother Yu.”
Jing Shun’s voice turned colder. “Since they’ve already splashed dirty water on us, we won’t just stand there and let them.”
Yu Xiuzhu saw his determined state and felt reassured. “Yes, we’ll clarify and fight back.”
He gave a look to the PR team leader, who immediately took the cue to analyze. “Currently, there are three main points of online discussion.”
“First, questioning Teacher Jing’s backdoor entry, maliciously taking Dong Qihao’s variety spot. Second, fabricating stories about Teacher Jing’s legs, accusing him of putting on a pity show.”
“Third, the most baseless one—”
The leader’s eyes flickered briefly over Chi Gui’s face. “Spreading rumors about Teacher Jing’s personal life.”
“…”
Chi Gui calmly picked up his coffee, the steam obscuring a fleeting sharpness in his brow.
Jing Shun spoke up. “Then let’s tackle them one by one.”
“The issue of stealing the variety spot is easy. Just openly disclose the contract content and timeline.” Yu Xiuzhu already had a preliminary plan. “Later, I’ll get in touch with Sister Yin again, aiming to have the production team help us clarify.”
A PR team member voiced concern. “President Yu, what if the production team chooses to stay out of it to protect themselves?”
The entertainment industry was always about sycophancy and leaving some leeway. If the production team helped Jing Shun clarify, they’d essentially expose Dong Qihao’s prior contract stalling and breach.
“It would be best if the production team helps. If not, no pressure.”
Jing Shun didn’t want to make things difficult for Yu Yinhe and came up with another idea. “If he can anonymously post about me ‘stealing’ his spot, why can’t we anonymously counter him?”
“…”
Fight fire with fire.
It seemed his emotions were truly unaffected now.
Chi Gui took a sip of coffee, hiding a smile.
Yu Xiuzhu also laughed. “Alright, we’ll do as you say.”
Jing Shun nodded and moved on to the second issue. “As for my legs…”
Chi Gui sensed his hesitation. “Jing Shun, don’t rush. Think it over carefully.”
“I know.”
Jing Shun turned to meet his eyes, both understanding what was at stake—
Laying bare physical pain to the public? Sometimes it’s not a good thing. It could invite more unnecessary prying and malice.
Jing Shun had never been one to play the victim. For so long, he had never publicly disclosed his physical condition on media or social platforms, always shielding his loyal fans from worry.
But suppressing his pain too much only let malicious people hurt him more!
Jing Shun took a deep breath and made his decision. “I’ll make a public statement. Some people go out of their way to fake suffering for sympathy. I, who actually got hurt, have no reason to hide it.”
Chi Gui didn’t oppose his decision, only instructed, “Yiming, contact Professor Song and have Jing Shun’s surgery records and all medical reports sent over. They can be used as evidence.”
Jing Shun looked at the calm, composed Chi Gui and relaxed again.
He thought of the most baseless third point. “As for unsubstantiated slander, we don’t need to fall into a trap of self-defense.”
Yu Xiuzhu agreed and instructed the PR team. “Take real-time screenshots and back up all slanderous marketing accounts and influential personal accounts. Trace their sources, and prepare legal letters to follow up.”
The team leader responded, “Already on it. We’ll proceed according to the plan just discussed?”
“Yes. Keep me updated on any new developments. We’ll aim to release the first clarification statement before 7.”
“Got it.”
The conference room door reopened, and the PR team filed out.
Jing Shun sat again, scrolling through Weibo comments. His initial anxiety was gone, but he felt something was missing.
Suddenly, his eyes landed on another malicious comment, and inspiration struck. “Brother Yu, there’s one more thing I need you to handle for me.”
“Tell me. What is it?”
…
Bang!
The car door closed automatically.
Chi Gui instructed the driver, “Old Zhang, first take Jing Shun to Professor Song’s place.”
Even if the online storm was raging, nothing mattered more than his health.
Jing Shun stared at the temporary PR group chat on his phone. Everyone was already busy, working tirelessly for him.
Thinking that this mess was all caused by Dong Qihao’s team, a fire of anger burned inside him.
Not enough!
Simply clearing his name and refuting the rumors wasn’t enough!
If he couldn’t make the one trying to climb over him pay, it would be too frustrating.
Jing Shun turned to Chi Gui, hesitated for two seconds, then spoke. “Chi Gui, I know you have a wide network. Can you secretly look into Dong Qihao and his agency?”
Chi Gui caught his intent. “You want to find out the capital behind them?”
Jing Shun nodded slightly, confessing in a low voice. “Mm. I just have a feeling someone is crying thief while shouting thief, and they even made up rumors about my private life…”
He thought of those baseless comments online and couldn’t help grumbling softly, “I’m like this now. What kind of indecent private life could I possibly have?”
Chi Gui heard his grumbling, amusement flickering in his eyes. “But netizens did get one thing right.”
“What?”
“They said you have capital behind you.”
“…”
Jing Shun couldn’t deny it. He looked at the “capital” himself. “So, Chairman Chi, can you help me look into it?”