As the largest anonymous entertainment forum in the country, Entertainment Insider had attracted the attention of fan communities across the industry since its creation. Quite a few industry insiders also lurked there, and countless pieces of entertainment-industry gossip were exposed every year.
On Wednesday evening, an anonymous post appeared on the forum’s homepage:
“Here’s a little scoop: One of the guests who recently gained popularity through Haishi TV’s variety show actually got their spot by pulling strings and taking another entertainer’s place. The capital backing them is no small matter. The popularity they gained after the show aired was all part of a pre-planned marketing campaign using paid accounts. They’re aiming for the mainstream popularity route, and so far, it looks pretty successful.”
The post did not name anyone, but it still sparked the curiosity of bored netizens looking for gossip.
“First row! Is it Haishi TV’s The Real Workplace? Are they talking about a workplace guest or an observation-panel guest?”
“Took another entertainer’s spot? Then it must be an observation-room guest. Who are the candidates?”
“Leave Fu Changting out of this. A three-time Best Actor winner isn’t taking the blame for this one~”
“And leave our Yami out of it too. She was an idol who came out of Haishi TV’s own audition program. It’s perfectly normal for her to appear on a variety show on the same network!”
“Feels pretty obvious. JS?”
“Jing Shun +1. I checked the official schedules previously released for the other guests. They all had filming schedules for a program on the same day. The only one whose schedule I couldn’t find anything about was Jing Shun.”
“Who was the entertainer whose spot got taken at the last minute? How tragic! They ran into someone who got resources through connections.”
The initial popularity of the gossip post was not particularly high. It was not until three hours later that a netizen followed the clues and worked out who it was referring to—
“Jing Shun took Dong Qihao’s spot, right? His studio’s previous schedule listed ‘variety show recording,’ and the recording date and location match those of Fu Changting and the others?”
Not long after this reply was posted, the anonymous gossip poster liked it, clearly confirming the guess.
Marketing accounts lurking on the forum immediately seized the opportunity. They reposted the gossip onto Weibo, directly naming Dong Qihao and Jing Shun, further expanding the reach of the incident.
In the early hours of Thursday morning, another gossip marketing account took the opportunity to post:
“My friend used to work on a film crew, and she said Jing Shun loved acting like a big shot on set. There was a rumor before that he was injured in a fall from a height while filming a movie, but actually, that never happened at all! It was nothing more than a farce he staged himself!”
“He simply had a conflict with the production team and didn’t want to continue filming, so he deliberately put on this whole act. Even the hot searches were a planned pity campaign, all to win the public’s sympathy!”
“Everyone really needs to stop putting him on a pedestal just because he started out as a child star! Jing Shun’s private life is pretty wild. Over the past two years, he’s had those kinds of relationships with quite a few investors and producers. He’s already forgotten his original aspirations and turned acting into something he just does for fun!”
“Dong Qihao has at least had a hit drama recently. This kid doesn’t have much capital behind him and is just a hard-working wage earner in the entertainment industry. What has Jing Shun done over the past two years? He’s been living off his old reputation through edited clips of his past film and television work. They’re not even in the same league! All I can say is, capital still rules the entertainment industry!”
The post was written with such convincing detail and was so inflammatory that it seemed as though the writer had personally witnessed Jing Shun’s true character in private.
His legs had never been injured at all? He had staged everything himself to gain popularity and sympathy?
He had gotten onto the variety show because he had latched onto a wealthy investor? And he had maliciously taken the place of an innocent entertainer?
Countless netizens who had come for the gossip were shocked. Dong Qihao’s fans, who had already been holding back their anger, swarmed Jing Shun’s Weibo.
— Resource hog, get lost!
— My childhood image of him has shattered into pieces [kneeling]
— I’m done. I sincerely hope you get hit by a car the next time you go out!
— I genuinely felt sorry for you before. Now that I think about it, I’d rather feel sorry for myself!
— @HaishiTV @This! Is the Real Workplace! @YuYinhe, you’d better come out and explain yourselves too! Why did you replace our Xiao Dong with an immoral entertainer like this?!
— As expected of a veteran entertainer who started out as a child star. An acting school graduate, indeed. He’s even brought his acting skills into real life? Impressive.
— I’ve seen plenty of shameless people, but this is the first time I’ve seen someone this shameless. A disability in both legs? You really had the nerve to fake that? Why don’t you just stay in bed for the rest of your life and never get up again? Why bother recording variety shows?!
Overnight, the internet was flooded with abuse.
Even when fans tried to explain things in Jing Shun’s comments, their voices were quickly drowned out.
“…”
Looking at the screen filled with almost vicious curses, Jing Shun felt as though he had once again sunk into those recurring nightmares. Even the rhythm of his breathing had become rapid.
Suddenly, the phone clenched in his palm was taken away.
“Stop looking.”
“Hm?”
Jing Shun looked over a beat too slowly, his eyes somewhat dim.
Chi Gui frowned and directly exited the Weibo page for him, turned off the phone screen, and only then returned it to his hand.
“You don’t need to take netizens’ words to heart. We’re here.”
They had received Yu Xiuzhu’s call at the dining table. After learning the cause and development of the incident, they had driven to Zhulin Entertainment.
At that moment, the car was parked in front of the company entrance.
Jing Shun took a deep breath, trying to suppress the tangled mess of emotions in his heart.
“Then I’ll go discuss a response with Brother Yu. You two can go ahead and get to work.”
“There’s nothing urgent at the group today.”
Chi Gui opened the door on his side, got out, and walked around to Jing Shun’s door.
“I’ll go in with you.”
Jing Shun froze.
Chi Gui did not urge him. He simply looked at him steadily and told him, “Jing Shun, you didn’t do anything wrong, so you don’t have to be afraid.”
“…”
That was right.
He had done nothing wrong.
What was there to worry about?
Looking at the face so close to him, Jing Shun inexplicably felt his mind settle.
“Mm. I know.”
…
Ten minutes later, Yu Xiuzhu led the entire PR team into the conference room. The staff brought in coffee, then quickly left and closed the door.
Jing Shun looked at the fragrant coffee, but he had no appetite for it.
Chi Gui was sitting right beside him. He got straight to the point.
“Who is Dong Qihao?”
The head of the PR team vaguely guessed that Chi Gui had a significant background. She looked uncertainly at Yu Xiuzhu. Only after he gave her a permissive glance did she honestly begin explaining.
“Dong Qihao originally debuted as a member of a boy group. The group was mainly active overseas. Although their results weren’t considered top-tier in the industry, he himself had gone viral several times for his looks, so he had a relatively stable fan base.”
Last year, Dong Qihao terminated his contract with his original company and went solo, signing with another agency after returning to China.
He did not continue working on stage in China. Instead, he shifted his focus to film and television.
“Two months ago, The Hibiscus Chronicle, in which Dong Qihao appeared, aired. The drama was invested in and produced by Xiangjiang TV. Its various results made it a minor hit at the start of the year, and as the second male lead, he gained quite a few drama fans along with it.”
The drama had just finished airing, so Dong Qihao’s fan community was at its most active. That was why his fans were showing such strong hostility toward Jing Shun.
Jing Shun remembered the original gossip post and asked Yu Xiuzhu to confirm it.
“Brother Yu, what exactly happened with the observation-room guest position? Didn’t you say the production team needed someone to fill in because the originally scheduled entertainer couldn’t make it?”
How had it become a matter of him taking Dong Qihao’s guest spot?
Yu Xiuzhu had already guessed that Jing Shun would ask this.
“Xiao Jing, listen to me—”
As soon as he had learned about the gossip, he had repeatedly confirmed the details with Yu Yinhe.
“Dong Qihao really was one of the originally scheduled guests. He was introduced by Meng Zhide’s side.”
“……”
A frown crept between Jing Shun’s brows as he recalled the brief but unpleasant interaction he had had with Meng Zhide that day.
“Sister Yin said that Dong Qihao and his agency had initially been fairly friendly and cooperative about the collaboration. The problem was that The Hibiscus Chronicle happened to air just before the program was officially scheduled to begin recording.”
Dong Qihao’s team had benefited from the drama’s popularity, and their attitude toward the collaboration had changed overnight. First, they held off on signing the contract under the pretext of scheduling conflicts. Then they tried every possible way to get the variety-show opportunity changed.
To put it bluntly, they felt that the program’s main focus was workplace content, and that the observation-room guests would have too little screen time. They simply did not think it was worth their while.
“Sister Yin was very unhappy with Dong Qihao’s attitude. Once it became clear that the collaboration was going nowhere, she approached me and asked if I knew anyone suitable.”
“Xiao Jing, even if I hadn’t recommended you at the time, the production team would have found another entertainer.” Yu Xiuzhu’s tone was firm. “Our contract with the production team is completely legal and compliant. There was absolutely no wrongdoing on our part.”
Jing Shun quietly breathed a sigh of relief. “That’s good.”
After hearing the whole story, Chi Gui asked in a low voice, “Is it possible that Dong Qihao was behind that anonymous post?”
Chen Yiming, who had been listening silently, was puzzled. “Mr. Jing and Dong Qihao don’t know each other, do they? If they’ve never had any previous conflict, why would he specifically target Mr. Jing?”
The head of the PR team was well aware of the various tactics used in the entertainment industry, and she made a similar guess.
“It’s not impossible. The wave of public opinion in the early hours was clearly being guided by a team behind the scenes.”
One of the team members added, “Dong Qihao has just gained a batch of drama fans, so he’s at the stage where he needs to turn them into loyal fans and solidify their support. He also has a new, nearly top-tier magazine cover coming out this Sunday.”
A little carefully managed self-pity could make fans feel sorry for him and become more willing to fight on his behalf.
“My guess is that his team saw that Teacher Jing has no powerful backers and no active fan community.”
Compared with Fu Changting, who had a solid track record; Yami, who had debuted as the center of a survival-show group; and Chunhui, who could be considered a singer with real ability, Jing Shun had no major hit works after becoming an adult and had even been out of the public eye for a long time. That made him the perfect stepping stone.
“As long as Dong Qihao’s side doesn’t openly guide the public opinion, everything today can be dismissed as a fan-community dispute, with no connection to him personally.”
“…”
Chen Yiming, an outsider to the entertainment industry, was speechless after hearing all this.
“This is practically an undeserved disaster. What should we do next?”
Jing Shun remembered the excessive personal attacks on Weibo. He lowered his eyes to his legs and the wheelchair beneath him, his long eyelashes concealing the changes in his expression.
If this had happened before his rebirth, his mental state might have been hit very hard. It might even have affected him so badly that he would have been unable to recover.
But everything was different after his rebirth—
He had a medical team capable of treating his legs, a reliable agency, friends who cared about him, fans who had always waited for and supported him, and, above all, that contract with Chi Gui as a source of support as he moved forward.
Both his legs and his life now had a chance to stand up again!
Someone wanted to use him as a stepping stone? They wanted to climb upward by trampling on him?
Dream on!
“Brother Yu.”
Jing Shun’s tone was colder when he spoke again.
“They’ve already poured dirty water on us. There’s no reason for us to just stand here and let them keep doing it.”
Seeing his state of mind, Yu Xiuzhu felt slightly reassured. “Yes. We definitely need to clarify the truth and fight back.”
As he spoke, he gave the head of the PR team a look. She immediately took over and began analyzing the situation.
“There are currently three main points of discussion in the online public opinion.”
“First, people are questioning whether Teacher Jing pulled strings to get into the show and maliciously took Dong Qihao’s variety-show opportunity. Second, they’re making up stories about Teacher Jing’s legs, spreading rumors that he staged the injury to gain sympathy.”
“The third point, and the one with the least basis—”
The team leader’s gaze briefly swept over Chi Gui’s face.
“Rumors that Teacher Jing’s private life is improper.”
“…”
Chi Gui lifted his coffee without changing expression. The steam blurred the flash of murderous intent that had passed between his brows.
Jing Shun spoke up. “Then let’s deal with them one by one.”
“The issue of taking the variety-show spot is easy to resolve. We can simply make the contract details and dates public.” Yu Xiuzhu had already worked out a preliminary plan. “I’ll contact Sister Yin’s side again later and try to get the production team to help us clarify things together.”
A member of the PR team voiced her concern. “President Yu, what if the production team chooses to protect itself and refuses to get involved?”
The entertainment industry had always been a place where people fawned over the powerful and looked down on the weak, while still leaving room for future relationships. If the production team stepped forward to clarify things for Jing Shun, it would mean publicly revealing that Dong Qihao had first stalled over the contract and then broken the agreement.
“It would be best if the production team could step forward and help clarify things, but if they’re unwilling, we won’t force them.”
Jing Shun did not want to put Yu Yinhe in a difficult position, and another idea occurred to him.
“If he can anonymously accuse me of ‘taking his spot and replacing him,’ then why can’t we counterattack him in the anonymous section?”
“…”
Using the enemy’s own tactics against them.
It seemed that his emotions really were no longer being affected.
Chi Gui took a sip of coffee, concealing the upward curve of his lips.
Yu Xiuzhu smiled along with him. “All right. We’ll do as you say.”
Jing Shun nodded and continued to the second issue.
“As for my legs…”
Chi Gui heard the hesitation in his voice.
“Jing Shun, there’s no rush. Think it through carefully yourself.”
“I know.”
Jing Shun turned his head to meet his gaze. They both understood what the other was thinking—
Was openly displaying the pain of a physical injury to the public necessarily a good thing? Sometimes it could instead bring more unwanted curiosity and malicious comments.
Jing Shun had never been the type to sell his suffering for sympathy.
For so long, he had never publicly revealed his physical condition to the media or on social platforms. Even with the longtime fans who genuinely supported him, he had always shared good news rather than bad.
Unfortunately, suppressing his pain too much would only encourage those with ulterior motives to hurt him!
Jing Shun took a deep breath and made his decision.
“I’ll explain it publicly. Some people can go to such lengths to play the victim when nothing has even happened to them. As someone who really did suffer an injury, I have even less reason to hide it.”
Chi Gui did not object to his decision. He simply instructed, “Yiming, contact Professor Song’s side and have them send over Jing Shun’s surgical records and all his medical examination reports. We can use them as evidence later.”
Jing Shun glanced at Chi Gui, who remained calm and composed, and gradually settled down as well.
He remembered the third accusation, the one with absolutely no basis.
“As for those baseless slanders without any evidence, we don’t need to get caught up in proving our innocence.”
Yu Xiuzhu felt the same way. He gestured to the PR team.
“Take screenshots and back up everything posted by the marketing accounts spreading rumors, as well as any private accounts with significant influence. Trace them back to the companies behind them. We’ll have the lawyers’ letters sent out at the same time.”
The team leader immediately responded, “We’re already working on it. Shall we start preparing according to what we just discussed?”
“Mm. Add anything else as it comes up. Let’s try to get the first clarification statement out before seven.”
“Understood.”
The conference room door opened again, and the PR team filed out one after another.
Jing Shun sat where he was once more, scrolling through the Weibo comments. The uneasiness he had felt at the beginning was gone, but he still felt as though something was missing.
Suddenly, his eyes landed on another malicious comment, and inspiration struck.
“Brother Yu, there’s one more thing I’d like to ask you to handle for me.”
“Tell me. What is it?”
…
Bang!
The car door closed automatically.
Chi Gui instructed the driver, “Old Zhang, take Jing Shun to Professor Song’s place first.”
No matter how much the internet was raging right now, his health was still more important.
Jing Shun stared at the temporary PR group chat on his phone. Everyone was already working at full speed, doing everything they could to help him.
The more he thought about how this whole mess had been caused by Dong Qihao’s team, the more an unnamed anger smoldered inside him.
Not enough!
Simply clarifying the truth and refuting the rumors was far from enough!
If the people who wanted to step on him to climb higher did not receive the punishment they deserved, that would be too frustrating.
Jing Shun looked at Chi Gui beside him. After hesitating for two seconds, he finally spoke.
“Chi Gui, I know you have a lot of connections. Could you help me quietly investigate Dong Qihao and his agency?”
Chi Gui understood what he was getting at.
“You want to find out who the capital behind them is?”
Jing Shun gave a small nod and admitted in a muffled voice, “Mm. I just have a feeling that someone is shouting ‘Stop thief!’ while being the thief themselves. They even made up rumors about my private life…”
Remembering the baseless comments online, he could not help muttering, “I’m already like this. What kind of improper private life could I possibly have?”
Chi Gui heard his speechless complaint, amusement hidden in his eyes.
“But the netizens got one thing right.”
“What?”
“They said you have capital backing you.”
“…”
Jing Shun had no way to refute that. He looked at the person who was the capital in question.
“So, Chairman Chi, can you help me investigate?”
It was the first time Chi Gui had heard Jing Shun address him that way. There was none of the respect or flattery he usually received from others, only a hint of playful teasing.
He let out a short laugh and instructed Chen Yiming in the front seat, “Did you hear that? Find out everything as soon as possible.”
Even if Jing Shun had not brought it up, Chi Gui had already intended to investigate the matter thoroughly.
Chen Yiming knew his boss’s tough methods and decisive style. He immediately agreed.
“Understood, sir. I guarantee I’ll investigate everything and leave no stone unturned for Mr. Jing.”
…
Haishi Banlan Club
A server handed a glass of champagne to Meng Zhide.
“Sir, please enjoy.”
Meng Zhide said nothing. He looked at the two people opposite him with a smile that did not reach his eyes—
Dong Qihao, who had been enjoying a great deal of attention lately, and his agent, Sun Yan.
Sun Yan met his gaze and raised a hand in invitation.
“Teacher Meng, this wine was only brought back from overseas by our Xiao Dong a couple of days ago. He’s been waiting to invite you over to have a taste together.”
A bottle of imported liquor worth over a hundred thousand yuan. They had certainly spent a lot.
Meng Zhide picked up his champagne, his words carrying a hidden meaning.
“Oh, looks like Qihao has been doing pretty well lately. I mean, being an actor in China must make more money than being some little overseas idol, right?”
Dong Qihao caught the implication, and a hint of embarrassment and irritation flickered between his brows.
But remembering his agent’s instructions from earlier, he forced the corners of his mouth upward.
“Just a small-time actor, Teacher Meng. You’re joking.”
Sun Yan was equally shrewd. He immediately understood what Meng Zhide was trying to warn them about.
He raised his glass and said, “Brother Meng, we were in the wrong for backing out on the production team before. We really couldn’t work around the schedule, and we wasted your kind invitation. Here, I’ll punish myself with a drink first.”
“…”
Meng Zhide leaned back against the sofa and narrowed his eyes.
“Old Yan, let’s not pretend we don’t know what’s going on. The public-opinion mess online right now was your team’s doing, wasn’t it?”
“I just don’t understand. When I sent you the collaboration invitation before, you agreed readily enough. Then you suddenly changed your mind and nearly stood up the entire production team.”
Because of that, he had been unable to hold his head up in front of that old woman Yu Yinhe. Just thinking about it still made him furious!
“Now that Jing Shun has taken the spot, and the show is gaining popularity after airing, you’re unwilling again?”
Meng Zhide took a sip of champagne and asked pointedly, “What? You want to come back and participate in the show? You finally know to beg me?”
Dong Qihao’s expression immediately darkened at the questioning.
Who wanted to go back and record the show? And be a peripheral observation-panel guest? Dream on!
That Jing Shun was some small-time actor who had appeared out of nowhere. He seemed to be a cripple too, only able to pick up the scraps he did not want!
If he had gone on that variety show himself, the popularity would definitely have been even higher.
Sun Yan knew his artist’s spoiled, “my fate is greater than the heavens” temperament all too well. He secretly slapped Dong Qihao’s thigh under the table, signaling him to keep quiet, then spoke in an even softer tone.
“Brother Meng, nothing like that.”
“The opportunity has already fallen into someone else’s hands. How could we possibly take it back?”
The entertainment industry had always been cruel. Popularity was the foundation of everything.
After gaining fans, didn’t every artist have to think of ways to make those fans feel sorry for them and solidify their loyalty? That was how they stimulated fan communities to spend money.
This time, they had indeed used Jing Shun. But who could blame them when he had happened to appear at exactly the right moment for what they needed?
Besides, as long as Dong Qihao did not speak out publicly, no one could catch them red-handed. If anyone was to blame, it would have to be the anonymous gossip poster and the fan-community dispute.
Hiding his true intentions, Sun Yan smiled and said, “We invited you here today for two reasons: first, to apologize, and second, to discuss a new collaboration.”
Meng Zhide caught the key phrase. “A new collaboration?”
Sun Yan said, “I heard that Haishi’s variety show The Dreamwalker is about to start selecting guests for its fourth season. And the production team is going to undergo a major reshuffle?”
A hint of shrewdness appeared in Meng Zhide’s eyes behind his glasses. “You’re pretty well-informed.”
Haishi’s The Dreamwalker had always been a hit variety show, and the popularity of its third season had reached the highest level among all online streaming platforms last year!
During its broadcast, the resident guests’ popularity had steadily soared. They had even gained more fans than the cast of an ordinary television drama!
The show had a powerful audience base. Even before the fourth season had begun, countless entertainment agencies had already been making inquiries, hoping to get a share of the benefits later on!
A while ago, the chief director of the first three seasons had fallen ill and taken an extended leave of absence.
From what the station had indicated, the fourth season would replace the chief director and continue filming. They had to maintain the show’s momentum of releasing one season every year.
Meng Zhide was interested in competing for the position, but he was worried that the station’s higher-ups might choose Yu Yinhe or someone else instead.
Sun Yan exchanged a glance with Dong Qihao, then held up a finger gesture.
“Brother Meng, we’ll bring this much ourselves. Could you have a good talk with the station?”
“When you become the person in charge of the fourth season, just save a resident guest spot for our Xiao Dong. How does that sound?”
Meng Zhide’s gaze paused for a moment as he concealed his surprise. “You can really come up with that amount? You want me to negotiate with the station?”
Dong Qihao had been back in the country for less than a year. Where had he gotten so much money?
The Huánhua Film and Television company behind him was merely an average, respectable company, wasn’t it? Would they really spend that much money to support him?
Dong Qihao noticed the change in Meng Zhide’s attitude and spoke up.
“Teacher Meng, you don’t need to ask about that. You can be the chief director, and I’ll be the resident guest. As long as you guarantee that I get enough screen time after the show airs, that’s all that matters.”
Meng Zhide felt rather displeased by his arrogant tone.
But for the sake of the money, he still forced himself to endure it.
“Fine. I’ll think it over. I’ll give you an answer in a couple of days.”
Sun Yan raised his glass. “Brother Meng, come, let me toast you again.”
“Mm.”
After nearly two hours of chatting, Meng Zhide finally left the private room with alcohol on his breath.
Watching the door close, Dong Qihao let out an undisguised scoff.
“He’s nothing but a muddleheaded bastard who only sees money. What’s he putting on airs for?”
As he spoke, he took a cigarette and lighter from his pocket, lit it, and drew in a deep breath.
Sun Yan had long since witnessed his arrogant and rude behavior in private. He stood up and moved away from the smoke.
“Put it out. Who smokes indoors?”
“What’s there to be afraid of? The curtains are closed.”
Dong Qihao took another deep drag and even blew out a smoke ring.
“Isn’t it because you insisted on inviting someone out for drinks to discuss a collaboration? We wasted more than an hour, and it made my smoking habit flare up.”
“Brother Sun, I just don’t understand. Haishi TV has more than just Meng Zhide among its program directors and producers. I already have all this investment money in hand. Why would I still have trouble getting a resident guest spot?”
“What do you know? How many years has Meng Zhide struggled his way through Haishi TV? He’s an old fox.”
“Although his abilities aren’t anything special, he’s exceptionally good at catering to the higher-ups and lining his own pockets.”
When discussing a collaboration, things were always easier when there were mutual interests.
“Fine. You handle it.”
Dong Qihao casually flicked away some ash, then remembered another matter.
“The magazine preorders open this Sunday. Remember to have the team step in and guide the fandom again. Take advantage of this wave of public opinion to play the victim and urge fans to spend more money.”
Everyone said that magazine sales were the ultimate test of an actor’s popularity. He didn’t want to embarrass himself and become the target of ridicule from his rivals!
Sun Yan swirled his wineglass. “Mm. I’ve already given the orders.”
All one could say was that Jing Shun had brought this misfortune upon himself. He had happened to pick up the opportunity they didn’t want, so for now, he could only become one of the stepping stones helping them rise.
With the team secretly guiding them, Dong Qihao’s fans seemed to have found themselves a “group activity” venue—
Not only did they swarm Jing Shun’s Weibo comment section, but they also rushed to the front lines beneath the posts of various entertainment marketing accounts to control the comments. While accusing Jing Shun of leading netizens into gossiping, they didn’t forget to play the victim on behalf of their idol and promote the magazine that was about to go on sale.
After fermenting throughout the day, the related topic #Dong Qihao . Jing Shun# climbed higher and higher on the entertainment hot-search rankings.
Just when the gossiping netizens thought Jing Shun was about to be “beaten into submission,” at six in the evening, Jing Shun, one of the parties involved in the controversy, finally posted on Weibo.
@Jing Shun JS: First of all, I would like to thank all my fans, netizens, and friends in the media for your concern.
I was involved in an accident on set at the end of November last year. The fall from a height caused damage to my lumbar spine. During this period, I have indeed needed to rely on a wheelchair for mobility, and I am currently cooperating with my medical team and undergoing surgical treatment.
I began filming television and film productions at the age of four. I am grateful for everyone’s love and support over the years. I hope that one day I will be able to stand in front of the camera again and truly repay everyone’s affection. Thank you.
Attached to the Weibo post was an eighteen-photo grid—
All the diagnostic reports had been arranged chronologically and displayed before everyone’s eyes, with personal information redacted. Every one of them bore the hospital’s official seal and the signature of the attending physician.
There was also the surgical consent form Jing Shun had signed.
Jing Shun had never intended to use his injuries as a staged publicity stunt. Everything he had provided was solid evidence. As soon as the post was published, comments from fans and netizens flooded in.
—Oh my god, he finally said it publicly. Jing Bao, you have to hang in there! Get better!
—The medical assessment reports are written clearly enough. To those who said he was pretending to use a wheelchair for publicity—do you people have no hearts?
—I was only here to watch the gossip, but now I genuinely feel sorry for him. What kind of situation must he have been pushed into before he would make his injuries and disability public?
—My heart goes out to him too. The comments under the previous post were far too vicious.
—Stop changing the subject, will you? Why aren’t you explaining the matter of pulling strings to steal someone else’s resources?
—Who knows whether these diagnostic reports are fake? Didn’t they say he fell from a wire rig? Where’s the video?
—The kid hid this for four or five months and refused to speak publicly. He has always reported good news and kept bad news to himself. Old fans have been worried sick ever since the accident on set. Fans of certain people, don’t spread rumors too far! Do you really think Jing Shun has no real fans?
Where there were fans and netizens feeling sorry for Jing Shun, there were also Dong Qihao’s fans continuing to raise malicious doubts.
In the fierce back-and-forth battle, Zhulin Entertainment’s official account also made a move:
“Today, our artist Mr. Jing Shun was subjected to online rumors, defamation, and verbal attacks from certain netizens. This has seriously affected the artist’s reputation and physical and mental well-being. Our company has collected all relevant evidence and will subsequently issue an appropriate statement and pursue legal responsibility one by one!”
“Secondly, regarding the serious negligence and infringement committed by the production team of @Film Counterattack, Mr. Jing Shun has fully authorized our company’s cooperating legal department to handle the matter going forward!”
In addition to this concise written statement, Zhulin Entertainment’s official account also released a video from the day of the accident!
In the video, Jing Shun was suspended four or five meters above the ground by a wire rig. To match the film’s plot, he stepped forward and leaped with all his strength toward the building on the opposite side. However, he had not expected the wire that had originally been pulled taut to suddenly loosen at high speed!
Caught completely off guard, Jing Shun lost his balance. He first slammed into the building’s wall before falling straight to the ground!
Amid the terrified cries of everyone on set, the camera shook for two seconds before the person filming hurriedly pressed the stop button.
After netizens confirmed the video’s authenticity, the internet erupted once again.
—Holy shit! There were some blurry videos and photos during the previous hot search, but this full long shot released by the company is terrifying!
—This counts as a pretty serious accident on an entertainment industry film set, right? Why was there so little news about it at the time?
—Speaking from a secondary account: Jing Shun lost consciousness immediately after falling from that height. There was a lot of blood coming from his head. The production team was terrified that someone might die, so they blocked the news right away and even ordered the staff present to delete the videos and photos from their albums. Later, after confirming that his life was no longer in danger, they deliberately downplayed the incident in their statement.
—Jing Shun hadn’t signed with an agency at the time? Even though he was a child star, he wasn’t very influential. He must have been bullied by the film’s investors, right?
—I happened to be on emergency duty when Jing Shun was brought in for resuscitation. He even stayed in the ICU for several days afterward. I really don’t understand how anyone could say he was using something like this as a publicity stunt.
—I ran into him at the hospital at the end of last year and took a photo to send to a friend. I even wondered how such a handsome young man had ended up in a wheelchair. Only now have I realized that it was Jing Shun. [Photo]
More and more netizens began speaking up, providing supporting evidence one after another.
Seeing signs that public opinion was beginning to tip in the opposite direction, the head of the public relations team secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
“Thank goodness President Yu stepped in and obtained the accident video from the original production team. Once this move was made, all those accusations claiming the reports were fake disappeared.”
A team member chimed in, “Of course they did. Anyone would know that falling from that height could kill you! Who would go this far just for a publicity stunt?”
This video was obtained by Jing Shun after he asked Yu Xiuzhu to request it from the production team in the company’s name!
In recent years, more and more entertainers in the industry had taken to playing the victim, using all kinds of methods to stir up their fans’ sympathy. Even the slightest flesh wound had to be labeled as a sign of “professionalism.”
After this tactic was used too often, ordinary passersby and netizens would barely give it a second glance. It could even provoke resentment.
Jing Shun had anticipated that if he only provided his hospital diagnostic records, people would definitely suspect that they had been forged. Since he had decided to reveal his condition and gain the advantage of public sympathy, he had to provide enough evidence!
Didn’t they want solid video proof? Then they could open their eyes and take a good look!
Although Jing Shun had not appeared in many film and television productions in recent years, he had played quite a few memorable roles as a child. In the eyes of the public, he still benefited from a certain childhood filter.
As the video and statement spread, many netizens’ sympathy for him grew even stronger:
“Please, this is a child I watched grow up! With Jing Shun’s innocent-looking face, does he really look like someone who could steal other people’s resources? It’s more likely that other people would steal his!”
“Anyone who knows even a little about it will know how terribly Jing Shun’s resources have suffered over the years. His last self-directed and self-acted art film nearly couldn’t even secure investment!”
“Please, can you stop spreading rumors about this kid? He’s already pitiful enough!”
He had suffered such a serious injury last year, yet he had kept it hidden and refused to expose it. Only when faced with overwhelming malicious slander had he finally released evidence to prove his innocence?
This wasn’t playing the victim!
This was a well-behaved child whom nobody cared for!
…
Inside a private lounge, Jing Shun lowered his head and refreshed the netizens’ real-time comments.
Suddenly, a steaming cup of jasmine tea was held out in front of him.
“Take a break first?”
Jing Shun looked up at Chi Gui, who had suddenly appeared before him, and at the jasmine tea he had specially brewed into a thermos for him. He was surprised.
“…When did you get here?”
Chi Gui sat down beside him.
“Just now. You were too focused on refreshing Weibo.”
Jing Shun accepted the thermos. The tea was at just the right temperature when it entered his mouth, and he smiled.
“Thank you.”
The steam moistened his peach-blossom eyes, making them sparkle. The gloom and fatigue within them had been washed away, making his entire expression appear brighter and more lively.
Chi Gui’s gaze lingered on his face.
“Jing Shun…”
Suddenly, the lounge door was pushed open. Yu Xiuzhu entered, inadvertently interrupting the two men’s private moment.
A rare trace of irritation flashed across Chi Gui’s face, and he shifted his gaze away.
Meeting Chi Gui’s faintly murderous stare, Yu Xiuzhu froze for two seconds.
“Chairman Chi, you’re here too.”
Chi Gui composed his expression and gave a slight nod.
Jing Shun was still holding the thermos.
“Brother Yu, what’s up?”
Yu Xiuzhu came back to his senses.
“Oh, Fu Changting just reposted your Weibo post and spoke up for you. Do you want to respond appropriately?”
“Huh?”
Upon hearing this, Jing Shun hurriedly put down the cup and picked up his phone.
“Let me see.”
This was beyond their expectations.
After all, in all the years since Fu Changting’s debut, he had always known how to protect himself amid various controversies in the entertainment industry. He had never so openly “taken a side” in support of someone.
Yu Xiuzhu added, “This is great. Fu Changting has publicly stepped forward to speak for you, and his fans are supporting you as well. Public opinion is now completely on our side.”
“…”
When Chi Gui heard the particularly memorable name “Fu Changting,” he immediately felt a subtle sense of displeasure.
He looked at Jing Shun, who was checking his phone, and blurted out, “By the way, I’ve also made some progress on what you asked me to investigate.”
Jing Shun’s attention instantly returned to him.
“That quickly?”
Chi Gui met his gaze and raised his chin slightly.
“Mm. I can cooperate with you and make a move at any time.”
Yu Xiuzhu was completely confused.
“What are you talking about?”
Jing Shun did not rush to explain. Instead, he first checked the time on his phone.
Eight in the evening—the peak period for online traffic.
Jing Shun seized the opportunity.
“Brother Yu, it’s about time. Have the public relations team begin the next step.”
Some entertainers and their teams had been hiding behind the scenes, secretly throwing dirt at others, thinking that as long as they didn’t show their faces, everything would be fine? That they could simply pretend nothing had happened?
They were dreaming!
Now, it was time to return that dirty water to them!