After Being Scummed – Chapter 75

by Little Panda

Pouting Angrily

People’s curiosity is always vigorous. In the past, Yin Bai relied on money and other methods to successfully hide her relationship with Xiao Nian.

In this circle, she had enough resources to ensure that others would not risk offending her to expose things she did not want people to know. But even a “Huang Silang”¹ couldn’t cover the sky with one hand², especially in this era of rapidly developing self-media³; it was even more impossible for her to completely shut everyone’s mouths.

Offending Yin Bai carried risks, but it didn’t mean she absolutely could not be offended. Especially under the inducement of benefits, speaking some so-called truths was a piece of cake for some money-grubbing ghosts who “get paid to do things.”

There was a very famous Big V⁴ who was notoriously greedy. When the entire internet was speculating about who Xiao Nian’s gold master was, this person jumped out and began to talk glibly about Xiao Nian’s affairs.

“Is someone finally daring to talk about Xiao Nian being kept? In her early years, when her team was constantly marketing her rich young lady, garden rose persona⁵, I actually wanted to roast her for being a bankrupt young lady at best.”

“But she’s so pitiful. Only twenty-two years old, her family’s fortunes declined⁶, paying off her father’s debts all by herself, and she was even kept by a gold master who could cover the sky with one hand.”

“That gold master also has a very bad temper. I heard from someone that in her early years on set, Xiao Nian often had injuries…”

“But now, Xiao Nian’s bitterness has ended and sweetness has come⁷. Her wife is a famous director from a scholarly family⁸. Compared to the nouveau riche⁹ gold master, she knows better how to dote on people, and doesn’t even mind her past…”

This Big V embellished¹⁰ a wave of commentary, harping on and on about how miserable the old Xiao Nian was. The more miserable Xiao Nian’s image, the more painful her wounds, the more her fans and the passersby¹¹ would cherish her.

What was even more moving was that back then, Xiao Nian had sold herself to the gold master to pay back everyone’s money. This comparison made her seem incredibly inspirational.

In addition, over the past ten years, Xiao Nian had been conscientious and her output was very good, often going into battle with injuries—although these injuries were now mostly believed to be caused by the gold master, one couldn’t deny Xiao Nian’s past efforts.

A talented and hardworking actress who went down the wrong path due to a lack of money, surviving with difficulty for several years under a wicked capitalist, wasn’t it lamentable?

So that invisible “gold master,” was cursed one hundred thousand and eight thousand¹² times online.

Yin Bai, who was eating melon and came across this Weibo post, was so angry her lungs were about to explode. What did they mean she was a disgusting, perverted gold master? Although she was a bit domineering, she was very tender in bed, okay!

In the early years, Xiao Nian was always getting hurt, but those were all from filming on wires¹³! And Xiao Nian had skin that bruised very easily, so don’t pin every injury on her head!

And where did this righteous indignation of yours come from? Are you trying to “overthrow the local tyrants and divide up the land¹⁴“? Please, she was a very law-abiding good citizen who had made many contributions to government agencies and the people’s livelihood!

And she was preparing to donate her assets to a biological research institute after her death to explore the mysteries of life.

Damn it, she was clearly such a good citizen, why were these people shouting to beat and kill her for things she had done in the past?

Yin Bai secretly gnashed her teeth for a while. Later, on second thought, these people didn’t actually know who she was; they were just cursing Xiao Nian’s former gold master, so she couldn’t be bothered to deal with them.

What did Xiao Nian’s former gold master have to do with her, Yin Bai?

So after taking a deep breath, Yin Bai acted as if nothing had happened.

As a result, not long after she finished eating this melon, a post appeared on a certain forum.

“Xiao Nian’s former gold master? Come in and see.”

“This gold master is a very famous female big shot in the circle. There’s a rumor in the circle that any movie she takes a fancy to is guaranteed to be a hit.” No, this is just the wealth-scattering boy attendant¹⁵ investing, and a small portion will even lose its entire investment¹⁶, all based on personal preference.

“After separating from Xiao Nian, she quickly got together with Xiao Nian’s mortal enemy. As everyone knows, Xiao Nian and a certain actress have been rivals at major awards for years, often dissing each other. Their fans fight to the death. They are a very famous pair of hair-pulling mortal enemies.”

“To get revenge on Xiao Nian, the big shot got together with the actress.”

“Perhaps the actress had just divorced her ex-husband at that time and needed money, so she entrusted herself to her.”

“That actress has been marketing a cool and aloof white narcissus¹⁷ persona for years, but who really knows what she’s like in private. She also has no scandals, probably because someone has always been protecting her in the circle… The directors she has worked with are all very formidable… She used to rely on her husband, and rely on many people to win awards…”

“Also, her husband used drugs before. As the person sharing his pillow for so many years, could she really not have known? Maybe she takes them herself…”

Within this post, many blurry photos were also PO’d¹⁸ of Yin Bai forcibly taking Xiao Nian away in the early years, looking at Xiao Nian with a gloomy face, seemingly to confirm her identity as a pervert.

Besides Yin Bai and Xiao Nian, there was also a lot of fabricated negative material about Zuo Jingyou. Among them was a photo of Zuo Jingyou from a period when she played a neurotic character, looking very haggard, which the other party labeled with the name “Zuo Jingyou after taking drugs.”

When the public relations team called Yin Bai late at night to tell her about this matter, Yin Bai exploded on the spot.

Holding her phone, she said to the PR person: “Call the police! I want to sue them for defamation! Regarding Teacher Zuo’s matters, can these people possibly know more clearly than I do?”

“Investigate this clearly for me, which turtle egg¹⁹ is messing with me like this! I haven’t gone bankrupt yet!”

Yin Bai was furious, tapping her cane on the floor with a thump-thump sound. After hanging up on the PR call, Yin Bai called Jin Xiangyu. Her first sentence was: “Assistant Jin, am I about to go bankrupt?”

Jin Xiangyu was so stumped by this question that she couldn’t touch her head²⁰. She replied, somewhat amused: “BOSS, what are you thinking? You’re not in finance, and most of your assets are in real industries. Unless your house is raided and assets confiscated²¹, how could you go bankrupt?”

Their company’s business was all above board, okay.

Yin Bai frowned and said, pouting angrily: “Since I’m not bankrupt, then why have so many people been coming to touch my bad luck²² lately?”

“Touch your bad luck?”

The more Yin Bai thought about it, the angrier she got, and she rattled on to Jin Xiangyu about the matter.

Jin Xiangyu thought for a moment, then said with a frown: “Logically speaking, although you’re a bit willful, you don’t go around stirring up trouble. But these recent events are clearly meant to disgust Xiao Nian, disgust you, and disgust Teacher Zuo… Oh, I misspoke, they are all aimed at you.”

“It’s obviously targeting you. Think about it, have you provoked some psycho recently?”

Yin Bai tapped her cane thump-thump-thump: “Where would I have provoked a psycho?”

Speaking to this point, Yin Bai paused, then said with a sudden realization: “Oh… I know, I’m probably just offending Tai Sui²³ recently. Do you remember that Starlight Entertainment and the father of those three dog sons²⁴? It must be them!”

“Have someone investigate this group of people, and also check if they have evaded taxes or committed crimes²⁵. I don’t want to be a good person anymore. Whether it’s them or not, I want this bunch of bastards in prison to reunite with their sons for the New Year!”

Damn it, she was not going to be forgiving where one can be forgiving²⁶ or smooth things over²⁷. Her reputation was extremely important!

And Teacher Zuo’s reputation was a hundred times more important than hers!

The next morning, Yin Bai had her legal team send a pile of lawyer’s letters to everyone who had spread rumors. As a result, these letters were exposed by the owner of the post, and coupled with the rather extreme reactions from netizens, everyone began to think that Yin Bai was trying to cover the sky with one hand again.

Perhaps in their eyes, Yin Bai was already an evil dragon harming innocent women everywhere. The more genuine the feelings they had when they shipped the Yin Bai and Zuo Jingyou CP, the more severe the backlash²⁸ was now that Yin Bai’s “persona had collapsed.”

Just as some CP fans said, this CP they were shipping, was all the two actresses’ blood sugar²⁹!

Capitalists, damn them!

Yin Bai was furious. When the PR team told her not to act so hastily, Yin Bai got angry and cursed over the phone: “Oh, what’s wrong with me telling the truth? Do I have to consider the right time, place, and people³⁰ to sue them? I don’t care what other people think, I am going to sue!”

After Yin Bai finished speaking, she continued to have her subordinates send out lawyer’s letters.

Why should she be the one to have dirty water thrown on her? Why should she be the one to swallow her anger and say nothing!

This move by Yin Bai greatly stimulated the netizens, causing people to curse her every other day. Even in her dreams, she would often be startled awake amidst a torrent of curses.

Cursing her as disgusting, a little cripple, a toad wanting to eat swan meat³¹… In short, all sorts of nasty words were said, causing Yin Bai to start developing snake spirit neurasthenia³².

Having walked a long road through many storms over the years, Zuo Jingyou naturally knew how powerful the destructive force of malicious words from strangers could be. She wanted to persuade Yin Bai not to care, but Yin Bai couldn’t not care. So she had no choice but to confiscate Yin Bai’s electronic devices, telling her not to look at netizen comments for the time being.

When her phone was taken away, Yin Bai said reluctantly: “I don’t want to. Why is it that they can curse, but I can’t look and can’t fight back?”

Zuo Jingyou sighed and said to her in a gentle voice: “Because once they’ve said it, they’ve said it. They don’t care what they are saying, nor do they care what kind of harm these comments will cause others.”

“No, to be precise, they actually do know. They just want to hurt you, using words as weapons, trying to pretend to be righteous and good people as they righteously crusade against you, the evil dragon, so that you will never dare to do similar things again.”

“They don’t know what you are like, what your true nature is. They just take the content they see and use it to imagine a series of truths, using their shallowness to analyze you, to stop you… Or perhaps, like crusading against an evil dragon, to vent their own malice…”

“Yin Bai, you need to let them see what they want to see, only then will they believe you. Otherwise, your identity and position are at a natural disadvantage. Whatever you do, they will think it’s wrong.”

Yin Bai also understood this in her heart, but she was still indignant: “But why, why? Anyway, after the court’s judgment comes out, they will know that these people were just spreading rumors!”

Zuo Jingyou sighed and said to Yin Bai: “It’s not like that, Yin Bai. Some people don’t care about the law, they only care about the drama. Instead of suing them, it would be better to make a clarification announcement.”

“Teacher Xiao Nian’s side contacted me and said they want to issue an announcement. She asked me to ask you if you would be willing to beautify that relationship a little and cooperate with her for a win-win.”

Yin Bai frowned and asked Zuo Jingyou: “What does that mean? What is she trying to beautify? I kept her, that’s a fact. I can bear the consequences of being cursed for it.”

Zuo Jingyou reached out, stroked her head, and said with a sigh: “But I don’t want to… I can’t bear it… Even if you two started in such a way, weren’t there also beautiful moments in the process?”

“This is a matter between the two of you, by mutual consent. Why should you be unilaterally cursed by people?”

Even if Yin Bai did wrong at the beginning, she still shouldn’t have to suffer such treatment. Because as early as when Xiao Nian left her, Yin Bai had already tasted her retribution.

LP: Unfortunately, this happens in real life all the time

Re-translated on August 13, 2025

Footnotes

黄四郎 | Huáng Sìláng | The main antagonist from the 2010 Chinese film “Let the Bullets Fly” (让子弹飞). He is a wealthy and powerful local tyrant who completely controls his territory, making the reference to him synonymous with someone who is overwhelmingly powerful and can “cover the sky with one hand” in their domain.
一手遮天 | yī shǒu zhē tiān | Literally “to cover the sky with one hand.” | A chengyu (four-character idiom) meaning to hide the truth from the masses, to deceive everyone, or to exercise tyrannical power.
自媒体 | zì méi tǐ | Literally “self-media.” | A term for independent, new media platforms, especially social media accounts, blogs, and content creators who are not part of traditional media organizations. It refers to the era of citizen journalism and influential online personalities.
大V | dà V | Literally “Big V.” | A term used in Chinese social media, particularly on platforms like Weibo, to refer to verified accounts with a large number of followers. The “V” stands for “verified.” These accounts are often influential opinion leaders.
人设 | rén shè | Short for 人物设定 (rénwù shèdìng), meaning “character setting” or “character design.” | In the context of celebrities and public figures, it refers to the public image or persona that is carefully crafted for them, such as “rich heiress” or “innocent girl.”
家道中落 | jiā dào zhōng luò | Literally “the family way falls in the middle.” | An idiom meaning for a prosperous family to decline and fall into poverty.
苦尽甘来 | kǔ jìn gān lái | Literally “bitterness ends, sweetness comes.” | A chengyu (four-character idiom) meaning that a period of suffering has ended and a time of happiness has begun; light at the end of the tunnel.
书香门第 | shū xiāng mén dì | Literally “a family gate of scholarly fragrance.” | An idiom describing a family of scholars or intellectuals with a long and respected tradition of learning and high culture.
暴发户 | bào fā hù | Literally “sudden-explosive household.” | A pejorative term for “nouveau riche,” someone who has acquired wealth very quickly and is perceived as lacking the taste, culture, and social grace of old money.
添油加醋 | tiān yóu jiā cù | Literally “to add oil and vinegar.” | A chengyu (four-character idiom) meaning to add details to a story to make it more interesting, to embellish, or to exaggerate.
路人 | lù rén | Literally “passerby.” | In internet and fan culture, this term refers to the general public or casual observers who are not dedicated fans of a particular celebrity.
十万八万 | shí wàn bā wàn | Literally “one hundred thousand, eight thousand.” | A colloquial expression used to signify a very large, uncountable number, similar to saying “tons” or “a gazillion” in English. It emphasizes the sheer volume of curses.
威亚 | wēi yà | A transliteration of the English word “wire.” | Refers to the wire-harness systems used in filmmaking for stunts, allowing actors to “fly” or perform complex movements.
打倒土豪分田地 | dǎ dǎo tǔ háo fēn tián dì | Literally “Overthrow the local tyrants and divide up the land.” | A famous political slogan used by the Communist Party of China during the Chinese Civil War. It refers to land reform by taking land from wealthy landlords and redistributing it to the peasants. It’s used here to describe a revolutionary fervor against the wealthy.
散财童子 | sàn cái tóng zǐ | Literally “wealth-scattering boy attendant.” | A humorous term for someone who spends or invests money freely and often foolishly, as if they are scattering it away. It’s a reference to Sudhana (善财童子), a figure in Buddhism, but used here with a different, more literal meaning.
血本无归 | xuè běn wú guī | Literally “blood capital, no return.” | An idiom meaning to lose one’s entire investment. The “blood” (血) in “blood capital” (血本) refers to money earned through hard work and toil (i.e., “blood, sweat, and tears”), emphasizing the severity of the loss.
白水仙 | bái shuǐ xiān | Literally “white water immortal” or “white narcissus.” | The narcissus flower in Chinese culture is a symbol of good fortune and prosperity, but can also represent elegance, purity, and cool detachment. A “white narcissus” persona suggests someone who presents themselves as pure, refined, and aloof, possibly with an air of self-admiration.
PO | PO | A common internet slang term in Chinese-speaking regions, derived from the English word “post.” It is used as a verb meaning to post something online, e.g., “PO a photo” or “PO an article.” It is pronounced as the individual letters, “P-O.”
王八蛋 | wáng bā dàn | Literally “turtle egg.” | One of the most common and severe insults in Chinese. It is equivalent to “bastard,” “son of a bitch,” or “asshole.” The term’s origin is debated, but it’s linked to the belief that turtles were promiscuous, and thus a “turtle’s egg” implies a child of unknown paternity. It is a deeply offensive term.
摸不着头脑 | mō bu zháo tóu nǎo | Literally “unable to touch the head.” | An idiom meaning to be baffled, confused, or unable to make heads or tails of a situation. The literal translation is preserved here as per the guidelines.
抄家 | chāo jiā | Literally “to raid a house.” | A term for the official act of raiding a person’s home and confiscating all their property. This was a common form of punishment in imperial China, often inflicted upon disgraced officials or wealthy families who had fallen out of favor with the emperor. It implies total financial ruin and social disgrace.
触我霉头 | chù wǒ méi tóu | Literally “touch my bad luck.” | A colloquial expression meaning to bring bad luck to someone or to provoke someone who is already in a bad mood or having a bad time, thus asking for trouble.
犯太岁 | fàn tài suì | Literally “to offend the Grand Duke of Jupiter.” | In Chinese astrology and folk belief, Tai Sui (太岁) is a deity who presides over the year. Each year corresponds to a different Tai Sui. If one’s Chinese zodiac sign “clashes” with the year’s Tai Sui, it is believed they will have a year of bad luck. “犯太岁” is the term for being in such a state of astrological conflict.
狗儿子 | gǒu érzi | Literally “dog sons.” | A harsh insult. In Chinese culture, “dog” (狗) is often used in insults to denote something base, contemptible, or inhuman. Calling someone a “dog son” is equivalent to calling them a son of a bitch, implying their parents are no better than animals.
作奸犯科 | zuò jiān fàn kē | Literally “to commit treachery and violate the laws.” | A chengyu (four-character idiom) meaning to engage in illegal activities and commit crimes.
得饶人处且饶人 | dé ráo rén chù qiě ráo rén | Literally “at the place where one can forgive people, one should forgive people.” | A well-known proverb meaning one should be forgiving whenever possible; to not push an issue to the extreme when one has the upper hand.
息事宁人 | xī shì níng rén | Literally “to quell matters and pacify people.” | A chengyu (four-character idiom) meaning to patch things up, to smooth things over, or to appease others to avoid trouble, often with a connotation of compromising principles for the sake of peace.
反噬 | fǎn shì | Literally “to bite back.” | It means a backlash or a rebound effect, where an action has negative consequences for the originator.
血糖 | xuè táng | Literally “blood sugar.” | In this fan context, “shipping their blood sugar” is a metaphor. The “sweetness” (糖, táng, which also means sugar or candy) of the romantic moments between the couple is what emotionally sustains the fans, much like blood sugar provides energy to the body. The fans are “living off” the sweetness of the ship.
天时地利人和 | tiān shí dì lì rén hé | Literally “heaven’s time, earth’s advantage, and human harmony.” | A famous concept from classical Chinese thought, notably in “Mencius” and Sun Tzu’s “The Art of War.” It refers to the three key conditions for success: the right timing (opportunity), a favorable geographical position (strategic advantage), and the support of the people (unity and morale).
癞蛤蟆吃天鹅肉 | lài há ma chī tiān é ròu | Literally “a toad wanting to eat swan meat.” | A very common and derogatory idiom used to describe a person who desires someone far superior to them in looks, status, or quality. It implies that the person is ugly and unworthy of their beautiful object of affection.
蛇精衰弱 | shé jīng shuāi ruò | This is a pun on the medical term 神经衰弱 (shénjīng shuāi ruò), which means “neurasthenia,” a now-outdated diagnosis for a condition characterized by fatigue, anxiety, and emotional disturbance. The pun replaces “nerve” (神经 shénjīng) with the homophone “snake spirit” (蛇精 shé jīng). In Chinese folklore, snake spirits are often depicted as beautiful but cunning, paranoid, and dangerously seductive beings. The pun suggests she’s becoming paranoid and overwrought, like a “snake spirit.”

Footnotes

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