After Being Scummed – Chapter 76
by Little PandaIt’s the White Moonlight, Teacher Zuo!
Yin Bai lowered her eyes and said to Zuo Jingyou, “There’s no need. If she really has this intention, then she should be the one to tell me personally, not you.”
“We are in the past. In this matter, she was the victim to begin with. I don’t need her help.”
Given how agitated Xiao Nian’s fans were right now, if Xiao Nian were to stand up for her, saying they didn’t have that kind of relationship, or that they used to date, would the fans believe it?
No, they wouldn’t.
What these people needed was the iron fist of the law, not some clarification announcement. Everyone was an adult, so they must be responsible for their own words and actions.
Yin Bai refused Zuo Jingyou’s suggestion. In the following days, she successively sued these very active black characters1 in court. Not only that, Zhang Yu and Xiang Qiu also collected a chain of evidence for Yin Bai. All the evidence pointed to the fact that it was done by that Mr. Ye who had previously come to plead with Yin Bai for his son.
When Yin Bai saw the chain of evidence, she smiled coldly and said to Jin Xiangyu, “The weather is getting cold, time to make Mr. Ye go bankrupt.”2
Jin Xiangyu was speechless at this line of hers and retorted, “What have you been reading recently? Why do you sound so much like an overbearing CEO?”3
Yin Bai sighed and said unhappily, “Teacher Zuo confiscated my cell phone and other electronic devices. I recently had Zhang Yu buy me a pile of novels about overbearing CEOs and their delicate lovers who run away with the ball4 to relax my mind.”
In reality, there were many things she couldn’t do, such as violently beating up keyboard warriors5 or making her black characters regret being born. All of these could only be realized in this kind of trashy, dog-blood6, cool text7.
Thanks to these novels, Yin Bai’s mood improved slightly. In Zuo Jingyou’s embrace, her mental state also eased.
Yin Bai’s team moved very quickly. First, they dug out the masterminds, led by Mr. Ye, and sued them all in court. After that, they pulled the firewood from under the cauldron8, submitting a pile of evidence to report them for problems with their companies.
Afterwards, following the chain of evidence, they dragged out those black characters one by one and sued them all in court. They then issued a very sternly and rigorously worded announcement.
In short, slandering people would have consequences.
Her tough approach slightly salvaged a bit of her precarious reputation. After enduring nearly ten days of cyberbullying, a few people changed their direction, saying that Yin Bai might not be that bad.
After all, a casual search for Galaxy Group online would show solid achievements related to the people’s livelihood, as well as various charitable activities. Before dating Zuo Jingyou, Yin Bai herself was also quite low-key, and the movies she invested in had a very good reputation within the industry.
Some netizens calmed down, feeling that she might have really been set up by someone. In addition, the chain of evidence is a stone hammer9, and they had no choice but to admit they had been led by someone.
However, from beginning to end, Yin Bai never denied that she had kept Xiao Nian. This point alone was enough to let people’s imaginations run wild. Especially among Xiao Nian’s fans, some felt that Yin Bai might be a good person, but that she had still ruined Xiao Nian.
And among them, a small portion verbally abused Yin Bai every day for Xiao Nian’s sake, saying she had destroyed so many years of Xiao Nian’s life…
Yin Bai couldn’t be bothered to pay attention to these people who were mentally flawed and had severe persecutory delusions.
In the blink of an eye, it was April again, and the annual Thorn Flower Awards were held in Hai City. On the strength of last year’s The Female Teacher, Zuo Jingyou was nominated for several Thorn Flower awards.
For example, several major awards such as Best Picture, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Actress, and so on…
Even Yin Bai, who had been feeling extremely frustrated by some trivial matters recently, felt sincerely happy for this. This was Zuo Jingyou’s highlight moment10, and after weighing the pros and cons repeatedly and hesitating for a long time, Yin Bai still chose to emerge from her safe place and attend the event as Zuo Jingyou’s companion.
For a change, Yin Bai wore a brightly colored outfit today—a pure white casual suit. Paired with her cane and a pigeon blood red11 brooch on her chest, she looked extremely beautiful.
When unadorned, Yin Bai’s face appeared youthful and cute. But when she wore a suit, the neutral clothing diluted that youthful cuteness, replacing it with a kind of handsome and delicate elegance.
In short, Zuo Jingyou was very satisfied with her attire and decided to once again make her appearance this year in a blue and white porcelain12 colored qipao13.
After seeing her change into the qipao, Yin Bai thought she was incredibly beautiful and absolutely loved it. She blinked her eyes, looked at Zuo Jingyou, and said, “Why a qipao again this year? Do you particularly like wearing them recently?”
According to her daily observations, Zuo Jingyou still mostly preferred dresses and casual shirts with trousers. She wasn’t actually very fond of particularly figure-enhancing clothing.
Zuo Jingyou stood before the mirror and carefully put on the expensive earrings Yin Bai had previously gifted her. Only then did she turn around, pat Yin Bai’s face, and say with a smile, “Didn’t someone tell me before that I look best in a qipao? Then, at my most beautiful moment, of course I have to wear a qipao.”
Oh… so last year, she also wore a qipao in front of me…
Yin Bai belatedly realized that Zuo Jingyou already had feelings for her back then. She raised a hand to touch her nose and said, a little embarrassed, “Actually, you… it’s not just qipaos. You look very good in anything you wear.”
Zuo Jingyou’s eyes curved as she smiled. She reached out and gently scraped Yin Bai’s nose, saying affectionately, “You’re always saying such nice things.”
Yin Bai pressed her lips together and said shyly, “Of course I’m not just saying nice things. It’s because Teacher Zuo is just naturally very beautiful.”
Yin Bai paused, then leaned on her cane and got close to Zuo Jingyou’s ear, saying in a tiny voice, “Of course, Teacher Zuo looks best when she’s not wearing any clothes.”
Zuo Jingyou paused for a moment, then raised her eyes to look at Yin Bai. Biting her lip, she chided softly, “You’re being improper.”
Yin Bai said with a grin, “I’ve never been proper to begin with.”
“Alright, Teacher Zuo, let me help you with your necklace. After it’s on, we can leave.”
Zuo Jingyou then handed her necklace to her, lowering her head slightly to reveal her snow-white neck, and said softly, “Then I’ll have to trouble you, Teacher Yin Bai.”
After Zuo Jingyou was fully dressed and accessorized, the two of them took a car and arrived at the venue.
Even though she had mentally prepared herself, when Yin Bai was pushed into the venue in her wheelchair by Zuo Jingyou and faced the crowd of media with their long guns and short cannons14, she still subconsciously raised her hand and grasped Zuo Jingyou’s.
She was starting to be afraid again… Facing these strangers, facing these people who might have privately hurled abuse at her, Yin Bai still felt timid.
She was a timid person; even if she used everything she had to protect herself, she would still feel pain when she was hurt.
But luckily, she was not alone.
Zuo Jingyou noticed her unease at once. She reached out and patted the back of Yin Bai’s hand, looking down at her gently as she comforted her, “Don’t be afraid, I’m here.”
“Okay.”
Yin Bai nodded. Zuo Jingyou pushed her, facing countless lights all the way to the signature wall, where they signed their names together in the same spot.
After they finished signing, all the flashbulbs in the venue were aimed at their faces, snapping photos nonstop.
Countless flashbulbs lit up, aimed at Yin Bai and Zuo Jingyou’s faces in a frenzy of snapping. The frenzied media pushed their microphones forward, pressing nonstop, “Director Yin, may I ask what your relationship with Xiao Nian is?”
“Are you and Xiao Nian in the kind of relationship that’s being talked about online? Was Xiao Nian your lover in the past, is that right?”
“Did you use money to keep Xiao Nian in the past?”
Asking what they already know, asking what they already know…15
These media outlets saw that the matter had already blown up, and figured it wouldn’t hurt for them to jump in as well. For the sake of traffic, they were once again pouring oil on the fire16.
Clearly, Zuo Jingyou was supposed to be the main character today. Clearly, Zuo Jingyou had won so many awards today…
Yin Bai’s face was dark as she clenched her fists, not saying a word.
Seeing that she wasn’t in a good state, Zuo Jingyou quickly pushed her forward. She put on a graceful smile for the crowding media and said, “Today is a grand awards ceremony, a feast for our domestic filmmakers. For everyone to only focus on the scandal of an outsider, isn’t that a bit too unprofessional?”
Zuo Jingyou rebuffed them with a few words, refused all interviews from the media, and with a cold face, continued to push Yin Bai forward.
Just then, a sudden commotion arose at the entrance. Zuo Jingyou heard someone behind her shouting, “Xiao Nian… it’s Xiao Nian and Lu Qing…”
All the flashbulbs turned around at once and aimed at Xiao Nian and Lu Qing. Just as they had done when surrounding Yin Bai and Zuo Jingyou, they instantly began a frenzy of snapping photos.
They frantically thrust their microphones toward Xiao Nian’s mouth, pressing her about the matter between her and Yin Bai. Xiao Nian didn’t reply. She turned her head and looked in Yin Bai’s direction. Yin Bai didn’t look back. Separated by a distance of two meters, Xiao Nian and Zuo Jingyou, who was pushing Yin Bai, exchanged a look.
The emotions contained in that one look were so complex that Zuo Jingyou’s heart trembled.
Zuo Jingyou sighed and continued pushing Yin Bai forward. “Let’s go, don’t pay any mind to this. These people will do anything for traffic.”
Yin Bai nodded, suppressing her anger, and let Zuo Jingyou push her into the venue.
Just then, something unexpected happened.
A man in a plaid shirt and glasses, who looked gentle and cultured, clutched a mineral water bottle and darted out from the middle of the crowd of reporters to Yin Bai’s side. When he was a few steps away from her, he shouted loudly, “Capitalist! Go to hell!”
He shouted loudly, twisted open the bottle in his hand, and splashed its contents directly toward the side of Yin Bai’s face.
Yin Bai subconsciously turned her head to look at him. Just then, she heard Zuo Jingyou let out a cry of alarm, “Be careful!”
In the next moment, Zuo Jingyou, who was behind her, lunged forward, bending over and pressing Yin Bai into her embrace. The great force pushed Yin Bai’s wheelchair back a step. A strong chemical smell began to spread, and in an instant, panic seized Yin Bai’s heart.
Her entire head was held in Zuo Jingyou’s arms, like a child who had fallen into its mother’s embrace, firmly protected by her.
Darkness enveloped Yin Bai. She could only faintly hear the crowd’s cries of alarm and the man’s curses by her ear.
Yin Bai’s head began to buzz. All the sounds started to morph, seeming unreal. The only real things were the body heat coming from Zuo Jingyou and her originally pleasant scent, which was now mixed with the smell of chemicals.
Everything began to gradually recede. She lay in Zuo Jingyou’s embrace, hearing her strong heartbeat, and that momentary moan of endured pain…
Zuo Jingyou… it was Zuo Jingyou who had protected her.
Yin Bai clenched her fists tightly, and her eyes instantly turned red.
Just then, the reporters closest to them swarmed forward, tackling the man to the ground and firmly subduing him. Amidst the uproar, Xiao Nian and all the media not far away turned their eyes at once and saw Zuo Jingyou shielding Yin Bai in her arms…
Upon seeing the marks that instantly appeared on Zuo Jingyou’s body, Xiao Nian cried out in shock, “Teacher Zuo…”
Teacher Zuo… Zuo Jingyou…
Yin Bai’s heart was pounding wildly. Amidst a scene of soldiers in turmoil and horses in confusion17, she raised her hands to cup Zuo Jingyou’s face. Through her blurry vision, she saw Zuo Jingyou biting her lip, her brows tightly furrowed, and she called out to her in a panic, “Zuo… Teacher Zuo…”
“How… how are you?” Is it serious… does it hurt?
Zuo Jingyou bit her lip and said with furrowed brows, “It’s a little painful…” After saying that, she gave a light laugh and looked down softly at Yin Bai. “Baby… are you okay?”
Looking at the smile on her face, Yin Bai’s vision instantly blurred. She raised her hand and wiped away her tears like a child, answering with a choke in her voice, “I’m okay…”
After answering Zuo Jingyou, she raised her eyes and looked at the event organizer’s representative who was hurrying over from a distance. With red eyes, she roared like a lion, “Quickly, call an ambulance for me!”
“I’m going to sue him! Call the police! Call the police for me!”
She wanted this person to spend the rest of his life in jail, never to get out again!
LP: NOOO!!!! I was expecting fluff, not this! F***!!!
Re-translated on August 15, 2025
Footnotes
- 黑子 | hēi zǐ | Literally “black characters” or “black seeds.” In internet slang, it refers to anti-fans, haters, or people who maliciously slander or attack a public figure online.
- 天凉了，让……破产了 | tiān liáng le, ràng… pò chǎn le | Literally “The weather is getting cold, let… go bankrupt.” This is a famous line and trope from Chinese internet novels, particularly in the “霸总” (bà zǒng) or “overbearing CEO” genre. It’s used to show the CEO’s immense power and casual, decisive manner in ruining a rival or enemy, as if changing the weather.
- 霸总 | bà zǒng | A shortened term for “霸道总裁” (bàdào zǒngcái), which translates to “overbearing president” or “domineering CEO.” It’s a popular character archetype in Chinese romance novels and dramas, typically a wealthy, powerful, handsome, and cold man who is possessive and domineering towards the female lead.
- 带球跑 | dài qiú pǎo | Literally “running with the ball.” A popular and often-mocked trope in Chinese romance fiction, especially in the “霸总” (bà zǒng) genre. It refers to a plot where the female lead becomes pregnant, often secretly, and runs away from the male lead, only to be found by him years later with their child.
- 键盘侠 | jiàn pán xiá | Literally “keyboard hero” or “keyboard warrior.” A derogatory internet slang term for people who are aggressive, argumentative, and self-righteous online, but are often timid or passive in real life.
- 狗血 | gǒu xuè | Literally “dog blood.” A slang term used to describe something that is overly dramatic, melodramatic, cliché, or unbelievable, commonly used for plots in TV shows, movies, and novels.
- 爽文 | shuǎng wén | Literally “cool text” or “satisfying literature.” A genre of web fiction characterized by an overpowered protagonist who easily overcomes obstacles, defeats enemies, and achieves success, providing a vicarious sense of satisfaction and power fantasy for the reader.
- 釜底抽薪 | fǔ dǐ chōu xīn | A Chinese idiom (chengyu) that literally means “to pull the firewood from under the cauldron.” It’s a metaphor for tackling a problem at its root or removing the underlying cause of a problem to solve it fundamentally, rather than just addressing the symptoms.
- 石锤 | shí chuí | Literally “stone hammer.” An internet slang term meaning “solid proof,” “irrefutable evidence,” or something that has been definitively confirmed. It’s used when evidence is so conclusive that it’s like being hit with a stone hammer, leaving no room for doubt.
- 高光时刻 | gāo guāng shí kè | Literally “highlight moment.” A popular term referring to a person’s peak moment, a time of glory, or their most brilliant or successful period.
- 鸽子红 | gē zi hóng | Literally “pigeon blood red.” This is the most desirable and valuable color for a ruby, characterized by a pure, vivid red with a slight purplish hue, resembling the color of blood from a freshly killed pigeon.
- 青花瓷 | qīng huā cí | Blue-and-white porcelain, a famous type of Chinese porcelain characterized by white pottery and porcelain decorated under the glaze with a blue pigment, typically cobalt oxide.
- 旗袍 | qí páo | Also known as a cheongsam. A traditional, form-fitting Chinese dress for women, characterized by a high collar, side slits, and intricate fastenings. It originated in the 1920s and is considered a symbol of classic Chinese elegance.
- 长枪短炮 | cháng qiāng duǎn pào | Literally “long guns and short cannons.” An idiom used to describe the large, professional cameras with long telephoto lenses and smaller cameras with flashes used by reporters and paparazzi, resembling an arsenal of weapons.
- 明知故问 | míng zhī gù wèn | A Chinese idiom (chengyu) that means “to ask something one already knows the answer to,” often done deliberately to provoke, embarrass, or make a point.
- 火上浇油 | huǒ shàng jiāo yóu | A Chinese idiom (chengyu) that literally means “to pour oil on a fire.” It is used to describe an action that aggravates a situation or makes things worse.
- 兵荒马乱 | bīng huāng mǎ luàn | A Chinese idiom (chengyu) literally meaning “soldiers in turmoil and horses in confusion.” It describes a state of chaos and disorder, especially during wartime, but can also be used to describe any scene of great confusion or panic.
that was definitely not what i expected
that was definitely not what i expected