Uproar
I’m sorry.
Lu Zhenqiu composed herself and looked at Jin Shuilan. She asked, “You didn’t turn off your livestream?”
Jin Shuilan met her gaze, her heart tightening. She moistened her lips and said, “Not yet.”
When it was supposed to end, her editor and readers had asked her to stay on for a bit longer, wanting to see more of Maomao. Lu Zhenqiu wasn’t on camera, so she had planned to stream with Maomao for a little while more. She never expected to get a call from Tang Yingxia, and even less that Tang Yingxia would say such things.
She knew what Tang Yingxia had done. Lu Zhenqiu—she knew too.
She had told Lu Zhenqiu everything. They had found Lu Yan and learned a thing or two from her. Lu Zhenqiu had even personally traced the IP address that sent her the virus. The more she investigated, the more alarmed she became; the more she investigated, the colder her heart grew. After breaking up, Lu Zhenqiu had deleted all of Tang Yingxia’s contact information, including their chat logs. She never thought those records would see the light of day again, because she had agreed to Tang Yingxia’s request not to go public. That was a responsibility she had to bear herself.
But she never, ever expected that Tang Yingxia would send her a virus out of fear that she might say something detrimental to her.
When they broke up, she felt she had never seen Tang Yingxia clearly. Now, she truly couldn’t see her at all. Even so, she hadn’t gone looking for trouble with Tang Yingxia during this time.
Until this phone call.
Lu Zhenqiu’s body swayed, her face pale. Seeing this, Jin Shuilan took a step forward, supporting her waist from the side and gently hugging her. Lu Zhenqiu looked at her for a few seconds, her voice very soft. “Jin Shuilan…”
“It’s okay,” Jin Shuilan said. “Qiuqiu, they were going to find out about those things sooner or later.”
Given the extremity of Tang Yingxia’s methods, the form in which it would come out was self-evident. The readership she had accumulated over the years was not small, and many had become blindly devoted fans. Without a doubt, whatever Tang Yingxia said would be taken as gospel. At the center of the storm, and with Tang Yingxia’s skill at inciting public opinion, Lu Zhenqiu would find that a hundred mouths could not defend her1. Rather than reach that point, it was better to strike first to gain the upper hand.
But no matter what, it would bring harm to Lu Zhenqiu.
Lu Zhenqiu’s nose stung. Before, in her understanding, Tang Yingxia would never have said anything. But in the long time since their breakup, Tang Yingxia’s various actions had already overturned her perception.
She closed her eyes, her heart a complicated mess. Tang Yingxia’s last sentence, “picking up someone else’s worn-out shoe,” had truly made her exceptionally furious. Accompanying this fury was a hatred for herself—hating that Tang Yingxia’s actions and words were so ruthless, hating her own poor judgment of character. Several intense emotions were rampaging wildly inside her. Jin Shuilan held her, comforting her. “It’s okay, Qiuqiu, it’s okay.”
“Jin Shuilan,” Lu Zhenqiu’s voice was slightly hoarse. She felt awful, truly, truly awful. Jin Shuilan held her, pressing her head into her embrace. The spot on her chest grew damp. Jin Shuilan held her with a pained heart. Lu Zhenqiu looked up from her arms and said sullenly, “The livestream…”
“I just turned it off,” Jin Shuilan said, turning her head to look at the screen. She could already predict what kind of foul wind and rain of blood2 was coming.
Sure enough, after she dropped this explosive news, the entire novel community was discussing it.
【Reclining trough3!!! Sheng Xia and Zhen Qiu actually dated for two years?】
【Wait, so does that mean Teacher Jin’s current girlfriend is Sheng Xia’s ex-girlfriend?】
【Um… don’t you guys think Sheng Xia is really vicious and disgusting? Two years ago, she knew Teacher Jin liked Zhen Qiu and was bringing her ginger tea, but she actually intercepted Teacher Jin’s Hu4. I’d probably puke myself to death if I were Teacher Jin!】
【Say no more, I already felt something was off with Sheng Xia during the livestream tonight. So this was the relationship behind it all. I’m gonna be sick!】
【Aren’t you guys going too far? Isn’t dating a matter of mutual consent? How is that vicious?】
【Exactly, our Xia Shen just dated someone, that’s all. I’d say that Zhen Qiu is the one of a water nature, a poplar flower5. I heard she’s also got a thing going on with their website’s admin.】
Even so, there were still readers who sided with Tang Yingxia. Although there weren’t many, they did their utmost to smear Lu Zhenqiu online, saying she had an inside relationship with the website’s director and that she had dumped Tang Yingxia only after getting together with Jin Shuilan.
However, anyone with a discerning eye who had listened to the livestream could tell that Tang Yingxia was in the wrong. Many readers expressed that her character was terrible, but some also argued that character and writing quality were unrelated. “We’re here for the novels, not to judge the person, why care about someone else’s love life.”
The internet was exceptionally lively. This matter even made it onto the trending searches, right before the news about which major and minor celebrities were going to be on the Spring Festival Gala6. Tang Yingxia wasn’t having a good time either. After the call was hung up on her, she immediately logged into the livestream room and saw Jin Shuilan was still there, before it was turned off. But the screen was filled with bullet comments all saying 【Reclining trough!】
One could imagine what it was about.
Her hands and feet went cold, and her mind went blank. Countless words were stuck in her throat; she desperately wanted to curse, to vent, but the floor was covered in wreckage. Even her computer had been smashed. If it hadn’t been smashed, perhaps Yu Wen could have contacted her.
Thinking of Yu Wen, Tang Yingxia managed to steady her nerves. She saw several missed calls, all from Yu Wen, but when she tried to call back, no one answered.
Infinite rage welled up in Tang Yingxia’s heart, and she threw her phone down hatefully!
No one could reach her. Over at the magazine publisher, they were getting a massive headache. The encore stream was originally intended to let Tang Yingxia ride Jin Shuilan’s coattails and sell a few more copies. Now, great. Not only would they not sell, but even the readers who hadn’t received their books from the first run were demanding refunds and returns. The online store kept calling to ask how to handle it. Refusing refunds was impossible with the incident blowing up this big, but how were they to process them? Once refunds were allowed, all the marketing money they had spent on Tang Yingxia over the past six months would have been tossed into the water like skipping stones7!
Zhao Siran8 had been handed a hot sweet potato9. In her heart, she cursed her boss and Tang Yingxia ten thousand times, all while having to work overtime right before the new year. The PR firm the publisher had hired was also mobilized, trying their best to minimize the fallout.
But they couldn’t suppress it at all, fuck!
No matter how many members of the water army10 they used in there to grope for fish in muddy water11, or how hard they tried to separate the writing from the person’s character, hoping people would read rationally, an even louder voice would emerge online.
【If you can still read Sheng Xia’s novels after watching that livestream, I can only say that you guys really aren’t picky eaters.】
【What do you mean character and writing are unrelated? A writer is a person of letters; the two can’t be separated!】
【Actually, to be honest, wasn’t Sheng Xia just PUAing12 Zhen Qiu? Let me lay out the timeline for everyone. Two years ago, Sheng Xia knew perfectly well that Teacher Jin was pursuing Zhen Qiu and frequently brought her ginger tea, yet she intercepted Teacher Jin’s Hu. Don’t talk about mutual consent in dating; a relationship built on deception is wrong from the start! And after the breakup, worried that the persona she had painstakingly built would collapse, she even sent a virus to block the account they often chatted on, just to ensure no screenshots could leak out. Her intentions are clear! Anyone who hears this would say Zhen Qiu is pitiful.】
【I was in the livestream when Qiuqiu got the virus, I can prove it!】
【Zhen Qiu is so tragic, how did she meet someone like this.】
【Great summary, saved. I’ll post this every time one of Sheng Xia’s idiot fans shows up.】
Tang Yingxia had quite a lot of reader fans. When they first heard about the incident, they blindly supported her. Later, after listening to the livestream and understanding the whole story, they also admitted that Tang Yingxia was in the wrong, and grew curious: 【So she was never actually with Yu Wen?】
【Right, and what about Yu Wen? According to the timeline, when Sheng Xia was with Zhen Qiu, she was also being ambiguous with Yu Wen online?】
【Oh my god! I finally understand what that Weibo post from Hua Luo that subtly dissed Yu Wen was about!】
Although netizens have the memory of a goldfish, the incident between Hua Luo and Yu Wen had caused quite a stir. In the end, Yu Wen had come out to apologize while also subtly dissing Hua Luo, something Hua Luo’s readers had always remembered. Now, they suddenly realized that all the events seemed to be connected!
They quickly dug through Hua Luo’s Weibo, screenshotting the post, then took a screenshot of Yu Wen’s Weibo, and put them side-by-side. It was almost enough to piece together the truth of what happened back then.
Netizens who weren’t from this community ate up this melon13 and exclaimed that Tang Yingxia was truly shameless!
As a side effect, they also started attacking Yu Wen.
Much of Yu Wen’s public persona was fabricated and very hollow. Plus, she had originally been relying on Tang Yingxia for support. Under this kind of attack, her own readers were simply not enough to defend her. The words “little three,”14 and “interloper” were soon attached to her name. Yu Wen was fuming. That idiot Tang Yingxia! While she was on the phone with Jin Shuilan, Yu Wen had been calling her non-stop, trying to tell her she was on a livestream, but her line was constantly busy. Sending messages, video calls, nothing worked. She was so angry she wanted to give Tang Yingxia two slaps!
This could have happened at any other time!
Just not now!
The second run of her physical book sales had just started, and the TV drama adaptation had just finished its promotional campaign. But no, it just had to fucking happen at this exact moment. This wasn’t a favorable east wind; it was a goddamn evil wind!
Seeing Tang Yingxia’s persona rapidly collapsing online, Yu Wen also grew anxious. Her gaze shifted—it was a call from Tang Yingxia. She gritted her teeth and rejected the call, her eyes fixed on the computer screen, trying to think of a way to salvage the situation.
A friend was sending her messages, beep beep beep.
【Wenwen, was Xia Shen really with Zhen Qiu?】
【Wenwen, are you okay? I saw the news online. How could Sheng Xia be that kind of person.】
That’s right, how could Tang Yingxia be that kind of person.
Yu Wen’s eyes narrowed as she gripped her phone.
【Wenwen, are you alright? That Sheng Xia deceived Zhen Qiu for two years. Did she deceive you too?】
Yu Wen lowered her head and thought deeply for a few minutes.
The online uproar showed no signs of weakening as night fell. In fact, the melon seemed to be rolling into a bigger and bigger one. Tang Yingxia, Zhen Qiu, Teacher Jin, Yu Wen, Hua Luo—each name was followed by a long string of news.
Jin Shuilan didn’t let Lu Zhenqiu touch her phone. She poured Lu Zhenqiu a glass of milk and said, “I just called my mom and told her we’re not going over.”
Lu Zhenqiu’s eyes were slightly red. She turned her head, holding the milk. “I’m sorry.”
They had promised to go over for dinner.
She wasn’t able to make the appointment on time.
Jin Shuilan sat down beside her, tilted her head, and rested it on Lu Zhenqiu’s shoulder. Her breathing was shallow, brushing against Lu Zhenqiu’s collarbone. Lu Zhenqiu lowered her head and sipped the milk. Jin Shuilan asked her, “Is it sweet?”
Lu Zhenqiu said, “It’s okay.”
Jin Shuilan leaned over and kissed the corner of her lips. “Mm, it is okay.”
Lu Zhenqiu turned to look at her, paused, and said, “Jin Shuilan, thank—”
Jin Shuilan placed a hand over Lu Zhenqiu’s lips, stopping the words she was about to say. The mistake of yin and yang15 from two years ago had been a visible harm to them both, and the harm to Lu Zhenqiu was especially severe. Jin Shuilan didn’t dare to think: if she hadn’t reunited with Lu Zhenqiu, how would she have faced this alone?
And the harm to her had all come from herself.
It was because she was pursuing Lu Zhenqiu that Tang Yingxia had approached her.
It was because she had brought the ginger tea that Tang Yingxia had an opportunity to ride on.
Therefore, all of her misfortune was caused by her own hands. This “thank you” was something she truly couldn’t bear. Lu Zhenqiu lowered her head, her eyes rimmed with red. Her voice blocked by Jin Shuilan, she said no more.
The room was quiet, with only Maomao occasionally running around, happily circling the two of them. His tail occasionally swept against the phone on the coffee table. Jin Shuilan snatched it with quick reflexes before it could fall to the floor.
Her WeChat and Weibo were filled with private messages. Jin Shuilan casually scrolled through a few, her expression calm. Beside her, Lu Zhenqiu was scolding Maomao. Maomao didn’t register the scolding and instead got happier hearing her voice, placing his front paws directly on Lu Zhenqiu’s shoulders and licking her cheek. Lu Zhenqiu held him down, and only then did Maomao settle.
News about them online was still spreading like wildfire. Netizens were extremely sensitive to this kind of gossip, especially relationship gossip involving two of the most famous authors in the Baihe community. Jin Shuilan in particular was a name that even people who didn’t know what Baihe was had heard of. So the rumors snowballed, growing bigger and bigger.
Besides gossiping about the three of them, there was also a lot about Yu Wen, directly linking her with being an interloper. Everyone was wondering whether she knew about Tang Yingxia’s relationship or not. If she knew, then it was blatant ambiguity with the intent to usurp the position. If she didn’t know, then Tang Yingxia was less than human!
Yu Wen’s readers were in the comments section tagging her, comforting her, assuming she was an unknowing party. Her readers were still crying, saying Yu Wen was also a victim. Jin Shuilan glanced at their Weibo posts and was about to exit when she saw that Yu Wen had posted a new update.
Yu Wen: 【Thank you all so much for your comfort. I just saw the news about Xia Shen online and am completely shocked. She actually had… During this time, my relationship with Xia Shen was very good, which led many friends to think we were together. I almost had that misconception myself. I admit I have feelings for Xia Shen, so even though I knew she didn’t like girls, I still tried my best. But I never expected the truth to be this. No matter what, I have to say to Zhenqiu, I’m sorry @ZhenQiu 【Image】 【Image】】
The attached images were screenshots of a chat log between Yu Wen and Tang Yingxia. In just a few lines, Yu Wen hinted that she wanted to be with her, and Tang Yingxia’s response was: 【I’m sorry, I’m straight. I don’t like girls.】
The author has something to say:
Thirty red envelopes, memeda.
Lu Zhenqiu: What are you looking at?
Jin Shuilan: Watching a monkey show16.
Lu Zhenqiu: …
✨ Unlock Early Access to Chapters! ✨
Choose your perfect membership at bamboopandatl.net:
📚 Full Access ($4.99)
• Advanced chapters of ALL ongoing novels
• Access to complete finished novels
• Ad-free reading experience
📖 Single Novel Access ($1.49)
• Advanced chapters of ONE specific novel
• Ad-free reading for chosen novel
PayPal is the only current payment option!