Chapter 38.1: The Price of Courting Disaster

　　At half past eight in the evening, both Su Ling and Lin Feng stepped out of the shower and climbed into bed together.

　　The air conditioning in the room was set to a perfect temperature, keeping the space comfortably cool. Su Ling wore nothing but a sexy pair of underwear, hugging a soft pillow while lying on a silk blanket. His voluminous curls cascaded over his shoulders and spilled down his back.

　　His natural curls were truly unique, with the roots near his scalp and the area around his ears falling slightly straight before the strands began to curve into tight spirals toward the tips. People often mistook it for a stylish perm from a salon, but once they learned it was all natural, envy sparkled in their eyes.

　　“It’s only been a little over three months since I last used this, so how could there be so many messages?” Su Ling wondered aloud, his eyes fixed on the red dots glowing in the top right corners of both Weibo and WeChat apps.

　　When he signed the divorce papers, he had deliberately left his phone behind, hoping Lin Feng would not track him through it. But just moments ago, Lin Feng had fished it out of his suitcase and handed it back. Unlocking the phone, he was stunned by the sheer volume of notifications; the numbers in the red dot at the top right corner of each app were almost too large to comprehend.

　　Bare-chested and leaning back against the headboard, Lin Feng had a lightweight laptop on his lap as he edited a spreadsheet. Upon hearing Su Ling’s words, he paused his typing and turned to look at him.

　　“Make sure to call Mum tomorrow,” he urged.

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　　“Then, how did you explain it to her?” Su Ling inquired, his voice tinged with curiosity.

　　“Traveling. In seclusion,” Lin Feng answered curtly.

　　Su Ling blinked, his gaze fixated on his man’s handsome side profile. Somehow, the fib he spun… almost rang true.

　　His time in the countryside felt as much a holiday as it was a seclusion. Surrounded by the serenity of nature, inspiration poured in like a steady stream, and his brush seemed to dance with life. In just a few days, he had completed three or four pieces he felt truly pleased with.

　　He pursed his lips and opened WeChat, scrolling through all the new messages. He picked out a few from important contacts to reply to, one of which was his younger sister. She had sent her regards a week ago but did not receive a reply, so she had not sent anything since.

　　Su Ling typed furiously with both hands, hurrying to reply to his sister.

　　Su Ling: I’m sorry, Xiao Qi. I’ve been in the countryside and left my phone at home in City S. Lin Feng just brought it over for me.

　　At BY Film Academy, Su Qi was absorbed in her evening study session when her phone buzzed twice in her pocket. Curious, she took it out and was thrilled to see a message from her brother. With a smile spreading across her face, she quickly covered her mouth, trying to suppress the joyful squeal that threatened to escape.

　　So he’d just left his phone at home and wasn’t ignoring me after all!

　　Curious after seeing her brother’s live stream selling vegetables, she messaged him on WeChat. But as the hours passed with no reply, a sinking feeling settled in. Had he decided to ignore her after cutting ties with the family completely? Devastated by the thought, she burrowed beneath her blankets and cried for what seemed like hours.

　　She truly adored her brother and could not bear the thought of becoming strangers in the future.

　　After reading her brother’s explanation, she sniffled softly, her heart warming as she joyfully typed her reply.

　　Su Qi: I watched your live stream and bought some cucumbers and tomatoes. They were absolutely delicious!

　　Su Ling: Haha, really? There were so many viewers that I couldn’t tell which one was you! How’ve you been lately? Is school going well? If you run into any problems, just let me know.

　　Su Qi: Everything’s going great! Thanks for asking, Brother! The film academy prioritizes on performance, and I got an A on last month’s exam! The teachers even praised my talent in acting!

　　Su Ling: That’s awesome! As expected from my sister! Keep it up!

　　Su Qi: Uh-huh! You keep it up too, Brother!

　　Su Ling: I’ll be heading back to City S in a few days. How about we grab a meal together and have some quality sibling time?

　　Su Qi: Sounds great! I can’t wait! ^__^

　　The thought of meeting her brother made Su Qi’s lips curl into a joyful smile. Just as she was about to put away her phone after ending the conversation, a sudden gasp echoed through the classroom.

　　“Bloody hell! Lin Yun actually used drugs before?!”

　　The words struck like thunder out of a clear sky, leaving the students in the evening study session speechless. Their mouths hung open as they scrambled for their phones, hastily opening Weibo’s trending topic page.

　　“Oh my god! It really is Lin Yun! How could this happen?”

　　“My entire world has fallen apart!”

　　“These pictures must be photoshopped, right? This person doesn’t look like Lin Yun at all.”

　　“It’s no secret that most celebrities have gone under the knife. With Lin Yun, it’s glaringly obvious. His double eyelids, widened eye corners, and reshaped chin are dead giveaways.”

　　“Ahhhhh, my pure and untarnished Revered Master!”

　　“He must have offended someone, or how else could his past with drugs come to light like this?”

　　“If you don’t want anyone to find out, don’t do it in the first place!”

　　“Just think of how many anti-narcotics police officers lose their lives each year. Drug users are the scourge of society!”

* * *

　　At this juncture, Su Ling was also scrolling through Weibo.

　　After finishing his chat with his sister, he tapped Weibo on his phone. Before he could even check the comments, a repost from someone he followed caught his eye.

　　#Once a Drug Addict, Now an Aloof Revered Master?#

　　Along with this topic, the post included a photo grid of nine pictures¹ 九宫格图 (jiǔgōnggé tú): It looks something like this -> . At the center was a still from Lin Yun’s role as the Revered Master in Dragons of Destiny, surrounded by images of a young man in a bar popping ecstasy pills.

　　In the first image, hazy yellow lighting bathed a young Lin Yun, looking utterly decadent. He held a small plate filled with colorful pills, his expression one of reckless bravado.

　　In the second image, Lin Yun was captured mid-action, shoving a handful of pills into his mouth with reckless abandon.

　　In the third image, Lin Yun pressed close to another on the dance floor, his face alight with intoxication and wild abandon.

　　In the fourth image, Lin Yun stood shirtless, his low-rise jeans hugging his hips as he struck a seductive pose that exuded both confidence and allure. 

　　The remaining photos did not need to be enlarged to see the madness in his eyes; each one captured the frantic, uncontrollable frenzy of someone high on ecstasy.

　　The post quickly amassed over five hundred thousand comments and shares, leaving countless people stunned. Marketing accounts and fan groups alike jumped on the bandwagon, propelling the topic to the top of Weibo’s list of trending topics. In response, Lin Yun’s fans fought to clear his name, claiming the images had been maliciously photoshopped. Yet, despite their efforts, the damage was done, and their attempts proved largely ineffective.

　　The second post from the blogger featured a video that complemented the previous images. In the clip, someone called out, “Lin Yun.” As the young man turned, it confirmed the disturbing truth about Lin Yun’s drug habit.

　　All of a sudden, Su Ling shot up, eyes wide in shock. “Lin Yun actually did drugs!?” he exclaimed.

　　Lin Feng’s fingers paused mid-action as his gaze turned toward the phone Su Ling held out to him.

　　“The fans are losing it! How is this still trending at number one? Shouldn’t his company have paid to get it taken down?” Su Ling quickly skimmed through the comments. Lin Yun’s fan base, which was built on the success of Dragons of Destiny, was now falling apart.

　　“It can’t be taken down,” Lin Feng remarked.

　　Taken aback, Su Ling blinked in surprise. “Not even money can take it down?”

　　Weibo’s list of trending topics was a reflection of the shallow game of influence; the more money you poured in, the more control you gained. Most celebrities found themselves in a love-hate relationship with it, both craving its power and resenting the way it was manipulated.

　　With money, one could easily stir up controversies, mud-slinging, and online feuds. Marketing accounts would fan the flames, making the drama go viral. Those targeted often had to pay to remove the posts, in order to avoid becoming the latest target of scorn.

　　While it was easy for something to gain visibility, taking it down was another story. It would take even more money to quell the growing fervor.

　　With Lin Yun’s drug history hitting the headlines, his company’s PR team needed to act fast. If they were smart, they should take control of the situation immediately, take down the trending topic, clean up the forums, and rally fans to steer public opinion. A quick, decisive move could turn this crisis around.

　　However, Lin Yun’s trending topic could not be taken down. The images and videos of his past drug use spread like wildfire online, leaving the team powerless to intervene. It became evident that there was only one truth: someone was out to ruin Lin Yun.

　　Lin Yun’s financial backers were no match for those hell-bent on bringing him down. The typical tactics used in the entertainment industry to handle such crises had failed, leaving the rising star teetering on the brink of ruin before his career had even taken off.

　　After all, drug use was the deadliest of scandals in the world of fame, capable of bringing even the brightest stars down!

　　Sandals like infidelity, putting on airs, being a sugar baby, or promiscuity might all be whitewashed over time. But once drugs were involved, it was game over — a one-way ticket to being blackballed, with no second chances.

　　“Who could possibly have the power to overpower StarRise Entertainment?” Su Ling wondered aloud, stroking his chin thoughtfully. As one of the leading entertainment companies in the country, StarRise Entertainment represented Lin Yun and was known for its extensive roster of influential artists that few dared to cross. Anyone who could make StarRise Entertainment suffer a blow had to be a force to be reckoned with.