Lin Feng grabbed his phone, tapped the WeChat app, and played a video.
“… The man’s surname is Su — Su as in Su Daji… Well, this Su guy first took us to a hotel in town, but when he heard how much it cost, he balked at the price and insisted on taking us to a guesthouse back in the village instead… I swear, that Su Ling guy is ridiculously attractive, almost bewitchingly so. And his sponsor, the one with the last name Lin? He’s married…”
Su Ling was left speechless, staring in stunned silence.
He stared at Lin Yun in the video as if he were watching a lunatic.
What kind of person does that? And a celebrity, no less, holding a grudge over something so trivial, spreading lies during a live stream to incite his fans into launching vicious online attacks!
“Heh, the bar for entering the entertainment industry has fallen so low that even idiots can become celebrities?” he sneered.
With a swift motion, he draped his arm over Lin Feng’s shoulder, leaning in close enough for his lips to brush against his ear as he whispered, “Darling, if I hadn’t caught on, were you really planning to do it all in secret?”
The following parts of the text will be scrambled to prevent theft from aggregators and unauthorized epub making. Please support our translators by reading on secondlifetranslations (dot) com. If you are currently on the site and and you are seeing this, please clear your cache.
Ekvbswv cyvvkdt yd lul, Nkd Wldt nzyakqkle, “Rv oypd’v xl; kv oyp Hbyd Zydt.”
Fw Nkdt vwttle yv bkp lyazscl. “Ebld eke vbkp byrrld?”
Hbyd Zydt oyp bkp yppkpvydv yde oswze dlhla ynv okvbswv qkapv alrsavkdt vs bkp cspp. Eswze bl alyzzu byhl eyale vs ts vbkp qya okvbswv Nkd Wldt’p ekalnvkhl?
Nkd Wldt ydpolale, “Ebkzl usw olal cwpu rzyukdt okvb vbl est yde nyv.”
Brsd blyakdt vbyv, Fw Nkdt aykple yd lulcaso.
Rv bye sdzu clld yd bswa pkdnl vbld. Gv vbyv vkxl, bl bye clld esodpvykap kd vbl twlpv byzz, rzyukdt okvb bkp vos zkvvzl rlvp. Nkd Wldt pyv kd y nbyka bydezkdt osaj sd bkp dsvlcssj, obkzl Nkd Zwd oyp pralyekdt awxsap sd bkp zkhl pvalyx. Ms bkp pwarakpl, Gppkpvydv Hbyd’p alynvksd vkxl oyp kdnalekczu pokqv. Ekvbkd vbl pbsavlpv pryd sq vkxl, bl wdlyavble vbl svbla kdekhkewyz’p eyaj rypv yde elzkhlale y ralnkpl czso vbyv pbyvvlale vblka alrwvyvksd.
Eyp kv nawlz, usw ypj?
Fw Nkdt eke dsv pll kv vbyv oyu kd vbl pzktbvlpv.
The repercussions would be unthinkable if he chose to slander someone else as a form of revenge. After all, overzealous fans were capable of anything, and doxing had pretty much become their go-to tactic.
Only the formidable Lin Enterprises could keep the forces backing Lin Yun at bay, forcing them into a corner with no way out.
We were all adults here, so we should take responsibility for our actions.
As public figures, celebrities might bask in fame and fortune, but with that came a duty to inspire their fans positively and spread good energy, rather than use their influence to foster wrongdoing or prey on the vulnerable.
Like a double-edged sword, public opinion could inflict damage on others as easily as it could harm oneself. If not kept in check, it could lead to dire consequences.
Zhan Yang’s counterattack was swift and decisive, seizing control with sheer force. His methods, though harsh, produced immediate results, leaving his opponent reeling under the intimidation of his power.
What made his strategy so brilliant was the way Lin Enterprises’ PR team handled the incident — quietly and discreetly. Lin Yun’s fans were led to believe they were fighting off haters, but in reality, they were just running around like headless flies, causing even more trouble for their idol.
“The mind is truly a great thing!” Su Ling mused, taking his sweet time to dial Boss Qi’s number.
How could I let a scandal-ridden celebrity promote my tea brand? Am I really in such a rush to dig my own grave?
Not one for the internet, Qi Yue was a middle-aged man who often missed out on current events. When Su Ling called him that night, his mind was awash with confusion. But when he learned that the celebrity he had paid a fortune to hire had a history of drug use, the shock hit him hard. Without a second thought, he made a swift and firm decision to cut ties with such a tainted celebrity.
“… Mr. Su, thank you for your timely warning. The Tea Trade Association has worked tirelessly for over a decade to build the Dewfall Tea brand, so we can’t let some no-name celebrity ruin the reputation we’ve worked so hard to establish.”
With that, Qi Yue hurriedly ended the call and called for an urgent online meeting with the other tea merchants. After a brief discussion, they unanimously agreed to replace the celebrity ambassador.
Fifteen minutes later, a new topic had pushed its way into the top six trending on Weibo.
#Mount Phoenix Dewfall Tea#
In this topic, the official Weibo account of the Tea Trade Association in City H issued a formal statement, announcing that the Dewfall Tea brand would be terminating its partnership with Lin Yun.
The low view count made it clear they had paid to push the topic onto the trending list at the last minute. Yet, that did not stop the Tea Trade Association from being the first to step forward and boldly announce the cessation of Lin Yin’s endorsement.
Following that, a series of events seemed to unfold like a chain reaction; one by one, Lin Yun’s sponsors began trending, each announcing the termination of their brand ambassador contracts with him while reserving the right to take legal action.
After months of silence, Su Ling finally logged into his main Weibo account, posting a video for the first time in ages.
It was the breathtaking sunrise he had filmed not long ago at the tea plantation.
The fog-laden wooded mountains stirred slowly in the morning light, revealing a breathtaking sunrise in the eastern sky. The leaves glistened with dew, sparkling brilliantly as they caught the sunlight, creating a kaleidoscope of colors. As the soft morning wind blew, it rustled through the tea trees, filling the air with a soothing sound.
As an art student, Su Ling had a natural talent for color and composition. In just a few seconds of footage, he captured a cinematic beauty that seemed to belong on the silver screen.
Then, he tagged the official Tea Trade Association account and added a message: Cut your losses in time, then rise from the ashes.
Su Ling had only four to five thousand followers on Weibo, mostly friends, great masters of traditional Chinese painting, and enthusiasts of the art. After more than three months of silence, he suddenly posted a video today and even tagged the official Tea Trade Association account, leaving his followers bewildered.
“Wait, what? The missing person is finally back, but what’s even happening right now? I’m so confused.”
“Weren’t you in seclusion recently, Mr. Ling? Do you have any new pieces to share with us? We’d love to admire them together!”
“What a stunning view! The tea plantation is massive! So this is where Dewfall Tea is grown on Mount Phoenix?”
“Oh c’mon, bud! Good things are meant to be shared! When can we meet up? Don’t forget to bring me a tin of it!”
At first, there were just a handful of comments, but everything changed when Su Ling’s Little Senior reposted it, causing it to go viral in an instant.
“MrZhangIngeniousWriting: Little Junior, is this your tea plantation? @Lingyun”
As a celebrated master of traditional Chinese painting with millions of followers, his repost instantly sparked an uproar. Countless individuals flocked to Su Ling’s Weibo page for various reasons, while Lin Yun’s fans rallied fiercely to defend their idol.
Su Ling’s brow furrowed deeply as he restricted the comment feature.
Lin Feng shut his notebook and gently touched his soft hair.
“It’s time for bed.”
Su Ling met his smoldering eyes and flung his phone away before throwing himself into Lin Feng’s arms.
Why waste such precious time on someone so insignificant?
Their lips met in a fiery kiss, hands roaming eagerly. Just as Su Ling gave in to the kiss, Lin Feng suddenly pulled back, gently patted his back, and pulled the blanket over them with care.
“Sleep.”
“You don’t want it?” Su Ling questioned breathlessly, his voice tinged with frustration.
Lin Feng softly kissed the center of his forehead. “You’ve had a long day. Get some rest now.”
Su Ling reached over and poked his arm with a finger. Who was it that went out of his way to buy twenty boxes of condoms at the supermarket, claiming they’d use ten in a day? Yet here they are, neatly tucked away in the bedside table while we’re just lying here, all bundled up for a good night’s sleep.
He yawned, feeling truly exhausted. Nuzzling into the blankets, he swung his legs over and wrapped his arms around the man, eyes finally fluttering shut.
Lin Feng let Su Ling hold him close, yet despite the comfortable indoor temperature, a thin sheen of sweat formed on his forehead. It was not until Su Ling finally drifted into a deep sleep in his embrace that Lin Feng’s tense body began to relax. Gently, he moved Su Ling’s limbs aside, then quietly slipped out of bed to take a cold shower.
* * *
In the guesthouse, Lin Yun looked as if he had been pulled from the depths of a river. His entire body was drenched in sweat, his face a ghostly pale, his lips tinged with blue, and his thin body shook uncontrollably, unable to suppress the shivers that wracked his frame.
How could this have happened?
How could this have happened?
He kept asking himself repeatedly, the question swirling in his mind like a storm.
All he did was live stream, so why did someone dredge up the skeletons in his closet like that?
Since rising to stardom, his company had long erased the absurdities of his past. Countless paparazzi had tried to dig up dirt, but none had succeeded! Yet today, images and videos of his drug use are splashed all over Weibo’s list of trending topics, and no amount of money could make them disappear. To his disbelief, his company’s team was utterly powerless, unable to contain the situation!
It’s all over!
He’s done for!
His career’s gone up in smoke in an instant!
Du Ya dialed frantically, her anxiety bubbling over like ants swarming on a hot pan.
“CEO Li, you’ve got to figure something out! We need to clean up this mess pronto! Lin Yun still has commercial value, so we can’t just abandon him like this! I know… I know the drug issue is serious, but… with the right tactics, we can cover up the past. Netizens forget fast, so it’ll blow over in no time… What? The other party is being uncompromising? So what do we do now?”
Du Ya felt her heart growing heavier with each passing moment. Finally, she sighed, “… Alright, I understand.”
After hanging up the phone, she turned to the disheveled Lin Yun, rage boiling within her. Unable to contain herself, she hurled the phone at him with all her might.
“How many times have I told you to rein in your temper? The more famous you become, the more humility you need to show! Why can’t you understand that you need to keep up appearances? Do you even realize who you’ve offended? The CEO of Lin Enterprises and his partner! Spreading rumors in a live stream and inciting fans to dox them? Are you f*cking out of your mind?!”
Du Ya’s face burned with anger, her voice sharp and piercing. The poor soundproofing of the guesthouse meant her fury was audible to everyone nearby.
In the next room, the director and several production crew members silently smoked, their faces a mix of satisfaction and frustration as they listened to Du Ya’s fiery tirade.
The author has something to say:
This cannon fodder isn’t important, so he’s disposed of promptly. What really matters are the events that will unfold next. But I’ll keep it a little secret for now!
Second Life Translations' Comment Policy
1. Be kind and respectful. Comments with curses will be put under moderation.
2. No links to other websites or asking for links.
3. No spoilers!