Eldest Senior Sister Became a Sensation After Being Blacklisted Online - Chapter 28

Liu Zimang’s eyes flickered slightly. “What do you want to do about it?”

Song Cheng shifted her posture and turned to look out the window. “Song Yu got me Hongxia’s injury assessment report earlier. As for Chu Sijie, do you have the photos of her injuries she sent you?”

Liu Zimang quickly found the images Chu Sijie had sent and handed them to Song Cheng.

Song Cheng glanced at the photos, let out a cold laugh, and picked up her phone to call the police. “I want to report someone for falsely accusing me of intentional assault.”

“Please be more specific.”

“I… I’ll come in person. Could you give me your address?”

After hanging up, Liu Zimang stared at her in confusion. “What exactly are you planning?”

Song Cheng smirked. “Isn’t Chu Sijie putting on a dramatic show of suffering? We can use legal means to determine the origin of her injuries. I’m certain those wounds weren’t inflicted by me.”

Ever since learning about the concept of intentional assault in this world, Song Cheng had been careful to use precise techniques when dealing with unruly individuals, precisely to avoid tangling with the police.

Recently, Song Yu had provided her with legal texts, and the regulations on intentional assault had piqued her curiosity, leading her to study the matter thoroughly.

There was no clear-cut standard for determining the severity of injuries. Moreover, Song Cheng was certain that her “lesson” to Chu Sijie that day hadn’t involved any real violence, so there was no way the photos could depict the kind of abuse and torture they suggested.

“Do you think this will work?”

“We’ll find out when we get there,” Song Cheng replied, flipping off the bed. A closer look revealed a slight stiffness in her movements.

No, I can’t wait any longer. I need to resolve my physical issues as soon as possible.

Once this matter was settled, she would seek out Xu Jinrong.

Furthermore, these constant troublemakers had finally made her realize something: she had been too lenient, allowing everyone to think they could take advantage of her.

She would soon teach them the true meaning of regret.

Refusing Liu Zimang’s offer of support, Song Cheng walked downstairs ahead of her. She found Shen Gu lounging on the sofa, watching TV with an air of leisure. Approaching him, she didn’t even need to speak before his deliberately lowered voice cut through the air: “I’ve already figured it out. It’s the Xu Clan. Do you want the details now?” As he spoke, Shen Gu withdrew his gaze from Liu Zimang and shot her a knowing, suggestive look.

Song Cheng, unusually not arguing with Shen Gu, turned toward the door and said, “Mom, Ziman and I are going out. Don’t wait for us for dinner.”

Hearing this, Wu Guifang hurriedly set down the plate she was holding. “Can’t you eat first?”

Song Tianfu, who had already learned about the online situation, rose from the sofa. He glanced at his wife before forcing a smile. “Go ahead.” After a pause, he added, “No matter what happens, this family will always be your support.”

Song Cheng pressed her lips together and nodded slightly. She quickened her pace to the door. While Wang Dong went to get the car, she looked up at the sky. Should I stop making them worry about me all the time?

Liu Zimang immediately understood what Song Cheng meant. She stepped closer and took her hand. “Do you want the truth or a lie?”

“The truth.”

“The truth is… you act too impulsively,” Liu Zimang said hesitantly, her voice softening. “There’s nothing wrong with following your heart, but given your current situation, you really can’t afford to be so impulsive.”

She whispered the last five words, afraid Song Cheng might get angry.

But if she didn’t say it, similar situations might keep happening, and then…

Every word Liu Zimang spoke resonated clearly in Song Cheng’s ears, plunging her into silence.

Yes, in the cultivation world, strength was the only language that mattered. If your own strength failed, the Sword Sect stood as your ultimate backing.

Here, strength still mattered, but it wasn’t about combat prowess—it was about social status. The Song Family, lacking social standing, had always been looked down upon, subjected to open mockery and veiled scorn.

She hadn’t forgotten the banquet where people’s attitudes toward her had instantly shifted after witnessing Zhang Qucheng and Xu Jinrong’s deference.

In this world, that’s just reality.

Liu Zimang, having finished speaking, watched Song Cheng’s reaction intently. When Song Cheng remained silent, she couldn’t help but offer reassurance: “Don’t overthink it. Following your heart is already a great thing.” At least it’s better than what I’ve done.

Song Cheng grasped her hand in return. “I know what to do now. I won’t let you worry about me anymore.”

As the car arrived, she stepped forward to open the door for Liu Zimang. After Liu Zimang settled inside, Song Cheng took her own seat.

Once inside, she pulled out her phone and retrieved Hongxia’s injury report, which Song Yu had obtained. She forwarded Zhang Yux’s notes along with it.

After a moment’s thought, she added a text message: Ignore Chu Sijie for now. Let her bask in her arrogance a little longer.

Zhang Yux: 【???】

Song Cheng: 【I didn’t cause that injury. I’m going to the police station now to have a forensic expert analyze the wound in the photo.】

Zhang Yux: 【Okay, I understand.】

They arrived at the police station quickly, but Song Cheng refused Liu Zimang’s offer to accompany her, entering alone.

She was led to a reception room and waited briefly before a uniformed officer entered. “Are you the one who reported being falsely accused of intentional assault?”

Song Cheng nodded, presenting the photo Chu Sijie had sent. “This is the evidence.”

The officer examined the photo from both sides before asking, “Did you injure her?”

“She repeatedly provoked me, so I taught her a lesson,” Song Cheng said, gesturing toward the photo. “But this injury definitely wasn’t my doing.”

The officer rubbed his temples. “Describe exactly how you struck her and what you did to ‘teach her a lesson.'”

Song Cheng cooperated fully, recounting the events. After taking notes, the officer looked at her intently before rising to take the photo to the forensic lab.

The final forensic analysis concluded that the wound was likely caused by a whip-like object.

However, the officer didn’t reveal this result to Song Cheng. Instead, he asked her to take him to the scene of the incident. After reviewing several surveillance videos, they finally found the footage from that day.

With the surveillance footage and authentication results in hand, and Song Cheng being a public figure, the incident had already sparked significant public outrage. The man immediately took action, bringing Chu Sijie to the police station for questioning.

When the police arrived, Chu Sijie was still live-streaming, her heart swelling with delight at seeing over a million viewers. She had assumed Song Cheng would feel guilty for hitting her, never imagining he would call the police.

The police’s appearance on camera was witnessed by the million-strong live-stream audience. After Chu Sijie was taken away, the online discourse shifted from sympathy for her and condemnation of Song Cheng to speculation about why she had been arrested.

Meanwhile, Song Cheng left the police station with the lawyer Song Yu had arranged, returning to Phoenix Sky Entertainment with Liu Zimang.

Watching the online vitriol and the public’s unwavering sympathy for Chu Sijie, Zhang Yux pressed a hand to her forehead and turned to the two figures lounging on the sofa. “When are we releasing the clarification?”

Liu Zimang glanced at Song Cheng, silently seeking her approval.

Song Cheng shifted her posture, turning to face Zhang Yux. “They want attention, right? We can drop the evidence when the heat is at its peak.”

Zhang Yux, snapping out of her reverie, immediately gave Song Cheng a thumbs-up. “I’ll have the PR team monitor the situation closely. We’ll strike hard and expose those liars when the heat is at its peak.”

Half an hour later, when the official medical reports confirming Chu Sijie and Hongxia’s minor injuries were released, the internet exploded.

This has to be fake! I saw the video of Hongxia being attacked—those were brutal blows! There’s no way she only suffered minor injuries.

The commenter above has a point. But the police are involved now. Would Song Cheng really dare to defy the authorities?

Breaking news: Song Cheng personally reported the incident to the police and confessed to hitting them.

If that’s true, why isn’t Song Cheng in custody? Shouldn’t she be “invited for tea” by now?

Are you genuinely naive or just pretending? If Song Cheng reported the incident first and Chu Sijie was later taken in by the police, it’s clear Chu Sijie is the one with something to hide. Trust the police to uphold justice.

Exactly! Why didn’t Chu Sijie release this information earlier? She waited until everyone was condemning Song Cheng to stir up public outrage and gain attention.

Right, right, right! If Song Cheng were truly a violent person, why haven’t others come forward to accuse her? Both Chu Sijie and Hongxia have grudges against her.

Unable to read any further, Zhang Yux tossed her phone onto the table, shaking her head. “These netizens are remarkably self-regulating. They’ll hurl insults with abandon, but the moment solid evidence surfaces, they start rationalizing it away.”

Liu Zimang glanced back and saw Song Cheng had fallen asleep. She pressed a finger to her lips, signaling Zhang Yux to be quiet, then rose to fetch a blanket for Song Cheng before leading the way to the adjacent office. “You’re not exactly new to dealing with these netizens, are you? They’re always like this.”

Zhang Yux pursed her lips. “True. We weathered this storm without any real damage.” A thought struck her, and she looked up. “Song Cheng admitted to the police that she hit him. How will that play out?”

“The lawyer Song Cheng’s brother hired said it’s a ‘no harm, no foul’ situation. Since the incident happened some time ago, the police won’t open a case unless Chu Sijie can produce compelling medical evidence from the time of the examination.”

“Chu Sijie’s ambition to become famous has been thwarted. There’s no guarantee she’ll let go of Song Cheng.”

Liu Zimang turned on the tap, took a sip of water, and said slowly, “As long as it doesn’t result in serious injury, it’s not a major issue.”

Zhang Yux nodded in relief, took out her phone, and logged into Song Cheng’s Weibo account. Watching the rapidly increasing follower count, she smiled slightly. “It’s not a complete loss. At least her follower count has skyrocketed again.”

Ding… ding…

Exiting Weibo, she returned to the messaging app interface, which was flooded with collaboration requests for Song Cheng.

She showed the messages to Liu Zimang, hoping for guidance, but Liu Zimang simply waved her hand. “Let’s wait and see.”

Zhang Yux put her phone away. “Alright. Since Song Cheng’s debut, she’s only appeared on Talent Clash. We need to be more cautious about choosing other opportunities.”

As soon as dawn broke, Song Cheng finished her classes and headed straight to the Xu Clan.

Perhaps due to the widespread commotion caused by yesterday’s online incident, she was immediately escorted to the main hall upon crossing the threshold, without even stating her purpose.

After sitting for a few minutes, Xu Jinrong hurried in from outside. “I thought they had mistaken me for someone else,” he said, approaching Song Cheng with a welcoming gesture. “But it’s truly Master Song herself.” He gestured for her to sit back down as she had already risen to greet him.

“After the incident, I immediately contacted the Chen Family,” Xu Jinrong began. “Old Monster Chen will be here tomorrow to personally apologize to you.”

Song Cheng accepted the tea Xu Jinrong poured for her, gently placing it on the low table to her left before speaking. “I didn’t come about yesterday’s matter. There’s something else I need your help with.”

Xu Jinrong leaned forward, intrigued. “Please elaborate.”

“I heard your family possesses an ancestral manual that’s highly effective in curbing arrogance and impatience,” Song Cheng stated directly.

Xu Jinrong stroked his chin, pondering for a moment before replying, “Master Shen must have told you about it.” He nodded. “That’s right, our family does have such a manual. Its full name is the Tranquil Mind Manual.”

He sighed, shaking his head. “It’s a pity that several pages were lost while we were fleeing the war.”

Song Cheng turned sideways. “So, it can’t be learned anymore?”

“My father and I researched it for years, but we still couldn’t decipher it,” Xu Jinrong said, his voice filled with regret.

Song Cheng refused to give up so easily. She ventured cautiously, “Would you mind letting me take a look?” Meeting Xu Jinrong’s hesitant gaze, she cleared her throat. “I know this is an unreasonable request, but I… I can repay you in other ways, anything within my power.”

Xu Jinrong remained silent for a long moment. Just as Song Cheng braced herself for rejection, he finally spoke. “I can lend you the Tranquil Mind Manual, but you must agree to two conditions.”

Without hesitation, Song Cheng replied, “Name them.”

If this could resolve her physical problems, she was willing to risk everything.

“First, if you manage to decipher the Tranquil Mind Manual, you must share the complete understanding with me, ensuring the manual’s continued transmission.”

Song Cheng nodded. “No problem.”

“Second,” Xu Jinrong turned to look at the disciples practicing in the courtyard, “identify the weaknesses in the Xu Clan’s martial techniques and help refine them.”

Song Cheng: “……”

“Isn’t that just martial arts instruction?”

“If you agree to these two conditions, I’ll retrieve the Tranquil Mind Manual for you right now.”

Song Cheng rose and leaned against the doorframe, glancing at the martial arts practice in the courtyard. She snapped her fingers. “Deal.”

A quick look at the eighteen disciples in the courtyard revealed they had decent foundations and their techniques were clean and efficient, making instruction relatively straightforward.

Xu Jinrong suppressed his excitement and stood up to follow Song Cheng.

Seeing him hesitate, Song Cheng immediately understood he wanted her to demonstrate a few moves.

Sly fox, she thought to herself. She straightened up, stepped into the courtyard, and stood with her hands behind her back. “Who wants to spar with me?”

Xu Y, the leader, stepped forward, clasping his wooden staff in both hands and bowing respectfully. “Master Song, please instruct me.”

With Xu Jinrong’s nod of approval, Xu Y launched the first attack.

As Song Cheng parried Xu Y’s strikes, she commented, “Too slow.”

“Not enough power.”

“Your vital points are exposed.”

After a dozen minutes, Xu Y was panting heavily, beads of sweat rolling down his forehead. Yet his eyes burned with a fervent light as he wiped the sweat away. “Again.”

Song Cheng immediately raised her hand and turned to Xu Jinrong. “Is that enough?”

Xu Jinrong, who had been watching with rapt attention, quickly averted his gaze and cleared his throat. “I’ll go now. You two carry on, carry on.” He could see that Xu Y had made significant progress under Song Cheng’s guidance in just a few minutes.

The Tranquil Mind Manual was already incomplete. Trading it for instruction from a prodigy like Song Cheng was a bargain, no matter how you looked at it.

He could already envision the Xu Clan’s rise to prominence at the annual martial arts competition between the North and South Ridge Ancient Martial Arts Families.

For the past five competitions, held every two years, the Southern Ridge families had endured ridicule from their Northern counterparts, who claimed they were growing weaker and should abandon martial arts to focus on business.

Xu Jinrong refused to accept this, and neither did the other Southern Ridge families. They poured millions into training their disciples each year, yet the results remained meager.

Song Cheng’s arrival offered a glimmer of hope. Xu Jinrong had been fretting about how to persuade her to provide guidance, but she had unexpectedly come to him.

His hesitation stemmed from wondering why Song Cheng wanted the Tranquil Mind Manual. He doubted someone as impulsive as her would truly seek inner peace and restraint.

After much deliberation, he abandoned his concerns. After all, he had nothing to lose.

The Tranquil Mind Manual, as its name suggested, was meant to aid in cultivating Internal Energy. Initially, he had been thrilled that his grandson had actually mastered Internal Energy after spending half a million yuan. In the end, it turned out to be nothing more than wishful thinking.

Over the past few days, he had come to realize that whether it was Internal Energy or martial techniques, anything that could bring honor to the Southern Ridge Ancient Martial Arts Clan and prevent shame upon their ancestors would suffice.

Song Cheng, still unaware of his ulterior motives, spent over an hour guiding them after obtaining the Tranquil Mind Manual before finally leaving.

“Master Song, could you come earlier tomorrow? Everyone here really likes you,” Xu Y asked eagerly.

Song Cheng paused, her foot already raised to step away. “I come twice a week. Use these next two days to digest what I’ve taught you.” She raised her hand, her expression stern. “I’ll be testing you next time. Failure will not be tolerated.”

That sinister smile sent a chill down the spines of Xu Y and the others.

Having finally secured the Tranquil Mind Manual, Song Cheng couldn’t wait to return and study it.

Two hours later, Liu Tianhong learned that Song Cheng had not only stayed at the Xu Clan for nearly two hours but had also personally instructed them in martial techniques. He immediately rose from his seat, pointed outside, and ordered Liu Zitong, “Prepare the car. We’re paying Song Cheng a visit.”

Zhang Qucheng’s grandfather, Zhang Heng, was just as restless. He slammed his fist on the table. “Xu Jinrong is too cunning! We can’t just sit here and wait for our doom. You said the Song Family is in the timber business and planning to go public, right? Then step in and help them out. Make sure they know we’re doing them a favor.”

Zhang Qucheng rubbed his hands together. “I’ve already arranged for someone to handle it. I’ve also instructed our people to give preferential treatment to any deals involving the Song Family.”

Zhang Heng nodded in satisfaction. “Then make sure Song Cheng knows about it. Let her see our goodwill.”

“Alright, I’ll take care of it right away.”

Song Cheng secluded herself in the backyard of the Song Family residence, burying herself in the Tranquil Mind Manual.

After confirming that the manual posed no harm to her, she decided to begin practicing it.

Just as she settled into a meditative posture, Shen Gu’s excited voice rang out: “Remember when you asked me to research ways to make money? I’ve found something!”

She opened her eyes, straightened her posture, and turned to look at Shen Gu. “What is it?”

She had spent much of the previous day pondering the paradox of this world: it both valued and disregarded money, yet ultimately, everything revolved around it.

With money, she could recruit talented individuals to assist her. Achieving success would naturally elevate her social status. Even building influence required financial resources.

That’s why she had tasked Shen Gu with finding profitable ventures.

Shen Gu immediately thrust his phone in front of her, tapping the screen. “Look, it’s health supplements.” He flinched back at Song Cheng’s sharp glare. “You wouldn’t believe it—now that people have money, they’re obsessed with health. Especially the wealthy—if the supplements actually work, they’d pay ten thousand yuan per box without batting an eye, let alone one thousand!”

He retreated a few more steps to ensure a safe distance before asking in a low voice, “So, in your world, do you have any highly effective medicinal formulas? Nothing too complicated—just something to strengthen the body and improve health.”

Song Cheng didn’t look at him. She pulled out her phone and searched online, confirming that health supplements were indeed a promising market. Then, stroking her chin with one hand, she rummaged through her memories. “I do know some formulas, but they’re pill formulas.” Anticipating what Shen Gu was about to say, she added bluntly, “I only remember the formulas; I don’t know how to make pills.”

Shen Gu’s face immediately fell. But then, a new idea lit up his face. “We don’t need to be so meticulous with pill-making! We can just turn them into liquid form. That way, they’ll be easy to drink and convenient to produce.”

Song Cheng pondered Shen Gu’s words, realizing he had a point.

“Do you need a pen? I’ll go get one right now!” Shen Gu exclaimed, dashing off.

Just as he entered the living room, he saw Sister Feng leading Liu Zimang, Liu Tianhong, and Liu Zitong into the house.

He quickly retreated, tapping on the glass to signal Song Cheng that Liu Zimang had arrived.

Seeing Liu Zimang, Song Cheng immediately scrambled up from the grass, brushed off the grass and dust, and headed toward the living room.

Wu Guifang and Song Tianfu, who had been puzzled by the unexpected guests, immediately breathed a sigh of relief. “I’ll go make tea,” Wu Guifang said. “Chengz, entertain our distinguished guests.”

As Wu Guifang walked over, Liu Zimang awkwardly moved closer to her. “I wanted to come see you for dinner after the announcement, but I ran into Grandpa when I got out of the car, so I came in with them.”

Liu Tianhong, who was sitting on the sofa, watched his granddaughter and Song Cheng standing so close together, his earlier anxiety instantly dissipating.

He rose to his feet with a smile. “Forgive us for arriving uninvited, Master Song,” he said, glancing at Liu Zitong. Liu Zitong immediately placed the prepared gifts on the coffee table. “A small token of our appreciation, Master Song. Please accept it.”

This only made Liu Zimang feel more awkward, unsure of Liu Tianhong’s true intentions.

Song Cheng gave her a reassuring look before settling onto the sofa. “I assume you’re here because of my visit to the Xu Clan today.”

“As expected, I couldn’t hide anything from Master Song,” Liu Tianhong said, settling back onto the sofa after a moment’s hesitation. “To be honest, I came here to ask Master Song to guide the Liu Family’s martial techniques as well.”

I knew it, Song Cheng thought.

Seizing the idea that flashed through her mind, she turned slightly to Liu Zimang, who was sitting beside her, and asked, “What’s the Liu Family’s social standing in S City?”

Liu Zimang blinked. “It’s… decent?”

Song Cheng snapped her fingers, meeting Liu Tianhong’s shrewd gaze. “Don’t call me ‘Master Song,'” she said. When Liu Tianhong looked puzzled, she added, “I agreed to help the Xu Clan because they offered me what I wanted. Your Liu Family…” She deliberately drew out the word, feigning hesitation.

Liu Tianhong, who had already braced himself for this, leaned forward. “If you’re willing to guide the Liu Family, we’ll give you three percent of our annual profits.”