Reborn, I Became a Male God - Chapter 56-60

Jing Ling understood the meaning of those words almost instantly. His gaze shifted toward the back of his ear—it looked like the man had seen through the human-skin mask. He couldn’t help but size the man up. The man was undeniably handsome, with broad shoulders, a narrow waist, and long legs. Dressed in a uniform, someone like him should have stood out in a crowd. But right now, oddly enough, he was so unremarkable that people would subconsciously overlook him like any forgettable passerby.

 

Even Jing Ling himself had only found the man’s movement a little unusual when he reached out to block Yunshu, but he hadn’t thought any further. After all, this was the capital. It wasn’t strange for law enforcement to have a few hidden masters among them. It wasn’t until the man unmasked his disguise with a single sentence that Jing Ling realized something was off.

 

Sure enough, he had lived in peace and comfort for too long, and his vigilance had dulled.

 

Many thoughts flashed through Jing Ling’s mind, but in reality, only a moment had passed. As the officer brushed past him, he said, “Don’t worry. I’m a good person.”

 

Xu Shaohuai let out a soft chuckle and replied noncommittally, “Let’s hope so.”

 

He came from a special department and knew his own capabilities well. His earlier move had been a reflex—swift, no doubt—but he hadn’t expected someone to move even faster, shielding the target before him. And this person had sensed his intent despite facing away. That kind of reaction speed was far beyond what an ordinary person could possess, which immediately made him suspicious.

 

And the events that followed proved his instincts correct. Two children had fallen from the fourth floor, one after the other. Catching the first one could be chalked up to coincidence—he happened to be standing in the right spot—but catching the second? That couldn’t be explained by luck. He noticed the man’s arms hanging awkwardly—clearly severely injured. Doing a good deed anonymously was understandable, but trying to sneak away under such circumstances made one question whether there was more to this person’s identity.

 

Following that line of thought, Xu Shaohuai realized the man’s expression while speaking seemed stiff and unnatural. Coincidentally, Xu had done some study in disguise. After observing him carefully for a moment, though no obvious flaws were visible, he could confirm the man was wearing a human-skin mask. So it wasn’t unwarranted for him to be suspicious—after all, what normal person wears a human-skin mask around casually? And the craftsmanship was exquisite, far from the cheap, obvious ones that could be spotted at a glance.

 

Xu Shaohuai wasn’t the local beat cop. Today, he was doing someone a favor by accompanying a rookie trainee. Old Master Huang had thought his grandson was too unruly, so he had him assigned as a beat cop in this area, hoping to temper his character. And it had worked—after over a year here, his personality had mellowed out quite a bit. This year, two new interns joined, and one of them was assigned to Huang Shiheng. At first, he had taken the mentorship seriously. But half a month ago, the girl he’d been chasing for ages finally agreed to be his girlfriend. From that moment on, all his attention had shifted to pleasing his girlfriend. As for his apprentice—what apprentice? Can you eat that?

 

When the accident happened at Hualian Plaza, the mall called the police, and it was Huang Shiheng’s apprentice, Liang Xiao, who picked up. Originally, Huang Shiheng should’ve responded with his apprentice. But Xu Shaohuai happened to be passing by and dropped in to check on him. The kid looked at him like he’d seen his savior, calling him “Shaohuai-ge” with more affection than he had for his own brother. Xu, in a good mood, agreed to help by taking the apprentice along.

 

Huang Shiheng cheered, clapped his apprentice on the shoulder, told him to pay attention and learn well, then dashed off to change clothes and drive off to see his girlfriend.

 

On the way over, Xu Shaohuai had asked Liang Xiao about the call and heard that the report simply mentioned an incident with no casualties, so he hadn’t thought much of it. Who knew he’d stumble into something like this?

 

But now wasn’t the time to overthink. The man was injured while saving people. The priority was to get him to the hospital. No matter how suspicious this person’s identity was, now that he had noticed, Xu would keep a close eye on him and wouldn’t let him get away. There would be time for questions later.

 

The hospital wasn’t far from the mall. They soon arrived. One adult and two children went straight into the emergency room. On the surface, none of the three seemed hurt—they could walk, jump, and talk. If Xu Shaohuai hadn’t been in uniform, the nurses might’ve thought they were wasting hospital resources. But after hearing Xu’s description and cutting open Jing Ling’s sleeves to inspect his arms, the nurses were shocked. They couldn’t imagine how someone could look so calm with injuries that severe—it was as if those hands weren’t his.

 

Preliminary examinations confirmed that both of Jing Ling’s hands had serious fractures. He needed to be hospitalized until the swelling went down before surgery could be arranged. The two children, however, were fine—just frightened. Their parents only needed to take extra care of them.

 

Soon after, the children’s mother rushed in—a woman in her thirties still in business attire, clearly having worked through the weekend. At first, her face was filled with panic and worry. Once she confirmed the kids were safe, she finally let out a sigh of relief, then profusely thanked Jing Ling and his group, insisting they take good care of him and that her family would cover all medical expenses.

 

Jing Ling first asked Yunshu to buy him some food. Then, using the excuse that he wanted to rest, he sent the family away. In the end, only he and Xu Shaohuai remained in the room.

 

“Officer, may I ask your surname?” Jing Ling asked.

 

“No need for courtesy—surname Xu,” Xu Shaohuai replied.

 

“Officer Xu, could I trouble you with something?” Jing Ling said. Before Xu could answer, he continued, “I know there are surveillance cameras in the mall. Could you contact them and ask them not to release the footage… Officer Xu, could you not look at me like that? I really am a good person. I have no criminal record. My identity’s just… a little special. My ID is in the wallet in my jacket pocket. I can’t move right now—could you please get it yourself?”

 

Xu Shaohuai raised an eyebrow, reached over for the jacket at the bedside, pulled out the wallet, and took out the ID card. They say ID photos are the worst anyone ever looks, but some people just seem blessed—like they’re on a cheat code—able to look great even in ID photos. This one in his hand, for instance: the features and bone structure were nearly flawless.

 

He looked at the photo, then back at the injured man lying in the bed. Though the disguise had changed his appearance, the bone structure and those eyes were unmistakably the same.

 

“Jing Ling?” he muttered, the name sounding familiar. After a moment’s thought, he pulled out his phone and searched the name online. When he saw the results, he immediately understood. “So it’s you.” His tone held some hidden meaning.

 

“Of all the things you could’ve done, you had to go into that filthy industry. What a waste!” Xu Shaohuai said. Born into privilege, he had always held himself to high standards. But many of his similarly privileged peers were not so restrained—he’d heard and seen his share of outrageous behavior. As a result, he had always harbored prejudice against people in the entertainment industry. He hadn’t expected to find a rare exception, a breath of fresh air, among them today.

 

“This is a good thing. Why don’t you want people to know?” he asked.

 

Jing Ling shook his head. “No need. Besides, I don’t want Yunshu dragged into this right now.”

 

“Alright. I’ll help you,” Xu Shaohuai agreed without hesitation. He immediately made a call and passed on the request. Naturally, someone would handle it. Since the incident had just happened, the mall had only issued a statement and hadn’t released the footage. Though there were some clips circulating online, they all came from the same source: a bystander who happened to record part of the incident and shared it on social media. The footage was blurry, chaotic, and incomplete.

 

At that point, Jing Ling truly thought the matter was over. Xu Shaohuai, having sorted everything out, left the hospital.

 

Not long after, Tan Yunshu returned with food and sat beside the bed, feeding him by hand. Her eyes were red like a rabbit’s, making Jing Ling feel both amused and heartbroken. He apologized, “My bad. I made you worry.”

 

Yunshu shot back with one word: “Liar!”

 

Jing Ling: “…”

 

On May 1st, the movie  Island exploded online. The box office surged, and reviews were overwhelmingly positive. Within twelve hours of its release, the movie broke the 100 million yuan mark, leading the Golden Week box office race.

 

Feng Chu and Zeng Qing, the lead actors, naturally received the most attention. But the most talked-about figure after them was Jing Ling, who played the villain known as Ninth person. Director Gu had personally selected him, and during filming, had praised his acting. Combined with his striking looks, it was no surprise that both fans and casual viewers praised him after the film’s release. His Weibo followers, which had been slowly growing for a while, suddenly skyrocketed as if on steroids.

 

The movie’s official account posted a celebratory message for hitting the 100 million milestone. The other actors all reshared it with their congratulations—except for him. His agent, Shen Ze, had been twitching with a bad feeling all morning. When he discovered the omission, he immediately understood why. Without any expression, he called his artist. But when the call connected, it was a woman’s voice on the other end. He paused, then realized—it was that devoted Miss Tan. He tactfully asked if he could speak to his artist, and she kindly passed the phone to Jing Ling.

 

“My dear young master,” Shen Ze said with frustration, “we agreed you’d work hard. You were doing so well—why do you always mess up at the most important moment?! Your Weibo still has that apology post pinned—don’t tell me you’re planning to add another!”

 

Jing Ling immediately understood. “A-Ze, calm down!” He paused and added, “Yunahu, help me check what the Island official account posted… Oh, it broke 100 million? Help me reshare it with congratulations.”

 

From the words clearly not meant for him, Shen Ze could tell something was wrong. He demanded sharply, “Jing Ling, tell me honestly—what are you doing?!”

 

Jing Ling didn’t hide it. He replied casually, “Nothing much. Just got a little hurt and ended up in the hospital.”

 

“Where are you hurt? Is it serious? Which hospital? Tell me now!!!”

 

Chapter 57

 

 

What a coincidence—Shen Ze happened to be handling some business in the capital over the past two days. Once he found out the hospital address, he rushed over by taxi. Pushing open the door to the hospital room and seeing Jing Ling’s condition clearly, his vision went black—he almost couldn’t bear the blow.

 

“My little ancestor! Weren’t you perfectly fine when we talked on the phone last night? It hasn’t even been that long, and now you’re like this! What on earth did you do?!”

 

Shen Ze was completely overwhelmed. His way of addressing Jing Ling had gone from “young master” to “little ancestor.” And wasn’t he just that? Usually cared for with extreme caution, and yet just one moment of inattention had resulted in a major incident.

 

After roaring, he finally noticed that apart from Jing Ling and Tan Yunshu, there was also a stranger in the room—a man who was now looking at him with a guilty expression. Shen Ze was about to ask what had happened, but before he could speak, the man said, “I’m sorry…”

 

From him, Shen Ze learned the ins and outs of what had happened. For a moment, he didn’t know what to say. Jing Ling had been injured while saving someone. In such a situation, what could he say? That he shouldn’t have stepped in to help?

 

If it hadn’t been for him, those two children—who together were just five years old—would likely have said goodbye to this world.

 

Everyone has different values, and the law doesn’t require people to act heroically. Minding one’s own business without harming others—that’s how many people live. Shen Ze admitted he wasn’t that indifferent, but he also couldn’t do what Jing Ling did, sacrificing himself for others. So even though he was deeply worried this might affect Jing Ling’s future, he had no ground to criticize what he had done.

 

Shen Ze sat by the window and silently watched Jing Ling for a long time before suddenly lowering his gaze and letting out an almost inaudible sigh.

 

But Jing Ling still heard it and felt a bit uncomfortable. To the people he had saved, he might be a hero who appeared out of nowhere. But to those close to him—like Yunshu and Shen Ze—he only ever made them worry.

 

Although he had great confidence in his own physical condition and didn’t take this level of injury seriously, Yunshu and Shen Ze didn’t know that. From their perspective, this was a serious injury.

 

“Yunshu, Ah Ze,” he called their names, “I’m sorry for worrying you. I promise that if anything similar happens again, I will make sure to do my best to protect my own safety!”

 

He didn’t say he’d guarantee something like this wouldn’t happen again—because deep down, he knew he could never stand by and do nothing. If he encountered something like this again, he would still step forward.

 

He still remembered how, in the beginning, after suffering under the Tan family, his heart had turned dark and twisted, and he had become a cold, selfish person. Only after traveling through one world after another and meeting all kinds of people did his mindset start to change. If ordinary people could risk their lives to save others, and he—with all his skills—only ever thought of self-preservation, wouldn’t that be a bit ridiculous?

 

“I know my body best. At most, I’ll be healed in two months.” He tried to reassure the two of them—only to earn two simultaneous eye rolls.

 

On Weibo’s 24-hour trending list today, roughly a third of the posts were related to the movie Island. Scrolling through, the top posts were all tagged with #Island, though two of them stood out as different.

 

North of the Arctic: Went to see Island with my girlfriend today. She’s a bit timid and kept jumping into my arms from fright. You all know how guys are—hard to resist temptation. But I’m a coward too and didn’t dare go too far. Just took advantage of the darkness to steal a few touches and kisses. We were really getting into it when the guy sitting next to us suddenly said, “You guys know about infrared night vision cameras, right?” I instantly lost the mood. Later, I checked with the cinema staff, and turns out—it’s true! Even with the lights off, the security room can see everything crystal clear! To all the bros who’ve done questionable things in cinemas… are you all doing okay? 

 

The poster was a nobody with barely any followers, but within just a few hours, the post had tens of thousands of comments, and over twenty thousand likes and reposts. In the comments, many users who had once done questionable things in cinemas chimed in with their own experiences.

 

Another trending Weibo was a news report from a media outlet.

 

Capital Weekend V: [Mother fails to hold onto two children, both fall from fourth floor of mall] The incident occurred at Hualian Plaza in the Cuihu District of the capital. The children fell from the 4th floor but were fortunately caught by a courageous bystander. Both children are safe and unharmed. The young man who stepped in to help was sent to Cuihu Hospital by police. According to reports, he suffered severe injuries, including a comminuted fracture of the arm. At the time of the incident, the two young children were being carried by their mother. When one slipped and fell, the mother tried to grab them, resulting in the other also falling. [Video]

 

The accompanying video was taken on a phone. The footage was blurry and filled with screams—clearly recorded by accident. It started with a shot of a public area in the mall, but very quickly a dark shape fell from above. The person filming instinctively followed with their phone and accidentally captured a few crucial moments: a blur dashed in from near the door and caught the falling object near the elevator. Just seconds later, another object fell—it was also caught, though this time the person failed to hold it steadily and it slipped to the ground. Luckily, the height wasn’t too great.

 

Everything happened too fast to see clearly. Only after watching the video to the end did viewers realize that what had fallen were two children, and the blur that rushed in was a tall young man.

 

If not for the lack of professional filming equipment, one might have mistaken it for a movie scene—because that kind of reaction speed was beyond normal human limits.

 

The comments under this Weibo post were deeply polarized. On one hand, people were praising the selfless bravery of the young man. On the other hand, there was a surge of vicious outrage directed at the children’s mother. People were saying she was unfit to be a parent, blaming her for nearly costing the children their lives, and even going so far as to say she should’ve jumped down too. The hatred was overwhelming—some commenters even called for the mother to be “torn to pieces.” Any user who tried to offer a different perspective was immediately bombarded with personal attacks.

 

After Capital Weekend posted that Weibo, several other media outlets reposted it. The comments were largely the same as those under Capital Weekend’s coverage—almost all one-sidedly blaming the children’s mother.

 

Jing Ling didn’t see the post until that evening—it was Shen Ze who discovered it and brought it to him. After reading several related Weibo posts and the accompanying comments, Jing Ling was so angry he kicked the bed’s steel frame hard enough to dent the board beneath. The loud bang startled both Tan Yunshu and Shen Ze, and they immediately forgot all about the news discussion and instinctively checked whether the bed was broken. When they saw the bulging metal underneath, they exchanged glances and fell into silence.

 

Jing Ling didn’t pay attention to their reactions—he was still seething. He was furious enough to want to drag out those media outlets twisting the truth and beat them senseless.

 

He had traveled through many worlds, most of which were rife with gender discrimination and deeply unfriendly toward women. Whenever a woman made a mistake, her gender would always be highlighted for criticism—“female driver,” “female teacher,” “female worker.” But when men did wrong, they would be referred to simply by their profession—“a driver,” “a teacher,” “a worker.”

 

He had personally experienced the incident at Hualian Plaza and knew the full story inside out. The accident was caused by the father’s negligence—the mother wasn’t even present at the time. But how did the news report it? They pinned the blame on the mother, who wasn’t even on the scene, and made her the target of tens of thousands of hateful netizens!

 

“Yunshu, help me post a Weibo,” Jing Ling said through gritted teeth.

 

Tan Yunshu, a little confused, stood up and looked from the dented bed frame back to him. After a few seconds, she came to her senses. “Oh, okay.” Once she understood why Jing Ling wanted to post, she used his account to write and publish a Weibo post.

 

Jing Ling—Second Most Handsome Under the Heavens V: Some media outlets, in their effort to grab attention, fabricate stories without even understanding the truth of the incident. Is there any shred of professional ethics left? @CapitalWeekend @PingchengDaily @XingyuanMetropolitanNews

 

Chapter 58

 

 

#Popular Young Actor Jing Ling Slams Media for False Reporting#

 

Late at night around ten o’clock, Jing Ling had Yunshu post a Weibo on his behalf. By the next day, the topic had already shot to the trending list. His fans were highly loyal, so the comments under the post were manageable, with fans helping to control the narrative. However, once the topic was clicked into, the hot comments were almost entirely sarcastic.

 

sweet: So celebrities have the face to accuse the media of false reporting, huh? Why didn’t they say that when they paid for press releases to praise themselves and trample others?

 

qiqiqi July: Even something like this has to be used for clout—your desire for fame is practically jumping off the screen!

 

Little Bunny: Didn’t someone’s team used to brag about being indifferent to fame and living in seclusion? Not even a full year has passed and the persona’s already collapsing—impressive!

 

Vivian: @sweet Some unethical media will do anything for attention, that’s not news. Why shouldn’t they be called out? That incident at Hualian Plaza—wasn’t it the father holding the child? Yet the news blatantly claimed it was the mother, and the comment section was flooded with insults toward her. Even though it was clarified later, who knows how many people were already misled? Society is already unfriendly to women—these garbage media outlets repeatedly smear the entire gender. What exactly are they up to?

 

Perfume Water Isn’t Water, It’s Soup: Since when can a D-list internet celeb be called a top-tier star? I feel like I don’t even understand the word “popular” anymore. Heh.

 

Pretty much every time there’s a fan war on the forums, Jing Ling gets mocked as a D-list internet celeb. For an actor, that’s obviously not a compliment—but he can’t refute it. Because even though he debuted and rose to fame with The Song of Eternal Joy, which received good reviews online, it was still essentially a web drama. His popularity only really existed online. Gaining ten million fans from a single drama sounds impressive, but afterward, he didn’t go on variety shows or take endorsements. He didn’t hire PR or release press statements, and he even wore a human-skin mask when he went out. Even entertainment paparazzi who wanted to boost his popularity couldn’t find him. Under such circumstances, he was no different from those influencers with millions of followers—once out of their home turf, it’s like they don’t exist.

 

This time, with the hit film Island, he finally gained some real-world buzz as one of the lead actors, stepping out of the “internet celeb” category. But coincidentally, the Hualian Plaza news surfaced at this exact moment, and he just happened to speak out—so it was inevitable that some people would speculate maliciously.

 

The media outlets he called out had long been notorious in the industry, and incidents of exploiting tragedies weren’t a one-time thing. After Jing Ling named them, the Hualian Plaza official account also issued a statement clarifying that the person holding the child was indeed the father, not the mother. Even so, some outlets like Capital Weekend didn’t just refuse to apologize—they didn’t even delete the original posts, and continued reporting the latest news. Saying “a dead pig isn’t afraid of boiling water” couldn’t be more accurate.

 

One could say the incident had zero impact on those media outlets. Instead, it left Jing Ling in a messy situation.

 

Shen Ze had already predicted this outcome but didn’t stop Jing Ling from posting the Weibo. Even he didn’t know what his reasons were.

 

Maybe it was sympathy.

 

Celebrities are different from regular people. Besides having a glamorous appearance, they also need a strong body—because acting is truly grueling. Wearing short sleeves in winter and padded coats in summer is normal. A scene might get NG’d countless times for all sorts of reasons. For physically demanding scenes, exhaustion is routine. In the early years when special effects weren’t advanced, every major star had a body full of injuries.

 

But now it’s different. Every year, new people enter the industry like fish in a river, but few survive the waves. Jing Ling had the right timing, location, and people to get his first break. Even though he didn’t have as much exposure as others, he got cast by a renowned director. He could’ve taken a different route—starring in one quality film or drama a year, landing high-end endorsements, building a solid reputation.

 

But now he was seriously injured—both arms fractured, with the right one shattered. As the saying goes, it takes a hundred days to heal bones and tendons. His injuries would require at least a year of recovery. Audiences are forgetful. A year out of the spotlight, and people will move on. For many, that could mark the end of their stardom. Even if audiences remember him, directors might be hesitant to cast him—his injuries could leave lasting issues. It’s an unstable factor.

 

Shen Ze glanced again at Tan Yunshu, sitting by the bedside. Beautiful, with a graceful figure, a top student from Imperial Capital University—she and Jing Ling were quite a match. Maybe it’s not a bad thing for him to leave stardom. He could have a proper relationship, get married, have children…

 

Jing Ling noticed Shen Ze looking at him strangely. How to describe it? Like a parent gazing at a child, or an elder at a younger generation—resigned but tolerant… What the hell?! He was shocked by his own interpretation and frowned, “Ah Ze, what are you thinking about?”

 

“Thinking about what your future child’s name should be…” Shen Ze replied instinctively.

 

Jing Ling deadpanned, “You’re really overthinking!” He wasn’t even at the legal marriage age yet—four years to go!

 

“Didn’t you used to strongly recommend not going public with my relationship? How are we suddenly skipping ahead to marriage and kids?”

 

“That was for the sake of your career.”

 

“And now you’re not worried anymore? … Wait, you’re not seriously thinking I can’t act again just because of a little injury, are you?” Jing Ling immediately hit the mark.

 

Shen Ze didn’t respond, but his expression said it all.

 

If it weren’t for his immobile arms, Jing Ling would’ve facepalmed. “Didn’t I already tell you guys? This really isn’t a big deal. Two months at most, and I’ll be fine. What, don’t believe me? Look at this bedframe—can an ordinary person kick it like that? I know my own body best.”

 

With this reminder, both of them remembered what had happened last night—the Weibo drama had completely distracted them. He hadn’t seemed to exert much force, and he’d still been lying down. Yet with a light stomp, the metal frame welded together had bent. A regular person couldn’t possibly do that. Yunshu also recalled the call she got from Jing Ling on her birthday. Compared to gunfire and bullets, a fracture really wasn’t a big deal.

 

Shen Ze and Yunshu exchanged a look, then both turned to Jing Ling—and almost simultaneously yelled:

 

“Jing Ling, you jerk!”

 

“Bastard! Made me worry for nothing!”

 

Jing Ling: “…”

 

The atmosphere in the hospital room finally lightened. Yunshu smiled for the first time in a while and casually peeled an apple for Jing Ling. Shen Ze dove back into work, but still found time to tease them. “Island is doing really well. Industry insiders predict it’ll break 1 billion in box office. You’ve regained visibility and should get more scripts. Stick to the principle of quality over quantity—just film one movie or drama this year. Keep it going like this, build your reputation, and then aim for the big three film festivals. With some luck, win a Best Actor award. Then you can go public with your relationship and get married—career and family, both secured!”

 

Jing Ling rolled his eyes at him. Yunshu handed him an apple slice.

 

As for the Hualian Plaza incident—since there were no relevant laws in the country, Jing Ling, though unwilling to let it go, couldn’t do anything about the media spreading false news. Still, he had made his stance clear. As a public figure, he at least had influence. If he kept at it, more people would start to recognize the issue and pay attention.

 

He thought that was the end of it—but unexpectedly, the story wasn’t over. That afternoon, he was watching a classic film Shen Ze had recommended—both to pass the time and study acting. Halfway through the movie, the phone rang. It was an unfamiliar number. Yunshu answered and held the phone to his ear. A man’s voice came through—it was Xu Shaohuai, who had seen through his disguise the previous day.

 

“Got a surprise for you. Make sure to turn on the TV at seven.”

 

A completely out-of-context sentence. Then he hung up immediately.

 

“Who was that?” Yunshu asked casually.

 

Jing Ling repeated Xu Shaohuai’s words. Yunshu and Shen Ze discussed it and figured the “surprise” probably meant he was going to be on TV.

 

“Could it be for the heroic deed?” Shen Ze guessed.

 

Jing Ling doubted it. He had clearly told Xu Shaohuai he didn’t want it publicized, and the latter had agreed to help handle the surveillance footage.

 

“Maybe it’s about the false reporting thing. That’s been a problem for a long time—maybe I just got lucky and someone higher up wants to clean it up.”

 

“That’s possible. But he didn’t say which channel?” Shen Ze asked.

 

“Nope. Just said turn on the TV at seven.” Jing Ling shook his head.

 

“What’s on at seven… Wait, no way—is it what I’m thinking??”

 

Turned out, it was what Shen Ze was thinking. The most-watched TV program globally, broadcast simultaneously on all national channels (except paid ones)—Evening News on Channel 1 at exactly seven o’clock!

 

The news covered the previous day’s incident at Hualian Plaza and showed an 8-second surveillance video. The host pointed out that the heroic individual was none other than the popular young actor Jing Ling, who had suffered severe fractures in both arms while saving someone and was currently receiving treatment. The report concluded by saying that society today needed more positive role models like him.

 

Shen Ze clutched his chest, barely breathing, and asked the other two in the room, “Am I dreaming?”

 

Truthfully, it wasn’t just him. A lot of people were wondering the same.

 

Chapter 59

 

 

Yang Rou’s dad would turn on the TV every evening at 7:00 sharp to watch the Evening News, and today was no exception. But Yang Rou didn’t care much about these national affairs—she was curled up with her phone scrolling through Weibo. Although the hype was dying down on a few media outlets like Capital Weekend that had twisted the truth about the Hualian Plaza incident, the entertainment industry’s trolls and haters hadn’t let up on attacking Jing Ling. They were still jumping around, seizing any chance to slander him. There was nothing to be done—after all, The Island was performing incredibly well. Even if both the box office and reputation were being carried by Director Gu alone, the main actors were also beneficiaries. Some useless people couldn’t secure roles themselves and could only seethe with jealousy and attack others in secret.

 

The Weibo post Jing Ling made last night had already received over a hundred thousand comments. Most of the comments were a chaotic mix of fans and haters fighting, with a small portion from bystanders sharing their views.

 

Yang Rou’s fingers flew across her phone screen as she quickly rebutted several of the most brainless hateful comments. Then she refreshed and continued battling. A while later, she suddenly heard the words “Jing Ling” coming from the TV. Her first reaction was that she must’ve misheard, but she still instinctively looked up at the screen. A video was playing—it looked familiar. Then she saw the news caption and immediately realized: it was Hualian Plaza! She had given up her precious holiday to stay home scrolling through Weibo all because of this. Of course it looked familiar!

 

“This young man’s got some real skills!” her dad suddenly commented.

 

Yang Rou didn’t say anything, her eyes glued to the screen with unprecedented focus. The surveillance footage was a bit blurry and the face wasn’t clear, but that figure and silhouette—there was no mistaking it. It was definitely her idol! Most importantly, it was confirmed by the national broadcaster itself that the person in the video was indeed her idol!

 

“Hahahahahahahaha!” Yang Rou suddenly burst out laughing, but abruptly stopped after two seconds. The joy on her face didn’t have time to fade before it was replaced with concern. The mixed expression looked a little odd. 

“Wuwuwu, my idol got hurt!”

 

Her dad, startled by her sudden outburst, jumped a little. Two seconds later, after composing himself, he reached out and smacked her lightly on the head. “What the hell are you freaking out about?! I’m telling you, it’s fine to be a fan, but look at the people you like—what the hell are they? Nothing but a pretty face, all of them. Terrible acting, bad temper, diva behavior—if they’re not involved in one scandal, it’s another! Look at this young man—he didn’t even hesitate, just rushed in to save those kids. If he’d paused for even a second or two, those two might not have made it! This is exactly the kind of youth our society needs!”

 

Yang Rou gave him an extremely speechless look. Her dad glared back, “What are you looking at?! Am I wrong?! What are they teaching you in college politics class?!”

 

“Sorry, Dad,” she replied. “That young man you’re praising? He is my idol. See? Even you think he’s great. But what’s the point of just saying it? How about doing something real—his movie’s in theaters now. Let’s go watch it together tomorrow, how about it?”

 

Just as she finished speaking, her mom came out of the kitchen and plopped down on the sofa. “Your daughter’s suggestion sounds good. We’ve all got time anyway.” Then she turned to Yang Rou and said, “Book the tickets. And reserve a restaurant while you’re at it. We’ll eat out tomorrow.”

 

“Roger that!” Yang Rou made a peace sign and opened the app to place the order.

 

Her dad, who had just dug himself a hole: “……”

 

On the Nanzhou Forum, a massive thread sprang up quickly.

 

Topic: Evening News – Popular Young Actor Jing Ling Saves Two Children with Heroic Bravery! National Broadcast Confirms! Haters Can Kneel and Log Off Now! No Arguments Accepted!

 

No.0 Yunzhong Shenhai: Here’s today’s Evening News video. Skip to 15:26. National broadcaster personally confirms it—no trickery. This proves our boy has the most right to speak about the Hualian Plaza incident. If anyone keeps spreading rumors that he’s just trying to ride the hype, watch your back. Also, those who bashed him before—how about an apology?

 

One last plug: Gu Mengmeng’s new film The Island is now showing. Our boy Meng Er plays the third male lead. Tickets are ¥199 on Black Cat Movies—you won’t regret it! Don’t miss out! (P.S. I’m going for my third and fourth rewatch tomorrow. Yesterday was to celebrate Meng Er’s birthday, today to wish him a speedy recovery!)

 

(“Meng Er” (萌二) is a fan nickname, meaning “Cute Second” or “Adorable Number Two,” indicating he’s the second most beloved figure to the fans—possibly due to his account name)

 

No.1 dire: My minor celeb has done something amazing!

 

No.2 Old City: Just for saving those kids—I’m buying a ticket and apologizing.

 

No.3 Desert Wind North: Don’t like him, but still buying a ticket and apologizing +1

 

No.4 Gui Xiangxiang: …I can’t believe I’m slower than the haters on a praise thread for my Meng Er. Worst fan ever. Self-punishing with two tickets!

 

—

 

No.98 xious: As a neutral bystander, are you guys promoting the wrong thing? Sure, he’s in the movie, but it’s Gu Mengmeng’s film. The whole thing is carried by him. Your guy just plays the third villain. Might as well go watch The Song of Eternal Joy—he’s the actual lead in that one!

 

No.99: Troll’s Side Account: Are you dumb? Hating someone online costs nothing. An apology is just a few keystrokes—who knows if they’ll even really buy a ticket?

 

No.100 A-Huang-Is-Not-A-Dog: Can’t deny it—he’s really lucky. Debuted as a lead, skyrocketed to fame, and immediately got cast by a big-name director. Given current trends, the movie’s bound to do well both in box office and reputation. Now he’s been featured on national TV, officially recognized as a rising star and model youth. He’s definitely on track to blow up! But it’s a shame he got hurt. Judging by the footage, both hands are likely fractured—possibly even shattered. Who knows what shape he’ll be in after recovery? A real pity.

 

—

 

No.238 Summer Solstice: @100, update your facts. He turned 18 yesterday. Still sucks though—crippled on his birthday. Being nationally endorsed means jack!

 

No.239 The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter: Wow, did you just crawl out of a cesspit? Watch your mouth. Be careful—you might need help one day and no one will lift a finger.

 

No.240 One Foot of Gauze: After all these posts, no one’s questioning the surveillance footage? Even though the national broadcast said he’s underage, the footage is so blurry you can’t even see his face.

 

No.241 Flower of Eighteen: You think the national broadcaster is like those trashy media outlets that report without knowing the facts? And why would they fabricate for some random kid? Use your brain—assuming you have one!

 

Yesterday was May Day, and also Jing Ling’s birthday—a particularly significant one, his eighteenth. But he hadn’t paid it much mind. Yunshu and Shen Ze remembered it for him, but so what? All their original plans got thrown off by an accident. The two were too busy worrying about his injuries to think about a birthday. It wasn’t until Jing Qiu called that night to wish him a happy birthday that the three of them even remembered it.

 

Workaholic Shen Ze took the initiative to go to a cake shop just outside the hospital and brought back a birthday cake. They made do with a small celebration in the hospital and snapped a photo for Weibo. To keep fans from noticing anything odd, Shen Ze was careful to choose a suitable background.

 

Who knew that today’s Evening News would blow the whole thing wide open?

 

Fortunately, Xu Shaohuai had pulled some strings and transferred Jing Ling into a VIP room yesterday. Reporters couldn’t easily get in, so he wasn’t constantly disturbed. Jing Ling had been puzzled about that at the time, but now, in hindsight, he wondered if Xu had already known how things would unfold.

 

Coming out of his shock at being featured on the national news, Jing Ling frowned. Xu Shaohuai had clearly promised not to expose anything—so what was this all about? He asked Yunshu to bring him his phone, found the number, and dialed. It only rang twice before it was picked up.

 

“Officer Xu, it’s me, Jing Ling,” he introduced himself first.

 

“I know. What is it?” came the reply.

 

Jing Ling briefly mentioned the surveillance footage. Xu replied calmly, “I’ve never gone back on my word. You said you didn’t want your little girlfriend dragged into this, so we only aired eight seconds—just the part where you rushed in to save the kids. She never appeared on screen. I’ve also handled the original footage from the mall and related surveillance—her identity won’t be exposed. But if she keeps visiting your hospital room and gets photographed by reporters, that’s not on me.”

 

Jing Ling was silent for a moment. “Officer Xu, forgive me for asking, but… aren’t you being a little too good to me? Why?”

 

Getting featured on Evening News wasn’t something that just happened. And the way they aired the story clearly took his wishes into account. In a country this vast, there were plenty of people performing heroic deeds every day—some even lost their lives. Why promote him specifically?

 

There was a brief pause on the other end before Xu finally answered. “Jing Ling, I know you—not as a celebrity, but as the sole heir of the Li family. I know what happened in the Heduo District. You did well. You didn’t disgrace the Li name. You’re smart. You should realize that once you’ve been exposed to these secrets, you can’t go back to being an ordinary person. That last time was just your first mission. This kind of thing will keep happening. And I think your celebrity status is a great cover. Everything I’ve done—it’s not purely to help you. I have my own reasons.”

 

“So, Jing Ling, just like the Jiang family, I’m not a good person.” With that, he hung up.

 

Jing Ling wasn’t angry at all. Instead, he smiled. Sure, everyone had their own agenda. But the Jiang family were hypocrites, while Xu Shaohuai was a true scoundrel. And between the two, he preferred the latter.

 

Chapter 60

 

 

Jing Ling had originally planned to quietly recover from his injuries, but now that Xu Shaohuai had exposed him and the matter of his injury was made public, he no longer tried to hide it. He directly asked Shen Ze to help take a photo and used it as that day’s Weibo post.

 

Jing Ling—Second Most Handsome Under the Heavens V: I’m still looking handsome today! [Photo]

 

The boy in the photo had nearly perfect facial features, the corners of his lips turned up in a smile, showing a beauty that transcended gender. People’s eyes were drawn to his face involuntarily, and only afterward did they notice his arm, which was simply immobilized—swollen and bruised, looking rather frightening.

 

Gua Gua: My Meng Er is hurting, sending a kiss to make you feel better soon!

 

(Note: “Meng Er” literally means “Second Cutie” or “Cute No. 2″—a fan nickname.)

 

Ten Miles of Green Books: Meng Er is 2.8 meters tall today—so handsome my legs can’t close!

 

(Note: “2.8 meters tall” is an internet slang expression to exaggerate someone’s aura or handsomeness, implying they look larger-than-life.)

 

Miao Miao—Third Most Handsome Under the Heavens: Overflowing with positive energy! I’ll be your fan for life, through thick and thin!

 

In addition to the fans’ enthusiastic well wishes, the official account of Island and various crew members reposted it with blessings. Even major accounts like National News and Peaceful Capital Government Blue also shared it.

 

The film Island was funded by the Jiangcheng government. What they valued wasn’t the box office revenue, but the film’s influence—though influence still required strong box office performance as a foundation. Before the film was even released, Jiangcheng’s promotional campaign hadn’t stopped. Clicking into the Weibo topic not only revealed introductions to the movie, but also detailed explanations of scenic spots. Many unsuspecting viewers clicked in and were confused at first, but after understanding, they had only one thought—”Jiangcheng, you’re awesome.”

 

Today, Jing Ling unexpectedly appeared on the national news broadcast. The person in charge on Jiangcheng’s side seized the opportunity for another round of bundling promotion—praising the person while also not forgetting to promote the movie, even using film footage to advertise the tourist spots.

 

With Gu Mengmeng as the director, the movie’s quality was already guaranteed. Paired with a good release window and good timing, the box office exploded as expected. Released on Saturday, by Tuesday at 1:00 p.m., it had already broken the 800 million yuan mark. Although there would be a slight decline after the May Day holiday, it was already set to easily surpass the industry-forecasted one billion mark, marching toward even higher goals.

 

Once news broke of Jing Ling’s brave act, and with so many onlookers that day, it wasn’t hard to find out he was in a hospital in the Cuihu District. Although reporters couldn’t yet get into the high-end ward area, Yunshu could no longer stay in the hospital to take care of him either, in case she was photographed.

 

Yunshu had gone out with someone who looked like her boyfriend on Saturday afternoon and didn’t return to campus until Sunday night. The day she came back to her dorm, her roommate Cheng Sisi didn’t hesitate to toss aside her beloved game and revolutionary teammates, quickly jumping off the bed and sitting at her desk, crossing her long legs into a lotus position.

 

“Tan Yunshu, goddess, as your roommate and fangirl, I have every reason to care about your love life. Confession earns leniency, resistance invites strictness—hurry up and explain your whereabouts these past two days!” Cheng Sisi declared righteously, then instantly switched her expression like flipping a page. The word gossip was practically written across her face. “So, how is your boyfriend in that department, hmm?”

 

“Can’t your brain think about anything else for one day?!” Yunshu had still been a little anxious, but hearing that line, she instantly felt three black lines drop from her forehead.


(Note: The “three black lines” is a manga/anime-style exaggeration representing speechlessness or frustration.)

 

“We’re all adults—it’s completely normal for something to happen. Besides, you’re not just a pretty face; you’ve got curves and long legs. What man could resist you? Come on, come on, let’s exchange academic insights!” Cheng Sisi winked exaggeratedly.

 

Yunshu placed her bag on the table and sat across from her. “Nothing happened at all. First, we watched a movie, then we went to eat. After that, we were going to walk around a bit, but an accident happened during step two—he… a relative suddenly fell ill and was hospitalized, so we went straight to the hospital.”

 

“Oh my God, how long have you two been dating? Already meeting the parents?!” Cheng Sisi widened her eyes. “This guy is definitely a reincarnated fox spirit sent to seduce people! Think of how many outstanding young talents at Imperial University chased after you for over three years and didn’t even get a glance—and now the benefit goes to an outsider?! I’m so mad!”

 

Yunshu was stunned for a moment when she heard that, then hesitated slightly. “Actually, we’re not really boyfriend and girlfriend yet… I confessed first, but before he could respond, I chickened out. Later, he did say something about how to confess in a way I wouldn’t reject, but he never officially proposed we start dating…”

 

Cheng Sisi looked at her like she was a strange creature. “Goddess, are you sure your brain is okay?” she asked while dramatically reaching out to feel Yunshu’s forehead. “You’re Imperial University’s undisputed goddess! You could have any kind of boyfriend—how did you get conned by someone like that?! No way, something’s definitely wrong. I’m skipping class tomorrow and taking you to the temple!”

 

“But he’s really nice to me!” Yun Shu instinctively defended him. “He…” She wanted to say what Jing Ling had done for her, but the words stopped at her lips. Even she sometimes found those things too dreamlike and unreal—if she said them, Cheng Sisi definitely wouldn’t believe her. After a pause, she simply repeated, “Anyway, he’s really nice to me. Honestly.”

 

“If you read more romance novels, you’d know this is textbook behavior for a scumbag! —‘Sure, he has nothing and is a total loser, but he’s really nice to me.’ Most of the girls who get fooled in those stories are just ordinary ones—but you’re a goddess, my Yunshu! You’ve been possessed by a ghost, you hear me?!” Cheng Sisi was furious. “If the temple weren’t closed now, I’d drag you there this instant!”

 

In a hospital room far away in the Cuihu District, Jing Ling suddenly sneezed out of nowhere. He didn’t think much of it, but Shen Ze beside him got all flustered, worrying he might have caught a cold and rushed to shut the window.

 

Yuncheng was located in the western administrative region, in the southwest. The climate was unpredictable—it could be warm enough for short sleeves in January, and require thick cotton jackets in March or April. Here, the seasons weren’t clearly distinguishable.

 

Now that it was May, the sun blazed in the sky, and the girls on the streets had already changed into summer outfits—T-shirts, hot pants, and dresses, as pretty as could be. At night, the wind still carried a trace of the lingering summer heat.

 

That afternoon, Zhang Qingrong received a call from a friend and arranged to meet that night at Zero Point Bar.

 

Back in June last year, Zero Point had only been one of the more well-known bars in Yuncheng. Compared to First Love and Midnight Prague, it still lagged a bit. But in less than a year, it had caught up with those two and around April became the most famous bar in Yuncheng. This was partly thanks to Dong San’er’s good luck—he’d randomly hired a temp worker during summer break and ended up with a real gem. During that half month, the bar’s foot traffic doubled. Although the guy left later, and popularity declined slightly, it still saw a net increase. By August, the web drama The Song of Eternal Joy launched on the Southern State platform, starring the same young man who had worked at his bar.

 

Dong San’er was clever and took advantage of the opportunity to promote the bar. Since then, more girls started visiting, and where there are flowers, there will naturally be bees—popularity soared. Starting from March this year, as the film Island entered its publicity phase, Dong San’er’s bar became more and more popular by the day.

 

The first time they met, she had rejected him, but that only made Zhang Qingrong remember the guy more clearly. Occasionally thinking of him, she’d come to the bar to sit for a while. Her friends didn’t know the reason and thought she just liked the place, so they joined her. Over time, Zero Point became their regular hangout spot. But this time her friend didn’t ask her out just to have fun—they were welcoming someone back.

 

Gao Wei—a guy from their circle. Not too close, but they knew each other. In college, he’d gone to the southern administrative region. During his first year, he’d come back during winter and summer breaks to hang out, but later he became obsessed with fishing and basically entered early retirement. Four years passed in the blink of an eye, and graduation was near. Gao Wei returned in early April. That alone was normal, but word always traveled fast in this circle. In just a few days, the reason for his return was being discussed privately—

 

He had gone fishing in Jiudu River in search of excitement but ended up almost being killed by drug dealers in the Heduo River area. Luckily, he ran into military personnel on a mission and was saved. Shortly after, news broke that drug lords in the Heduo District were colluding with Huguer’s military to frame our country’s cargo ships for drug smuggling. With solid evidence, the story caused an international stir. As someone present at the beginning of it all, Gao Wei naturally gained a bit of mysterious, legendary aura.

 

His family was scared out of their minds. Being the only son of three generations, he was a precious single seedling. In anger and worry, his family locked him up for a full month to reflect. He’d only just been let out today.

 

So this “welcome back” party was more about curiosity over his experience.

Gao Wei understood that perfectly.

 

The party was on the sixth floor of Zero Point. The entire floor had been remodeled into a single room, with expensive decor meant for hosting VIP guests like them.

 

As the meeting time approached, luxury cars pulled into Zero Point’s underground garage one after another. The VIP elevator to the third floor ran nonstop. Soon, over a dozen people gathered in the lobby, men and women alike.

 

The music started, wine bottles were uncorked, and the revelry began.

 

Gao Wei was surrounded like the star of the show, sipping wine while telling his story.

 

“My old man’s in public security, right? I’ve seen plenty of guns, so having one pointed at me didn’t really faze me… When I hit that woman, man, her screaming was horrific—worse than the cries of animals on both sides of the strait. But it’s a good thing I did it. It alerted the incoming boat upstream to our situation and helped divert the dealers’ attention. That’s how they were able to board smoothly…”

 

The partying continued past 2 a.m., but most of the girls had left, especially after Gao Wei got to the part about hitting people. Bragging was fine, but revealing that kind of ugly side of himself made him unappealing.

 

After the party ended, the group staggered out. Gao Wei couldn’t hold it in and went to the bathroom. When he came out, most people had left. He took the elevator down alone.

 

Ding—the elevator doors opened, revealing a tall figure. But Gao Wei, drunk and dazed, couldn’t see clearly.

 

“Mr. Gao?”

 

“Mm…”

 

“I’m your designated driver.”

 

“I… I didn’t call a… a driver…”

 

“Your friend called me for you.”

 

“Oh… then… let’s go.” Gao Wei, head muddled, didn’t think much of it and tossed the car keys to the person.