Reborn, I Became a Male God - Chapter 96-100

Qiao Qiao had just finished promoting the show when the live chat exploded.

 

“Never seen someone so shameless!”

 

“+1”

 

“+2”

 

“If I’m not mistaken, Qiao Qiao, didn’t you say before that you were lucky enough to be invited to take part in recording a variety show called Wilderness Survival? Is it really okay to promote yourself so blatantly like this?”

 

“The person above, your words are cutting, hahaha 2333333.”

(Note: 2333333 is internet slang in China representing laughter, like “hahaha” — from a laughing emoji code on a forum.)

 

“66666, when it comes to not knowing what ‘shame’ means, among all the streamers, I only acknowledge Qiao Qiao!”

(Note: 66666 is slang for ‘awesome’ or ‘impressive’.)

 

“Deceiving honest people like me, doesn’t your conscience hurt?”

 

“Answering for Qiao Qiao: No, her conscience is alive and kicking!”

 

While watching the chat, Qiao Qiao picked up the water cup beside her, took a sip, cleared her throat, and continued, “I’m not lying to you guys, it was super fun! I really have to thank all your blessings before the show, they helped me get a teammate who’s a master of all trades. This is the first time in my life meeting someone so incredible. Without him, what you’d be seeing now would be a lump of burnt coal!”

 

“I follow entertainment news. Apart from you, the entire Wilderness Survival cast this time is male. Qiao Qiao, you’re praising your teammate so much… be honest, are you in love?!”

 

“Waaah, Qiao Qiao, didn’t you say you’d marry me? QAQ”

 

“Qiao Qiao, believe me, all those little fresh meats in the entertainment industry are scum!”

 

“The people above are getting off-topic! Has anyone actually watched Wilderness Survival? Fan here! After watching last season, I’ve been waiting for updates. Zhou Yan’s performance was really amazing—jumped straight into a pond without hesitation, ate wild grass like a meal, wasn’t afraid when encountering a snake, calmly drove it away… super dedicated and reliable. Totally became a fan. I’ve seen the cast list for this season. Not sure about the others, but I still remember that guy called Jing Ling. Didn’t the news say his hands were completely shattered? How’s he recovered so quickly?”

 

“Must be fake. Isn’t there a saying, ‘It takes a hundred days to heal bones and tendons’? With such a serious fracture, how could he be bouncing around so soon?!”

 

“Not surprising, these days celebrities will hype up any news to get attention ┑(￣Д ￣)┍.”

 

“…Those two above must be haters from the Meng Er group. Even watching a live stream, I still run into brainless haters, unbelievable. The news was reported on the national news broadcast back then, there’s video proof, thank you very much. As a fan, I’m proud of him! Some people can’t even manage basic courage, yet still secretly slander others… how dark must their hearts be?”

 

“This is Qiao Qiao’s stream, entertainment fans take your drama elsewhere, door’s on the left, thank you! First warning—repeat offenders get muted!”

 

Don’t be fooled by those top streamers with millions of followers—compared to real celebrities, they’re still nothing. The moderators’ warnings were useless; the chat immediately turned chaotic again, so they had no choice but to mute people one by one.

 

Qiao Qiao also clarified, “I haven’t interacted with other celebrities, so I won’t comment. But as for my god Jing Ling, I’ll share my thoughts. Thanks to the show, I had the good fortune to be teamed up with him. After a week of working together, despite me being a useless burden, he’s always been patient and took good care of me. He totally embodied the word ‘gentleman.’ He’s truly a great person. Even if I wasn’t part of the show, I’d still recommend it, I guarantee with my character—you won’t regret watching! As a little fan benefit, here’s a mini spoiler: we almost ran into a shark. I was completely stunned at the time.”

 

“The news said this season was filmed on a deserted island. Sharks near the sea are normal, but didn’t the production crew use shark repellent?!”

 

“That’s what makes it authentic! Last time fans hyped their idols being brave, but as someone who’s seen the overseas version, I can tell you—those guys were basically playing house! Now that I hear Qiao Qiao say this, I’m suddenly looking forward to it!”

 

“Looking forward +1.”

 

Half an hour passed quickly, and it was soon time for Wilderness Survival to air. Some fans didn’t have a TV nearby, so Qiao Qiao turned her webcam toward the television to stream it for everyone. She sat beside it, watching and giving commentary as the show played.

 

Wang Yikun was an ordinary office worker, 25 years old, single, with no real hobbies. After work, he liked to lie in bed and watch live streams. He was a die-hard fan of Qiao Qiao, following her since she first started streaming. He loved her voice—gentle, soft, and sweet—and her great personality. On countless nights, it was her singing that accompanied him to sleep.

 

When he heard Qiao Qiao was going to film a variety show, he felt both excited and nervous. Excited to see another side of his goddess, but afraid that her image in his heart would crumble. There were too many examples like that—those internet-famous goddesses, looking pure or gorgeous in pictures, stunning beyond compare, but all thanks to Photoshop and beauty filters. Take that away and expose them under HD cameras? Instant disillusionment.

 

But people are complicated. Even knowing the truth might be hard to accept, they still can’t resist finding out.

 

With that mindset, Wang Yikun turned on the TV to Jiangbei Satellite Channel to watch Wilderness Survival.

 

The show opened with the introduction of Jing Ling, the guy Qiao Qiao had praised so much earlier.

 

“Looks decent enough,” he muttered sourly. Deep down, he knew this kind of appearance was perfectly tailored to the national aesthetic—handsome and refined without looking effeminate, a kind of beauty that transcended gender.

 

Then came a short personal profile: calligraphy, reading, running.

 

“Boring hobbies everyone uses!” Wang Yikun scoffed. His father was a member of the Calligraphy Association, so he’d practiced calligraphy as a kid too, but gave up halfway. His skills weren’t great, but his eye was still sharp—the teenager’s handwriting on TV clearly showed years of dedicated practice, and he was obviously gifted too. If his dad saw this, he’d definitely praise it, then probably throw in a jab about his own disappointing son.

 

At the end of the intro, Jing Ling expressionlessly jumped from a helicopter into the sea, even striking a pose for the camera.

 

“Total poser,” Wang Yikun grumbled.

 

The show moved on to introduce the other guests. He waited and waited… finally, second to last was Qiao Qiao. Petite figure, delicate features, fair skin, dressed in practical athletic gear—not much different from her live stream appearance.

 

Good, the goddess image wasn’t shattered!

 

Relieved, Wang Yikun kept watching.

 

The sea wasn’t as calm as a swimming pool; the waves crashed constantly. Though the distance to shore wasn’t far, swimming there wasn’t easy. Qiao Qiao struggled forward, only to be pushed back by the waves several times.

 

Because Qiao Qiao had mentioned nearly running into a shark during her stream, even though he knew she was fine, he still couldn’t help but worry. Thankfully, Jing Ling kept an eye on her, reaching out to pull her along several times, and the two finally made it ashore.

 

“Knows how to take care of a girl… not bad,” Wang Yikun muttered.

 

Soon, the shark scene Qiao Qiao had mentioned arrived. Not far from where they came ashore, in the shallow waters, a shark over a meter long circled around. If this wasn’t staged by the crew, it was genuinely dangerous—a shark bite wasn’t a joke.

 

The first task after landing was to scout the island terrain. Watching Jing Ling climb the tall reef barehanded, then carefully tying a rope for Qiao Qiao to climb up, using expert knot-tying techniques, and finally pulling her up the ten-plus-meter-high reef—Wang Yikun, fully aware of how difficult that was, had to admit his respect. Men were naturally drawn to strength and capability—it was easy to admire someone genuinely skilled.

 

“Interesting,” his attitude softened.

 

But just as he spoke, a smack landed on his head. “Mumbling to yourself over here? Don’t tell me work stressed you stupid?” The speaker was his dad, plopping down beside him.

 

“What are you watching? Hand over the remote! Go back to your room and play on your computer!” Wang’s father stretched out his hand.

 

Normally, Wang Yikun would’ve handed over the remote, but not today—he was too invested. He shouted toward the other room, “Mom! Dad hit me again, and called me stupid! Am I even your real son?!”

 

His dad panicked, “Don’t—”

 

But it was too late. As soon as Wang Yikun yelled, his mom came storming out in slippers, scolding as she walked, “Wang Daniu! You’ve got some nerve, calling my son stupid! Ever think where he inherited it from?!”

 

“Amei, I was wrong! Slip of the tongue! My son’s got my genes, super smart, how could he be stupid!” Dad quickly begged for mercy.

 

Wang Yikun snorted disdainfully but ignored the couple’s bickering, hugging the remote and continuing to watch.

 

A short while later, the bickering ended. His mom sat beside him, glanced at the screen—it happened to show Jing Ling standing under a coconut tree, looking up, preparing to climb. The tree was over ten meters tall, completely bare without branches for foothold. A failed attempt seemed inevitable. That’s what Wang Yikun thought, but his mom focused elsewhere.

 

“Wow, that young man’s really good-looking!” she praised, then sighed, “And tall too, must be at least 1.8 meters. If I had a son like that, girls would be lining up at the door, no need to worry about marriage!”

Wang Dad: “…”

 

Wang Yikun: “…”

 

Just minutes ago, she’d scolded her husband for calling their son stupid, and now she was dissing their son herself. Such double standards—was this really okay?! But both father and son only dared complain silently in their hearts—saying it out loud would only earn the queen’s wrath.

 

So the family of three ended up sitting together on the sofa, watching the show. Mom happily praised Jing Ling from time to time, while father and son listened quietly. Initially annoyed by her teasing, both eventually got drawn in by Jing Ling’s skills.

 

Especially when Jing Ling built a bamboo raft, rowed it across the sea with others aboard, sharks circling them all the while, and he stayed calm the entire time—even poking at the sharks with a bamboo pole in the end—Wang Dad clapped his hands in approval, “That young man’s got skills, and guts too! You should learn from him!” As he spoke, he smacked Wang Yikun on the shoulder.

 

Mom chimed in, “Most importantly, he’s good-looking and knows how to take care of girls. He’ll never have trouble finding a wife! Listen to your dad, learn from him!” She smacked the other shoulder.

It counted as a literal double-team assault—one slap from each parent.

 

Wang Yikun had been happily watching the show… never expected to end up like this…

 

Initially, Wang Yikun was filled with joy and contentment, but to his dismay, an unexpected twist unfolded at the conclusion, transforming his smile into one of helpless resignation. Cautiously, he rolled his eyes and mused inwardly: “You only know how to make me learn some lessons. But what am I supposed to learn? To craft bamboo rafts and tease sharks? Or to become irresistibly charming and beloved by all? The first skill is useless, and the latter is beyond my reach; I merely wish to appear more handsome, but alas, my genetic inheritance is simply mediocre—unless a miraculous mutation occurs.”

 

Unexpectedly, the episode drew to a close before he realized it. Wang’s mother, still eager, asked, “Is that all?” Wang’s father turned to look at him expectantly.

 

Wang Yikun nodded affirmatively. “That’s all. The next episode airs next Friday.”

 

After a moment of wistful sighing, Wang’s mother took out her cellphone, inquiring about the broadcast schedule of the program while recording it and setting a reminder in her calendar for that day.

 

Wang Yikun’s face darkened considerably. He recalled that the last time his mother paid such close attention to something was when she urged him to go on a blind date. The girl was quite suitable—her qualities met all her expectations. To ensure he wouldn’t forget, she not only set reminders on her own phone multiple times a day but also configured his phone with a note: “Remember to go on the blind date.” 

 

The following day, when he went to work, he was so engrossed in his tasks that he completely forgot about the date. Around noon, as his alarm sounded to signal the end of his shift, a colleague passing by caught sight of it. To this day, he vividly remembers the look in his colleague’s sister’s eyes—an unexpected mix of disappointment and surprise. From that moment on, she never brought him anything to eat again.

 

Later, when she resigned, others confided in him that she had actually liked him quite a bit; despite his ordinary looks, she appreciated his scholarly air and gentle demeanor. Yet, he never expected her to be so ravenous.

 

Wang Yikun, who was not particularly handsome, responded incredulously, “Does going on a blind date have anything to do with being hungry?!”

 

Setting aside Wang Yikun’s unfortunate experiences, after the broadcast of “Wilderness Survival,” the show’s viewership soared steadily. Notably, during its climax, ratings directly surpassed a popular variety program that had previously dominated the same time slot. For the first time, it ranked third in nationwide ratings for all variety shows in that period.

 

The next day, the production team’s official Weibo account celebrated with a post, tagging all the guest stars. Jing Ling reposted the message, congratulating them. Fans also joined in the celebration in the comments, congratulating him on surpassing twenty million followers. Jing Ling glanced at his follower count—indeed, it had broken the twenty-million mark. He remembered that just last night, when he casually posted on his blog, he was still nearly ten thousand followers short.

 

This was merely the first episode of the variety show, yet within a single night, his followers increased by nearly one hundred thousand. And this was only the beginning, for more episodes were to come, with even greater climaxes ahead.

 

Chapter 97

 

Jing Ling’s newly posted Weibo became a hub for fan discussions.

 

Yunzhong Shenhai: Awesome, my Meng Er!

Liunian: Thumbs down, thumbs down, thumbs down! You jumped into the sea and got all soaked, how could you not take your clothes off to dry in such good weather? What if you catch a cold?! Okay, fine, I said all this just because I wanted to see you without clothes (ω). Meng Er, since you love sports so much, you must have abs, right? I want to see them—sob sob sob (≧▽≦)/

Not Mine but I Snatched It Back: You may not believe this, but I’m actually that little shark poked by Meng Er. I had a premonition that he’d come that day, so I waited on his usual route, pretending to be casually patrolling there. A hundred years of cultivation, all for that one encounter with him.

 Damn You, Awu: @Liunian I feel like I heard a train whistle just now—so dirty, so dirty~~ (P.S.: I want to see his abs too! They’re meant to be seen and admired, aren’t they? If you hide them away, what’s the difference between them and a salted fish!)

Qiao Qiao Fan Club President V: This is the Qiao Family Army coming over via Second Qiao’s portal. Bro, steady! Looking forward to more!

 

Of course, the comments weren’t all friendly and harmonious—some were purposely provocative or trying to stir trouble.

 

Three-Legged Rabbit: This is the first time I’ve seen someone so shameless. In a team-based variety show where everyone works hard together, he’s the quickest to shift blame when something goes wrong, and when things go well, he hogs all the credit. That’s just too much!

An An An: A nobody streamer from some tiny platform, scrambling to ride on my male idol’s fame. What’s next? Faking a scandal to get attention? Desperate for fame, huh? 🙂

It’s Not a Green Hat, It’s a Prairie: Who can’t build a bamboo raft? My silly fish is just too honest, that’s why he gets taken advantage of—running around chopping and carrying bamboo, working hard all over the place, only to end up making a wedding dress for someone else. Ha.

 

The comment section got pretty chaotic for a while. But Jing Ling had always paid little attention to such things, especially since he was currently busy. Even Shen Ze, who usually took on the job of keeping an eye on public opinion for him, was busy—together with him.

 

When they reposted the Weibo, they were still on land. A little while later, they were drifting on the sea.

 

This is how it happened. After finishing the recording for the variety show Wilderness Adventure, Jing Ling had no immediate work lined up. Shen Ze had rejected all the advertising offers. As for drama roles, although there were some prospects, the negotiations hadn’t gone well. On a whim, Jing Ling wanted to shoot a short video.

 

“A Ze, do you know any reliable photographers?” Jing Ling asked.

 

Shen Ze was busy with work matters and didn’t even look up, replying, “What for? A photo shoot?”

 

“I’m so good-looking, even a random selfie of mine would be magazine-level. Ever heard of ‘face of an era’? That term was practically invented for me!”

 

“Shut up! Just tell me what you want to do.”

 

Jing Ling shrugged innocently. “I just want to shoot a short video.”

 

“What kind of requirements?” Shen Ze asked again.

 

“Bold, skilled, hardworking,” Jing Ling listed a few, then added after a pause, “And reasonably priced. After all, I’m almost broke.”

 

Shen Ze gave him a glare. “It’s comforting that you realize you’re broke. If your solution is to increase income rather than cut expenses, I’d be even happier.”

 

Despite his words, Shen Ze still recommended a reliable photographer.

 

But when Jing Ling met the guy, he was speechless—he knew this photographer too. He had been one of the on-site photographers during Wilderness Adventure, the one who later joined him for that real-life fishing game.

 

“What a coincidence,” Jing Ling greeted.

 

The photographer gave a helpless look and quipped, “Master, is it too late for me to back out now?”

 

“The deposit’s paid, contract’s signed—what do you think?”

 

Obviously, no chance. The photographer only asked to lighten the mood. After confirming the shooting concept with Jing Ling, he gave Shen Ze a list of equipment to rent, complete with prices.

 

They spent half a day preparing everything. Then the three of them rented a boat—complete with a skipper—and set out to sea.

 

Actually, Jing Ling could steer a boat himself, but there was no reasonable excuse for that, so unfortunately, this was an expense they couldn’t cut.

 

It was a beautiful, sunny day. The sky was clear, the sun hung high, and the sea stretched endlessly under a perfect blue sky. The boat floated on the open sea with the engine off, drifting with the waves.

 

On deck, a sunshade umbrella was set up over a lounge chair. Shen Ze, wearing a flashy beach outfit and sunglasses, lay on the chair looking asleep. The photographer sat cross-legged beside him, fiddling with the equipment. The camera was aimed at Jing Ling’s side—only a back view in the frame—and like Shen Ze, his outfit was eye-piercing.

 

It looked like a sea vacation, but they were actually shooting a short film about marine rescue.

 

This was their second day at sea. They’d set off too late yesterday and didn’t get far. They hadn’t encountered any animals needing help—only picked up some floating ocean trash.

 

The skipper had been giving them are you crazy? Looks.

 

Today they had gone further and drifted for nearly an hour again, but still, apart from garbage, there was nothing.

 

The photographer rested his chin on his hand. “So, Master, are we just going to drift around like this forever? Even if you’re not worried about labor costs, at least think about the equipment rental fees!”

Jing Ling glanced back at him. “I think we’ll encounter something soon.”

 

Out of nowhere, Shen Ze chimed in with a jab, “That’s what you said yesterday—and three hours ago.”

The photographer burst out laughing. “Hahahahahahaha!”

 

“Better sleep your nap quietly, or I’ll throw you into the sea to sober you up!”

“Heh.”

 

The boat drifted for another half hour. The sea breeze blew from all directions, stirring up waves, and the small boat rocked gently, like a giant cradle.

 

Shen Ze really did fall asleep. The photographer started to doze off too, his head bobbing with the boat’s rhythm.

 

Suddenly, there was a plop—a splash of water.

 

Shen Ze jolted awake. The photographer also snapped out of his daze. They looked around—and saw that Jing Ling was gone.

 

They rushed to the side of the boat where the sound came from, just in time to see a head surface, followed by half a body floating on the water. Jing Ling gave them a V-sign. “Hey, want to come for a swim?”

 

“Screw you!” Shen Ze gritted his teeth.

 

The photographer wanted to say the same but decided against it since this was the guy paying him. “No thanks,” he said instead.

 

Just as he was about to sit back down, he noticed something swimming up from below. The wind and waves made it hard to see clearly, but his heart skipped a beat. He was about to warn Jing Ling when the latter suddenly dived underwater toward the creature.

 

Shortly after, he surfaced again—this time holding something.

 

It was a sea turtle.

 

More precisely, an injured sea turtle in need of help. A piece of rope was tightly wrapped around its neck, cutting deep into its flesh. The turtle struggled anxiously in Jing Ling’s grasp, flailing its limbs in an attempt to escape.

 

The photographer quickly grabbed the equipment and started filming.

 

Through the lens, the young man curled his index finger and tapped gently on the turtle’s shell. “There, there, don’t move. I’ll help you take this off.”

 

As he spoke, he released one hand and drew a knife from his waist. The blade gleamed brightly in the sunlight.

 

As if understanding him, the turtle’s struggles gradually subsided until it floated still on the water.

 

Jing Ling swam over to the rope ladder on the boat, sat down, and placed the turtle on his lap. Carefully, he brought the knife close to the rope around its neck and slowly began cutting.

 

Because the rope had been embedded in the flesh for so long, even after it was severed, it didn’t come off by itself. Jing Ling put the knife away and started gently loosening it by hand.

 

His slender, beautiful fingers stood in stark contrast to the turtle’s wounded neck.

 

The photographer took several close-up shots of this scene.

 

Soon, the rope was completely removed. The photographer filmed a close-up of the wound—a deep gash with strands of bl00d oozing out. It was a startling sight.

 

“All done.” Jing Ling tapped the turtle’s shell with his fingertip, then gently placed it back in the water with a smile.

 

Unexpectedly, the turtle didn’t swim away immediately. Instead, it circled the ladder twice. When Jing Ling extended his hand toward the water, it swam closer and lightly bumped his fingertip with its head before finally swimming off, diving gradually into the depths.

 

After capturing this scene, the photographer couldn’t help exclaiming, “This turtle seems almost human—it actually showed gratitude!”

 

Jing Ling just smiled without replying.

 

But before long, something even more remarkable happened.

 

The injured turtle came back—this time bringing along two more turtles in the same situation.

 

The photographer got so excited he almost dropped his gear into the water. Saving a turtle wasn’t anything new—good deeds like that happened every day.

 

But a turtle coming back with its injured companions? Now that was newsworthy!

 

Chapter 98

 

Jing Ling rescued two more little sea turtles. Probably because they were introduced by the familiar one from before and had come to him proactively for help, these two were much more cooperative than the previous one. He didn’t even need to knock on their shells—they swam over to him on their own, letting him pick them up and cut the rope around their necks.

 

Just like the first little sea turtle that had received help, they didn’t swim away after being released. 

Together with the previous one, they lingered around the ladder by the boat. Later on, they even placed their front flippers onto the ladder submerged in the water, looking like they were lying there waiting, extremely well-behaved.

 

After cutting the rope from the neck of the other one, Jing Ling placed it back into the water. The three little ones took turns giving his fingers a kiss before swimming away.

 

The cameraman instantly swept away his earlier exhaustion and became excited as if he had taken drugs. On the other hand, Shen Ze, who had been lying beside him watching quietly the whole time, suddenly blurted out, “Aren’t all three of them females?”

 

“Huh?” The cameraman turned his head with a confused look, not understanding what he meant for a moment.

 

But Jing Ling understood instantly. With a proud look on his face, he grinned at Shen Ze, revealing two rows of bright, white teeth. “Be honest, you’ve always been jealous of how good-looking I am, haven’t you?”

 

Shen Ze silently glanced at him twice, then spat in his direction, “Pah! Get lost!”

 

Only now did the cameraman understand what Shen Ze had meant. Turns out, he was suggesting that the little sea turtles were so affectionate toward Jing Ling because of the attraction between the sexes—they were drawn in by his looks… But that can’t be right. Never mind that humans and sea turtles are two different species, one lives on land and the other in the sea. Birds and fish can’t even fall in love… Wait, what the hell am I thinking (⊙﹏⊙)b? Anyway, Shen Ze’s thought process was as strange as ever, just like Jing Ling’s. No wonder they’re partners!

 

After filming the three little sea turtles, there wasn’t much else to do. But at this point, the cameraman wasn’t sleepy at all. Full of energy, he held his equipment, pulled up the footage just shot, and reviewed it over and over. As he watched, he kept telling Shen Ze, “This trip was totally worth it! Just this segment alone—once it’s released, the effect will be guaranteed. Who knows, it might even make it onto the trending searches for free!”

 

With the rapid development of humanity, severe side effects have followed. In recent years, environmental pollution has become a major issue. Both terrestrial and marine ecosystems have been extensively damaged. Species on Earth go extinct at an astonishing rate—some creatures disappear before humans even get the chance to discover them.

 

Although humanity has realized the severity of this problem and countries have introduced relevant laws and regulations to protect endangered species, the results have been minimal. At its root, aside from the destruction of natural habitats making survival difficult for many species, human factors also play a role. Driven by profit, countless people shamelessly engage in illegal poaching and trafficking of wildlife, while the black market remains active.

 

The saying, “No trade, no killing,” has been promoted for years, yet many still turn a blind eye.

 

Harmonious coexistence between humans and nature is absolute political correctness in the foreseeable future. Even if such footage were shot by an ordinary person, it would be enough to make the news. Let alone when it involves a celebrity with a built-in trending physique and massive attention—it’s guaranteed to be a trending topic.

 

While the cameraman was talking, Jing Ling was still sitting on the ladder by the boat, his feet soaked in the water, eyes gazing out at the sea, lost in thought.

 

Above him, the scorching sun blazed in a cloudless sky, the sunlight so fierce it felt like it could melt a person in minutes. Shen Ze somehow pulled out a large sunshade umbrella, sat on the upper part of the ladder, and held the umbrella over Jing Ling.

 

Both were dressed in equally flamboyant beachwear. One sitting above, one below, sharing the same umbrella. Their side profiles were equally tall and attractive—the difference was that one was exquisitely perfect, the other refined and handsome.

 

The sunlight sparkled on the sea surface, creating shimmering waves. It was unexpectedly a scene of harmonious beauty.

 

Being part of the arts circle, the cameraman inevitably picked up certain habits—like having a heart that loved stirring up trouble. The moment he saw this scene, he instantly had an idea. Hugging his equipment, he sneaked around to film close-ups from behind, the side, and various angles. As he filmed, his mind had already visualized the final product—complete with voice-over and subtitles!

 

After finishing the shots, he cautiously moved in, ready to take an even closer close-up with the camera pointing down from above.

 

But…

 

Instead of capturing the shot he imagined, he saw something unexpected.

 

Something was swimming up from the bottom of the sea—a blurry shape.

 

The cameraman thought it was another sea turtle and prepared to continue shooting his “Marine Biologist’s Daily Work Log.”

 

But that thing quickly swam closer, finally becoming clear—and it wasn’t a sea turtle at all, but—

“Holy crap, a shark!”

 

At such close range, seeing a large shark swimming up from the sea, he could clearly see its terrifying mouth and the sharp, jagged, white teeth inside.

 

The cameraman was startled, and this time he really did tremble, losing his grip on the camera. Fortunately, it was secured around his neck by a strap, or it would’ve been swallowed by the ocean.

His startled shout also scared Shen Ze, who almost lost his footing on the narrow ladder, nearly falling into the water. Though he managed to steady himself, his hand shook and dropped the umbrella.

The cameraman quickly grabbed his equipment and resumed filming.

 

Through the lens, the umbrella had fallen beside the young man, drifting on the sea surface within arm’s reach, swaying with the waves.

 

The shark that caused this whole chain of accidents was swimming circles around the ladder. Its dorsal fin broke the surface of the water, accidentally bumping into the umbrella, pushing it even farther away.

 

Coincidentally, at that moment, Jing Ling reached out to grab the umbrella, but it was just a few centimeters too far. The shark bumped it again, and a wave rolled over, instantly pushing the umbrella farther away.

 

His hand awkwardly remained suspended mid-air.

 

The cameraman watched this dramatic development, held it in for a few seconds, then couldn’t stop himself from laughing out loud.

 

“Pfft! Hahahahaha!”

 

Jing Ling turned around, tilted his head up to look at him, giving him a helpless expression.

 

“Stop laughing, look at that first.”

 

Naturally, he was referring to the shark circling in the water.

 

The cameraman followed his finger and saw the nearly two-meter-long shark swimming back and forth beside the ladder. Jing Ling’s feet were still in the water, yet the shark showed no intention of attacking—it didn’t seem hostile at all.

 

He was a little surprised. After all, sharks are aggressive animals, unlike sea turtles. This was rather unusual. But after carefully observing for a moment, he figured out why.

 

Earlier, the shark had appeared so suddenly that he got scared and didn’t notice. But now, he clearly saw a large fishing hook caught at the corner of the shark’s mouth. The flesh around it was red and swollen, clearly infected.

 

“Wait, it… it came here for help too?”

 

The cameraman found it hard to believe. One sea turtle brought two more sea turtles—surprising, but still within reason as they were the same species. But now a shark had come looking for help?

 

Was this recommended by the sea turtles? Did marine life already achieve linguistic unification without him knowing? He instinctively began to complain internally.

 

“Obviously, yes.”

 

Compared to the cameraman, Jing Ling remained calm. As he spoke, he reached out, intending to test the waters, but Shen Ze behind him grabbed his sleeve.

 

“Dangerous!”

 

They all knew before this trip that the goal was to shoot a public service short film about marine rescue. Compared to sea turtles, a shark would bring far more attention—but also far more danger. This was a carnivore. Those two rows of terrifying teeth were no decoration.

 

Moreover, shark attacks on humans resulting in deaths make the news every single year.

 

As Jing Ling’s agent, Shen Ze had always looked out for him, always putting his safety first. No matter what, safety comes before everything else—today was no exception.

 

Jing Ling turned his head, giving him a reassuring smile.

 

“It’s fine, A-Ze! I’ll be very careful. Don’t worry. Look how pitiful it is—the fishing hook is stuck by its mouth. It must be in pain, that’s why it came to ask for help. Plus, it clearly had a chance earlier but didn’t attack me.”

 

Shen Ze stared at him for a few seconds, eventually conceding, loosening his grip on Jing Ling’s clothes, but still standing close by, watching intently, ready to intervene at any moment.

 

The shark continued to swim around—not too far, not too close—occasionally brushing against the ladder, swimming swiftly, impossible to catch.

 

“If you keep running like this, I can’t help you. Come closer, I’ll take the hook off. Good boy, don’t be scared. See? I’ve got nothing in my hands. Even if I wanted to hurt you, I couldn’t.”

 

Jing Ling coaxed it gently, his voice patient and soft, like comforting a child.

 

The shark approached twice during this time, but Jing Ling only managed to touch its dorsal fin before it swam away again. Back and forth, after several minutes of effort, Jing Ling finally grabbed onto its dorsal fin. It struggled lightly for a moment, but when Jing Ling’s hand touched its head, it calmed down.

 

Jing Ling didn’t immediately remove the fishing hook. After all, it was near the shark’s mouth—clearly dangerous.

 

Even though he wasn’t worried for himself, this footage was meant for public viewing. If audiences got influenced by him, trying to copy this recklessly in similar situations, and something happened, that would be bad.

 

He gently stroked the shark’s head. The shark obediently stayed still, letting him pet it. After two minutes of soothing, he finally moved to remove the hook.

 

It obviously hurt a lot. As he worked, the previously calm shark began struggling again, but not too violently—like it was afraid of pulling him down with it.

 

With the shark’s cooperation, Jing Ling carefully removed the fishing hook from its mouth. The moment it came off, bl00d oozed from the corner of its mouth, blending into the sea and quickly disappearing.

 

Afterward, the shark circled nearby twice, then swam away.

 

The cameraman followed it with his lens, wanting to capture footage of its departure. Unexpectedly, the shark swam toward the drifting umbrella.

 

A shark, of all things, imitated a dolphin—pushing the umbrella back toward them!

 

The cameraman stared wide-eyed at the footage, his mouth gaping so wide it looked like he could fit an egg in there.

 

As expected of a legend. When you’re with him, there’s always exciting things happening.

 

But he still had one lingering question—

 

Wasn’t it agreed that after the founding of the nation, no one was to acquire magical powers? How many of these had he bumped into today?!

 

Chapter 99

 

Not only did they see the three little sea turtles personally tagged by the Friendship and Mutual Aid Association, but they also saw the umbrella-carrying dolphin shark. It was truly a perfect day! That was how the photographer described today, and he was already planning in his mind to pick a screenshot to post on Weibo once they got back. Although the video belonged to Jing Ling, when the contract was signed, he had already obtained consent — as long as no personal information was revealed and it wasn’t used for commercial purposes, he could post the photos on social media.

 

It was only two-thirty in the afternoon, but the photographer already felt today was complete. The rest of the time was just for enjoying the sea views, the sea breeze brushing against his face, listening to some music, humming a tune or something like that.

 

He shared this thought with Shen Ze, who took off his sunglasses and gave him a white-eyed glare. 

“You’re overthinking. Earlier you thought today would be uneventful too, and what happened? Sea turtles and sharks appeared one after another. Who knows what else we’ll have to film later.”

 

The photographer was particularly confident. “You only run into stuff like this once or twice if you’re lucky. What are the odds of three times!”

 

Then, very quickly, reality slapped him in the face. A loud, resounding slap — left cheek, then right. He and Shen Ze squatted under the sunshade; one wearing sunglasses, not sure if he was asleep or spacing out, the other hugging the equipment, playing the video footage back and forth, not disturbing each other. And there was Jing Ling, holding the umbrella that had been bumped back by the shark, sitting on the ladder the whole time, not even worried that a wave might suddenly toss him off the boat.

 

At that moment, he was watching the footage of the shark returning the umbrella. Even though he had witnessed it with his own eyes earlier, watching the replay again still filled him with awe. The saying the older generation often repeated, “All things have spirits,” truly had its reasoning.

 

Suddenly, he heard Jing Ling call out, “Look over there.”

 

The photographer was quite professional. Upon hearing the voice, he instinctively turned his head to look, while his hands didn’t stop — the equipment turned with him. He saw the spot Jing Ling was pointing to, dozens of meters ahead, where a column of water shot up from the sea surface. He froze for quite a while before reacting to what it was. His hands and even his voice trembled slightly with excitement. “Is that… a whale?! Oh my god, I actually encountered a whale out at sea!!!”

 

He was so excited he was shouting and jumping, the small boat swaying slightly from his movements.

The boat owner, who had been napping all along, also woke up. Grabbing his phone, he rushed over and started filming towards the distance. The camera quality was poor, the distance too far, only a blurry shadow was captured — but that didn’t matter. As long as he knew what it was! Filming as he spoke excitedly, “Never thought I’d see a whale in this area. I’ve been working this part of the sea for over a year and this is my first time seeing one!”

 

The area they were in still belonged to shallow coastal waters, where fishermen frequently operated. In human activity-heavy regions like this, it was rare for large marine creatures to appear.

 

Jing Ling stood up, stepped onto the deck, and with his excellent eyesight, noticed something was off. Shen Ze noticed too, because he had a high-definition telescope at hand. Hearing the shout earlier, he immediately sat up, removed his sunglasses, grabbed the telescope, and looked over.

 

“It seems like… it’s trapped?” He spoke uncertainly.

 

“Not sure. Get the boat closer and have a look,” Jing Ling replied. “Just in case, put your life jackets on.” Though the whale’s body was submerged, making it hard to see clearly, judging by the visible outline, it had to be over ten meters long. A massive creature like that could easily send their little boat straight to meet God.

 

The boat owner reluctantly put his phone away and went to start the boat. After drifting with the waves for several hours, the small boat finally started up again, slowly approaching the whale dozens of meters away. Eventually, the boat stopped about ten meters from it. That still sounded far, but compared to its massive body, this was already close-range.

 

From a distance, they could only see jets of water spraying skyward and glimpses of the body on the water’s surface. But now, up close, they saw how shockingly big this creature truly was — an estimated fifteen meters long, entangled in fishing nets, its entire body unable to move, visible wounds on its back, torn flesh curling open, a harrowing sight.

 

The photographer instinctively looked at Jing Ling. “How… do we save it?” He had thought the shark earlier was already dangerous enough, but compared to this whale, the shark paled in comparison. One swipe of that massive tail, and they could easily get seriously injured.

 

Shen Ze rolled his eyes at him, irritated. “What are you thinking? Of course we call the local government. Do you think Jing Ling is some kind of god who can solve this alone?!”

 

They asked the boat owner to call the local fisheries department. After receiving the report and confirming the details, they immediately dispatched a law enforcement vessel to the rescue.

 

While waiting for rescue, Jing Ling asked the boat owner to try getting a little closer, bit by bit, finally stopping at the whale’s tail. Jing Ling stood on the ladder, reaching out to touch its body, as if to comfort it — also a kind of test. Whether because it was trapped and unable to move or because it sensed goodwill, the whale didn’t react much.

 

Jing Ling felt slightly relieved, pulled out the knife from his waist, and started cutting away the fishing nets around its tail.

 

Jiang Heng was a reporter for the Zhucheng Daily, under a two-year contract that would expire at the end of this year. Maybe he was just unlucky — in his two years at the paper, rain or shine, he ran around chasing news, but they were all trivial neighborhood matters. Whose roof leaked and property management didn’t care, whose cat or dog got stuck somewhere — after much effort, the outcome was always useless. After all, Zhucheng Daily was the top paper in town; they couldn’t possibly put such trivial things on the front page. But aside from these, he hadn’t covered any major news — either he missed it, or something else kept him from being there.

 

His superiors had already hinted that when his contract ended, he could just leave. Jiang Heng himself was also wondering — maybe he wasn’t cut out for this line of work?

 

A new day arrived. After clocking in as usual, he sat in the office, waiting for a call. The morning passed — though his phone rang a few times, it was all trivial nonsense, not worth reporting. After breakfast, his colleagues left for lunch breaks. Unwilling to give up, he stayed at his post. Yet through the whole lunch break, not a single call came through — oddly quiet. Work resumed in the afternoon, others were chatting and laughing, while he sat there listless, looking like he might fall asleep at any moment.

 

Close to 3 p.m., he couldn’t hold it anymore and went to the restroom. When he returned, he saw a colleague at his desk, answering his phone. “Fire in Mingzhu Residential Area? A child trapped at home? Okay, okay, I’m on my way. Please tell me exactly which building…”

 

Jiang Heng stood at the door, enduring the mixed looks of sympathy or mockery from his colleagues. For a moment, he felt utterly exhausted, but still had to pretend nothing was wrong, forcing a smile as he walked over. Watching his colleague hang up the phone, grab equipment, and rush out — even the passing breeze felt like it was carried away with him.

 

Jiang Heng numbly returned to his seat, thinking his bad luck was truly unmatched.

 

Just then, his phone buzzed in his bag. His spirits lifted instantly, and he hurried to take it out, but seeing the caller ID, he immediately deflated like a punctured balloon. Huang Ziqi — strictly speaking, he didn’t even know her. The only reason he had her number was because, by chance, he helped her once, chasing down a thief who stole her wallet. This girl was two years younger than him and seemed to work for a government department.

 

“Hello?” He answered the call.

 

The girl’s voice came from the other end. “Is this Jiang Heng? I’m Huang Ziqi. You mentioned you’re a reporter, right? I just got a report from a fisherman — said a whale is trapped in the waters near Zhucheng. Our fisheries team is heading over. Do you want to come?”

 

“Huh?… Oh, yes, yes! Wait for me, I’m coming now!” He froze for a second before reacting, springing up from his chair, grabbing his equipment, and rushing out.

 

His parents were known in their neighborhood for being warm-hearted and helpful, even earning a “Model Household” plaque from the community. Influenced by his elders, he had always lent a helping hand when he saw someone in need. Growing up, even after seeing how indifferent society could be, he still did what he could within his ability — not for rewards, but because it had become a habit, ingrained in his bones.

 

In his two years at the job, this was the first time he felt that good deeds truly paid off.

 

In the past two years, thanks to government advocacy and heavy publicity, people had become increasingly concerned about animal protection. A trapped whale wasn’t exactly huge news, but at least it was newsworthy — enough to claim a small space on the page.

 

Jiang Heng hurried to the port, found Huang Ziqi, and boarded the fisheries department’s boat, heading out to rescue the trapped whale.

 

As the boat approached the area, they could already see columns of water spraying from the surface from a distance. Under the sunlight, the mist formed a fleeting rainbow. Closer, they spotted a small boat not far from the water spout — probably the fishing boat that discovered the whale and reported it. But that boat didn’t really look like a proper fishing boat. After all, who puts a giant sunshade on their deck, and there was someone in flashy beachwear standing on top. As they got closer, they saw another person beside the boat, also holding camera equipment.

 

Jiang Heng tensed for a moment, thinking maybe a competing reporter beat him here. But thinking carefully, he realized that couldn’t be — there was only one fishing boat around, and they reported the whale right away. Huang Ziqi called him immediately. He came with the fisheries team; there were no other boats. No one could’ve arrived before him — unless they had been on the boat to begin with. But seriously, what kind of reporter has so much free time to run out to sea looking for news?

 

The fisheries officers approached and asked what was going on. The other side simply replied, “…We felt just waiting wasn’t helping, so we tried to untangle the fishing nets from the whale’s tail first. Surprisingly, it cooperated a lot, and we’ve already cleared most of it.”

 

As they finished speaking, a hand suddenly reached up from the water, grabbing the opposite boat’s railing, followed by a tattered fishing net being tossed onto the boat. Turns out there was someone else, but the fishing boat had blocked him from view.

 

Jiang Heng quickly realized the photographer on the opposite boat had likely been filming that person. He instinctively raised his own equipment, pointing it toward them.

 

Under the brilliant sunlight, a tall, well-proportioned figure climbed up the ladder from the water onto the boat. Against the light, the sun outlined his body with a golden frame. His slightly long hair stuck to his head in damp, messy strands, water dripping down. His side profile was nearly flawless — instantly evoking images of a handsome young man from a comic book. He wore a tight-fitting long shirt, soaked and clinging to his body, clearly outlining his muscles, paired with an orange life vest. One hand held a small knife, the other grasped the fishing net. An oddly mismatched appearance, yet somehow unexpectedly harmonious — making it impossible to look away.

 

Jiang Heng was momentarily dazed, when suddenly, he felt someone tug at his clothes. Turning his head, he saw it was Huang Ziqi. “What’s wrong?” he asked.

 

Huang Ziqi paid him no mind, instead fixating on the opposite side with an expression of surprise and disbelief. “Was I seeing things? To think that while on a rescue mission, I would actually spot the Male God at sea! No, I must buy a lottery ticket when I get back! You should buy one too—today’s truly your lucky day!”

 

“…What do you mean?” Jiang Heng was momentarily perplexed, unable to grasp the full significance of the situation.

 

Huang Ziqi explained eagerly, “The person just emerged from the water—is my idol, Jing Ling, a renowned star!”

 

Jiang Heng was no fool; once the crucial detail was unveiled, he immediately understood. While news of a whale being trapped might have limited public interest, the involvement of a celebrity changed everything. Not merely participating, but actively discovering the stranded whale, reporting the incident, and personally diving into rescue efforts—such actions propelled the attention skyward.

 

Chapter 100

 

Jiang Heng only learned from Huang Ziqi that Jing Ling was a celebrity, but he didn’t know anything beyond that. Although he worked at a newspaper and ran around every day carrying a camera, Zhucheng Daily was a serious paper — its main content focused on politics, livelihood issues, and everyday matters of the people, not like those entertainment tabloids that tracked celebrities’ every move, even dragging up some D-list star for a headline if there was any gossip.

But not knowing wasn’t a problem — he could just look it up online.

He took out his phone and quickly searched. Even though he didn’t know the exact name, once he typed out the full spelling in pinyin, the suggestions automatically popped up. The first result was a personal profile summary. He skimmed over it at a glance, then opened Weibo — twenty million followers, with the latest post published yesterday and over fifty thousand comments.

Seemed like he was quite famous?

Jiang Heng thought to himself and blurted out the question instinctively.

Huang Ziqi finally turned her head to look at him and rolled her eyes. “He’ll be even more famous in the future, thank you!”

“Oh.” Jiang Heng gave a dry response, rubbed his nose, and picked up his camera to continue shooting.

The whale was trapped in the sea, and the fishery officials couldn’t get close. After a quick discussion, they decided to seek help from a nearby diving club. Although the club agreed to send people right away, it still took time. The fishery patrol boat stayed behind to direct operations and could only call on a fishing boat to bring over the divers. With nothing else to do, they waited at sea.

Jiang Heng took shots of the whale in the water, then of the opposite fishing boat, and then of the fishery staff. Soon, there was nothing left to shoot.

While waiting, he figured squatting around like a salted fish wouldn’t work, so he pointed his camera at Jing Ling on the opposite boat — tall and slender — snapping photos from various angles. But after a short while, Jing Ling left the deck.

He thought the guy was trying to avoid the camera, but no — Jing Ling jumped straight back into the water with a knife in hand to keep cutting the fishing net off the whale.

The tall, upright figure looked small once in the water, only his head sticking out on the vast sea. And compared to the ten-meter-long whale, he seemed even smaller.

People instinctively fear the unknown. The vast ocean covers 80% of the planet, wide and deep, its depths a mystery. What humans see is merely the tip of the iceberg. At the same time, people hold a mix of awe and fear towards giant creatures — a truth hinted at by countless movies and shows.

Jiang Heng felt the same. Even knowing the whale was trapped and couldn’t move, he only dared watch from the safety of the boat. The thought of jumping into the water for close contact was out of the question.

That was why he somewhat admired Jing Ling for diving in to free the whale.

When doing something, your emotions affect the outcome — for better or worse. Jiang Heng was the former. He took more care with every shot than before — light, angles, focus — as if shooting a photobook rather than chasing a news story.

There were visible wounds on the whale’s back. As Jing Ling removed the nets, he carefully avoided the injuries. This gentleness seemed ingrained, like second nature. Then again, who knew — maybe it was just for show since a reporter was present. But Jiang Heng felt it was genuine. And even if he was wrong and it was all an act, anyone with that level of acting skill was certainly a competent actor.

The diving club staff arrived quickly. Several diving instructors geared up and jumped into the water to join the rescue.

It took over twenty minutes to completely remove the nets. They started with the nets on the whale’s back to allow it some movement. Then something unexpected happened — once the nets on its back were cleared, the whale voluntarily opened its mouth so the rescuers could reach in and remove the nets from inside.

But this posed a challenge. A mouth that big wasn’t something you could communicate with, and if the whale accidentally took in a gulp of water, a person could easily be swallowed.

The diving instructors hesitated briefly before making up their minds to help.

Jing Ling suddenly turned around and asked the cameraman to throw him the equipment. The man hesitated for two seconds, afraid it would fall into the sea, so he leaned over the boat to hand it to him instead. Jing Ling took it and immediately dove underwater to film the tense rescue.

Jing Ling filmed underwater, and Jiang Heng stayed on the boat filming him — a scene that perfectly fit the saying: You watch the scenery on the bridge while someone else watches you.

After the whale was freed, the fishery authorities guided it back to the open sea. That part didn’t involve Jing Ling and the others anymore. They had been in the water for so long helping with the rescue that they were all drained. Plus, it was getting late, so they prepared to head back.

Jiang Heng didn’t follow the fishery patrol’s boat. Escorting the whale would take who knew how long, and he had to get back and write his story. Two boats remained on-site — one that brought the divers and the other, the one Jing Ling and his group came on, the first to discover the trapped whale.

Jiang Heng hesitated, then gritted his teeth and asked Jing Ling on the boat, “Can I ride back with you guys?”

Surprisingly, Jing Ling agreed with a nod.

So, Jiang Heng boarded the fishing boat and returned with them.

On the way back, Jiang Heng seized the chance to interview Jing Ling — after getting permission. His questions were measured, avoiding personal life or sensitive topics. He only asked about what it felt like to be so close to a massive creature like that and whether he had felt afraid.

The fishing boat docked back in Zhucheng at 5 p.m. Jiang Heng thanked Jing Ling and returned to the newsroom with his camera.

That day’s paper had already gone to print. The story he gathered would be used for tomorrow’s edition. But which page and how much space it would get was up to the editor-in-chief — someone like him had no say.

He took his camera to the editor’s office. Coincidentally, the colleague who’d answered the fire call earlier was going in too. The guy glanced at him and casually asked, “What did you shoot today, Jiang Heng? A cat or a dog? Sure, that counts as news, but this is the city’s top newspaper, not some small-town rag…”

The mockery was obvious.

Jiang Heng had heard this kind of talk before. He was used to it, but it still stung a little — because, unfortunately, it wasn’t wrong.

But today was different. Even if it wasn’t a major scoop, at least it would make it into the paper.

He met his colleague’s eyes for two seconds before looking away, keeping a neutral face. “Neither. Thanks for your concern,” he replied flatly and knocked on the editor’s door.

“Come in,” a middle-aged man’s voice called from inside.

Jiang Heng reached for the doorknob, but his colleague squeezed past him, stepping inside first and calling, “Chief…”

Watching the man’s smug back, Jiang Heng felt a mix of anger and helplessness. He forced a thin smile and followed him in. With the two of them talking business, Jiang Heng couldn’t get a word in. He stood quietly waiting for half an hour, ignored as if he didn’t exist. Only after his colleague left, looking satisfied, did the editor glance up at him and push up his glasses.

“Oh, Jiang’s here too? When did you get in?”

Jiang Heng barely managed a polite smile. “Just now. Chief, there was a trapped whale in Zhucheng waters today. I got a call and went with the fishery department. I shot some footage…”

The editor waved him off, cutting him short. “I know. We’ll give you a spot on the back page. Go tell the editorial team. I’m tired — you handle the rest.”

Jiang Heng was still a bit unwilling. He licked his lips and said, “Chief, when I got there, I saw…”

The editor looked up, face showing displeasure. “It’s just a whale. If it had died, maybe it’d be newsworthy. Alive? It’s meaningless!”

Jiang Heng opened his mouth to argue but gave up in the end, letting out a quiet sigh and turning to leave the office. He instinctively closed the door gently behind him.

A tiny spot on the back page — not ideal, but better than nothing. That’s how he consoled himself as he walked through the rows of desks to notify the editorial department. Only after securing the page space did he start writing the article.

As expected, he ran into that same colleague again, who congratulated him on finally getting a piece published. Jiang Heng numbly said thanks and moved on.

He spent several more hours writing, revising, trimming, highlighting key points, handing it over for proofreading, and finalizing.

By the time he clocked out, it was almost 10 p.m. Drained, he clocked out, grabbed his scooter from the parking lot, and rode home.

He brushed his teeth, washed up quickly, took a short shower, changed into pajamas, and collapsed onto the bed. Sleepiness hit him hard. He was about to doze off when his eyes wandered to the camera on his desk, reminding him of what happened that day. He picked up his phone and logged onto Weibo to check Jing Ling’s updates.

The latest post, made at 7 p.m., read:

Jing Ling, Second Under Heaven V: The most beautiful people @Zhucheng One-Meter Coast Diving Club [Video]

He clicked on it — it was the video of the diving instructor reaching into the whale’s mouth to remove the net. The comments had already passed ten thousand, mostly praise.

Jiang Heng stared at it for a while before snapping out of it. He reposted Jing Ling’s Weibo and uploaded his own video.

Zhucheng Daily Reporter Jiang Heng V: You’re one of them too //@Jing Ling, Second Under Heaven V: The most beautiful people @Zhucheng One-Meter Coast Diving Club [Video]

He posted it, forcing his eyes to stay open, then set his phone down on the nightstand, turned off the light, closed his eyes, and fell asleep within two minutes — completely unaware of what impact that post would have.