CH 124

Shi Qiu was suddenly startled, her pores dilating. She wondered, how wild could Rong Yuheng’s idea be?

Everyone in the meeting room looked at Rong Yuheng in the center of the commotion with a kind of horrified gaze. Only Wen Zhecheng looked delighted, with a hint of smugness as if saying, “I’ve hit the jackpot.”

Wen Zhecheng approached, “May I ask which brilliant path you’re talking about?”

Rong Yuheng lovingly patted Wen Zhecheng’s handsome face and said affectionately, “Have you ever watched a palace drama?”

“…?”

—

Two hours after the fall of “ZechengYiYu”

Microblogs erupted with a storm, and #ZechengYiYuFallenSecondaryAccount# topped the trending charts. Fans and passersby flooded the square with discussions.

Passersby were shocked, CP fans were ecstatic, and Wei fans were shedding tears.

Some malicious actors from rival fandoms joined the chaos, pretending to be Wei fans withdrawing their support.

For a moment, fans from different camps clashed:

“Wen Zhecheng and Rong Yuheng, is this for real? Oh my god, I always thought it was just fans taking it too seriously!”

“As long as it’s taken seriously, the CP will get married tomorrow!”

“So disgusting, what’s going on? Two men getting together like this? Could there be some illness involved… Can they still be considered celebrities?”

“Is there something wrong with the person above? Isn’t it convenient to have a permanent residence in your household register? Although I’m not a CP fan, I know that I should wish the couple well.”

“I shipped this CP for months, and now they turn out to be a same-sex couple. Unfriended.”

—

Four hours after the fall of “ZechengYiYu”

The personal studios of Rong Yuheng and Wen Zhecheng jointly issued a statement, confirming the relationship between the two artists. They thanked the fans for their support and companionship. Shortly after, Rong Yuheng and Wen Zhecheng both posted on Weibo, officially coming out:

@WenZecheng_v: Spend a lifetime in Zecheng Yi Yu ️ @STAR-T_RongYuheng_v

@STAR-T_RongYuheng_v: Meet one person and grow old together ️ @WenZecheng_v

With these two posts, fans cried out:

“Zecheng Yi Yu will live happily ever after! Waaahhh…”

“I love Rongrong, I love Teacher Wen. Although I feel so sad now, like I just went through a breakup, I hope to see you both forever happy. ”

“Teacher Wen, Rongrong, 999999!”

“It’s official, it’s official!!! Waaaahhh…”

“They came out publicly and officially announced it. Your courage shows that you’re worth each other. Bless you both!”

—

In addition, there were detractors from rival fandoms and disgruntled fans cursing and using extremely offensive language below. This caused dissatisfaction among both fan bases and CP fans, leading to some onlookers intervening and getting involved in fights.

#ZechengCityFallenSecondaryAccount# was pushed into a fiery trend.

—

Six hours after the fall of “ZechengYiYu”

Suddenly, numerous articles appeared on Weibo, social media, and public accounts, directly targeting Wen Zhecheng and Rong Yuheng. They criticized the two for not caring about the fan base, openly coming out and hurting fan emotions, claiming they were not worthy of fan love.

Between the lines, the message was clear — they urged fans to open their eyes, quickly unfollow, and even give them a few kicks on the way out!

Many previously neutral fans were emotionally manipulated, transitioning from “reluctantly accepting” to full-blown resentment.

Yeah, why did they come out!?

All they cared about was their own happiness, and they didn’t care about the feelings of us fans. Without us fans, where would their popularity be?!

Unfollow, unfollow! These years of love and time have ultimately been wasted!

“…”

Inside the meeting room, Rong Yuheng leaned back in his chair, scrolling through his phone, appearing quite relaxed. Wen Zhecheng was next to him, cutting fruit for people, and even took the time to arrange it into an exquisite fruit platter.

“Come, let me make a little swan for you with strawberries.”

“Xiao Zhecheng, you’re thoughtful.”

The two artists sat there, accompanied by their numb managers. Since hearing Rong Yuheng’s unconventional plan, the managers had mentally prepared for temporary unemployment.

On the other side, the two PR teams were anxiously browsing the hot searches and drafts, itching to counterattack immediately. Overcoming the professional instinct to respond, they found it challenging not to release their prepared statements.

The two executives sent by the company were getting restless. One of them paced around the meeting room, circled twice, then abruptly left through the door. The other glanced at the exit, hesitated for two seconds, and then sat down, typing on his phone…

Seven hours after the fall of “ZechengYiYu”

Marketing accounts flooded the internet, speculating on whether Wen Zhecheng and Rong Yuheng would be shelved by Fan Yu Entertainment.

Meanwhile, the people from the two families at the center of the storm were sitting in the meeting room, casually having takeout.

Shi Qiu opened her chopsticks and glanced at her phone. After these few hours of upheaval, her numb heart gradually adapted, showing signs of recovery. “This has been a tormenting storm.”

Rong Yuheng, eating his meal with a crunch, and Wen Zhecheng, placing a straw into his drink, were at ease. Rong Yuheng chewed a mouthful and said with restraint, “It’s a storm before tranquility.”

The usually silent Qu Youhe hoarsely commented, “A very unique natural phenomenon.”

Shaking his head, Rong Yuheng corrected, “Not a natural phenomenon, it’s a man-made landscape.”

Qu Youhe scrolled through the various press releases from rival factions, thinking, “It really is man-made.”

Wen Zhecheng asked, “How’s the situation with the fan clubs?”

Qu Youhe replied, “Similar to what we expected. Initially, the fans responded positively, and your fan-distracting strategy worked quite well. However, the biggest threat comes from those hidden rivals. People who usually don’t interfere are now trying to suppress you for resources.”

Shi Qiu said, “Our situation is the same.”

“Some fans are still underage, with unstable emotions. They are the most easily influenced by public opinion and also the most damaging. This is the most challenging issue,” Rong Yuheng wiped his oily mouth, “But this instability is mutual; it depends on which side has greater influence.”

On the other side, the PR team adjusted emergency plans based on the online sentiment. If they could get through this challenge, it would be a one-time effort.

“Is it ready on that side?” Rong Yuheng turned to ask Wen Zhecheng.

“It’s ready,” Wen Zhecheng slid his phone screen.

“Alright, we’re ready on our end too.”

Thirty minutes later, amidst the bloody storm on Weibo, entertainment industry stars suddenly united to speak out:

@KuangZhao_v: Happiness is personal. Brother Zhecheng, Rongrong, I wish you a smooth journey! Call me for the wedding; I’ll be the best man.

@STAR-T_ShanQi_v: Our team’s mascot, Rongbao, has been entrusted to Teacher Wen. I know how good you guys are, blessings!

@STAR-T_ZouYi_v: Finally, it’s out in the open. I was getting impatient.

@STAR-T_TangJi_v: Rongbao and Teacher Wen, 9999 blessings!

@STAR-T_HuangJianing_v: After feeding us dog food for so long, it’s finally official. Although I don’t ship CP… Zecheng Yi Yu must be locked in!

@STAR-T_BianChen_v: Mind your own business, others’ feelings are nonsense.

@DF_QiaoTan_v: I’ve had enough of being your bridge! [Angry]… Just kidding~ Blessings!

…

Dozens of A-list celebrities almost simultaneously expressed their blessings, creating a powerful lineup that instantly silenced the cacophony on Weibo. The PR team, seeing the gradually calming Weibo, breathed a sigh of relief, finalized their drafts, and sent them to the more than twenty major influencers who were already on standby.

Rong Yuheng playfully shook his head, “Xunzi said, ‘In the contest of public opinion, the one who strikes last wins.'”

The PR team, gripping the mouse, whispered, “Xunzi never said the first half of that…”

Rong Yuheng graciously changed his words, “According to Xunzi and Rong Yuheng, in the contest of public opinion, the one who strikes last wins.”

The PR team, “…”

With the joint voice of the celebrities, their fan base emotionally shifted loyalty back to supporting Wen Zhecheng and Rong Yuheng. Building on this, over a dozen verified accounts quickly followed up with posts:

The freedom of celebrities to pursue relationships does not conflict with respecting fans. On the contrary, fans who, under the guise of idol-chasing, resist their idols coming out in official announcements lack respect for their own idols.

“You can choose not to accept it, but that’s not a reason to harm others.”

“Stars are also human beings with the right and freedom to choose their partners. This has nothing to do with respecting fan groups! Fans, don’t be misled by certain marketing accounts; don’t become pawns against your own idols!”

“Wen Zhecheng has consistently delivered the best works to fans for ten years, that’s respect. Rong Yuheng and STAR-T have always presented the best stages to fans, that’s respect. Both main leads never slipped away from their fans or engaged in fan wars. Brother Zhecheng’s attitude towards Rong Rong is gentle, that’s also respect.”

The blog posts were published exactly at ten o’clock in the evening. Fans, who had been battling each other on Weibo all day, suddenly found themselves like they were at the mercy of fate, gradually calming down.

Did Wen Zhecheng and Rong Yuheng do anything wrong? No.

They understood the reasoning, it was just difficult to reconcile with their own feelings.

In the meeting room, Rong Yuheng stood up and clapped his hands, “You all have worked hard. Let’s call it a day.”

Shi Qiu leaned back in her chair with her legs crossed, her eyes blank.

The artists she managed were more like executives than the executives of Fan Yu Entertainment. Promising futures.

Wen Zhecheng picked up his coat from the back of the chair, draped it over Rong Yuheng, squeezed him into his own arms, and lowered his head for a gentle kiss.

Now that they were open, they could be unrestrained. Wen Zhecheng’s affectionate feelings were flooding his heart when a small hand covered his face.

Wen Zhecheng: ?

Rong Yuheng peeled his face away, “We’re still in public, don’t be like this.”

Wen Zhecheng felt a bit wronged, “But we’re already open…”

Rong Yuheng looked solemn, “It’s not about being open or not. In public, be a bit more reserved.”

“Okay.”

Qu Youhe looked away. Damn, he didn’t want to see this.

—

After a night of settling and fermenting, the next day when people woke up, the wind had already shifted in their favor.

When the PR team contacted Shi Qiu, they were a bit uncertain, “It’s not as serious as we expected, right?”

Remembering Rong Yuheng’s “hit the bullseye every time,” Shi Qiu furrowed her brows, “Let’s wait a bit longer.”

At noon, 12 o’clock.

What was originally a mild public opinion suddenly stirred up again! The initial condemnation of Wen Zhecheng and Rong Yuheng for “disrespecting fans” took a turn, now criticizing the stars’ “role-model effect.” A large wave of water army attacks followed, using the tone of parents to launch sharp criticisms:

“My son is a fan of Wen Zhecheng. Initially, I also watched movies of this star and had a good impression of him, so I allowed my son to chase after him. Unexpectedly, Wen Zhecheng suddenly made a fuss about his same-sex relationship, and now my son wants to follow suit and find a man. What kind of star is this! Clearly trying to end my family line!”

“My brother is only seventeen years old, at an age where he doesn’t understand anything. Just because the star he’s chasing came out, he’s also changing his sexual orientation! You are ruining young people, affecting their future happiness!”

“Stars should look like stars. They should be aware of their significant influence, know what to do and what not to do. Bringing out same-sex relationships, are you trying to make fans imitate you?”

With these comments, Weibo instantly exploded again:

“No way, right? After so many years, can you still see this kind of talk?”

“Can sexual orientation also change with the idol? Amazing, like a steering wheel-style sexual orientation?”

“Wow wow wow, is being gay a guarantee of a lifetime of unhappiness? It’s precisely because of parents like you who casually define others’ happiness that children fall into misery~”

“I’m just a fan, why would I imitate my idol’s sexual orientation? Are you crazy?”

“If it’s so easy to imitate, why don’t you imitate your idol’s talent~”

As netizens were arguing with each other, suddenly, the long-absent Zaun poet Xun Guang descended from the sky like a golden scythe, reaping heads like harvesting leeks in rows.

@XunGuangv: Chasing stars won’t delay your son’s love life. With a mother like you, your son won’t have a family left.

@XunGuangv: I suggest you become my fan, see if you can improve your skill in cursing.

@XunGuangv: Primary school kids should look like primary school kids. Have you finished your weekend homework? Just keep chirping online.

Netizens, initially in heated arguments, burst into laughter and applause upon seeing Xun Guang’s responses.

“Well done, Weibo lacks educators like you!”

However, the second round of chaos did not end with Xun Guang’s interventions. As the topics continued to increase, the heat kept rising.

A prolonged state of disorder and chaos only damages public opinion. It seemed that the opposing side didn’t intend to claim the moral high ground but was playing a long game to drag down Zhecheng Yi Yu.

Their final move was sinister: it’s easy to reverse public opinion, but difficult to calm things down. Over time, even neutral onlookers would get fed up with this prolonged drama—just coming out of the closet, why make such a fuss for so long?

Then they seized the opportunity to throw a bucket of dirty water: claiming that Zhecheng Yi Yu orchestrated this whole drama for attention, manipulating the public to gain support, achieving both fame and fortune! Whether or not this was the intention of the two, the final result seemed to confirm it. Once the mudslinging started, even if it was cleaned off, the stench would linger.

At this point, the opposing side was secretly elated.

The resources that had been allocated to Wen Zhecheng and Rong Yuheng for these years were finally coming back! The press releases were ready, and the studio was contacted. They just needed the hype to boil for one more day, and then they would deliver the final blow!

However, before the opposing side could strike a fatal blow and celebrate, the two main leads, who had been silent since the official announcement, both posted Weibo updates.

@WenZechengv: Apologies for the chaos these past two days. Thanks to all friends and fans for your understanding and support. After discussing with my Rongrong, we’ve decided to take a step back for a while. This decision is not only to give each other more time together but also to let everyone objectively view this coming-out event. We will prove with time that happiness has nothing to do with sexual orientation; we simply chose love. [Heart]

@STAR-TRongYuhengv: Reached an agreement with the company and the team. Teacher Wen and I will take a step back for a while. Please continue to support the brothers of STAR-T! Perhaps, after a long time, Teacher Wen and I will come back hand in hand. [Heart]

Boom!!! Within five minutes, Weibo completely crashed.

After posting the two Weibo updates, Rong Yuheng and Wen Zhecheng didn’t care about the potential earth-shaking effects. They directly closed Weibo and logged into the flight booking page.

Rong Yuheng enthusiastically swiped the screen, “Should we play in the surrounding countries first or go to Northern Europe? Or maybe visit Thailand to see my clever grandson Mingxuan?”

Wen Zhecheng felt sweet in his heart, “Either is fine. It depends on what you like.”

Shi Qiu, leaning on the side, looked helpless. “Who would have thought that after coming out, you two would directly announce a hiatus?”

“It’s fine as long as the opposing side didn’t expect it.”

Shi Qiu’s gloomy mood finally cleared, “Well said. Someone is contributing to the motherland’s employment.”

Qu Youhe could only console himself, thinking of taking a long vacation, traveling, and catching up on dramas during the holiday. However, when he thought about catching up on dramas, he furrowed his brows and turned to ask Rong Yuheng, “By the way, when you mentioned the wild route yesterday, why did you ask if Brother Zhe had watched palace dramas?”

Wen Zhecheng and Rong Yuheng simultaneously looked up, displaying expressions of indulgent amusement, making Qu Youhe feel like a little fool for a moment.

Rong Yuheng patiently revealed the answer, “Common survival skills used in palace dramas.”

Qu Youhe curiously leaned forward, “…?”

“Pretending to be dead.”

Translator Notes: A very apology, I have my a job in real life that need to spend high amount of energy. But I made a promise to myself, would translate this series to the end.