The trending topic about a certain female celebrity’s death in the entertainment industry swept across all major social media platforms like a hurricane. To say it stirred up tremendous waves would not be an exaggeration.

That evening at 21:05, the Weibo user “Shencheng Public Security” posted a message:

“Around 3 PM on August 17th, Shencheng Public Security received a report that a woman had died in a certain hotel on a certain road in a certain district. Upon investigation, the deceased woman was Ming XX (female, 27 years old, from Anhe City). The specific cause of death is under further investigation.”

As soon as the news broke, “Ming Heqi is dead,” “Ming Heqi committed suicide by slitting her wrists,” and “Ming Heqi” quickly occupied the top spots on Sina Weibo trending searches. Entertainment reporters were as excited as if they’d been injected with chicken blood, chasing the hot topic overnight, swarming to the scene to dig for information.

Various melodramatic stories and gossip emerged endlessly on social media, with numerous theories about how Ming Heqi died.

The widely circulated version was that Ming Heqi had committed suicide because she couldn’t bear the cyberbullying from previous negative news. Some people speculated it was murder. The remaining rumors became increasingly bizarre—a complete mess, in short, chaos like a pot of porridge.

What truly pushed this year’s big drama to its peak was that Ming Heqi’s best friend from when she was alive, a few days after the incident, publicly attacked He Lu on Weibo, posting several long essays in succession.

Every word dripping with blood, she publicly shared various chat records and photos, meticulously discussing all sorts of grievances and resentments.

The central content had several explosive parts:

1. The two had been in an underground relationship for as long as five years. Ming Heqi had even had an abortion for him, yet was never officially acknowledged. Moreover, He Lu had a private agreement with her:

When going out together, they couldn’t hold hands and had to maintain distance. If there were people around, they had to pretend not to know each other well.

2. He Lu had never wanted to make the relationship public for the sake of his career. During this period he cheated multiple times, straddling two boats. The affair targets included a certain three-character female star in the industry.

3. After the previous scandal broke out, He Lu had proposed to Ming Heqi that they separate for a while to calm down. The dual blows in both career and love had left Ming Heqi’s mental state in an extremely terrible condition during this period.

The words were definitive. Afterwards, Ming Heqi’s best friend even swore that if she told a single lie, she would bear all the curses.

Once these few Weibo posts came out, public opinion was immediately led astray, almost attributing Ming Heqi’s death entirely to emotional entanglements.

Not only did Ming Heqi’s fans go crazy overnight, but He Lu’s fans and various CP fans from before also exploded.

Even passersby felt somewhat unable to bear it when they saw all this.

Below was a pile of explosive comments.

Those cursing the scumbag He Lu, those questioning whether the best friend was consuming the deceased to ride the trending wave, those hating cyberbullying for driving someone to death, those condemning the useless management company for exploiting and toying with CP fans’ emotions, and the remaining onlookers were all guessing who the certain three-character female star in the industry was.

Recently the rumors about He Lu and Fu Xueli were at their peak, so they bore the brunt and were pulled out for condemnation first.

Not long after, someone released cut footage from when Ming Heqi and Fu Xueli had previously appeared on a variety show together playing games. Anyone with eyes could see the tense confrontation and undercurrents.

It seemed to confirm something.

Thus the arrow pointing to that certain three-character female star almost immediately pointed to Fu Xueli.

Without any solid evidence at all, the truth had been forcibly set in stone.

The CP fans’ romantic fantasies shattered overnight. Feeling like idiots who’d been played, filled with inner resentment and disappointment, in an instant all their love completely turned to hate, and they started madly cursing.

This matter caused an uproar for several days without stopping. When the tree falls, the monkeys scatter—countless fans jointly petitioned for industry-wide blacklisting of He Lu and Fu Xueli.

Seeing things getting more and more outrageous, the team had no choice but to bite the bullet and come out for crisis PR to clarify and explain in this one-sided situation.

“The previous hype was just because the production team needed popularity. Most of the romantic moments were also due to editing issues. The two artists met on ‘The Last 100 Percent.’ Their private interactions are limited to friends and colleagues. Please don’t spread rumors anymore.”

However, it was completely useless. Online it was one-sided, and the vigorous condemnation continued:

[Hahahahaha looking at this PR statement wtf scumbag male and female bitch together forever]

[These two got together long ago, right? Now saying these things—are they planning to continue deceiving fans? Do they think we’re all idiots?]

[Laughing watching you perform. Contemporary netizens are probably all uncivilized.]

[Don’t use editing as a cover. You’ve lost your conscience for publicity. Aren’t you afraid of karmic retribution?]

[I now suspect this is murder……..]

[Everyone calm down. I feel like everyone’s gone crazy now. Actually there’s no concrete evidence at all, just blindly cursing. One second condemning cyberbullying, but this second also implementing cyberbullying on others. Must you force people to death before you’re satisfied?]

[Scumbag He Lu explode on the spot, whole family ascend to heaven!!]

—

“I’m sorry, I’ve already said her emotions are very unstable right now and she doesn’t want to accept any interviews. Who leaked Fu Xueli’s phone number online?!! This is absolutely ridiculous!!!” Tang Xin paced back and forth. Call after call made her irritably rub her temples. She suddenly put down her hand. “Let’s see what the police say about this matter first. Isn’t it still under investigation?!! Buy some marketing accounts to control public opinion. I’ve temporarily pushed back all of Fu Xueli’s scheduled appearances. It’s best not to appear in public during this time. You all keep your mouths locked too—don’t respond to anything.”

“What? Are you sure? Who told you that?!!” Probably not good news. Tang Xin’s tone suddenly changed, her expression becoming grave. After a long while she sighed and interrupted the other party. “Forget it, we’ll talk about that later. I have something here right now.”

Hanging up the phone, Tang Xin turned on the living room light.

“Are you okay?”

“Mm, it’s nothing.” In the rather dim light, Fu Xueli’s voice revealed no emotion, just slightly weary.

“What’s wrong? Have you been suffering from insomnia these past few days?”

“I’m okay.”

“Then rest well.” Tang Xin paused. “Doing what we do, you know, many things are hard to explain clearly. Don’t take it too much to heart. Just rest well at home these few days. Don’t pay attention to outside opinions.”

“Mm.”

“You need to clarify things with He Lu, but not now. No one will listen to you. Wait until the storm passes. Anything you say now will be wrong—even punctuation marks will be picked apart by people.”

“……..”

“Fu Xueli?” Tang Xin called.

She was curled up sitting in the corner, silently burying her head in her knees, alone without making a sound, looking lonely and isolated.

“Don’t say anymore. I don’t want to listen right now. I don’t want to deal with anything. Let them say whatever they want. I don’t care.” Her voice trembled slightly.

“Sigh, don’t take it too much to heart. Everything will get better.”

Though she counseled with words, Tang Xin also knew that when encountering this kind of thing, who could remain indifferent?

She had frantically picked up Fu Xueli at twelve o’clock at Shencheng’s airport, with several assistants and security following beside her. Still couldn’t block the camera crews that swarmed up. The surrounding magnesium lights flashed bright as daylight. Reporters scrambled to ask gossip questions, microphones competing to thrust forward, relentlessly pursuing.

“May I ask if your relationship with He Lu is confirmed?”

“Do you have any response to Ming Heqi’s death?”

“Fu Xueli, will you publicly respond to the series of questions online?”

“May I ask…”

“………”

Besides entertainment reporters, there were also fans who’d heard the news and came, their voices of condemnation like a tsunami. All kinds of ugly profanity emerged endlessly. Everyone was emotionally agitated and angry. Some even threw things at them.

Never mind Fu Xueli, this kind of hothouse flower who’d been smooth sailing and pampered since childhood, had never seen this kind of scene.

Even Tang Xin, who’d been fighting in the entertainment industry’s big dye vat for many years and had seen great winds, waves, and big scenes, had never experienced this kind of nightmare.

Like rats crossing the street, wherever they went they had to be burned through by others’ hateful gazes of this kind and that.

One threatening message after another on her phone. Mistress, slut, bitch, mockery, sarcasm, cursing—almost bursting the phone.

The real world was unavoidable. Being human, tearing off the bloody exterior—sinful and terrifying.

The road ahead was rough, full of ghosts and monsters along the way.

—

Since the incident, Tang Xin had suspended all activities for Fu Xueli. She closed her WeChat Moments, didn’t accept any messages from the outside world, turned off her phone and threw it in some corner.

“—Rumble rumble”

“—Rumble rumble”

Shencheng, which had been baked by the blazing sun for several weeks, was overcast with dark clouds today. Cool winds suddenly arose, and in the evening rain finally poured down.

Someone rang the doorbell.

The doorbell rang for quite a while, persistently. Only then did Fu Xueli listlessly turn over and get up, muddleheaded as she went to open the door.

Probably Tang Xin or Xixi.

The door pulled open.

Fu Xueli was dizzy and confused, as if dreaming.

Xu Xingchun’s thin lips were pressed tight, his nose bridge straight, his eyes gloomy. He seemed to have gotten caught in the rain. His short black hair was condensed with water droplets. He looked at her coldly, his expression not at all pleasant, even could be called indifferent.

Fu Xueli’s complexion was pale and wan, somewhat flustered. She didn’t quite dare look at him, hastily turning her head away. “What are you doing here?”

Before she could refuse, he had already stepped in and closed the door behind him.

Fu Xueli didn’t realize she reeked of alcohol all over. Her mind was a complete mess right now. “You police officers really think you’re something special.”

She hiccupped from the alcohol, thinking she could pretend to be uninjured. Forcing herself to be spirited, she joked, “Xu Xingchun, can you just randomly find out where other people live? Abusing your private authority again.”

Xu Xingchun brushed past her and stopped in front of the coffee table full of empty alcohol bottles.

Hurt by his coldness.

She sadly sniffled, hands behind her back, all ten fingers twisted together. “You don’t believe me either, right? Did you come here on purpose to laugh at me?”

Xu Xingchun’s gaze swept over her face, silent and wordless, not saying a single thing.

Her emotions were already becoming more and more sensitive. Any small thing could defeat her.

His calm and waveless gaze was especially glaring at this moment. As if mocking. Fu Xueli didn’t dare look closely, afraid she’d see disgust in them.

She felt utterly pathetic. Gradually disappointed in her heart, or rather, embarrassed. About to walk back, her shoulder was suddenly gripped tightly.

After two or three seconds of stillness, she suddenly exploded. These past few days of unwillingness, grievance, and anger all surged up together. She violently broke free from Xu Xingchun and retreated backward.

“Right! Anyway I’m the mistress, I’m the bitch, I’m cheap, I’m shameless, I have no upbringing.” As if afraid of hearing even worse words, she simply said it all herself, voice trembling as she talked to herself. By the end she was almost screaming, “It was me who caused Ming Heqi’s death, that’s right, so I should die too. Are you satisfied now?”

Hysterical, speaking without choosing her words.

Sharp word after word, not willing to stop until she’d shattered herself completely.

“You saw the news too, right? Didn’t you just want to come over to laugh at me?!!! Fine… so now you’ve seen it, hurry up and get lost. Anyway someone as filthy as me, even if I died it wouldn’t be your concern. Just go, leave right now…” Fu Xueli sobbed. Tears escaped without permission, blurring her vision.

She hurriedly lowered her head, trembling, continuously wiping tears with her sleeves.

Biting her lips hard, holding back to avoid crying out loud.

Because she didn’t want to cry.

At least she didn’t want to collapse in such a wretched way in front of him.

Anyway, Xu Xingchun wouldn’t feel sorry for her anymore.

All of it was bullshit.

Dragged and pulled all the way.

Her back crashed against the cold tiles. The showerhead scattered open, bone-chilling cold water pouring down to meet her, cold from head to toe. Fu Xueli only had time to close her eyes. Her knees went weak, almost kneeling down. She shrank back, slowly squatting down. Scalding tears surged out. Her teeth chattered uncontrollably. Gasping for breath.

Xu Xingchun pressed her against the wall with one hand, close to her ear, asking in a hoarse voice, “You want to die?”