That same night.
A storm surged through Asia!
Scoldings!
Denouncements!
Criticism!
Boycotts!
Praise!
Applause!
The cacophony from all the different reactions clashed together, and everyone in each camp was embroiled in a fight. All of Asia had been plunged into chaos because of a live broadcast, a piece of calligraphy, and a name! This “Rivers Run Red” by that great man from Zhang Ye’s previous world had torn a hole in Asia’s sky!
In the sedan.
Ha Qiqi and several staff members came to pick Zhang Ye up.
Little Wang did not know whether to laugh or cry. “Director Zhang, why did you start scolding other people again?”
Zhang Ye sneered. “Scolding? They’re lucky I didn’t hit them!”
Tong Fu said nervously, “Didn’t you say that we will be walking the philanthropic path from now on? That we will be adopting a benevolent attitude? It’s only been three days and the image that we built up is—”
Compared to a few days ago, the current Zhang Ye sitting in the car right looked like a totally different person. He said, “What philanthropic path! Consider me enlightened. Once you show that you’re kind and amiable, other people start thinking you’re easy to take advantage of and climb all over you.” With a pause, he unbuttoned his shirt collar and sat cross-legged. “I don’t think that this path suits me much. I’ve had to hold it in so badly over the past few days. Just tell me, we’ve always been a casual and easygoing team that isn’t afraid to go up against the other celebrities’ teams, so do we have nothing better to do than acting all pretentious like this?”
Ha Qiqi laughed and said, “Did that only get through to you now?”
Little Wang said, “So, uh, are we not going to dabble in philanthropic causes in the future?”
Zhang Ye rolled his eyes. “I’ve only just been appointed to the role of philanthropic ambassador. Of course we have to carry on doing it.”
Tong Fu said, “But that calligraphy piece you wrote just now has already—”
“We have to do our part for charity, but we also must continue scolding people!” Zhang Ye summarized, “This time, we were a little impulsive and got carried away by the temptation of a title and gaining some benefit. We forgot our surnames in the process. But this won’t do. We cannot forget our initial resolution that built our character. We grew as a team amid our scolding of other people, and it was through fighting that we reached where we are today. How can we simply forget about that just because we took a job as a philanthropic ambassador? Initial resolution, comrades, initial resolution! In the future, every one of you must remember this lesson!”
Ah?
This is the first time we’ve heard something like that!
So you mean that scolding others has been your initial resolution all along?
Isn’t this initial resolution of yours really terrible!
Little Wang gave a wry smile and said, “Director Zhang, I finally get it. Whatever it is, you’re always the right one and everything always goes by your logic. We can’t outargue you.”
Ha Qiqi said, “The way that this matter has developed makes it really difficult to resolve. The Japanese and Koreans are probably going to take action, so there might be something big happening soon!”
Zhang Ye said, “Come on then, who’s afraid of who? Let me tell you this, Old Ha. Don’t ever be afraid of anything. Be it in the past or in the future, our studio must never lose even if it means we have no money or any work to take. Whoever tries to take a stab at us, I’ll make sure we fucking get back at them. Who cares if they’re from Japan or Korea? At most, I fucking won’t develop my career in those two countries. But I must point my finger at them and make sure I scold them til I’m satisfied.”
Ha Qiqi nodded. “I understand. In the first place, it was the Japanese and Koreans who targeted you on purpose. Even without this calligraphy or you scolding them, they were already hoping to pull down your Asian popularity rank. In fact, they would definitely have done it. If that’s the case, then why not just scold them?”
Zhang Ye asked, “Who do you think is pulling the strings?”
Ha Qiqi gave it some thought. “I think everyone in showbiz in Japan and Korea has a part to play.”
Zhang Ye said in a speechless manner, “Everyone? Is this bro really that unlikeable?”
Ha Qiqi laughed and said, “Did you think that you were very likable?”
Zhang Ye thought deeply for a brief moment. “Well, true that.”
Nobody used to care about Zhang Ye. But that was no longer true as Zhang Ye became more and more popular in Asia with his rankings jumping higher. Just a few days ago, he was lurking at the bottom of the Asian A-list rankings. But now he had reached the middle of the rankings index. His popularity had soared and he was gaining a lot of fame. Based on this momentum, it was possible that no one would be able to stop him. That was the reason for the group to slander him with fake news. This was likely the Japanese and Korean entertainment circles allying to boycott him. There was even some hint of the Japanese and Korean media participating in this operation as well, and their one and only aim was to bring down Zhang Ye!
Zhang Yuanqi could reach the summit of Asia!
Xu Meilan could reach the summit of Asia!
Any other person in the Chinese entertainment industry could reach the summit of Asia!
But only Zhang Ye must not be allowed to do so!
Only Zhang Ye, who had quarreled with the Japanese and Korean people before, must not be allowed to become an S-lister if the Japanese and Korean officials could have it their way!
The seeds that he had planted in the past.
They shall finally be sowed!
…
Back at home.
In the villa.
When Zhang Ye reached home, he realized a guest was visiting.
It was Wu Zeqing’s best friend—the mathematician from Tsinghua University, Xin Ya.
Zhang Ye smiled. “Yo, Professor Xin, you came to visit?”
Xin Ya rolled her eyes and stood up as she started nagging. “I just finished watching the live broadcast earlier with Old Wu. You sure are great. Why did you start scolding other people again? You’re even firing shots across the map now? You’re directly scolding the entire bunch of them all at once? Are you crazy? That was a live broadcast to the whole of Asia. I heard from Old Wu that you were thinking of trying for the Asian S-list, so what was with that? Didn’t you think about the consequences? If all of the people in Japan and Korea boycott you, how will you be able to reach the top? Even if you were to convert all of the people over here in China into your fan, even if you were to win over the rest of the Asian people besides those from Japan and Korea, you still won’t be able to reach the top!”
Zhang Ye was amused. “Professor Xin, I’m not even worried, so why are you panicking?”
Xin Ya said, “Nonsense, I’m angry for Old Wu’s sake!”
But Xin Ya’s concern was utterly refuted by Wu Zeqing’s response.
Old Wu said calmly, “Are you tired?”
Zhang Ye smiled and said, “Not too badly.”
Old Wu said, “I’ve already brewed tea, so have some first.”
Zhang Ye said, “Thanks.”
“How many days have you been wearing this shirt for? Didn’t I tell you to take it off this morning?”
“Hai, I forgot. I just took whatever there was and put it on.”
“Take it off and hand it to me. I happen to have some laundry I need to do as well.”
“Alright.”
The simple exchange of words was all about their domestic concerns.
Old Wu did not mention a single word about the live broadcast and the scolding that happened during it, and neither did Zhang Ye give any explanation for his actions.
A short while later, Zhang Ye went upstairs to take a shower.
That left Xin Ya very dumbfounded. “Old Wu, are you just going to ignore that?”
Wu Zeqing said calmly, “I have my ways of handling things, and he has his style of doing things as well. I will always support whatever he decides to do, and that’s always been how our family is like.”
Xin Ya was floored. “Aren’t you going too easy on him? How can you do that? I’m not saying that Professor Zhang should not be scolding them since they pissed me off too. All of the fake news was clearly targeted at him to bring him down. It’s a common method in the entertainment circle. But he should still have taken into consideration the timing of it. What kind of an occasion was it today? It was a charity’s press conference! One that was broadcast to the entire region. Everyone in the whole of Asia could see it, so why couldn’t he wait for a proper setting before responding? Why didn’t he wait for a more suitable opportunity to vent his rage? There are loads of chances and time to do so in the future. When he becomes an Asian Heavenly King, he can scold whoever he wants and nobody can do anything about it! For him to write that calligraphy piece at this time, it was really the worst possible opportunity to do so. Don’t you agree with me?”
Wu Zeqing smiled. “It was a bad time.”
Xin Ya said, “Then why are you leaving him be? Why didn’t he wait a little longer?”
Old Wu smiled and said, “This is where he has always been different from the others. The calligraphy that he wrote made it very clear. If you want him to wait, how long do you expect him to wait? A year? Ten years? A hundred years? Ten thousand years?” She shook her head and looked up in the direction of the upstairs bedroom. “To him, ten thousand years is too long. He seizes every minute of every hour.”
Xin Ya fell silent and did not know how to respond.
…
At night.
The Asian Celebrity Rankings Index was updated.
Ironically, amid all the scolding and criticism by the countless Japanese and Korean media outlets and their entertainment industry’s members, Zhang Ye’s Asian popularity rose yet again!