Volume One, Chapter 18: Hahaha—the Unyielding Heroine Amid the Passing Men
Since the video was posted less than three hours ago, it has already surpassed one million views, and she has gained nearly ten thousand new followers.
Ten thousand new followers meant she could raise her advertising rates again!
All thanks to Lu Xiaorou!
Thinking this, Zhou Qing looked at Lu Xiaorou as happily as if she were looking at the God of Wealth.
Lu Xiaorou lifted the cup before her and smiled gratefully at Zhou Qing. "Actually, I should be the one thanking you, Qingqing. You really came through when I needed it most."
If it weren’t for the video Zhou Qing posted, things wouldn’t have turned around so quickly.
“No worries, Xiaorou. We’re friends. Helping you is the right thing to do.”
Besides, without Lu Xiaorou, she wouldn’t have the chance to earn over ten thousand a day now.
If she had to do it all over again, she would make the same choice.
***
Lin Jie stayed up late reading novels and didn’t wake until noon the next day.
She had just sat up when a wave of dizziness hit her, forcing her back down onto the bed.
Annoyed, she took a deep breath and scolded herself silently for forgetting she was no longer eighteen—her body couldn’t handle all-nighters anymore.
After resting a while, Lin Jie slowly sat up again. This time there was no dizziness, but her head still throbbed slightly, and her eyes felt swollen and sore.
Rubbing her eyes, she fished out her phone and habitually opened her short-video app.
After a moment, she let out a howl, rushing out of the room with her phone in hand, not even bothering to put on her shoes.
“Ruan Ruan! Ruan Ruan!”
Tang Ruan was in the study handling work and came out when she heard the call. “What’s up?”
Lin Jie turned the phone screen toward her. “Big news! Lu Xiaorou’s been exposed for sure!”
That morning, the marketing account that had previously targeted Lu Xiaorou had posted a video titled: [The Truth!]
It contained videos and photos. One of the main figures was Lu Xiaorou; the other was a series of men of various heights and builds.
Each of those men was either dressed in designer brands, driving luxury cars, or carrying bags full of designer goods.
In the photos, Lu Xiaorou still looked very fresh-faced but clearly showed the beginnings of beauty.
The video was posted just after eight in the morning. Now, at noon, after fermenting all morning, likes, comments, and saves had soared.
Excited, Lin Jie scrolled through the comments. She wanted to see how Lu Xiaorou’s diehard fans would spin this obvious evidence.
The comment section did not disappoint.
“Hahaha, the heroine is ironclad; the men come and go like a river.”
“At first, I wondered why the male lead was skinny one moment and fat the next. Turns out, every photo has a different guy!”
“Is she collecting stamps or what?”
“Where are all those fans who threatened the blogger yesterday? Why so quiet now? Shy by nature?”
One user even posted a photo of Lu Xiaorou with red, tear-streaked eyes, with big letters above it: I am innocent.
“Innocent sis...”
“Hahaha, innocent sis.”
***
Lin Jie switched to Lu Xiaorou’s account and saw that Lu Xiaorou had just posted a new video a minute ago.
Under her eyes were heavy dark circles, almost panda-like.
“Lost the argument and switched to playing the victim?”
In the video, Lu Xiaorou explained that those men were just good friends, nothing improper.
This time, netizens weren’t buying it.
“Denial again? Think this is some kind of game?”
“Good friends don’t link arms so intimately with the opposite sex. Good friends don’t lean on luxury cars and kiss each other.”
“‘Good friends’ my foot.”
“Redefining ‘good friends’.”
Most netizens saw through Lu Xiaorou’s true nature, unfollowing and downvoting.
But a small faction of her fans stood by her firmly.
“Fly bravely, Rou Rou! Fans forever by your side!”
“I’m a Rou Rou fan for her looks—looks are justice, nothing else matters.”
“She only made a mistake all men would make, so what?”
“Look how beautiful and pure Rou Rou was back then...”
...
Lin Jie’s mouth twitched in a sharp retort: “Idiots.”
***
Every morning after that, the marketing account targeting Lu Xiaorou posted fresh updates without fail.
Fearing she’d miss the latest gossip, Lin Jie forced herself to sleep early and wake early.
On the third morning, a video appeared of Lu Xiaorou spilling coffee on Tang Ruan in a café.
The fourth day’s post was a special recruitment notice showing Lu Xiaorou admitted to A University due to her calligraphy skills.
The fifth day was a photo of Lu Xiaorou with a girl.
In that photo, both looked young and fresh-faced, still wearing high school uniforms.
The third and fourth day’s scandals were clear to the netizens: Lu Xiaorou supposedly bullied Tang Ruan into quitting her part-time job, and then used connections to get into A University.
But what was the photo from the fifth day about?
Judging from the picture, Lu Xiaorou and the girl seemed close. What gossip could there be between them?
Yet, based on recent experience, if the marketing account posted this photo, it surely had some purpose.
The comment section flooded with requests: [Spill the tea!]
A few comments discussed their appearances.
“To be honest, this girl is prettier than Lu Xiaorou.”
“Agreed, Lu Xiaorou is a beauty, but this girl looks like a stunner as well.”
“Anyone know her? Hook me up, I’m willing to pay.”
***
Then, suddenly, a comment appeared out of nowhere.
“Li Ping! It’s actually her!”
This comment quickly rose to the top.
“You know her?”
“Please recommend, willing to pay.”
“Come on, spill it, sister! I’m dying to know!”
“Hold on, let me get my words straight.”
After a while, the user posted a series of comments, too long to post all at once.
“Li Ping and Lu Xiaorou were high school classmates. Li Ping transferred from the countryside in sophomore year. Her parents worked with Lu Xiaorou’s dad, so she asked Lu Xiaorou to look after her at school. At first, Lu Xiaorou was very kind to Li Ping, brought her along to hang out, helped her fit in with classmates. But then, for some unknown reason, Lu Xiaorou suddenly stopped hanging out with Li Ping and even led the others to ostracize her.”
“Later, the school held a ‘School Beauty’ contest to select a representative for a promotional microfilm. Li Ping narrowly beat Lu Xiaorou by one vote and became the school beauty. But before filming started, Li Ping committed suicide.”
“Suicide?”
“Why did Lu Xiaorou suddenly reject and isolate Li Ping?”
“Isn’t this bullying?”
Just as Lin Jie was engrossed in the comments, the original video was suddenly deleted.
The screen went dark and automatically switched to the next video.
She stared blankly at the phone screen as certain long-buried memories burst to the surface.
That girl named Li Ping—she had seen her before.
It must have been three or four years ago.
Back when she was in university, during a community service project, she passed by an old residential building and heard shouting and weeping coming from the alley.
Young and impulsive, she rushed in without hesitation.
She found a group of men and women bullying a girl—some slapping her, some kicking, others slashing her school uniform with knives—and laughing at her pitiful, barely clothed state.
She took out a baseball bat from her bag and drove the attackers away.
She asked the girl if she needed help or wanted to call the police. The girl shook her head, whispered thanks, and limped away with her backpack.
That girl was Li Ping.
And one of the attackers looked like Lu Xiaorou.
She thought: she had to do something.
Lin Jie went to the study and found Tang Ruan. “Ruan Ruan, I need your help.”
After hearing the whole story, Tang Ruan pulled a file from the drawer and slid it across the desk to Lin Jie.
Though a bit confused, Lin Jie picked up the document and opened it—