Su Yuanshen's fans were proud and elated at the thought of winning the public opinion war.
Not only had this battle thoroughly boosted their darling's name recognition, it had also won him a huge wave of goodwill from casual observers!
Quite a few casual netizens sympathized with Su Yuanshen for having an obscure charlatan streamer-someone they could find almost nothing about online-leech off his popularity.
And by pinning criminal accusations on him, no less.
[Honestly, if this clout chaser had picked any other line, things wouldn't have ended up like this. Saying Su Yuanshen had character issues would've been more believable than saying he broke the law.]
[Exactly. Character flaws can be hidden, after all. He went straight to accusing the guy of breaking the law. Wouldn't that get exposed right away?]
[That comment above was unnecessary. I've watched Su Yuanshen since his debut. He's always had good character, never mind breaking laws or rules.]
[So has nobody considered that God Qu's reading might be real?]
[God Qu? He's about to become Qu the Nutcase. Just waiting for tomorrow's official statement.]
Faced with the slander and abuse across every major platform, Qu's fans had exhausted all their strength and options.
They really had nothing but their words. Evidence? Anything they posted was taken down in under a minute, and if they posted a few more times, their accounts got banned.
With nowhere to vent, Qu's fans could only huddle pathetically in their fan groups and commiserate.
The next morning arrived right on schedule. After waking up, Qu Nanzhu stretched his limbs comfortably under the covers, bustled into his clothes, patted each of the eighteen paper figures on their flat heads, and headed out.
Paying no attention whatsoever to the torrent of information online, Qu Nanzhu arrived at the gates of the Huo family villa. The guard immediately recognized him as his employer's honored guest and respectfully invited him inside.
Only Fang Pingyue was home; everyone else had gone to work. Qu Nanzhu had let her know in advance that he would be coming, but she was still extremely excited to see him.
Once Qu Nanzhu had checked on Xiao Zhu, Fang Pingyue eagerly pulled him into the little garden for a chat.
She was intensely curious about the situation online and wanted to ask exactly what that popular young star had done.
Accepting the desserts being fed to him, Qu Nanzhu said, "Net-like lines beneath the eyes mean harm must befall the spouse palace. That indicates he's been sleeping around."
Fang Pingyue was utterly contemptuous. "A habitual womanizer."
Qu Nanzhu thought back. "A hanging-needle line between his brows calls for his life, and a hooked nose strips away all human feeling. That indicates that although he appears to be a gentle gentleman, inside he's a coward behind a fierce front, a wicked, deceitful man."
Fang Pingyue sighed. "All looks and no substance!"
Qu Nanzhu said, "His eyes were slightly clouded, and his makeup couldn't hide the gray pallor. He's probably been in contact with things that scatter the mind."
Fang Pingyue covered her mouth and exclaimed quietly, "Holy shit, holy shit, holy shit. Is he doing drugs!!!!"
Holy shit, holy shit, holy shit. Fang Pingyue desperately wanted to whip out her phone right this instant and share this massive gossip with her group chat, but she had promised her brother not to reveal that she knew God Qu!
Aaaaaah, I can't stand this!
Just as Fang Pingyue was scratching her head in agitation, someone pushed open the glass door of the little Western-style house, and a tall, muscular figure walked in.
Huo Sili's gaze first fell on Qu Nanzhu before he noticed Fang Pingyue going crazy beside him.
Huo Sili asked with concern, "What's wrong with her now?"
Qu Nanzhu shook his head to indicate that he didn't understand either.
"Bro!" Hearing her eldest brother's voice, Fang Pingyue snapped out of her own world of screaming, and her mouth began running nonstop. "Did you know that celebrity surnamed Su-holy shit, he does drugs, and he sleeps around! No, no, that's not the point. The point is, he actually does drugs!"
Huo Sili hadn't expected to hear such huge gossip the moment he arrived. Looking at Qu Nanzhu, he said with certainty, "The financial backers behind that celebrity have already bailed. The police will probably issue a statement about him this afternoon."
That was a little faster than Qu Nanzhu had expected. "What did you do?"
Huo Sili said, "I did want to act, but unfortunately, it wasn't me. It was the Zhao Family and the Su Family." But they had no intention of coming forward to claim credit; they had done it all quietly.
"Oh," Qu Nanzhu said, then asked, "Aren't you supposed to be at work?"
Huo Sili said, "I came home for lunch."
Still half doubtful, Qu Nanzhu nodded. That seemed reasonable.
Beside them, Fang Pingyue, still immersed in her emotions, couldn't help sparing a thought to complain. Since when have you ever come home for lunch?
Forget it, I won't call him out. It's not easy for my brother to make a friend.
And so Qu Nanzhu stayed for a free lunch, after which Huo Sili personally drove him back to his rented place.
Only when he checked the time and saw that it was already three did Qu Nanzhu realize just how far apart their homes were.
He instinctively felt that buying a house needed to go on his agenda.
At 4:10, the authorities posted a statement online regarding the Su Yuanshen incident. A celebrity surnamed Su had been arrested by police for seducing a minor into sex and using drugs.
The announcement struck like thunder out of a clear sky, blowing the gossip-watching netizens who were still sympathizing with Su Yuanshen into complete disarray.
[??? Holy shit, what's going on? This suddenly?]
[There really wasn't any warning. I was just complaining to a friend about Qu the Nutcase's shameless clout chasing... instant slap in the face?]
[You're still calling Master Qu "Qu the Nutcase"?]
[An official ironclad hammer? I admit defeat.]
[Where are Su Yuanshen's fans? Why aren't you barking anymore? Keep the music and dancing going!!]
[Hahahahahaha, it's finally our turn to hold our heads high! Do you clowns understand what it means when reposts are banned across the internet, but the livestream itself isn't restricted or shut down?!!!]
[Authority. Enough said.]
[I'm sick to my stomach. I'm disgusted that I was feeling sorry for Su Yuanshen just now.]
[I've unfanned and turned anti. I'm stomping on him hard. I'll stomp him to death!]
[Aren't you going too far? You're already slandering Brother Su without any evidence?]
[Where did this compulsory-education dropout above come from? Would the police arrest him without evidence?]
[Heh, all I can say is that capital is too powerful. They even dare to make entertainment out of the law. I've watched Su Yuanshen since his debut, and I believe in his character. Those of you unfanning and turning anti now, don't come repenting when our darling's name is cleared. You disgust me!!]
[The colossal dumbass above has gone nuts.]
[Well done. Seducing a minor into sex. Su Yuanshen, you're no longer pure. You've betrayed our promise. We won't forgive you.]
[True feelings coming out?]
[Then you fans are in luck. I heard this thing was lying in two men's arms when he was arrested. Naked, too. Surprised? Didn't see that coming, did you?]
[Isn't the point that he does drugs?]
[It's only drugs. Who hasn't made mistakes? As long as he works hard to quit, we'll forgive him. But he's no longer pure now. We won't accept an idol like that.]
[¿ Fuck you.]
She felt vindicated, yet not.
It felt like those brain-dead comments could infuriate her to death.
Qin Siyi exited Su Yuanshen's supertopic with a dark expression. So insane. So inhuman. Thank goodness I wasn't like this when I used to stan celebrities.
Even when he was arrested, Su Yuanshen had no idea whom he had offended.
Everything he had done had been exposed. Not only had he lost any chance of making a comeback, he would also have to spend the next several decades in prison.
Even his manager, who was usually gentle and even-tempered with him, looked at him with eyes full of disdain and disgust. He couldn't reach his financial backer either. In a single night, it seemed as though everyone had abandoned him.
Even at the very end, Su Yuanshen never thought he was in the wrong. Instead, he hated those meddlesome fans and the fortune-telling Taoist who had ruined his life.