[ABO] The Despised One Becomes an Internet Sensation After Marriage - Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Passerby Post: While watching the Heartbeat Doesn’t Stop livestream today, I saw the director’s team take a phone call. Someone bailed at the last minute! They had a vacancy and scrambled to get Lu Ze to fill in. Anyone know who dropped out?

[Ze Is My Bias]: Who was it? A last-minute flake? (Confused) Also, isn’t Lu Ze already married?

[Cilantro Lover]: Rumor has it it’s Xu Zhimian (I heard).

[Zhen-Love-Forever]: Must be him. Signing a contract and then publicly breaching it—I guess “tainted artists” really aren’t capable of anything good.

[Just Sleeping]: Zhen fans, back off! Don’t spread rumors without evidence, okay? Who did our Mian-mian offend now?

Mentioning Xu Zhimian was like lighting a fuse; an internet war erupted instantly.

But before the first wave settled, another hit. A trending topic rocketed to the top of Weibo:

#Xu Zhimian Suspected Marriage#

The video on the trending list was taken by an anonymous netizen today. It showed two people leaving the Civil Affairs Bureau. By zooming in, netizens matched the masked Omega’s necklace, mole, and clothes one by one to Xu Zhimian.

This entry instantly suppressed the post that had been hanging on Weibo all day: Gaming Streamer King’s Maid Outfit Dance.

[King’s Dad]: Who is Xu Zhimian? What a saint! Thank you for burying King’s trending post. The king must be laughing his head off.

[What are you looking at Dad?]: Hahaha, it’s fine. The king has to wear it for three days anyway. Everyone, work harder so more people see King-baby!

[Zhen-Bundle]: Hilarious. Someone actually took the bait for Xu Zhimian this fast? Let me see which unlucky Alpha it is.

[Mian-mian’s Mom]: Keep your mouth clean! What can you even see from one ambiguous video? Can Zhen fans stop picking fights!

[Zhen-Love-Net]: Zoom in to 1.2x speed. “Sleeping” fans, look for yourselves. Is that necklace on his neck the same one he wore to the press conference a few weeks ago? And the mole on the right side of his hand when he lifts it? This is concrete evidence. What’s there to defend?

[Strawberry Zhen Milk]: So the “patron” rumors just vanished? It’s been a week—where’s the clarification? Where’s the PR? If the studio doesn’t issue a statement and the person doesn’t speak up, what is it if not a guilty conscience?

As the comments piled up, the “Sleeping” fans and “Zhen-Love” fans were at each other’s throats again.

A moment later, Xu Zhimian posted two consecutive Weibo updates.

The first was a termination statement and a lawyer’s letter:

“I have terminated my contract with @SkyEntertainment and have now signed with @LetianEntertainment. Given that @SkyEntertainment maliciously altered the termination contract and publicly released my private videos without permission to smear and slander me, seriously infringing upon my legal rights, I have taken legal action! To the company: Enough is enough!”

The second post featured a photo of the marriage certificate, with a short caption:

“Three years ago and three years later. The same person, a different status. @FuShiyan”

Weibo’s servers crashed. Overnight, Xu Zhimian occupied four trending spots.

#Xu Zhimian Terminates Company Contract#

#Xu Zhimian Reveals Marriage Photo#

#Identity of Xu Zhimian’s Spouse a Mystery#

With these two posts, public opinion shifted toward Xu Zhimian. He cleared the “sugar baby” rumors, addressed the marriage gossip, and played the “victim” card perfectly.

[Sky Entertainment Go Bankrupt]: Damn, I’ve hated Sky Entertainment for ages. What kind of company leaves its artist stranded in a foreign country? Good on him for suing! Make them pay! Use legal weapons to protect your rights!

[Rua Mian-mian]: Support! Our Mian-mian has suffered so much! The truth is finally out! Support the new company!

[Just Love Grapes]: AAAAAHHHH! Am I the only one who noticed Mian-mian’s husband is incredibly handsome?! They match so well!

[Huh]: Fake. Only you fans would believe this! I heard he married into a wealthy family. It’s just hype to promote the company! The last scandal got too big, so he had to rush into a marriage to calm the storm. Just a business marriage!

[Not Loving Hehehehe]: Fake at first glance. Xu Zhimian probably just wanted the guy’s money. Maybe this whole trending topic was self-directed to force a marriage!

[Aha]: Definitely a business marriage. There’s practically a galaxy between them in that photo. The smile looks so fake—Fu Shiyan didn’t even bother smiling!

“…”

The two Weibo posts were finalized by Kailin and Fu Shiyan. Kailin was beyond excited.

“Ahem, so we’re really going public? No hidden marriage? I actually prepared several PR plans for a marriage scandal.”

As a competent manager, Kailin had already anticipated the leaks.

Fu Shiyan’s expression was serious: “Going public is the best PR. It can also help wash away the previous black material.”

Kailin wore a “don’t hide it, I get it” expression. “Ah, yes, yes! Cousin is right! Let’s go public, along with the termination statement and the lawyer’s letter! We can ride the heat to clear his name!”

The effect was better than expected.

However, Xu Zhimian’s phone started ringing non-stop.

Xu Congfang—the man who had told him “never come back to the Xu family”—was now unexpectedly cordial: “Mian-mian, are you there? Have you eaten?”

Xu Zhimian didn’t bother with pleasantries: “What is it? Just say it.”

There was a silence on the other end: “…So you and Fu Shiyan really got married. Why didn’t you tell the family about such a big thing?”

Xu Zhimian said bluntly: “Wow, is your memory that bad? Didn’t you say I shouldn’t think about coming back, and that you didn’t want to see me?”

Xu Congfang choked up, then muttered after a while: “Those were words said in anger. No matter what, you are still your father’s child.”

“Did you pay for my school? My food? My life? In these twenty-odd years, have you ever raised me or given me a single cent? Don’t try to claim a relationship now. Since you said you don’t want me home and don’t want to see me, I have nothing to do with you. Stop calling, it’s annoying!”

“Xu Zhimian, you—!” Xu Zhimian hung up before he could finish and blocked the number without hesitation.

The calls were endless. As soon as Xu Congfang was blocked, a WeChat call from Fu Zhen came in.

What does Fu Zhen want?

Xu Zhimian pressed the answer.

Fu Zhen’s exasperated voice erupted from the speaker: “Xu Zhimian! You actually dared to post a photoshopped image—and you dared to photoshop my second uncle into it!”

“I suggest you go to the hospital to get your brain checked,” Xu Zhimian said leisurely.

“You’re the one with a sick brain! Daring to forge a marriage certificate! You even fucking edited it with my second uncle’s face!”

Xu Zhimian hung up, took a crystal-clear photo of the un-censored marriage certificate, and sent it to Fu Zhen.

[Xu Zhimian]: Be a good nephew. Call me Second Aunt.

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