Drink This Bowl Of Dog Blood! [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 14

The online storm intensified following the silence of Song Yanxing’s studio. Large groups of so-called insiders emerged to leak various scandals. Meanwhile, Song Yanxing sat leisurely on his sofa at home, brewing tea.

“Seven or eight in the evening is when online activity peaks. We will release the clarification announcement and all gathered materials precisely then. We will be able to sue every single person spreading rumors with total accuracy,” Jiang Wei said, stopping her pacing to look at the man tinkering with his tea.

She knew that for someone to obtain the full video, they usually would have had to bribe the crew or might have already destroyed the footage. Even if others held the video, they would typically stay silent out of fear of that person’s influence.

“Director Xu,” Song Yanxing replied.

As it happened, the director of the production where the incident occurred was a close friend of Xu Zhenyang. After receiving a text from Song Yanxing, he contacted him immediately. A photographer on the team, responsible for filming daily life on set, had luckily captured the entire scene.

Jiang Wei nodded. With Director Xu’s help, those who needed to speak up would finally feel brave enough to do so. Something crossed her mind, and she tightened up. Her mouth opened, yet she hesitated to ask.

Song Yanxing looked up at her. “Ask whatever you want to ask.”

Jiang Wei steeled herself and asked the man, who was rotating his teacup as if he had everything under control, “When did you develop depression?” It had been a shock to see her own artist’s diagnosis on the trending searches while she remained completely in the dark.

“I was diagnosed about a year ago,” Song Yanxing said. “At first, I thought it was just low spirits, but eventually, I considered taking an overdose of sleeping pills to treat my chronic insomnia. I realized something was wrong and saw a doctor.” He smiled, propping his chin on his hand nonchalantly. “I’ve been active in my treatment, and I am fine now. Speaking of which, I think there is still a bottle of sleeping pills in my nightstand.”

Jiang Wei’s gaze sharpened. “Hurry up and throw that bottle away, do you hear me?”

“Alright,” Song Yanxing stood up helplessly and headed toward the bedroom.

Watching him, a man who had clearly moved on from the past, Jiang Wei felt her heart skip a beat. She had a faint idea of what caused the depression. When Song Yanxing had originally left the entertainment industry, their contact dwindled until they were essentially strangers. When she received his call about a comeback while she was traveling abroad, she was so overjoyed that she canceled her flight and drove straight to him. No one knew his love for acting better than she did. When they met again years later, she saw the profound loneliness in him, a loneliness like something precious locked away from the world.

7:00 PM

Song Yanxing’s studio officially released a statement along with a series of court filing receipts. In less than five minutes, it shot to the top of the trending searches.

• “Support! The Stars will always be by your side. You were treated so poorly before, but we always believed in you.”
• “Xu Mingyuan, his character is questionable.”
• “Oh my god, this video is the complete one. Even the original crew members came out to testify for Song Yanxing. A total reversal.”
• “Song Yanxing was truly wronged. He was attacked so badly a few days ago by netizens pinning every scandal on him. My heart goes out to him.”
• “The list of people being sued is so long! Those ‘Big V’ accounts who claimed to be acting for justice while leaking the truth are all coming out to apologize now. I am standing with Song. Do not forgive them; rumor-mongers deserve it!”

Simultaneously, many actors, industry giants, and every member of the Transfer Love reality show reposted the Weibo statement, expressing their support for Song Yanxing’s legal rights.

• “My favorite rookie idol Jiang Yanyi and top girl group member Wei Jiawen both stood up against the slander. I am on this side!”
• “Song’s social circle is so wide! His personal character must be great in private.”
• “Does anyone still not know that Wei Jiawen and Song are super close friends?”
• “Also, Jiang Yanyi testified that Song does not have a sugar daddy and mentioned he was auditioning at Director Xu’s studio back then too, but did not get the part and had to become an idol instead. So honest, I am a fan now!”

As Song Yanxing predicted, the public opinion that had been one-sided completely flipped.

System: [Ding. Values have changed. Current task completion: 75%]

“The situation is much better now. The studio will keep a close eye on things. When are you going back to record the variety show?” Jiang Wei asked, grabbing her bag and heading to the door to change her shoes.

Listening to the system report in his mind, Song Yanxing walked her to the elevator. “Tomorrow afternoon. I will visit my grandmother at the hospital first.”

Jiang Wei nodded and smiled as if remembering something. “Xiao Li, who manages the comments at the studio, told me there were a few accounts that took on the anti-fans single-handedly when the controversy was at its peak yesterday.” She chuckled. “The brave part was they did not use any profanity; they just reasoned with the antis very formally.” She looked at him. “And looking at the history of those accounts, they all seem to be the alternate accounts used by someone to moderate negative comments.”

Song Yanxing watched the elevator rise, his eyebrow arching. “Who?”

The elevator arrived. Jiang Wei stepped in and waved. “No need to see me out. You will know better than I do once you see them. I will send you the account names later.”

Song Yanxing nodded. As he turned his key to enter his apartment, he paused and looked at the unit across from his. This floor had two large flats. Until recently, he was the only resident, but the opposite unit had been bought and was being renovated. He was not particularly curious about his new neighbor; he only hoped they would not disturb each other.

After watering the strawberries on the balcony and seeing the small flowers blooming, his expression softened. After showering, he received the account information from Jiang Wei. He scrolled through his screen, hesitated, and then searched for the accounts based on a gut feeling. As he read, he lowered his head and laughed quietly.

The style of the comments across the alternate accounts was identical. Under a comment mocking Song Yanxing for “clinging to a powerful leg” on the variety show, one account replied:

“Excuse me, the statement about ‘clinging to a leg’ does not hold true in my view. First, both parties are evenly matched; there is no ‘lower’ or ‘higher’ position. Second, Song Yanxing’s behavior does not constitute ‘clinging.’ If Tan did not have a good impression of him, he would not get close to him. Finally, kind words bring good fortune. I hope you have a pleasant life and do not project personal emotions onto others.”

Under a “leak” about him insulting a senior on set:

“A single short video without audio cannot prove Song Yanxing insulted a senior. I hope everyone remains rational and does not become a knife in someone else’s hand.”

And under a post claiming he faked depression for sympathy:

“No one would trade their health for sympathy. Moreover, whether Song Yanxing has depression or not is his privacy and should not be used as a sacrifice to attract publicity.”

Song Yanxing looked at the conspicuously similar IDs: Qiuqiu’s Jiu-jiu, Love Autumn the Most, and Autumn Mood is Strong. Without a doubt, these were Tan Qiuyi’s studio accounts used for comment moderation, but the polite tone was so different from their usual sharp style that they looked as if they had been hacked.

Just then, the TV played a news report: “Affected by the strongest cold wave of the winter, City C is expected to see its first snow starting at 3:00 AM.”

He checked the time and made a decision that was not in his original plan.

The weather was freezing, so the production team had not assigned any tasks. After chatting in the living room, everyone returned to their rooms. Tan Qiuyi was reading after washing up when there was a knock at the door.

He opened it, and a flicker of disappointment flashed in his eyes when he saw who it was.

“Want to chat? Consider it my wish,” Zuo Yi said, handing over a card.

“Wait a moment, let me grab a coat,” Tan Qiuyi replied, accepting the card. They went to the attic tea room. The production team had rented out the entire villa.

“Tea or water?” Zuo Yi asked.

“Warm water,” Tan Qiuyi said. He looked around the room, which lacked cameras, knowing this was a privilege of the Zuo and Tan families as investors in the show.

Zuo Yi handed him the water. “Are you uncomfortable?”

“I am alright,” Tan Qiuyi replied.

“I am sorry about the conditions my mother and your father proposed. I did not stop them because, in my heart, I held a glimmer of hope for a reconciliation,” Zuo Yi said, his sharp eyes wavering. In their arranged marriage, they had always been a couple that treated each other with polite distance. He was the one who had fallen in love, and he felt he was the one being base.

Tan Qiuyi shook his head and sighed. “I should also apologize. My parents caused you trouble too.”

“Then we…”

“Will be friends.”

Zuo Yi’s eyes dimmed, but then he seemed to let go. “Okay.”

The temperature in City C had dropped below zero. Returning from the attic, Tan Qiuyi looked out at the foggy window, remembering Cheng Siyou mentioning the first snow at dinner. He tapped a silent melody against the cold glass. When it ended, he pulled a wish card from his nightstand. After staring at it for a moment, he went to the room the crew had prepared for Song Yanxing and slid the card under the door.

The promise of the first snow, let it return to its rightful owner.

At 3:00 AM, noise outside woke Tan Qiuyi. He sat up and heard laughter: “It is snowing!” He looked at the closed curtains, but he found he no longer had any interest in the first snow.

His phone vibrated.

Song Yanxing: Are you asleep?

Tan Qiuyi’s sleepiness vanished.

Tan Qiuyi: Just woke up.

Song Yanxing: I heard it is snowing in City C.

As Tan Qiuyi went to reply, there was a knock at the door. He turned on the bedside lamp and walked to the door while typing.

Tan Qiuyi: Yes, it is snowing. It would be nice if we could see it together.

The moment he opened the door, the familiar, faint scent of cedarwood reached him. He looked up, and the world seemed to fall silent.

“Want to go? Let’s watch the first snow on the roof.”

The man’s tall, upright figure enveloped him, his narrow peach blossom eyes full of smiles and indulgence. Tan Qiuyi blinked slowly as if confirming the man was not a hallucination. Even fearing it was a dream, he answered firmly: “Yes.”

At that moment, his lonely heart was filled with soft cotton. It was not the first snow he had been waiting for; it was a winter with him.