Chapter 029 The Young Master – “Their future has just begun.” (29/35)
He said Shi Jingge isn’t a good person, right?
Look at that—he’s throwing a tantrum, just as expected!
And he’s taking it out on Wen Xusheng!
Where are Wen Xusheng’s fans? Hurry up and take Shi Jingge down!
Wei Zhiyun was so excited, he almost jumped in himself, wanting the whole livestream to see Shi Jingge’s face and witness exactly how he threw a fit.
He’d already thought up the trending topic:
#Shi Jingge Throws Diva Tantrum, Young Master Image Crumbles!#
How fitting.
In a daze, Wei Zhiyun felt that the person now appearing in the kitchen wasn’t Shi Jingge at all—it was the one who had suppressed him, humiliated him, and driven him to the brink of despair.
Just because he received more praise, just because his popularity soared higher, that stupid rich kid had grown to hate him.
Wei Zhiyun felt both agitated and exhilarated, but as a seasoned veteran of the entertainment industry, certain instincts kicked in.
Once he confirmed Shi Jingge’s voice was audible in the livestream, Wei Zhiyun’s pupils contracted. He instinctively began to retreat, feigning an attempt to leave only to “accidentally” twist his ankle.
Wei Zhiyun bit down hard on his lower lip, struggling to move forward. But the pain was excruciating; each step felt like a knife twisting in his heart. He could barely manage a few steps before needing three minutes to recover. How could he possibly get away?
And so, the conversation between Shi Jingge and Wen Xusheng was heard loud and clear by Wei Zhiyun and the live stream audience.
Shi Jingge hung his head, his voice hoarse. “I received some private messages, the kind that make you sick. I cursed them back, but if it’s like this for me, what about Hua Mingyi and Li Zhuoyun? Then I saw people cursing them too.
“They said, ‘So what if that person cursed Hua Mingyi’s mother? Hua Mingyi could’ve cursed back. Why did she hit someone? She hit someone and then comes out playing the victim? Disgusting.’
“They said, even if that person was in the wrong, what does that have to do with Li Zhuoyun? Li Zhuoyun was just sucking up to Hua Mingyi, trying to climb her coattails. So calculating, no wonder she’s so unlikable. Some said just looking at Li Zhuoyun’s face, you could tell she was no good—”
Shi Jingge’s breathing grew slightly agitated. “But the evidence is clear, isn’t it? Hua Mingyi’s mother was in the hospital operating room at the time! What did Hua Mingyi do wrong? What did Li Zhuoyun do wrong? If it were me, I’d want to fight her right then and there. A slap would be too lenient!
“Besides, this was clearly intentional! She deliberately schemed against Li Zhuoyun and Hua Mingyi! They clearly wanted to destroy Li Zhuoyun and Hua Mingyi, so why does everyone make her seem more like the victim? The victims are clearly Hua Mingyi and Li Zhuoyun!
“They also said that stupid CEO Zhang is loaded—what kind of minor star couldn’t he have? Hua Mingyi must have schemed him. Hua Mingyi was playing hard to get, trying to squeeze more benefits out of the situation. They think that idiot’s just unlucky. But Hua Mingyi had rejected him so clearly! When I pulled her out of there, she was shaking like a sieve! When I brought her to Li Zhuoyun, she was completely out of it!
“What more do they want from her?! She’s the victim here! She absolutely is!”
Wen Xusheng reached out and pulled Shi Jingge into his embrace. This time, the young master didn’t resist.
Yet Wen Xusheng could clearly sense Shi Jingge’s rage. Shi Jingge’s hands trembled violently.
Wen Xusheng held him tighter, running his fingers through his hair in a soothing gesture. “I know. Xiao Ge, don’t be afraid. I’m here.”
Shi Jingge closed his eyes, his voice unexpectedly tinged with weakness. For the first time, the young master who feared nothing revealed his vulnerability so plainly before Wen Xusheng.
A dense, throbbing pain pierced Wen Xusheng’s heart, as if someone were hammering it with a tiny chisel.
He held Shi Jingge tighter. “I’m here.”
Those two simple, powerful words felt like a promise.
After a long silence, Shi Jingge closed his eyes. “Actually, a lot of the IDs that were cursing them… they look familiar to me. They’ve been chasing me, cursing me for so long. Is it because Li Zhuoyun and Hua Mingyi are my friends? Even though they proved their innocence, even though they did nothing wrong, they still get hounded by these people? Is it…my fault they got dragged into this?”
“Xiao Ge!” Wen Xusheng interrupted him sharply.
Shi Jingge lifted his head. His beautiful eyes were slightly reddened and filled with stubbornness, anger, and pain. And beneath it all, a self-doubt he tried desperately to hide.
Wen Xusheng had always known the young master wasn’t as fearless as he appeared. Though Shi Jingge seemed unfazed by any curse, could trade hundreds of barbs with haters, and sometimes even laughed off those who insulted him, the truth was, he cared.
Strictly speaking, he didn’t care about himself, but he cared deeply about whether it would cause trouble for those around him.
It was evident when ‘Starting with Cohabitation’ was officially announced. The young master feared dragging him into it. He didn’t respond to a single word from those who insulted him and wouldn’t let him respond either.
After he posted on Weibo, the young master called him in a rage, afraid Wen Xusheng would lose followers, afraid he’d attract hate.
The young master didn’t care about the insults directed at himself, but he cared deeply about every single person around him.
He had always protected those close to him, diligently and without fail, in every possible way.
It was heartbreaking.
“Xiao Ge, you once said I was a star in the sky.”
Shi Jingge froze, his eyes widening slowly.
Before he could speak, Wen Xusheng continued, “But in truth, there are many stars. I could be a star, Hua Mingyi could be a star, Li Zhuoyun could be a star too. But you’re different. You are the moon. We all gather around you, basking in the light you radiate. You are the one who illuminates us. So never doubt yourself.
“Everyone who’s ever interacted with you knows how wonderful you are. Do you think I’m the only one who noticed your unhappiness today? Have you counted how many times Meng Yisong tried to cheer you up just now? When he eventually couldn’t cheer you up anymore, he finally came to me about your unhappiness. See? Even Meng Yisong, who’s only known you for three days, knows how wonderful you are.”
The young master opened his mouth as if to protest, but Wen Xusheng spoke before he could, “Coaxing someone once or twice might be called kindness. But coaxing them ten or eight times, and doing it so seamlessly? That’s not just kindness. That’s affection.”
Shi Jingge lifted his head, staring blankly at Wen Xusheng.
After a long moment, he muttered gloomily, “…The moon doesn’t give off its own light. It just reflects the sun’s rays.”
Wen Xusheng: “?”
He was just trying to comfort someone. Did it have to involve professional knowledge?
“Then you’re the sun,” Wen Xusheng amended.
Shi Jingge fell silent for a while. “…But the sun and stars never appear together.”
Wen Xusheng: “?”
Seeing his mood lift slightly, Wen Xusheng exhaled in relief. He raised a hand to tap the boy’s forehead. “You’re doing this on purpose, aren’t you?”
The young master turned his head away with a snort and remained silent.
Observing this, Wen Xusheng’s eyes softened further. “Our country is vast and rich in resources with over a billion people. You can’t expect every single one of them to have sound values and a functioning brain, right? Since they lack both principles and brains, why bother paying them any mind? Right?”
The young master stared intently at Wen Xusheng for a long moment before murmuring, “…I can choose not to care. But can Hua Mingyi and Li Zhuoyun choose not to care? They clearly did nothing wrong. They’re clearly just victims. Why must they be singled out?
“Hua Mingyi’s mother is still in the hospital, her health fragile. No one dares let her know about this, fearing it would upset her. But today, someone was lurking outside her ward. If my brother hadn’t stationed bodyguards outside and arranged for nurses to take 24-hour shifts inside, that person might’ve slipped in.”
After a pause, Shi Jingge’s voice grew hoarse: “…How can these people be so cruel?”
Wen Xusheng waited quietly for Shi Jingge to compose himself. “…So, Xiao Ge, do you want to change all this?”
Shi Jingge snapped his head up to look at him, his expression a mix of shock and bewilderment. “…Change?”
“Yes.” Wen Xusheng nodded firmly. “Change.”
Shi Jingge stared intently at him, his eyes filled with complex emotions: confusion, helplessness, doubt, and longing.
Wen Xusheng took his hand. “I don’t know if doing something will change anything. But I know that doing nothing definitely won’t. I’ll be with you.”
A light gradually welled up in Shi Jingge’s eyes, and within that light, resolve blossomed. “Mhm.” He gave a firm nod.
The live chat exploded.
>> Apologies. I apologize for ever doubting Young Master. He truly is an exceptionally good person. Thank you, Young Master, for standing up for the victims. Thank you, truly. <<
>> Switching sides. No explanation needed. <<
>> Thank you. I’ll forever be grateful for what Young Master said. <<
>> Young Master is just too good. <<
>> Don’t know what to say, heading to the stream to send some gifts. <<
>> Young Master spoke exactly what I was thinking. Damn, seeing those comments made me want to confront them: “Are you even human? Why aren’t you attacking the perpetrators? Instead, you’re nitpicking the victims? Are you out of your mind?” <<
>> I never used to send gifts to the young master, thinking he didn’t need my measly change. But now I realize there’s no other way to express how I feel. <<
>> The young master deserves it. <<
At that moment, Wei Zhiyun finally realized things weren’t quite as he’d imagined. Silently, he closed the livestream window, feeling lost and a deep sense of guilt taking root in his heart.
He had to admit he’d always viewed Shi Jingge through tinted glasses. He’d assumed Shi Jingge was a rotten-hearted rich brat, the kind who’d do anything without batting an eye, just like that other rich jerk who’d humiliated him back then.
He’d lumped them together, venting all his old hatred and malice onto Shi Jingge.
But the truth was, Shi Jingge and that arrogant rich kid who had humiliated him were worlds apart.
It should’ve been obvious from the start, shouldn’t it?
Yet because of prejudice, because of past experiences, because of the voices online, even when he claimed Shi Jingge was decent, he had long since condemned him in his heart.
…The one truly guilty here was him, wasn’t it?
The moment Wei Zhiyun announced he was coming to borrow salt from Shi Jingge, someone started recording. Now that footage spread across social media, striking a chord with countless viewers.
Whether it was Wei Zhiyun’s livestream or Weibo forums, everywhere was exploding.
>> When I was young, I was bullied at school. Back then, I hated school and the world. I told my family, and they asked, “Why did they pick on you and not others? A fly won’t land on a seamless egg—there must be something wrong with you!” I felt my world shatter right then. All these years, I’ve lived like a rat in a sewer—isolated, numb, silent, sleepless night after night, barely human. <<
>> I haven’t cried in years. I thought I’d become immune to it all, but today I wept. Shi Jingge spoke up for Hua Mingyi, but I felt like he was speaking for me too. <<
I’m the victim. I did nothing wrong!
And the truth is, people with such experiences are far from rare.
More and more were stepping forward to share their stories.
>> My husband is scum. He cheated on me and was abusive. He once beat me so badly I broke bones. In that moment, I thought I was dying. I wanted a divorce, but my whole family pleaded with me: “Think about the kids. They need a father.”
They said that scumbag wasn’t someone who hit people for no reason. Flies don’t land on seamless eggs. I must’ve done something wrong too, otherwise why would he hit me for no reason? They told me to stay home quietly, take care of the family, not give him the cold shoulder, be more affectionate, and treat him better, and then he wouldn’t hit me.
Everyone around me keeps saying this, and I feel like I’m going crazy. I wonder if I’ve been brainwashed. Lately, I’ve even started doubting myself—did I do something wrong to end up like this?
But now, I understand: I did nothing wrong!
I’m not wrong for wanting a divorce. I’m absolutely right to protect myself, protect my child, escape this environment, and live a normal life!
Do you think bad people consider whether they can harm others?
They don’t! They just want to do evil!
Why would they think twice after committing it?!
Yet they say, “No fly lands on a seamless egg,” labeling innocent victims and turning their lives into eternal nightmares. <<
>> I’m sorry, this made me cry. When I first graduated, my boss also sexually harassed me. But I dared not do anything or speak up. I just quit as quickly as possible, didn’t even dare to claim my wages. Because I knew that if I stood up and said anything, I would inevitably be blamed. Any minor flaw would become my “guilt” for seducing someone. How ruthless they are to victims, yet how indulgent they are to perpetrators! <<
Every baseless suspicion and unfounded speculation only emboldened the perpetrators and wounded the victims.
>> Support Hua Mingyi in filing a lawsuit! If she lacks funds, I’ll contribute! I’m willing to cover the costs!! <<
>> I’m willing too! Add me to the list! <<
>> Fight for your rights! Fight for your rights! You absolutely must fight for your rights!! <<
What exactly did the victims do wrong? Why did those people’s malice focus so intensely on the victims?
They endured such painful experiences, bravely faced them, and struggled to protect themselves. Now, because of a series of unfounded accusations, they must reopen their wounds, expose their bleeding appearance to everyone, and prove their innocence.
Yet still, some refuse to let them be.
The evidence was right before their eyes, yet they acted as if they were blind. They twisted their thinking, inventing all manner of scenarios, then slapped labels on the victims to prove they were no better.
But the victims suffered deeply the first time this happened; being forced to relive it for clarification was another form of trauma. Now, this relentless malice was inflicting a third wound.
When will they ever be left alone?
Now, the victims have united.
The victims didn’t do anything wrong!
Countless voices erupted from all directions, rallying behind every victim. Hua Mingyi, too, received numerous private messages.
At first, Hua Mingyi didn’t dare to look at them. She was even afraid. If Shi Jingge had received such malicious messages, what about her?
Li Zhuoyun noticed all this. After a moment’s thought, she took the phone from Hua Mingyi’s hand.
Caught off guard, Hua Mingyi cried out, “Hey—”
“My phone’s dead,” Li Zhuoyun repeated the young master’s old excuse. “Can I borrow it?”
Hua Mingyi stared at her, a strange warmth welling up inside.
Li Zhuoyun opened the messages, then handed the phone back to Hua Mingyi softly. “Look.”
Hua Mingyi took the phone, and what met her eyes were those gentle words.
They comforted her, supported her—every word was tender yet powerful, warming her heart bit by bit. As she read the messages, tears unexpectedly welled up in Hua Mingyi’s eyes.
Li Zhuoyun embraced her. “Everything will be okay.”
Hua Mingyi lifted her head. “Yes.”
The two of them checked the trending topics again. At the top of the list was Young Master Ge. Hua Mingyi clicked in to see what had happened.
She listened to Shi Jingge’s words in a daze, the tears she had just managed to hold back threatening to break through again.
Meeting Young Master Ge was truly, truly the best thing that ever happened to her.
Hua Mingyi and Li Zhuoyun listened to that video three times over.
By the third playback, Hua Mingyi murmured Wen Xusheng’s words, “…Do you want to change all this?”
Li Zhuoyun slowly grasped Hua Mingyi’s hand and said deeply, “Yes.”
Hua Mingyi slowly turned to look at Li Zhuoyun, her eyes filled with astonishment.
But beyond that astonishment, there was also light. In that moment, she seemed somehow different.
“Have you forgotten, Yi Yi?” Li Zhuoyun’s lips curved into a smile, though her eyes held no trace of humor. “I, too, was saved by the young master. If even we refuse to change this, who else can we count on?”
Li Zhuoyun reached out toward Hua Mingyi.
Hua Mingyi stared fixedly at her hand. Countless images flashed through her mind: the panic and fear of that time, the later despair and struggle, the warmth brought by those private messages. Finally, the image froze on her mother lying in the hospital bed.
Slowly, she placed her own hand over Li Zhuoyan’s.
Their fingers intertwined. When their eyes met, both were filled with unwavering resolve.
In that moment, they were both transformed.
Like butterflies finally shedding the constraints of their cocoons, fluttering their own wings.
—Their future had only just begun.
Edited: Krone
Proofread: Choux_choux
