TRYMBPIETM 35: A Series of Retributions (3)

Chi Jianming suddenly slipped while walking, and before he could react, he fell flat on his face

He wasn’t young anymore, and his muscles and bones were not as flexible and smooth as a young person’s. With no preparation, as his legs spread into a full split, he was immediately struck with pain that his vision blurred.

Even though the corridor was bustling with people, making a lot of noise, at that moment, the faint sounds of his ligaments and bones being stretched seemed to amplify in his ears, drowning out all the noise.

Many passersby who saw this scene instinctively widened their eyes. Employees from the Song family and some of the bosses from the local Chamber of Commerce  were all shocked and cried out.

Chi Jianming couldn’t help but want to shout, but the astonished exclamations from the crowd kept reminding him.

Not wanting to lose face, he clenched his teeth and swallowed the groan back down his throat.

The pain was stimulating Chi Jianming’s nerves, and soon beads of fine sweat appeared on his forehead.

Shaking, he put his hands on the floor, trying to stand up.

However, his legs were so sore he couldn’t put any strength into them. After struggling a bit, he collapsed back down.

The shocked bosses snapped out of it and couldn’t help but grimace in sympathy.

They were not young anymore, who wouldn’t know how painful this was?

Even just watching Chi Jianming fall made them feel like their own legs were aching.

A few bosses, somewhat sympathetic, quickly rushed forward to help.

Someone from behind supported Chi Jianming’s armpit to lift him, another held his arm to give him strength, and someone else helped pull his legs.

He mumbled a few words of thanks and struggled to stand with everyone’s assistance.

However, his legs felt like they weren’t even his own anymore, trembling uncontrollably, not obeying him at all.

Panicked, Chi Jianming flailed his arms, desperately searching for something to lean on, but somehow, his right hand accidentally bumped into one of the big bosses who was helping him.

The boss felt a sharp pain in his lower abdomen and instinctively pulled back. Before he could figure out what had happened, he suddenly felt a great force on his shoulder.

His face changed, and he hurriedly stabilized himself, only to be pushed again in the stomach. In an instant, he lost his balance and stumbled backward, crashing to the ground with a violent jolt to his spine.

He couldn’t help but groan in pain.

“Ugh—my back!”

The other bosses were startled by this, and one of them, who had a good relationship with him, turned around, his face instantly turning pale.

“Old Zheng! Old Zheng, are you okay!?!”

He knew that his old friend had an old injury from a heroic act decades ago. In a panic, he didn’t even care about Chi Jianming and quickly rushed to his friend’s side to help him up.

The boss surnamed Zheng was gasping in pain, his face drained of color.

The secretary, hearing the commotion outside, opened the door to check the situation and froze when she saw the group of bosses gathered together.

She quickly noticed that both Zheng and Chi Jianming looked unwell, and with quick decision-making, called the assistant to dial an emergency number, then ran over to inquire about the details.

“Old Zheng hurt his back!” Old Zheng’s friend, sweating heavily, urgently asked if Song family had a private doctor.

The secretary quickly responded, “The ambulance is already on the way; it should be here in ten minutes.”

Boss Zheng, after catching his breath, hurriedly stopped them, saying, “I’m fine, just twisted it a little. I’ll be okay once I recover. We’re still supposed to talk about the contract today, don’t delay things.”

His friend disagreed, “That’s not okay! Your back is no joke.”

The secretary recalled the work-related matters with Zheng and reassured him, “You’re here to discuss the cooperation contract for MinghePo in the eastern suburbs , right? It’s not urgent; President Song will stay in Hexing City for another week, so there’s plenty of time. Your health is more important.”

MinghePo development?

Wasn’t that the cooperation he wanted with the Song family?!

Chi Jianming, who had just managed to stand up, turned around reflexively and glanced at boss Zheng , his eyes full of unwillingness.

Just a couple of days ago, the Song family had shown interest in their company, so why did they suddenly choose a new partner today?

No wonder the secretary had been indifferent to his persistent attempts to talk; she already knew!

Chi Jianming’s heart flared with anger, and before he could divert his gaze, Zheng’s friend seemed to sense something and looked back at him.

The two made eye contact, and Zheng’s friend’s mind went blank for a second before he shouted.

“Hey, what’s with your look?! What grudge do you have against Old Zheng? Why are you staring at him like that? Old Zheng even tried to help you earlier—wait a minute, you pushed Old Zheng on purpose?!”

As soon as the words left his mouth, everyone’s attention turned to Chi Jianming.

What the heck?

Chi Jianming was stunned by the accusation.

He noticed the gazes of the business association bosses, and his anger grew even fiercer.

Before this moment, he hadn’t known that Zheng boss was his competitor. The push was definitely an accident, but now, with the blame being placed on him, it made him look petty and unable to handle normal business competition!

Chi Jianming gritted his teeth, “It was just an accident!”

He straightened up, wanting to loudly refute Zheng’s friend, but he had overestimated the condition of his legs after that split.

His legs were so weak, they felt like noodles, unable to support his body. He wobbled, then collapsed again.

To his shock and the onlookers’, he stepped into the same patch of water again.

This time, no one was able to help him.

And his luck got worse. As he fell, the back of his head slammed against the corridor wall with a dull thud, and he instantly lost consciousness.

The bosses stared dumbfounded, and the Song family’s secretary was speechless.

She had quite an impression of Chi Jianming.

The Chi family’s company was comparable to Zheng’s, but its reputation was far worse.

At the beginning, the Song family had no plans to cooperate with the Chi family. If it weren’t for the young master constantly praising Chi Qingning to the chairman, they wouldn’t have even given the Chi family a chance.

However, the afternoon before yesterday, the young master’s agent called, and after half an hour of conversation, the chairwoman told them not to consider the Chi family anymore.

The secretary didn’t know exactly what the chairwoman and agent had discussed, but clearly, the Chi family wasn’t a good bunch.

Otherwise, she wouldn’t have treated them with such disdain.

With a sigh in her heart, she heard the sound of an ambulance’s siren coming from downstairs. She quickly ordered the staff to guide the medical team upstairs and send both Zheng boss and Chi Jianming to the hospital.

…

Chi Qingzhou paid the fine for uprooting over the Dragon Brain, received a brief educational lecture, and slowly walked out of the police station.

The other guests from the program group had already been picked up by their managers or assistants, and the director had taken the staff back to the hotel. Chi Qingzhou, who was directly involved, stayed a few extra hours to clarify some details with the Paranormal Control Bureau.

Before leaving, he saw a group of young people in Daoist robes from the Xuanxu sect bowing to him. He politely responded before quickly forgetting them.

His manager, Guan Xihua, arrived early this morning by plane to Qunqing Province and was now waiting for him in the car outside the police station.

Chi Qingzhou opened the car door and sat in the back seat, immediately greeted by Guan Xihua’s beaming smile.

“Not bad at all, Xiao Chi! You’ve done well this time!” Guan Xihua beamed with delight. “Signing up for this variety show was absolutely the right move! Just three days in, you’ve already gained two million followers—and they’re all active accounts!”

Within Yade Media, Chi Qingzhou had always been overlooked.

When most artists debuted, the company would at least buy them some followers and arrange promotional campaigns. Yet for Chi Qingzhou, they’d done nothing. Worse still, when he’d been targeted by online harassment earlier, Guan Xihua had begged the company to issue a statement. The higher-ups had hemmed and hawed, finally snapping, “It’s pointless. Certain parties are determined to bury this. Even if we step in, it’ll just be a waste of effort.” They’d told Guan Xihua to wait it out—maybe the storm would pass on its own.

But how could Guan Xihua abandon Chi Qingzhou? Managing three artists already, he’d still mobilized his personal connections to post clarifications twice. Yet every attempt was erased within hours—topics deleted, discussions scrubbed, evidence vanished. He’d smashed two favorite mugs in his office out of sheer frustration.

Chi Qingzhou, meanwhile, had remained calm. “People will see the real me someday,” he’d reassured. Guan Xihua dismissed it as naivety at the time, nearly having a stroke when Chi Qingzhou accepted the Scenery Along the Way variety show invite. With its new director, slippery host, and the two-faced Chi Qingning among the cast, anyone could see the show would use Chi Qingzhou as a punching bag.

Yet here they were. Against all odds, Chi Qingzhou had somehow charmed the entire crew. Three days in, even the most jaded staff members treated him like royalty. Guan Xihua clapped with manic enthusiasm, half-mocking his past skepticism. Of course the boy should flaunt his talents! Once people saw how extraordinary he was, how could they not adore him?

In the backseat, assistant Du Huan stared blankly as Guan Xihua’s praises rolled on. Handing Chi Qingzhou a thermos, he whispered, “What’s Manager Guan even talking about?”

Chi Qingzhou sipped his water. “Hm?”

“He’s saying your charisma won over all the guests.”

The young man smiled. “Well, I am quite kind.”

Du Huan’s eyebrows climbed. Kindness? Since when did that explain why the crew looked at Chi Qingzhou like he was some temple deity? Slumping back, Du Huan surrendered to the surrealness—here, being the only normal thinker felt isolating.

Chi Qingzhou nodded along to Guan Xihua’s monologue, mind elsewhere. His system piped up timidly: [Host, the second mission’s rewards have triggered side effects. Both Chi Shuhong and your biological father Chi Jianming are hospitalized.]

The system explained the mysterious shrine incident involving a prayer plaque. Chi Qingzhou’s eyes glinted. [Chi Shuhong… I have never heard of that name.]

The system was surprised and said: [Huh, host, you don’t know who he is? I thought I was the only one who didn’t know.]

Chi Qingzhou: [Maybe he is the mysterious master that the Chi family who has not been made public.Which righteous god is he praying to?]

[I don’t recognize the deity!] The system shivered as Chi Qingzhou’s smile turned predatory. [Wild gods can be… tasty too. Please do me a favor.]

It didn’t dare to refuse and asked cautiously: [What favor?]

Chi Qingzhou: Please help me check whether there is any information related to this statue on the Internet, including some hidden websites. 】

Here is the translation of the text you provided:

【Ah! Host, just now a singer named Wen Zhuohua suddenly posted a status on Weibo praising you for your excellent work. Even though you’ve temporarily encountered some trouble, you will definitely soar in the future. Who is he? Why haven’t I heard of him before?】

Chi Qingzhou paused for a moment, sat up straight, took out his phone, and replied in his mind: 【He’s an average singer. The MV I shot, that was his.】

System: 【…】

What an average one.

Chi Qingzhou didn’t respond further.

He unlocked his phone and opened Weibo.

…

Just after Wen Zhuohua posted, his agent rushed into the hospital room.

“My ancestor, why did you get involved in this mess?!”

Wen Zhuohua turned his head and sneered: “What, I just posted something on Weibo and Chi Qingning is going to send people over to stab me? In a society ruled by law, if he has the guts, I’ll respect him as a man.”

His agent was so angry his eyes almost popped out: “What are you talking about? Don’t you know he has the backing of Chi’s little boss?”

Wen Zhuohua turned around suddenly, his eyes filled with anger: “Is this the reason you replaced the MV ?! Chai Sheng, you know very well I had high hopes for Chi Qingzhou!”

About three months ago, Chi Qingzhou entered the entertainment industry and received his first job to shoot the MV for Wen Zhuohua’s new song.

Wen Zhuohua was young but had debuted early, and with his outstanding talent, he had already won numerous major music awards, making him incomparable to other young actors of his age.

While other young actors were still competing for top-tier fame, the title of King of Singers was already firmly his.

Wen Zhuohua took music seriously, striving to control every detail of each album.

Perhaps it was due to this sincere attitude that he was able to carve out a place in the declining music scene.

Fans loved him, and even the public had a very favorable impression of him.

This time, the inspiration for his new album partially came from religious chants, and aside from the difficulty of the singing, even the MV was hard to film.

He hired a few actors who had starred in martial arts, fairy tales, and feng shui movies to try filming, but the result wasn’t exactly what he had expected, only just passable.

His team was frustrated, and even the director complained, saying “Are you trying to make a classic blockbuster?” which made Wen Zhuohua lose confidence. He even thought of replacing it with a landscape shot with Buddhist Zen vibes.

At his lowest point, Chi Qingzhou was sent by the company to bear his frustrations.

That collaboration, which no one expected much from, ended up bringing a big surprise to Wen Zhuohua.

His agent truly didn’t understand Wen Zhuohua’s persistence: “His performance isn’t much different from the others, the only difference is that he handles the sword a bit better.”

Wen Zhuohua slammed his hand on the bedside table, raising his voice: “What do you mean, ‘not much different’? Can’t you see? Qingzhou’s performance is actually handling the sword in formation, while the others were just playing around with swords!!”

The MV’s main character was a Taoist priest living in seclusion in the mountains, who descends into the chaotic world to help others. He wielded a frosty blade but radiated compassion and kindness.

This character was easy to portray, and the other actors performed decently, though a bit superficial, but still passable.

The real challenge was the sword dance for a ritual of blessing, which was based on Taoist ceremonial movements.

Every time the actors filmed this part, it looked clumsy and awkward. They couldn’t find a real Taoist master, and the shoot nearly got abandoned.

But the result with Chi Qingzhou was completely different.

His steps were so precise they could be used as a textbook example, yet he moved with the lightness of a white crane’s wings. His swordplay flowed like a stream, and his three-foot blade cut the air with the sound of cracking rocks.

Though the set was humble, Chi Qingzhou seemed to be in a true ritual of blessing.

The feeling of being spiritually cleansed was something Wen Zhuohua would never forget.

He truly admired Chi Qingzhou and decided on the spot to use this MV.

But that same night, he inexplicably fell into a deep sleep for over two months.

He woke up only the day before, took a couple of days to recover, and finally got permission from the doctor to go online.

Excited, he opened Weibo, and there it was: not only had they not used Chi Qingzhou’s version of the MV, but Chi Qingzhou had also been unjustly accused, and his “good” agent didn’t even step forward to defend him!

Worse yet, after the rumor was cleared up, a new wave of people suddenly emerged, saying they were concerned about Chi Qingning and urging Chi Qingzhou not to take things too far…

Could Wen Zhuohua stand this?

He immediately posted the MV, expressing his excitement for Chi Qingzhou’s new works and politely asking fans to recommend Chi Qingzhou’s recent projects.

A few major fans were shocked by his actions and quickly posted a series of comments to inform him that Chi Qingzhou didn’t have any new works, but was participating in a variety show, and he could watch him on the live stream if he were interested.

He didn’t ask any more questions, but the fans who came in started to reflect.

【Forget about it, Chi Qingzhou is really good at handling swords.】

【To be honest, it’s true. It’s been years since we’ve seen an actor who can fight so beautifully and still look so imposing.】

【I don’t get it, I really don’t understand. With Chi Qingzhou’s looks, acting skills, and martial arts level, why hasn’t any director cast him in a movie?】

【Maybe because he’s still not famous enough?】

【No, wake up, this isn’t just about fame. If Chi Qingzhou debuted three months ago, it means he only started out three months ago. Even if a director did notice his talent, they wouldn’t have had time to cast him yet, right?】

【Ah…？】

【Ah？？】

A group of bystanders were stunned.

Previously, Chi Qingzhou had been mocked for not graduating from a formal academy, being bad at his craft, and not having solid work. They didn’t think much of it.

In this industry, the same old criticism was recycled over and over.

But now, looking at things this way, it felt a little ridiculous.

Chi Qingzhou had only debuted three months ago, had been criticized for over two months, and now people were talking about his works?

Just making it onto Scenery Along the Way was already a result of Chi Qingzhou’s luck and background!

【This is frustrating. Why didn’t Chi Qingning clarify earlier? If he did, people would have asked Chi Qingzhou to act in movies!】

【Or Chi Qingzhou could have joined the industry earlier! He has this talent; if he joined earlier, he wouldn’t have been criticized. He would have already filmed many amazing movies and saved me from my movie drought… imagining.jpg】

Wen Zhuohua liked this comment and replied: 【Well, that’s probably impossible. If it weren’t for struggling to find a job after graduation, little teacher Chi probably wouldn’t have entered the entertainment industry. After all, he graduated from a great university.】

Couldn’t find a job??

The netizens, who had just come to terms with the fact that Chi Qingzhou had only debuted three months ago, were shocked again.

But wasn’t Chi Qingzhou the biological son of the Chi family?

He had a good education, was talented, and came from a wealthy family. How could he possibly struggle to find a job?

Even if jobs were scarce, he could have done something in his own company, right?

As they wondered, a comment from one of Chi Qingzhou’s college roommates was pushed to the top.

【You might not believe it, but three years ago, Chi Qingzhou wasn’t even recognized by the Chi family. I remember it clearly, it was his 19th birthday. We were out having dinner when his father suddenly barged into the private room and demanded he sign a notarized document giving up the Chi family’s inheritance. We were all stunned, and there was a little conflict with his father. Later, Chi Qingzhou went to the Chi family, stayed there for three days, and then left. He never returned to the Chi family again.】

The bystanders read the comment, then checked the time of the video from three years ago. It was indeed three years ago, and they all gasped.

So, it turned out that the so-called “suffering” Chi Qingning had been living in a happy family all along?

He had even entered the entertainment industry with the Chi family’s protection and in just three years, became one of the most popular young actors.

Meanwhile, the real victim, Chi Qingzhou, was asked by his father to give up his inheritance, and spent three years living alone outside, even struggling to find a job after graduating from college…

Who could believe there was nothing more to this?

Many netizens felt deceived, angrily flooding into the topic, cursing the confused little sweet plums.

Without the control of Chi Shuhong, many netizens gradually realized the truth, and started to feel embarrassed for their previous comments.

They no longer supported Chi Qingning, and some deleted their ridiculous posts.

A few others suddenly woke up, realizing what they had been debating about, and shivered, wondering whether they should visit a temple to pray.

Some die-hard fans continued to make excuses, but were soon overwhelmed.

The online army worked hard, but unfortunately, those with clear eyes didn’t waste time with them and directly reported them.

The matter grew bigger and bigger. Just as Chi Xiaoyuan had just stepped into the stairs outside the orthopedic department, his secretary rushed to report this bad news to him.

When he heard netizens were digging into why Chi Qingzhou couldn’t find a job after graduation, everything went black in front of him. He stepped wrong and fell down the stairs, landing heavily on his bottom, sliding down three flights of stairs!

The terrible pain exploded from his tailbone and waist again. His brain went blank for a moment, and he groaned instinctively.

The orthopedic doctor, hearing the noise, rushed out, looking around anxiously. His gaze became complex when he saw Chi Xiaoyuan.

“Is this patient again?”

This time, he didn’t think the injury was just from a fall and suggested he see a neurologist.