TRYMBPIETM 36: A Series of Retributions (4)

Chi Xiaoyuan had just left the orthopedics department, but within minutes, he was back again. The doctor had asked him to get another X-ray, and his secretary helped him back into the imaging room. Coincidentally, the same doctor from the radiology department was there again. Upon seeing him just an hour later, the doctor couldn’t hide his confusion.

Chi Xiaoyuan was in so much pain that he could hardly speak. His secretary, trying to avoid drawing attention, quietly explained, “He fell down the stairs again.”

The radiology doctor shared the same puzzled expression as the orthopedic surgeon. When the new X-ray was ready, the doctor quickly realized that this time there was an actual fracture.

The secretary helped Chi Xiaoyuan back to the orthopedics department. On the way, despite the pain, Chi Xiaoyuan asked the secretary to take care of removing the trending topic as soon as possible.

“Don’t let it affect the company’s stock price,” Chi Xiaoyuan said weakly.

The secretary hesitated, “But this might cause trouble for Mr. Chi Qingning…”

Not familiar with the entertainment world, the secretary still understood that removing the trending search might look suspicious. If they really wanted to help Chi Qingning, other steps might be more effective.

Chi Xiaoyuan sighed impatiently, feeling the sharp pain in his tailbone. “He’s sensible. He’ll understand.”

Chi Qingning’s reputation was a small issue. Even his own reputation didn’t matter much to Chi Xiaoyuan. The main concern was not angering the shareholders.

It wasn’t until Chi Xiaoyuan became president that he discovered the company’s decline over the past few years. Three years ago, the company had almost gone bankrupt, and though his father managed to resolve it, shareholders had grown dissatisfied with him since then, and their doubts had only deepened over the years.

Chi Xiaoyuan wasn’t bothered by the criticism directed at him, but the potential fallout from exposing Chi Qingzhou’s suppression worried him more.

As the elevator door closed, Chi Xiaoyuan muttered, “Qingning’s success is thanks to his family. I’m doing this for the company. He’ll get it.”

The secretary nodded. Was this how the Chi family treated their “favorite” son? Whenever something went wrong, it seemed Chi Qingning was the first to be abandoned.

After Chi Xiaoyuan’s order to remove the trending search, the internet backlash started to subside.

…..

Chi Shuhong had spent a lot on the “water army” to control the narrative. Even when the leader of the army felt the situation was getting worse, they pressed on with the campaign.

While online trolls made ridiculous remarks about hoping Chi Qingzhou wouldn’t harm Chi Qingning, the real shock came from those who defended Chi Qingzhou. Unlike Chi Qingning, who had always been sheltered by the Chi family, many of Chi Qingzhou’s classmates praised his talents and accomplishments, pointing out how much respect he earned purely on his own merit.

More and more people on the internet started questioning the situation, and suspicions about Chi Qingning’s involvement grew louder. At the same time, several trending topics about the situation were suddenly removed from the hot search list. The water army was left scrambling, and many began to wonder if this was a sign of guilt.

As the search was cleaned up, Chi Qingning’s assistant couldn’t help but wonder if their boss was deliberately letting his younger brother take the fall. However, this wasn’t the focus for the PR team, which was more concerned about silencing the scandal and protecting Chi Qingning’s image.

Unlike Chi Qingning, who has always been protected by the Chi family, Chi Qingzhou is widely recognized as a talented individual with extraordinary abilities. He has garnered the attention of numerous mentors purely through his own efforts.

[I unexpectedly saw my junior classmate from the same major and couldn’t help but feel regretful about my own lack of ability. My supervisor constantly uses Chi Qingzhou as an example, praising how quickly he learns about customs wherever he goes. I worship him daily, hoping that this will somehow help my thesis progress.]

[The key point here is that Chi Qingzhou isn’t even a graduate student! He’s someone who’s well-versed in many fields, and I’ve heard he has some knowledge of archaeology. In his sophomore year, he was already doing related research in a lab under a professor.]

[Chi Qingzhou and I were classmates. During his undergraduate years, he was incredibly busy. He was doing religious studies research and working as a consultant for an archaeological team at both my school and Yan University. He didn’t have time for anything else.]

[To be honest, none of us expected him to enter the entertainment industry after graduation. We thought he’d continue his studies.]

[The most outrageous thing is the criticism Chi Qingzhou faced for not sticking to his professional path. We’ve tried to clear this up multiple times. He’s not someone who gets distracted by everything. In his junior year, he joined an archaeological activity organized by Yan University and our school. It involved an ancient tomb with religious significance, and Chi Qingzhou happened to have some crucial information, which was incredibly helpful. The announcements and statements confirm this!]

Many of Chi Qingzhou’s classmates felt frustrated by this situation.

They had a great deal of respect for him and had defended him several times, but their efforts were met with traffic restrictions or account deletions, which left them angry and resentful.

As more netizens began to notice the situation, suspicions grew that Chi Qingning might be involved. Their doubts became louder.

The online army started getting anxious, wondering if they should inform the boss who had placed the order. Suddenly, several hot search topics related to the matter started losing popularity.

Many netizens were blocked or had their comments deleted, and the topic was soon removed from the hot search list entirely.

Some topics containing explosive material were also directly banned, with their content disappearing from search results.

The person in charge of the online army studio had a subtle expression.

Could this be a guilty conscience?

Frustrated, the passerby who was silenced started a few unrelated topics to try and create another hot search.

But with Chi Qingning’s PR team behind the scenes, these topics were quickly blocked.

Netizens were furious, feeling like they were being silenced.

Chi Qingning, right?

They won’t forget this!

After Chi Xiaoyuan spent a large sum to forcibly remove the hot search, the online discussion finally subsided.

No matter how determined Wen Zhuohua was, he couldn’t fight such powerful capital. Plus, his agent kept pressuring him, so he reluctantly gave up.

Chi Qingzhou did call to congratulate him on finally waking up.

Wen Zhuohua was happy about it. He even planned to go out for hotpot with Chi Qingzhou when they had time. Then, the doctor who came to check on him held him down and gave him some health advice.

Chi Qingzhou hung up the phone and went to bed early.

The shamans had given him a lot of fresh mountain and forest energy, and it would take time to digest and absorb it.

Meanwhile, Chi Qingning, after treating his foot injury, learned from his assistant that the trending search had been removed, and everything went dark before his eyes.

His agent said cheerfully, “Aiya, Qingning, your brother loves you so much, he spent so much money to get the hot search removed. Now all that negative news will stop spreading!”

Although he was initially shocked when he learned that Chi Qingzhou was the biological son of the Chi family, it seemed clear from Mr. Chi’s reaction that he valued his artist more.

As the saying goes, the grace of giving birth is greater than the grace of raising a child. Mr. Chi always has a better relationship with his younger brother who he grew up with. Isn’t that normal?

Chi Qingning’s assistant, originally sympathetic toward him, grew wide-eyed upon hearing this.

Is that how they justify it?

Brother Ningning had been wronged, and now with the hot search removed, he was being made the guilty one.

Why should Brother Ningning take responsability?

“What do you know!” The agent rolled his eyes at the assistant. “Once people start talking about this, others will believe it, and the damage will only grow bigger!”

There’s a joke that circulates online:

The PR methods you think of: feints, diversions, using the opponent’s force against them, extreme measures, turning disasters into blessings, and feedback.

The actual PR methods: controlling comments, cleaning up topics, removing hot searches, exposing dirt on opponents, and reporting whistleblowers.

For seasoned agents, in situations like this, it doesn’t matter who’s right or wrong—what matters is stopping the loss as quickly as possible.

Mr. Chi’s methods were a bit crude, but who cares?

Netizens have short memories. Once the hot search is removed, they’ll forget about it.

Then, his fans will control the comments, pitying him, and no one will remember or care after the storm blows over.

The agent’s phone rang, and he quickly stepped outside to take the call.

He told Chi Qingning, “I know you don’t like having stains on your reputation, but this really isn’t that big of a deal. Which popular young actor doesn’t have some black material? You have to get used to it. The solution discussed by Mr. Lu and the PR team was to remove the hot search first. Isn’t it good now?”

Chi Qingning nodded silently as the agent left to take his call.

His assistant, seeing Chi Qingning’s distress, was furious.

“Brother Ningning, don’t be sad. The little sweet plums and I believe in you. We know you wouldn’t let rumors spread without a reason… Is it that Mr. Chi is trying to make you take the blame?”

“Brother Ningning, you’ve been wronged.”

Chi Qingning shook his head but didn’t respond.

His assistant was even more upset.

Chi Qingning had been so humble and submissive, especially since joining the entertainment industry. But now, he was left taking the blame for Mr. Chi, and still, he had to express gratitude toward him?

It’s clear he’s never been treated as one of them…

The assistant took note of this and planned to discuss it later with the rest of the team.

Looking at Chi Qingning’s swollen ankle, his eyes reddened. “It’s time for a dressing change, Brother Ningning. I’ll get the medicine.”

Chi Qingning smiled gently. “Thank you for your hard work.”

The assistant grinned. “It’s no trouble. Stay still. I’ll be right back.”

Chi Qingning nodded. As the assistant left, he took out his phone and sent a message to Chi Shuhong.

However, Chi Shuhong was at the hospital and hadn’t yet replied. Chi Qingning waited anxiously, unaware that after the prayer plaque broke, a strange, musty smell was beginning to spread from the room where Chi Shuhong worshiped the god.

The assistant returned with the ointment and applied it to his ankle. There was a slight burning sensation, but Chi Qingning didn’t pay much attention to it.

It’s normal for these ointments to irritate the skin a bit.

Meanwhile, the production crew of Scenery Along the Way rested in Shangling County for a few days. After the Paranormal Control Bureau handled the follow-up matters, they informed the crew that filming could resume.

The variety show typically airs live with edited segments. The material from Yinping Village was mostly enough, and since the director and guests were still traumatized, they decided to skip the Yinping Village part and re-shoot in Shangling County and nearby villages.

The live broadcast was standard, with the guests eating, drinking, and promoting local food and scenery. Even Chi Qingning, with his injured leg, participated professionally.

Although the viewers decreased over time, it still remained high.

Chi Qingzhou’s fan count increased to three million, with many fans engaging actively. Chi Qingahou, despite scandals, gained a lot of fans, many artists envied him.

Smaller stars, unaware of the dangers, saw how much Chi Qingzhou’s fanbase had grown and decided to take a similar risk.

Before the production ended, the director received numerous calls, both direct and subtle, from agents hoping to secure spots on the next episode.

The director was both pleased and overwhelmed.

Viewers, fascinated by the Puluo people’s customs, bought tickets for the upcoming festival. Some expressed interest in traveling to Shangling County after seeing the local government’s survey.

Businesses saw opportunities and began discussing long-term cooperation with local authorities, fostering stable relationships.

Though the attraction didn’t skyrocket instantly, the long-term potential was reassuring.

Other local governments, inspired by the success, considered contacting the program team to inquire about collaborating.

….

The number of tourists in Shangling County is gradually increasing, but not all of it is positive.

Some tourists who wanted to visit Yinping Village to experience the activities that the guests from the program had done were disappointed to find out that the village was undergoing renovations and was temporarily closed.

They traveled to the Yuhua mountain range and, from a distance, spotted a mountaintop enclosed by wooden railings. This might be the undeveloped area the program crew had mistakenly entered.

There are some people who love to go against the grain. The more others tell them not to do something, the more determined they become to do it.

Noticing the wooden fence had seemingly appeared overnight, a daring young man decided to climb over it with a ladder and sneak in.

He expected to find just an ordinary, undeveloped area. However, when his feet touched the ground and he looked up, he found himself in an entirely different world.

Fireflies dotted the mountain like falling stars, vines with a faint glow swayed in the wind, towering trees reached into the sky, and the glowing fruits beneath the leaves resembled small lanterns, illuminating a winding path.

Countless white deer wandered through the forest, stopping to look at him with curious eyes.

He held his breath.

Then, a giant white deer, about two meters tall, slowly emerged from the trees, carrying a young man in a purple robe on its back.

The man held a silver lantern, its light revealing deep red lines between his brows. He wore a half-smile, and the bells on his cuffs jingled with every step the deer took.

“It seems the ritual should be held sooner.” The man smiled slightly, his gaze focused and enigmatic.

The young man felt an overwhelming drowsiness wash over him.

The last thing he saw was the sky filled with bright stars.

…

Chi Qingzhou, sitting in the nanny car, looked out the window with a surprised expression.

Du Huan, sitting beside him, noticed and asked, “What’s wrong, Brother Chi?”

Chi Qingzhou blinked and withdrew his gaze. “Nothing, it’s just getting dark.”

Du Huan didn’t think much of it and continued working on his tablet.

Xing Shuangzhan, sensing the mood, released a bit of ghost energy to create a quiet space for Chi Qingzhou.

Chi Qingzhou laughed. “Brother Su, Ah Lai has cultivated into a ghost god! I didn’t expect the fated person to be so helpful. Ah Lai was far from becoming a ghost deity before.”

Xing Shuangzhan pinched the back of his neck. “It’s normal. Your friend was stuck at a bottleneck. The feedback from the Puluo tribe’s catastrophe and the boost from the fated person were enough to help him break through in ten days.”

The program crew had been resting in Shangling County for four days and then broadcasted live for five more. Now, ten days had passed since they left Qunqing Province.

Though the time wasn’t short, Chi Qingzhou hadn’t expected Ah Lai to become a ghost god so quickly.

He tilted his head in thought. “What you said makes sense, but I still think it happened too fast.”

Xing Shuangzhan chuckled softly but didn’t respond.

Chi Qingzhou sometimes had strange ideas, but it wasn’t necessary to correct him.

As long as Chi Qingzhou was happy, that was enough.

Noticing that the agent in the co-pilot seat seemed to have something on his mind, Xing Shuangzhan removed the veil to facilitate communication between Chi Qingzhou and his agent.

“Qingzhou…” Guan Xihua turned to him with a complicated expression.

Chi Qingzhou, confused, asked, “Brother Guan, what’s wrong?”

Guan Xihua sighed. “Did Chi Qingning hurt his ankle?”

Chi Qingzhou replied sympathetically, “My brother dislocated his ankle and has been resting for several days.”

Guan Xihua continued, “The paparazzi caught pictures of him being taken to the hospital for treatment.”

Chi Qingzhou expressed concern, “My brother’s health isn’t great. He should exercise more.”

Guan Xihua didn’t comment further, but added, “The timing is unfortunate. Besides the resources given by Song Yuzhi, he may lose the others in the near future.”

Chi Qingning had always had good resources, but many people were eager to take his place.

In the past, the Chi family had always protected him. However, now that he had revealed a large amount of negative news and injured his foot, things were starting to shift.

Chi Qingzhou blinked in thought.

Guan Xihua sent several messages to his contacts, seeking more details. After a while, his expression grew more complex.

“The brands Song Yuzhi had secured for Chi Qingning are now backing out. A jewelry brand and a sports brand both posted on Weibo ten minutes ago, stating that the online rumors were false and that they have no plans to find a spokesperson for the near future.”

But what shocked Guan Xihua more was:

“Qingzhou, the paparazzi photographed your father, your eldest brother, and Chi Qingning in adjacent hospital wards. Are you… going to visit them?”