Chapter 22 A Heroine of Noble Character: Actually, She's a Drama Queen
Wang Xiao's adrenaline surged instantly, and he was transported back to the scene when he first started managing his Douyin account and finalized his persona.
Regardless of how much Generation Z touts genuine individuality, for influencers who are essentially managing their personal image and brand, the so-called "true nature" is just something to take with a grain of salt. To become famous and reap the benefits of online traffic, they must accurately grasp the preferences of their audience and clearly define their persona.
A top internet celebrity like Xiaoxiao can earn the retirement pensions of an entire province's grandfathers in a single PK (player kill) session. Would she be short of money? Of course not. But she still insists on wearing inexpensive, low-quality clothes from Pinduoduo during her livestreams—isn't it because her audience needs that easily attainable image?
Once Wang Xiao grasped this point, he immediately had an idea.
Unlike 30 years later, when the audience of online celebrities had a wide variety of hobbies and interests, making it difficult to understand how to resonate with them; now, with a single channel of communication, people's hobbies tend to be more singular.
Audiences raised on heroism don't care about the hero's true thoughts; they only need idols of noble character.
Idols, like the heroes in martial arts novels, don't need to eat, drink, or relieve themselves; they can't have personal feelings; they must be selfless and have lofty ideals.
Wang Xiao said weakly, "They tried to steal my bag. I'm a researcher at the Chemical Research Institute, and the bag contained raw materials imported by the institute to improve the soap-making process. Um, I'm currently working as a technical advisor at the Xin County Soap Factory."
Perfect!
Why is she traveling between the new county and the provincial capital?
Because she encountered technical problems at the factory that she couldn't solve, she collected all the information and went back to the chemical research institute to seek guidance from senior teachers, and then went back to instruct them on how to improve the production process.
This is a prime example of science being applied to frontline production.
Anyway, the factory director and the factory office director went to pay the hospital fees, so no one exposed her true colors on the spot.
As for the claim that she saw the robber about to rape the female passenger and that's why she got hard of punches, she wouldn't mention a single word about it.
The darker side of human nature and the patriarchal gaze can easily divert attention from a female victim's fight back.
If she dares to say a word, there's an 80% chance this will spread and become a story that all the female passengers on the bus have been gang-raped.
Even wiping out a whole gang of robbers can't compare to the thrill of sexual humiliation.
A certain belt company owes trillions of dollars, yet the internet is still busy spreading all sorts of rumors about beautiful women in a song and dance troupe.
Wang Xiao's voice was weak: "Imported raw materials are very rare. I can't let my momentary cowardice delay the factory's production. Hundreds of employees at the soap factory are waiting for the production process to be improved so that the products can return to the sales counter. So many workers and their families are waiting for the factory's new products to get on track and for the factory to be able to pay their wages."
She couldn't make up any more words, so she could only close her eyes weakly again.
Fortunately, the reporter didn't need her to cooperate anymore. Instead, the reporter held up Wang Xiao's coat and showed it to the camera, saying, "This blood-soaked coat is full of holes. Just from the clothes, we can see how intensely Comrade Wang Xiao struggled at that time."
Wang Xiao: ……
What else can she do besides lying there pretending to be dead?
The blood wasn't hers; it was the robber's blood. The grandmother sitting in front of Wang Xiao snapped out of her daze and threw a can of food at his face, covering him in blood.
See? Resistance requires someone to take the lead, and it needs to be a widespread, multi-pronged approach. Only then can the vulnerable, who have been violated and insulted, muster the courage to fight back.
There is strength in numbers. The number of victims and onlookers far exceeds the number of perpetrators. If everyone fights back, not only can a small bus robbery be turned around, but even a major historical massacre could be turned around.
When it became unclear whether it was a city leader or a provincial leader who personally came to visit the hero who had acted bravely, Wang Xiao reluctantly opened his eyes again and tried to create a second persona.
This time, the leader was particularly helpful, constantly asking Wang Xiao if there were any difficulties that needed to be resolved.
Wang Xiao was speechless. Boss, are people so open and aboveboard these days when they give people preferential treatment?
Just say it directly to the camera.
Where is fairness and justice then?
Unfortunately, she handled everything herself, from job hunting to schooling, and as for changing her rural household registration to urban status, sorry, she didn't need it.
If you really intend to give someone special treatment, why don't you just arrange the promotion privately?
But I don't like it either.
I don't need you to do anything, just be my boss and be my tool.
Wang Xiao sincerely stated, "I personally don't have any difficulties that require the organization's help; I can overcome any difficulties myself. What I'm worried about is the work at the Xin County Soap Factory. The factory is currently producing a type of soap specifically for hotels, and we are actively expanding our sales channels..."
The soap factory manager, who had come over to listen, immediately had tears in his eyes, as if he could grab Wang Xiao's hand and be overwhelmed with gratitude at any moment.
We should thank her.
She's really generous; her 3% commission is absolutely justified. She's saving this great opportunity to be in the public eye for the soap she's selling.
She is so noble and virtuous.
Tsk tsk, the glorious and righteous public image has been created, the next step is the private life.
No one is not curious about what public figures are like in private, just as no fan follows a star solely based on their professional skills.
How can you enhance your private life?
Simple.
When the third wave of reporters came to interview her, Wang Xiao obediently pulled Wang Tiejun and Ms. Chen Yanqiu aside and emphasized that her parents were very supportive of her work.
Even though she often had to travel for work, her mother would prepare her luggage, and her father would go to the Jinning Hotel before dawn to queue up for steamed buns so that she could take them to the soap factory workers in Xin County, hoping that she could get along well with her new colleagues.
Who wouldn't envy the unconditional love that only daughters in the Yangtze River Delta region receive from their parents and elders?
She would secretly envy those who had amassed over ten million in assets on their own, let alone ordinary people who had a higher chance of winning ten million in the lottery than earning ten million themselves.
In short, she is so outstanding, with a good family background, talent, beauty, good character, and a good family tradition; family members, feel free to support her!
She established a very strong public image, and during her week-long hospital stay, she received eight interview requests.
Provincial and municipal TV stations, provincial and municipal newspapers, provincial and municipal radio stations, and even a magazine sponsored by the Women's Federation all did an in-depth interview with her.
The results were remarkable. People came to the hospital to see her every day. Three groups of Young Pioneers representatives came, and she received several red scarves. Her room was constantly filled with fresh flowers, making it a lively and festive sight even in the dead of winter.
Compared to her, Tang Yicheng seemed to have vanished into thin air, making the dawn here quiet and still.
It's really quite strange.
Wang Xiao hasn't seen Tang Yicheng since she woke up, nor did she see him when she was interviewed by reporters.
She assumed the two parties were being interviewed separately, so she had no intention of helping them out.
After all, they didn't rehearse their lines beforehand, so if they said different things, it would be incredibly embarrassing.
Later, the hospital specially moved a television into her ward so she could watch news interviews. She was surprised to find that Tang Yicheng had completely disappeared from the public eye, and the news barely mentioned him at all.
It's not that I won't say a word, otherwise it would be too fake.
She doesn't look like a supermodel. How could a skinny young researcher take down five knife-wielding thugs?
Haha, would anyone believe that?
Modern journalists have a conscience and dare not boast.
In the news, Tang Yicheng was portrayed as an ordinary passenger who was inspired by her fight back, and together they beat down the five robbers.
His status was similar to that of the aunt who strangled the robber with a handkerchief and the grandmother who smashed the robber's head with a can of food.
Oh, and in the same league are the old man who slapped the robber across the face with his dog-skin boots and the old lady who tripped the robber.
These past few days, she's been gaining popularity online, focused solely on increasing her fame to attract more traffic. Even though it seemed odd, I didn't think much of it. Now, looking back, it's really strange in every way.
She even went so far as to speculate that Tang Yicheng might have carried out secret missions during his military service, such as going undercover to fight drugs, so he had to remain anonymous after returning to society and not go on TV to avoid being recognized by criminals and getting revenge.
Chen Yanqiu gestured for her daughter to be quiet, glared at her, and warned, "Don't talk nonsense, don't let anything slip. This time, Xiao Tang is not suitable to show her face."
Wang Xiao's eyes lit up instantly. "Really? That's...that's certainly a bit exciting."
Dr. Chen was speechless. This girl must have gone astray in college; she's always thinking about the wrong things. What kind of ridiculous undercover work is this? Is she making a movie?
Tang Yicheng is not suitable to be portrayed as a hero because he is dead.
There was a guy among the robbers, a bastard who tried to rape the girl. Tang Yicheng hit him on the neck and he fell down. As a result, the back of his head hit a hard, sharp corner, causing a brainstem hemorrhage, and he died.
And that driver, he was probably terrified. Tang Yicheng told him to drive the car to the police station, and he almost drove the car into the river.
Tang Yicheng, in a fit of rage, punched him to the side, knocking him to the side of the road. He was driving the car.
As a result, the driver's neck was broken, and he is still lying in the hospital unable to move.
The way things unfolded didn't meet the high standards and strict requirements for heroes.
Especially that robber who was killed, who was only 15 years old, was in a privileged position where he could kill others without getting shot.
His shout caused quite a commotion in their family, I heard.
It's clear that he hasn't caused enough harm. He should have finished causing trouble for his own family first before the world could be at peace.
Wang Xiao listened with great interest, just like listening to a story, and happily showed off the apple that Chen Yanqiu fed her.
Dr. Chen was at a loss for words and could only glare at her, saying, "She's only 15."
“Yes,” Wang Xiao readily agreed. “So the age for executing such a beast should be lowered. Twelve years old is more than enough, um, ten years old is about right. He’s fifteen, but that hasn’t stopped him from eagerly trying to harm girls.”
Those born bad are better off dying young.
Dr. Chen was speechless and could only feel sorry for Tang Yicheng: "If this hadn't happened, he would definitely have won an honor. He was so amazing, one against five, his training in the army was worth it."
Wang Xiao also felt guilty. The medal clearly belonged to someone else, but due to public pressure, it was transferred to her, making it seem like she was taking advantage of someone else.
She can also understand the concerns about publicity.
After all, one robber died and a bus driver suffered a broken bone, and the others were all knocked down. Tang Yicheng, on the other hand, only suffered minor injuries, the kind that didn't even require stitches; a band-aid was all it took to finish the fight.
If you continue to promote the idea that he fought to the death, plenty of good-natured people who have never been hurt will jump out and point fingers, telling him how to behave.
Well, among the worst of the worst, she's the best. In comparison, the weak and powerless woman who was knocked unconscious by the robbers is more suited to the role of a righteous and courageous hero who fights back.
She's the only one who benefits!
Should she give up this bargain? Of course not.
Even if Tang Yicheng were to relinquish it, it would be an invalid transfer.
Besides, how the media should publicize it is not something she can decide.
Forget it, he did help her after all. She'll find a way to help others take off later; she won't take advantage of him for nothing.
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I'll be working on the clips tomorrow, and the next chapter will be updated at 11 PM on the 18th.
I'm recommending a friend's pre-order; it's by a Cantonese-speaking lady whose language is absolutely authentic.
"I Became Rich While Eating and Doing Nothing in Hong Kong in the 1980s" by: Xiaoyuntunzouqing (ID: 6452514)
Shen Youning was frail and sickly from childhood. After her death, she transmigrated into a brainless young lady in a novel set in 1980s Hong Kong. She also obtained a gossip system and was busy slapping faces, punishing scumbags, and building her career!
When her stepsister stole her wealthy fiancé:
[Host, let her take it all! Your cheap fiancé is born with a disability that prevents him from having children and has a bunch of rumored girlfriends—give it all to her!]
When the stepmother forcibly bought a property under her company's ownership:
[Host, your assets shrank during the 1987 stock market crash. Selling them to her at a high price now will bankrupt her! Oh, and she's already drowning in debt!]
When she was forced to take over a failing entertainment company:
[Host, you're destined for greatness! The three future Heavenly Kings are under your command! You'll shape the Jade Girl Sect Leader! What are you waiting for? Charge! Make a fortune!]
Shen Youning obediently agreed: Okay, I'll listen to the system.
Then she simply lay back and won, counting money until her hands cramped.
One day, the system was gossiping with her again: [Host, the villain Fu Yunyi in the book is in big trouble this time. He lost a project and is about to be cornered and killed on the streets of Mong Kok by his rivals. His huge fortune is also about to be stolen...]
The next moment, Shen Youning immediately put down the milk tea in her hand: What did you say?!
...
An hour later, dozens of Porsches blocked Mong Kok, Black Hawk helicopters hovered overhead, and a large entourage of bodyguards followed Shen Youning to maintain order as they went to rescue Fu Yunyi.
She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that Fu Yunyi, one of Hong Kong's richest men and tycoons, had only suffered minor injuries.
But the big boss's gaze remained fixed on her warily, so Shen Youning could only timidly retort: "Is this street yours? Haven't you ever seen anyone out for a stroll? ...Can't I just pass by?!"
System: [Host, you're so brave! The big boss has several lives on his hands, aren't you afraid he'll take you out?!]
Fu Yunyi: ...Anyone who didn't know better would think you're here to fight terrorism. Wait, when did I become responsible for multiple lives? And who's speaking?
So, the bigwigs also joined the ranks of onlookers, thus opening a new door for them.
Later, Shen Youning became his wife, and through the melon-eating system, she accumulated countless riches, enough to last ten lifetimes.
Fu Yunyi completely reversed the tragic fate in the book, achieving lasting success and doting on Shen Youning to the extreme, becoming a veritable model couple in Hong Kong, envied by countless people :)
There are multiple reasons why the female lead saves the male lead, which will be explained in the main text.
The male lead has a clean background and is self-made; he has never been involved in murder. Thank you to the little angels who voted for me or watered my plants between 2023-10-11 09:50:20 and 2023-10-16 17:00:08!
Thank you to the little angel who threw the landmine: luiez 1;
Thank you to the little angels who watered the nutrient solution: Yinan 82 bottles; Catprint 30 bottles; Did you update today?, kkmay 20 bottles; Wukanwukan, dmx, Xiaop, White Pavilion 10 bottles; Abian 3 bottles; Xiaoxiao is Xinbian de Xiaoxiao, Xiaolongnv□□ 2 bottles; D, Huanhuan, 20655808, dafne 1 bottle;
Thank you so much for your support! I will continue to work hard!
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