Chapter 25: Rehabilitation
Four days after the makeup photos were released, Jiang Wu and Zhang Xiaoyu were already gearing up to start their modeling careers, but the online sentiment suddenly changed.
It all started when HONG member Chen Feng'an suddenly posted a long article online, describing in detail how Jiang Wu bullied Zuo Ran five years ago, which was all a lie made up by Zuo Ran in order to go solo, and that the real bully was Jiang Wu. The article also listed the details of Zuo Ran's bullying of Jiang Wu, as well as several chat records between Zhang and Zuo Ran at the time, which clearly explained how Zuo Ran bullied Jiang Wu and boasted about it.
At the end of the article, Chen Fengan specifically mentioned that Jiang Wu approached him to testify two days ago, but he rejected him, and that he failed to stand up that year. He was willing to apologize for this and also apologize to the fans who trusted him that year.
Not long after, the other two members who had already retired also quickly posted statements, verifying that what Chen Fengan said was true, and solemnly apologized to Jiang Wu and the fans.
The name Jiang Wu once again became a hot search topic. When netizens were about to go in and continue to curse, they discovered that the truth of the matter had taken a drastic turn. The real bully was not Jiang Wu, but Zuo Ran. Zuo Ran not only turned the tables, but also deliberately instigated cyber violence, causing Jiang Wu's mother, who was seriously ill at the time, to die of illness. Jiang Wu therefore quit the group and switched to being an actor, and was also hacked for five whole years.
After the truth was revealed, everyone was stunned. Countless people went to Zuo Ran's account to ask if it was true, but Zuo Ran seemed to have disappeared and did not reply at all.
At this time, the director of "Prayer" Hou Siping posted a message saying that Jiang Wu was indeed late for the audition, but was accepted because Jiang Wu was suitable for the role and it was definitely not because of any connections.
At this time, everyone vaguely realized that they seemed to have wronged Jiang Wu. Soon, those who had scolded him for five years and those who had recently scolded him for bullying and stealing roles flocked to his Weibo homepage to ask questions and apologize. Some people also asked him why he didn't tell the truth, and it was no wonder that everyone wronged him, but soon someone fought back, saying that if Jiang Wu said it, would you believe it? The victim-blaming theory is rampant.
While the internet was buzzing with Yang Yang apologizing to Jiang Wu, Jiang Wu and Zhang Xiaoyu were already gearing up to start their print modeling career until Hou Siping called to inform him of the time to join the crew.
Jiang Wu asked doubtfully, what group are you joining? Aren’t you going to stop filming?
Hou Siping said, "The internet is in an uproar, but you still don't know about it? What are you busy with?"
Jiang Wuhui said, "It's an interview for a print model. I'm planning to change my career."
Hou Siping was silent for a long time on the other end of the phone, and finally replied, "Go check it out online yourself."
So Jiang Wu went online to check. The trending searches about himself were still high, but they had been changed to terms such as #姜无伤害# #左然霸淩者# #陳冯安發文#. Jiang Wu clicked on them and saw that they were all cursing Zuo Ran, as well as fans crying and yelling for Zuo Ran to come out and clarify, and a lot of people sympathizing with him.
He clicked on his homepage again, and it was all apologies.
Cangcang Sangsang: Oh, I won’t say anything more. From now on, as long as you don’t cross the red line, your acting skills will be okay even if they’re not so good. Come on!
The letter is short but the feelings are deep: I'm sorry, I blamed you wrongly. From now on I will be your fan and you are my only wall!
Shark Chili: If this is true, Zuo Ran's behavior is illegal. I am a lawyer. If you need help, just let me know. It's free!
Hahaha Shiqi: I’m sorry buddy, I take back what I said before, and that kid Zuo Ran is such a jerk!
Ling Miaomiao: I was bullied, I was cyberbullied, my mother died of illness because of this, and now I am still being wronged... I'm sorry! I'm an idiot [cry][cry][cry]
…
"Damn it! Brother Jiang, you've been vindicated! We can come back!" Zhang Xiaoyu shouted excitedly while holding his phone, tears almost bursting out, "Wow, wow, God still favors us!"
Jiang Wu has experienced more than 200 years of life, so he naturally knows that people just follow the crowd, not because of good or evil. Therefore, he was not too sad when he was scolded before, and he was not too happy now that he has turned the tables. He just wondered why Chen Fengan suddenly changed his mind. It was impossible for him to have a change of heart, and most likely someone did something.
"Zuo Ran is a second-tier star, but he has millions of fans. The person who can help you must be someone important." Zhang Xiaoyu suddenly thought of something. "Could it be that President Han? Didn't you save him?"
Jiang Wu also thought of it and called Han Zhong. Yao Ping answered the phone and said something before speaking into Han Zhong's ears.
"What's the matter?" Han Zhong's voice sounded a little absent-minded, and he was obviously busy with work.
“Do you use the Internet?”
“…”
After a while of silence, Han replied, "I am a busy man, not a savage."
"If you're asking about the post by your former group member to clarify things, yes, I did it, you're welcome."
"Oh, I'm hanging up then."
“…”
Before he hung up, Han Zhong said, "I'm done with you saving me."
Jiang Wudong paused, "Then don't help me, just blackmail me back."
Anyway, he has already planned to switch to print modeling.
He turned on the speakerphone, and Zhang Xiaoyu heard it clearly. After a pause, he asked, "Then take off your clothes and we can continue filming?"
Han Chongminrui on the other end of the phone caught this and asked, "What are you shooting?"
"Photoshoot." Jiang Wu said on the phone while posing in front of a full-length mirror. "I'm planning to switch careers and become a print model. I'm taking interview photos now. They said I have to be topless."
“…”
Han Zhong, who was on the other end of the phone, sat in his office with his eyes closed and his forehead in his hand, feeling a headache. "Are you stupid? Which studio requires topless photos for an interview? You've been fooled."
Jiang Wu and Zhang Xiaoyu were both stunned on the other end of the phone. They looked at each other, and Zhang Xiaoyu said blankly, "I don't know either. A friend introduced me to it."
"Forget it. Just consider this as you climbing up the 16th floor to see me in the middle of the night. There won't be a next time."
“…”
The call was hung up, and Zhang Xiaoyu silently turned his head to look at Jiang Wu, "Why did you crawl into his room in the middle of the night?"
"That's not important. First ask your friend what's going on and whether he lied to us."
"Oh, okay!"
On the other side, in the president's office of Huayue, Han Zhong was quietly looking at the data on the computer.
Bullying, cyberbullying, the death of his mother, betrayal by his agent, being forced to jump off a building, each one of these is enough to push a person into despair, but Jiang Wu experienced it all, and even when he was cyberbullied again, he was able to calmly accept it and change careers. Is it because he has completely lost hope?
That's why she rescued him from the car accident scene regardless of the danger and climbed to the 16th floor without fear, because she had already lost all hope?
"By the way, Mr. Han, Mr. Jiang was actually scheduled to go for an interview on the day of the car accident, and he left the hospital in a hurry to go for the audition." Yao Ping said.
That was why she was late for the audition and was accused of being a diva, which caused this series of disturbances. However, Jiang Wu never thought of asking Han Zhong for help and had already planned to change her career to become a print model.
Han Zhong was silent for a long time, and suddenly said, "Ask the name of the model studio that his assistant's friend introduced to him."
Yao Ping was stunned, "What are you going to do?"
"Report them for fraud and producing obscene pornography."
"……OK."
Yao Ping thought about the five-digit bonus he would receive this year, then turned around and went to collect information about the studio.
Behind him, Han Zhong stared at the photo of Jiang Wu on the computer for a while, then reopened the comment section on his mobile phone. With a swiping finger, he clicked on the homepage of a certain account. A high-definition makeup photo of Cang Yue played by Jiang Wu suddenly popped up, filling the entire screen.
Jiang Wu, dressed in a black brocade robe and with trailing silver hair, looked at him outside the camera with cold and aloof eyes. Han Zhong's breathing stagnated, and fragments of memories suddenly flashed through his mind, and then disappeared like the wind the next moment, leaving nothing behind.
He frowned slightly, vaguely feeling that he had seen Jiang Wu like this somewhere before.
"Black hair should be right..." he muttered.