Chapter 1383: Chapter 1292: The Violent Queen 15
Liu Shuangshuang actually knows Ren Siyu, and for good reason: he’s incredibly famous. Recently, scandals and rumors about him are everywhere, and almost everyone knows about them. He’s a celebrity who is both loved and hated.
Ren Siyu initially rose to fame as a boy from idol dramas, gaining immense popularity for his role as a deeply affectionate supporting character who commits suicide to donate his heart to the heroine. That drama won him the tears of many young girls.
Since then, Ren Siyu’s career has been smooth sailing, winning all kinds of Best Actor awards, both for TV dramas and movies. However, recently there’s been a surge in negative rumors about him, from stories about sleeping with fans, to being arrogant, and even drug use.
Because Ren Siyu is so prominent, Liu Shuangshuang has passively seen a few of his scandal-related news pieces. Yet, amidst all the rampant rumors, Liu Shuangshuang feels indifferent toward Ren Siyu.
She’s not into celebrity culture, nor is she fond of watching dramas. Celebrities are no different from ordinary people in her eyes. If not for Ren Siyu’s recent prominence, she wouldn’t even know who he is.
Unexpectedly, while out for a meal, she happens to encounter this big star. As Liu Shuangshuang tries to recall who Ren Siyu is, the argument nearby continues.
The person accusing Ren Siyu seems to be his manager, and at the moment, there’s an edge of frustration in his voice: "Ren Siyu, I’m begging you, can’t you just listen to me for once?
Today’s gathering was hard-won, and it’s filled with renowned journalists, every one of them wielding significant influence.
As long as you get along with them and treat them well, they could publish a few positive articles about you. Together with our PR department’s effort, we could clear your name from all these scandals.
Do you know how crucial this is? How could you lose your temper in such a setting and offend them? It’s just a few unpleasant words, why can’t you endure it?
Look at how your reputation has fallen! If this continues, don’t you understand your celebrity career could be over? I’m putting in all this effort for your sake!"
"Brother Liang, I know you’re looking out for me, but you know, I never did the things they accuse me of. It’s all malicious slander from others.
I didn’t want to lose my temper, but that bastard deliberately provoked me with baseless accusations. I lost my patience for a moment and lashed out.
Since my debut, I’ve secured roles by using my family’s wealth, but I’ve never slept with fans or acted arrogant. Yes, I stay in high-level hotels, but that’s at my own expense.
Why should I accept these malicious reports from unscrupulous journalists? I’m unwilling, Brother Liang, truly unwilling.
These accusations are unfounded, yet I still have to curry favor to clear my name. If it comes to it, I won’t be a star anymore!"
Ren Siyu’s voice is on the brink of collapse, filled with an intense despair and grievance. He comes from a wealthy family; if not for his love of being a star, he wouldn’t have entered the entertainment industry.
In the past, Ren Siyu thought that celebrities who killed themselves over gossip were too fragile. Those spreading rumors often forgot about them quickly, so it’s foolish for a star to suffer so much from such words.
Now that it’s his turn to face the scandals and rumors, he realizes that rumors are like knives that can kill. The despair of it is overwhelming.
Ren Siyu’s manager, Brother Liang, who has a close relationship with him, feels bad seeing the star he helped build up so shaken, yet some things still need to be said.
"You’re too naive. Do you think quitting being a star will free you from the pressure of these scandals? Do you think if you’re no longer a star, those who delight in your scandals will let you go? Do you think turning away from stardom will allow you to live a normal life?
I’ve been in this business for over twenty years, witnessing all kinds of drama, and many stars driven mad by scandals. I can tell you it’s not possible.
If you announce your retirement from acting today, tomorrow someone will report that you did it out of guilt, escaping under pressure. All your scandals will be perceived as true.
You’re already a star, and you can’t truly return to an ordinary life. If you retired when your reputation was good, maybe you could have lived peacefully.
But if you dare to quit now with all these scandals, it’ll forever be a stain on your record. People will always bring up your scandals, pointing fingers at you wherever you go.
Unless you leave the country for a place where you’re unheard of, perhaps in ten to eight years, when your fame has waned, you could return and live peacefully.
But are you willing? Willing to be forced out by baseless scandals to live abroad, away from your home country?"
"I, I’m naturally unwilling." Being lectured by Brother Liang, Ren Siyu realizes he’s too naive, that he can’t simply avoid this situation.
Brother Liang sighed, "Siyu, listen to me. These things may seem terrible to you, but they’re really nothing in the entertainment industry. If you follow my advice, you can definitely get through this.
You’re still the company’s moneymaker. Cultivating a Best Actor isn’t easy, so they won’t give up on you readily. That’s why they’re willing to put in the effort to help clear your name.
Even though the scandals are rampant now, if managed well, clearing your name could actually benefit you in the long run. You’re not at the end of the road yet."
Overhearing this conversation, Liu Shuangshuang simply sighs at how difficult the seemingly glamorous life of a celebrity is and doesn’t give it much more thought.
Little did she expect that the next day, the Special Handling Office No.1 received a bizarre case, one that Liu Shuangshuang had heard of before.
It was the case Cai Xinyan had previously mentioned to Liu Shuangshuang at a restaurant, involving a female journalist known for spreading rumors. She had bitten off her own tongue and smashed all her fingers.
The case was transferred to the Special Handling Office No.1 because there were three similar cases recently, involving journalists as victims: two men and one woman.
Again, they bit off their tongues and smashed all their fingers. The process of finger smashing is brutal—they suspend a heavy object and let it fall, crushing their hands.
Biting off one’s own tongue, the pain isn’t hard to imagine. Reportedly, one man experienced such pain from tongue biting that his tongue root spasmed, blocking his throat and causing him to suffocate to death.
If it were a singular incident, it would be treated as an ordinary case, but with such repeated incidents using the same self-harm method, it’s evidently abnormal—such things don’t happen by coincidence.
Moreover, when police questioned the victims, they all insisted no one harmed them; they didn’t know why they suddenly felt compelled to self-harm, making the case even more bizarre.
