That was the shiniest moment of Han Fei’s 25 years of life. He stood in the middle of the stage, highlighted by the spotlight amidst the sea of criticism. Only the most unfortunate would be given the black box, Han Fei’s life had nothing to do with the definition, easy. However, the hardships that he faced helped build his character, polishing him from coal into diamond. He might not be as initially captivating as other celebrities but he had his own charm. The negative comments on the stream were gradually swept away by more neutral and positive comments. Han Fei believed that ultimately human nature was kind, as evidenced by these small voices that gathered to form a wave to wash the online negativity away.
Actually most of the casual viewers had no idea what was happening. It was not until the negative comments started to block up the entire screen that they started to research into the individual, Han Fei. Incidentally, during the press conference, Han Fei’s wiki page was updated with slanderous entries. There were also a few online ‘news’ websites that released articles that condemned Han Fei’s unprofessionalism right at the same time. But if the users went beyond the first search result page, they would find more articles and official statements released by the law enforcement.
It was Han Fei who risked his life to help the police solve cold cases, it was Han Fei who spoke on the victims’ behalf and it was also Han Fei who was praised and thanked by the victims’ families. Those who really knew Han Fei only had good things to say about this young man. In contrast, those who wanted to destroy his reputation were users who hid behind online anonymity.
Seeing the injustice, more neutral users dropped in to leave a word of encouragement for Han Fei. As the viewership of the livestream grew, the update speed of the negative comments slowly got taken over by the positive and normal ones. About 10 minutes later, the on-screen chatroom froze. When it returned to normal, all the negative commenters disappeared just as sudden as they had appeared.
‘I honestly can say that I have not done anything to harm others but others intend to ruin me.’ It was clear by now that this was a premeditated online slander campaign. The culprit knew about Han Fei’s background, about his social anxiety and how he would get chest angina, headache, and discomfiture in public. It was why they came up with this idea. He was left stranded on the stage to face the onslaught of critical comments from the internet. It would evoke the horrendous memories in his mind so he would make a fool of himself before hundreds of thousands of viewers online. That would deepen the emotional scar within Han Fei and made his conditions even more serious. ‘The culprit has to be someone from my former agency. Only they will know me so well. Furthermore, there’s also the thing with the Secret Urban Romance. Things wouldn't be that coincidental…’
Soon after the hubbub on the livestream died down, the stagehand swapped the material and started to play the trailers for Twin Flowers. Those who questioned Han Fei’s acting capability had their mouths zipped after they saw Han Fei’s performance in the trailer. If people still disparaged Han Fei because of his acting, they must be blind. The well-paced plot, interesting storyline, a battle of wits through the decade, all wrapped up in a final monologue by Meng Changan. The two minutes short video stunned everyone!
After the trailer ended, the promotional poster for Twin Flowers appeared on screen. Meng Changan and Meng Changxi played by Han Fei stood in light and darkness. Meng Changan in a three-breasted suit bathed under the sun. A graceful and calm smile hung on his face but madness spoke in his eyes; in contrast, the disfigured Meng Changxi struggled to stand straight in the dark. His body was covered in wounds but his eyes shone with determination and hope. The poster was captivating and incidentally, the spotlight also casted Han Fei on stage in half light and half-darkness. The three individuals who were tied together in this unique case presented themselves in a mirage of shadows and light.
The atmosphere in the livestream chat hit a peak. Many viewers screen-captured this moment. This was the perfect example of life mimicking art. The negative comments did not defeat Han Fei but allowed people to witness his gentle and firm constitution. This actor was indeed distinct from other celebrities. How Han Fei presented himself that day earned him many new fans.
It was right at the moment that the host returned to the stage. He snatched the microphone away from Han Fei. As he was about to push the agenda forward, he met Han Fei’s eyes. There was a demon living inside there. A glance at it and the host’s scalp numbed. The microphone almost slipped from his grasp.
“It’s not right of you to abandon me on stage like that, knowing that I do not have much public speaking experience. That was quite nerve-wrecking, wasn’t it?” Han Fei patted the man’s shoulders and disappeared backstage. Director Jiang and Sister Long were there to meet him.
“Han Fei, are you alright?!” Director Jiang grabbed hold of Han Fei. His eyes filled with concern. When the criticisms swamped the screen earlier, Director Jiang almost fainted, much less Han Fei who was the target of the attack.
“Sure, I’m alright. It feels quite nervous to be on stage for the first time but I’m fine.” Han Fei said with ease. It felt as if a weight had been taken off his shoulders.
“Jiang Yi said you suffer from social anxiety, we were ready to rush onstage to drag you back.” Sister Long was given quite a fright too. This was after all a live broadcast.
“I did suffer from serious social anxiety, it was hard for me to even converse with others in the past but my condition is slowly being cured.” Han Fei knew that Director Jiang and Sister Long worried about him and he appreciated that.
“That was definitely a targeted attack on you. Someone wants to take you down.” Sister Long’s admiration towards Han Fei grew after his performance on stage. She then added in a roundabout way. “Your main problem now is that you are not attached to any company, it’s too easy for others to come after you. They can perjure you with false information or through other methods. You need someone to help you manage these things.” Sister Long was being honest. “No matter how good your projects are, people will always find ways to drag you down. In our industry, acting skill is not the only yardstick to see how far an actor can go, instead capital and background are the most reliable dream makers.”
“I understand that but I do not plan to join any agency at the moment.” Han Fei knew that his schedule would be limited after he signed a contract, for now, gaming was more important.
“Han Fei, our industry is not unlike other fields, not everyone is a fair player. If you do not wish to join any agency, then you have to watch yourself. Of course, know that we You Long Culture will always be your backbone.” Sister Long promised. She still hoped that they could cooperate together in the future.
“Thank you, Sister Long but don’t worry about me, I have my own plan.” Han Fei had a light smile on his face, no one knew what he was thinking. “I’ve always been a kind person but if they force my hands, then they’ll have no one to blame but themselves.” Han Fei was a principled person. He would not drag any innocent people into the cryptic world but being principled did not mean that he did not have a bottomline. At that moment, he was thinking about something else. ‘If they like to play dirty that much, I’ll bring them to a world filled with filth and obscenity, for them to witness the real meaning of despair and unfairness.’
