Yin Mo had just sent off the young and old monks when his strange Weibo post finally hit the trending topics.
The comment section was filled with question marks.
[What's this, did this person borrow President Yin's coat and finally return it after 10 years?]
[The person above is talking nonsense, President Yin doesn't wear bunny ears]
[Haha, did he find his lost wallet?]
Curious about the potential gossip, Ding Hanbing's manager clicked on the Weibo post.
You may not recognize that silhouette, but I certainly do.
Ding Hanbing wasn't lying - President Yin really does know this Young Master Jing! I'm the only one who knows the truth!
The manager happily opened the comment section, wanting Yin Mo's fans and employees to experience the same confusion he initially felt.
To his surprise, none of the comments were serious.
What's going on? Aren't you all curious about the identity of the person in the photo and their relationship with your President Yin?
Ding Hanbing's manager secretly opened an alternate account and tried to steer the conversation.
[Don't you think the person in the photo looks like that Jing family young master who was photographed at the castle recently?]
After posting, the manager felt a bit guilty.
Is it right to wish for others to suffer the same way he did? Thinking about it, Yin Mo wasn't even an idol anymore, so how could it be the same as Ding Hanbing's situation? The manager was about to delete the comment.
Oh well, I'll just suffer alone because of Ding Hanbing.
But when he clicked back in, Yin Mo's comment section had been flooded.
[Stop looking, President Yin! There's trouble with your film crew!]
[Damn, I feel bad for our President Yin. I hope this investment doesn't get ruined by one bad apple.]
[Who are you calling a bad apple? Watch your mouth!]
The comment section erupted into arguments.
Ding Hanbing's manager was bewildered and quickly checked the trending topics. He saw that the previously trending #RoseBanquet and #DGInsultsChina had escalated to an even more serious level.
And both of these incidents were now linked to Guan Yan.
Guan Yan, isn't he the actor who replaced Ding Hanbing in the crew?
Ding Hanbing's manager finally got his juicy gossip.
Meanwhile, Guan Yan's manager was left dumbfounded after receiving a phone call.
Guan Yan urged him: "Didn't Master Zhou tell you all to mobilize people to search? Why haven't you found the statue yet?"
The manager swallowed hard: "Let's not talk about the statue for now. ... The Mist Film Crew called the company. The director called personally, saying they want to replace you."
Guan Yan was stunned for a second, his first reaction was: "Impossible."
But he quickly thought of the trending topics from the past few days.
Yin Mo's Weibo post might have blown up even more than his, right?
It's possible the heat was redirected.
Guan Yan said coldly: "On what grounds?"
"Just because we happily announced you as the brand ambassador on our official Weibo, and right after that, they were exposed for insulting China. Your fans can't even defend you without looking bad. We've become the laughingstock of half the entertainment industry..."
"Just because many people from the Rose Banquet were arrested, and those rich second-generation and powerful second-generation kids you cozied up to are all in trouble now. It's lucky they haven't found out you attended..."
Guan Yan fell silent.
But the manager's phone kept ringing.
After taking a few calls, he looked ashen.
It was all gone. Everything was gone. Even the female star the company had arranged for him to work with was gone. The company was very disappointed in him.
Seeing his manager looking like his parents had just died, Guan Yan couldn't help but snatch the phone: "What is it? Let me see."
He didn't see any other messages, but he saw the news comment section first.
[No way, are there still people who don't know that Guan Yan deliberately brought a body double to the scene, pretending it was arranged by the crew, so he could act like he was valiantly resisting, all to create a hardworking image?]
[Guan Yan has already broken his own rules, using a body double for The Mist. He can't keep up with Bai Yuhuai's acting.]
[Does anyone know he also attended the Rose Banquet? Such a party that the higher-ups personally sent people to raid for prostitution, such a party that completely disrespects women, and fans still want to defend him, saying he attended but was ignorant?]
[Looking back at what his studio posted about DG, and seeing all these tactics... hmm, seems like he's desperate for fame, still trying to cultivate an upright official image, forcibly comparing himself to Bai Yuhuai, must have been suffering all these years, right?]
[Here's another bit of gossip, I'm from his hometown. His family's house was being demolished, and somehow his older siblings caused a scene, even threatening to jump off a building.]
[? Is this family that outrageous?]
...
Guan Yan only skimmed through, but those words jumped into his eyes.
As they say, the most devastating attack targets the heart.
These words were truly devastating.
Guan Yan suddenly stood up, muttering: "The statue, it must be because the statue is lost, that's why good luck turned into bad luck. We need to find the statue, need to find the statue..."
He said urgently, while sending more money to Master Zhou and dialing his number, wanting to go find him.
The manager was pushed aside by Guan Yan, staring blankly at his retreating figure.
The man's form seemed to have become hunched overnight, as if something heavy was pressing down on him...
Jing Jiujiu fully understood from Guan Yan's situation what kind of outcome awaits when an evil god takes away good fortune and brings bad luck... He murmured: "Both evil god statues were damaged and need to recover through their believers. If Guan Yan is this miserable, Jing Tinghua probably isn't doing much better..."
As soon as he finished speaking, Jing Jiujiu's phone locked.
Now he couldn't see anything at all.
Jing Jiujiu hurriedly tugged on Bai Yuhuai's arm: "Bro, unlock it for me." After a moment's thought, he added softly: "Please? Bro, brother~"
Xu Sanyu had just walked over and didn't hear anything else, just that drawn-out "brother".
Xu Sanyu: ?
Well, well, your kink is quite special. You just love playing at incest, going for the thrill, huh?
Xu Sanyu quickly pretended he hadn't heard and walked away.
After Jing Jiujiu tugged on his arm a few times, Bai Yuhuai finally took the phone and unlocked it for him.
"Kid, spend less time on your phone," Bai Yuhuai admonished.
Jing Jiujiu didn't look up: "Ghosts don't get nearsighted, or text neck, and their spine and cervical vertebrae are all fine."
Bai Yuhuai: "..."
Jing Jiujiu looked up: "When you think about it, being a ghost is pretty good."
Bai Yuhuai furrowed his brows.
Not good.
But Bai Yuhuai couldn't exactly say what wasn't good about it.
Perhaps it was just... when he couldn't truly and tangibly touch the young man's skin, feel the blood flowing slowly beneath that thin skin, Bai Yuhuai felt that everything was terrible.
Jing Jiujiu seriously searched for Jing Tinghua on his phone, and he really found something.
Two news articles.
One titled "Jing Tinghua's Nephew Falls from Building Again, Dies Despite Rescue Efforts"
Jing Jiujiu was stunned. Just died like that?
Was it those ghosts haunting him, increasing their efforts?
Jing Jiujiu then looked at the other news article - "Mr. Jing Tinghua Falls Down Mall Escalator".
In the accompanying photo, Jing Tinghua was being supported by others, his expression gloomy, his head covered in blood.
When Jing Jiujiu refreshed again, the news articles were gone, replaced by a post on a gossip forum.
"Who Wants to Discuss Jing Tinghua?"
1: Are you sick? Why discuss him? Isn't this for celebrity gossip?
OP: We can discuss rich businessmen too. I got the idea from today's news about Guan Yan. Some people say Guan Yan is like a plague god, bringing bad luck wherever he goes. It reminded me that Jing Tinghua has been quite unlucky recently too. It started about a month ago... Do you know about borrowing luck? They say many coastal rich businessmen used to do this. Feels like Jing Tinghua might have borrowed luck...
3: Oh, now that you mention it. I wanted to say this last time, does anyone remember that Jing family young master who's still unclear whether he's dead or alive? Some people always say they remember he clearly died in the Sleeping Beauty Castle, but others say they remember he's still alive, and some say it's strange, they should have a deep impression of such a beautiful person, but they've completely forgotten...
...
88: Everyone above, memory erasure failed, you will be contained.
89: Ahh don't scare me, I'm about to lose sanity points!
The discussion in the thread became very lively, and Jing Jiujiu learned a few more internet slang terms along the way.
Meanwhile, on the other side in Capital City.
Jing Tinghua ordered someone to bring Jing Hao's corpse before him. By this time, Jing Hao's parents had rushed over upon hearing the news, crying loudly and trying to push their way in, but they were firmly held back outside.
Half of Jing Hao's head was smashed like a watermelon.
According to the doctor, before he died, Jing Hao had been shouting that the hospital room was too crowded, and that he had called many escort models and D-list celebrities to keep him company. The doctor couldn't help but remark at the time, "With so many people, how could it not be crowded?"
Only Jing Tinghua knew that the "crowding" Jing Hao spoke of wasn't in that sense.
Those who serve the gods, once they encounter a streak of bad luck, will experience a surge in negative energy and a decrease in positive energy. This then attracts many wandering ghosts and lonely spirits.
These ghosts aren't as polite as living people.
They will press down on you, cling to your arms and legs, making you feel as if you can't breathe.
Jing Tinghua had experienced this before.
Jing Tinghua lowered his gaze and examined Jing Hao once more.
Half of his face was contorted, his eyes filled with terror. Due to the immense impact of hitting the concrete ground, even his limbs were deformed.
Outside, the secretary could no longer hold them back, and Jing Hao's parents burst in. They initially wanted to throw themselves onto Jing Hao's body, but upon seeing his condition, they abruptly stopped, even their crying momentarily halted by shock.
"How... could this happen?" Jing Hao's mother mumbled.
Jing Hao's father cried out in anguish, "I must tell Father! Haohao was fine, and then he came here to help you, to work for you, how could this happen..."
Jing Tinghua coldly asked, "You ask why this happened?"
Jing Hao's father was taken aback, but quickly realized something. He stammered, "You mean... you mean..."
Jing Tinghua pointed at himself expressionlessly, "Look at me. Am I any better off?"
Jing Hao's father trembled all over, now unable to say anything.
Jing Tinghua said coldly, "Perhaps, the next second it will come for you."
Jing Hao's father panicked, "Why would it come for me? This has nothing to do with me."
"The first child born to each generation of the Jing family is an offering. Although I still can't understand why you, big brother, came back with just a lame leg at the time. But I think, if the god is truly angry, it wouldn't mind coming back to feast on you, would it?" Jing Tinghua's voice was icy.
Jing Hao's father was terrified and turned to leave immediately, not even caring about his son's corpse anymore.
Jing Hao's mother, naturally unable to comprehend, angrily said, "I don't care about anything else, Haohao is dead. You, as his uncle, should at least offer compensation, right? Also, choose a good burial site for Haohao. Haohao's position before he died..."
Before Jing Hao's mother could finish, Jing Tinghua coldly interrupted, "Burial site? Is he worthy of one?"
"What do you mean?"
"What was he? Back then in our family, he acted recklessly, even laying his hands on Jing Jiujiu. Such a creature, now that he's dead, does he deserve a burial site?"
Jing Hao's mother cursed angrily, "You, you... if you held a grudge, why did you let Haohao work for you?"
Jing Tinghua replied, "At that time, he was useful. Now, what is he? Just a pile of rotten flesh."
As he spoke, Jing Tinghua wrinkled his brow in disgust.
Jing Hao's father was well aware of how formidable his brother's personality and methods were.
Otherwise, even though the Jing family had obtained the divine statue, how was it that only Jing Tinghua had managed to elevate the Jing family to its current status?
Jing Hao's father, preoccupied with the curse brought down by the evil god, no longer cared about his son and hurriedly pulled his wife towards the exit.
"What are you doing? Let go of me! That's your son!" she protested.
"Keep quiet or we'll divorce," he threatened in a low voice.
Jing Hao's mother suddenly stopped moving.
Jing Hao's father said grimly, "What do you understand? For those who have experienced this, no son matters anymore... If you had felt the threat of the evil god up close..."
His wife shuddered at his words.
"Of course, you don't need to worry about yourself. The evil god doesn't have a fetish for wives as offerings," Jing Hao's father said as he quickened his pace.
His wife wouldn't die, but he might!
Jing Hao's father's eyes darted around. Could he possibly use Jing Tinghua's younger son as a substitute?
Back in the hospital room.
Jing Tinghua ordered, "Take it away."
The secretary asked, "Are we really not burying him in a graveyard?"
Jing Tinghua said coldly, "Dump it anywhere."
"...Yes." Even though the secretary had worked for Jing Tinghua for many years, he couldn't help but feel a chill run down his spine. He felt that his boss had never allowed anyone to truly understand him.
As soon as the secretary left, Jing Tinghua smashed a cup.
He stared at the large hole he had made in the window, politely paid the hospital three times the compensation fee, and then calmed down.
Bai Yuhuai had always kept someone watching in Capital City.
When the new actor replacing Guan Yan successfully arrived at the film set, Bai Yuhuai received a call from Capital City.
After ending the call, Bai Yuhuai turned around to see Jing Jiujiu and Tao He sitting together, chatting.
...How could he chat so easily with anyone?
Without the barrier of the internet, was it even easier to converse?
"Jing Jiujiu," Bai Yuhuai called softly from behind.
Before Jing Jiujiu could react, Tao He responded first, quickly saying, "Go on, you go first. Brother Bai is calling you."
Jing Jiujiu returned to Bai Yuhuai's side and asked quietly, "What's the matter?"
Bai Yuhuai felt that he was being quite strange.
Actually, Jing Jiujiu had only exchanged a few more words with Tao He...
Bai Yuhuai lowered his gaze and said calmly, "A call came from Capital City. Do you want to hear about it?"
Of course, Jing Jiujiu wanted to hear. He hurriedly went with Bai Yuhuai to a corner to talk privately.
Tao He watched from behind, sighing.
This Film Emperor Bai wasn't an unreasonable person, so why didn't he avoid suspicion when being intimate?
Meanwhile, Jing Jiujiu and Bai Yuhuai reached a corner.
Jing Jiujiu mumbled, "Is it something important?"
Bai Yuhuai replied, "No." "Jing Tinghua didn't arrange for Jing Hao's body to be buried, but abandoned it in the wilderness. These days, Jing Hao was entangled with ghosts, his positive energy weak and negative energy strong. After death, he became the kind of thing that lonely spirits and wandering ghosts love most..." At this point, Bai Yuhuai suddenly stopped.
"And then?" Jing Jiujiu asked.
And then, even Jing Hao's corpse and soul were gnawed incomplete after death.
It was indeed retribution.
But such an end might sound too cruel to Jing Jiujiu's ears.
Bai Yuhuai raised his hand and gently stroked Jing Jiujiu's head, "He just died."
Jing Jiujiu: ?
"His soul is incomplete, unable to enter the six realms of reincarnation, with no next life. A thorough, complete death, that kind of death," Master Tingyi said from behind, then clasped his hands and bowed, uttering "Amitabha."
Suddenly, there was an exclamation from the film crew, drawing everyone's attention.
They saw a black van and a blue sports car parked outside the set. As the car doors opened, people stepped out. This scene was much less grand than when Guan Yan arrived, but the crew's reaction was much more intense.
The people who got out of the cars walked straight towards them, coming directly to Jing Jiujiu. "Jiujiu!" "I've taken twenty-three professional acting classes!"
Jing Jiujiu: ?
Jing Jiujiu: "That's really great of you."
The fierce-looking young man's features suddenly softened, and even the corners of his mouth turned up high.
Bai Yuhuai frowned imperceptibly. It seemed they couldn't find anyone else as a guide and had to bring back Ding Hanbing.
Ten Ding Hanbings couldn't take as much punishment as one Guan Yan.
Tao He and the others had seen how strangely Ding Hanbing behaved towards Jing Jiujiu before, but the others hadn't. Now, they were all stunned.
"Didn't Superstar Ding say he'd arrive at 8 PM?" Yin Mo's voice came from afar, but soon, as he approached, his voice was right in front of them.
"Didn't President Yin say he wasn't at the film set?" Ding Hanbing looked up.
Both were old hands at sarcasm.
Not just the crew members, even the guide felt a moment of despair.
What was going on here?
Wasn't Ding Hanbing personally recommended by President Yin? How come they seemed a bit at odds when they met? If they had known it would be like this earlier... The guide wanted to cry but had no tears, silently turning his head to look at Bai Yuhuai again.
Look, even this god's expression wasn't too good now.
Jing Jiujiu thought for a moment, remembering he still had little ghosts to feed at home, so he bowed slightly, "You guys chat first."
Then he was about to leave with Bai Yuhuai.
Ding Hanbing watched the two of them inseparable, feeling so sour that bubbles almost came out of his nostrils.
"I just arrived, and you're leaving?"
Jing Jiujiu nodded, "Anyway, now that you've joined the crew, you'll see each other every day."
Ding Hanbing immediately caught an important point: "What? You come to the set every day to watch Bai Yuhuai film?"
Jing Jiujiu: "More or less."
Ding Hanbing was now even more jealous, feeling like he could burst. It just goes to show that one must have a professional talent! Otherwise, you're not even worthy of Jing Jiujiu visiting the set.
Yin Mo quickly chimed in, "I'll drive you guys. Bai has been exhausted these past few days, he should get some proper rest."
Ding Hanbing: "I have my driver's license too." After saying this, he couldn't help but want to pull it out, "I even have a race car driver's license." Ding Hanbing paused, then remembered to ask: "Where are you going now? It's still light out. Jiujiu, wait for me, I'll show you around the area..."
Jing Jiujiu saw that it was getting late.
Master Tingyi was supposed to feed them, but he had gone to meet Master Zhou today and had just returned to the set.
"We need to go now, we have to get back to feed the children."
Ding Hanbing: ???
He quickly turned to look at Yin Mo.
Yin Mo lowered his eyes and said nothing.
What had happened while he was away?
They had adopted children?
Xu Sanyu was also stunned.
It took Nezha three years of pregnancy.
You managed it in just three days?
Bai Yuhuai: "Let's go."
"Mm-hmm." Jing Jiujiu didn't bother to explain further, hurrying off with Bai Yuhuai towards the exit of the set.
Ding Hanbing couldn't stand it anymore and followed. Yin Mo was right behind him.
Ding Hanbing's manager called from behind: "Hey, you just joined the crew today, where are you running off to?"
Ding Hanbing: "Can't you see I'm eager to learn, wanting to ask Bai, the Film Emperor, for acting tips?"
Everyone just stood there dumbfounded, watching the Film Emperor and the beautiful youth walk side by side. While President Yin and Ding Hanbing sandwiched them from front and back.
This walking formation... was quite unique.
The guide behind them was also in a daze.
Only Master Tingyi's expression remained unchanged.
See, who could maintain their Buddhist calm when faced with this scene?
That's why he was worried.
Ding Hanbing was, after all, a popular celebrity. His fans were much crazier than Bai Yuhuai's. As soon as he arrived, sasaeng fans, paparazzi, and fan site admins... they all showed up in full force.
While the big fan groups were discussing flower basket support, paparazzi had already sold their photos.
Several consecutive snapshots.
It could be said that half of the entertainment industry's popular figures were gathered here.
[In my lifetime, I actually saw Bai Yuhuai walking together with Ding Hanbing and Yin Mo? They're truly the pinnacle of my aesthetic standards.]
[What? You're just walking, why do you need to form a flower shape?]
[Wait, who's that in the middle being surrounded? Jing Jiujiu?! Damn, it looks like him. If they weren't surrounding him so tightly, I could see more clearly]
[Huh??? Does Jing Jiujiu know all of them?]
[I believe it now, Jing Jiujiu is really still alive]
[My badass President Yin is actually playing chauffeur today?]
[My super badass Hanbing is actually opening car doors today?]
At this moment, Jing Tinghua was also staring intently at the photos.
It really was him.
He was in Sea City.
Hmm... Bai Yuhuai, Ding Hanbing, Yin Mo... who exactly had bought him? Previously, someone said they saw him walking with Bai Yuhuai. But... given Bai Yuhuai's personality, would he buy a young boy? Does he even need to buy one? It's more likely that Yin Mo and Ding Hanbing might have bought him because they remembered Jing Jiujiu.
"Buy a ticket to Sea City," Jing Tinghua quickly made a phone call.
The other end was silent for a moment: "...Aren't you afraid of plane crashes?"
Jing Tinghua stopped at this and dialed another number instead. He dialed three times before someone finally answered.
"Have you come out of seclusion?"
"I have, but I can't move around. Your matter hasn't been resolved yet. Didn't you hire a master?"
"After all, it's the power of an evil god... He disappeared after saying he found the idol. He's probably dead."
The other end was silent for a moment: "Then I'll put you in touch with someone else."
"Who?"
"Master Tingyi from Lingyang Mountain, he's a genuine enlightened monk."
But Jing Tinghua didn't immediately agree. He rubbed the cigarette on the table: "If I remember correctly, Yin Mo was once his disciple, and was a little monk for several years."
"Yes." The other end paused, "Later, because of your son, they had a falling out. Yin Mo left the mountain overnight and never returned. He's long since left the sect."
Jing Tinghua finally agreed.
Meanwhile, on the way back to the hotel with Jing Jiujiu, Ding Hanbing's mind was already racing through countless thoughts.
They have children now... What to do? Are they adopted?
He couldn't brazenly ask Jing Jiujiu to abandon the children. Why had things progressed to this stage between him and Bai Yuhuai in such a short time?
Ding Hanbing painfully covered his face, but quickly rallied.
It's probably because Jiujiu died, so he's more fond of children who symbolize new life.
What's the big deal about children?
Ding Hanbing asked: "How old are the children? Do you need help taking care of them?"
Jing Jiujiu: "...Ah, well. There's a three-year-old, a seven-year-old, a five-year-old..."
Ding Hanbing was so shocked he nearly lost his mind: "There's more than one?!" Has Bai Yuhuai gone mad? Why raise so many children with Jing Jiujiu?
Jing Jiujiu: "Yes, there's more than one..."
Ding Hanbing took a deep breath, said nothing, and turned to the corner to fiddle with his phone.
After careful consideration, he typed out a few words and posted on Weibo.
Ding Hanbing: Who has experience with childcare? Urgent, please respond.
When they arrived at the hotel, Ding Hanbing thought to himself, I need to be more competitive than Bai Yuhuai. Competing in acting skills won't work, neither will competing in wealth, and competing in who loves Jiujiu more is even more impossible... Jiujiu never loved me in the first place.
Ding Hanbing rolled up his sleeves and held his breath.
But I can compete in who changes diapers, picks up poop, and mixes formula faster!
As soon as Ding Hanbing made up his mind, he rushed to the front without hesitation.
A group of young rascals sat on the sofa, on the floor, on the coffee table, all turning their heads simultaneously, grinning at the door with bloody smiles.
Oh shit.
Ding Hanbing's legs went weak, he slipped, and even knocked Yin Mo down.
Bai Yuhuai took out his phone and glanced at the Weibo notification, which showed Ding Hanbing's new post.
The comment section was already in a frenzy.
[Don't scare me, did you have a child?]
Bai Yuhuai frowned and scrolled down.
Below was a related post: "Relationship blogger teaches you how to use children to win back your husband's heart, children are the bridge to building a family..."
Bai Yuhuai turned his head to look at the floor full of little demons.
They were all pretty ugly.
But Bai Yuhuai still expressionlessly picked and chose one from among them.
Raising one with Jing Jiujiu wouldn't be so bad.