Chapter 115 — IAVD (QT) Chapter 115

Ji Linlang was a rising new star at the height of her momentum. Two hit television dramas had aired back to back. Her fans were enthusiastic, and her haters were just as enthusiastic.

On ordinary days, whenever she casually posted a daily-life Weibo update, there would always be people lying in wait below, screenshotting it at the first moment, eager to use a magnifying glass to find flaws on her.

Today, her “throwing a tantrum and acting like a diva” news had climbed the trending searches. It was right at the eye of the storm. When she posted such a statement, concerned fans and hostile haters swarmed in. In less than ten minutes, both reposts and comments exceeded ten thousand.

The fans and netizens who had guessed the truth at the very beginning were instantly pushed to the front by frantic likes.

Those who came later could only offer sincere admiration.

【Amazing, amazing. Truly impressive.】
【Who would have thought there was actually a princess going undercover among the common folk?】
【So the TV dramas and movies Ji Linlang acted in… if I remember correctly, weren’t they all invested in by Ji family subsidiaries?】
【Bro, you remember right. All Ji family companies.】
【I remember she was dragged pretty badly back then, saying she had a sugar daddy. Turns out this was Ji Group Film and Television promoting their own little princess?】
【Hahahaha, such a satisfying slap in the face.】

However, no matter how much the netizens joked and teased, the haters were unwilling to believe that Ji Linlang was innocent.

They had their own set of logic, stubborn and unyielding. Even if evidence slapped them in the face, they might not believe it, let alone now when this was just Ji Linlang’s word alone, without a single piece of evidence, relying entirely on netizens’ imagination?

Seeing that the top comments were mocking them, the haters became furious and launched a barrage of attacks, from Ji Linlang throwing tantrums all the way to accusing her of daydreaming in broad daylight, wantonly smearing and attacking her.

Under their muddying of the waters, the previously harmonious comment section under Ji Linlang’s Weibo instantly became noisy and chaotic.

On the highway, Ji Xiu sat in the back seat, staring at the statement and thinking for several minutes about how to repost and respond to Ji Linlang’s Weibo in a more formal manner.

After exiting and refreshing, he saw the direction of the comments.

A trace of anger surfaced on his handsome, mature face. He darkened his expression and, without saying a word, reposted first.

Ji Xiu: Dad supports you! You are Dad’s little princess. Any act of smearing you, Dad will not ignore. This lawsuit, we’re filing it! @Ji Linlang: To prove that I’m not lying, @Ji Xiu Dad, can you help me testify? [Statement screenshot]

Once posted, Weibo seemed to experience an earthquake. With a loud boom, it shook the hearts of countless melon-eating netizens.

#Ji Linlang Responds#
#Ji Linlang Identity#
#Ji Xiu’s Daughter#
#Ji Linlang Reputation Rights Lawsuit#

Several keywords in a row instantly rushed into the trending searches.

Ji Xiu’s repost was equivalent to publicly backing Ji Linlang and firmly proving her identity, telling everyone that Ji Linlang was indeed a member of the Ji family.

……

The Ji family was a well-known hidden wealthy family in the country.

Before the internet became widespread, very few people knew of the Ji family’s existence.

The first time the name Ji family appeared in the public eye was after Ji Xiu registered a Weibo account and caused a sensation online.

Following Ji Xiu’s verification, people quickly dug up the Ji family’s background and past cases and posted them online.

For that entire month, eighty percent of online topics revolved around the two names Ji family and Ji Xiu.

Overall, although there were some who hated the rich, the Ji family had earned its current status. The public’s impression of the Ji family was still relatively positive, and by extension, their attitude toward Ji Xiu, the Ji family’s Second Master, was also quite gentle.

Ji Xiu had no airs and did not take the aloof tycoon route. On Weibo, he shared various travel destinations and facilities, complained about odd encounters in daily life, and even muttered a few words about stock trends.

The young netizens who initially came just to watch the fun were soon won over by his wit and humor and impressed by his keen sense of the stock market.

Drawn in by the name, trapped by the charm, loyal to the stocks. That described Ji Xiu perfectly.

Relying on these things, over several years, Ji Xiu’s followers grew to sixty million, more than many young male stars and rising actresses in the entertainment industry.

Moreover, Ji Xiu’s fans were extremely active, each one a master of memes.

Whenever Ji Xiu posted on Weibo, the comment section would become an ocean of jokes.

【Ah, Dad posted on Weibo. Dad, look at me, look at me, look at me!】
【It’s been fifteen days since Dad last posted. Dad, when are you coming to pick me up? I’ve been drifting outside for twenty-eight years already.】
【Dad, today I want to eat a twenty-eight-yuan bowl of beef noodles. I reached into my pocket and found no money. When are you drawing prizes again? Let this African finally win once.】

The enthusiasm of sixty million fans was no joke.

But today’s situation was different. Ji Xiu was not sharing daily life, but publicly backing a female celebrity.

Fortunately, after the initial habitual joking, some comments quickly noticed the key point.

Since when did Dad have a daughter?

With curiosity and a desire to watch the spectacle, sixty million fans rushed straight to Ji Linlang’s Weibo.

【You call Ji Xiu Dad, I also call Ji Xiu Dad. Rounding it up, we’re siblings!】
【So my little sister is an actress. Sister is really pretty!】
【Turns out this is my sister. Hello sister, I’m your brother (doge).】
【Support sister in defending her rights.】
【Hello, eldest young lady. Are you still missing a thigh accessory? I can eat, sleep, and drink…】
【Sister, brother is sorry. Before, when I saw you getting dragged, brother never stepped in. Who knew you were actually my long-lost sister of fifteen years. Sister, from now on, if anything happens, just call brother once. Brother will charge into battle for you. No one will dare smear you. If they want to smear you, they’ll have to step over my corpse first. Also, sister, remember to remind Dad to pick brother up soon. Brother only has three yuan and eighty cents left this month.】
【What exactly happened, we hope the production team gives a proper explanation. Sister says she already apologized. Shouldn’t the production team respond as well? Playing dead won’t do, otherwise don’t blame the Ji Family Army for being too rough.】

After Ji Xiu’s fans joined the fray, the already lively scene became even more heated.

Two hours later, when the heat reached its peak, Ji Linlang posted another Weibo at just the right time, containing two video clips.

One was surveillance footage related to Ji Xiu being sent to the hospital after his accident. The other was surveillance footage of the manager apologizing.

The first clip showed that at one o’clock in the afternoon, Ji Xiu lay on a stretcher, coming out of an elevator and being sent into the operating room for emergency treatment.

Ji Linlang was drenched in water, her expression tense as she followed closely behind, only stopping when Ji Xiu entered the operating room, anxiously waiting outside.

The second clip showed that at two thirty in the afternoon, Ji Linlang’s manager, accompanied by an assistant, rushed to the filming site and found the program director.

No one knew what was said, but the manager bent deeply with an apologetic expression, seemingly apologizing.

The program director waved to interrupt, then turned and left.

The manager and assistant bowed repeatedly in apology, only to be roughly pushed and driven away by the program staff.

……

These two pieces of surveillance footage served as corroborating evidence for Ji Linlang’s claims.

First, she took the production team’s helicopter to save Ji Xiu. It was understandable and not acting like a diva.

Second, the manager had apologized afterward, yet the production team accused her of never responding, maliciously smearing her and fabricating facts.

With the Ji family halo, after being smeared, Ji Linlang did not collapse nor use her identity to suppress others. Instead, she refuted things with reason and evidence and promptly presented proof, sparing the melon-eating masses from wavering confusion. This caused the onlooking netizens who had been hesitating to instantly stand on Ji Linlang’s side.

The chaotic direction of opinion began to normalize.

With the污水 washed clean from Ji Linlang, it was now the production team’s turn to give an explanation.

The haters vanished without a trace. Fans occupied Ji Linlang’s comment section, along with other netizens tagging the production team from afar, demanding an explanation.

If Ji Linlang had not had evidence, she really would have been ruined by the production team.

Such a disgusting production team did not even need guided opinion. Netizens alone could curse it to ruin.

At this point, there was no longer any need for Ji Xiu to worry.

Sitting in the back seat, Ji Xiu watched as Ji Linlang so quickly found evidence, cleared her name, and seized the moral high ground. He could not help but space out a little.

Why did it feel like, even without his intervention, Ji Linlang could have independently resolved this matter herself?

What she said at the beginning really had not been a lie.

Ji Xiu thought about Ji Linlang’s past. His daughter seemed to have always been like this. Independent, decisive in style, confident in whatever she did. Only when family was involved would she reveal panic.

There was no denying that when Ji Xiu saw the footage of Ji Linlang guarding him and refusing to leave, he was somewhat moved.

At the same time, another keyword climbed the trending searches.

#Ji Xiu Surfing Accident#

Some people noticed Ji Xiu in the incident between Ji Linlang and the production team and learned that he had fallen into the water while surfing today, been swept into an undercurrent, and nearly died. They could not help but feel relieved.

【Thankfully Ji Linlang decisively took the production team’s helicopter. Otherwise, Second Master Ji might really have been in trouble.】
【My focus is a bit off. As expected of a wealthy family’s eldest granddaughter, she can actually fly a helicopter.】
【I think Ji Linlang did great. If my parents were in danger, I definitely wouldn’t have that much courage. Seeing how anxious she was in the footage, she’s really filial.】
【Good people live long lives. With a family full of worthy ancestors, the Ji family will surely be fine.】

What followed were all discussions about Ji Xiu falling into the water.

Ji Xiu glanced at them twice and closed his eyes to rest.

Since there was nothing left for him to handle, he would leave it be for now. The more important matter was the Ji Chengsi he was about to meet.

After bringing Ji Chengsi back to the Ji family, he would then look at the production team’s response.

If their response was bad, he would definitely let those people know what it meant to bully others with power.

……

The car drove on the highway for four hours and finally reached the destination city.

After exiting the highway, they twisted and turned, not entering the city center. Instead, they headed toward the suburbs. After another long stretch, they entered a courtyard located at a remote intersection, with a strong urban-rural fringe style.

Ji Xiu pushed the door open and got out.

Seeing this, Xiao Chen wanted to follow, though he did not know what Ji Xiu had come here for.

Ji Xiu waved him off. “You wait here. I’ll be out soon.”

Once familiar, twice skilled. This was not his first time retrieving a wealthy family child who had been lost outside. He was already adept at this sort of thing and did not need outsiders to help.

An hour later, Ji Xiu returned to the car with a thin, quiet teenage boy.

The family that had adopted Ji Chengsi already had three children of their own, an over-quota family. Though they had kindly adopted Ji Chengsi, they did not wish to further divide the love they had for their biological children.

They provided Ji Chengsi with food and clothing, but not selfless love.

Fortunately, they had never concealed Ji Chengsi’s origins.

Ji Chengsi had known since childhood that he was not their biological child. Seeing them favor the other three children, he was not sad.

Because of this, although his relationship with his adoptive parents was fairly good, he never felt that kind of intimate closeness between family members. It was as if there were a layer of illusory separation between them. Each time he watched his adoptive parents laugh and chat with their children, he could only watch, unable to integrate.

Perhaps this was also why, in his previous life after returning to the Ji family, he regarded Old Master Ji as his pillar of reliance.

In his heart at that time, Old Master Ji was the only person who treated him well and was connected to him by blood.

……

Ji Xiu arrived late. The adoptive family had already lain down to rest and only turned on the lights after hearing movement.

After learning Ji Xiu’s purpose, and after seeing the evidence he provided along with the enormous compensation amount, the family hesitated for half an hour before agreeing to let Ji Xiu take Ji Chengsi away.

The woman of the house turned to call Ji Chengsi. Ji Chengsi came out of a cramped room, carrying a backpack, dressed in clothes washed to a faded white. He glanced at Ji Xiu in surprise, then calmly looked at his adoptive parents, his expression steady, and likewise agreed to leave with Ji Xiu.

They say poverty-stricken couples suffer over everything.

But in reality, whether spouses or parent and child, once poverty sets in, everything becomes suffering.

When poverty reaches the extreme, every trivial matter in life becomes a burden.

The poorer, the more children. The more children, the poorer. A family with three extra children, their situation was obvious.

Toward Ji Chengsi, it was impossible for this family to have no feelings at all. But those feelings were not worth giving up several million for.

Besides, what would keeping Ji Chengsi achieve? With four children, they were already struggling to pay tuition. It was better to let him return to his own family to enjoy life. Both sides would get what they wanted.

Seeing this, Ji Xiu said nothing more. He left the check behind and took Ji Chengsi out.

Outside, Xiao Chen came up wanting to help. Ji Xiu waved him off, walked over himself, pulled open the car door, and looked at Ji Chengsi.

“Let’s go. Get in the car. We’ll rush home first and rest.”

Ji Chengsi was slightly surprised, but still lowered his head and bent to sit inside.

His movements were natural and smooth, revealing an unhidden elegance.

Ji Xiu narrowed his eyes.