Chapter 139
"Damn, I've got goosebumps."
"Is this really unrehearsed, with a script they just received?"
"You call this improvisation? Teacher Yu, that's insulting! Does that mean other actors who have to recite lines like '1,2,3,4,5,6' need to go back to square one?"
"Fei, I'm sorry, but in this moment I've switched allegiances. Yu Sister, you acted so brilliantly!"
"Impossible, absolutely impossible! How can someone be so beautiful, have such incredible acting skills, and not even be professionally trained? I don't believe it! This must be an illusion. I need to wake myself up!"
"Did the person above manage to wake up?"
"I beat myself into a pulp. I woke up and realized it wasn't an illusion. Oh my, Your Highness, your subject has arrived late!"
"She's truly a hidden gem of an actress! Is everyone in the entertainment industry blind? How has no one realized until now that she's actually a powerhouse performer?"
"Don't you feel that the plot of this stage play hits even closer to home?"
"I want to say... I've experienced the same thing. They all said I was seducing the boss, but I was actually being sexually harassed. I was even warned by the boss's wife and ostracized by colleagues. Then I resigned because... you really can't fight against those in power."
"I've been through something similar. I slapped the boss right then and there, calling him a stupid bastard! But I can understand those who couldn't react on the spot. As women, we've been conditioned from a young age with some unspoken behavioral reflexes - not daring to make a scene, not daring to go public, and some even being too scared to resist... Sisters, don't be afraid. They're the ones who did wrong, they should be the ones afraid!"
"I just want to say that flirting with unequal power dynamics is sexual harassment. Especially when the other person can control your professional future."
"Is it because of my looks that I haven't encountered this... If I looked as good as Yu Rouyin, would it be impossible to avoid such situations? Why do they bully us girls and then make up stories about us?"
"As a man, I just want to tell the ladies above, when you encounter such situations, you need to make a fuss. Let them know you're not pushovers! That's how you take away their guts to try anything!"
"Hey hey hey, am I the only one reminded of that scandal that trended for a day, with netizens hurling tens of thousands of insults?"
"I remember, was it the one about entering the screenwriter's room and getting photographed?"
"No, it was the one about entering the male lead's trailer..."
"I knew something was fishy. If we look at it from the perspective of this stage play, all those incidents are problematic!"
"There was no evidence, just the man staying silent, his wife lashing out, and some hearsay and photos. Damn, it's exactly the same! So this is what the truth looks like when revealed!"
"I feel like I was used as a pawn all those years. Damn, I want to curse them to death!"
The Ladies' Club hadn't even reacted yet, but two of their Weibo accounts were already overwhelmed, and their husbands were being cursed on the trending topics alongside them.
As the remaining acts of the play unfolded, one old case after another was dug up. The Ladies' Club never expected this stage play to be targeting them, hitting the mark without missing a single one.
No matter what emergency measures they took, it was useless, just like the previous situations.
Some men even threw their wives under the bus, since they had stayed silent and invisible back then.
Their die-hard fans still insisted on believing them.
But karma came around, and other victims came forward to attack their husbands. Suddenly, new trash was hung on the wall, despised by countless netizens, sitting in a row with the scum that came before.
Yu Rouyin's superb acting skills continued to attract new fans, with her Weibo follower count steadily increasing. Some were captivated by her acting, some felt guilty about past events, some sympathized with her experiences. In an instant, public opinion completely reversed.
It seemed that only professional trolls remained among the haters, along with some so-called 'victims' from back then.
As the performance ended, the masks of those 'victims' were finally completely torn off. Not just online, but even people around them couldn't help but curse at them, after all, they had been so self-righteous in slandering Yu Rouyin before.
...
"Oh, didn't you say your husband offended Yu Rouyin when she was young, so he was persecuted by her patron?"
"You heartless scum, come out! I actually believed you and felt sorry for you. I even let my daughter come to your house for tutoring. Only today did I realize why my daughter said she didn't like coming here. It wasn't because she didn't like studying, it was because you kept touching her inappropriately! I'll beat you to death!"
"You three-legged monster, still lustful despite your condition. Back then you must have targeted the young Yu Rouyin because she was pretty. You're simply a hypocrite, a beast in human clothing!"
...
"The boss fired her. Who told her to have such low moral character, saying their middle school classmate was forced to transfer schools because of Yu Rouyin. I think she was just boy-crazy herself, and seeing the boys all focus on Yu Rouyin made her jealous, so she made up stories about her."
"I saw the exposé. Yu Rouyin was clearly the victim. It's bad enough that the perpetrators refuse to admit their wrongs, but even bystanders treat her like this. If this happened to my daughter, I'd really want to kill someone."
"As a fellow woman, not only does she not stand in solidarity, but she continues to spread rumors and throw mud after the fact. She's just pandering to men, it's disgusting."
"I heard the identities of those three middle school students have been uncovered. They're all married now, with harmonious families, doing well for themselves. Now that this layer has been peeled back, it's time for them to atone for their past misdeeds."
...
"I always thought that family was pitiful, losing their good son because of a girl. Turns out he never even had contact with her! It was just his one-sided crush, and they were so unlucky to be entangled with such a family."
"Moreover, they're the ones who killed their own son. How could they disregard a child's dignity like that, causing such a laughing stock? With pre-existing mental health issues, how could he possibly survive? I heard even the psychiatrist warned them, but they completely disregarded it. Then when their son died, instead of self-reflecting, they blamed others. There really are all kinds of weirdos out there."
"I'm laughing too. Just because someone died, they think they can persecute others like this? She's already suffered family ruin because of them, and after so many years, they still curse her viciously when talking about her. Where's their conscience? Who's really the one with deep sins? They should be afraid of karmic retribution."
"Maybe karma has come. I heard they were in a car accident not long ago..."
...
Meanwhile, some clever fans had already discovered some deeper issues.
Why had Yu Rouyin been smeared for so many years without her company ever helping to clear her name, and now it took a PK opponent to restore her reputation?
Something's fishy. Her company is very problematic!
Gradually, people started to dig into Yu Rouyin's company.
At this point, some attention-seeking insiders naturally leaked some internal information, letting the public know how Yu Rouyin had been oppressed all these years.
Seeing some outrageous clauses, all netizens were shocked beyond belief.
A ten-year contract, with a fixed salary? While others get millions or tens of millions, Yu Rouyin is just a wage worker?
Some netizens even began to question the legality of the contract. If it's legal, then it's unethical. Faced with an unethical company, what should be done? Report its tax issues! If it exploits a female celebrity like this, there's no way its taxes are in order!
In an instant, the power players at Yu Rouyin's former company were furious, angrily contacting Yu Rouyin, wanting her to help clarify the situation.
However, at this moment, Yu Rouyin was already mentally exhausted from wholeheartedly performing all five acts. Amidst thunderous applause, she was dazedly led backstage to rest.
Seemingly not yet realizing that her fate had changed, she fell asleep leaning against a chair, as if having survived a calamity.