Chapter 7: The Fallen Child Star (7)

This Weibo post was actually requested by Yao Rong from Zhang Qingyi.

Zhang Qingyi was the blonde woman with the pearl earrings and chin-length bob haircut.

As it happened, the editor-in-chief of A City Daily was Zhang Qingyi’s father.

The air marshals had asked Yao Rong and Xu Weiheng for statements simply because they were close by and could serve as eyewitnesses.

Both Yao Rong and Xu Weiheng testified that Zhang Qingyi hadn’t used physical violence, so after they left, Zhang Qingyi was also free to go.

“Thank you, really, thank you both so much,” Zhang Qingyi expressed her gratitude again.

Her face had been expertly made up earlier, but now her makeup was smeared and her eyes were very swollen.

Seeing it was still early, Yao Rong asked Xu Weiheng for some makeup remover wipes: “Let me go with you to the restroom to clean up your makeup.”

Hearing her suggestion, Zhang Qingyi’s tears, which had just stopped, threatened to spill again.

She sniffled: “I really don’t know how to thank you both. You’ve wasted so much time because of me, please let me treat you to dinner. You absolutely must not refuse.”

After washing her face with cold water, Zhang Qingyi finally calmed down somewhat. She took Yao Rong and Xu Weiheng to a fast food restaurant in the airport.

While eating, Xu Weiheng took off his mask.

Zhang Qingyi glanced at him several times, finding him increasingly familiar. He looked like a child star who had been trending recently, what was his name again?

“You… are you…”

Xu Weiheng volunteered: “Xu Weiheng.”

His candid response made Zhang Qingyi feel a bit embarrassed.

Yao Rong chimed in, easing Zhang Qingyi’s awkwardness.

“What are your plans? Are you flying back to A City right away?”

Zhang Qingyi smiled wryly, “I haven’t decided what to do yet, but I don’t want to return to A City so quickly. I’ve never been to D City before, so now that I’m here, I might as well stay for a while to clear my head.”

This would give her time to calm down and think things through.

Impulsiveness wouldn’t solve anything; it would only further intensify conflicts.

On the plane, she had angrily mentioned divorce, but her family and her husband’s family were old friends, and they had a seven-year-old son. Even if they were to divorce, it couldn’t be done so hastily.

“What about your son…?” Xu Weiheng hesitated before asking.

Zhang Qingyi replied with a hint of relief: “He’s currently at a closed summer camp that won’t end for another month. Before he returns home, I’ll do my best to sort out my feelings and handle this situation.”

Xu Weiheng smiled faintly and nodded: “That’s good.”

Yao Rong glanced at Xu Weiheng and offered him the fries in front of her.

Then, Zhang Qingyi asked Yao Rong about interesting places in D City.

Yao Rong thought for a moment and made a suggestion.

“I own a guesthouse in Ying County. If you haven’t decided where to stay yet, why not go to Ying County and rent my guesthouse for a while? Although Ying County is small, it has a very livable environment. If you want to relax, there are also many farmhouse resorts nearby.”

Zhang Qingyi was delighted: “That would be wonderful.”

To reassure Zhang Qingyi, Yao Rong gave her the guesthouse’s name and suggested she search for it on a rental app and make a call to verify.

After going through this process, Zhang Qingyi felt completely at ease.

Just as the three finished dinner, Zhang Qingyi’s phone rang.

She walked to the window to answer. At first, her expression was sad, but after hearing what the person on the other end said, her expression changed to anger.

After hanging up, Zhang Qingyi approached Yao Rong and quietly mentioned the trending topic and how some netizens were slandering Xu Weiheng.

“Sister Yao, what do you think? Is there anything I can do to help?”

Zhang Qingyi had heard many rumors about Xu Weiheng recently.

But seeing is believing. Compared to the rumors online, Zhang Qingyi trusted the living person she had personally interacted with more.

She couldn’t believe that a boy willing to stand up for a stranger would be the type to throw tantrums on set or get into fights.

This kindness deserved her best efforts in return.

Yao Rong frowned.

After getting off the plane, she had gone with the air marshal to give a statement and hadn’t expected the video to become a trending topic.

However, since the video had already spread, it would be a shame not to take advantage of the situation.

“Could you help me post on Weibo, confirming as a witness that the person in the video is indeed Weiheng?”

Living in this information age, it’s impossible to completely avoid public opinion.

So what she needed to do was help Xu Weiheng turn the tide of public opinion.

Starting with this video.

Zhang Qingyi nodded repeatedly, saying it was no problem, then went to call her parents.

If she were to post on Weibo herself, it wouldn’t carry much weight. But her parents happened to work as journalists. Since she had agreed to help, she would do so thoroughly.

[A City Daily Zhang Hongyu v: To be frank, the person wearing pearl earrings in the video is my daughter. Regarding family matters, my daughter and I don’t wish to speak much in public, but there is one thing we hope to clarify. The boy who spoke up righteously in the video is indeed Xu Weiheng. Not only did he stand up for my daughter on the plane, but he also testified for her afterward and even invited her to his hometown to relax. Our whole family is very grateful to him. @Xu Weiheng]

Zhang’s father, being an experienced journalist, knew exactly what to say.

His Weibo post didn’t explicitly defend Xu Weiheng; it simply listed what Xu Weiheng had done.

But any discerning person could see the goodwill in it.

Zhang’s father also mobilized his connections, getting many industry insiders to help repost.

Among them were many verified personal accounts and even official blue V accounts.

This reversal caused a stir among the netizens.

[Where are those people who said it wasn’t Xu Weiheng? Can they come out and apologize now?]

[It really is Xu Weiheng! Wow, I suddenly feel he’s so nice, quite different from what I imagined.]

[Single-parent family, father’s affair. I’m not anyone’s fan, but what Xu Weiheng said in the video really struck a chord with me. My dad is just such an irresponsible person. He made mistakes, but in the end, my mom and I had to pay for his errors and suffer for them. I just called my mom and told her I miss her.]

[Suddenly, I feel a bit sorry for Xu Weiheng. His parents are also divorced. Could it be that he bullies Xu Yiyuan because he feels Xu Yiyuan took away his father?]

[Now that you mention it, I actually feel like I can understand Xu Weiheng.]

[+1, inexplicably feeling heartbroken for him]

[+10086]

[Bah, so hitting someone is justified now? Xu Yiyuan’s mother and Xu Weiheng’s father only formed a new family after their divorces. How can you say Xu Yiyuan took away Xu Weiheng’s father?]

[Xu Yiyuan didn’t take anything from anyone. Is it his fault that his step-father likes him?]

As Xu Yiyuan’s fans came to his defense in droves, the sympathetic comments about Xu Weiheng were gradually pushed to the back.

But this forceful attempt to control the narrative also irritated many bystanders.

Before long, even Xu Ji and Xu Yiyuan heard about this incident.

Meanwhile, the director of “Entertainment New World” rubbed his hands excitedly and, despite it being the middle of the night, called to urge the post-production team.

“When will Xu Ji and Xu Yiyuan’s episode be ready for editing? Can we air it next week?”

His professional instinct made him eager to capitalize on this trending topic immediately!

…

After spending a night in the city, Yao Rong, Xu Weiheng, and Zhang Qingyi took an early morning bus back to Ying County.

Ying County is a small southern town, famous for its waterfall attraction and local specialties of satsuma oranges and lotus roots.

On the way back from the city to Ying County, they occasionally saw endless orchards and vast lotus lakes.

The trio arrived in Ying County around noon.

A light rain had fallen that morning, making the sky even more brilliantly blue afterward. A gentle breeze blew, carrying a refreshing coolness.

Yao Rong led Xu Weiheng and Zhang Qingyi into an alley where her guesthouse was located at the entrance.

It was midsummer, with the sun blazing overhead. The exterior walls were covered in lush green ivy, swaying gently in the breeze that swept through the alley, exuding vibrant life.

Yao Rong stepped forward to open the wooden door.

A Chinese rural dog, napping under the grape trellis in the courtyard, barked once at the noise before trotting over to circle Yao Rong’s feet twice.

Recognizing her familiar scent, the dog nuzzled her calf with its nose.

Xu Weiheng’s eyes lit up, his gaze fixed on the dog with interest: “What’s its name?”

“Ping’an.”

Thinking Yao Rong was calling it, Ping’an barked happily and wagged its shedding tail vigorously.

Footsteps sounded at the door, and a tanned elderly man poked his head in from outside: “Yao Rong, you’re back?”

He then looked at Xu Weiheng, finding him familiar: “Could this child be…”

“Yes, he’s Weiheng,” Yao Rong replied, then said to Xu Weiheng, “Call him Grandpa Chen. He lives next door to us. These days while I was away, Grandpa Chen helped feed Ping’an.”

Xu Weiheng called out: “Grandpa Chen.”

“Ah.” Grandpa Chen’s eyes crinkled with a smile as he looked Xu Weiheng over. “This child is so handsome, looks a lot like you, just a bit too thin. I’m worried a strong wind might blow him away.”

Xu Weiheng felt a bit embarrassed at the teasing.

“That’s true,” Yao Rong laughed. “He’ll be staying here with me from now on, and we’ll fatten him up after some good care.”

Grandpa Chen exclaimed happily: “Staying with you? Oh, that’s wonderful!”

Having watched Yao Rong grow up and being a neighbor, he naturally knew how difficult these years had been for her, and how much she missed her son.

“We just made some glutinous rice cakes at home, I’ll bring some over for you to try later.”

After chatting briefly, Grandpa Chen, knowing they had just returned and likely had much to do, went back to get a bag of rice cakes. He left them on the stone table by the well and departed without lingering to disturb them.

Yao Rong pointed to a room in the corner of the first floor and asked Xu Weiheng: “Is it okay if you stay there? I’ll be next door to you.”

After settling Xu Weiheng, Yao Rong turned to Zhang Qingyi with a smile: “The guesthouse isn’t operating recently, so the rooms on the second and third floors are all empty. You can choose whichever you like.”

Zhang Qingyi said: “I’ll stay on the top floor then, the light is best there.”

Many daily necessities were already available in the guesthouse, so there was no need to buy them separately.

Zhang Qingyi didn’t have much luggage, just a small bag, which she carried upstairs herself. However, as she was a guest, Yao Rong, being the host, naturally accompanied her up.

Xu Weiheng dragged his large suitcase alone, using the room card to open the door.

The room’s decor was simple but spacious.

Xu Weiheng took everything out of his suitcase, hanging and arranging items meticulously, then wiped down all the furniture with a cloth before going out to the courtyard to bask in the sun.

Under the grape trellis was a somewhat worn rocking chair. Xu Weiheng stared at it for quite a while.

With a touch of curiosity, Xu Weiheng sat straight-backed in the rocking chair.

The afternoon sunlight filtered through the gaps in the grape leaves and branches, casting dappled shadows across him, light and dark intermingling.

“Woof-!”

Ping’an, who had been crouching by the well trying to cool off, suddenly stood up and barked once at Xu Weiheng.

Xu Weiheng tried beckoning to it: “Ping’an, come here.”

Ping’an trotted over to his feet, grabbing his loose pant leg with its teeth and tugging backward, as if not allowing him to sit there.

Unfortunately, Xu Weiheng didn’t understand its intentions and simply leaned down to pat its head.

Ping’an looked up at him once, then tugged even more earnestly.

Seeing that it didn’t run away after being petted, Xu Weiheng finally felt free to stroke Ping’an’s fur more freely.

Even though it had rolled in the mud these past few days, and its fur wasn’t smooth at all, nothing like the prim poodle Xu Yiyuan kept, Xu Weiheng still couldn’t get enough of petting Ping’an.

After tugging for a long time, Ping’an finally tired out. Realizing this was a persistent fellow, it quietly let go of Xu Weiheng’s pant leg.

It found the petting very comfortable and lay down at Xu Weiheng’s feet, allowing him to continue stroking while occasionally wagging its tail.

Yao Rong and Zhang Qingyi came downstairs to this scene.

Catching Yao Rong’s scent, Ping’an instantly darted away from Xu Weiheng, bouncing towards her and wagging its tail enthusiastically.

This passionate display was in stark contrast to its earlier indifference towards Xu Weiheng.

Xu Weiheng: “…”

For some reason, he felt a bit hurt.

Yao Rong smiled, crouching down to play with Ping’an, while reassuring Xu Weiheng: “You’ve just come home, it’s not familiar with your scent yet. If you walk it more often, it’ll warm up to you.”

Yao Rong then asked: “Do you like dogs very much?”

“Very much.”

Xu Weiheng pursed his lips.

Perhaps it was the current pleasant atmosphere, or perhaps he suddenly felt the urge to confide, Xu Weiheng turned his head, gazing at the blooming pink roses in the corner of the courtyard.

“When I was five, I picked up a stray dog on the street. It was pitiful, perhaps it had fought with other strays, its right hind leg was badly bitten and bloody. I brought it home, wanting to bandage its wounds before letting it go.”

After saying this, Xu Weiheng paused for a long time.

Yao Rong didn’t rush him, just quietly waited.

“Later, Xu Yiyuan discovered it and wanted to play with it. I wouldn’t let him get close; it was my puppy.”

Xu Weiheng looked back at Yao Rong, his tone calm.

“That afternoon, Xu Yiyuan’s mother took him to a pet store to adopt a poodle and chased away my stray dog.”

To this day, he could still recall what Xu Yiyuan’s mother had said, and how she covered her nose and mouth in disgust.

“These stray dogs are full of bacteria, they’re filthy. Yiyuan, be good. If you want a dog, mommy will take you to the pet store to adopt one. Where’s the nanny? Hurry up and chase that stray dog out. It’s so annoying, bringing in all sorts of strays.”

At that moment, a realization began to take root in his heart.

In that family, he too was like a stray cat or dog that could be driven out at any time.

Zhang Qingyi, listening behind them, clenched her fists in anger.

Yao Rong patted Ping’an, placed it at Xu Weiheng’s feet, and said with a gentle smile: “From now on, taking Ping’an for walks will be your responsibility. Take good care of it.”

Xu Weiheng lowered his eyes and smiled, taking Ping’an and placing it on his lap, ignoring its dusty coat.

His fondness for Ping’an wasn’t just because he liked dogs.

Keeping a dog symbolized that he could make decisions in his home, and that the things he loved wouldn’t be carelessly discarded by others.

This guesthouse wasn’t as luxurious as the Xu family mansion, but it felt more like a home, more comfortable.

A home should make its inhabitants feel warm and at ease, becoming a haven for the soul.

After spending some time with Xu Weiheng in the courtyard sunbathing, Yao Rong went back to take a nap, planning to go to the nearby market to buy groceries.

She knocked on Xu Weiheng’s door, inviting him along.

At the market, many vendors recognized Yao Rong. Learning that Xu Weiheng had returned, they became extremely enthusiastic, many insisting on giving him things.

Garlic, green onions, potatoes – while not expensive, these gifts were heartfelt.

The butcher, while cutting pork, gave Xu Weiheng an extra piece, saying it would help him recover, and insisting he eat more meat that night.

Xu Weiheng, unused to such treatment, stood with his hands full of vegetables from the vendors, his ears and neck flushed red from their teasing. He cast a pleading look at Yao Rong for help.

Yao Rong stood nearby, secretly amused, not intervening.

Xu Weiheng thanked them stiffly, then fled from their overwhelming enthusiasm.

Yao Rong, pulled along by him, ran while laughing out loud.

Back at the guesthouse, the redness in Xu Weiheng’s ear tips barely subsided.

He covered his ears with his hands, feeling a mix of embarrassment and happiness.

Zhang Qingyi, who had been crying to her best friend all afternoon in her room, ran out to the hallway upon hearing the commotion. She exclaimed in surprise: “Why did you buy so much food?”

Yao Rong, noticing the lingering tears in her eyes, waved her over enthusiastically: “Are you free later? Let’s make dinner together.”

Keeping busy could help take one’s mind off sadness.