Chapter Fourteen: The Greedy Pursuit of Sensational Headlines

Awakened by the shrill and incessant ringing of her phone at the break of dawn, Liu Zichen, who had barely slept all night, was filled with irritation. Without even opening her eyes, she fumbled for her phone and hit the answer button. A clear, melodious female voice came through, especially distinct and pleasant in the quiet hours before daylight.

“Mingyue?...” Liu Zichen instantly snapped awake, springing up in bed. “What is it? Why are you calling so many times so early in the morning?”

On the other end, Shen Mingyue laughed cheerily. “Zichen, you’re trending! I saw it last night but didn’t want to disturb your beauty sleep, so I waited until now to call.”

When Liu Zichen realized what this was about, sleepiness washed over her again. “You really have too much time on your hands! I’m just a background character, these news stories are all sensationalism—don’t make a fuss. I hardly slept last night, I’m exhausted. I’ll talk to you later.” She assumed Mingyue was referring to the incident at the Mufu Theater.

“That’s not it,” Mingyue said, sounding momentarily surprised. After a pause, she added, “Your name is in the article! People are sharing it like crazy in all the group chats. How else would I have found out?”

“What? My name’s in the report?” Liu Zichen was now fully awake, just as she was about to hang up. “Let me check. I’ll call you back.” Mingyue ended the call.

Anxious, Liu Zichen opened the news app. Bold headlines leapt out at her: “A Once-in-Five-Millennia ‘Mermaid’ Appears at Heilongtan Park!”

Author: The Wandering Lone Ranger.

She clicked open the article and quickly skimmed it. It was from a public social media account, and at that point, the likes had already topped 100,000, with thousands of comments and many tipping the author.

Reading closer, Liu Zichen’s anger flared. Not only did the article publish her real name, but it also included several recent, high-definition photos of her—front and center, no less. The header image was of her emerging from Heilongtan the previous day, water splashing everywhere, her clothes nearly transparent—like an imperial concubine stepping from a bath. The article’s content was even more outrageous: it claimed that Heilongtan, long rumored to be haunted by a water monster, had finally revealed its secret when a woman fell in and exposed the “creature”—a mermaid who could live freely on land, indistinguishable from ordinary people, with beauty unseen in five thousand years. And this mermaid, like any other person, had a name: Liu Zichen.

The entire piece made no mention of her diving in to save someone, but was written with breathless excitement, sensationalizing Liu Zichen and fabricating a near-mythological story. The logic was laughable, but the layout was clean, the photos convincing, and it was clear the author had put real effort into going viral.

The comments were even livelier. Many claimed to have seen “mermaid” Liu Zichen with their own eyes, and some posted photos taken outside the Mufu Theater, lending further “credibility” and making the whole affair seem genuinely true.

Liu Zichen’s fury faded, replaced by a growing sense of gravity. The photos used were all recent, front-facing shots of her. The backgrounds had been blurred and the images processed, but she could tell unmistakably that they were taken within the last few days.

How had such recent photos ended up online? Who was behind this?

She scrolled back to a previous, related article about the Mufu incident. The truth was becoming glaringly obvious.

——————————————————————

Chen Tianyu, browsing through the viral news, couldn’t help but laugh in exasperation.

“This guy really has a wild imagination, but his writing’s not half bad,” he remarked with a mischievous smile. “At least he knows how to catch public attention. Both articles use the same gimmick—‘once in five thousand years.’ That’s one of the hottest buzzwords online right now.”

Even the usually stern-faced Liu Zichen couldn’t help but laugh. “I never thought you’d be so cynical. Fine, from today on, I’ll stay locked indoors. You go out and have fun on your own.”

“Oh, come on. So many people dream of overnight fame and never get it, while you become a sensation in a single night—and you’re mad about it? Better to be the ‘once-in-five-millennia mermaid’ than end up as some scandalous hashtag.”

“What exactly are you trying to say?” Liu Zichen said, bristling.

Chen Tianyu replied unhurriedly, “I just can’t get over how sly Xiao Su is. He looks so honest, but he’s actually got plenty of tricks up his sleeve. He must be counting his profits under the covers right now.”

Liu Zichen fumed. “Exactly! If he wanted to use my photos, the least he could do was ask for my permission first. Strictly speaking, this is an invasion of privacy—he could get slapped with a legal notice.”

“Would you have agreed? He’s broke—you saw how down-and-out he looked. It’s a golden opportunity for him to use his tabloid skills. Would’ve been a waste otherwise.”

“I just had an idea—why don’t you strike while the iron is hot and do a livestream? It would be sensational.” Chen Tianyu sounded entirely serious.

Liu Zichen was surprised. “You really mean that? Why?”

Chen Tianyu grew thoughtful. “I’ve often heard it said that beneath all the glitz, there’s a mess of feathers and dust. Sometimes I really want to see what that mess looks like up close... but I’ve never had the chance.”

“So you want to use this as a chance to expose the fake news industry?” Liu Zichen caught on immediately.

Chen Tianyu nodded. “I’ve been following this for a while. Several of Yiting’s recent cases are related to fake news.”

“Actually, doing a livestream is no big deal...” Liu Zichen mused. “I’m just worried I won’t have time.”

“No rush. I haven’t thought it all the way through yet,” Chen Tianyu said, then abruptly changed the subject. “By the way, how did things go with Xiaoxue last night? You talked for hours.”

Liu Zichen sighed. “Xiaoxue’s situation isn’t complicated. She’s a recent college graduate who broke up with her boyfriend and, on a whim, came to the city to clear her head—maybe a bit out of curiosity, too. With her looks and being a young single woman, it was only natural she attracted attention in the bars. Girls her age are bound to have some vanity, especially after a breakup, and she started to enjoy being the center of attention. Nice, honest guys felt unworthy and didn’t dare approach her, so she ended up surrounded by smooth-talking playboys. This gave her the illusion that coming here was the right choice, and she convinced herself she could find true love in the city.

Because she stood out, she was soon targeted by entertainment reporters, talent scouts, and agents. One young man claimed to be a manager from a famous film company and, seeing her potential, promised to make her a star. It’s a tired old ruse, but Xiaoxue, with her judgment clouded, believed him. At his suggestion, she began livestreaming. At first, things went well—her streams attracted a huge following, and she made both fame and money. This made her trust the agent even more, letting down her guard and even developing feelings for him. Naively, she thought she was on her way to a bright future.

But sooner or later, the devil bares his fangs. At a public party, the agent drugged her drink and raped her. Even then, Xiaoxue found a ridiculous excuse for herself and endured it in silence. She never expected that her forbearance, supposedly for love, would lead to escalating nightmares. Her so-called boyfriend had no pity for her—instead, he exploited her further. To advance his own career and make more money, he treated her as little more than bait, making her drink and sing with clients, and repeatedly forcing her into ‘casting couch’ situations to gain resources in the industry.

She told me her most humiliating days involved entertaining several clients a day, forcing herself to smile. In the beginning, their careers advanced and things looked good on the surface, so she managed to endure it. But later, her livestream was shut down for being too raunchy, her acting career stalled, and the agent began to despise her, seeking out other pretty girls. Yet he didn’t stop exploiting her—he made her keep working as an escort. In the past two years, she’s been little more than a woman of the night.

So, those glamorous days didn’t last long. When she couldn’t take it anymore, she tried to end her life, seeking an escape,” Liu Zichen finished, helplessly.

Chen Tianyu’s face darkened. “These young women always think their looks will make them famous, and even though they know it’s a trap, they still jump in. Sometimes it’s impossible to stop them.”

Liu Zichen bristled. “That may be true, but can’t you show some sympathy?”

“What good is sympathy?” Chen Tianyu said coldly. “Once something happens, you can’t undo it. How much help can sympathy really provide?”

“So what do you suggest?” Liu Zichen asked in resignation.

Chen Tianyu thought for a moment. “It takes two to tango. When both sides are willing, outsiders can hardly intervene. What worries me most is that if we don’t break the black market behind Xiaoxue’s ordeal, more girls will fall prey to vanity and end up in the same trap... And I’m worried about something else, too. Zichen, how do you think Xiaoxue is doing now?”

“Um... She seems to have come to terms with a lot, but she’s still not over it. Sometimes, when I catch a glimpse of her eyes, it scares me,” Liu Zichen realized. “Oh, you’re worried she might try to take revenge?”

Chen Tianyu sighed. “Xiaoxue is a delicate girl. If she were to seek revenge, it would be an extreme, all-or-nothing act. The consequences would be unthinkable. If she’s not even afraid of dying, what would she hesitate to do?”

Liu Zichen suggested, “Maybe I should talk to her, encourage her to report it to the police. That’s the only real solution, but I’m not sure she’ll listen...”

For once, Chen Tianyu lit a cigarette in front of Liu Zichen. He hadn’t smoked in ages and couldn’t help coughing a few times. Despite his usual composure, the ugliness at the heart of this problem was neither new nor easily confronted—even in Beiting, it was a realm few dared touch.

Perhaps it was because he’d never faced it directly, and so met it with a kind of numb, willful blindness.

“I can’t help but wonder,” he said, “whether the so-called heroine who forced that ugly young man to jump at the Mufu stage was, herself, another jilted woman seeking revenge. We might be able to help one or two, but we can’t stop the tide of moths drawn to the flame. Encouraging them to file police reports is all well and good, but these things usually start with mutual consent, making evidence hard to come by. A few words or scattered proof won’t hold up, and the criminals often walk free.”

He went on, his tone heavy with frustration, “Besides, we’re only here on vacation. Our time is limited, and it’s almost impossible to find more victims or witnesses. Once a case enters the legal system, it could drag on for months or longer. Given the facts, how could we ever sort it all out?”

“If worst comes to worst, I’ll contact Yiting and have Beiting’s attention shifted to this case. We need to root out this evil gang at its core, that’s the only way to truly bring justice...” Liu Zichen said fiercely.

“How can we be sure this isn’t just an isolated case?” Chen Tianyu pointed out sharply. “For now, we’ve only spoken to Xiaoxue. Everything we know comes from her alone. Is it all true? Has she exaggerated, speculated, or perhaps even made things up in a fit of anger?”

“But we can’t just ignore it, can we?” Liu Zichen asked, uncertain.

“It’s not about ignoring it; it’s about not fighting a battle we can’t win. With what we know, we haven’t even scratched the surface yet.”