Huayu: From charlatan to great entertainer

Chapter 511 Liu Xiaolv: Rebirth - I Became a Literary Master on Weibo
When the internet was first born, a group of supporters shouted: The internet has eliminated the aristocracy!
Thanks to the internet, ordinary people have access to information and a voice, no longer becoming blindfolded fools. Technology has given disadvantaged groups the possibility to reshape their voice from the bottom up.

But in the information age of information overload, when the torrent of information turns into a mudslide, the truth is shattered in the cocoon of algorithms and the bubble of emotions.

What was once a powerful tool for breaking through blindfolds has now become a tool for creating new ignorance. When massive amounts of information require professional screening, Professors Zhu and Li have once again ascended to their pedestals as "arbitrators of truth."

This group is well-known, and in the previous life, it also developed from the era of blogs and microblogs.

However, in this life, this group of people encountered a time traveler who caused trouble, making things difficult for the employees of the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the United States Agency for International Development.

You are indeed opinion leaders.

What a coincidence, me too.

Thus, Lu Kuanwei vindicated Xie Jin before his death, revealing the truth that had been buried by history to movie fans across the country.

Although we cannot change the past or alter the interrupted course of Chinese cinema, it is fortunate that this veteran director can leave without regrets.

Most importantly:
The disappearance of pig manure marks the first time that Chinese netizens have witnessed firsthand how a seemingly respectable cultural scholar could be so despicable, even "worse than a pig or a dog."

Students, white-collar workers, and all those who have become accustomed to obtaining information and thinking about problems through the internet have suddenly realized this!

There are bad people among intellectuals!
This time, the time traveler led mainland netizens to "demystify" public intellectuals, prompting them to view authoritative statements with a more cautious attitude.

Unfortunately, during the Spring Festival of 2009, Professor Li became the second target.

You can't really blame her, because Professor Li was already quite cautious. She didn't "provoke trouble on the border" even when faced with the huge temptation offered by Luo Changping. Before and after publishing her article criticizing Zhao Benshan, she didn't even dare to mention his name.

Who knows if she nervously deleted comments under the blog post and cleaned up all the topics related to Boss Lu, just to avoid repeating Professor Zhu's mistake.

Good heavens, in modern civilized society, because of the existence of some unscrupulous capital, being a professor has become a high-risk profession.

The moment Boss Lu posted his article, Weibo immediately pushed the stream to the top of its feed.

Over the years, although both Blogcn and Weibo have been under his control, Weibo has always maintained a neutral stance as long as it does not involve public opinion.

Otherwise, there wouldn't have been so many stories about washing machines in the early days, to the point that they've now become affectionate nicknames.

Therefore, it is clear to the general public that the channels of communication for professors and critics have not been blocked, but the personal involvement of opinion leader Lu Kuan has gradually changed the situation between friend and foe.

This is a fair and just debate.

As soon as Boss Lu posted this blog post, the entire internet instantly went wild.

Amidst heated debate, support, slander, and opposition, a complex mix of opinions and attitudes emerged, and the situation gradually became clearer.

Previously, countless netizens who already supported Zhao Benshan flocked to [Vitamin Qian]'s Weibo account to check in and repost, and with the addition of teasing from fans and other online commentators, the scene was quite spectacular.

"Slap her too! This old woman is a bad influence on the children!"

"The washing machine is shameless, always trying to piggyback on your wife's popularity and fan base. But this is the episode I support the most. We must be vigilant against the importation of foreign garbage!"

"Men and women should love each other, but Professor Li has made it seem like they are enemies. It's as if same-sex relationships are the only right way. Bah!"

The comments section under Professor Li's Weibo post also became quite distressing:
"You can smell persecution even in Teacher Zhao's farts? Hello! Fart expert!"

"I'm marking this down first. If my daughter ever sees that your book has been poisoned, I'll immediately come over and throw paint on it. What kind of rubbish is this!"

"Get out of the way, let me use the 'First Law of Replacement of Washing Machines' to analyze Teacher Li... Oh, no way! You ugly old woman, you're not worthy!"

Netizens felt as if they had been dragged into another "315" event to expose the hypocrisy of academia and morality, with a high sense of participation and honor, creating wave after wave of small climaxes.

Professor Li was also at a high point.

She was both delighted and terrified!
What's encouraging is that Lu Kuan actually responded directly to this matter! And he responded directly to himself!

He's insulting me?!

This isn't me trying to pick a fight with you. You insulted me first, and now I'm responding with reason and evidence. It's not like I've committed any major taboo, is it?

Professor Zhu relentlessly criticized for several years before finally receiving a response!

But amidst her delight, she couldn't help but worry whether this was truly a fair debate.
Will we end up in a situation where "the referees, witnesses, organizers, and co-organizers are all my people, how can you fight me?"

Professor Li, seeing the constant influx of netizens and the ever-increasing popularity, attention, and number of replies for the "blessing in disguise," finally couldn't resist the temptation.

She called Luo Changping to confirm that she was 100% able to attend the forum in Geneva. After learning that another business tycoon had given his approval, she still "bravely" spoke out.

Professor Li:
I have to admit that the Spring Festival of 2009 was not a pleasant one at all.

First, Zhao Benshan, a sketch comedy actor whom we admire, delivered a powerful blow to minority groups during a program.
Then, Mr. Lu Kuan, the Olympic Games director and artist whom I greatly admire, publicly insulted me and threatened to slap me.
Sometimes I really want to ask, what's wrong with this world?
We were just pursuing truth, goodness and beauty, and paying attention to the interests of vulnerable genders and groups. We never thought we would be stigmatized and attacked for no reason by so many people.
What puzzles me even more is why my discussion and conversation with Teacher Zhao suddenly angered you, a wealthy and famous director?
Mr. Lu Kuan's use of my deceased husband as a metaphor to attack his widow is chilling. Just as this doubt in my mind was growing infinitely, I suddenly saw a passage in your blog post...

I understand everything.

I understand why Director Lu Kuan was so eager to jump out and attack me, and might even try to cover my mouth later.

Because he was afraid that I would advocate for the rights of women and minorities, and afraid that I would expose his feudalistic and objectifying practices against women!

Let's see what he said:

My wife has gained so much weight since becoming pregnant that she looks like a panda.

When you use the animalistic metaphor of "fat as a panda" to exploit your wife Liu Yifei's body, you have blatantly exposed the power dynamics of the entertainment industry upon which you depend for survival.

This set of rules breaks them down into quantifiable sexual resource parts: the uterus is a reproductive machine, the buttocks are a fertility calculator, and the pregnant body is reduced to a zoo exhibit for your amusement.

You are so eager to attack me because I have exposed the dirtiest unspoken rule of this industry: the so-called "artistic aesthetics" is nothing but a fig leaf for the patriarchal slaughterhouse!

It's no secret that women are objectified and consumed in your entertainment empire.

From your early film casting to your marriage with Ms. Liu Yifei, and then to the rampant rumors of "unspoken rules" between you and other actresses such as Fan Moubing.

And that ridiculous nickname.

The power of a director and the support of capital allow you to treat women as exchangeable resources, rather than as equal individuals.

You accuse me of "treating sexual minorities as a business," but what about you? Do you dare to respond publicly?

Why are so many female characters in your films portrayed as "decorative figures" or "symbols of desire"?
Why are actresses generally paid less than actors in your company?

Why are you so tolerant of Zhao Benshan's "vulgarity" but so sensitive to calls for gender and orientation equality?

Your criticism of me is merely a distraction to cover up your own sexual privileges in the entertainment industry.

But the truth will not disappear because of your power.

Zhao Benshan's "unintentional mistake" was not accidental, but part of cultural violence.

Your "sexual capital monopoly" is no secret, but a chronic problem in the entertainment industry.

Our voices are not an attempt to extort money, but a pursuit of fairness and respect.

You can choose to cover your ears and continue enjoying your capital and privileges.

But please remember: a true artist should not be an accomplice of the oppressor, but a spokesperson for the weak.

I really hope that one day director Lu Kuan, whom I greatly admire and respect, will also be able to make films like "Brokeback Mountain," "The Wedding Banquet," and "Farewell My Concubine," which depict the love of the disadvantaged.

At that time, I will definitely give my full support and cheer you on, just like you are supporting Teacher Zhao Benshan now.

……

It's no wonder that intellectuals are so destructive; Professor Li's thinking is undeniably sharp.

Lu Kuan refuted her with examples from Wang Xiaobo, but she seized on a slip of the tongue that was hardly a sore point and began to launch into endless ramblings.

The key is that Boss Lu is invincible. If he does have a "weak point," it would be his past romantic affairs.

Although it has always been a rumor without any concrete evidence, it is almost without question.

Most importantly, Professor Li is well aware of where his main audience is. How many of Liu Yifei's 1600 million followers are women?
There are already fans who are disappointed and have stopped supporting their idols because they got married and had children early. Now that Liu Yifei and Lu Kuan are being put on the opposite side, will some female fans turn against them?
Haven't you seen how many people who called "Fat Fairy" after the Spring Festival Gala were scolded by fans?

Professor Li wrote furiously and in one go, sending out this powerful article, which was strongly worded but ultimately full of "respect" for Boss Lu.

The entire piece is about you. The beginning and end are about my most admired director. The wording afterward is also very sophisticated and sharp, directly pointing out the only minor flaw that has been criticized about Boss Lu over the years.

"Professor Li! You're here!" Countless dog food enthusiasts like Luo Changping sent their congratulations, forwarding and commenting without making a sound.

The entire Southern media was in an uproar, and the Axis of Evil were watching this drama with great interest.

Even if it might not hurt him at all, it's still interesting!

More significantly, for a long time after the pig manure incident, many public intellectuals would avoid him or, like Professor Li before him, keep their distance.

You should know that these people are the kind of people who curse from the "heavenly court" to the "hell." For example, President Dai of the "Heart-Stopping News" often interacts with a few friends and says some seemingly plausible but actually false things.

But this time, can we break his "invincible" status and make Voldemort's name known to everyone?
While supporters of Zhao Benshan and Lu Kuanfang continued to hurl insults at Professor Li and flood her Weibo with comments, netizens were also closely watching Lu Kuanfang and Liu Yifei's Weibo accounts, eagerly awaiting their latest responses.

Just as Zhao Benshan took out his phone to call Lu Kuan to express his gratitude, his brother-in-law Ma Ruidong suddenly exclaimed, "We've struck it rich! We've struck it rich again! Boss Lu is cursing that stinky woman again!"

only……

It seems like they've changed the person this time?
The account 【Vitamin Qian】 first posted several fan-created photos, comparing Xiao Liu's expression to a panda, with a very high degree of similarity.

These photos, taken after she went to Wolong to reshoot a public service announcement about pandas, have surfaced online, much to the delight of her fans.

Then came a blog post published in her own voice:

Is there anyone in this world who doesn't like pandas?
If someone tells me I look like a panda, I will never think it's objectification or vilification; I will only think that they like me.

Similarly, Professor Li should not be overly sensitive to the point of using his heterosexual identity to compensate for the "righteous indignation" of the homosexual community.

I completely agree with everything Lu Kuan just posted on my Weibo, as a woman.

So after Professor Li responded again, I told him, "Let me talk to everyone."

Even if Lu Kuan wins the debate against Professor Li and clarifies the truth of the matter, Professor Li will still say that this is internet hegemony, bullying the weak and taking advantage of the powerful.

But I'm a woman too, and this is called magic defeating magic.

Especially as an expectant mother born in the 80s, my child will be a typical late 00s baby, already approaching the 10s generation.

Professor Li, you said that Teacher Zhao Benshan's lines offended a minority group, but have you ever thought that the "sexual freedom" and "liberation" you advocate, as well as other orientations, are also offending more ordinary mothers like me?
When I was a child, my mother taught me the traditional Chinese values ​​of self-respect, self-love, and a sense of responsibility for women.

Taking responsibility for one's own body and one's own feelings is not simply about sexual freedom or indulgence; the latter is a complete misinterpretation.

Does female independence necessarily mean breaking free from the constraints of traditional morality and ethics?

Moreover, there is no opposition between the majority and minority groups, or between different orientations. Men and women are not enemies, but partners.

Perhaps Professor Li, who has decided to remain childless for life, doesn't understand the feelings of someone like me who is about to become a mother.

I am terrified that my child will be poisoned by this spiritual opium, swayed by your open-minded theories, and mistakenly believe that "indulgence equals freedom" and "the exceptional is correct."

Fortunately, such voices are still only sporadic on the internet.

However, if no one puts out these unhealthy trends in time, such ideas may influence a large number of young men and women when they are 16 years old in 2025.

Regarding Professor Li's claim that my husband Lu Kuan "slapped me in the face," it was merely out of a father's indignation and worry; please don't take it seriously.

We hope that the cultural and social environment in which children grow up is diverse, but it should not include certain toxic impurities, and these impurities may very well be foreign garbage.

I lived in New York for nearly five years. My sister Iris Chang was a true second-generation Chinese American.

We have never experienced the allure and equality that Professor Li claims to bring about sexual freedom and liberation in Western countries.

On the contrary, I see many American girls around me getting pregnant unexpectedly, engaging in promiscuous sex, having abortions, and their lives becoming bleak.

This is using the banner of female independence and self-reliance to numb the will of young people with entertainment to the death, undermining social responsibility with consumerism, and ultimately alienating people into slaves of desire.

If I had a daughter, I would tell her:
A truly independent woman is definitely not the kind of boundless freedom and confrontation that Professor Li advocates.

If she still doesn't understand, I will tell her what a truly respectable and independent woman is:
Like Iris Chang.

These are my honest thoughts as an ordinary Chinese woman and expectant mother, which I want to share with all my female friends.

In addition, as a wife, I would like to respond to the situation regarding my husband mentioned in Professor Li's Weibo post.

First of all, I was happy that he called me a panda. You don't need to overthink it or speculate that this is objectification.

As for the idea that the uterus is a reproductive machine, that is entirely your own negative and dark perception. Combining with a loved one to conceive and have children is the most beautiful gift of life, which is in line with social and natural ethics.

Secondly, regarding your mention of the "unspoken rules" of the entertainment industry, this constitutes serious defamation and insult; please stop immediately.

Actually, I rarely comment on my teacher, my husband, or the father of my children in public. But today, I want to say something from the bottom of my heart to those like Professor Li who like to criticize and question him on my behalf:
Because of his identity, status, wealth, and artistic achievements, many people in the world discuss, observe, and study him.

He was by no means a perfect person, but for someone who had stood beside him since he was 14, when I looked at him, I saw a truly great person.

He may have sharp edges, but he is never hypocritical; he may have a sharp edge, but he is never deceitful.

We respect, treat each other as equals, and care for one another. This is the true relationship between men and women based on universal values, and certainly not the egalitarianism, confrontation, and liberation advocated by Professor Li.

Returning to Professor Li's point about women, you are a woman, and so am I.

If I were to have a daughter, I would tell her that Iris Chang is a role model for her.

When she grows up, I will also tell her about her future sweetheart—

It must be someone like your father.

On the evening of the first day of the Lunar New Year in 2009, countless netizens who cared about Zhao Benshan, Nan Fang, Professor Li, Lu Kuan, and Liu Yifei witnessed this back-and-forth battle of public opinion, and then saw this post by the literary giant Liu Xiaolv... This Weibo post, whose main theme and gist were difficult to define, left everyone stunned.

Professor Li's fan: No, I came to see how you explain the washing machine's romantic history. You scolded Professor Li, so why did you start confessing your feelings at the end?

Liu Yifei's fan: No, I came to see how my idol views women's independence and autonomy. You spoke very well at the beginning, so why did you start confessing your feelings at the end?

Zhao Benshan's fans: No, I came to see how this couple who are close to Teacher Zhao would speak up for him. You didn't mention Lao Zhao at all in your hundreds of words, but why did you start confessing your love at the end?

Laundry detergent/liquid: Damn! The washing machine is awesome. It's been washing clothes for half its life, and in the end, my wife even came out to defend it. I really want to learn a trick or two from it!

What made netizens even more amused was that less than two minutes after Liu Yifei posted her Weibo, another popular blogger with 1200 million followers, Bingbing, directly posted the police report and wrote on Weibo:

Professor Li claims to speak up for women, but in the end, he attacks women.

Consort Yi has a very good temper and is even willing to argue with you.

My character is not very sophisticated. Regarding your mention of "sexual harassment of Fan Moubing" on Weibo, I have reason to suspect that you are insulting and defaming me. I have already reported it to the police, and the police report is as follows.

Please also check your lawyer's letter and await the court hearing.

I would like to reiterate that I unconditionally agree with Yi Fei's assessment of director Lu Kuan; his contributions to the industry, the country, and art will always be worthy of respect.

On this most joyous Chinese holiday, Professor Li first attacked Teacher Benshan, who brought joy to everyone, and then attacked Director Lu Kuan, who appeared on the Spring Festival Gala as a meritorious figure.

I can hardly say you're not a troublemaker.

Oh no!

You won't accuse me of discrimination because of this word, will you?
Professor Li?
……

"Lu Kuan, what does Bingbing mean by the last sentence he wrote? What's wrong with being a troublemaker?" Liu Yifei asked her husband, who had just returned from a phone call, while forwarding and liking Bingbing's post.

The former had just arranged some public relations matters, which was considered a good deed to the end, helping Zhao Benshan to completely overcome the difficulties.

He glanced at the blog post and smiled, "If you don't want to know, don't ask."

"Huh? Oh!"

Xiao Liu looked at his masterpiece with satisfaction; it had instantly built a towering skyscraper, and his number of fans was about to break 1700 million.

"How was my writing? It was logical, well-founded, and deeply moving, wasn't it?" Liu Yifei smiled sweetly. "Especially the last sentence; I'll show it to my daughter later."

Ok……

Although her daughter hasn't been born yet, when the topic of dating and marriage comes up, Xisha still smacks her lips and seems a little uncomfortable.

I don't want to talk about it, I don't want to think about it.

Has Professor Li not replied again?

"Nothing for now." Xiao Liu refreshed the page a few times. "I guess she's run out of things to say? Her ugly face is already exposed. Doesn't she know what kind of nonsense she's promoting?"

"Oh ho! She's turned off comments on Weibo..." Liu Yifei clicked the mouse lightly, then covered her mouth and laughed, "She's probably getting a lot of flak."

Professor Li avoided several detours and entered the "closing the comment section on Weibo" stage ahead of time. The consequences of going any further would be more serious, and he would generally face the iron fist of the law.

Unless you are truly clean and innocent, then you are considered steadfast and unyielding. Just keep quiet and don't be disliked anymore.

Actually, keeping Professor Li, whose credibility is destined to be ruined, is better than getting rid of her and allowing more spokespeople to emerge.

After all, this thing is like weeds; once it's burned, it grows back every year. Moreover, Nanfang was still the number one print media group in China at that time.

Liu Yifei is now quite far along in her pregnancy. The two babies inside her are constantly compressing her internal organs, and sitting for long periods can cause severe bloating.

Upon hearing this, Boss Lu quickly got up and took his wife for a walk in the manor to digest their food, temporarily putting aside the online controversy.

What could be more important than my wife and children right now? One round of debate with that fool Professor Li is already the limit; there's no need to get entangled with her any further.

However, the departure of the person involved does not mean that the biggest excitement of the 2009 Spring Festival has come to an end.

Under the leadership of Lu Kuan, a highly influential opinion leader on the internet, the middle and upper echelons of public opinion are gradually showing a trend of Western opinions prevailing over Eastern opinions.

At first, Hu Xijin, a self-proclaimed "road enthusiast," didn't take it seriously, thinking that an old man like Zhao wasn't worth his time.

When Professor Li dared to talk back and offend his "strongest post-80s generation," Lao Hu couldn't stand it anymore, and this article was published almost right before or after Xiao Liu's blog post.

Beware of the Witch Hunt in the Cultural Sphere:
When someone uses a microscope to search for evidence of discrimination in Zhao Benshan's sketches, she is practicing the worst kind of literary inquisition.

A dialectal slang term originating from "sycophant" has been transformed into irrefutable evidence of the persecution of minority groups after being academically packaged by her.
This critical logic of "seeing everything as a nail when you have a hammer" feels strangely familiar.

We have noticed that some intellectuals’ transplantation of Western sexual liberation theories can be described as “academic compradorism.” They package the extreme ideologies that Western societies are reflecting on as “progressive ideas” and dump them on Chinese youth, which is simply shameful!
Here, Lao Hu is willing to stand with Director Lu Kuan, who has unequivocally opposed Professor Li's fallacies. Please be wary of cultural garbage from abroad!

Zhou Liming, a film critic and social commentator who has amassed nearly 400 million followers, posted an article stating:

When Professor Li criticized Teacher Zhao for being vulgar, he was exposing precisely the arrogance of cultural elites.

The Brokeback Mountain that she admires is considered "immoral" by traditional North American ranchers.
Art appreciation has always been a double standard: intellectuals despise peasant jokes as vulgar, yet they haile bawdy jokes from New York gay bars as "postmodern deconstruction."

Ironically, when the Lu Kuan couple used pandas as a metaphor for the happiness of pregnancy, Professor Li was able to interpret it as an argument of "objectifying women," which is simply absurd.

This overinterpretation is reminiscent of medieval priests searching for Satanic symbols in frescoes; when criticism becomes fanaticism, the rationality of intellectuals is reduced to the stake of the Inquisition.

Scholar Zhang Weiwei, later a renowned anti-public intellectual expert, wrote on his personal Weibo account:
The crackdown on Zhao Benshan exposed the "convert fanaticism" in the cultural field, where some scholars are extremely critical of local folk culture but infinitely tolerant of Western dross.

They can tolerate Chinese characters in Hollywood movies using "chingchong" (a racist term for Dongda University), but they will put the Northeastern dialect word "pijing" on moral judgment.

This kind of reverse nationalism is an academic sin that Professor Li and his ilk need to reflect on.

Ask yourselves honestly, are you truly the people's spokespersons, or just mouthpieces for foreign theories?

……

The entire internet quickly mobilized, and numerous analytical blog posts were published about Professor Li's academic monetization chain. By crawling his past works, lectures, and Weibo keywords, they exposed the business model of his "sexology theory".

Hupu users have compiled a comparison chart of the headlines of the "Heartbeat Daily" over ten years:

When reporting on Hollywood movies, it was said that "The Hangover" "showcases the wild romance of male friendship," while the sketches by Zhao Benshan were described as "vulgar farces polluting our spiritual home."
He praised the bawdy jokes in the American sitcom "Friends" for their "frankness of American humor," while criticizing the mockery of Northeast Errenzhuan (a traditional folk art form) for "objectifying women."

Furthermore, users on technical forums have discovered through publicly available data that 68% of the newspaper's reports from 2005 to 2008 involved negative news about the University of Tokyo, while there was very little related information from foreign news during the same period.

Although the internet has no memory, every year new netizens still get lost in the clash of good and bad information, and a considerable number of netizens are still brainwashed.

However, the online public opinion environment in this life has become much clearer after the close monitoring by the Zhijie community and the personal intervention of opinion leader Boss Lu to "make an example of someone."

Professor Li remained silent throughout, closed the comment section, and retreated into his secluded retreat, oblivious to the changing seasons.

However, after this back-and-forth debate, more voices on the internet have emerged calling for Liu Yifei as a "role model for women in the new era."

When everyone looks back at this actress's career so far, what kind of life experience has she had?
She debuted at the age of 14 and reached her peak immediately; won the Berlin Film Festival Best Actress award at 21; became the highest-grossing actress in mainland China's history; holds a bachelor's degree from Beijing Film Academy and a master's degree from the University of Chicago; and is the wife of the richest man in mainland China.

Behind this glamorous facade in the conventional sense, almost everyone watched with wide eyes as she pulled all sorts of unbelievable "female lead" maneuvers.

In order to improve her acting skills, she was willing to give up the role of the mute female lead in "Kung Fu Hustle" and instead became Zhang Ziyi's stunt double in "A Home Too Far".

After the 825 Yifei incident, she resolutely went abroad for further studies, leaving Yang Siwei with the most difficult public relations situation in the history of the Chinese entertainment industry.
In a live Fox News broadcast, she risked everything to thwart Wendy Deng's sexual misconduct allegations and defend the reputation of Lu Kuan, who at the time had no connection to her.

To create a book called "The Sky of History" that clarifies history, he spent a year reading through historical materials, getting involved in the process, and even being oppressed by right-wing forces to the point of being speechless due to separatism.
As a female celebrity, she showed no regard for the potential impact of confessing her feelings, making official announcements, dating, and having children on her career.
After winning her first Berlin Film Festival Best Actress award, she retired from the limelight and went to the Beijing People's Art Theatre to reflect and grow.

This kind of life experience and strong female protagonist narrative is the right way to portray modern female leaders!
Moved by this, netizens, whether or not they were fans of Liu Yifei before, enthusiastically left comments on her blog post.

"Iris Chang is your idol, and you are my idol!"

"A passerby. To date, Liu Yifei should be considered the celebrity in the entertainment industry who embodies the most traditional Chinese feminine virtues and characteristics. It's not an exaggeration to say that she remains untainted by the mud she has been raised to."

"From the arduous task of researching historical materials to the paramount importance of the stage, Tianxian is truly a model of womanhood nurtured by five thousand years of civilization!"

"I am also a mother. I hope there are more Liu Yifeis and fewer Professor Lis. I looked up her 'works' and they are truly appalling."

“I teach at the university. In fact, Professor Li is the object of admiration for many female students. Her husband, the writer, wrote “East Palace West Palace” back then, which was made into a movie by the Sixth Generation. This kind of thinking has been spreading in the shadows. Although it is not discriminatory, it is not worth advocating.”

"To be honest, when I heard the opposing haters say things like 'Fairy Sister has gotten fat' and 'Her teeth are sticking out' and other offensive language, I was completely unmoved. I know that the person in question doesn't care about such noise at all. Isn't this what Professor Li meant by 'anti-objectification of women'?"

"The washing machine has shown us a great shortcut to finding a wife: just look at how your mother-in-law speaks and behaves, and you'll know what your wife will be like in the future. Without the foundation laid by Liu Xiaoli's education, Liu Yifei would not have made so many firm choices in her life later on."

The entire internet is buzzing with discussion, adding plenty of topics and conversation to the Year of the Ox Spring Festival.

……

On the fourth day of the Lunar New Year, leaders and staff from CCTV, the State Administration of Radio and Television, and other relevant departments, who were still on holiday, decisively gave up their vacation and spent three days reviewing the program "Not Short of Money." They subsequently released a statement on their verified Weibo account.

Following a joint review by a special working group and the CCTV review committee, the 2009 Spring Festival Gala comedy sketch "Not Short of Money" (performed by Zhao Benshan et al.) has undergone a full review. The official announcement is as follows:

This work strictly adheres to Article 12 of Chapter 3 of the "Standards for Reviewing Content of Radio and Television Programs," and its artistic expression conforms to the artistic creation orientation of "being close to life and rooted in the people."

The program focuses on the new look of farmers' lives under the background of rural revitalization. Through healthy and positive comedic techniques, it thoroughly implements the guiding spirit of Shiqi Da regarding "enriching the spiritual and cultural life of the people".

Effective immediately, the program "Not Short of Money" is hereby reinstated as a contender for "My Favorite Spring Festival Gala Program".

Subsequently, Guangming Daily also published an editorial on its official Weibo account:
The vitality of literary and artistic works lies in being rooted in life and serving the people.

Zhao Benshan's team, with their creative wisdom of "finding elegance in the commonplace," elevates the local flavor into artistic appeal, which is a vivid practice of the requirement to "enrich the spiritual and cultural life of the people."

The proper resolution of this controversy also reminds us that literary criticism should avoid over-interpretation out of context, and cultural governance needs to safeguard creative vitality with inclusiveness and prudence.

Thus, this online controversy stemming from "Not Short of Money" came to an end.

In the previous life, this was merely a verbal battle between Professor Li and other highly educated professors and Zhao Benshan about the "refined versus popular" debate. In this life, however, it has become more turbulent under the guidance of certain individuals.

However, Lu Kuan's rare "mid-battle entry" rendered the evil axis's retaliatory actions against Lao Zhao ineffective, and as Lu Kuan himself has spoken out more in the past two years, he has gradually become a heavyweight opinion leader of this era.

A Voldemort hated to the core by the public, yet only able to murmur in Nanfang's media and self-media.

The more he does the right thing, the more he will be targeted and criticized by those who are just trying to gain popularity through online slang.

Just like the director of "The Photo Studio of Jinling" in 2025, after the film was released, he was attacked by all kinds of digging up dirt on him.

Boss Lu has changed his previous low profile and started to speak out more in the public sphere, starting with the pig manure incident. This is also driven and demanded by the era of chaos and disorder.

……

On the evening of the fourth day of the Lunar New Year, Uncle Jing hosted a banquet at his home, inviting Lu Kuan and his wife, who had helped his niece establish herself in the entertainment industry, for a small gathering.

As Boss Lu arrived at the villa's entrance, Da Tiantian excitedly greeted them at the door: "I told you to come earlier, please come in!"

Ring ring ring!
Boss Lu glanced at the caller ID, then looked up and gestured to Jing Tian and his wife, "You two go in first."

He then walked a little further away, "Hello? Teacher Zhao?"

The two women knew what was going on as soon as they heard the address. Da Tiantian first took Liu Yifei's arm and led her into the house.

Like Uncle Jing today, Zhao Benshan also came to invite people to dinner: "Xiao Lu, I won't say much more. If it weren't for you, my New Year would have been too miserable!"

Actually, things are pretty bad right now. My family was planning to go to Sanya for the winter, but we've been stuck in Beijing since the fourth day of the Lunar New Year and can't leave yet.

Old Zhao paused for a moment, then said sincerely, "This time, I owe you a favor. I'll invite you over for a meal of our hometown dishes tomorrow. We're all family here, so isn't it a good time to say this now? Haha!"

Boss Lu chuckled. Zhao Benshan's humble refusal to accept the favor was actually a subtle way of referring to the two roe deer antler hats—

Although it may seem like friends are being overly calculating in helping each other, there's no such thing as a free lunch in this world.

They personally stepped forward to speak out, taking on responsibilities that were originally none of their business.
The combined efforts of connections within the broadcasting and television station, as well as Zhao Benshan's own relationships, allowed him to overcome the difficulties smoothly. These were not ordinary favors, and Zhao Benshan could not simply let them pass by without mentioning them.

In a sense, Lu Kuan has already repaid the favor he owed those two hats.

That's why the excuse of "owing you a favor" came about.

This approach of "keeping accounts openly but not explicitly" aligns with the superficial morality of "valuing righteousness over profit" in traditional Chinese culture. It is the inherent way of doing things for "refined people" like Lao Zhao, who have risen from humble beginnings.

However, Mr. Lu's next answer surprised and moved him.

"Teacher Zhao, you were actually implicated because of me this time."

"What do you mean?" Zhao Benshan asked in surprise.

Lu Kuan laughed and said, "If it weren't for Liu Laogen Grand Stage in Beijing cooperating in filing a civil lawsuit against Damai.cn, our online ticketing situation might be much more passive now, although it's not very good right now either."

"You wouldn't normally receive so much criticism for performing a skit; there's a lot more to it than meets the eye."

This was a brief mention, but Zhao Benshan would easily have figured out the whole story, including the relationship between Nan Fang and Chairman Liu.

Adding to the current battle for users between Wenjie and Damai.cn, the newly established LeTV Culture has also been dragged into the fray.

Everything became clear.

Lu Kuan frankly said, "Moreover, I don't really agree with Professor Li's point of view. No father wants his child to live in that kind of online and cultural atmosphere."

"So, Teacher Zhao, don't bring up any more personal feelings or favors. Let's just have a couple of drinks tomorrow."

"Okay, okay." Zhao Benshan sighed inwardly and hung up the phone without hesitation.

"How is it? How is it?" His wife, Ma Lijuan, came out of the kitchen wiping her hands. Because of her husband's situation, the family had to spend the Spring Festival in Beijing.

"I was being petty," Old Zhao sighed deeply.
"This friend is worth making."

(End of this chapter)