Restart life

Chapter 343 0340 [Chen Guiliang is stirring up trouble online again]

"Ah, the Bird's Nest! The Bird's Nest is lit up!" Tao Xue shouted, gazing at the Bird's Nest.

Not only her, but everyone around her was cheering.

The Olympics are still several months away, but test events have already begun at various venues.

Tonight's event is the first competition since the Bird's Nest was completed, a race walking challenge organized by the IAAF. It serves both as an opportunity to sell tickets and as a chance to test the various functions of the venue.

Tickets are extremely hard to come by.

Chen Guiliang will accompany Tao Xue to see the Bird's Nest tonight, and Bian Guanyue to see the Water Cube tomorrow night. They'll take turns, so they won't interfere with each other.

The Bird's Nest stadium was lit up before it even got dark, though the lighting effect wasn't very noticeable.

But the audience members waiting in line to have their tickets checked shouted excitedly.

"It's so pretty! It's red inside." Tao Xue was short, so her view was blocked, and she hopped around in the crowd.

Chen Guiliang complained, "What's so pretty about it? The sky is still bright, so the lighting effect isn't even noticeable."

Tao Xue said, "It's really beautiful. Look how happy everyone is."

Chen Guiliang looked around and found that many spectators were standing on tiptoe, craning their necks to watch and discuss.

After the tickets were checked and we officially entered the venue, night finally began to fall.

Their seats were quite close to the front.

Before I even sat down, I heard people next to me saying, "Wow, this place is pretty cool."

"It's definitely going to be awesome! You don't even know how much money was spent on the Bird's Nest."

"Olympic tickets will probably be hard to get."

"Let those out-of-towners take it, we'll just watch the live broadcast on TV. There will be plenty of competitions at the Bird's Nest in the future."

"..."

Chen Guiliang and Tao Xue sat down and chatted for a while before the race walkers began to enter the field to warm up.

Tao Xue asked, "Senior, do you know any race walkers?"

Chen Guiliang said, "I don't know him."

"I don't know either." Tao Xue smiled as she tore open a large bag of potato chips, first picking one up and feeding it to Chen Guiliang, before slowly munching on the chips herself.

It's not a star sport, who cares about race walking?

The commentator has already started explaining that the athlete warming up is a certain number from a certain country, and that he has a certain track record in previous competitions.

Chen Guiliang couldn't remember all the names that came up at once.

The competition began shortly afterward.

Chen Guiliang and Tao Xue only focused on Chinese athletes, but unfortunately, the Chinese athletes fell behind as time went on.

The one at the very front seems to be Russian, but athletes from Spain, Italy, Ecuador, and other countries are close behind. They all belong to the top tier.

Keep walking, keep walking.

5 minutes, 10 minutes, 20 minutes... an hour passed just like that.

Tao Xue had already finished her potato chips and was yawning in the audience. Then she leaned on Chen Guiliang's arm and dozed off.

What a boring match!

"Wake up quickly." Chen Guiliang gently patted Tao Xue's head.

Tao Xue rubbed her sleepy eyes and asked, "Is the competition over?"

Chen Guiliang said, "The first match is over, and there's a second match coming up."

"There's more?" Tao Xue exclaimed in shock.

Chen Guiliang laughed and said, "That's why I woke you up. Let's slip out before the second match starts. It would be disrespectful to the athletes if we left after the match started."

"Hurry, hurry!" Tao Xue quickly stood up.

Chen Guiliang said, "Wait a minute."

He took two photos of the track, then took more photos of the Bird's Nest after leaving the venue, and then posted on Weibo: "I was fortunate enough to watch the first competition at the Bird's Nest after its opening. The Bird's Nest is so beautiful at night!"

Chen Guiliang posts on Weibo every few days; of course, he has to use his own company's products frequently. Otherwise, how can he convince others to use them too?

With the increasing popularity of mobile phones, the number of mobile Weibo users has finally exceeded 70.

During the snowstorms that struck various regions in January of this year, some passengers stranded on the roads kept posting on Weibo, sharing their experiences in real time.

Some people were trapped in the snow for two days and two nights, freezing and hungry.

Local villagers brought food and water to the stranded passengers.

Some truck drivers even took out instant noodles and shared them with car drivers who were also stranded, and the group stood in the snow eating the instant noodles dry.

Many affected travelers shared their stories through Weibo. Their multimedia messages, especially the photos and accompanying text messages, were particularly impactful.

ByteDance will certainly provide traffic, and also spread positive energy of mutual help and support.

These Weibo posts (text and images) were reprinted by multiple portal websites, and then by print media. This instantly made Weibo famous, and the number of Weibo users increased by more than 100,000 during and after the snowstorm.

After all, Weibo requires a paid subscription, so a surge of over 100,000 followers is already quite impressive!

Chen Guiliang took Tao Xue away from the Bird's Nest and wandered around the night markets in Beijing until after 10 p.m. before taking a taxi back.

They rented an apartment together near Zhongguancun.

Chen Guiliang originally wanted to pay for it, but Tao Xue insisted on waiting to earn her royalties, saying that she would use her royalties to buy a set with Chen Guiliang later.

Her royalties... a little over a thousand a month, and that's before tax.

It will be a long time before I can buy a house in Beijing.

Too tired from shopping to move, Tao Xue leaned against Chen Guiliang with her laptop to surf the internet.

She has another draft to post tonight; these days, it's impossible to publish on a schedule.

"Oh no, I've lost two more items in my collection!" Tao Xue was on the verge of tears.

Chen Guiliang comforted him, saying, "It's already very good. Your royalties are over a thousand yuan a month. Many migrant workers work themselves to the bone and only earn a little over a thousand yuan a month, and they may not even get paid."

Tao Xue said, "I'm not looking at my collection anymore; the more I look, the less confident I become."

She went to open her Renren and HaiNei accounts, where only die-hard fans could follow her, and the comments were naturally much more harmonious than in the book review section.

After managing her own account, Tao Xue then checked out the trending topics list, the reading list, and other similar lists.

"Why are there suddenly so many people criticizing Southern Metropolis Daily?" Tao Xue asked curiously.

Chen Guiliang laughed, "The fox's tail has finally been revealed." The Southern Media Group has maintained an excellent reputation for years, often regarded as a good newspaper advocating for the people. It's only despised within a small circle.

But this month, the Southern Media Group's media outlets collectively collapsed.

The cause is too sensitive to discuss.

Then Chang Ping, the deputy editor-in-chief of Southern Metropolis Weekly, went to the Chinese website of the Financial Times (a British media outlet) and wrote a commentary.

At first glance, the article appears rational, neutral, and objective, yet something feels off. It's not until the very last paragraph that the author is fully exposed as a traitor, deliberately speaking ill of China on British websites!

China.com published multiple articles strongly criticizing the deputy editor-in-chief of Southern Metropolis Weekly. Other websites and netizens also joined in, saying that Southern Metropolis Weekly is China's CNN.

Surprisingly, the Southern Media Group didn't back down in the face of the attack. Publications like Southern Metropolis Daily and Southern Weekly spoke out, even directly calling the netizens who criticized them "angry youths." Those who are patriotic to the point of irrationality are also "angry youths."

This is truly courting death. A large number of netizens who had no intention of joining in have inexplicably become "angry youths".

The war of words has lasted for half a month, and every time it seems to be subsiding, Southern media outlets jump out to stir up trouble again.

Chen Guiliang probably figured it out: the Southern Media Group was fearless, not only unafraid of being criticized, but also taking the opportunity to boost sales, afraid that the public's attention would drop.

This war of words will continue for another two months.

We're just getting started; the real show is yet to come.

The deputy editor-in-chief who exposed himself as a traitor wrote another article that led to his dismissal, titled "Even Inaccurate Reports Need Room to Breathe."

The entire article boils down to one point: news reporting errors are unavoidable. Unless it can be proven that fake news was deliberately fabricated, even the most outrageous reports are not wrong. Why are they not wrong? Because that's how the Sullivan case in the US was decided. Disallowing the reporting of factual errors is tantamount to suppressing freedom of speech!
What's even more disgusting is that the article extends its discussion to the internet, claiming that netizens' posts and reposts should also be allowed to contain inaccurate information. As long as it's not intentional fabrication, spreading fake news online falls under freedom of speech.

"Damn, is this guy crazy? He exposed his traitorous identity and wasn't even dismissed, yet he still dares to jump out and continue to provoke us?" Chen Guiliang was speechless after reading the article.

Tao Xue nestled in his arms as they read the article together, then asked, "How should we refute this person?"

Chen Guiliang said, "I'll give it a try."

Tao Xue leaned over to watch him write.

If the media enjoys absolute freedom of speech, then who will protect the rights of businesses?

"Chang Ping's (Deputy Editor-in-Chief's) article was inspired by a case reported by CCTV. A company's towels were reported by CCTV to contain a carcinogen. Subsequent testing revealed that the towels were substandard, but the carcinogen was not present. The company demanded compensation and an apology from CCTV, but the court rejected the company's claim..."

"This verdict was controversial from the start. The media certainly has the right to public oversight, but rights and obligations are equal. To only talk about rights and not obligations is either foolish or malicious!"

"As the deputy editor-in-chief of Southern Metropolis Weekly, Changping, don't you even understand China's news censorship system? Where is your basic professional ethics? The core of China's news censorship system is the 'principle of freedom of publication' and the 'post-publication review system'."

"The principle of freedom of publication has already guaranteed the media's right to exercise oversight. Journalists can write whatever they want, and as long as their own editors approve it, it can be published. There's no damn thing forbidding you from writing this or that, and there's no restriction on your freedom of speech!"

"The post-event review system is a safety device set up to prevent the media from abusing its power. If you write or report recklessly without understanding the facts, you should be held accountable for your actions if you are discovered!"

"You report things recklessly, then just say you have the right to public opinion oversight and walk away. Do you think companies that go bankrupt because of false reports deserve it? I support the media's right to public opinion oversight, but if you're wrong, shouldn't you at least apologize?"

"You really think Western journalists and media are saints? Do you think laymen don't know what yellow journalism is? Yellow journalism has been rampant in the United States for countless years, and your Southern Media Group is the biggest yellow journalism base in China!"

"The term 'yellow journalism' originated from your idol, Pulitzer! Do you really think Pulitzer was some kind of good person?"

Tao Xue asked curiously, "What is yellow news? Does it mean you're doing pornography?"

Chen Guiliang explained with a smile: "There are many types of yellow news. Exaggerating and sensationalizing trivial matters is yellow news. Fabricating reports and using clickbait headlines is also yellow news. Even worse, deliberately inciting public opinion and exacerbating social conflicts under the guise of sympathizing with victims and speaking out for the people is also yellow news."

"And who is Pulitzer?" Tao Xue asked.

Chen Guiliang said, "Pulitzer was the founder of modern American journalism, and the Pulitzer Prize is now the highest award in the field of journalism. But Pulitzer was a master of yellow journalism. The Southern Media Group's methods were learned from Pulitzer; they were exactly the same operations."

As he spoke, Chen Guiliang clicked send.

He wrote this article for two reasons: first, to criticize the Southern Media Group and make himself feel better; and second, to attract attention, maintain his exposure, and incidentally draw attention to HarmonyOS phones.

Chen Guiliang was disgusted by Chang Ping, the deputy editor-in-chief of Southern Metropolis Weekly.

Especially that article where he revealed his traitorous identity—he's practically a collaborator. Otherwise, why would it have enraged so many netizens?

Within minutes, hundreds of comments appeared under Chen Guiliang's article.

"Well said! This traitorous dog deserves to be killed by everyone!"

"Chen Shiyi's article is much more organized. China.com has a lot of people criticizing, but they haven't explained things clearly. After reading Chen Shiyi's article, I realized that the law was carefully considered when it was drafted. It grants the media freedom of speech while also restricting its abuse. The Southern Media Group only wants power and doesn't fulfill its obligations!"

"What is 'yellow news'? Is it the kind that's very explicit and violent?"

"..."

This year has seen a surge in internet slang, with phrases like "very yellow and very violent" and "very silly and very naive" becoming popular memes.

Next up are things like "just passing by," "push-ups," and "hip flexors"...

Tao Xue, holding her laptop, clicked into Tianya Forum and quickly found a relevant repost, where someone had forwarded Chen Guiliang's original text.

Chen Guiliang's article also contributed a phrase: either stupid or evil.

A large group of netizens went to the article by the deputy editor-in-chief of Southern Metropolis Daily and commented "either stupid or malicious".

Chen Guiliang also found a comment in the comment section of his article: "Hello Mr. Chen Guiliang, I am xxx, an editor at China.com. May I ask if China.com may reprint your article?"

"Sure, feel free to reprint it, no payment required," Chen Guiliang replied quickly.

He hadn't thought much of China.com before, but this time he was quite impressed. China.com was the vanguard and main force in the crackdown on the Southern Media Group.

The following day, Southern Metropolis Weekly announced that its deputy editor-in-chief, Chang Ping, had been dismissed.

This guy can still be the deputy editor-in-chief even after revealing his identity as a traitor, because he can make excuses and deny it.

He can't continue working now because he supports false reporting and openly violates the basic principles of news reporting in China!

But netizens insist on overthinking it.

One netizen on China.com exclaimed: "Chen Guiliang is truly amazing. So many of us cursed the traitor Changping for half a month, and we didn't even scratch his back. Chen Guiliang wrote an article yesterday, and today he dismissed that traitor Changping!"

Surprisingly, quite a few people believe this argument, thinking that Chen Guiliang's article played a role.

Many netizens from China.com and Tianya.cn flocked to Chen Guiliang's overseas account to watch.

"Are you the man who 'brought down Changping with a single article'? You're awesome!"

"Why is the latest article promoting a mobile phone?"

"Chen Guiliang makes mobile phones? Where can I buy them?"

"..."

The Southern Media Group's print media did not launch a counterattack against Chen Guiliang.

However, various fabricated and defamatory articles about Chen Guiliang appeared on KDnet, a forum under the Southern Media Group.

-

(Updated in advance: I'm going to the movie theater tonight to see a photo studio.)
(End of this chapter)