He fiercely criticized the Manchu scholar clique and the twelve emperors of the Qing Dynasty.

The progress bar on the screen has reached the last one percent, and the green checkmark lights up.

Zhao Shuyao moved the mouse and dragged the recorded video source file into a folder named "Backup and Counterattack". His eyes fell on the system time in the lower right corner of the computer: 4:45 pm.

The number of private messages in the background is still increasing at a rate of hundreds per minute.

Zhao Shuyao quickly went through the distribution patterns of internet traffic in his mind: evening is the rush hour after get off work, when netizens' emotions are easily scattered; prime time is the battleground where big V's and entertainment news compete for trending topics; and 3 a.m. is the time when night owls are most vulnerable and public relations teams are most likely to let their guard down.

The other party's lengthy accusation was triggered in the early hours of the morning. By countering with the same time, we can not only prevent the other party from escalating the situation again the following morning, but also create a kind of "tit-for-tat" deterrent.

Make a decision.

Close the webpage, save the document, and set an alarm for 2:55 AM on your phone.

Having finished all this, Zhao Shuyao took a clean lunchbox from the wardrobe and walked downstairs toward the second canteen. As he passed through the tree-lined path, he occasionally heard deliberately hushed whispers, and several scrutinizing gazes fell upon him.

Zhao Shuyao kept his eyes forward and his steps were steady. He got a set meal with two meat dishes and one vegetable dish, took it back to his dormitory, ate it slowly and deliberately, then washed the lunchbox clean, lay down on the lower bunk fully clothed, and opened a copy of "The Fifteenth Year of Wanli" that was next to him.

Night falls.

The sound of hurried footsteps and boys' conversations gradually filled the corridor.

The door to room 302 was pushed open from the outside.

Yang Wei walked in carrying a backpack, looking tired. His gaze swept across the room and immediately fell on Zhao Shuyao, who was lying on the bed reading a book. Yang Wei froze, his eyes widening involuntarily.

Today was the day of the provincial civil service exam mock interview. Yang Wei was so nervous outside the exam room that his hands were sweating and he didn't even eat lunch.

The fact that this person, who was in the eye of the storm of online public opinion, was being sued by an academic giant, and was being condemned by millions of netizens, was actually reading a book caused Yang Wei's mind to pause for a second due to this extreme contrast.

Yang Wei put down his backpack and opened his mouth to say a few words of comfort, but when the words reached his lips, he found himself at a loss for words. How could a student like himself, who was so nervous and trembling during the provincial exam simulation, comfort someone who was currently battling against capital and academic cliques?

Shutting his mouth, Yang Wei turned around, picked up the washbasin and towel, and headed towards the water room.

The sound of rushing water was exceptionally clear in the quiet hallway.

Ten minutes later, Yang Wei returned with a washbasin, hung a towel on the wire, pulled out his chair and sat down. Watching Zhao Shuyao turn a page of his book, he finally couldn't resist.

"Shuyao," Yang Wei's voice was low and tentative, "Are you...are you really alright?"

Zhao Shuyao closed the book, placed it beside his pillow, and sat up halfway, leaning against the wall.

"Do I look like I'm in a bad mood right now?" Zhao Shuyao asked in a calm tone.

Yang Wei crossed his hands on his knees and leaned forward: "But the outside world is in an uproar. Yan Chongnian's son has sued you, and there's that woman's affair. Such a big thing, are you really not going to tell your family? At least let them be mentally prepared."

Upon hearing the words "family," a hint of warmth flashed in Zhao Shuyao's eyes, but he immediately shook his head.

"Forget it." Zhao Shuyao sat up straight, placing his hands on his bent knees. "My parents work on construction sites in the south. They still use old-fashioned mobile phones and don't even know how to use WeChat. How could they possibly have access to things like Toutiao?"

"They work from dawn till dusk every day, and their biggest concern is whether I have enough living expenses each month and whether I can find a good job after graduation," Zhao Shuyao said, looking at Yang Wei.

"If I make a phone call and say that I've been attacked online and sued by an eighty-year-old man, they won't understand the logic at all. It'll just make them anxious and keep them up at night, but it won't do any good."

As Yang Wei listened, the image of Zhao Shuyao's parents sweating profusely on the scaffolding flashed through his mind. He nodded.

"That's true." Yang Wei sighed. "They're so far away, they can't help. Telling them would only cause them more trouble. We should wait for the results. But, Shuyao, aren't you worried at all?"

Zhao Shuyao's lips curled up.

"I'm not worried, not at all," Zhao Shuyao replied crisply.

Zhao Shuyao didn't want to dwell on the issue any longer, so he changed the subject.

"By the way, Lao Yang," Zhao Shuyao leaned forward slightly, "what are your plans for tomorrow? Are you going to stay in the dorm?"

Yang Wei was somewhat bewildered by this sudden turn of events.

Tomorrow is the weekend, and according to his plan, he needs to organize the recording notes from today's mock interview in his dorm room.

"I have some things to do tomorrow," Yang Wei answered truthfully. "But if there's anything I can help you with, I can easily postpone what I'm doing. Do you need me to go to the academic affairs office to inquire about the situation, or to see someone?"

Seeing Yang Wei's serious expression, as if facing a formidable enemy and ready to draw his sword at any moment, Zhao Shuyao found it somewhat amusing.

"No need to push me." Zhao Shuyao waved his hand, his tone relaxed. "You just go and do your thing. I have some things to take care of in the dorm tomorrow. If you stay in the dorm, I might have to go out and find somewhere else."

For his live stream tomorrow at noon, he needs a relatively closed and quiet environment. The bookshelf in his dormitory is the perfect prop for him to create a relaxed atmosphere for a cultured person. Of course, he doesn't want Yang Wei to appear on camera.

Yang Wei was even more curious now.

He frowned and leaned closer to Zhao Shuyao: "What could you possibly have up your mind tomorrow that you have to send me away, keep it from me, and only do it when I'm not around?"

Looking at Yang Wei's inquisitive face, Zhao Shuyao quickly came up with an excuse that was both flawless and impossible to investigate further.

"What's there to be unable to know?" Zhao Shuyao spread his hands, revealing an extremely natural smile. "A fellow villager is coming to see me tomorrow at noon, and I'll be receiving him in my dorm. If you're watching over things, it'll be too awkward for everyone to talk."

Yang Wei's eyes darted around, and he quickly gleaned unusual information from this seemingly ordinary statement.

A fellow villager, and he even specially chose to be received by me on a weekend noon when everyone is out?

Yang Wei's eyes immediately became somewhat meaningful.

"Not bad, Lao Zhao." Yang Wei leaned back in his chair and teased, drawing out his words, "Your reputation online has spread like wildfire, and yet someone from your hometown still came to see you. Is that person a woman?"

Zhao Shuyao neither admitted nor denied it, but simply smiled noncommittally.

Yang Wei sighed, "Sure enough, there are advantages to being handsome. Even though I've become the target of everyone's criticism, I still have a female confidante coming to my door to offer comfort."

At this point, Yang Wei turned around, took out a small round mirror with a handle from his desk drawer, and examined his face, which was covered with a few pimples.

He brushed his bangs aside and looked at himself from left to right.

"Old Zhao, you know I'm not ugly," Yang Wei sighed at his reflection in the mirror. "My features are regular, and I have all my limbs intact, so why don't any women come looking for me? Am I not handsome enough?"

Upon hearing the phrase "not handsome enough," Zhao Shuyao almost burst out laughing.

He looked Yang Wei up and down.

"Old Yang," Zhao Shuyao's voice was incredibly sincere, "it's not that you're not handsome enough."

"Why is that?" Yang Wei put down the mirror and turned to look at him.

"You're unbelievably handsome," Zhao Shuyao commented seriously. "When you grow up and your handsomeness becomes more obvious, or when your provincial exam results are released and you pass the exam, your handsomeness will suddenly become very three-dimensional and very concrete. At that time, you'll attract not only people from your hometown, but even the most beautiful girl from the next department."

Yang Wei paused for two seconds, then realized the sarcastic tone hidden in those words.

"Get lost!" Yang Wei laughed and threw a book of civil service exam materials onto the bed opposite him.

Zhao Shuyao reached out and caught it steadily. The two looked at each other, and then burst into laughter without any reservations in the dormitory.

The laughter pierced through the door, causing several students passing by to stop and look at each other in bewilderment. No one could understand how this person, who had already been declared "socially dead" by the entire internet, could still laugh so wildly.

After laughing, the two stopped chatting.

Everyone has important things to deal with tomorrow, and a short break is enough to ease the tension in our nerves.

The clock hand points to eleven o'clock.

Zhao Shuyao lay flat on his back, closed his eyes, and his even breathing soon filled the quiet room.

I'm sleeping very soundly.

2:55 a.m.

The phone under the pillow vibrated faintly.

Zhao Shuyao opened his eyes on the third second of the tremor, his gaze clear and without any of the confusion of just waking up.

She rolled out of bed, her movements light and silent.

I walked to my desk and pressed the power button on the computer.

A faint light shone in the darkness, illuminating his serene face.

Log in to the Toutiao backend and retrieve the video file titled "From Borrowing Living Expenses to See You in Court" that I saved this afternoon.

It was exactly 3 a.m.

Zhao Shuyao didn't check the content again, clicked "Upload" with the mouse, and then directly clicked "Publish".

The green progress bar flashed by.

The interface displays: Your work has been successfully published and is currently under review. It is expected to be visible to all users in two minutes.

Zhao Shuyao looked at the notification box and tapped his finger lightly twice on the table.

Those female netizens who were stirred up by the short essay are now drifting off to sleep with a sense of self-righteous indignation at "upholding justice." But tomorrow morning, when they open their eyes, habitually click on the trending topics, and prepare to continue their moral judgment...

They will no longer be the target of one-sided abuse.

Instead, it is a logically rigorous and powerful counter-video that directly exposes the charade of "managed wages."

Moreover, this video also hits the nail on the head regarding the hidden exploitation of countless male netizens in real-life relationships. This social contradiction, which is deeply buried at the bottom but rarely dared to be pointed out publicly, will immediately transform into an overwhelming force of empathy once it has a voice.

It is foreseeable that after dawn...

The comments section below this video will inevitably evolve into an unprecedented clash of ideas.

Boys who see this will feel a pang of regret for their past naiveté and sacrifices, thus forming a strong supporter group.

Some girls would be furious upon seeing this, because the "obedience test" rule that they regarded as gospel has been ruthlessly exposed to the public and laid bare in the sunlight.

This was exactly the effect Zhao Shuyao wanted.

To break a stalemate, it is necessary to introduce more variable groups with combat capabilities.

Since the Yan family wants to use private morality and public opinion to restrict his academic expression, then he should raise a more weighty core topic in the public opinion arena.