Huayu: Starting from retirement, sweeping across the domestic entertainment industry

For die-hard fans of Peach Blossom Jasmine, the latest chapter of "Hua Yu: Starting from Retirement, Sweeping Through the Domestic Entertainment Industry" has been released!

After a whole day of fermentation and fueling, the hashtag #LiRanFraud# finally exploded completely with overwhelming force.

It was like a black hole, swallowing up all the previous negative comments about Liu Haocun and Tian Xiwei, and brutally dragging the attention of the entire network into the center of the vortex.

On the trending topics list, the number of discussions about this item climbed at an incredible speed. Every time the page was refreshed, the number jumped up significantly, like an out-of-control counter.

Initially, most passersby maintained basic rationality and regarded it as nonsense.

A top-tier LPL team with two consecutive championships, two consecutive FMVP awards, and an Asian Games gold medal, would throw a match at the most crucial World Championship? Would they squander a chance for a three-peat?

This is simply the greatest desecration of the spirit of esports, and a malicious smear that even a child could conceive of.

But as time went on, some carefully selected, truncated clips began to spread virally.

In the fifth game, his failed attempt to steal the dragon with a flash resulted in the team losing their base first in the final team fight. The camera captured a fleeting, complex expression on his face...

These images were repeatedly slowed down and accompanied by sensational captions, gradually eroding the viewers' patience.

Once the seed of doubt is planted, it grows wildly.

"If it really was a fixed match, then everything makes sense. Why would he choose that time..." Such comments began to appear in the comments section, gaining more and more likes.

However, the rebuttals were equally deafening.

LPL's top commentator Guan Zeyuan posted a long, strongly worded statement on his Weibo account, almost shouting: "Li Ran fixed a match? This is the biggest joke I've heard this year, and perhaps the biggest joke I've ever heard in my entire life!"

"Anyone who knows even a little about League of Legends knows that without Li Ran, it's questionable whether RNG could have even made it to the Bird's Nest in S7!"

"If it weren't for his heroics in the third game and his career-risking flash-to-steal-the-dragon in the fourth, would you even have had a chance to see a fifth game?"

"Just because he couldn't replicate his fourth-game miracle, you're now telling me he's a match-fixer?"

"Four years have passed, and all that remains for us from that match is regret. Regret that he couldn't lift the trophy, regret that those five Chinese players couldn't create a miracle. But today, someone told me that the boy who gave it his all was the mole?"

"All I see is pathetic! This industry is truly filthy. To ruin someone, they'll spread any rumor and cross any line! Burn, come back. The competition is where you belong!"

Guan Zeyuan's statement represents the sentiments of all players who truly love this game, resonating strongly with esports fans.

However, amidst the outcry of support, there were still some sarcastic remarks: "Maybe Li Ran actually bet on 3 to 2? The odds were high."

The comment was immediately flooded with comments from Li Ran's e-sports fans.

The fans' response was simple and blunt: "I'll buy your mother! You all say Li Ran is a big shot, does he need your dirty money?"

While countless team players and retired legends stepped forward to speak out for Li Ran, the RNG club officials, who should have taken the lead, chose to remain deathly silent.

This silence stands out starkly in the noisy online environment.

Li Ran's teammates at the time were only Uzi, who had already retired, and his then-replacement MLXG, who both stepped forward.

Both of their statements were directed at their former employer.

MLXG's words were even more pointed: "Some teams, some management, are very dirty, but Li Ran is the cleanest player I have ever seen."

These remarks instantly detonated another bomb, pushing RNG into the eye of the storm.

Seeing that the situation was spiraling out of control, Tencent Esports and the official League of Legends website issued strongly worded announcements almost simultaneously to clarify the situation for Li Ran and warn against all rumors.

The official response was like a bucket of ice water, temporarily halting the spread of the fire.

Less than ten minutes after the league officially released its clarification announcement, Li Ran's phone vibrated.

He looked at the name that popped up on the screen: Jin Yibo, the head of Tencent LPL.

Li Ran looked at those three words and a cold smile appeared on his lips. He didn't answer the call immediately, letting it ring for a few seconds before slowly swiping to answer.

"Mr. Jin, is there something you need?" His tone was flat, revealing no emotion.

There was a long silence on the other end of the phone. Li Ran could hear the other person's heavy, hesitant breathing.

After a long while, a long sigh came from the other end. The sigh traveled through the airwaves, carrying an indescribable weariness and helplessness.

"Li Ran, we're very sorry about what happened back then." Jin Yibo's voice was a little hoarse. "But the league needs to develop, and if this kind of scandal is exposed, the entire esports ecosystem will be affected. I hope you can understand... please stop."

Li Ran did not respond immediately, but instead lit the cigarette in his hand.

"Back then, it was orchestrated by your Tencent esports executives in conjunction with the team's executives."

There was a few seconds of silence on the other end of the phone.

Jin Yibo's voice rang out again, lower than before: "Li Ran, that person is already in jail. The league has also punished RNG, and I know you are a victim."

He paused, as if waiting for Li Ran's reaction, but Li Ran didn't speak, so he continued, "How about we handle this?"

Li Ran didn't answer, slowly closed her eyes, and those images flashed through her mind.

The spotlight at the Bird's Nest during S7, the ringing in his ears when the crystal shattered in the fifth game, the silence of his teammates in the rest room after the match, and the truths he later learned that kept him up all night.

Now, he has achieved his goal: public opinion has been successfully diverted, Liu Haocun is temporarily safe, and those who needed to be warned have been warned.

He slowly opened his eyes, his gaze calm as still water.

"Mr. Jin." His voice wasn't loud, but it was clear. "The league needs to be managed properly. If the secondary league isn't regulated, it won't just be a problem of not having new players in the future."

He didn't finish his sentence, but the other person should have understood the weight of his words.

As for whether the league will actually take action to rectify the situation, that's not his concern.

"Alright, that's enough." After saying that, Li Ran hung up the phone without waiting for a response.

He put down his phone, remained silent for a moment, then reached for the cigarette pack on the table, took out a cigarette, put it in his mouth, and the flame of the lighter flared up, lighting the cigarette.

He took a deep breath, the smoke swirling in his lungs before slowly exhaling through his nostrils, dispersing into a grayish-white mist in the air.

He leaned back in his chair, staring blankly at the dissipating plume of smoke.

For the alliance to develop, there are some things that cannot be discussed openly.

He understands this principle.

Back then, he chose to remain silent and start over on Instagram...

Isn't that a kind of compromise on his part?

I never expected that four years later, he would still have to compromise.

Li Ran was sitting on the sofa, still thinking about how to handle the situation, when her phone suddenly vibrated.

He glanced down and saw it was a video call request.

He paused for a moment, and the corners of his mouth unconsciously curved into a smile.

"Little mud man, what are you doing so late at night?"

Lu Yuxiao's face popped up on the screen. The lighting was dim, as if she were nestled in a hotel bed, the blanket pulled up to her chin, revealing only her clean-cut face.

Her hair was loose, with a few strands hanging over her forehead, and her eyes were wide open, filled with undisguised worry.

"Li Ran, are you alright?" Her voice was a little anxious.

Li Ran smiled faintly at the screen. "What's wrong? I'm perfectly fine."

He deliberately held the phone up higher so she could see his face clearly and prove that he wasn't missing any limbs.

Lu Yuxiao's gaze, however, fell on the corner of the screen, where a cigarette he had just lit stood out against the dim light.

Her brows furrowed slightly, and her tone carried a hint of dissatisfaction.

"Why are you smoking if you have nothing to do?"

Li Ran glanced down at the cigarette in his hand, chuckled awkwardly, put it in his mouth, and mumbled, "I don't smoke, so why would I smoke you?"

Lu Yuxiao was stunned for a moment, then her face turned red.

Her eyes widened, and she shouted, both angry and amused, "I was just trying to be kind and concerned about you, and you actually tried to hit me!"

She sighed softly, covered her chest with her hand, made a hurt expression, tilted her head to one side, but her eyes still secretly glanced at the screen.

That look was both dramatic and adorable, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on but pretended not to care.

Looking at her familiar, funny expression, Li Ran finally laughed from the bottom of his heart. The pent-up frustration in his chest seemed to dissipate a lot in that instant.

He stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray and asked seriously, "My fans didn't insult you, did they?"

He knew that his messy scandals had dragged her into it too...

Lu Yuxiao shook her head, her tone indifferent, "I'm just a nobody, not many people care."

She paused, then added, her voice tinged with serious worry, "Li Ran, you absolutely can't get hurt! 'Snowy Mountain' hasn't even aired yet! If you collapse, my first big-budget production will have been a complete waste!"

Li Ran was amused by her self-righteous attitude.

"Don't worry, I'm fine."

Lu Yuxiao nodded, as if she had finally put her mind at ease.

She hesitated for a moment, then spoke again, her voice softer than before. "I'm glad you're alright, then I won't bother you any longer."

Li Ran nodded.

"Good night, get some rest." Her voice grew softer and softer, as if she were talking about something very important. "Don't worry about what's going on online, I believe in you."

After saying that, she hung up without waiting for Li Ran's response.

The screen went dark, returning to the call log interface.

The three words "Little Mudman" lay there quietly, next to the call duration—two minutes and seventeen seconds.

Li Ran looked at those three words and shook his head with a smile.

……

The next morning, a Weibo post quietly appeared on the official media's page.

The accompanying photo shows Li Ran standing on the Asian Games podium, draped in the national flag, with his golden medal swaying slightly on his chest, and the national flag rising behind him.

That was the 2018 Jakarta Asian Games, the first time he fought for his country, and the first time he wore a gold medal in e-sports around his neck.

The accompanying text, though short, carried immense weight: "Outstanding youth representative @Li Ran Burn. Champion of the League of Legends event at the 2018 Jakarta Asian Games. Fighting for national glory and pursuing dreams. The internet is not above the law; the Clean Internet Campaign will not allow rumors to tarnish the sweat of those who strive."

There were no superfluous rhetoric, no sentimental tone, just a weighty report card and a resounding conclusion.

The moment this Weibo post was published, it was like a sharp knife, cleaving through the dark clouds that had been hanging over Li Ran's head for the past two days.

The comment section was quickly flooded.

The first to react were esports fans, whose eyes welled up with tears almost the instant they saw the words "Asian Games".

"The official authorities have spoken out!"

"I cried when I saw that podium."

"Burning God is an Asian Games champion, someone who has won gold medals representing the country. What right do you have to accuse him of match-fixing?"

Comments flooded in like a tidal wave, carrying both pent-up anger and grievances, as well as a sense of relief at finally being vindicated.

Even passersby began to switch sides.

Those who were originally clueless about esports and were just watching the drama unfold changed their tune after seeing the official media's stance.

"Those who can be praised by official media cannot possibly have any problems."

"I said before that what happened to Li Ran was too outrageous, and now it seems that someone was indeed setting him up."

"The results speak for themselves; no one can criticize them."

The voices of those anti-fans who were still putting up a stubborn resistance were quickly drowned out.

Every question they raised was followed by hundreds or thousands of replies, not insults, but rather a list of dazzling achievements: Asian Games gold medal, S-series championship, FMVP, Grand Slam.

Those tangible honors are like a wall, impossible to push down or climb over.

Meanwhile, the trending topics list quietly changed.

#Liu Haocun#, #Tian Xiwei bullying#, #Li Ran's capital#, #Canglan Jue's casting change#—these keywords that dominated the top of the list yesterday seem to have been gently plucked away by an invisible hand, disappearing from the list one by one...

Someone noticed this change and commented, "Where are all those negative trending topics? They've all disappeared!"

Someone replied below: "The rumor-mongers are scared now."

Others put it more bluntly: "With state media involved, who would dare to push it?"

Nobody cares about those disappearing entries.

Everyone's attention was drawn to the official media Weibo post, to the photo of the Asian Games podium, and to the boy standing under the national flag.

Li Ran was in her apartment when she saw this Weibo post.

At the dining table, Li Ran had just hung up the phone with his father, his face expressionless.

Tian Xiwei sat opposite him, her chopsticks hovering in mid-air, and couldn't help but ask, "What's going on?"

Li Ran looked at her face, which was full of worry, and smiled gently.

He shook his head and explained casually, "The old man knows and gave me a heads-up."

Tian Xiwei paused for a moment, then said knowingly, "That's it?"

Li Ran shook his head.

"I'm fine now." He paused, then looked at her and explained, "But your affair with Cunzi is only temporarily suppressed. It won't be long before it's brought up for discussion again."

"I'm fine," Tian Xiwei said softly. "My problem isn't serious; I wasn't the one who did anything wrong. But what about Liu Haocun..."

She didn't finish her sentence, but her meaning was clear.

This incident involving Liu Haocun will definitely become a stain on her reputation for life, and it cannot be erased by removing a few trending topics or issuing a few clarifications.

Those things will follow her for a year, two years, or even longer; she simply can't get rid of them.

Li Ran didn't respond; he knew she was right.

Some of the events unfolded as he had anticipated, while others did not. The fact that the old man would know was something he hadn't expected.

But it's also a good thing. At least now he has a chance to catch his breath and can free up his hands to deal with Liu Haocun's affairs.

He picked up the bowl of porridge, took a sip, and found it was already cold.

After finishing breakfast, Li Ran changed her clothes and went out.

I went to Wajijiwa this morning to discuss future developments with Long Danni.

Long Danni flipped through the plan sheet in front of her, explaining each item one by one, her voice as efficient and crisp as ever.

Li Ran leaned back in his chair, nodding occasionally and responding occasionally, his expression remaining indifferent.

In the afternoon, the two went to Zhang Yimou's studio together.

They wanted to discuss Liu Haocun establishing a studio—an independent, professional team, free from Guo Tingting's control.

This was a decision Li Ran had thought about for a long time.

Zhang Yimou was already waiting inside.

The old man sat on the sofa with a tea set in front of him, the water boiling and bubbling.

Seeing Li Ran come in, he raised his chin, gesturing for him to sit down.

"You're here? Have a seat." The tone was casual, as if greeting a junior who frequently visits.

Li Ran sat down opposite him, and Long Danni sat next to him, opened a folder, and began to discuss each item one by one.

……

In August, Hengdian was sweltering with summer heat, and filming for "The Legend of Canglan" had been underway for over a week.

Li Ran leaned back in the sofa of the RV, looking at the trending topics on Weibo. The aftershocks of the negative news had finally dissipated.

……

In August, Hengdian was sweltering with summer heat, and filming for "The Legend of Canglan" had been underway for over a week.

Li Ran leaned back in the sofa of the RV, looking at the trending topics on Weibo. The aftershocks of the negative news had finally dissipated.

Those glaring keywords on the trending topics list are still occasionally mentioned, but the voices are so faint that they can be ignored.

The comments section under Tian Xiwei's upcoming drama has gradually returned to normal, changing from "boycott" to "anticipation," and then to "when will it air?"

Liu Haocun's negative impact remains, but the large-scale online harassment from ordinary people has subsided. Only some of her rivals' haters are still spreading rumors, which greatly affects her public image.

And "Ignite Me, Warm You" truly ignited this summer.

On the day of its premiere, the trending topics list was filled with related hashtags—#LiRanGoldenHair#, #IgniteMeWarmYouPremiere#, #XinYiForIgnition#, #DestinyofXunRing#, #LiRanChosenLiXun#, #ZhangJingyiChosenZhuYun#, one after another…

On the day of its premiere, its viewership directly led the final episodes of the summer season.

"You Are My Glory," which competed at the same time, boasted a lineup of two top stars and generated considerable buzz, but it was firmly left behind by "Ignite Me, Warm You."

The data from the Pants Video backend surged to its peak within an hour of the broadcast starting, prompting the technical department to urgently expand capacity, fearing that the servers would be overwhelmed.

According to data from Yunhe, the video received over 3 million views within 24 hours of its release.

This number exploded at the tail end of the summer season, like a belated firework, catching everyone off guard.

On video platforms, the series' popularity has remained above 13000, setting a new record for Kuzi Video.

The operations team posted a screenshot on their WeChat Moments with a single word in the caption: "Inspiring."

The comments below were filled with astonishment and thumbs-up from peers.

The "Xin Yi Wei Ran" couple once again returned to the top of the list with overwhelming force.

In the super topic, fans were celebrating like it was Chinese New Year, flooding the screen with screenshots, edits, and fan art, meticulously analyzing every detail of the drama frame by frame.

The way he looked down at her, the curve of her lips when she smiled, the natural understanding between them when they stood together.

"Is this the destructive power of a blonde goddess and a pristine, unattainable ideal?"

"The way Li Ran looked at Zhang Jingyi made me die instantly."

"I don't care, it's true!"

Under each post, there are hundreds or even thousands of replies, each word brimming with fervent enthusiasm.

The physical edition of Harper's Bazaar featuring the two, a CP-themed magazine titled "Fateful Couple," has seen pre-sales exceeding 5 units and total sales reaching over 200 million RMB.

This directly broke the sales record of CP magazines, and at this point in time, no magazine of this type has yet broken the million-unit sales mark...

Li Ran was still looking at the trending topics on Weibo when, not long after, there was a knock on the car door. Her assistant, Xiao Chen, poked half of himself in, carrying two insulated bags.

"Brother Ran, the food is here." He put the bag on the small table, quickly set out the chopsticks, and then hurriedly left.

Li Ran didn't say anything and continued looking at her phone. Soon the car door was opened again.

Tian Xiwei walked in, still wearing her costume, a light green gauze skirt, layered and trailing on the ground. She was brushed by the car door, and she quickly lifted it up and carefully gathered it to her side.

Her hair was styled into a small orchid-shaped bun, with a few wisps of hair hanging down beside her ears. Her forehead was adorned with tiny pearl flowers, which swayed gently as she walked, making a very subtle sound.

She seemed to have stepped out of a painting, with an innocent naiveté in her eyes and brows, yet also a hint of stubborn spirit.

This is truly the chosen little orchid.

As Li Ran watched her sit down opposite him, this thought suddenly popped into his mind.

Some so-called "drama queens" have faces that look like steamed buns, and their unedited photos look like Tahm Kench from League of Legends. They have no acting skills and no figure.

I don't know how she got to be one of the top actresses born in 95. I don't dare ask, and I don't dare say.

Tian Xiwei opened her lunchbox, picked up her chopsticks, and was about to take some food when she caught a glimpse of Li Ran still staring at his phone.

She leaned over and took a look; the screen was full of pages related to Liu Haocun.

She pursed her lips and put the piece of pork rib she was holding back with her chopsticks.

"Alright, let's eat first." Her tone was indifferent, but carried a hint of unspoken bitterness. "How can I show her any concern?"

Li Ran smiled helplessly and turned his phone face down on the table.

He opened his lunchbox, picked up his chopsticks, and slowly said, "It's about time. Let's add some juicy stuff in a couple of days."

Tian Xiwei paused with her chopsticks, looked up at him, and knew that Li Ran would not let this go so easily; it seemed he was preparing to retaliate.

I wonder what dirty secrets Li Ran knows about her, he seems so confident...

"Whatever," she paused, then continued, "If I were attacked online, would you still defend me like this?"

Li Ran chuckled awkwardly, "If I don't protect you, who will I protect, my wife?"

……