GHML – Chapter 33.3: Phone From Three Years Ago (3)

Ning Ning: “HAHAHAH, is that because you were born in the year of the dog?”

“No.” Shang Jing’s face turned even redder.

It was not because he was born in the year of the dog but because he was simp.

How embarrassing! It was embarrassing being a simp. Not only did he have to endure being called a puppy by He Jiang, it was now made known to the entire nation!

In the broadcast room.

“Fam, I taste some sweetness. Are my tastebuds still ok?”

“Who was berating Shang Jing for saving He Jiang under the nickname ‘Douchebag’ just now? Take two steps forward. It’s just some couple bickering, what has it got to do with you?”

“Puppy Shang, this nickname is way too endearing!”

“I’m in love. This flavor of CP suits my taste!”

“Douchebag and Puppy Shang, how wild they are, baby!”

After achieving a hot topic in this recording, the following questions were all normal, over-the-mill questions.

Ning Ning: “What are your future plans? Fans are begging you to create a Weibo page.”

The reason Shang Jing did not create a Weibo account was because He Jiang warned him of the existence of anti-fans who would also follow his page and harass him daily by sending him private messages.

“I have fans?” Shang Jing was shocked. Why would anyone idolize him? He was not a celebrity.

Ning Ning: “Of course! In fact, you have many many fans.”

Shang Jing: “Thank you everything for liking me. I recently bought some books and am getting ready to earn my pHD. I’ll study hard so as to not let any of you down.”

In the broadcast room.

“Mama did not ask you to earn a pHD! Mama wants you to create a Weibo account and join the Weibo scene!”

“Help, why is my son such a good kid? The way he studies so obediently is so cute!”

“My darling, which school are you planning to go to? I’ll join you!”

…

“The interaction segment is starting soon! Sisters, stay calm, don’t scare our darling away.”

Within a second, the nature of the comments changed.

“Tell us your story with your douchebag husband.”

“Tell us your story with your douchebag husband.”

“Tell us your story with your douchebag husband.”

Shang Jing looked at the waves of comments and bit on his lips.

How am I going to answer this question? I’ve lost my memories.

“I can’t answer this… We met through a game, you can check with He Jiang.”

Comments: “So that’s the reason why I can’t find a husband like He Jiang. My technical skills are lacking.”

“Don’t be too hung up on the gender. Bring me along for matches, I call you ‘Hubby’.”

“Tell us the gaming arrangement of your games,” Shang Jing read a comment out aloud and answered, “With our microphones on.”

The screen was filled with comments asking about the past between He Jiang and him, and Shang Jing could only work hard to find some unique comments tucked between the crevices.

With a frown, he read, “He Jiang will plant a loquat tree in his yard tonight… What does that mean?”

Instantly, Lin Lin’s face changed a shade.

Didn’t they say the comments had undergone filtering? Why are they still insults like that? 

Immediately, she voiced her opinion to stop the recording, “It’s almost time.”

The appearance of the insult was unexpected by Ning Ning too. She chuckled awkwardly and explained, “It’s a word play on a classical Chinese saying… We will be ending things here tonight. Thank you, Shang Jing, for joining us today.”

Before turning off the comments, Shang Jing saw a few comments of “Nine Leak Fish” floating by.

What does all these terms mean?

After a long day at work, He Jiang huddled up in his nanny van to watch the live recording. When he heard and saw the insults, he immediately called Lin Lin to enquire about the issue. “Isn’t there any filtering done before the comments were posted?”

Likewise, Lin Lin was filled with guilt and anger. “It was part of the deal. Now, they are denying the lack of filter, claiming it to be a mistake of their filtering to let a comment like that appear. I’ll not take this lying down.”

He Jiang: “There’s no room for negotiation. Sue them.”

He Jiang scrolled through Weibo to monitor the direction of netizens’ discussions. It had just been a few minutes since the recording and the term ‘Shang Jing Nine Leak Fish’ has become one of the top searches. Posts saying “Shang Jing is uncultured and is using his face to seduce He Jiang, gain clout and earn money” were also popping up from all around every second.

“Take me to the Sheng Jin residential area.”

Driver: “Aren’t we going to the recording studio to fetch Mr.Shang?”

He Jiang: “Go to Sheng Jin first, there’s something I need to get there.”

It was after the recording did Shang Jing understand from Lin Lin the term ‘Loquat tree’ originated from a classical Chinese literature essay, 《Annals of Xiang Xuanzhi》, where there was a saying ‘The year my wife passed away, I planted a loquat tree’. The author was trying to express his longing for his dead wife and was using the loquat tree as a symbolism. But in today’s context, the term has become a phrase some netizens use to curse others, wishing their wife an early death.

In other words, the comment was cursing Shang Jing to have an early death.

Whereas the term ‘Nine leak fish’ is an abbreviation of fishes who have escaped from the net of the country’s nine years compulsory education.

His previous comment had exposed his unfamiliarity with classical Chinese literature and works of Xiang Xuan Zhi, which gave netizens the idea of him being ‘uncultured’.

Shang Jing mumbled, “Did I embarrass myself on live recording just now?”

Did I really not complete the compulsory nine years of education?

Lin Lin settled him down in the car. “What do you mean embarrassing? You’ve completed your studies in the US and graduated from an ivy league university. 《Annals of Xiang Xuanzhi》is just a passage featured in local high school textbooks. To use a phrase so loosely, the ignorant ones are them.”

That being said, the internet is a vast and complicated platform with billions of people expressing their opinions online. Once someone was tagged with a term, it would be hard to remove it.

And strictly speaking, it was true he did not go through the nine years of compulsory education offered in the country. With his weakness exposed to anti-fans, why would they not spread the word wide and far?