novelnext Chapter 207: Listen to My Story
Chapter 207: Listen to My Story
By the time they finished talking, it was almost ten-thirty, long past her scheduled start time.
Her popularity was soaring right now, so the moment she started her stream, a massive wave of people flooded in, sending her straight to the top of the hourly rankings.
Her long-time fans, familiar with Shen Zhiyao’s routine, started chatting with her.
Among this barrage of comments, some were about Sun Yingbin:
[Host, Actor Sun announced he has a kid! Your prediction was spot on, you’re amazing! Host, are you taking apprentices? I want to be your student!]
[I’m one of Sun Yingbin’s "girlfriend fans." I swore that if Sun Yingbin didn’t get married, I wouldn’t either. I can’t believe his kid is already seven, and I’m still single! WAAAH... I hate Sun Yingbin! I hate his guts!]
[I hate his guts too! He’s a huge liar! We were all supposed to be single together, but he went and got married and even had a kid!]
[No matter what, I’ve liked him for fifteen years. Even if I’m "un-fanning," I still hope his child is okay. I hope his kid is found safe and sound!]
Shen Zhiyao glanced at Weibo. Sun Yingbin had already posted a statement admitting he was married and had a child.
He apologized to the public for hiding the truth, hoping to receive his fans’ forgiveness.
As a top actor, Sun Yingbin’s largest fan groups were his "girlfriend fans" and "daughter fans."
Many of them had followed him for years, watching step-by-step as he became a Best Actor.
They had supported him and adored him during the prime of their youth, traveling thousands of miles to see his concerts. Some had even made him their life’s goal.
After realizing Sun Yingbin was an idol they could never realistically be with, some had simply remained single their entire lives.
Other fans, though married, still adored him.
So, when Sun Yingbin announced he had a child, they all felt as if they’d been betrayed by a boyfriend. A huge number of fans "un-fanned and attacked," posting a torrent of abusive comments on Weibo, accusing him of toying with their emotions.
There were also some fans who quietly "un-fanned" after offering Sun Yingbin their blessings.
In a single day, his Weibo followers plummeted from 29.8 million to 14 million, making him the male celebrity who had suffered the most severe fan exodus in history.
After a quick glance, Shen Zhiyao continued her stream. "Alright, let’s draw our first lucky viewer of the day!"
When the first user appeared on screen, a huge portion of the fans erupted:
[Sun Yingbin! Today’s first lucky viewer is actually Sun Yingbin!]
[Host, you rigged this, didn’t you? You pulled Sun Yingbin up on purpose, right? Just because you were on a variety show with him once, you’re going to blatantly favor him?]
[Host, take my advice. You’ve worked so hard to turn public opinion around, going from being hated to being an idol. Let’s not meddle in other people’s business and attract more haters!]
[Sun Yingbin, you’re married but still pretended to be single on screen! Why don’t you just go die!]
[Sun Yingbin, you liar! I wouldn’t forgive you even if you got on your knees and begged!]
[People who pretend to be single should get hit by a car!]
Shen Zhiyao really hadn’t rigged it for Sun Yingbin. Her co-stream selections were always completely random.
She just hadn’t expected Sun Yingbin to be so lucky as to get picked on his first try.
Fearing he would attract haters to Shen Zhiyao, Sun Yingbin quickly explained, "The host really didn’t rig it for me. It was truly a random draw. I’m very anxious and lost because of what’s happening with my child, so I wanted to ask the host for help. I didn’t expect to be lucky enough to get chosen on my first try!"
Shen Zhiyao said, "Being chosen for the co-stream is a matter of fate. I hope everyone can watch rationally. Sun Yingbin, you can say what you’d like a reading on now."
On screen, Sun Yingbin’s face was haggard.
It was a stark contrast to the handsome and elegant image he once projected on screen.
He sat on a stool with greasy hair and a scruffy beard, his expression filled with sorrow.
"I want to ask about my child. But before that, I’d like to tell a story of my own. Is that okay, Host?"
Shen Zhiyao nodded. "Go ahead."
[Host, don’t let him talk! You’re going to get so much hate for this!]
[He’s a Best Actor, who knows if he’s not just putting on another sob story to win the audience’s sympathy.]
[Sun Yingbin, just get lost, will you?]
[Host, if you keep this up, I’m never watching your stream again!]
Sun Yingbin ignored the haters’ comments and began to recount his past...
Sun Yingbin was born in a rural village and had dreamed of becoming an actor since he was young. But his family was poor and disapproved, so he chose to leave his hometown and embark on a journey to chase his dream.
He wanted to be a star and believed his good looks would help him thrive in the entertainment industry.
But he had no connections, no network. Trying to stand out from the massive crowd was incredibly difficult.
He spent his days braving the elements, waiting around at film studios, and working hard as a bit-part extra. Yet, the money he earned was barely enough for one meal.
The only bright spot was meeting a girl who was also an extra.
The girl was plain-looking, but she was warm, cheerful, and kind-hearted. She was also full of hope for the future, which made her incredibly likable.
On top of that, they were from the same hometown and had endless things to talk about every day. Before long, they became a couple.
During that time, their life was truly bitter.
The two of them rented a tiny apartment that had neither a toilet nor a kitchen.
Every night, they had to run to a public restroom a kilometer away just to use the toilet.
To save money, whenever they couldn’t find acting work, they would eat steamed buns with pickled vegetables.
But even with life being so hard, it wasn’t done with them yet.
At his lowest point, his mother was diagnosed with stomach cancer and needed tens of thousands for surgery.
Sun Yingbin couldn’t afford it.
His father cried and berated him over the phone, "What have you been doing all these years! Other people work in factories and save over ten thousand a year, but you can’t even come up with the money to save your own mother’s life!"
After hanging up, Sun Yingbin tried to borrow money from several relatives, but not a single one was willing to lend him any.
Sun Yingbin was devastated. Being an actor really didn’t pay as much as working in a factory, and his dream couldn’t save his mother’s life.
He wiped away his tears, gave up on his ridiculous dream, and decided to get a factory job to raise money for his mother’s medical expenses.
Just as he packed his bags, ready to leave for the factory, his girlfriend stopped him.
His girlfriend said, "You’re handsome. You have a better chance of making it big than I do. I’m too plain, and there are too many beautiful actresses out there. Even if I did become famous, I’d probably only ever be an extra. If one of us has to give in to reality, it has to be me."
They talked for a long time and ended up crying in each other’s arms.
In the end, his girlfriend convinced Sun Yingbin. He stayed behind to chase his dream, while she went out to make a living.
Later, his girlfriend went south to work, found a job with a relatively stable income, and used a large portion of her salary every month to help him pay off his family’s debts.
Sun Yingbin was deeply grateful for his girlfriend’s sacrifice and worked even harder at the film studio.
He wouldn’t hesitate to take on dangerous stunts that others shied away from.
His authentic performances, combined with his willingness to endure hardship and his relentless drive, soon caught the eye of a famous actress. She recommended him to a production crew for the role of the affectionate second male lead.
Seizing this opportunity, Sun Yingbin and his girlfriend would analyze scripts and character psychologies together every day.