Chapter 402: Prejudice in the Human Heart Is a Great Mountain

Bai Liang had no experience battling his mother over pressuring him to date or get married.

After all, in his past life, she hadn't nagged him about this—she'd said, "Little handsomeness, why are you married again?"

Cough cough.

So where would he get any experience from~?

It was almost like swinging from one extreme to the other—two completely different situations.

But what remained the same was that familiar, gentle nagging.

Seeing his mother momentarily stumped, Bai Liang decided to quit while ahead and temporarily deflect the topic.

But his mother declared she was going to start playing dirty.

"You're the one finding a girlfriend, not me—I trust your taste, and I'll like whoever you pick, as long as you hurry up a bit—can you bring a girlfriend home for dinner before the end of this year?"

Hearing this, Bai Liang pondered for a moment and decided to scare her with something big.

He feigned seriousness: "Mom, actually, I like guys."

But his mother wasn't fooled one bit—sure, right~ You've been spouting nonsense since you were a kid.

Besides, she wasn't blind to how close those girls were to her son.

But she loved outwitting him, so she extended her hand: "Proof? Show me some proof~"

Bai Liang immediately scratched his head, thinking: Should he get a good buddy to play along?

Huang Jingyu would be perfect—he'd acted in "Addicted," so he had a "record."

Even now, a legion of fangirls chased after him, shipping every "age-appropriate male" near him.

Any guy who shared a frame with him was at risk of being shipped.

It had made Bai Liang reluctant to meet up, eat, or hang out with him at all.

Bro, you're cursed! Whoever hangs out with you automatically turns gay?

Who could handle that?

Better keep it online—no need to meet in person.

But you raise a gay for a thousand days, and use him for one moment.

It's time to let this guy out for a walk~

So Bai Liang scrolled through his friend circle, then handed his phone to his mother: "Here, him—should we arrange a meeting?"

Bai's mother glanced at it and couldn't help covering her mouth and laughing: "Does this young man know you're talking about him like this?"

"No problem—he can't beat me," Bai Liang said offhandedly.

Bai's mother: Ohhh~ You just admitted it yourself~

Oh no!

That one slip revealed everything—Bai Liang couldn't keep babbling now.

So he could only endure a wave of maternal "ear massage."

I can't hold it anymore, folks!

Zhang Ruonan was barely holding back laughter, her whole body trembling—anyone watching would think someone had secretly slipped her something.

But she was truly about to burst out laughing—how amusing was this mother-son interaction?

They hadn't even watched the movie yet, but she already felt this trip was worth it.

Her presence here was perfectly normal—she was a rising star the company was pushing.

Of course, Zhang Ruonan had no fame yet, and the catchphrase "Zhang Ruonan ke yi" didn't exist yet.

So her main reason for coming wasn't to support him—she didn't even know why she'd been sent here in the first place.

Her agent had just said: "You'll find out when you get there."

So she'd come half-asleep, only to discover her seat was unusually front-row, next to a beautiful, vaguely familiar older sister.

In short, before Bai Liang arrived, Zhang Ruonan had been keeping his mother company in conversation.

But after he appeared, Zhang Ruonan understood why this aunt looked so familiar.

Because she'd once been linked to Bai Liang in rumors!

The only woman ever photographed holding Bai Liang's arm while shopping.

"Teacher Bai, we meet again."

After suppressing laughter and trembling for a long time, Zhang Ruonan finally caught his eye and greeted him openly.

"Long time no see," Bai Liang nodded at her, then instinctively glanced at his mother, his expression strange: Mom, you like this one too?

Bai's mother felt slightly awkward—what could she do? These girls were all so beautiful, spoke so softly and sweetly—how could she not like them?

To date, she'd never met a young female artist she disliked.

Every single one was charming, with wonderful personalities.

It had almost given Bai's mother a filter for the entertainment industry—truly, one look and she fell in love.

Bai Liang: Not this one~ I'm afraid she'll slap me in front of my uncle, then turn around and blame me.

He could picture it—her covering her face, piteously crying, "Uncle!"

"Little handsomeness, this girl really admires you, and she's from Wenzhou—where traditional weddings happen early."

Listening to his mother whispering "research" she'd gathered, Bai Liang held back his laughter, then delivered one sentence that ended the match.

"She has a younger brother."

This detail didn't matter to Bai Liang—but it was devastating against parents.

Especially his mother, who was increasingly nagging him to date and marry.

A younger brother… and her name is Ruonan—Ruonan meaning "Ruonan"?

Boy preference!

But Bai Mama didn't ignore the young girl because of it; instead, she directly abandoned Bai Liang and turned to chat with the girl.

Her tone was so gentle it left Zhang Ruonan utterly stunned.

She couldn't help sneaking glances at Bai Liang, wondering if he'd said something flattering about her.

Unfortunately, she didn't win the lead role in *Youth*.

The competition was too fierce—everyone had bigger backing, or was someone like Chen Duling, insanely smart and suddenly explosive.

Zhang Ruonan was among the earliest eliminated, never even making it to the finals.

After the young lady helped divert her mother's attention, Bai Liang went over to joke around with Director Jiao Zi.

This guy wasn't as nervous today—he seemed to have gained enough confidence from his work!

But Bai Liang's first words left Director Jiao Zi dumbfounded: "I've bet my entire future happiness and career on this—your performance is everything."

"Huh?"

"It should be trending soon."

Bai Liang pulled out his phone and checked—it was already third on the trending list, and he guessed it'd hit number one in a moment.

Actually, netizens weren't that interested in the opening-day box office of Bai Liang and Lu Han's movie, especially since Bai Liang was only a voice actor.

But everyone was wildly curious about their bet.

Lu Han's leaked info meant nothing—it was Bai Liang's side that mattered.

"Girlfriend?! What the hell does Big Immortal mean? Does he have a girlfriend?"

"I strongly suspect he's messing with reporters. Trust me, a guy who dares slap a lion's face and climb Zhufeng wouldn't hesitate to joke like this—he once said his girlfriend was all his fans."

"Wait, when did he say that? I'm his fan! How come I didn't know~?"

"He said it once at an offline event. When asked whether Reba or Naza was his girlfriend, he replied his girlfriend was a collective of fans—just a casual remark."

"I feel this time it's real! Betting time—Naza 1:1.1, Reba 1:1.2, Li Xin 1:3, Big Tian Tian 1:2."

"Big Immortal's fishing again—classic seasoned angler. Honestly, I never expected so many dream girls among his fans—I just like watching him act."

"Bai Liang's strength is that he's leagues ahead of other fresh meat actors, but his weakness is that he's still fresh meat—if he looked ordinary, he could've just gone the serious actor route."

"He's twenty-seven already—dating someone isn't a big deal. Anyway, I'm not a girlfriend fan."

"Even if Big Immortal officially announces it, he won't lose fans like Lu Han would—his fanbase is too complex; just the group of wish-fulfilling college students could carry him."

"What, aren't we anglers worthy?"

"What, aren't movie fans worthy?"

"What, aren't outdoor enthusiasts worthy?"

"What, aren't Dengshan enthusiasts worthy?"

"I see—you're all just like Big Immortal, damn talented in everything~"

"You fools, he's testing you! You actually believe him? How could he lose to Lu Han? Just wait for Lu Han to kiss Guan Xiaotong live."

"."

Sister Yanzi: The fan feedback's pretty good~

The discussion is heated, but there's no flood of threats to unfollow.

No wonder—they've been slowly infected by Capybara's vibe! They're still different from other fan circles' flashy, trashy types~

Though she didn't know what weird ideas were swirling in her little Bai's head, Sister Yanzi felt this stunt had some merit.

It let her observe fan reactions—far better than Lu Han's blunt official announcement that blew up the fandom.

In fact, the most thoroughly prepared PR plan she'd ever built was for the day Bai Liang's relationship might be exposed.

And she'd prepared multiple versions—for every girl, everyone got one.

She even had extreme scenarios for exposing multiple relationships at once—oh yes, and a "breakup plan."

Meaning, if he was "forced" to announce a relationship, a half-year token affair would suffice.

At the right moment, she could play the villain—appeal to emotion, reason, even threaten with veiled warnings.

After all, some birds can't be caged~

Of course, besides fans who truly didn't care whether Bai Liang dated or not, many female fans insisted: Absolutely not.

That's normal—some stars in their forties dating still lose fans and get backlash, like Lin Junjie.

As long as the core fanbase doesn't "riot," it means this won't shake Bai Liang's foundation.

It gave Sister Yanzi a little peace of mind.

Just a little—because there was one more crucial group she hadn't checked on yet.

Then she opened the group "Bai Liang Global Millionaire Fan Club."

Sure enough, it exploded!

A bunch of people were "interrogating" Big Tian Tian.

She hadn't become group admin yet—the "Great Rebellion" plan clearly wasn't going smoothly.

But she was already a moderator, hat on—unfortunately, it was green.

And Big Tian Tian looked utterly bewildered: Huh? He's going to officially announce a relationship? He didn't even consult me~

The group's uprising was triggered by Big Tian Tian's reaction—the Bai Fumei truly thought she was about to officially date Bai Liang.

Luckily, Sister Yanzi appeared in time and told them Big Tian Tian was just daydreaming—there was no such thing, and Bai Liang was just talking nonsense.

Bai Fumei:. Dismissed.

Big Tian Tian protested: Me daydreaming his nonsense proves we're meant for each other!

Watching Big Tian Tian argue again in the group, Sister Yanzi had a persistent feeling she'd one day be physically confronted.

I hope she's okay.

Meanwhile, at the *Nezha* premiere, Director Jiao Zi looked at the trending topics and his gaze at Bai Liang turned strange.

Damn!

The pressure just hit me all at once!

There's a dog!

"If our movie doesn't beat it on opening day, you really will—"

"A gentleman's word is binding; I'd just bluster?"

"You're putting so much pressure on me like this."

Bai Liang, who loved being the pressure kid in games, smiled at this: What else? I'm here specifically to pressure you.

Just as Director Jiao Zi was frowning in distress, a maternal call came from nearby: "Cutie~ come here a second."

Director Jiao Zi: Phew~ someone's here to take you down.

Clearly, Bai Liang's mom had seen the trending topic too!

Before calling Bai Liang over, she and Zhang Ruonan had spent hours studying the trending content and finally figured out what their son had done.

But she didn't scold him for acting recklessly; instead, she curiously asked: "Can that kid Lu Han win?"

Clearly, everyone else was fine, but Bai Liang's own mother had defected.

Even though she'd make a fortune if "Nezha" succeeded, deep down she truly hoped the boy next door would beat her son once.

Before Bai Liang could answer, Zhang Ruonan chimed in: "Auntie, he's definitely going to lose."

"Why?"

"Because… Brother Liang has never lost before."

Bai Liang couldn't help shuddering—what the hell is "Brother Liang"? Didn't she just call him "Teacher Bai" a moment ago?

It felt like this nickname suddenly pulled their intimacy way too close.

Still, the way that pretty girl looked at him with admiration was undeniably pleasing.

"It's not certain, what if—Cutie, if you really lose, what will you do?"

"Find a girlfriend and kiss her," Bai Liang replied honestly.

"Who?"

"The one next to you—I really like her."

Bai Liang returned the favor; after all, the girl had been fawning over him for ages—he'd give her some emotional value too.

The good news: the emotional value he gave was genuinely positive, and she loved it.

But the bad news: it was too effective, and the emotional value seemed excessive—it overflowed.

As a result, she blushed outright.

Now, besides Bai Liang's mom defecting to support Lu Han, Zhang Ruonan had secretly sided with him too.

There was no choice—she had to support him, since Bai Liang had said that.

Unfortunately, Lu Han wasn't some Ultraman; he couldn't receive this "light."

On the contrary, Bai Liang, in some sense, was more like Ultraman—the true conceptual god.

What? You say there's no light? You just said the word "light," didn't you?

Exactly~

A thunderous crash echoed through the sky—Nezha made a dazzling entrance!

After seeing the poster and trailer, many's first reaction was: Nezha is ugly.

It was unrealistic to expect everyone to accept this radically redesigned Nezha, since past animated versions had always been the sunny, adorable one from "Nezha Conquers the Sea" and "The Legend of Nezha."

But if you think he's ugly, that's exactly right—because this movie is about breaking prejudice.

Prejudice is a recurring theme in "Nezha," including Shen Shen Gongbao's line:

"Prejudice in people's hearts is like a great mountain; no matter how hard you try, you can never move it."

At the start of the film, Taiyi Zhenren delivered a monologue in Sichuan-accented Mandarin: "Whether a person can change fate, I don't know. I only know that refusing to accept fate is Nezha's destiny."

Precisely because of this setup, the film had no conventional villains or heroes, abandoned the simplistic good-versus-evil dichotomy, and gave characters vivid, multidimensional personalities—alive and fleshed out.

Whether it was Nezha and Ao Bing, Taiyi and Shen Shen Gongbao, or the implied Heavenly Court and Dragon Clan, no character or faction was merely a battle between good and evil—each had a story beyond appearances.

In the film, when little Nezha was despised by all, becoming a monster feared by every villager at age three—

Bai Liang's mother beside him softly sighed:

"You were kind of like him for a while when you were little."

Hearing this, Bai Liang froze.

Was I? Hmm… maybe I really was.

To this day, he had always restrained himself, never embracing what some called ultimate freedom.

Because that would surely be a disaster for many!

So, in countless unseen ways, Bai Liang had imposed many constraints on himself.

But that was after he grew up—what about before he became sensible?

Urinating on someone's lucky plant was probably just a minor incident—he even vaguely remembered some outrageous scenes.

The most vivid one was when he'd gone on a trip with a human trafficker as a child.

Yes, he'd gone on a trip with a human trafficker.

His parents had been busy back then, and luckily, a human trafficker "came to his aid."

Unfortunately, the joy was all Bai Liang's—the traffickers got ninety-nine trials of suffering.

He probably thought it was fun back then, but in the end, those traffickers couldn't even turn themselves in whole—they suffered far worse than the villains in "Home Alone."

As a small child, Bai Liang, in some sense, was in a state of ultimate freedom—except for being bound by his tiny body.

This even touches on whether human nature at birth is inherently evil or inherently good.

But to very young children, there is simply no such concept—they only care whether they are happy or not.

After straining to recall, Bai Liang awkwardly rubbed his nose.

Hmm. Of course one feels embarrassed when Mom brings up childhood mishaps.

Fortunately, his skin was thick enough; he lowered his voice again: "I'm way cuter than him, right~"

Bai's mother stroked her son's hand, glanced at the ugly Nezha on the screen, then looked at her son.

She secretly smiled, then nodded.

What a demon pill!

Third watch, fifteen thousand words, muah~

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(End of chapter)