Chapter 101: The Aggrieved Gongyang Buyu and Bai Shuren

That afternoon, rumors spread online that Professor Wang Gongjue had been so enraged by Zhongyuan Yidianhui's response that he fainted and was rushed to the hospital.

But this rumor was currently circulating only within a small circle and had not yet affected the various media outlets scrambling to report on Cao Sheng's responses.

Huizhou Teachers College.

After school let out that afternoon, Ren Xueyi, with a lollipop in her mouth and one hand in her pocket, left the campus alone and went to a newly opened internet cafe nearby.

In the second half of last year, two new internet cafes had opened near the school.

This drove the internet fee down from five yuan per hour to three.

The internet cafe she visited today was the one with the best conditions.

Arriving at the cafe, she started up a computer; once it booted, she skillfully logged onto Rongshuxia and found Cao Sheng's "Days Living with an Air Hostess."

She dragged the webpage to the book review section.

She fixed her gaze on the individual posts in the book review section.

"I'm dying of laughter! Who would have thought Zhongyuan Yidianhui was so humorous in real life? That so-called famous writer and professor must be vomiting blood by now? Haha!"

"I hate those so-called famous writers, experts, and professors the most; they constantly look down on this and that, acting as if they're the only ones with mouths. Well? Kicked a iron plate this time, didn't you? Serves you right!"

"Ran Jing actually died! Author, you owe me Ran Jing!"

"I heard that so-called Professor Wang Gongjue was so angry he fainted, but I don't know if it's true. Is there anyone here who is a friend of the university where Professor Wang works? If so, could you come out and make a sound? Say whether this rumor is true or not?"

Seeing this post, Ren Xueyi paid attention to the replies beneath it.

"Sound!"

"Waiting for a reply from a student at that university."

"Waiting!"

"Waiting +1"

"Sound, I am a student at the university where Professor Wang is employed. The rumor the OP mentioned is true; an ambulance even came to our school. I heard Professor Wang might have suffered a cerebral hemorrhage from anger this time, and it's unknown whether he can be saved."

Seeing this reply, Ren Xueyi's eyebrows furrowed slightly.

The lollipop in her mouth stopped moving.

Cao Sheng, who did not know that Professor Wang had been driven to the hospital by his anger, stewed an old hen for his dinner that evening to calm his nerves.

He also wanted to restore his body and spirit to wage a long-term struggle against those so-called famous writers and professors.

He could not be so angered by them that he couldn't eat.

After eating and drinking his fill, he went to the study on the second floor and turned on the computer.

Habitually, he logged onto Rongshuxia to update "I Wish to Become an Immortal," a book he had long ago changed to one update per day.

After updating the chapter, he habitually went to the book review section.

He wanted to see the readers' feedback on the recent chapters.

But he saw that in today's book review section, hardly anyone was discussing the plot within the book.

Almost everyone was discussing his furious confrontation with those writers and professors in front of the media today.

"Famous writer? How famous? More famous than Zhongyuan Yidianhui? Calling yourself a famous writer in front of Zhongyuan Yidianhui? You really have the nerve!"

"The one above, those writers didn't call themselves famous writers in front of Zhongyuan Yidianhui; the reporters said it in front of Zhongyuan Yidianhui."

"I suddenly realized that many people I've never heard of before have suddenly popped up calling themselves famous writers, flaunting their seniority right in front of Zhongyuan Yidianhui. It's truly nauseating! The author scolded them well!"

"Came here out of admiration. Is this Zhongyuan Yidianhui's work? I hope his books are as good as his ability to scold people; don't let me down!"

"That Professor Wang Gongjue is done, right? Does he still have the face to be a professor? Will he write exclusively from now on? Hehe, don't come to Rongshuxia! If you really do, we'll scold you to death!"

"Damn! So what if I've read "Days Living with an Air Hostess"? That old stick Li Mubai actually scolded the general public for having low education... Is his education level high? So what if it is? I won't read what that old stick writes! You old thing with red-eye disease!"

After reading these posts for a while, Cao Sheng felt reassured.

As long as his book fans didn't turn against him, he had enough confidence to confront those old men head-on.

He just felt a bit regretful that platforms like Weibo or Douyin didn't exist yet; otherwise, relying on his book fans, he could have stormed those old men's personal accounts tonight.

He wouldn't even need to act personally.

With his mind at ease, Cao Sheng could now focus on typing.

The storms and winds of the outside world were temporarily cast aside.

He did not know that while he was typing.

Gongyang Buyu in Jingcheng, upon receiving a phone call from a friend and learning of Zhongyuan Yidianhui's evaluation of him, reacted thus.

"I have never heard of anyone named Gongyang Buyu, so when you say he is a famous writer, I find it hard to believe..."

"Please be realistic; do not casually bestow the title of 'famous writer' upon someone..."

These two sentences, which the friend recited over the phone, lingered in Gongyang Buyu's mind, refusing to leave.

They made him stand unsteadily before the phone.

"It's nothing! What's the big deal? Young people don't know the height of the sky or the depth of the earth, barking a few random words; can I take them to heart? It's nothing! Truly nothing! I don't care at all, really, so just rest assured! Mm, mm, alright, let's stop here! I still have to tutor my granddaughter on her lessons! Mm, alright, hanging up now, goodbye!"

Suppressing the anger and discomfort in his heart, he finished speaking these words with a smile on his face; after hanging up the phone, his body swayed, and he quickly grabbed the phone table with one hand to steady himself.

But his pale face, trembling lips, and shaking hands could not be concealed.

"Unbelievable! Truly unbelievable! Young people these days... they have no manners! Too unmannerly! I, I just said a few words to you, and you expelled me from the ranks of famous writers? Do you have the say-so? Huh? Do you have the say-so?"

Gongyang Buyu was both furious and aggrieved.

That same evening.

Hangzhou.

A middle-aged man whose pen name is Bai Shuren received a phone call from a colleague at his workplace, learning that the recently skyrocketing literary newcomer Zhongyuan Yidianhui had criticized him; Bai Shuren was utterly bewildered, completely in the dark.

He couldn't fathom why Zhongyuan Yidianhui, for no reason, would criticize him.

I haven't provoked or offended him; on what grounds does he criticize me? Is being skyrocketing so impressive? Can one criticize whoever one pleases?

That night, he did not sleep well at all.

Early the next morning, on his way to work, he found a newsstand, rummaged through a pile of new newspapers, and spotted the news his colleague had mentioned on the phone the previous night in the "Wenhui Daily."

"Zhongyuan Yidianhui: In my mind, the only 'Shuren' who can be called a famous writer is Zhou Shuren!"

Bai Shuren stood before the newsstand, frowning as he finished reading the report.

After reading it, he felt like laughing, but the smile that appeared was a bitter one.

He finally understood the truth.

It turned out that a fellow named Huang Shuren, relying on his seniority, had publicly attacked Gray work on the media, which provoked Zhongyuan Yidianhui's mockery, satirizing that fellow for riding on Zhou Shuren's name and being a counterfeit "Shuren."

But while mocking, Zhongyuan Yidianhui casually expanded the scope of his ridicule, saying something like, "I haven't even heard of other 'Shuren's like Huang Shuren or Bai Shuren."

Thus, he, Bai Shuren, was dragged into it as well.

He had suffered collateral damage.

He was utterly speechless.

He thought: Zhongyuan Yidianhui probably doesn't even know that a real Bai Shuren exists.

Thinking this, he felt even more depressed.

Because this meant that he, Bai Shuren, had no fame at all; even his peers had never heard of his pen name.