Chapter 42: The Hilarious Jilin Daily [Thanks to New Ally Fangcunshan]

The interview lasted a long time, and they talked about a lot.

In terms of volume, it was enough for her to write three in-depth articles, analyzing Han Han from different angles.

Among them, a portion of the content was clearly highly controversial, so the newly converted "mom fan" reminded him privately: "Do you need me to beautify it a bit?"

"Thank you, but no."

Han Han refused decisively.

"But..."

Zhao Chunhua hesitated, frowning in thought.

As a seasoned reporter, her professional instinct was to dig out news highlights and the truth about the person as much as possible. However, the deep affection she felt for Han Han in her heart made it hard for her to feel at ease.

After hesitating for about two seconds, her professional instinct was finally defeated by her emotions, and she decided to make the consequences clear to Han Han.

The youth before her had the dual identity of an idol and a child, and she had poured a lot of genuine emotion into him.

As long as it didn't affect her own position, she was very willing to offer the greatest degree of kindness.

"Regarding the media's attitude toward the layoff policy, I’ll be honest: criticism is the consensus."

"There are quite a few heavyweight figures in the cultural world who speak out for it, and they are united. Going against them, um... I think it might be a bit ill-considered..."

"This matter itself is very sensitive, and your words are so intense; you will offend many people."

"Also, although you mean well, I’m afraid this won't bring you any benefits."

"There are so many people who are angry and can't get out of their emotions. No matter how correct you are, you won't necessarily get their gratitude."

"You can't measure others by yourself. You are smart, so you think everyone is smart; you can control yourself, so you think everyone can control themselves."

"That’s not right. Actually, most ordinary people have very average temperaments; I’ve seen too many."

"The world is made up of mediocre and vulgar people."

"You are special, while ordinary people are emotional; they can neither bear responsibility nor accept reality... Sigh!"

"In short, do you understand what I mean?"

"I know, Sister Zhao."

Han Han accepted Zhao Chunhua’s kindness and gave her a brilliant smile.

Then, he raised an eyebrow slightly; his sword-like brows slanted into his temples, and his wild spirit seemed to burst out from his eyes like sword energy.

"But so what?"

Only battle, and I enjoy it.

Seeing the youth’s eyes, Zhao Chunhua couldn't persuade him anymore.

She forcibly suppressed the heart-pounding tremor and said goodbye to Han Han.

"I have to go back and finish the draft. Little Han, let’s stay in touch!"

"Okay."

Han Han waved his hand lightly, stood at the gate of the small courtyard and watched her for three seconds—not a second more, not a second less—then turned and walked back into the house decisively.

Zhao Chunhua watched the youth’s figure disappear behind the door and finally realized vaguely that there seemed to be a scale, or a ruler, in Han Han’s heart.

She didn't know how to describe it; the feeling was too strange.

The more she pondered, the more uncomfortable she felt, her heart itching uncontrollably. So, as soon as she arrived at the train station, she couldn't wait to call Wang Yali.

"Yali!"

"Is the interview over? How is Little Han? Amazing, right?"

"Super, super incredible!"

Zhao Chunhua was excited for only a second before being overwhelmed by confusion again. She described her mysterious personal feelings in a disjointed way, wanting to ask Wang Yali to help analyze them.

"You know, I’ve seen a lot of people—good ones, bad ones, smart ones, stupid ones, sincere ones, hypocritical ones..."

"But how can Han Han be so special?"

"I don't know how to share my thoughts with you because many of my feelings come from sensibility and intuition. I can't describe it. My brain is a mess right now, you know?"

Zhao Chunhua hadn't expected Wang Yali to understand, but miraculously, she really did.

"I understand. After deep contact with Han Han, you intuitively feel that everything is awkward. He is completely different from the image you expected. The good parts are better than the highest level, but the parts with edges are so incompatible with your inherent thinking..."

"Oh!" Zhao Chunhua exclaimed, "Exactly! That’s it!"

Wang Yali raised her eyebrows and smiled triumphantly, feeling beautiful and smug inside.

Little one, you’ve reached the peak, haven't you?

No one knows Han Han better than I do!

"So, what exactly is the problem? Sister will analyze it for you."

Wang Yali took it all on with a carefree attitude, but the next second, Zhao Chunhua’s four rapid-fire questions left her stunned.

"Where does the essence of the mystery about Han Han actually come from?"

"He clearly has enough capital to stand in society now, so why is he still so wild, so aggressive?"

"But I feel he is both smart and calm. How did such contradictory personality traits form?"

"And finally, what does he actually want to do?"

"Sister..."

Wang Yali rubbed her temples with a headache, her brain buzzing.

Forget it, don't call me sister, call me Little Li. I don't know a single one of those, damn it!

"Well, it’s hard to explain over the phone. You come back first, and after I read the interview draft, we’ll talk slowly!"

How exactly was Han Han’s personality formed?

Lying in a hospital bed for a few years, dying once, coming back to life, merging with a wild wolf cub, seeing the devastation in a strange era, and finally having a system daddy as a companion—that’s the whole package.

See, how simple.

As for what he wants to do...

For now, President Han just wants to keep gaining fans. Aside from that, he doesn't care about anything else.

Today’s interview stayed within the frame he had set in advance, without any errors.

Those truths that sounded like chicken soup seemed like preaching, but they really weren't; he never intended to convince anyone.

In essence, this was just a self-display.

I show the outside world a deep thought that far exceeds my peers, thereby triggering the fans' pursuit and worship—it’s that simple.

As for whether others believe it or are convinced... you’d better not be.

If you really start arguing or invite criticism, that’s even better. Thank you for bringing your own dry rations to torture my fans for me.

Saying the right things and getting scolded, doing righteous things and getting blacklisted—these are the easiest situations to attract and solidify fans.

More than twenty years later, similar things made Ming De gain ten million fans in one day. Transferred to now, the reach is greatly narrowed, but the unit effect will only be stronger.

Han Han didn't deliberately provoke conflict throughout the process; he just stood there like an unbendable nail, saying the right things and being his own god.

Afterward, whoever wants to scold can scold, whoever wants to hammer can hammer; just bring it on.

Brother Han was not only not panicked, but full of anticipation.

You’d better give it your all; don't let me down.

Zhao Chunhua took the manuscript and the video, along with the article "The Small-Town Test-Taker" prepared for their newspaper, and rushed back to the Imperial Capital overnight.

She couldn't wait for the Beijing Youth Daily to make a huge splash and show the peer media what they were made of.

As it turned out, before she even got off the train, the morning’s new issue of the newspaper had pushed the education discussion to a climax.

Jilin Daily: "What kind of students are the talents we need? — An Exclusive Interview with Han Han"

Han Han: Seven red lights hang high, illuminating my future.

Han Han: I got first place in the high school entrance exam because I wanted to.

This was the first time the media had pitted the two against each other, triggering an even more intense battle.

The moment she saw the newspaper, Zhao Chunhua blurted out a dirty word and threw everything onto the table in anger.

"What’s wrong?"

A colleague asked with concern, and she laughed in anger: "Nothing, I was played by a bumpkin county station..."

"Oh! Han Han’s interview?"

"Yeah."

Hearing Han Han’s name, everyone in the office turned their heads in unison.

"Sister Zhao, how is Han Han?"

"Super awesome!"

Back in the Imperial Capital, Zhao Chunhua picked up the Imperial Capital accent again and proudly gave a thumbs up.

"Is he that handsome in person?"

"Even more handsome than in the photos!"

"Whoa, that’s really something. Isn't that both literary and martial?"

"You bet!"

"Tsk tsk, if only he were my son..."

"Hahaha, keep dreaming!"

"Sister Zhao, how is the interview material? Is the quality high?"

"Just you wait and see!"

Zhao Chunhua opened her notebook and started the final polish, swearing to take tomorrow’s front-page headline.

Meanwhile, the power of the Jilin Daily’s head start was spreading across the land of China.

In fact, in the recent public opinion field, the education war had stopped using Han Han as the narrative protagonist; most of the time, they just mentioned his name, set him up to fire a shot, and then each spoke their own logic.

The Jilin Daily was the only provincial newspaper in recent times that truly used Han Han and the other guy as objects of deconstruction.

Of course, the bias was obvious.

The "good big brother" was stepped on until his face was gray, while their own child, Han Han, was established as the model of a good student in the new era.

It was mainly because his grades were truly dazzling—only 5 points away from a perfect score, enough to compete for first place in any province.

Therefore, the crafty editor played the "Spring and Autumn" writing style with peace of mind, playing it very dirty.

[Han Han always fights]

Sigh, children in the Northeast are naughty from a young age; who hasn't had a disagreement or a bump or two? That’s nothing!

Furthermore, where did the word "always" come from?

It was clearly only occasionally!

[Han Han gathered a group of lackeys]

Sigh, you don't understand. Northeasterners are outgoing and are taught by their parents from a young age to venture out. Whatever brother, sister, we call everyone we see.

Thirteen Eagles? What Thirteen Eagles?

There’s no such thing!

Actually, it was a spontaneously formed study group, and Han Han was the group leader.

After our investigation, we found that Han Han urged his younger brothers and sisters to study hard. Look, all the children’s grades improved in this final exam.

He is really moving; handsome, kind-hearted, and responsible!

[Han Han collects protection money from classmates]

Nonsense! Slander! Rumors!

What? You have witnesses and testimony?

Ahem, Han Han’s first place in the provincial exam achieved a zero-breakthrough for junior high education in Nong'an County. Do you know how hard that is?

Look at the other guy, failing 7 out of 8 subjects!

[Han Han’s essays have a lot of dirty words]

The other guy failed 7 subjects.

[Han Han is too arrogant and doesn't know how to be humble at all]

The other guy failed 7 subjects.

[Han Han brazenly criticizes the media]

The other guy did it too, but Han Han got first place in the entrance exam, 610 points!

[Han Han clamors to break his biological father’s legs...]

Sorry, we didn't report that at all!

Everything was written in the press release, except for this point, as if it had never happened.

Confirmed, it’s true love.

In order to downplay the negative information about Han Han, the Jilin Daily didn't even want its face anymore. It glossed over the bad parts, and if it couldn't gloss over them, it dragged the other guy out to take the hit... tsk tsk.

Insider news: After seeing the Jilin Daily, the "good big brother" turned pale and immediately went out to run a half-marathon...

At the very end of the report, the Jilin Daily started getting sentimental again, tearfully rambling about how difficult, moving, and worthy of praise and encouragement it is for an orphan to "turn over a new leaf."

They set up a memorial tablet for Han Han in the void, and after offering incense, they started crying and wailing.

Honestly, even Han Han felt ashamed when he saw it.

Provincial official media!

Staring with big eyes and spouting nonsense!

Stepping on my "good big brother" and outputting wildly!

Are you guys decent?

Jilin Daily ->_>: Just tell me if the effect is good or not?

That was true; once the report was issued, Han Han immediately returned to the center stage, with heat several times higher than before.

If the heat generated by "Sprout" featuring him on the cover for two consecutive months was 10, then the heat during the two confrontations between the thugs was 30, the heat after Mr. Ba Jin’s praise was 80, and now the heat had hit at least 200.

On that day alone, more than twenty evening newspapers reprinted it. A rough estimate put the total circulation at at least two million copies, covering an uncountable number of people.

The positive side, supporting "studying is useful," was thus energized, holding high the banner of Han Han and launching a general offensive against the rebels.

This offensive reached a climax the next day.

Zhao Chunhua finally finished the first in-depth interview, the front page of the Beijing Youth Daily social section, with a title that shocked all parties and made fans howl—

"I’ve Fought with Fate"

Once this article came out, it was like pouring oil on fire, elevating Han Han from a thin high school entrance exam champion and literary genius into a cultural phenomenon.

Then, through the two follow-up articles, this image was further fleshed out and quickly swept the whole society.

For a time, paper in Luoyang became expensive; major newsstands across the country were frantically urging for goods, reprinting, reprinting, reprinting!

Before the exclusive interview was published, the circulation of the Beijing Youth Daily was stable between 600,000 and 650,000 copies, with little fluctuation.

The pass-along rate was maintained at 4.69 people per copy, the highest value for capital media.

And three days later, when the series of reports ended, the circulation surged to 1.1 million copies, squeezing out the "Beijing Evening News" for the first time and taking the throne as the third largest in the country.

At the same time, the pass-along rate exceeded 6.12 people per copy, achieving dominance across the industry.

On the other side, although "Southern Weekly" still maintained a circulation of 1.5 million, firmly occupying second place, they, who had been supporting the other guy, had been beaten until their faces were gray and they were shivering in recent days. Even if their mouths were hard, they couldn't hide the decadence of being suppressed.

The second report of the Beijing Youth Daily, "There Is No Why to Learning," was relatively peaceful, and they could still hold on.

By the time the third piece, "The Universe Is Not Yet Settled, You and I Are Both Dark Horses," was released, really, it was no exaggeration, the resistance collapsed completely.

At the end of the final piece, Zhao Chunhua wrote:

"Usually, we wouldn't associate a grand proposition like fate with a child. If a teenager tried to tell me about fate, I would want to laugh."

"But at this moment, I can't laugh."

"I am sincerely shocked."

"It’s not because Han Han’s experience is tragic. As a reporter, my tolerance for tragedy itself is high. Many interviewees' encounters have made me weep, but that was just sympathy, pity, kindness, and intolerance."

"Only Han Han makes me feel ashamed of myself."

"Everyone, what kind of imagination must we have to fuse completely opposite characteristics—14 years old, orphan, school boss, fighting every three days, provincial champion, literary genius, calm critic, a cruel youth who swore to break his own father’s legs, a focused small-town test-taker, and so on and so forth—into one person?"

"If you accept his incredibility, then good, can you continue to accept his disdain for fate?"

"I can’t quite accept it. I think: how can you be so understated?"

"Sometimes a small thing can easily crush me, making me irritable, restless, and even manic. I don't think I’m too fragile; many adults are the same as me, and can be stimulated by life’s dissatisfactions until their chests are tight and their heads are dizzy."

"But Han Han is just so understated."

"When he said 'I’ve fought with my fate' in the most serious tone of the entire interview, I couldn't feel at all that he was showing off."

"He just used himself as an example to tell us adults: don't be discouraged, don't be negative. When certain things become established facts, accept the part that cannot be changed, and then smash the part that has not yet ended."

"The universe is not yet settled, you and I are both dark horses."

"Han Han finally used this sentence to summarize his attitude toward fate, which finally convinced me."

"I have to be convinced, and I have to accept it."

"But I insist that this kind of thinking does not have universal significance... so I said: 'Han Han, you are an exception. You have a top-tier talent I have never seen before, so you cannot demand everyone to meet your standards.'"

"Guess how he answered?"

"He laughed, and a trace of wildness finally appeared on his face."

"'Of course, I know that mental impotence is indeed hard to cure, but if my stimulation can make them slightly hard—even just for a moment—after experiencing the benefits of being hard, they will miss this feeling, plant a seed in the deepest part of their hearts, try every way to pursue it, and slowly, maybe one day they will really be able to rise.'"

"'But in the final analysis, what does this have to do with me?'"

"'Some media want to impose a compassionate sentiment on me, but I’m sorry, I really don't have it.'"

"'I cursed, I felt good, that’s enough.'"

"'If it leads to bad results, I don't care; if it leads to good results, I don't take the credit.'"

"'So I won't use my standards to demand anything of anyone. I hope you can record it truthfully when you report. Everything I said represents only myself.'"

"'I am definitely a dark horse; as for you guys... whether you are or not is up to you.'"

"At the end of the interview, Han Han overturned everything he had said. I was stunned, and my brain was blank for a long time."

"Back at the newspaper office, I reorganized this interview draft, feeling restless, confused, and hesitant."

"After much hesitation, I finally decided to waste a little of my colleagues' time and conduct a special discussion."

"Everyone was very active. From the editor-in-chief to the assistants, they watched the interview video while speaking freely."

"The core question was: through this interview, what kind of person do you see Han Han as?"

"The argument was so intense, but the result was regrettable; we failed to reach a consensus."

"In the end, the editor-in-chief decided to shelve the dispute and leave the question to the readers."

"And just as I was submitting the draft, my thoughts suddenly opened up inexplicably—"

"Whatever you think Han Han is, he may not be, but he definitely won't care whether you think he is or isn't, so... whether you are or not is up to you."

Zhao Chunhua’s ending was convoluted and meaningful, so what kind of person Han Han actually was quickly became a hot topic.

And below this interview, the Beijing Youth Daily announced in bold, size 2 font—

Tomorrow, we will publish Han Han’s latest article in the literature section, "The Small-Town Test-Taker." ===== CHAPTER 43 =====