That night, Mina didn't reply.
The rumors continued to spread online like foam from a boiling pot, splattering everywhere. When the foam burst, it left behind only water stains. Everyone craned their necks to investigate, not knowing what was in the pot or what the foam looked like, but that didn't matter. Those who were more honest pointed to the water stains with confidence, while those who enjoyed watching the commotion believed and spread the most sensational speculations, such as the one that claimed Mina underwent plastic surgery to look like the rich woman she was trying to please.
The posts were deleted and reposted, marketing accounts joined in on the fun, and the fans of the popular figure added fuel to the fire. In no time, it became the most talked-about topic of the moment.
The next day, Mina posted a Weibo denying many of the rumors. As for the claim that she changes boyfriends like changing idols, she said that she hadn't broken any laws or cheated on anyone and that her private life should not be overconsumed or related to others.
This written statement also emitted a sense of resentment and dissatisfaction, like trying to quell the boiling pot. But with no outlet for the public's outrage after failing to uncover the identities of Mina's three ex-boyfriends, it was easy to guess what would happen next. As Mina had said, this was her private matter, but how many eyes did the photo of her with a handsome boyfriend who looked like Sheng Shi redden? Mina started to be doxxed.
Within 24 hours of the incident, Mina called Zhang Yang.
Zhang Yang looked at Mina's caller ID and sneered. She knew why Mina was calling her, and she knew who was messing with Mina.
Answering the phone, Mina cried, "Sister Feiyang, save me."
Zhang Yang said lightly, "Don't cry, calm down and speak."
"I know it's them," Mina gritted her teeth, "I paid someone to delete it, but they paid someone to post it. They even kept instigating, I don't care about myself, but if my dad is exposed, I'm done. Really done. You have to save me."
"What do you mean by 'them'?" Zhang Yang asked knowingly.
"They" referred to the station sisters and big fans of Sheng Shi. Zhang Yang was also one of them. Some of these people were already rich, while others could easily gather funds through Sheng Shi's huge fan base. They were also very familiar with marketing companies. Although Mina was rich, she could not compete with them.
Mina did not expect her momentary vanity to attract so much hatred.
Having a boyfriend who looked like her brother and flaunting it was one thing, but tarnishing her brother's image was another. Her brother was everyone's, a celestial being untouched by the mortal world. He couldn't be monopolized by a prostitute with a little money and looks, and using a low-quality substitute to proclaim her love for her brother was even more disgusting. Moreover, the fact that she climbed walls to spy on her brother showed that her love for him was cheap, and these despicable people would not miss an opportunity to trample on her.
Zhang Yang hasn't made a statement publicly because she used to have a good relationship with Mina and was caught up in a lot of ridicule and sarcasm. At this time, it would be wrong for her to either stand by Mina or join in on the mocking. So the best choice for her is to stay silent even if she's being attacked. However, behind the scenes, she's been using multiple fake accounts to stir up trouble.
Mina was sobbing and begging Zhang Yang to help plead for her case. Zhang Yang knew the people involved and they were acquaintances, so she should be able to help out.
After thinking for a moment, Zhang Yang said, "We can't discuss this over the phone. Let's meet tomorrow..."
"No, not tomorrow!" Mina pleaded urgently. "Where do you live? I can come to find you now. Please, Zhang Yang, Sister Feiyang, they are doxxing me, and I'm really scared. My family is...different, my dad really can't be exposed!"
"Okay, you can wait for me at the KFC on Huai Xiu Road."
In the 24-hour fast food restaurant, Zhang Yang deliberately arrived almost an hour late and found Mina sitting in the corner wearing a mask.
Zhang Yang sneered inwardly. She really thinks she's someone special. Whatever happens on the internet, no one knows you in real life.
Upon seeing Zhang Yang, Mina stood up attentively and said, "Sister, please have a seat. Would you like something to eat? I can go order for us."
"No, thank you," Zhang Yang sat down. "You can take off your mask now. There's no one around."
Mina took off her mask. She had no makeup on, her hair was greasy and sticking to her scalp, dark circles surrounded her eyes and her face looked pale and tired. She looked nothing like the confident and beautiful white-collar worker at yesterday's birthday party.
Mina took a sip of coffee and hoarsely said, "Fly High Sister, can you help me? I'll do anything. I know I was wrong, I was too showy, I..."
"You should report this to the police," Zhang Yang looked at Mina, feeling extremely satisfied with her current state.
"It's useless. How many people can the police catch? They keep deleting and reposting, and it's going to escalate unless they stop targeting me. The fans listen to them." Mina cried, "We used to have a good relationship, and I spent so much money on my brother. Millions of dollars, and in the end, they say I don't really love him. They have no mercy at all."
Seeing Mina cry with sobs, Zhang Yang felt a little sympathy for her, especially when she mentioned spending millions of dollars for her brother. Zhang Yang recognized that Mina had put in real effort and work for her brother, rather than just bragging like she did on social media. She softened her tone and said, "I know your love for your brother is genuine, and I think it's okay to climb the social ladder sometimes. It's not necessarily betrayal, just fate. No matter what, I've seen what you've done for your brother."
Mina nodded vigorously and pleaded, "Please help me, sister. I'll leave the industry after this, and I'm willing to make a public apology. I just want them to stop."
Zhang Yang looked into Mina's eyes and said, "I can help you, but this matter isn't as simple as you think. My reputation isn't as great as you believe, and I need to come up with a good explanation for you. So, you have to tell me the truth about your three boyfriends."
Mina anticipated this question and replied, "I met them through friends. I'm a fan of a celebrity, and I tend to like guys who resemble him. I asked my friends to keep an eye out for me."
Zhang Yang squinted her eyes and asked, "Why don't they have any trace online? In this day and age, it's almost impossible for someone to be completely invisible on the internet. Is it because they're introverted?"
"I don't know. Maybe they're just shy," Mina said hesitantly.
Zhang Yang's expression turned serious. "If you don't tell me the truth, I can't help you." She stood up to leave.
Mina grabbed Zhang Yang's hand and said with a bitter face, "I know my explanation is too far-fetched. I didn't lie to you on purpose, it's really something I can't say."
"What do you mean you can't say?" Zhang Yang angrily asked, "Did they get plastic surgery? Are they selling themselves? What's so important that you can't say it, is it more important than being doxxed or your father being exposed?"
Mina's face turned even uglier.
"I'm not forcing you. Contact me when you've figured it out."
"Hey, don't go!" Mina grabbed Zhang Yang like a drowning person grabbing a lifeline. "I'll tell you, but you have to swear not to tell anyone, swear on your brother's life."
Zhang Yang was taken aback. "What exactly..."
"It's really, really, Sister Feiyang, this is an absolute secret that cannot be revealed. If it gets out, you will be in danger too. I'm not joking."
Zhang Yang hesitated for a moment. "Okay, I...I swear on my brother's life, I won't tell anyone."
Mina grabbed her hair hard. "Oh my god, you won't even believe me if I tell you."
"Just tell me."
Mina held her head and sneakily glanced at Zhang Yang. She said in a low voice, "Actually, they are custom-made products."
"What?" Zhang Yang was stunned. Her first reaction was that Mina was talking nonsense.
"They were cloned. You know about cloning, right?" Mina wore a determined expression.
Zhang Yang's face twisted. "Do you know what nonsense you're talking about?"
"I knew you wouldn't believe me!" Mina shouted. "But what I said is true."
Zhang Yang's emotions surged, and she felt sick. "Go on."
"The so-called custom-made products are artificial humans created by adjusting the original genes."
"Cloned humans still need to be gestated in a mother's womb. It's only been three years since your brother's death. Even if they started producing clones then, wouldn't Ke Yu just be able to walk now?"
"No, they have high technology. After being gestated in a mother's womb, they are placed in a kind of biosynthetic growth fluid. It's something related to animal genetics. Many animals can mature in just a few months. I don't really understand it, but they applied this technology to humans. With eight months, they can cultivate a fully grown adult."
Zhang Yang felt like she was listening to a fairy tale. "Who taught you this?"
"What I said is true!" Mina argued. "There's no point in lying to you. They are an underground organization, very mysterious and powerful, specializing in providing so-called 'high-end custom services' to rich and powerful people. They can make any celebrity or public figure you want and create a backup person for your organs. These custom-made products are living people, but they obey their masters like robots."
Zhang Yang felt her brain go blank. "All three of your boyfriends were obtained this way?"
Mina despondently replied, "Yes."
Zhang Yang had a ton of questions to ask, but what came out of her mouth in a daze was, "How much did it cost?"
"Since it's a high-end customization service, the price depends on the customization content," Mina said. "For the companion service that I chose, the lower the similarity, the cheaper the price. My first one had a 35% similarity, which was the lowest level, and it cost 2 million to buy or 10,000 per day to rent."
"You can rent them?"
"Yes, you can. Because they can become boring," Mina curled her lip. "I didn't have much experience the first time, so I bought one. But later it was so troublesome to handle. I was young at the time. Renting is actually more cost-effective, and you can switch them up."
"What about Ke Yu?"
"Ke Yu cost 5 million, but I rented him. I rented him for six months, so I got a discount," Mina whispered. "I really like Brother Ke."
Zhang Yang felt her scalp tingle.
Mina glanced at Zhang Yang sneakily. "Sister Feiyang, if you like him, Ke Yu can be loaned to you..."
Zhang Yang glared fiercely at Mina. "What the hell do you take Brother Ke for? Is he a fucking sex doll?"
Mina was frightened and quickly apologized, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I really..."
"What was Ke Yu's similarity level?" Zhang Yang's gaze turned fierce and sharp, and her heart was pounding heavily. She really wanted to grab Mina's hair and slap her across the face.
"85%. The similarity is high, not just because it's expensive, but mainly because it's prone to problems. I shouldn't have boasted about it... They don't easily provide above 85% similarity because it can cause trouble and is also not presentable. Actually, they warned me not to expose him, but I didn't take it seriously since my previous two purchases were fine. It was my negligence," Mina said regretfully.
Zhang Yang calmed her breathing and asked, "What you're saying is too unbelievable. Did you buy it from there? Take me there to have a look."
Mina shook her head and replied, "You know it's illegal. All buyers must have a guarantor. If it weren't for my dad, I couldn't enter that circle. I can be your guarantor, but you need to deposit a 1 million yuan security deposit and provide all personal information, including your parents, relatives, and friends. If you leak information, your life will be in danger. I'm not joking."
"I won't leak information. I swore to my brother with the deadliest oath of my life. Pre-deposit means I can withdraw it, right? Can you lend me the money?" Zhang Yang asked.
"In the past, you could, but my mom was angry this time and stopped my card. Sister Feiyang, that's a world for rich and powerful people to enjoy. Some people play it dangerously. Do you think everyone is like me, just wanting to date their idols? You can't afford to rent or buy it, and it's just for satisfying curiosity. It's not necessary," Mina explained.
Zhang Yang knew Mina's words made sense. Even if she had 1 million yuan, she couldn't afford to rent it for a day, let alone buy it.
Thinking about this, Zhang Yang became a little uneasy. Did she really believe what Mina said?
Mina looked at Zhang Yang anxiously and said, "Sister Feiyang, can you help me?"
Zhang Yang lowered her head, remained silent for a long time, and finally said softly, "Can you... really lend me Ke Yu?"
"Yes, yes," Mina nodded eagerly. "I told you he will listen to me."
Zhang Yang gritted her teeth and said, "If Ke Yu is really like what you said, then I believe you. I will help you."
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