Chapter 1364 – There’s a price to pay for a publicity stunt
Xue Hai Fan Zhou is feeling proud to see the argument happening online. He had contacted a publisher privately, and the publisher agreed to publish his novel, which he had worked on for two years.
Of course, the publisher has a condition. Xue Hai Fan Zhou will bear the initial cost. If the novel sells well, the publisher will increase the printing and refund him the initial cost. This is because the publishing firm’s editor read the novel and finds the quality ordinary.
But Xue Hai Fan Zhou is confident his book will be a best-seller.
Xue Hai Fan Zhou had secretly sent that article to a newspaper agency without his address. He is not worried the other party can find him.
After that, he started to voice his opinions online, and the newspaper picked up his views and shared them. He felt online is faster and safer.
Today, Xue Hai Fan Zhou got online after he wakes up.
News about him became the headlines of Sina, Yahoo, and other major news websites again. His news had gotten more views than the Country’s leaders visiting other countries.
Xue Hai Fan Zhou lit a cigarette and clicked on the article to read it. His face changed after reading two sentences. What is going on? The content of the article is not what he expected!
Xue Hai Fan Zhou thought this was an article about another Professor refuting his article. He was looking forward to it. Any discussion about his article is giving him fame.
Who doesn’t know Xue Hai Fan Zhou now? His real ident.i.ty is still anonymous.
But things have changed now. An anonymous netizen had guessed his ident.i.ty on Sina Web and even stated his particulars.
Although the website censored some sensitive particulars, Sina Web knows he is not a Chinese American or a well-known author.
His article should have p.i.s.sed Feng Yu off. Will Feng Yu send people to beat him up?
Xue Hai Fan Zhou doesn’t know about IP addresses, and he is traceable through it. He also doesn’t know how bored and skillful netizens are.
Feng Yu had only gotten his men to reveal Xue Hai Fan Zhou’s IP address and some vague information online. The rest of his details were exposed by netizens. Sina Web had covered some important details about him, but some smaller websites did not care. They just release everything they have!
Xue Hai Fan Zhou’s particulars are also exposed on Baidu Baike. It states he is doing this as a publicity stunt and had already committed a crime.
Xue Hai Fan Zhou just found out what he did is a crime. He thought this was only an online debate. But what he wrote about Feng Yu is considered slander.
Xue Hai Fan Zhou quickly log into his Sina Blog and saw countless comments.
Xue Hai Fan Zhou has fans supporting him, and his fans thought he is n.o.ble for voicing his views.
But after Xue Hai Fan Zhou’s real ident.i.ty and lies are exposed, all the comments on his blog are all scoldings!
“Idiot. Feudalism?! You are the biggest feudal!”
“Get lost! Best selling author?! You had only published a book and only sold a few thousand copies.”
“The guy upstairs doesn’t know anything. I guess those few thousand copies were given out free, and maybe only less than a thousand copies are sold! Hey, the public toilets east of my village had run out of toilet paper. When can you send your books over?”
“That’s right. Our school’s toilets also need toilet paper.”
“What do you all mean his books can only be toilet paper? I think it is also suitable to use it as padding for a pigsty.”
“Someone who slanders others as a publicity stunt should be arrested.”
“That’s right. Arrest and sentence him to death!”
“Whoever buys his books are considered funding our enemies! He still wants to pretend to be an American?! Get out of China and look for your US daddy!”
……
Xue Hai Fan Zhou looks through the comments, and none is supporting him. Those that supported him in the past had switched sides and started scolding him.
Some even call him a traitor!
Xue Hai Fan Zhou never imagine things will take such a drastic change. His reputation had gone down the drain.
He panics and wonders if Police will show up at his house.
Xue Hai Fan Zhou’s phone suddenly rang and shocked him. He looked at the number and realized it is the Publishing company’s editor. Suddenly, he has a bad feeling.
“h.e.l.lo, Editor Li.”
“I am representing the Publishing company to inform you that we will not be publishing your book. Our Chief Editor decided this.”
“Why?! But you said your Chief Editor had agreed, and I will pay the initial cost.”
“Why? Do you still need me to explain? Even if people are queuing to buy your books, we will also not dare to publish them. I had already notified you, and that’s it. Bye.”
Xue Hai Fan Zhou is dumbfounded. That’s right. His ident.i.ty was a mystery and had many supporters previously. That’s why he is confident people will buy his book.
But now, who will buy them? Some even said buying his book is considered funding their enemies!
This is a serious accusation!
Knock… knock… knock…
Xue Hai Fan Zhou felt his veins is about to burst when he heard someone knocking. He shouted. “Who is it?”
“Xiao Han, it’s me. Auntie Yang from the estate community.”
Xue Hai Fan Zhou is relieved to hear it’s Auntie Yang and went over to open his door. “Auntie Yang, what… who are you all?! What are you doing?!”
“Don’t move! We are bringing you back for investigation, spreading rumors, and creating trouble. The rest of you all, go in and gather evidence!”
Xue Hai Fan Zhou looks at Auntie Yang angrily, but Auntie Yang returned his stare with a disgusted expression. The estate’s reputation is tarnished because of him.
…….
“Boss, that Han Dabao, which is the real name for Xue Hai Fan Zhou, is arrested by the Police and will spend at least three years in jail.” Wu Zhigang reported.
“Ok.” Feng Yu nodded. “We will not get involved and let him face the law. Oh, how is the essay writing compet.i.tion?”
“We received lots of online submissions today, and we estimate there will be more sending in through letters. This essay writing compet.i.tion will break any other writing compet.i.tion records and create history!” Wu Zhigang replied excitedly.
Feng Yu gave Wu Zhigang a side glance. Records are meant to be broken. You might think the submission volume now is ma.s.sive, and you will be shocked to know this volume is nothing in a few years.
“Alright. I will be going to Shanghai. Help me to monitor the situation here.”