Chapter 234: Unfanning and Striking Back

Chapter 234: From Devotion to Defection

At noon on November 24th, the hashtag #ParkJaeHaeBeaten appeared among the trending topics on Weibo.

Clicking through, one found a flood of reports regarding Park Jae-hae being assaulted in Shanghai, the most widely shared being a video clip.

The video opened with Park Jae-hae basking in the adoration of his fans, his face lit with a sunny, charming smile as the crowd erupted in shrieks of delight; the scene was one of perfect harmony.

Suddenly, a towering figure burst into the frame, charging with the ferocity of a professional wrestler, slamming into two bodyguards and sending them crashing to the ground in a display of raw power. The man then strode toward a terrified Park Jae-hae, seized him by the collar, and delivered a crisp, resounding slap across his face.

The rest of the footage consisted of still images: fans screaming in horror, the bodyguards sprawled on the pavement, Park Jae-hae huddled on the ground, and a shot of the assailant delivering a brutal kick, followed by a close-up of the attacker’s menacing expression.

The video’s share and comment counts soared.

"Damn, that is absolutely savage!"

"A human tank!"

"Just watching it hurts!"

"One against three and he wiped them out—what a beast!"

"..."

"A Korean star? Aren't there restrictions? Why are they still coming to China?"

"Are you saying people aren't allowed to travel? Hahaha!"

"It seems quite a few Korean stars have been visiting lately."

"Just here to fleece us for money again!"

"What year is this to still be fawning over Korean stars! Isn't Liu Haoran handsome enough, or is the 'Four-Character Brother' not charming enough?"

"Exactly! We have plenty of high-quality idols right here at home!"

"..."

"A Korean star got hit? Isn't it usually the other way around? How did the tables turn?"

"The tides have shifted; even Korean stars get their turn to be beaten!"

"Violence is wrong! But I couldn't help but laugh!"

"Park Jae-hae hit a fan in Shanghai five or six years ago; this is just karma catching up to him!"

"Damn it, a human being was assaulted! Do you have no sympathy? Can't you just leave a like instead of commenting?"

"..."

"This is assault! This is a crime! The perpetrator must be severely punished!"

"Reading these comments is chilling. This is such a heinous act, yet so many people are cheering!"

"Reject violence!"

"Justice for Park Jae-hae!"

"May the attacker explode where he stands!"

"Striking with such malice—this is clearly not a good person!"

"We demand an explanation for the 'Haemi' fan club!"

"..."

The comment section and the topic feed were not as one-sided as one might expect. Perhaps due to a backlash against the numerous past reports of Korean stars assaulting their own fans, the discourse was sharply polarized.

Soon, the identity of the assailant was unearthed—or rather, recognized.

Meng Fan had appeared on minor trending lists a few times, including today. While not a household name, his striking appearance and presence made him memorable to those who had seen him. Coupled with the fact that his Double Eleven livestream was only days prior, many still held vivid memories of his dreamlike sand art and stunning long-range basketball shots.

Furthermore, with the sheer number of viewers who tuned into Meng Fan’s daily streams, it was inevitable that some would recognize him instantly.

So, the attacker was something of a minor celebrity himself.

Information regarding Meng Fan quickly flooded the trending topic.

The discussion grew even more heated.

"Holy crap! Isn't that Fatty Meng? I didn't know he could fight like that!"

"Meng Fan is known as the 'Iron Tower'; these two rounds proved he lives up to the name!"

"You guys probably don't know that the Iron Tower once sat on a thief and crushed him!"

"I heard he sat on a pervert and finished him off too!"

"It’s a pity Fatty Meng didn't just sit on this guy!"

"Host Meng is usually so gentle and smiling every day; who knew he could be this brutal!"

"You think Host Meng only slapped him once? You clearly don't understand his hand speed. It looked like one, but it was actually a hundred!"

"Those three weren't even enough for Boss Meng to warm up!"

"He beat them until their legs went soft and they couldn't stand!"

"Is Boss Meng really this legendary? Trending for an ad, and now trending for a fight—two trends in one day! He’s about to blow up!"

"Are you animals not worried about Fatty Meng getting into trouble?"

"Why worry about a cheater like Fatty Meng? Just wait, there’s bound to be more big news coming!"

"..."

"An internet celebrity hits a Korean star? Now that’s explosive!"

"This video is clearly edited. Show us the context!"

"Does anyone know why he hit him?"

"The person who posted this needs to explain the cause! This ambiguity is pointless!"

"Without the full story, everyone should stop taking sides so easily!"

"True! Even stories about influencers hitting pregnant women have had reversals, let alone this! Let’s just sit back and watch the show."

"Eating melons, not taking sides, waiting for the follow-up!"

"..."

Park Jae-hae’s team sensed something was wrong when Jiang Cheng left and didn't return. They quietly retreated from the studio to their hotel and began making calls and maneuvering.

When they discovered they were trending on Weibo and being reported by multiple media outlets, the team panicked. Given the current climate and Park Jae-hae’s history of assaulting fans in Shanghai years ago, they had no desire for this to go public.

There was simply no profit in it!

Upon investigation, they realized it was their own fans who had edited and posted the clips, even paying for the trending spot in a misguided attempt to seek justice for Park Jae-hae. They were livid.

What a bunch of idiots!

They called the fan club leader and unleashed a torrent of abuse, strictly warning them against leaking any further photos or videos, and even demanding that all existing footage be handed over for centralized management.

Meanwhile, Bai Zhi and Su Qingcen, having learned from Jiang Cheng that Park Jae-hae’s team would not apologize and seeing them dig their own graves by pushing the story to the top of the trends, immediately set their plans in motion.

Jiang Cheng had been summoned to meet with Bai Zhi and Su Qingcen before he even approached Park Jae-hae’s team. Once he realized who was backing the situation and understood Park Jae-hae’s true nature—knowing full well he had indeed hit a fan—he folded instantly, defected, and handed over every piece of information he had.

Furthermore, Sister Sun not only sent people to protect the assaulted fan but also dispatched agents to keep a close watch on the individual at the scene who made a living exploiting the fan economy.

The hard evidence is here, as much as you could ever want!

"Don't worry, everything is under control; we'll shoot the music video while we wait for the show to begin."

Bai Zhi and Su Qingcen were both optimistic and confident about the outcome. Meng Fan had never been worried to begin with, and trusting them completely, he left the arrangements in their hands so he could focus on his filming.

Meng Fan, of course, had his own hard evidence, but hearing that Sister Sun had already secured hers, he said no more.

By three in the afternoon, the internet was flooded with bizarre theories as to why Meng Fan had struck Park Jae-hae: Meng Fan’s girlfriend liked Park, so he hit him in a fit of jealousy; Park was blocking Meng Fan’s path; it was revenge for Park hitting a fan; he simply didn't like his face; Park had killed off a character Meng Fan loved in a drama; they had argued over a late-night snack; Park had insulted Su Qingcen in private and Meng Fan had overheard...

In short, a collection of strange, absurd, and flimsy excuses that only made the public more certain that the true story had yet to surface.

By eight in the evening, news of the assault reached international platforms, where the fervor began to brew and spread like wildfire.

This was, naturally, the work of Bai Zhi and Su Qingcen’s team, intended to blow the incident wide open and crush Park Jae-hae once and for all, both in China and abroad.

You hit a fan and refuse to apologize, yet expect to come out unscathed?

That was never going to happen!

They had promised to make it impossible for him to walk a single step in China and ensure he found no peace back home, and they would not break their word.

Their primary goal, of course, was to ensure Meng Fan remained entirely untouched. And the only way for Meng Fan to emerge unscathed was to bury Park Jae-hae.

By nine that night, the sand art sequences for the two music videos were finished, and the crew headed off in high spirits for hot pot.

By noon the next day, the story had reached a fever pitch, both domestically and internationally.

Yet, just as Bai Zhi and Su Qingcen prepared to wrap up the final filming and close the net that afternoon, an unexpected turn of events caught them—and Meng Fan—completely off guard.

A user claiming to be an eyewitness posted on Weibo: "I fell for you seven years ago. I loved your voice, your smile, your physique, the way you’d shyly tug at your hair when nervous, and your discipline in spending an extra half-hour at the gym if you’d eaten a slice of cake... I loved everything about you!

Because I loved you, I forgave you for leaving the group, I forgave the scandals, I forgave the infidelity and the way you blamed the women, I forgave you for dissing your former brothers...

But I cannot forgive you for hitting a fan, and I certainly cannot forgive you for lying to us—the very people who supported you—and demanding we lie for you! Six years ago, when the media said you hit a fan, I didn't believe it. But yesterday, I saw it with my own eyes!

Last night, several of us didn't sleep. We saw the doubt in each other's eyes—the doubt of whether you were still worth it! It seems that once that doubt surfaced, the answer was already clear.

When I loved you, I would rush to the front, gun in hand, shielding you from the world. But the facts prove I was blinded by your mask and your lies. You are nothing but scum, so I will turn this gun on you without hesitation. I’m standing so close to you now, the impact should be all the greater, Park Jae-hae!"

Attached to the post was a seven-minute video.

It began with fans lining the streets, clearly capturing a fan who, having accidentally bumped into Park, reached out to steady him. Park, face twisted in rage, slapped her across the face and shoved her to the ground, followed immediately by his bodyguards, who began to kick and strike her.

The crowd scattered, the bodyguards turned to leave, and then Meng Fan charged in, felling the guards and delivering a slap to Park Jae-hae...

The entire sequence was captured: Park’s cowardice, his refusal to take responsibility, his demand that fans lie, their dialogue, Meng Fan’s words—"Chasing stars is such a beautiful thing, look at you, how filthy you’ve become"—and the moment Meng Fan helped the fan up, revealing the handprint on her face and the boot marks on her clothes!

A single, continuous shot, crystal clear for all to see.