Chapter 16: Why Aren't Any of You Mocking Me?
Hearing the lyrics, Tong Zigong fell into deep contemplation.
If his interactions with Qianqian had been simpler, if they had not hidden so many emotions from each other, perhaps things would not have ended up like this. Though he was furious over Qianqian's betrayal—having been cheated on—he knew their relationship had already started to break down. Perhaps it was precisely this that gave others an opportunity. Yet none of it could excuse infidelity.
Just as the lyrics said, every time Qianqian was caught by Tong, she was filled with remorse. But what was the result? In less than three days, every regret was forgotten. Again and again, she pushed Tong’s boundaries.
What was this? Such shallow sadness, as fake as an untalented actor.
Heh, how ironic it sounded.
“I should cooperate with your performance by pretending not to see,
Forcing the person who loves you most to improvise,
When did we begin to hide our bottom lines,
Adapting to the times, watching those clumsy performances,
But you once loved me so much—why act out the details?
What should I become to delay your weariness?
It turns out, when love lets down its defenses, these moments are the true test.”
Tong heard this verse and tears welled in his eyes.
How many times in the past had he accompanied Qianqian through those endless dramas? In his heart, he knew the chance for her to truly change was slim. Yet he kept believing her, again and again. Maybe, to outsiders, Qianqian’s acting was truly clumsy. But for Tong Zigong, caught in the middle, he never realized it. Not until Su Bai sang this song, “Actor,” did Tong finally understand.
Just like the last line: when love lets down its defenses, those moments become the real test.
And the viewers who had been jeering in the live stream suddenly fell silent.
“There aren’t so many actors, nor so much acting. Wouldn’t it be better if everyone was a bit more sincere?”
“I’m reminded of my ex-boyfriend, just like in the lyrics—his acting was explosive, juggling five relationships at once, a master of time management, yet not a single flaw.”
“Damn, five? That guy’s a genius too.”
“Come on, Tong, turn the camera to the delivery guy!”
“This dragging on is driving me crazy!”
“Who wants to see you being sad? I want to know who the delivery guy really is!”
“I don’t know if it’s because the delivery guy sang so emotionally, but I feel like I’m back in my bitter first love.”
“That line, ‘When did we begin to hide our bottom lines,’ really struck me. I broke up with my ex because by the end, neither of us had any boundaries left.”
“‘What should I become to delay your weariness,’ that line pierced my heart.”
“Boohoo, I’m so heartbroken. Delivery guy, do you have to sing so passionately?”
“Turn the camera to the delivery guy!”
“Turn the camera to the delivery guy!”
...
Tong Zigong, nose sour and embarrassed, wiped the tears from his eyes.
He no longer looked at Qianqian, who was crouched on the ground, crying bitterly.
He didn’t know if, after this bout of crying, she would last a few days before, as before, crawling back into someone else’s bed in less than three days.
Tong could imagine the comment section now would be full of sympathy for him.
To avoid being looked down upon by the viewers, Tong forced himself to be strong, squeezed out a faint smile, and brought his phone in front of himself.
“Actually, you don’t need to pity me. I brought this on myself, I... huh?!”
Tong was stunned.
Where was the sympathy? The mockery? The comments calling him the Hulk?
None of that appeared.
The comment section was unanimously urging him to turn the camera to the delivery guy.
What was happening?
Wasn’t he supposed to be the main character today?
Had the delivery guy stolen his thunder just by singing a song for him?
Yes, the delivery guy’s song was beautifully sung, and it had pulled him in so deeply he couldn’t calm his heart.
But even after being so thoroughly betrayed, was he now going to be overshadowed by the delivery guy?
Tong Zigong was completely unprepared for this.
“You mean, you want me to turn the camera to the delivery guy?”
“Yes, yes, yes!”
“Hurry up, stop dragging!”
...
Suddenly, countless bullet comments appeared, drowning out every other voice.
And now, the number of viewers in the live stream had unprecedentedly surpassed fifty thousand.
“Oh, right, sorry, when the delivery guy sings, he should be on camera. My apologies, I’ll just flip the camera now!”
With that, Tong Zigong turned the camera toward Su Bai.
“No objections.
Do as you wish, I don’t mind.
Your acting is limited,
No need for words,
Let’s part calmly.
I should cooperate with your performance by pretending not to see,
Don’t force the person who loves you most to improvise,
When did we begin to lose our bottom lines,
Going along with lies so we don’t look pitiful,
But you once loved me so much—why act out the details?
What should I become to fit your performance?
It turns out, when love lets down its defenses, these moments all have an expiration date.”
Su Bai was completely immersed in the mood of the song.
It was as if he had returned to his previous life, back to his first love.
Repeatedly, she said she loved him, but took his pocket money.
Su Bai never understood why, in high school, he spent all his savings on one girl—she was his whole world. Yet she still left for someone else.
Of course, the pocket money was secondary; most important was that she stole his heart but never cherished it.
Why did love need so many details of performance?
Wasn’t love supposed to be pure and beautiful?
Instead, it was all acting, all perfunctory, all deceit.
Tong Zigong, holding the phone, was in complete bewilderment.
The moment he flipped the camera, the bullet comments exploded.
“Wow, it’s Su Bai—it really is Su Bai!”
“I knew it, there’s no other delivery guy who could sing so well!”
“Oh my, Su Bai, you’re so talented in every way!”
“Su Bai, I love you!”
“Oh my, even as a guy, I’m starting to fall for him!”
...
Seeing the barrage of confessions for the delivery guy, Tong Zigong was utterly confused.
“I’ll timidly ask, is this delivery guy famous?”
“You all call him Su Bai—what’s the story?”
Next, the comment section was flooded with, “Go search for ‘Lone Brave’ and ‘Dragon Scale of Heaven and Earth.’”
Seeing the repeated lines, “‘Lone Brave’ +10086” and “‘Dragon Scale of Heaven and Earth’ +10010,” Tong Zigong was puzzled. He hadn’t had time to use Douyin these last few days, as he’d been breaking up with his girlfriend.
As a result, he didn’t know anything about the two hottest songs. But judging from the viewers’ reactions, he could imagine their popularity.
He murmured in his heart, “Looks like another super internet celebrity is about to emerge.”
Tong cleared his throat and said softly, “Let’s quietly listen to him finish this song, shall we?”
“The mood of this song is truly wonderful.”