Online speculation about Xia Xiqing’s sexuality has erupted into a heated storm, triggering a wave of discussions on same-sex topics that shows no signs of abating. On the very night of the third day since his sexual orientation was exposed, the marketing blogger dropped another bombshell—[Exposing the Chaotic Private Life of a Young Heartthrob Surnamed X].
“This article was clearly written by a professional gossip writer,” Jiang Yin sounded irritated over the phone. “Posting such content online is meant to muddy the waters. Casual readers don’t care whether these claims are true or false—the mere presence of these smear tactics plants seeds of doubt in their minds. That’s when the perpetrators achieve their goal.”
At this stage, mere denial is far from sufficient, Zhou Ziheng countered. “Sis-in-law, first dig up the backgrounds of these marketing accounts—identify the specific companies operating them, the writers behind the articles, and the publishers. Expose their online masks and pinpoint those who can be held legally accountable. Once that’s done, everything else falls into place.”
The article demonized Xia Xiqing, painting his private life as utterly depraved. It even featured several so-called anonymous ex-partners spilling private details about him. The piece went viral immediately upon publication. This phenomenon is hard to describe. The netizens who blindly shared it like gossip-hungry onlookers resembled refugees starved for years, swarming over painted steamed buns and fighting tooth and nail.
[@Cat_is_cutest: Holy crap, I never saw Xia Xiqing as this kind of person. So disgusting! Won’t he catch diseases?]
[@asssal: My question now is: Is Xia Xiqing really a top??? Holy crap, I always thought he was a bottom! So he’s a pretty top??]
[@CupidDoesntShootArrows: The gay scene is just so messy. Promiscuity is totally normal. When his sexuality was exposed, I knew there’d be more to come. And then he goes and stars in an AIDS movie? Total character collapse.]
[@MyLittleArtist: No evidence to start with, just made-up stories. Are netizens these days so reckless with gossip? Or do you automatically equate homosexuality with promiscuity and AIDS?]
[@CloudsDriftLightly: Honestly, this article has zero proof. If I wanted to, I could find a bunch of fake exes to write nonsense—no faces shown, all anonymous. Let’s wait and see. Online gossip gets debunked way too easily.]
Xia Xiqing coldly observed the debate and directly reposted the article.
[@Tsing_Summer: You’ll be seeing us in court.]
This was the first time a targeted celebrity personally took down a rumor-mongering account, instantly igniting netizens’ emotions.
[@12345GoHuntTigers: Holy crap, Xia Xiqing is so badass.]
[@AbcdICan: I can totally picture him saying that—so calm yet fierce… Probably a hangover from playing Escape Room.]
[@LittleMiss: Interesting. When rumors surfaced about him being gay days ago, Xia Xiqing stayed silent. But today, when his private life was exposed, he immediately denied it—and didn’t wait for a cease-and-desist letter, threatening court action instead. This suggests he acknowledges being gay but rejects the subsequent allegations.]
[@AreYouXiaoJu: What’s so tough about being gay?]
[@DidISleepEnoughToday: I have a conspiracy theory—could this be Xia Xiqing hyping himself up?]
[@MyHeartBelongsToLittleArtist: Hype my ass! Who would leak their own sexual orientation for self-promotion? And this article is so disgusting—only a fool would use something that destroys their own reputation for self-promotion. Have netizens gone completely bananas over gossip? Xia Xiqing spoke up because he has no contract and no team. He just likes guys—does he deserve to be slandered like this by you people?]
[@rihhhh: Jumping out to react the moment this article surfaces? Probably terrified their image will collapse completely.]
Xia Xiqing watched the retweets and comments, his fans still fiercely arguing with netizens to defend his reputation. The feeling was oddly unsettling—like a group of fragile girls standing tall with shields, bravely shielding him from the front. For most celebrities, such scenes would be commonplace.
But for someone like Xia Xiqing, this spectacle was deeply uncomfortable. He’d much rather charge into battle himself, leaving these girls to cheer him on from the rear.
A video call request suddenly popped up on his computer. Xia Xiqing glanced at the caller and accepted immediately. The video window revealed a young man’s face, his eyebrows and eyes bearing a certain resemblance to Xia Xiqing’s. Yet Xia Xiqing’s demeanor leaned toward languid laziness, his features more feminine. The face on the other end appeared more sculpted, radiating a much sunnier aura.
“Hey, big nephew, you’re here,” Xia Xiqing grinned with a hint of mischief. “Any discoveries?”
The moment he heard the words “big nephew,” Xia Zhixu’s face fell. “Say that again?”
“Fine, fine. Geez, such a temper.” Xia Xiqing, needing his help, put on a friendly face. “So? Did you find what I asked for?”
Xia Zhixu dropped the banter, scrolling with his mouse. “I am the CEO of a game company, after all. Now I’m breaking professional ethics to help you with this.”
“Cut it out. Don’t think I don’t know about your hacker alter ego.”
Xia Zhixu checked off several files. “I’ve encrypted all that evidence and sent it to your email.”
Though he trusted Xia Zhixu’s skills, he still worried about implicating him. “Hey, will this even show up as a system intrusion?”
“Not easily. I specifically went to a café without cameras and set up my own Tor node. Besides, once this stuff surfaces, he’ll be too busy with PR and dealing with the cops to care.” Xia Zhixu stretched lazily.
Xia Xiqing checked the email attachments. Besides the phone videos Zhao Ke had mentioned earlier, there were also recordings resembling those from fixed surveillance cameras. “What’s this high-capacity video? Home security footage?”
Xia Zhixu smiled crookedly on the video call. “Well, this is an Easter egg.”
Xia Xiqing clicked the video, puzzled. The camera captured Wei Min and several others. At first, it seemed harmless—just casual chatter and bragging—but the more Xia listened, the more uneasy he felt.
Wei Min leaned back in his office chair. “That Thai shipment was decent. It sold well in the nightclubs. We’ll bring in another batch by sea soon. I’ve got someone on my end to handle it.”
“Got it, boss.” Another figure in the frame pulled a packet of white powder from his bag. “Boss, this is the new stuff. Want to check it out?”
Wei Min, legs crossed, took the powder from the man’s hand. He sprinkled some onto the web of his thumb and forefinger, pressed one nostril shut with his index finger, and inhaled sharply. He tilted his head back against the chair, his entire body floating in a euphoric haze.
Xia Xiqing, witnessing this scene, froze. “Holy shit. That good-for-nothing is actually dealing drugs? And using them too?”
Xia Zhixu shrugged. “I watched videos this scumbag recorded on his phone. Several of his drugged-up victims seemed mentally unstable, like they were high. So I hacked his camera feed and found the proof.”
“You’re a badass.” This was a total surprise. Xia Xiqing never expected this wimp to be so capable. This single charge alone would be enough to ruin him for life.
Just as they spoke, the study door on the video call swung open, revealing a pair of long legs entering the frame. Xia Zhixu turned his head in the frame, a gentle smile lighting up his face. He grabbed the other person’s hand and pressed it to his lips for a kiss.
“Tsk tsk tsk,” Xia Xiqing laughed, leaning on the desk. “You two always have to share your lovey-dovey moments during video chats. Chenchen, did you miss me?”
Xu Qichen reached for a chair to sit down, but Xia Zhixu pulled him straight into his embrace. “Just sit here.” Unable to break free, he addressed the serious matter first. “Xiqing, how have you been these past few days?”
“Pretty good. Just a bunch of reporters waiting to snap my photo, so I’ve been holed up at home every day.”
Xu Qichen gave a faint smile. “That’s good. Did you see Zhou Ziheng’s video just now?”
Xia Xiqing shot up from the table. “Video? What video?”
“He seems to have been surrounded by reporters outside some building. A clip got posted online just now—it’s already trending.”
Zhou Ziheng had a commercial shoot today—could he have been stopped at the filming location or outside his company building? Xia Xiqing quickly opened Weibo and sure enough, found a post on the trending list titled [Zhou Ziheng Responds to Xia Xiqing Rumors].
This guy really… I’ve told him a hundred times not to pay them any mind. With a sigh, Xia Xiqing clicked on the video. It was only a dozen seconds long, showing a sea of reporters swarming Zhou Ziheng the moment he stepped out of the revolving door, microphones practically shoved into his face.
“Zhou Ziheng, did you know Xia Xiqing was gay from the start?”
“Did Xia Xiqing ever engage in intimate behavior with you?”
“Now that Xia Xiqing’s sexuality is public, as an artist who’s collaborated with him multiple times, what are your thoughts?”
“Today, rumors surfaced about Xia Xiqing’s chaotic private life. Is this true or false?”
Questions flooded him like a tidal wave. The crowd was so dense he could barely move. Zhou Ziheng’s frown deepened. His three or four bodyguards pushed the reporters back, while Xiao Luo, walking ahead, kept repeating, “Sorry, no comment. We don’t know.” But the reporters didn’t stop. Their questions grew increasingly nasty.
Zhou Ziheng, clad in a black overcoat, snatched a microphone from a reporter’s hand. His voice was low and tinged with anger.
“Is this any of your business?”
His naturally aggressive features, combined with his towering 6-foot-3 frame looming over the crowd, made his restrained anger all the more intimidating. The reporters fell silent at his demand. Zhou Ziheng handed the microphone back, but the original owner hesitated. Zhou Ziheng frowned. “Take it.”
With that, he walked through the crowd, got into his car, and drove away.
“Zhou Ziheng looked so fierce,” Xu Qichen chuckled. Xia Zhixu pinched his cheek. “You really enjoy watching others get worked up, huh?”
Xia Xiqing closed the video. “He’s just like that—terrifying when he’s angry, but usually acts like a kid.” He glanced at the comments below. While fan moderation was inevitable, the reposts were mostly from bystanders. Xia Xiqing had feared he’d drag Zhou down, but it turned out the bystanders were all fixated on his own face.
[@FriesLovesToRant: Holy crap, Zhou Ziheng’s face and body—he’s the very embodiment of the Greek god of war! //@BigHeadSonLittleHeadDad: My goodness, the entertainment industry’s top Alpha truly lives up to his reputation! //@YourLemon: Zhou Ziheng, I’m in! !! //@WorkHardTodayDuck: Zhou Ziheng is so dominant! Even though I’m annoyed, I’ll still hand you back the mic properly. What an absolutely perfect man! And he hit the nail on the head—what business do these paparazzi have with other people’s affairs? //@MyExIsTheWorst: He’s got the face of every dominant, cool alpha male out there. PS: Is Zhou Ziheng really not mixed-race? Why do Asians have such chiseled features?]
This world is just too harsh…
Xia Xiqing closed the Weibo interface. “I’m out of here. This evidence is too explosive—I need to maximize its impact.” He curved his lips. “Thanks, big nephew.”
“…Get lost.”
Jiang Yin was a PR pro. Xia Xiqing immediately sent her the drugging video Xia Zhixu found on Wei Min’s phone. With online rumors running rampant and public opinion divided, Xia Xiqing’s direct confrontation had already made some onlookers doubt the authenticity of the exposé.
Jiang Yin called back immediately after receiving the evidence.
“Where did you get this?” Jiang Yin’s voice carried obvious surprise. “Did Wei Min film all this himself?”
Xia Xiqing hummed in acknowledgment. “I think it’s time for the truth to come out.”
Prior to this, Jiang Yin had already used her connections to track down the marketing agency and the writer behind the exposé. Xia Xiqing wasn’t sure how she negotiated it, but the marketing agency had deleted all the exposé articles. Given the Zhou family’s influence and Jiang Yin’s extensive network in the entertainment industry, this wasn’t difficult to achieve.
Even so, mere deletions and apologies from the influencers were far from sufficient for Xia Xiqing.
“I’ll make sure Wei Min never recovers from this.”
At 8 PM on the fourth day after the sexual orientation leak, Xia Xiqing published a lengthy Weibo post.
[@Tsing_Summer:
Recently, discussions about my personal sexual orientation have sparked widespread online debate, causing negative repercussions. I sincerely apologize for this.
First, I need to clarify two points. One: I do indeed have romantic feelings for men. I do not deny this. On October 20th, at an art gallery opening salon, I publicly came out. I do not believe my sexual orientation should be subject to condemnation. Second, regarding recent anonymous online slander about my private life, I need to clarify the circumstances. In early May this year, I joined the cast of the drama “Stalking” after passing an audition. At that time, the production’s investor was Wei Min, Deputy General Manager of the Wei Group. During an art dinner in May, this individual attempted to drug and rape me, but failed. After withdrawing his investment from the production, he harbored resentment and sought revenge. He orchestrated these fabricated allegations to incite others to attack me online, effectively using unwitting netizens as his tools for cyberbullying.
All incidents can be found online through search records. Netizens are welcome to dig deeper. As for Wei Min, I personally will pursue legal action. I believe justice will prevail.
This Weibo post was immediately reposted by onlookers and fans, surging to the top of the trending charts within half an hour with over 120,000 reposts and tens of thousands of comments.
[@BadLiar: Xia Xiqing is seriously bold…]
[@Sister’s Maltese: Truly a legendary self-destruct player…]
[@12345GoHuntTigers: Hahahaha, the one above calling her a self-destruct player—don’t run!]
[@WhoWouldDenyIt: Holy crap, what a shocking twist! So it was an unconsummated sexual arrangement followed by deliberate retaliation? If it weren’t true, Xia Xiqing wouldn’t dare expose it so directly, right? Especially since the other party is a wealthy and powerful group vice president.]
[@You’reTheLapDog: Raise your hand—I know the answer. This Wei Min is a notorious scumbag rich kid who keeps a harem of minor celebrities. If I’m lying, I’ll eat shit live on stream.]
[@SkyHighLittleFlyer: Not a fan, just think Xia Xiqing is so badass.]
Riding the wave of attention, at 10:30 PM, a newly created Weibo account named [Heartless Rich Kid] leaked videos of Wei Min drugging and raping women from his phone. Jiang Yin had edited the footage beforehand, blurring the faces and altering the voices of all victims and mistresses, while cutting out explicit scenes. She retained enough footage to serve as evidence of Wei Min’s crimes.
The edited footage spread like wildfire as major influencers reposted it, instantly flipping public opinion. The videos were undeniable proof, fully corroborating Xia Xiqing’s claims in her lengthy Weibo post.
Netizens who had previously debated his sexual orientation swiftly switched sides, rallying behind the genuine victim, Xia Xiqing, to condemn and vilify this despicable rich kid.
While there are many prominent rich second-generation figures online, a few are particularly notorious for meddling in the entertainment industry. Once Wei Min’s trash was exposed in the public eye, these rich kids watched like spectators at a show. They openly and covertly mocked him, while also leaking more private scandals, making this nationwide condemnation even more heated. Though the drugging videos were swiftly censored, netizens’ heated discussions only intensified.
Wei Min’s meticulously orchestrated online violence ultimately boomeranged back on him.
When Zhou Ziheng returned, Xia Xiqing was sitting on the sofa with his laptop on his lap. Hearing the movement, he glanced outside and met Zhou’s gaze. For the first time ever, Xia Xiqing stretched out both arms like a beautiful kitten. “Come hug me.”
Zhou Ziheng hesitated for only a second before stepping forward to embrace Xia Xiqing, cupping his cheeks and kissing him several times.
“You look really handsome today,” Xia Xiqing said, tilting his face up to look at Zhou Ziheng as he ran a hand through his styled hair.
Zhou Ziheng felt a bit flustered by the touch. He sat beside him, draping an arm around his shoulders. Just as he was about to speak, he saw Xia Xiqing pull out his phone and dial 110. Startled, he exclaimed,
“What are you doing?”
“Shh,” Xia Xiqing made a silencing gesture, holding the phone to his ear. “I’m going to be a citizen of Chaoyang District for once.”
Zhou Ziheng murmured, “But this is Haidian District.”
“Hm?” Xia Xiqing turned his face, and their eyes met.
“Fine, then let’s be citizens of Haidian District.”
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