Shen Yuan’s statement focused on three main points:
First, he acknowledged that the rumors circulating online were true and made it clear he felt no shame about it. Any marketing account hoping to blackmail him could stop dreaming.
Second, he publicly confirmed his legal marriage to Qiao Hailou and revealed that little Shen Qiaosheng was his biological son.
Third, he announced that he would pursue legal action against unethical media outlets and tipsters who had violated his privacy.
The internet exploded.
There were simply too many sensational angles: Qiao Hailou, the older billionaire tycoon from the Forbes list; Shen Yuan, the young, award-winning jewelry designer with a brilliant future; an eighteen-year age gap; a same-sex marriage; and even the shock factor of male pregnancy. On top of that, the aloof, refined Mr. Shen—so distant and immaculate he seemed untouchable—was revealed to have an intersex condition and had given birth at nineteen. There was endless room for speculation.
Qiao Hailou was the first to repost the statement in support. Zhang Meng followed, announcing that they had conducted an exclusive interview with Shen Yuan that would appear in next month’s issue. Then Lin Zhihui joined in, mobilizing artists from her company to publicly support Shen Yuan and condemn paparazzi and gossip marketing accounts for their shameless habit of violating privacy for entertainment.
Shen Yuan had always been well connected, with friends everywhere. Shocked as they were, most of them stood by him out of loyalty and friendship. His body had nothing to do with his character or the way he conducted himself. Shen Yuan even noticed that Wang Ziqin quietly reposted it.
As for Xiao Lin, there was no question. He rallied a whole crew of livestreamer friends—each with millions of followers—to back up his brother. Viewers personally witnessed the usually well-behaved “ego大神” turn into a rabid online attack dog. Anyone who mocked his brother got their entire family cursed out.
Fuel on the fire. Fire on the fuel.
Shen Yuan dared to go public for several reasons. First, he was a jewelry designer, not an idol, singer, or celebrity—he lived off his designs, and his industry didn’t care about sexual orientation. Second, if this had happened three or four years earlier, before he met Qiao Hailou, he would have been terrified to even mention it, treating it as a fatal weakness. Now, he wasn’t afraid anymore. Uncle Qiao had made sure of that.
And maybe—just maybe—he had also become more ambitious than before. He knew that even if he suppressed this incident now, the reality of his body could never be erased. Sooner or later, someone else who disliked him would dig it up again. Then what? Pay hush money every time? Even if he underwent corrective surgery, the past would still exist.
Qiao Hailou had once told him, “The moment you fear something, it becomes your weakness.”
In that case, why not use it?
If he was going to be talked about either way, he might as well take control and turn a liability into an advantage.
The comment section under Shen Yuan’s statement was especially heated. Supportive responses included:
“Holy shit—this is hardcore. He went straight at it!”
“My crush is actually married to my favorite CEO daddy? I… I approve of this marriage!”
“[Goodbye] Is my idol a bestie now? I’m officially dropping girlfriend-fan status and becoming an auntie fan. Honestly, I love Little Peanut more.”
“Girls!!! This is REAL male pregnancy!!! [wild dancing gif]”
“Everyone’s been guessing who President Qiao’s pampered spouse was, and it turns out to be someone this outstanding—and they’re flexing their love all over the internet. I’m officially sour. [lemon]”
Of course, there were nasty comments too:
Netizen A: “Ugh, disgusting. Isn’t this neither man nor woman? And he has the nerve to come out and say it himself—doesn’t he feel ashamed?”
Shen Yuan replied: “Friend, it’s the 21st century. What defines a person’s gender? Just their body? Without question, I am a man in my heart, so I am a man. This is the body I was born with—it’s not my fault, it’s fate. Why should I feel ashamed? I’ve lived my life with a clear conscience and never broken the law. What exactly is there to be ashamed of?”
Netizen B: “You accuse others of invading your privacy, but look at you shamelessly putting it all out there. Clearly you didn’t think it needed to be private. And now you want to sue our little marketing account? So petty. Unfollowed.”
Shen Yuan replied: “First of all, I never intended to expose this myself—it’s my life. Whether I choose to tell others should be my decision, not someone else’s. Do you even know what ‘privacy’ means? If not, go look it up. I didn’t plan to hide it on purpose, but I don’t mind making it public either. And no matter how you provoke me, I’m still suing them. Give it up.”
Netizen C: “Are you insane? You’re actually using this for publicity? Just like the article said, greedy and fame-hungry. Was this all staged by you from the start? Did you leak it yourself?”
Shen Yuan replied: “Since when is legally defending my rights ‘greedy’? Wait until the lawsuit documents are public—once I sue the tipster, you’ll know whether I staged it or not.”
Netizen D: “This is so selfish. You’re enjoying the hype, but what about Little Peanut? Now the whole internet knows he was born from something neither male nor female. How do you think people will see him? Is this something a loving parent would do? He’s too young to understand now, but once he grows up, he’ll feel ashamed.”
Shen Yuan replied: “So hiding it forever would be better? Letting his origins remain unclear? I am his biological father—why can’t I acknowledge that? Why should I? I don’t feel ashamed of being his dad. I named him Little Peanut myself. I know how big his feet are, what diaper size he wears, which vegetables and fruits he likes best, and what lullabies will put him to sleep when he can’t. I’m confident I’m doing better than over eighty percent of fathers in this country. Men who only contribute a sperm can proudly call themselves dads without shame, but because my body is different, I’m supposed to feel ashamed?”
Shen Yuan personally went into battle, taking on every hater.
The incident didn’t just spark heated debate domestically—it also drew widespread attention from major international news outlets. It generated more buzz than the design award he had won months earlier. Whether people admired him, despised him, or were just watching for drama, one thing was certain: Shen Yuan’s name recognition skyrocketed.
He wasn’t in a hurry. While the internet argued nonstop for two days and the controversy still hadn’t died down, Shen Yuan returned to China to appear on a top-rated variety show—live. He had contacted Zhang Meng, spent money, and pulled strings to secure the spot.
He wore a dark gray, fine pinstripe, bespoke three-piece suit in Savile Row style. The cut relaxed elegantly from the shoulder blades, creating soft draping folds. The hem was weighted, giving his waist and back clean, strong lines. A gold chain hung at the waist of his vest. Every button was custom-made from platinum, and a lapel clip crafted from blue gemstones, diamonds, and platinum gleamed at his collar. A professional stylist had also refined his grooming.
Even Shen Yuan himself felt that this was the most handsome he had ever looked in his life.
He took a deep breath, steadied his trembling fingers, and glanced toward the audience. Qiao Hailou and the baby were there. Qiao Hailou smiled at him, and it felt like a gust of wind filled Shen Yuan’s chest, flooding him with courage. He walked onto the stage.
The lights blazed down on him, so bright he could barely see—like the explosion of a star.
He had already prepared his speech.
“Hello, everyone. I’m Shen Yuan. I’m a jewelry designer. You might be wondering why someone outside the entertainment industry is here on this show today.”
“Many of you have probably seen some news about my private life online recently. Today, I’m here to talk about that.”
“Quick aside—my gossip news got thirty thousand shares. Two months ago, when I won an international jewelry design award—the third Chinese person in history to do so—that news got five hundred shares. Very realistic. I’d think winning an award for Chinese designers would be more meaningful, right?”
The audience laughed, and the atmosphere lightened.
Shen Yuan smiled calmly. The diamonds at his collar reflected the stage lights, mirroring the brilliance in his eyes.
“As a child and throughout my adolescence, I felt deeply inferior because of my body. My grandparents didn’t want to raise me because of it. My biological father called me a monster. My mother didn’t stay by my side. I grew up under the weight of discrimination.”
“When I was three, my parents divorced, and I was awarded to my biological father. He was an extremely irresponsible parent. The first time I ever appeared in a newspaper was because of him. I was just over five years old. He went out to have fun and locked me at home for half a month. We ran out of food. I nearly starved to death. Thankfully, a kind neighbor discovered me and saved me. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be standing here talking to you today.”
The audience gradually fell silent.
The calmer and more lightly he spoke, the more chilling it felt—almost unbearable to imagine what he had endured.
“I once believed I was a monster. I blamed heaven. Why give me such a deformed body? What did I do wrong to deserve this punishment? If I had been healthy, would I have been loved by my elders? Would I have lived a happy life?”
“Then I met my partner. He taught me many things. He helped me face my true self without fear. I want to defeat that fear. I don’t want to run anymore.”
“Many people online say I’m disgusting, neither male nor female.”
“But what defines gender? Is it just physical organs? Psychologically, I am a man. My body just isn’t complete. I suppose my situation could be described as… half transgender?”
“I was born this way. I didn’t choose it. Does that mean I deserve ridicule and condemnation? I can’t accept that.”
“I asked my doctor. He told me there are at least tens of millions of people like me worldwide.”
“I don’t ask everyone like me to stand up as boldly as I have. But I want to say this clearly—there is nothing shameful about it.”
“I understand their pain deeply.”
Looking straight into the camera, Shen Yuan said, “After discussing it with my partner, we’ve decided to donate fifty million to establish a charitable foundation. We’ll build a professional team. Anyone suffering from similar concerns—whether emotional or financial—can reach out to me for advice on hospitals or doctors. I’ll help within my means.”
“Once my jewelry studio is fully established, ten percent of future profits will go toward maintaining and operating this foundation.”
“I hope that one day, you too can step out of pain, lift your head high, and live freely.”
“There is nothing shameful about who we are.”
“That’s all I have to say.”
When his voice fell, the venue was silent for several seconds.
Little Peanut laughed, two tiny front teeth poking out. He didn’t understand a word—he was just giggling, wiggling his butt in Qiao Hailou’s arms, squeezing his tiny hands toward Shen Yuan.
“Daddy, daddy.”
Qiao Hailou hugged the child tightly and was the first to applaud.
Shen Yuan looked at them and couldn’t help but smile.
Only then did the audience come back to their senses and join in.
Thunderous applause.
When he had first discussed crisis management with a PR firm, their director had opposed such a bold move.
“Mr. Shen, there’s never been a precedent for this…”
Shen Yuan smiled, resolute. “Then this will be the first.”
There was both warmth and ambition in his eyes.