Reversing Public Opinion, the "Beautiful, Strong, and Tragic" Persona Evokes Netizens' Sympathy

Just as everyone was speculating when the last woman in the photo would come forward to explain, it was Zhou Yi himself who posted on Weibo.

He used the account "Zhou Yi's Little Assistant," posting at 8 PM—prime time for everyone to scroll online.

Originally, Kong Huaijin had wanted You Man to step forward and clarify things too, but Zhou Yi narrowed his eyes and rejected the idea. He had another plan in mind.

Having all four women explain would seem too strange.

Among them, Su Ning and Kong Huaijin were both daughters of corporate tycoons, so it was inevitable they’d care about their reputations and speak up.

Jiang Ruolan was his assistant, and with such rumors circulating, she naturally had to clarify things. As Zhou Yi’s subordinate, her explanation was perfectly reasonable.

But You Man’s identity didn’t need to be exposed.

Zhou Yi directly posted a long Weibo—not a formal statement, just a text-only post.

"I’ve always been grateful for everyone’s love and attention. Regarding this incident, I believe the ladies involved have already explained everything clearly. I deeply apologize for the trouble this has caused them and sincerely appreciate their willingness to speak up."

"However, as for the last woman in the photo, I don’t want her to be the subject of further discussion. She is my benefactor, one of my closest family members."

"When I was still an orphan, she took me in, provided me with a salary, and made it possible for me to attend university. Back then, I was just an ordinary college student with nothing to my name."

"Two years ago, I was struggling on the fringes of survival. I wasn’t the polished, successful person you see today—I couldn’t afford to start a company or buy a sports car. She reached out to me during my darkest hour, and I will be forever grateful for her kindness. To me, she is family."

"Later, my biological parents found me, and I gained everything I have now. But I’ve never forgotten who stood by me when I had nothing. To repay her, we opened a restaurant together. The photo was taken when I went to visit her."

"She won’t be explaining anything, nor does she need to. I don’t want anyone disturbing her peaceful life."

"If there’s anything else you’d like to ask, I’ll be going live at 10 PM to address it."

Zhou Yi’s post was packed with revelations.

[Wait, Zhou Yi used to be an orphan?! I always thought he was some rich heir!]

["Struggling on the fringes of survival"—orphan, couldn’t afford college... How much hardship did our Zhou Yi endure to get where he is today?]

[And now, because of this mess, he’s had to reveal his past as an orphan. Honestly, the real "orphans" here are the cyberbullies causing this drama.]

[No wonder he donated to orphanages before. It all makes sense now.]

[This woman must mean a lot to him if he’s shielding her from public scrutiny and explaining things himself. What a responsible man.]

[Zhou Yi’s pretty brave for openly admitting he was an orphan. Most people would never own up to something like that to protect their image.]

["Nor does she need to"—what a firm response. Must’ve really hit his limit.]

[I’m tuning into the livestream tonight. Can’t wait to see what happens.]

Before this, not everyone knew about his past as an orphan.

Most of the comments were filled with sympathy for Zhou Yi, heartbroken over his struggles. His single line about "struggling on the fringes of survival" was enough to tug at people’s heartstrings.

He didn’t need a long, pitiful story—just one sentence for the audience to imagine the rest.

Most netizens were ordinary people themselves, so they could easily empathize with someone from humble beginnings.

Zhou Yi’s move was nothing short of brilliant.

First, it shifted attention away from You Man. Without any influential background, her past would’ve inevitably become gossip fodder.

Second, it established a "beautiful, strong, tragic" persona. Compared to a privileged rich heir, this backstory was far more compelling, earning both sympathy and admiration.

Third, the livestream. He was bound to step into the spotlight eventually, and what could’ve been a purely negative scandal had turned into a PR win in less than a day.

By capitalizing on the hype, he could attract more fans and lay the groundwork for future projects—his popularity points were skyrocketing.

The person most moved by this post was You Man.

Earlier, she had suggested recording a video explanation like Jiang Ruolan, but Zhou Yi had refused.

He didn’t want her subjected to public judgment and scrutiny.

She was a widow. If she didn’t disclose that, people would question whether her husband would be okay with her helping a young college student like Zhou Yi.

But if she did reveal her widow status, even more rumors would emerge.

Did she have ulterior motives for helping Zhou Yi? Were they involved romantically? Had she been with other men since becoming a widow?

If she spoke up, these discussions were inevitable. Netizens had no filter—he was afraid You Man wouldn’t be able to handle the cruelty.

Zhou Yi’s strategy worked. The focus had shifted to his orphan past, the mystery of his parents, and the upcoming livestream.

You Man’s presence faded into the background. No one even knew her name—just that she was a kind-hearted woman.

As You Man read the post, her nose tingled. The line about her being "one of his closest family members" made her eyes well up.

Romantic relationships were fragile—love was ever-changing, and no one could guarantee forever.

But family? That was a bond that couldn’t be broken.

You Man smiled, reassured.

Now she knew—no matter what, she and Zhou Yi would never be separated.

As for Kong Huaijin and the others, none of them doubted Zhou Yi’s relationship with You Man. Seeing him explain things this way only made him seem loyal and responsible.

By the end of the day, Zhou Yi had become a household name.

Even those who hadn’t known him before were now aware of him thanks to the drama.

His popularity points surged, and his earnings doubled.

Zhou Yi wasn’t sure whether to curse or thank the person who’d stirred up this mess.

The funniest part? He’d gained a wave of male fans, all eager to tune into his livestream and ask how he’d managed to win over so many goddesses.

This wasn’t just some playboy behavior—these women were all claiming to be the ones secretly in love with him, while Zhou Yi hadn’t made a single move or commitment. What kind of sorcery was this?

If they had that many wealthy, beautiful women pining after them, they’d be the happiest men alive.