Chapter 104: Seeking Unpaid Wages for Migrant Workers [Second Update]

The farce of the "migrant worker hit-and-run" incident had finally come to an end. The media outlets that had fueled the fire, having milked the situation for every last click and ounce of traffic, vanished instantly. No matter how much others condemned or berated them, they offered no comments, let alone apologies.

This is the nature of media driven solely by profit: utterly shameless. Even Ren Qian had been forced to delete his denunciations on Weibo and let the matter slide. Such is the state of the entertainment industry. In the pursuit of sensationalism, the media had reached a level of brazenness that defied belief.

The incident of Ren Qian allegedly running over a migrant worker in his luxury car was like a bubble; no matter how large it was blown, it was destined to burst in an instant and vanish into nothingness. Consequently, many netizens lost interest before they even understood the ins and outs of the story. The only thing they remembered was that Ren Qian had run someone over, though it was later proven he hadn't.

Print media would no longer cover the incident. At most, a social commentator might publish an article criticizing the flamboyant trends of the current entertainment industry in a bid for attention, only for the piece to sink into oblivion shortly after. Its value had been fully consumed; to dwell on it further would be an exercise in futility.

The bubble era of the entertainment industry is ruthless. Topics are fleeting, and stars use every conceivable trick for a brief moment of exposure—frequenting nightclubs, leaking scandalous photos, engaging in public feuds, and more. But how many of these tactics actually work? A star might be incredibly popular one day, only to disappear from the public eye the next.

Ren Qian never intended to stir up controversy for attention, yet he was often propelled to the heavens by the fervor of netizens. Take, for instance, the video he released this time. In the Huaxia Charter Empire, such a thing as a "YTP" (YouTube Poop-style) video was unheard of. When he posted his creation online, the worldviews of the viewers shattered into pieces.

"Another groundbreaking initiative on par with the emoji! Years from now, historians will remark: Before the Divine Qian, the Empire’s internet sky was overcast, devoid of birdsong and rainbows; after the Divine Qian, the face of the Empire’s network was renewed. We call that era the ‘Prosperous Age of the Internet.’" — (21,387 likes)

"This is the Divine Qian’s raw, unedited voice. Now you know how terrible his singing really is? A true ‘soul’ singer." — (2,435 likes)

"I was struggling to keep my eyes open in bed, but after the second line, I was wide awake..." — (5,678 likes)

"My name is actually Huang He, Divine Qian! Could you show some consideration for your die-hard fans? My heart is cold!" — (4,657 likes)

"Some say this song sounds terrible, but that is simply a consequence of the restless, superficial nature of today's society. People are obsessed with quick success and vanity, neglecting the most essential and pure beauty of the human heart. When you let go of your burdens, forget the worries of the world, and abandon the frantic pursuit of fame and fortune—when you brew a cup of tea, light a stick of incense, and close your eyes in the silence of the night to feel every note—only then will you truly realize: what the hell is this absolute garbage I’m listening to!?" — (42,385 likes)

"Trash singing trash songs, vulgar lyrics, attention-seeking melodies. There is no artistry here whatsoever; it’s sickening." — (2,325 likes)

"Trolls are trash. Look at what the Divine Qian wrote on his Weibo? He said: please pay attention to the migrant workers who are being denied their wages! As a singer, he doesn't have the power or ability to help them directly, so he hopes to appeal to the public and the media to stop focusing on scandals and instead use their energy to help the vulnerable around them." — (61,235 likes)

Fang Bianfu, the well-known "fraud buster," had remained silent during the first two incidents, but this time, he actually reposted Ren Qian’s Weibo with a positive comment: "I think it is truly commendable that Ren Qian, as a singer, showed such responsibility after the incident was clarified. Although this method may not be particularly effective, he made the effort. If everyone in the country made such an effort, the collective power would be undeniable! How many fragile families could be saved? I applaud Ren Qian’s actions, and I must tell him: this video is absolutely insane."

CCTV celebrity host Song Yanbai also praised Ren Qian: "Amidst the uproar, few noticed the plight of those migrant workers. Denied their wages, struggling to survive, and then coerced into framing Ren Qian... The workers have no money and no connections; they are at the mercy of others. From the beginning, we ‘moral guardians’ have been accusing Ren Qian of being heartless. But what is our morality? Is it just repeating the accusations of others? Now that Ren Qian has stepped up to do his part to call for attention to the migrant workers' situation, shouldn't we feel ashamed?"

Following the reposts by these two influential figures, many Weibo influencers began to share Ren Qian’s post, adding their own positive commentary. Suddenly, public attention toward the migrant workers surged. Those with connections found the workers' information and published it online; those with resources mobilized to track down the unscrupulous bosses who had withheld their wages. More and more netizens joined the movement to care for the workers and fight against corrupt employers. The truth behind the entire incident slowly surfaced.

However, actually retrieving their unpaid wages remained difficult. To complete this task, both celebrities and influencers participated. Using their own modest power, they either called on others to join or provided information on the corrupt bosses for "human flesh search" investigations. Gradually, the situation became clearer, and the whereabouts of the corrupt boss of the Jiangnan Leather Factory were uncovered.

One week later, the corrupt boss was apprehended! Netizens cheered, but their focus soon shifted. They were no longer satisfied with saving just one group of workers. Whenever they heard of migrant workers being denied wages elsewhere, they rushed to investigate and help. Netizens from all over the country worked in unison, contributing money and technical skills, launching a massive campaign of justice against the withholding of migrant workers' wages.

A sense of accomplishment welled up in the hearts of the participating netizens. This time, they weren't trolling on the internet or wasting time playing games; they were upholding justice! They were fighting for the long-overdue wages of millions of workers. This would undoubtedly be an experience they would talk about for the rest of their lives. In the future, when they had children, they could boast heroically, "Your father once did something great—he saved migrant workers and helped them get their stolen wages back!" As a father, his image would suddenly become tall and majestic; as a mother, she would show her children the strength of a woman.

This sense of achievement attracted more and more netizens to join the "Wage Recovery for Migrant Workers" campaign. How many netizens are there in the Empire? Three hundred million. By the end of March, sixty million had participated in the activities, showing the immense impact of the movement. For nine full days, the top spot on the Weibo trending topics remained "Care for vulnerable groups, recover wages for migrant workers." The topic reached over a billion views—meaning that, on average, over a hundred million netizens were browsing this information every day.

Ren Qian, the initiator of this righteous act, was pushed to the headlines of all major media outlets.