The Sweetest Marriage Ch.347

Chapter 347 – Accumulated Luck

Before spring arrived completely, a cold spell came down from the north. A self-media user on Weibo discovered the massive following behind Chen Li’s incident. They traveled a long distance to Shanghai and even found the house where the Chen family’s three members were currently renting, interviewing them.

It was like dozing off and someone handed you a pillow; it thrilled the Chen family. They each accepted interviews, not only echoing the online sentiments but also fabricating numerous tragic stories.

They went to great lengths to portray themselves as a tragically afflicted family, shifting all unfounded blame onto Chen Li and Wei Chen.

After recording interviews with the Chen family, the self-media even filmed the house where the three currently lived, and went to their previous villa on the mountainside, creating a stark contrast between Chen’s past opulence and their present misery.

After wrapping everything up, this self-media hurriedly edited the video and uploaded it to their Weibo.

Previously known for creating humorous videos, this self-media had millions of followers on Weibo. So, within half an hour of posting the video, it garnered hundreds of thousands of shares. At the same time, the names Chen Li and Wei Chen trended together, followed by a red-hot ‘explosive’ tag.

This was the first time on Weibo that something other than celebrity news had exploded onto the trending list.

It enraged the Chen family’s daughter, Chen Yu, who suffered from heart disease, drove the Chen family’s daughter-in-law, Du Lixun, to madness, and even landed the Chen family’s only son in prison.

What kind of ruthless people were Chen Li and Wei Chen to push the Chen family to this extent?

If you seize someone’s property, once it’s in your hands, why push the Chen family to ruin?

Initially, public opinion condemned Chen Li and Wei Chen, but it was merely based on insider information without concrete evidence.

But now, the victims themselves had come forward, providing undeniable proof. This incident was undoubtedly a closed case.

At present, the online public opinion surged higher and higher. Every major media platform was flooded with comments demanding justice for Wei Chen and Chen Li.

Everyone was indignant, as if they were the ones being persecuted. Once a topic trended on Weibo, whether related or not, all the comments were filled with mockery and derision towards Chen Li and Wei Chen. Some even went as far as criticizing the nation’s system.

Wasn’t it all due to the nation’s system that allowed someone with power to manipulate everything?

The whole atmosphere on Weibo was tense, with public opinion being driven to one peak after another.

At this particular time, neither Chen Li nor anyone related to Wei Chen stepped forward to refute the claims. Major official media outlets stayed silent, leading the masses to believe they were guilty or too afraid to explain. Consequently, more and more people rallied to demand justice for the Chen family, and their words turned increasingly harsh.

Observing all this, Chen Li couldn’t help but feel disdain for the shamelessness of the Chen family. Accusing them of hypocrisy, sometimes he found himself cursing them even in his dreams.

What kind of people were they? Didn’t they have a shred of conscience? Leveraging public pressure to directly vilify him and Wei Chen, their behavior was repulsive!

As for the online opinions filled with venomous words, Chen Li didn’t invest much thought into them anymore. The warmth from the people around him comforted his heart. Occasionally, his emotions would fluctuate involuntarily, but he managed to overcome them quickly.

Chen Li believed he was getting better. In the nearly two months that had passed, not only had he not lost weight, but he had even gained some. His face appeared rounder than usual, enough for Lan Xiping to comment that he was almost recovered.

Of course, Lan Xiping only mentioned “almost.”

To completely recover from Chen Li’s condition, that final step was crucial. Lan Xiping had been studying how to take that final step these past few days.

As they say, “Success comes after the last ounce of effort.”

Taking advantage of this opportunity to completely heal Chen Li’s illness was crucial. If they failed to address this last step, it would leave behind a massive security risk.

No one knew when this risk might surface or what harm it might bring to Chen Li.

Therefore, Lan Xiping couldn’t afford to let his guard down.

Soon, a support event became the final step, erasing all the shadows from Chen Li’s heart and enabling him to completely move on from the events of the past twenty years.

Before this rumor storm, Chen Li was already an internationally renowned painter, admired by fans from all over the world.

Different from fans of mainstream pop stars, Chen Li’s followers were unquestionably the most loyal. His paintings had once empowered them.

Some stood at the crossroads of life, uncertain which path to take. Chen Li’s art had given them the strength to reaffirm their beliefs and confidently move forward in the direction they cherished.

Some people even stood on tall buildings or at the edge of bridges, some even picked up knives and c*t their wrists, or contemplated taking sleeping pills. At their lowest points, Chen Li’s “Light” appeared before them, reinvigorating them, and allowing them to see the warmth in the world again.

And so on.

There are many such examples. At their darkest moments, Chen Li’s art brought them warmth. Now, they aim to reciprocate that warmth amidst the tide of public opinion.

Even before Chen Li’s art exhibitions, he had a support group akin to that of a celebrity, consisting of people from various walks of life.

Of course, neither Chen Li nor Wei Chen knew of the existence of this organization.

This group silently circled around Chen Li without disrupting his life. When the online discourse about Chen Li escalated, instead of engaging in arguments or disputes, members of this group mobilized to help Chen Li find evidence.

Some with available time even spontaneously traveled to the capital.

These individuals weren’t just from different parts of the country; some flew in from other countries.

As online opinions reached their peak, this group assembled outside the gates of Q University, waiting for Chen Li to emerge.

They didn’t hold up signs or create a commotion. They simply stood quietly, wearing identical custom-made jackets adorned with the image of “Light,” which remained in the national art museum to this day.

When Chen Li and Lan Xiping walked out from the gates, they were genuinely surprised to see a group of over a hundred people.

Without rushing toward Chen Li in excitement, they appointed a representative who approached Chen Li and said, “Mr. Chen Li, hello.”

Chen Li didn’t sense any malice from them and responded with a faint smile. “Hello. Who are you?”

“We are your supporters. There are many like us who, due to various reasons, couldn’t make it to the capital. But they’ve entrusted me to deliver a message to you,” the representative said, handing a USB drive to Chen Li. “Mr. Chen Li, their messages are recorded in a file on this USB. Please spare some time to listen.”

“Alright, thank you,” Chen Li sincerely replied, accepting the somewhat weighty USB with both hands.

“Mr. Chen Li, this is one of the purposes of our visit. As for the second purpose, we want to tell you in person: we believe in you. Please don’t be troubled by the public opinion. We already have evidence proving your innocence. However, not knowing your plans and to avoid causing you trouble, we haven’t released this evidence. It’s also contained within this USB. Of course, if you need it, just say the word, and we’ll make this evidence public, clearing your name,” the representative, likely skilled in broadcasting or public speaking, spoke eloquently and convincingly.

Chen Li wasn’t sure how to express his gratitude. He took a step back, bowed to the representative, and then, from a different angle to avoid disturbing others who hadn’t approached, bowed to them as well. This gesture lingered for a long time.

Despite this, Chen Li still felt unable to adequately convey his gratitude. As he stood up, he told the approaching representative, “Thank you, and thank every person supporting me. Please convey my thanks when you return.”

“This is what we should do.” The person’s eyes were somewhat moist. Chen Li’s paintings had guided them out of confusion and despair, so doing this small act for Chen Li felt insignificant.

Moreover, they didn’t want a painter who could offer hope and strength to disappear due to online violence. If it truly happened, it wouldn’t just be a loss for the art world but for the entire world.

On his way back from school, Chen Li looked at the USB in his hand. Even though he hadn’t listened to or seen what was on it, he felt their intentions.

This made the USB feel weighty, filling Chen Li’s new home with their sentiments. Lan Xiping didn’t disturb him, quietly staying by Chen Li’s side.

After some time had passed, Chen Li lifted his head and looked at Lan Xiping. “Aping, I feel lucky.”

Lucky to have met Wei Chen, to have encountered Lan Xiping, to have found his own family. Now, he had so many friends and relatives caring for him and supporting him, even these strangers.

Chen Li felt his life suddenly filled with warmth and brightness. If the unfortunate twenty years of his life were preparation for the happiness he had now, then perhaps those twenty years weren’t entirely dark.

From a different perspective, Chen Li felt that the hardships endured in the first twenty years of his life were accumulating his fortune.

Hence, after enduring so much hardship, he had exchanged the accumulated luck of twenty years for the present happy and warm life.

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