Chapter 161: Everyone Wants to Change Their Fate
Zhou You finished his arrangements and left. Whether he stayed or not didn’t matter much at this point. The TV station would record more footage, and once the evidence was confirmed, they could air it directly. The legal team still needed some time, but they’d find issues eventually. In Zhou You’s own calculations, the bare minimum was to shut this place down completely, force them to cough up the money they’d swindled, and stop them from harming others. If serious violations or illegal activities were uncovered, he’d go straight through legal channels—sentencing where due, and that would be out of his hands.
Once outside, he said to Li Houliang, “Things are pretty much set. You guys can head back if you want, or stay and play for a couple of days. Meals and lodging will be reimbursed when you return—just keep it under five-star level.”
“Brother You, don’t joke around. I don’t even know what a six-star is. We’ll hang around for two more days, split into two groups to follow you, and wait until this is over. It’s not like we’ve got anything to do back home anyway.” Li Houliang knew Zhou You meant there was no real cap, but now was the time to step up—how could they leave?
“No need. What else could happen? I’m not exactly a pushover.” Zhou You had just finished showing off, riding high on confidence.
“Brother You, we’ve got to watch out for desperate moves. Someone who’s had something and lost it is way more dangerous!” Li Houliang said seriously, firmly refusing to back down.
Zhou You had no choice but to agree.
Xiao Bai had only spoken a few sentences the whole time, mostly just watching the show. Her best friend was trembling, observing Zhou You and the others chatting.
She couldn’t help but lean in and whisper, “Who is this guy? He seems like a big shot. How’d you meet him?”
“By chance,” Xiao Bai said with a smile.
“How did he take a liking to you? You’re short and not even as good-looking as me?” The friend was a bit jealous and couldn’t resist teasing.
“I’ve got a baby face and a great figure—petite and cute. You’re too flat!” Xiao Bai shot back without backing down.
“Does your man need someone to warm his bed? We’re so close, I wouldn’t mind,” the friend joked.
“I’ll ask him later. I can’t handle it alone anyway,” Xiao Bai said deadpan.
The friend’s face went pale with fright, and she punched Xiao Bai lightly: “I was joking! Don’t take it seriously.”
Zhou You noticed the two whispering but didn’t go over. He wandered around the mall, waiting for Zhao Yun. The filming was quick—whether there was content or not, it was all the same.
Two hours later, Zhao Yun and his team came out.
Zhou You found a private room, and the group ate and chatted together.
Zhao Yun spotted Li Houliang and the others and couldn’t help asking, “What’s the deal with these guys?”
Zhou You laughed heartily. “Let me introduce you: I’m learning kickboxing now. This is my coach, Li Houliang—a national champion. The rest are coaches from the training gym. I brought them along to make a show of strength.”
“I thought you’d hired bodyguards,” Zhao Yun admitted.
“You know the saying ‘a guilty conscience needs no accuser’?” Zhou You countered.
“We’ll get into that later. Did you find any issues?”
“Oh, plenty. Based on similar cases we’ve handled, we’ll start with fines, then refunds. Once the TV station exposes them, they won’t be able to stay in business.” Zhao Yun pulled Xiao Qian forward, letting him explain.
Xiao Qian often covered such stories and had seen it all: “If no one was watching them before, fine. But now that we and the relevant authorities are involved, they’re definitely going under. As for the rest, it depends on what the clinic finds. If there’s trouble there, the penalties will be even harsher!”
Zhou You knew about the chaos in the beauty industry, especially medical aesthetics, and couldn’t help complaining: “Are these people who get cosmetic surgery or medical procedures stupid? Double eyelid surgery, liposuction, breast implants, chin shaving—just thinking about it hurts!”
Xiao Qian chimed in, “Some are stupid, some are smart. There are three big steps to change your fate: reincarnation, education, and marriage. Reincarnation is set by heaven, education is too exhausting, so marriage becomes the chance for many women to turn their lives around.”
Zhao Yun, who often shot documentaries and had a clear view of society, added, “Yeah, loving beauty is human nature, especially in today’s world. Beauty is capital—a tool to show off, a way to climb up!”
Xiao Qian continued, “People who go for plastic surgery are tough on themselves and nitpicky about their looks. Add in the false advertising from clinics that exaggerate results, and you get more and more disputes. The conflict deepens, and some people go to extremes—threatening suicide or jumping off buildings. Sigh, it’s pitiful, tragic, and lamentable all at once.”
Zhou You asked curiously, “Do you get a lot of complaints?”
“A ton.”
“Can you resolve them all?”
“Honestly, it’s tough.”
“Why?”
At that point, Zhao Yun couldn’t hold back: “With colds, fevers, appendicitis—we know what’s good and what’s bad. Medicine has developed for years with its own evaluation system. If there’s a medical dispute, there’s a mediation committee to assess it. But who decides the outcome of cosmetic surgery?”
“Different strokes for different folks—tall, short, fat, thin, all competing for attention. Yellow, white, black, gray—each has its charm. Long hair, short hair, Barbie dolls. People get all kinds of results. You say it looks good, I say it doesn’t. At least for now, society doesn’t have a complete standard to judge cosmetic effects.”
Xiao Bai and her friend listened intently, picking up tips to avoid future pitfalls.
Zhou You burst out laughing: “That’s the funny part—each side has their own story. It’s not as hard to judge as family matters, but it’s still a mess. The road to justice is tougher than climbing to heaven. Cosmetic clinics usually hire legal advisors to handle disputes, so when trouble hits, the go-to line is: ‘You can take legal action!’ What a correct yet arrogant thing to say. Lawsuits waste a ton of time, energy, and money. Ordinary people can’t invest that much, which is why it’s hard for an individual to fight an organization—unless you’re willing to burn all your bridges.”
Xiao Qian nodded vigorously: “Mr. Zhou is right. There used to be a lot of gym disputes too. The gyms would say: ‘Refunds? Impossible. We’ve never given refunds. If you don’t like it, sue us. If you win, we’ll pay up. It’s just a few thousand bucks—up to you!’”
At that, Xiao Bai and her friend nodded like pecking chicks: “We were about to give up. We just don’t have the energy to drag it out. We’d rather take the loss. Who has time for a lawsuit?”
Zhao Yun slammed the table: “The cost of ordinary people seeking justice is too high.”
Seeing everyone getting worked up and about to ruin the harmony, Zhou You quickly said, “Brother Liang, Brother Yun, Teacher Qian, let’s have a toast. If it weren’t for all of you backing me up today, I wouldn’t have dared to fight for my rights, haha.”
“Brother You, you’re too kind. It’s our duty—just a small effort.”
With that, they all downed their drinks, and the atmosphere turned lively and cheerful again.