Last week Zhang Yiyi, the self-promoting writer who was last seen pledging his love for TV host Li Xiang by promising to run naked through the streets, made a blog post purporting to reveal the reason for Wang Shuo’s retreat from the literary world: drugs. “An open secret in the business” he called it, and fingered Li Yapeng for a drug user as well (it’s why his kid had a cleft lip). His mole on the inside, he claimed, was Zhou Sese, a poet who was linked to Xu Jinglei last October in a love-nest scandal that both parties denied.
When the media checked with Zhou Sese, he denied having told Zhang anything, but admitted that Wang’s drug use was an “open secret”: “He might be seeking inspiration through drugs.” Zhou denied reports of Li Yapeng’s drug use.
Yesterday evening, Hao Hongjie, an intrepid Mirror reporter, decided to check things out with the source. When Wang Shuo hung up on a an interview call, the reporter took things to SMS but ultimately failed to keep up with Wang’s repartee:
Reporter: Hello. I’m a reporter with the Mirror. There’s a report that says you’re a long-term drug user. I’d like to confirm this: is it factual?
Wang Shuo: You’re very rude. You should go ask the narcotics department.
R: I mean no offense. But I’m sure that many people have seen this besides me.
W: I’m sincere as well. You should go ask the narcotics department. Why not ask the officials for confirmation – I’ve heard that many people are perverted killers?
R: The reports say that this was told to the media by one Zhang Yiyi. I want to know your view on this affair.
W: I’ve heard that this Mr. Zhang rapes little girls. Please ask him to confirm this first.
R: I will check out the question you have raised. But what is your take on the rumors of drug use?
W: You’re a legal reporter? How about a little professionalism?
R: I feel that you are dodging the question. How do you see the rumors: do you think they are sensationalism, or are they an attack on your person?
W: This question is not appropriate for the entertainment pages. Unsuitable for children.
R: Then where do you think it is appropriate to discuss this? Are you dismissing the rumors?
W: In the legal affairs office.
R: So in your opinion, how then should this be discussed and resolved?
W: Don’t treat it as entertainment, kid.
R: Your words are profound. Evidently you do not wish to answer.
W: You don’t have the skills to talk about this, sorry.
R: Why? Are things complicated? Is the matter real? So many readers are watching you.
W: Sorry, things stop here. Goodbye.
The interview did end up running in the entertainment pages of the Mirror; the reporter remarked that Wang Shuo evaded the drug question.
- Xinmin Online (Chinese): Categorical denial of Li Yapeng’s drug use
- Mirror via Tom (Chinese): Reporter checks out the rumor, Wang Shuo responds to SMS
- Zhang Yiyi’s blog post is here, but who knows if it’s really his blog.
- John Kennedy at Global Voices Online: Return of the Wang