Translation of the article content into English:
A regular live broadcast turned into a "silent duel" over a gift worth 3000 yuan. The main characters were Zhang Jike, a former Olympic champion in table tennis, and Guo Bin, husband of Olympic champion Wang Nan. In Zhang Jike's live broadcast room, Guo Bin lavishly spent 3000 yuan on gifts, becoming the "second-ranked big brother." However, what made it a bit awkward was that Zhang Jike completely ignored it, not only failing to express thanks but not even saying a simple "welcome." This incident quickly became a hot topic online, with one question at the forefront: Did Zhang Jike really not see it, or did he deliberately ignore it?
In fact, netizens who know a little about the relationship between the two understand that this was not a simple act of giving gifts. Behind it lay a long-standing unresolved conflict.
The incident dates back to 2021. At that time, Guo Bin posted a screenshot of his chat with Zhang Jike on social media, filled with obvious dissatisfaction and even direct insults. This surprised netizens: How could there be a conflict between these two? It is said that the source of the conflict was Guo Bin inviting Zhang Jike to participate in an event, which Zhang Jike declined with various excuses, causing Guo Bin to lose face.
Although this past incident was not publicly mentioned again later, it left a rift in their relationship. This time, Guo Bin's lavish spending of 3000 yuan on gifts in the live broadcast room could be interpreted as a "test" or "gesture of goodwill," which is not surprising. The issue is that Zhang Jike's silence seemed like a silent counterattack. Netizens speculated: Was Zhang Jike unwilling to get involved, or had the conflict become irreconcilable?
This was not the first time Guo Bin had given gifts. It is known that he had previously given gifts in the live broadcast rooms of many athletes or celebrities to show support. However, such actions are always interpreted by netizens as "seeking attention" or "intentionally creating topics." After all, giving gifts is something that always carries a hint of "attracting attention."
As Wang Nan's husband, Guo Bin's identity is not simple. He often expresses his support for the athlete community through social media, but this "high-profile" approach is always accompanied by controversy. This time, his action of giving gifts in Zhang Jike's live broadcast room even became a trending topic. Some netizens bluntly stated: "If you really care, why not directly contact Zhang Jike privately? This behavior of giving gifts looks more like creating hype."
However, from Guo Bin's perspective, he may not have been seeking attention. Perhaps, he just wanted to express support through this method, or maybe he hoped to ease the relationship between the two through a public act. However, the result obviously did not develop in the direction he expected.
Compared to Guo Bin's high-profile approach, Zhang Jike's attitude appeared exceptionally calm—perhaps even indifferent. He chose to "ignore," neither expressing thanks nor mentioning it. This choice, in a sense, makes people feel that he is more "calculating" than Guo Bin.
Since his comeback last year, Zhang Jike has consistently adopted a low-key strategy. He opened a small account called "Coach Zhang" for live broadcasts. This behavior is interpreted as him trying to avoid the center of public opinion and stay away from past controversies. Nevertheless, despite being low-key, Zhang Jike has not given up using his influence. He still attracted a large number of fans' attention in his live broadcasts. It can be said that his "silence" is not simple but a well-thought-out public relations choice.
Zhang Jike probably understands that what he needs most now is to stabilize his reputation rather than get involved in more personal feuds. After all, every move of a public figure is magnified, and an improperly handled response could become a new focus of public opinion.
Surprisingly, despite the tension between Guo Bin and Zhang Jike, Wang Nan has always maintained a friendly interaction with Zhang Jike. She mentioned Zhang Jike in multiple public occasions, calling him "the pride of the national table tennis team," and even expressed her support for Zhang Jike multiple times in programs. In contrast, Guo Bin's behavior seems more personalized.
This also makes people think: Do personal conflicts within a celebrity family necessarily affect the overall relationship? Wang Nan's attitude might be telling the outside world that this conflict is just between two individuals and will not affect her stance.
In fact, the "clash" between Guo Bin and Zhang Jike, viewed against the backdrop of the entire live broadcast culture, is not unexpected. In recent years, phenomena such as celebrities live streaming to sell goods and famous people giving gifts have become commonplace, all driven by interests and traffic. Data shows that controversial topics in live broadcast rooms have much higher heat than ordinary topics. Guo Bin's gift-giving incident is just a reflection of this larger environment.
Experts say that live broadcast platforms have brought stars closer to the audience but also made celebrities more prone to controversy. Some people gain attention through acts like giving gifts or leaving comments, but this interactive method is inevitably interpreted as "deliberate."
Guo Bin's high-profile behavior and Zhang Jike's indifference are two typical phenomena in today's live broadcast culture.
Personal conflicts among celebrities, originally private matters, become public topics when placed in the public eye, with everyone having something to say. From Guo Bin's gift-giving to Zhang Jike's ignoring, netizens' comments cover almost every detail. There are those who support Zhang Jike's "silence is golden" and those who criticize Guo Bin for "seeking attention."
In fact, this phenomenon reflects the public's strong interest in celebrity relationships, which can even be described as a voyeuristic mentality. Conflicts are endlessly magnified, and various versions of "stories" are derived. However, the truth of the matter may not be as complicated as people think.
Conflicts can be made public, but they may not be suitable for high-profile handling. Whether it is Guo Bin or Zhang Jike, every move they make in public becomes a topic. In such an environment, being low-key may be the smartest choice.
Perhaps, this "silent duel" in the live broadcast room tells us a truth: In the face of controversy, silence is often more powerful than noise.