Chapter 23 – The Turning Point of Online Public Opinion

Chapter 23 - The Turning Point of Online Public Opinion

As the clock in Tang Fei's bedroom struck six the following morning, He Zhou's phone, placed by the bedside, began to flicker and vibrate with a lively tune as if it were dancing.

With his eyes still closed, He Zhou fumbled for the phone and answered it. On the other end, he heard the overlapping voices of his uncle, aunt, and Tang Jiao.

He Zhou instantly snapped awake!

"A Zhou, how is Feifei? Have you seen her? What's her relationship with Guan Yun? She hasn't replied to any messages, could something be wrong?" His aunt's melodious voice rained down like machine gun fire.

"Regarding whether Tang Fei quits or not, we won't comment. I've already informed all our relatives, they won't say anything. Can you ask her to come back for a visit? Her mom and Jiao Jiao miss her," Uncle tentatively suggested.

Tang Jiao promptly chimed in, "Brother He Zhou, will my sister come home for the New Year? We've kept her lower bunk empty just for her; I haven't dared to sleep there."

Yawning, He Zhou rubbed his heavy eyelids and struggled out of bed. "Your sister is sleeping. I happened to be staying in her room today. Keep quiet, as per usual."

He Zhou hung up and opened WeChat video call. On the screen, three delightful faces squeezed into the frame. Quietly, he stepped over to Tang Fei's side and captured her sleeping profile, wrapped in her blanket.

A collective sigh of relief escaped the three faces on the other end of the call.

He Zhou moved with the stealth of a spy thriller protagonist, returning to the bedroom with great care. "Jiaojiao, your sister is fine. Uncle and Auntie, don't worry. Just remember that most news in the entertainment industry is fake – eighty percent of it, at least. Those videos yesterday were a publicity stunt by your cousin."

"My classmates say that deleting posts, banning accounts, and damping down trending topics are usually genuine actions – about ninety percent of the time. They're all shot by fans on the spot and leaked online."

"Focus on your studies, dear, and don't get too caught up in celebrity gossip." He Zhou coughed slightly, a touch awkward. "You can think of this situation like your sister trying to stir up attention on her own, but Guan Yun wasn't willing to play along. Let's not dwell on that. Today, your cousin is moving, and we've found a good company to help. The online chatter will surely improve from now on. Also, there's filming for a movie during this year's Spring Festival, so we won't be able to go back home."

"Filming during the New Year, what kind of decent company is that?" Uncle declared angrily.

"A Zhou says it's good, so it must be. You don't understand anyway," Aunt retorted with even more vigor. Uncle merely hummed and hawed without further comment. Tang Jiao puffed out her chest. "Dad, I know the answer to this one. In the entertainment industry, a good company is one that constantly provides resources, allowing artists to jump from one project to another seamlessly."

He Zhou had been deeply engrossed in the conversation. By the time he managed to placate his uncle and aunt and ended the video call, Tang Fei was already standing at the bedroom door, freshly groomed.

"Big Sis?" He Zhou felt a bit guilty, as if he were a spy who had just had a lively chat with his handler while the boss listened in on the whole conversation.

"I didn't reply last night because it was too late, but thank you for your help," Tang Fei said. Experiencing the care and attention from the original owner's family members reduced her sense of being an outsider in this world.

She found these gestures comforting, but they also stirred thoughts of her parents and brother, leaving her unsure how to react.

"The moving company will be here at ten. Sister, what would you like for breakfast?"

" Soy milk and fried dough sticks."

"Alright, Little Zhouzi will get them for you right away."

...

When the moving company arrived, Yao Hui's dormitory building was deserted, with only the security guard at the post. The other trainees were attending classes, and the few temporary residents who remained had ventured out, leaving no trace of their presence. Tang Fei moved out quietly, without any fuss.

The location Time Culture arranged for Tang Fei was a slightly off-center apartment complex in the Southern District, where the property management was stringent. It was an ideal place for celebrities who valued their privacy.

A 280-square-meter, luxuriously furnished flat with direct elevator access and a separate floor for each residence - in a somewhat secluded area, the monthly rent would easily surpass thirty or forty thousand yuan. Such extravagant gestures convinced Tang Fei that Zhou Weichuan was indeed treating her as the company's leading lady.

Bestowing upon her such kindness when she had nothing at all.

"Sis, the more they give, the more they'll want to take from you. Aren't they afraid of losing out?" He Zhou treaded on the solid wooden floor, the opulence of the decor and the spaciousness of the apartment raising questions in his mind. "Since six years ago, television ratings have been precise down to the second. By monitoring viewer preferences for actors, audiences can directly vote on their TVs whether they like them or not. Advertisers rely on this data. With all our negative news, aren't they worried that public disdain could affect our commercial value and TV drama ratings? Why are they investing so much? Sis, could there be some hidden motive behind Mr. Zhou's actions?"

Tang Fei surveyed the room, gaining insight into Zhou Weichuan's tactics for winning loyalty. Even with full knowledge of his intentions, she couldn't help but feel positively about him, even grateful.

"I appreciate the gesture, and I'll accept it openly. I'm ready to work hard for my capitalist boss," she said, aware of his motives. He was a gentleman, allowing her to benefit first even if their relationship was mutually beneficial.

"He's openly buying our loyalty, and we can't resist." Tang Fei opened the liquor cabinet, selecting a bottle of imported alcohol. "A Zhou, how about a drink between siblings? Today is worth commemorating."

Handing a glass to He Zhou, Tang Fei, who had never tasted alcohol in either of her lifetimes, wanted to mark this day with a memorable action.

Today marked the first significant milestone since Tang Fei arrived in this world. From a future shrouded in fog to a clear path ahead, she was setting sail on a new journey.

He Zhou clinked glasses with Tang Fei.

"Go for it, sis!"

"Strive and persevere!"

"Wishing us both great success next year!"

"Toasting to becoming a major star in the future!"

An hour later...

Tang Fei, who had never tasted alcohol before, was sprawled on the large sofa with flushed cheeks. In her half-asleep, half-awake state, she seemed to see herself shining under the spotlight, walking down the red carpet amidst the adoration of the crowd and the blinding flashes of cameras.

He Zhou, after tidying up the room, saw his cousin sleeping soundly on the sofa. He let out a soft sigh of relief.

In the past few months, his previously demotivated cousin had become proactive. She spent every day practicing, analyzing, and immersing herself in her craft as if possessed.

He had tried everything, even borrowing money to treat people to meals and giving gifts, but all they did was mock his cousin after accepting his offerings.

"Tan Fei? Her? I wouldn't even want her as an extra."

"Our agency has limited spots for contracts. We need to save them for promising new talents, not burnt-out has-beens like Tan Fei. It would only be a headache for the company to sign her."

Back then, he didn't have the time or energy to dwell on it, nor could he confide in his cousin. All he could do was keep his head down and continue reaching out to others. Thankfully, that dark period had passed, and a new dawn had arrived.

He picked up his phone and proceeded to block one by one the WeChat contacts he had added while desperately seeking help from anyone, even divine entities.

Silent on the receiving end, they'd speak up only to refuse a screen test; forget about being extras. As far as they were concerned, there would be no future collaboration, even if they were to beg on their knees.

No sooner had He Zhou blacklisted someone than his WeChat flooded with messages. Dozens of group chats pinged him, and private messages popped up one by one with red dots indicating unread notifications.

The person who had just contacted him was nowhere to be found on the first page of his chat list.

Something must have happened!

He Zhou tapped into one of the groups, and the one tagging him was the very person he had just blocked.

"@Tang Fei's Assistant He Zhou, Brother He, has Tang Fei snatched the role of Li Xiuyun from Guan Yun?"

Similar scenarios unfolded in other groups. Those who had messaged him discovered that their texts were met with a rejection notice.

Thus, they began tagging him in the group chats.

"@Tang Fei's Assistant He Zhou, Brother He, add me as a friend. Regarding that agency contract we discussed last time, I've reported it to our superior. There's a chance! Quick!"

How did the news of Li Xiuyun securing the role spread to the whole world?

He Zhou searched his list of friends for someone he was on good terms with and asked if they had any insider information. The response was a thumbs-up emoji: "Bro He, you're amazing! You kept this news from me too. Check out the Weibo of Sanliujiu, the author of Spiritual Frenzy!"

Author's Weibo? He Zhou didn't need to search for Sanliujiu; the hashtag "Sanliujiu personally confirms Tang Fei" was already trending.

The online world was abuzz with excitement. Sanliujiu had posted a photo of Tang Fei in the afternoon, accompanied by a question: Do you guys think she resembles Xiuyun?

It sparked a heated explosion of comments.

At this point, book fans, fans of the artists vying for Li Xiuyun's role, supporters of other actors working on Spiritual Frenzy, and various influencers had all spun off dozens of theories from that single sentence.

One side argued that Li Xiuyun's role might indeed be given to Tang Fei, while the other claimed that the author was using Tang Fei's controversial status for publicity, potentially sacrificing the drama for attention. Both sides cited evidence and created memes in tens of thousands of passionate discussions.

The topic had climbed to the sixth spot on the trending list.

His WeChat notifications were exploding, mostly from talent agencies he had previously contacted. Back then, with Tang Fei's circumstances, he had reached out to smaller, less influential companies, willing to take whatever work they could offer. He had humbled himself significantly.

Yet, none of them had shown any kindness.

Tianyin Film and Television.

Fangmu Entertainment

Feihang Cultural & Entertainment

Tide Pictures

...

Those who had initially declined, rejected, or ridiculed him were now frantically tagging him, bluntly inviting him for discussions or tactfully inquiring about the connection between Sanliujiu and Tang Fei, while He Zhou remained silent to all.

None of them were in the business of charity; they wouldn't spread their wings without seeing the rabbit. No one would do anything without benefits. Now that there was a hint of advantage, they swarmed like wolves sensing blood or ants discovering food.

In contrast, this group's reaction highlighted Time Culture's refined and detached demeanor.

At the same time, on the 36th floor of the Yao Hui Building in the president's office, the current head of Yao Hui, Shen Fan, had just received news of the trending topic on Weibo. He promptly summoned the heads of the public relations department and artist management.

"What's going on? In just a few days of not paying attention, Guan Yun lost her role? Someone tell me! What happened?! Mo Yin Group is the second largest shareholder of our company. Don't you understand the value of their film base as a resource for us?

All our resources were supposed to support Guan Yun! Why did the character she wanted end up with someone we dismissed? How coincidental can it be? Who is targeting Yao Hui?"

With a darkened face, Shen Fan erupted in anger. The PR director and artist manager sitting below dared not lift their heads. His younger brother, Shen Hang, whispered an explanation from the side, "Brother, it's just the author showing support now. It's not a hundred percent confirmed."

"Then go and ascertain the facts, don't come back with answers to none of these questions!"

"Who is it that's comforting Guan Yun?"

"President Shen, Song Li and her brother are providing comfort," the head of artist management replied with his head bowed, tactfully omitting the part about Guan Yun's outburst and her inclination to throw something in anger.

"Immediately confirm whether Guan Yun has secured the role. The public relations department should draft a strategy based on the outcome. Under no circumstances should Yao Hui or Guan Yun be associated with the notion of being snatched or failing to obtain the role. Such a significant matter, and I only found out when it blew up. How passive we've become! Are your departments of public opinion monitoring and information gathering just for show?!"

After sending everyone out, Shen Fan tapped the table gently. "It took me six years to attach the label of 'Yao Hui, Unbeatable.' Someone wants to tear it off now."

"Brother, we're not truly invincible in the entertainment industry."

"You know nothing. In the entertainment industry, it's all about momentum, trend, influence, and capitalizing on that. The truth is irrelevant; once a notion takes root in people's minds, Yao Hui becomes invincible." Shen Fan looked down on Shen Hang, disapproving of his meek demeanor. He waved his hand dismissively, "Go prod the PR department. I want solutions and a plan on my desk within two hours."