Cao Bo was restless.
Hey, Sister Liang, don’t you realize you’re off-topic?
The key issue now isn’t how Yuan Fenghui secured the “National Fire Safety Ambassador” title for Li Mengjiao, but that this news has spiked *Galaxy and You*’s ratings!
Over three days on Eastern TV, *Galaxy and You*’s ratings were 2.12%, 2.96%, and 3.51%—a staggering leap that was downright terrifying.
*Love Cruise* also broke 3%, but with a premiere rating of 2.99%, failing to hit 3% would’ve been surprising.
Over the same three days, *Love Cruise*’s ratings were 2.99%, 3.32%, and 3.63%.
As of now, *Love Cruise* still led *Galaxy and You* by a mere 0.12%, a razor-thin margin. Cao Bo felt *Galaxy and You* could overtake them any moment.
Why did he think so?
Because on the night of July 5, Cao Bo watched the first two episodes of *Galaxy and You* on Zhejiang Satellite TV… and damn, it was actually kind of good!
That’s when Cao Bo had a bad feeling and understood why Yu Tianlin stayed silent.
*Galaxy and You* was just too watchable.
It was well-made.
Even without popular stars like Yun Chen and Li Mengjiao, the plot and polished production could attract plenty of viewers.
With their star power, it was the cherry on top!
Compared to *Galaxy and You*, *Love Cruise*’s plot was indeed a mess.
Who could be blamed for that?
Cao Bo didn’t think it was his fault. He did ask Zhang Guangzhen to revise the script, but only slightly.
Zhang had already polished the script, but Yu Tianlin demanded more changes, piling on requests that drove Zhang away.
Netizens pointed out plot holes in *Love Cruise*, but Cao Bo didn’t care before watching *Galaxy and You*. It’s an idol drama—plot holes are expected. Perfect logic? Many idol drama stories wouldn’t even happen. A penniless Cinderella loved by a prince charming? That’s the biggest plot hole!
But Cao Bo had watched *Galaxy and You*.
That was the source of his frustration.
*Love Cruise* alone wasn’t bad, but airing in the same slot as *Galaxy and You*—one a brainless Mary Sue idol drama riddled with plot holes, the other a logically tight idol drama set in the entertainment world, brimming with dramatic conflict—was a public execution for *Love Cruise*!
“Sister Liang, how long will the impact of this fire safety ambassador news last?”
Liang Dan sidestepped the gap in the dramas’ quality, focusing only on the promotional boost, and Cao Bo tactfully followed her lead.
Liang Dan struggled to answer.
If she were Yuan Fenghui, she’d milk Li Mengjiao’s ambassador title for all it’s worth—holding a press conference to address questions would be the bare minimum, and a few talk show appearances wouldn’t be excessive!
If Yuan Fenghui went all out, the impact would linger.
In fact, when the July 5 ratings came out, Liang Dan was already thinking of a fallback. She glanced at Yu Tianlin.
A flash of hostility crossed Yu Tianlin’s face, “Sister Dan, you’re not suggesting we stir up an even bigger scandal to suppress them, are you? I just publicly confirmed my relationship with Sister Hu Man. A bigger story would mean either announcing a breakup, getting slammed as a jerk by her fans and the public, or moving to the next stage of our relationship! I’ve sacrificed enough for the ratings. Am I the only one who has to pay?”
The next stage—engagement or even marriage!
Yu Tianlin desperately wanted *Love Cruise* to beat *Galaxy and You* and had indeed bet his commercial value as an idol star on it.
Hoping to shed fans and transition, the response to *Love Cruise* showed only his diehard fans cheering, while regular viewers weren’t impressed by his performance.
Yu Tianlin was at a crossroads.
Announcing an engagement or marriage would grab attention and make headlines, but it would tank his commercial value—unless he could instantly achieve award-winning actor status with a major award to prove himself. That was obviously impossible. Yu Tianlin’s confidence was in his popularity, not his acting. If he had award-worthy skills, he’d have left TV for films long ago!
Yu Tianlin refused to sacrifice more, cutting off the simplest counterattack. Liang Dan felt regret but spoke generously, “Alright, I haven’t said anything yet. Don’t think so poorly of me. You don’t need to sacrifice; I’ll find another way.”
Liang Dan shifted her approach.
If she couldn’t stop Yuan Fenghui from hyping Li Mengjiao’s ambassador title, could she drag Yuan down?
No matter how Li Mengjiao landed the ambassador role, if a scandal broke right after her appointment, the damage would be severe!
Li Mengjiao’s ambassador status could be revoked, neutralizing its promotional boost for *Galaxy and You*. Add some paid trolls to muddy the waters, and they could crush *Galaxy and You*’s ratings while taking down Tianjiao’s rising star, Li Mengjiao!
Liang Dan pondered.
Come to think of it, she did know a juicy bit of dirt on Li Mengjiao.
But it wasn’t enough.
Liang Dan glanced at her husband, Manager Guan, who felt a chill from her gaze.
—Someone was about to get burned!
…
“So, how did Teacher Yuan get Mengjiao the ambassador role?”
With *Galaxy and You*’s ratings at 3.51%, just 0.12% behind *Love Cruise*, intern Xiao Wang was no longer worried.
But one thing puzzled Wang Shuang, and he humbly asked Wen Ying when no one was around.
Wen Ying blinked and teased, “What, you think Mengjiao isn’t qualified to be a National Fire Safety Ambassador?”
“Of course she’s qualified!”
Wang Shuang panicked, “Hey, that’s not what I meant, don’t twist my words.”
“Alright, I won’t tease you. You think Mengjiao’s too new to the industry, and with Le Weiwen, a veteran singer, as co-ambassador, there are plenty of established stars the Fire Department could’ve chosen. Why Mengjiao? You’re wondering if Teacher Yuan pulled some strings?”
Wen Ying read Wang Shuang’s mind perfectly.
Wang Shuang lowered his voice, “It’s not just me. Some people at the company are whispering that Teacher Yuan has some serious connections!”
Gossiping about the boss was universal, and Tianjiao was no exception.
Tianjiao was expanding fast, with a mix of old and new employees. Some veterans knew Wang Shuang was a shareholder, but newbies didn’t, though they knew he was the PR manager’s son, so some probed him for inside scoop.
Wen Ying burst out laughing.
“You guys are ridiculous. This is the Ministry of Public Security’s Fire Department, not the entertainment industry! If Teacher Yuan had that kind of pull, she wouldn’t have left her hometown to start over here. Mengjiao got chosen not because of backdoors. You think her experience is light, but that’s exactly why she was picked—her short time in the industry!”
Long careers and deep experience—what’s that worth?
The entertainment world is messy. The longer someone’s in it, the more likely they’ve got dirt, even if it’s buried and not public. Insiders know.
“National Fire Safety Ambassador” needs a celebrity’s influence but prioritizes character. Li Mengjiao’s short career means no major scandals—that’s her biggest strength!
She avoids hype, stays professional on set, and despite her fame, diligently attends school, does her homework, and takes every major exam, prioritizing her student identity over her celebrity status. What a positive image!
Veteran singer Le Weiwen anchors the role, appealing to older audiences.
Li Mengjiao, young with young fans, complements him perfectly.
This old-young duo maximizes the ambassador role’s reach.
Wen Ying earnestly told Wang Shuang, “Many things we do don’t show immediate results. Like when Xie Qian first gave you practice tests—doing one or even dozens seemed pointless. But after sticking with it for over a year, didn’t you nearly hit 600 on the college entrance exam? Mengjiao’s ambassador role is the same. You might not know how early Teacher Yuan started planning this, emphasizing Mengjiao’s commitment in her application. The fire safety PSA Mengjiao shot for Rongcheng and the fire safety workshops we volunteered for were strong proof!”
It wasn’t luck.
It wasn’t connections.
Yuan Fenghui planned meticulously, seized the opportunity, and Mengjiao was smoothly selected!
There was another factor Wen Ying didn’t mention, as it felt like self-praise: Li Mengjiao’s personal blog.
A social platform is a personal calling card.
Before the internet, media shaped a star’s image. Now, stars can bypass media to present themselves directly.
Li Mengjiao’s blog was well-managed, with high engagement and popularity, a key criterion for selecting the ambassador.
Wang Shuang was stunned, muttering after a pause, “It took that much preparation? Teacher Yuan wasn’t worried about wasting effort… Right, it’s about effort, not guaranteed success. Even if she didn’t succeed this year, with her persistence, maybe next year or the year after!”
Wang Shuang finally got it.
His internship at Tianjiao was proving quite educational.
As for the 0.12% ratings gap with *Love Cruise*, Wen Ying wasn’t fazed. Overtaking it was no pressure.
Liang Dan assumed Yuan Fenghui would heavily promote Li Mengjiao’s ambassador title, but she was wrong again.
Yuan Fenghui took Li Mengjiao to Beijing to accept the ambassador certificate, telling Wen Ying they’d return to Rongcheng soon.
Press conferences or talk shows weren’t in Yuan’s plan.
“Hype is possible, but what’s more influential than CCTV? Overhyping could tarnish Mengjiao’s image with the authorities—hardly worth it!”
Yuan Fenghui’s firm voice came through the phone, aligning perfectly with Wen Ying’s thinking. Wen Ying sincerely praised, “You’re so good to Mengjiao.”
If not for Mengjiao’s sake, why care so much? Cashing in on her current popularity would be the priority.
“We’re in this together,” Yuan Fenghui replied.
Despite Yuan’s decision against hype, the media’s curiosity couldn’t be contained. As soon as Yuan Fenghui and Li Mengjiao landed, they were swarmed by reporters.
In such situations, they had to graciously accept interviews. Li Mengjiao, bold as ever, didn’t know the meaning of stage fright.
July 6: *Love Cruise*’s ratings dropped to 3.59%!
Same day: *Galaxy and You* on Eastern TV hit 3.88%!
