When conversation fails, even half a sentence is too much. Xie Qian and Xie Jinghu parted on bad terms once again.
Xie Qian already knew that Xie Jinghu wanted to protect Si Lan, so he could show no mercy when he struck.
Zhao Dong and Ran Keqing faced off against Xie Qian and Yuan Fenghui.
The first pair both wanted to guide public opinion against Wen Ying, while Xie Qian and Yuan Fenghui threw resources into steering it in Wen Ying’s favour.
The “bet” between Wen Ying and Zhao Qian was reported by multiple media outlets, with supporters on both sides.
Thanks to this bet, the “Si Lan rights protection incident” fully entered the public eye.
As the saying goes, good news stays home while bad news travels far. Even the advertising campaign Zhao Dong had paid Queen Hu Man to endorse had not reached this level of coverage.
If Zhao Dong could weather this crisis, Si Lan could truly become a household name!
Because it emphasised medical-aesthetics grade, a full Si Lan set cost more than big-brand skincare, opening many people’s eyes.
How big had the scandal become?
Even Wen Dongrong’s superior knew about it.
“Your daughter has quite a sense of justice.”
The leader said half-jokingly, half-seriously, “She could have stayed out of it, yet she got involved. In the end, either she succeeds as a hero, or she ends up covered in dust.”
Wen Dongrong smiled bitterly. “She has too many ideas of her own. Her mother and I cannot control her!”
The controversy over the film script quote had not yet faded, and now she was caught up in a rights protection incident over medical-aesthetics products.
Medical-aesthetics products had nothing to do with Wen Ying!
The leader laughed. “That is how young people are, full of energy.”
Of course the medical-aesthetics rights protection had nothing to do with Wen Ying, and equally nothing to do with Wen Dongrong’s leader. Yet even the leader had noticed, so how could Wen Dongrong, as her father, remain unmoved?
Even if only for the laptop Hei Xinmian had sent before, old Wen had to do something!
Wen Dongrong did not understand technology, but he understood politics.
The outcome of the bet was unimportant. What mattered was whether Si Lan’s products would actually cause sensitisation. Once that was proven, even if Zhao Qian used the products without reaction, Wen Ying would still be the winner.
Poor old Wen, an academic slacker who had barely passed English, stayed up several nights in a row to help Hei Xinmian, searching professional journals and finally producing several articles laced with heavy bias, published under different pseudonyms in different newspapers.
He not only helped, but earned manuscript fees too.
In the process of researching, Wen Dongrong had also noticed the issue with additives.
Could this be a breakthrough?
Wen Dongrong sighed inwardly. What a pity. If only Si Lan had been registered in Jinling!
…
Cheering Wen Ying on was not only her own father, but also the long-haired Poet Song.
Poet Song now commanded sky-high appearance fees, yet he dragged his old friend Editor Wan into writing articles for free, spraying back at the propaganda troops hired by Ran Keqing and Zhao Dong on newspapers. He was one of the top fighters in Wen Ying’s camp.
Even if Wen Ying wrote personally, the quality would be no better!
Editor Wan had stayed up so long his eyes were red like a rabbit’s. Red eyes with a bald head looked a little eerie, but mostly he was excited.
“Old Song, I am bursting with energy right now!”
After Xiao Ni resigned, Song Foxiang had also quit.
Xiao Ni had gone to Junyue Culture, founded by Zou Weijun, while Song Foxiang became a full-time writer.
Only Editor Wan remained at Rongcheng Publishing Group.
He had been promoted, yet his work no longer brought joy.
First the warden Zou Weijun left, then the overseer Ni who watched him work every day was gone, and finally even his drinking and bullshitting prison mate Song had left Rongcheng. Editor Wan’s work and life had returned to stagnant water.
Until Song Foxiang summoned him, and Editor Wan came alive again.
Writing articles with Song Foxiang to flame people for Wen Ying was so much fun!
Song Foxiang’s usual flippancy carried a touch of seriousness. “At your age, are you really going to stay comfortably in Rongcheng waiting for retirement? I say take early retirement and come try your luck in Shanghai. My fame is too great for a suitable position at Junyue, but you would fit perfectly!”
Editor Wan was very tempted. “I wonder if Chief Editor Zou would want me?”
Song Foxiang tossed him a stack of newspapers.
“First show some sincerity. Little Wen is her future daughter-in-law. Helping Little Wen will earn you massive goodwill in her eyes. Add your years of experience in the industry, and Junyue would never turn you away!”
After years as an emotional guru, Song Foxiang’s powers of persuasion had markedly improved.
Editor Wan’s hands moved faster than his brain. He flipped open the newspapers on the desk, scanned them quickly with rabbit eyes, and picked two columns criticising Wen Ying. “I will flame these two today!”
Song Foxiang looked down, picked up two other papers.
“Then I will take these two.”
…
Zhendan University.
It was time again for Wen Ying to supervise Miss Zhao’s skincare routine.
On the first day only a handful of people accompanied Wen Ying, but afterwards the numbers grew daily. Besides the classmates Wen Ying brought, people from the International Cultural Exchange College had also started helping supervise Zhao Qian.
Every time she finished applying, Zhao Qian felt immense psychological pressure and wanted to wash the products off immediately.
Yet Wen Ying always dragged out endless chatter, surrounded by a crowd, and insisted on waiting until the products on Zhao Qian’s face were fully absorbed before leaving.
The sensitisation might come tomorrow, or the day after.
After using the products for another day, Zhao Qian looked in the mirror and saw a spot on her forehead. She screamed in fright, “It’s over, I am sensitised!”
Only half a month in!
Zhao Dong called a doctor to examine Zhao Qian’s face. After careful inspection, the doctor said it was not sensitisation. “It is a masked acne. Nothing serious. Do not apply too many skincare products, and it will clear in a few days.”
Zhao Dong frowned. “The skincare cannot be stopped.”
The doctor was helpless.
A young girl’s skin was already excellent. Over-skincare was a burden. If Zhao Qian did not simplify her routine, more spots would appear!
Zhao Qian felt like crying.
Was heaven itself preventing her from beating that Wen woman?
Zhao Dong was irritated.
Lately, whether online or in traditional media, more and more reports supported Wen Ying, and Si Lan’s reputation slid further.
If Zhao Qian were photographed now with a face full of spots, no one would believe it was not sensitisation.
Just as Zhao Dong fretted, Zhuo Chen knocked on the office door. He brought explosive news. “Wen Ying is a shareholder in He Zhen’s company.”
“What?!”
Zhao Dong shot to his feet. “How can she be a shareholder in He Zhen’s company… No wonder!”
The patented technology He Zhen had used to start his own venture had been bought with help from his girlfriend Rebecca.
Everyone, including Zhao Dong, had assumed the startup capital came from the He family, though Dai Chenglan always denied it.
Zhao Dong had never suspected Wen Ying’s involvement in He Zhen’s funding. To outsiders, the entire He family stood with Sara Zhuo on one side, while Wen Ying was with Xie Qian on the other.
Wen Ying investing in He Zhen’s startup was practically funding the enemy!
The impossible had happened.
Could Dai Chenglan be hedging her bets, placating the fallen Sara Zhuo on one hand while connecting with Xie Qian on the other?
Zhao Dong’s first thought was that Sara Zhuo would surely fall out with Dai Chenglan. His second was excitement.
“Excellent. She is a shareholder in He Zhen’s company. This public opinion war, we can finally win!”
If Wen Ying were merely a bestselling author, she would be an outsider. Her support for the beauty blogger’s rights protection would be chivalrous, helping the weak.
But Wen Ying was a shareholder in He Zhen’s company.
Zhao Dong did not care how many shares she held. The shareholder status was what mattered.
As a shareholder, she had vested interests. Wen Ying was using her fame to maliciously suppress Si Lan, clearing the way for He Zhen’s products to capture market share.
“The media will love this news!”
