CCTV does have its pride.
Unlike ordinary local television stations, CCTV is more rigorous in its programming.
Thus, when “Fish Swimming Against the Current” admitted on a CCTV talk show to being a shareholder in a medical aesthetics company, many viewers were genuinely stunned.
This was something one could admit?
Alas, the programme team must have had evidence. She probably had no choice but to confess.
Not to mention Wen Ying’s devoted readers, even casual viewers felt a twinge of disappointment after watching this episode.
If Wen Ying had not caused this fuss, she would truly have been a model idol.
Achieving such success at a young age, being a little high-profile was hardly a serious flaw. After all, whether serving as a judge for essay competitions or having a film script quoted at five million, none of these touched the interests of ordinary people. Passers-by harboured no great resentment towards her.
On the contrary, Wen Ying had not slacked off in her studies despite early fame. She prepared diligently for the university entrance exam and gained admission to a prestigious university. Many parents liked to use her as an example to educate their own children.
Just days ago, Wen Ying had co-founded the Dream Building Fund, earning money yet never forgetting to give back to society. She was unequivocally a model idol.
Who could have imagined that this “model idol” was two-faced?
She was so young. Could she really understand company affairs?
If this had been her own idea, then she truly was… too clever for her own good, exceedingly scheming.
Being overly high-profile merely displeased some people. Being scheming, however, would make nearly everyone dislike her.
Some felt Wen Ying’s cleverness had not been used on the right path. Not only did a portion of readers feel manipulated, even parents who admired her felt deceived by a false model idol.
Of course, there were clear-headed viewers who, seeing the interview split into upper and lower parts, immediately knew there would be a reversal.
“The television station really knows how to stir things up.”
“This could easily lead to misunderstandings. What if someone watches only the upper part and misses the lower, never seeing the reversal?”
“Ending the upper part at such an exciting point will definitely make people want to watch the lower.”
These clear-headed viewers merely smiled at the programme’s “cliffhanger” and did not go online to argue with others.
The ones truly controlling comments for Wen Ying were still her diehard fans.
The diehards were incredibly busy. On one hand, they had to steady the internals, preventing emotionally volatile readers from losing faith. On the other, they had to control comments externally, refuting anti-Wen Ying posts one by one.
There were so many haters.
Every one of them seemed to never sleep.
And they employed eerily uniform tactics.
“These are not ordinary haters. They are paid trolls!”
Gan Tao raged in the QQ group. “Someone actually hired trolls to steer the narrative at this moment. Do they think we are a bunch of pushovers?”
Diehard fans like Gan Tao immediately threw themselves into the comment-control war.
It was Saturday anyway, and the reader base skewed young. It was just a matter of staying up late. Let us see who could outlast whom.
…
Hunan Province.
Director Fan watched the talk show and felt Yuan Fenghui had been rather unfair.
“Our station could have done a programme like this. As the saying goes, better the devil you know. Why did you not come to us for collaboration?”
Over the phone, Director Fan complained at length.
Director Fan was not worried in the slightest that Wen Ying would crash because of this.
He had dealt with Yuan Fenghui far too many times and knew exactly how fiercely protective she was.
If the lower part held no reversal, Yuan Fenghui would never have allowed the upper part to air.
This tired old ratings trick was something Director Fan understood perfectly.
On the other end of the line, Yuan Fenghui laughed. “We are not strangers. You understand me, but I understand you even better. Airing an interview like this on CCTV means they would be embarrassed to let Wen Ying carry the blame for too long. If it were your station, you would delay the lower part for a whole month.”
Director Fan felt deeply insulted. “In your eyes, am I really that sort of person?”
“What else? The one who blocked the gate at Fudan to ambush someone, that was you, Director Fan, was it not?”
Director Fan staunchly denied it. “As an elder, it was perfectly normal for me to visit Little Wen.”
After some idle banter, Director Fan grew serious. “I know you are capable, but as the saying goes, better safe than sorry. Do not be overconfident and capsize in the gutter. You must realise Tianjiao has many enemies. The moment you show a crack, they will be desperate to worm their way in and tear you apart.”
Who were Tianjiao’s enemies?
Certainly not just one Manager Guan, nor merely one Miss Ran.
The domestic entertainment market was only so large. Tianjiao had suddenly produced four rising idols, long ago becoming an eyesore and blocking the paths of rivals.
Taking down all four Tianjiao prodigies at once was difficult. Smearing one Wen Ying first to collect some interest was not a bad idea.
Hearing Director Fan’s warning, Yuan Fenghui’s tone grew solemn. “Thank you for the reminder. We will be careful.”
After hanging up, Director Fan lingered over the word “we.”
Indeed, Little Wen was no ordinary girl. This was her own affair; she would not leave everything to Yuan Fenghui.
Ordinary viewers watched the interview and thought Wen Ying scheming. Director Fan, however, felt proud.
So what if she was scheming?
A true innocent could not survive in this industry.
Compared to two-faced stars who said one thing and did another, Director Fan preferred dealing with someone like Wen Ying.
Heh, a mere shareholder in a medical aesthetics company frightened you all?
If you knew Little Wen had long been a shareholder in Tianjiao itself, would you not drop dead from shock?
Thinking of such a clever and capable Wen Ying, Director Fan recalled how early he had spotted her difference from peers and felt the pride of a talent scout.
…
“Director Fan is a good sort.”
After ending the call, Yuan Fenghui asked Wen Ying, “People are already steering the narrative online. What do you plan to do?”
Wen Ying answered without hesitation. “Of course, make a statement on my blog right away.”
She could not spoil the programme content, but a statement was still necessary.
In truth, staying silent now would create greater dramatic effect once the lower part aired, but Wen Ying could not bear to let her readers worry.
Her readers were staying up late to control comments for her.
Every rebuttal to the trolls was typed out letter by letter by the readers themselves.
Whenever this happened, readers grew angrier than Wen Ying herself.
There was no need to let them fret and fume.
“You… sometimes you really are too soft-hearted.”
Yuan Fenghui sighed.
Xie Qian interjected. “I support Wen Ying’s approach.”
Ruthlessness might yield greater gains, but the hamster had never been that sort of person.
Yuan Fenghui huffed. “You just spoil her.”
Wen Ying laughed delightedly. “Teacher Yuan, is Xie Qian the only one spoiling me?”
Yuan Fenghui could not be bothered with the little fox who took advantage yet still played cute.
“Post it then. The sooner the better, to steady people’s hearts.”
That very night the programme aired, Wen Ying’s blog received a new update:
I signed a confidentiality agreement during recording and cannot reveal content in advance. All I can say is that I was indeed once a shareholder in a medical aesthetics company. The full background and details will be explained in the lower part of the interview. I hope everyone can wait a few days for me, especially those readers who have liked me for so long. Please do not give up on liking me so quickly, all right?
