“It is true. At that time, I was a shareholder in a medical aesthetics company.”
The programme team really understood the art of editing. They were worried that viewers might have forgotten the previous episode, or that new viewers had not seen it, so they included a recap right at the start of this one!
Even this short recap made Wen Ying’s readers very angry.
The haters, meanwhile, felt encouraged and flooded Wen Ying’s blog with mocking comments.
To cause trouble, the haters had given Wen Ying a nickname over the past two days: “Boss Fish”, mocking her for being greedy and profit-obsessed. Wen Ying could only laugh at this: what little haters. “President Wen” sounded much better, yet they insisted on calling her Boss Fish!
Compared to the haters’ mocking comments, Wen Ying was more concerned right1 about what the re-edited interview would contain.
At first glance, there seemed to be nothing wrong.
This was exactly what Teacher Yuan and the programme team had agreed on at the beginning. The old technique of raising expectations by first suppressing them was not only used fluently by novelists, but television programmes were even more skilled at it!
The recap was just the appetiser. Now it was time for the main course!
The camera cut away, not continuing from the abrupt end of the previous episode’s final question, but instead switching to a series of wide shots.
“I have met many writers. You are different from all of them.”
“For example?”
“You are very bold. There is a reason people criticise you. Deep down, you refuse to accept mediocrity.”
“Who truly accepts mediocrity? I believe everyone has some vision for their own life…”
Wen Ying stared in shock and turned to look at Yuan Fenghui, who also looked surprised.
“So that is it.”
Yuan Fenghui gritted her teeth. “No wonder the producer did not dare tell us in advance!”
The so-called re-edited version had actually added a pre-recording “chat” between Wen Ying and the host!
This was content that should not appear in the formal interview. None of the questions had been provided to Wen Ying in advance. Even the producer and director did not know what the host would ask. It was all based on the host’s years of experience, chatting to understand Wen Ying’s real personality.
Why wide shots?
Because Wen Ying herself had no idea this “chat” had been secretly recorded!
Yuan Fenghui had not known either.
Who would have thought it?
This was a CCTV interview, not some entertainment variety show, nor an investigative report chasing the truth. All filming should have received permission from the interviewee, or at least, cough, from the interviewee’s agent!
Yuan Fenghui, who had walked by the river for years, had finally got her shoes wet. This was the first time she had been caught off guard.
“I had no idea beforehand!”
Yuan Fenghui explained earnestly to Wen Ying. “We are allies. If I had known, I would definitely have told you.”
Now, it no longer mattered how the second part had been edited. The priority was to ensure no trust crisis arose between her and Wen Ying!
A crack in their trust would have far worse consequences than any random editing of the interview.
Wen Ying shook her head. “Teacher Yuan, of course I believe you. I was just—”
Just what?
Xie Qian answered for Yuan Fenghui. “She is just recalling her chat with the host, wondering if she said anything she should not have.”
Xie Qian was not particularly worried.
The hamster needed supervision only in her studies. In everything else, she handled things very well. Even unaware the programme was secretly recording, the hamster would still speak with restraint.
As long as the programme team did not edit maliciously, Xie Qian guessed these secretly recorded “informal interview” segments would not only avoid harming Wen Ying, but might even have an unexpectedly positive effect.
Xie Qian knew Wen Ying well, and Yuan Fenghui did too. She immediately relaxed. “Then there really is nothing to worry about!”
Wen Ying felt a little embarrassed. “You two trust me too much, don’t you?”
…
Across the country, in front of countless television sets.
It was not only Wen Ying herself who was stunned. Her readers were equally unprepared.
Should the second part not continue directly from the first?
Everyone just wanted to know what was going on with Little Fish’s investment in the medical aesthetics company. Why was the programme stuffing in all this irrelevant content?
Wide shots were bad enough, and they could only see Little Fish’s back.
This infuriating camera angle meant they could not even see Little Fish’s face!
“Non-standard filming?”
Some observant readers noticed the small text note on screen.
“What does that mean? This segment was secretly filmed? Damn it, the programme team ambushed Little Fish!”
Sitting in front of her television, Gan Tao was initially furious, but after watching for a while, her mood shifted from anger to inexplicable anticipation. With her rich experience as a fan, Gan Tao knew many celebrities were completely different on and off camera. If this really was secret filming, Gan Tao felt she might see a more authentic Little Fish.
A more authentic Little Fish might not be as perfect as they imagined, but she could never be the greedy, profit-obsessed “Boss Fish” the haters described.
A writer’s breadth of spirit could be seen in her works!
At this moment, in homes across the country, in front of countless televisions, many readers shared Gan Tao’s thought: secret filming was wrong, but they really wanted to see the real Little Fish.
…
Beijing.
“Sister Keqing’s move really took effect immediately!”
Luo Hao frantically flattered Ran Keqing.
The adaptable Luo Hao quickly adjusted his mindset.
Although Ran Keqing could not control Huan Yu entirely, even a small portion of Huan Yu’s resources in the industry was enough to crush a newcomer like Tianjiao!
He had to hold tight to this golden thigh!
Ran Keqing appeared nonchalant, but inside she was bursting with suppressed joy. “This is nothing.”
Getting the programme re-edited really was not a big deal.
What truly delighted Ran Keqing was that the second part had been re-edited according to her wishes, proving the Xie family truly looked down on Wen Ying.
Xie Qian must be under considerable pressure choosing to be with that fish.
How pitiful!
Ran Keqing felt Xie Qian was pitiful, and this thought made her even happier.
Luo Hao perceptively fetched a bottle of champagne from the cabinet. “Fancy a drink?”
“Of course!”
Good moods demanded champagne celebrations.
One bottle was not enough for Ran Keqing’s high spirits. She had already arranged for friends to come over for a party, and they should be arriving soon.
As if on cue, the doorbell rang.
Her friends arrived with more alcohol.
When they asked what Miss Ran was celebrating this time, she pointed at the television. “Celebrating this interview programme getting better and better!”
What kind of reason was that?
But if Miss Ran liked it, it was the best reason!
…
Hunan Province.
Liang Dan watched the unconventional second part and sent the producer a text: Old classmate, thanks! Next time we meet, dinner is on me.
Manager Guan was very surprised.
Could interview programmes really be played like this?
“I told you, the producer owes me a favour.”
“Darling, you really are amazing…”
Manager Guan said this, but he did not feel much joy inside.
This time, they had indeed damaged the premium idol Tianjiao had worked so hard to build.
Yet it also revealed Liang Dan’s unusually close “old connection” with the producer.
Green hats were everywhere. Manager Guan felt very depressed.
He could only hope “Reverse Flow Fish” suffered more misfortune!
Seeing someone he disliked in trouble would balance his mood.
…
On the television, the “non-standard filming” chat continued.
Guided by the host, Wen Ying spoke of everyone waiting for their chance to “soar into the sky”, stirring the blood of young viewers and moving older ones too.
It really was like that.
Everyone longed for an extraordinary life.
Sometimes it was not lack of effort, but effort always missing a bit of luck.
In the chat, the host also asked about Wen Ying’s daily life.
“You seem to enjoy making friends?”
“Yes.”
With her back to the camera, Wen Ying’s tone became lively. “I love making friends, and fortunately, I have made many wonderful ones.”
“Li Mengjiao is a good friend, right? I heard you two were close even before she debuted. Who would have thought she would debut as a celebrity through a talent show, while you became a bestselling author through writing novels.”
“Apart from famous friends like Li Mengjiao, can you talk about others?”
“You actually set up street stalls after the middle school exams to earn pocket money?”
“Did you make any? How did you spend it?”
“Haha, did the partners split it all? Very real. It was your hard-earned money.”
Although viewers could only see wide shots and Wen Ying’s back, they could genuinely feel her happiness and ease. This must be a very beautiful memory for her.
Good friendships really are like that.
The friends who had set up stalls with Wen Ying during holidays were now university classmates with her, or had become celebrities, or had gone to prestigious schools in Beijing. They had separated because of “growing up”.
“We do not stay in touch every day, but whenever we do, there is endless conversation. Actually, we did not split all the money. I was in a rebellious phase then and had big disagreements with my parents. I said I would earn my own living expenses. My friends knew my situation and gave me most of the stall profits. They took very little themselves. The rest we asked the school to help donate.”
“Can I ask what portion you donated?”
“About a third.”
“That really is a lot!”
It really was a lot.
Watching this, viewers asked themselves: if it were them, would they willingly donate a third of money earned through hard stall work?
The answer was no.
The host did not ask the exact amount donated, or viewers would have been even more shocked. Back then, Wen Ying and her friends had donated a full forty thousand yuan!
Without knowing the amount, viewers were already deeply moved, feeling Wen Ying and her friends had broad minds and kind hearts.
Viewers still did not understand why the second part included this secretly filmed content. They no longer cared to investigate the programme’s reasons. They were completely immersed in emotion.
Because it was “non-standard filming”, it felt especially real and credible.
Wen Ying really was not the kind of person the haters described.
Greedy for profit, money-obsessed. Such descriptions were truly vicious!
