"We've investigated almost everything. As you instructed, we contacted all his business partners, and all his endorsements were terminated. Although we didn't contact the company, the fact that he offended us has led their higher-ups to decide against keeping him. His Weibo post today is probably a desperate measure. He knows he can't survive in the entertainment industry, so he's trying to gain some sympathy one last time before moving offline to become an online influencer."
"You've got a good plan," Wen Qi smiled, but it was only a forced smile.
Wen Cheng listened. He would never use his brain for things that Brother Qi could handle. In the meantime, he had already opened the lunchbox. There were two big boxes in total, containing spicy hot pot!
It's the hot pot that he'd been clamoring for a while, but Wen Qi rejected it, saying that eating a mixed dish would cause stomach upset! Secretary Zhao was very thoughtful and divided it into two large bowls, one spicy and one not. Brother Qi doesn't really like spicy food, but he loves it!
On top of the dish were semi-soft fried dough sticks, sprinkled with fresh green scallions. Wen Cheng swallowed hard and quickly served herself and Brother Qi rice.
Then I sat obediently and waited for Brother Qi to start the meal.
Secretary Zhao continued, "But according to his own ideas, he certainly didn't expect this promotional video to be such a success. Now, apart from his fans, almost everyone online has turned against him."
Wen Qi nodded, glanced at his silly younger brother who was eagerly munching on the fried dough sticks, his eyes practically bulging with cravings, and couldn't resist handing him a tissue.
"Then let's not make a move yet, and see what stupid things he can do." Wen Qi really didn't need to spend too much energy dealing with this kind of fool. However, since his target was Wen Cheng, it was necessary to take up two minutes of his meal time. That was all.
Secretary Zhao immediately understood, adjusted his glasses, and left the office; this place was really not suitable for him at noon.
Wen Qi withdrew his gaze, elegantly picked up his chopsticks, and placed the fried dough stick that Wen Cheng had been rummaging through into his bowl. "Why didn't you eat anything after staring at it for so long?"
"We have to wait for Brother Qi~" Wen Cheng said before putting the fried dough stick into her mouth. The taste of Sichuan peppercorns and chili oil was amazing!
Wen Qi's gaze softened even more. He suddenly understood why he was so happy watching his parents' days go by, even though they were repetitive and boring. If he could keep looking at this silly little boy in the future, time seemed to have been given meaning again.
Just as Wen Qi had predicted, at 1 p.m., Cheng Ziyao did something foolish again.
He posted on his Weibo: Please stop cyberbullying Wen Chengyan and Luan. Both of them are very cute younger brothers. There has never been any talk of replacing the characters. Please do not make up stories and waste public resources!
Pfft! Isn't saying that just a blatant slap in the face to the fans?
I stood up for you, fought back and argued with you, and now that the other side's work has come out and contradicted me, you're turning against me? Now it's all our fault as fans?
This move prompted Wens employees to exclaim in unison: "We're so full!"
Wen Cheng, who was lying comfortably in bed after eating her fill, also found this gossip hilarious. Although Cheng Ziyao didn't seem very smart when he was arguing with her, she didn't expect him to be even less smart when he was pushed to the limit!
After reading Cheng Ziyao's statement, as a first-hand observer, I naturally had to go to the super topic to see what was going on.
Wen Cheng excitedly opened the super topic again, and wow! Sure enough, the scene was chaotic for a while.
Cheng Ziyao's die-hard fans turned against her, even calling the police to find out who had been defaming her idol and spreading rumors. Furthermore, a fan leader was stirring up trouble online. This action successfully shattered Cheng Ziyao's hard-won fanbase, with many leaving the fandom.
Some people who thought their idol was talking nonsense after seeing the promotional video have now turned against Cheng Ziyao after seeing her idiotic remarks and started spreading rumors about her in the super topic. Isn't Cheng Ziyao the one who likes to portray herself as hardworking?
They uploaded all the clips of Cheng Ziyao's awkward acting that the haters had made to the super topic, and Wen Cheng laughed so hard her stomach cramped up like it was a joke.
She rolled over and landed in Wen Qi's arms.
Wen Qi caught it helplessly and asked in a deep voice, "Can't you sleep?"
Wen Cheng burst into laughter, even holding up her phone to share the moment with Wen Qi.
"This little brat is going to share a man with me?" Wen Qi snatched the phone away without any regard for reason and gave Wen Cheng the harshest punishment.
"Ugh, sob sob sob!" At least let me finish watching the last video!
Wen Cheng silently protested, and finally collapsed into Wen Qi's arms, powerless to resist.
Today, Wen Cheng finally understood just how jealous Qi Ge was!
However, during just one lunch break, the online sentiment took a dramatic turn. Cheng Ziyao lost public support, while YUN became the biggest beneficiary. A surge of organic buzz boosted his official Weibo account by millions of followers, and he won over hearts with his high-quality promotional videos and excellent products.
This success came much faster than the one described in the book. Although Cha Cha was a bit naive in her personal life, her business acumen was something even Wen Qi would approve of.
At 1:30 p.m., while everyone was furiously criticizing Cheng Ziyao, YUN released an interview with the product manager.
Xie Nianyu, within YUN Company, is like the moon reflected in water, a flower in the mist—the white moonlight in the hearts of young men and women. "Beautiful" doesn't even begin to describe his exceptionally handsome appearance. Yet, this person doesn't rely on looks; he conquers every user with his talent and ability.
In the video, he's wearing a white shirt and a well-tailored long robe, and even his fingertips seem to be touched by moonlight.
Who doesn't love a beautiful woman? When the interview was released, the content was secondary; her looks were the main focus.
No need to look, there's already a bunch of people screaming in the comments section of the interview.
【Aaaaaaah! Help! Is this really not an entertainment company?! I'm begging the product manager and the two guys in the promotional video to debut! I want all three of them!】
[The above is too greedy! I only need the handsome guy.]
So beautiful! So beautiful! I'm drooling over the screen!
......
"Boss, you filmed this interview just for today, didn't you?" Xie Nianyu chuckled, her eyes filled with seven parts helplessness and three parts reproach.
Wen Yunyi said, "I'll give you double your salary."
Straight to the point; there's no need for roundabout methods when dealing with an old fox like Xie Nianyu.
Xie Nianyu smiled with satisfaction: "Deal!"
Who would have thought that the beautiful woman who was working hard to develop her dream in the interview was actually so ordinary? But as long as the publicity is done well, everyone likes what they see on the surface. As long as he can be like this in the video, that's fine.
For an entire day, YUN and Cheng Ziyao dominated the trending topics. On one side, they were praised by everyone, and on the other side, they were ridiculed by everyone. The division of labor was clear, and they did not waste any time.
Just before she was about to leave work, Wen Cheng received a message from Wen Yunyi asking her to come to his office downstairs. This time, not only Wen Cheng, but Wen Qi also went with her.
Wen Yunyi was surprised that his older brother would come, and immediately became much more serious. He even made his older brother a cup of tea and let him sit in his seat.
Wen Cheng moved a chair and sat down next to Wen Qi. Yan Luan came up without even changing out of his security guard uniform, followed by Secretary Zhao and Secretary Zhang. Xie Nianyu sat on the sofa, leisurely scrolling through her phone. The scene was so grand that it was as if a prisoner was about to be brought to court.
Speaking of prisoners, here's one right here.
When Cheng Ziyao arrived at the office looking exhausted with her assistant, she was clearly shocked by the scene before her.
"Um, Xiao Yi, I, didn't I say I wanted to talk to you alone?" Cheng Ziyao originally wanted to speak with some authority, but when he saw Wen Qi sitting in the middle, even though Wen Qi hadn't done anything, his authority vanished instantly, and he asked timidly.
After today, Wen Yunyi has seen through things. "Did you think about talking to me alone before you posted on Weibo?"
Chapter 106 Venting
On the surface, Wen Yunyi appears to be a harmless little green tea, but that's just on the surface. Once he sees something clearly for himself, he can do things that have nothing to do with his appearance. His indifferent expression is like a miniature version of his older brother.
Wen Cheng couldn't express much emotion when looking at Cheng Ziyao. All he needed to know was that he hadn't been taken advantage of. However, his actions had hurt Yan Luan, so he had no more human compassion for Cheng Ziyao.
Xie Nianyu looked up from her phone screen for a moment, then suddenly realized that these three people, who were not related by blood, looked very alike, as if they shared the same blood.
"Xiao Yi, what are you talking about? I only posted on Weibo to wish you all well. Yes, I was angry here last time, but I calmed down when I got back. After all, we are classmates. Besides, all my endorsements and promotions were gone when I went back last time. Isn't that enough?" Cheng Ziyao tried her best to explain, but the more she talked, the more aggrieved she became.
Before, when he thought of Wen Yunyi, he only thought about what opportunities Wen Yunyi would give him. He also needed to politely decline some opportunities he didn't like or didn't need for the sake of his dignity. This way, Wen Yunyi would pay more attention to him, and outsiders wouldn't see him as a young, inexperienced guy with no background.
He never imagined things would turn out this way. Whose fault was it? His? He hadn't done anything wrong. The blame lay with the fans who mindlessly started a fight without thinking! Yes! Before Wen Yunyi could speak, Cheng Ziyao continued:
"Xiao Yi, you don't know how deep the water is in the entertainment industry if you're not in it. Today's whole mess was caused by my fans. They believe everything they hear. I was just offering my blessings," Cheng Ziyao paused here, because he realized that after he said that, everyone in the room was looking at him with extreme contempt.
He suddenly felt much more guilty.
"Yes! I was a little angry, so my tone was a bit ambiguous, but I absolutely did not instruct them to slander you like that! These people are a bunch of lunatics, I couldn't control myself! You don't know how crazy fans are these days, they don't actually like me, they're just venting their personal desires..."
In this situation, Wen Cheng felt as if he had suddenly moved from an interrogation room to a film crew audition. However, no matter how passionate and energetic the people on stage were, he had no interest in watching and even felt sleepy.
While they were getting bored, Wen Cheng tugged at Wen Qi's sleeve, signaling him to put his hand down. The solid desk blocked their upper bodies, and Wen Yunyi, sitting on the other side, couldn't see what they were doing. So, Wen Cheng openly started playing with Wen Qi's fingers.
Qi Ge's nails were neatly trimmed, with smooth, rounded surfaces, and the knuckles were much larger than his.
Wen Qi glanced at Wen Cheng, who was half-heartedly playing with his hands, and knew he was getting bored. He gave Wen Yunyi a look, signaling him to finish quickly.
Wen Yunyi nodded. "I don't care what kind of fans you have. I will never be in the entertainment industry, and I don't need to know the rules of the entertainment industry. I just need to do things my own way."
Cheng Ziyao suddenly choked, unsure how to continue. This was the first time Wen Yunyi had completely disregarded what he was saying and acted according to his own principles.
Or rather, Wen Yunyi was always meant to be like this.
"Xiao, Yi."
"Today is the day for my new product promotion, and I won't say much about you choosing this day to wish me well. But what do you mean by saying that my brother and Yan Luan were chosen, and you regretfully missed out but still wished them well? What does this have to do with you?"
“I,” Cheng Ziyao said anxiously.
Then Wen Yunyi easily interrupted him with a raised hand, "Also, forget about that. To be honest, I won't say much about you using my popularity for the promotional video, considering our past relationship."
Cheng Ziyao's mood was like a rollercoaster ride, and her heart suddenly returned to the ground.
“But after checking a little, I found out that the group of people who stopped me were actually hired by you,” Wen Yunyi said, revealing the last bit of discomfort he had felt for Cheng Ziyao. “I always thought that even if others looked down on me or couldn’t stand me, at least I had you as a friend.”
Cheng Ziyao hurriedly tried to walk over, her guilty conscience and anxiety further confirming the truth of the matter, but she was easily stopped halfway by Secretary Zhao, who was 1.83 meters tall.
"Sir, please keep your distance."
Cheng Ziyao stopped reluctantly, but still couldn't stop explaining, "Xiao Yi, I also genuinely consider you a friend. That incident back then... it wasn't as simple as you think. It was just a bet I made with my roommate. I regretted it later and went to save you. Xiao Yi, I really think you're a good person, that's why I've been befriending you despite the rumors. Think about it, ever since your fake young master identity was confirmed, only I..."
"Ha!" Wen Yunyi suddenly sneered, reverting to his usual imposing demeanor as the young CEO Wen. "Cheng Ziyao, do you really think I deserve your sympathy? Who are you? And who am I? Do you even deserve it?"
Wen Cheng was practically clapping wildly for Cha Cha. Who knew that Cha Cha, who was tough and straightforward, could be so cool!
Cheng Ziyao was completely devastated by those words; anger and resentment instantly surfaced uncontrollably.
But the next second...
"Now that you've finished discussing your personal matters, let's talk about business. Cheng Ziyao, I've already sent a lawyer's letter to your company. I've also clearly explained to your company the consequences and costs caused by your defamation and slander of Wen's Yun Company. Instead of wasting your time telling me unrealistic stories, you should think about how to take responsibility for the consequences you've caused." As Wen Qi said this expressionlessly, he subtly took Wen Cheng's left hand and held it tighter between Wen Cheng's fingers.
Hmph, a repressed pervert!
Wen Cheng thought one thing but did another. Instead of resisting, she happily tickled Wen Qi's palm, causing the two of them to hold hands even tighter.
When Wen Qi took charge, things were done very quickly.
With Guan Yu and the lawyers both present, Cheng Ziyao wanted to continue his tantrum and feign pitifulness, but unfortunately, no one in the office was willing to listen any longer. Every second they stayed meant hearing Wen Qi recount more of the compensation he would face.
The fees Wen Qi demanded weren't exorbitant; the total amount added up to just what Wen Yunyi had earned over the years using the resources he had provided. However, this already accounted for 80% of his assets. The remaining 20% consisted of compensation from the company.
With this move, Wen Qi seemed to have given Cheng Ziyao a way out, yet it also seemed to have left him with nothing at all.
Cheng Ziyao rushed over anxiously, her head buzzing as she went back.
Finally, Wen Yunyi posted a Weibo post on the official account, which caused him to trend on Weibo again:
[There was absolutely no intention to cooperate from beginning to end, please don't presume to believe me @程子杳.]
The Weibo post also included two pictures. One was a side profile shot of Yan Luan strolling lazily through the bustling city with a shoulder bag, captured by a photographer. The other was a retouched side profile shot of Cheng Ziyao, who was praised as having divine beauty in the drama. Even if there was a difference of Photoshop between the two, Yan Luan's beauty was still the clear winner.
The image was captioned with three words that were not particularly offensive but extremely insulting: "I'm not blind."
This Weibo post immediately sparked a heated discussion among netizens. Those unaware of the specifics praised YUN's boss for being tough, saying no to the owner of the mad dog.