Entertainment mogul: Starting his business with the internet

Chapter 425 New Melon
October 7th, the last day of the National Day holiday.

In the evening, in the girls' dormitory of Tsinghua University, Liu Yuqing sat at her desk, resting her chin on one hand, idly scrolling through Weibo.

Liu Jiajia, the roommate standing next to her, couldn't help but complain: "You said you were almost at school, what time is it? Why aren't Tiantian and Xiaoying back yet?"

During the National Day holiday, the four girls in the dormitory went back to their respective homes. They had originally planned to have dinner together after returning to school on the 7th, but at this time, the other two roommates were still nowhere to be seen.

Just then, Yu Ying dragged her suitcase into the dormitory, her face showing a gossipy look, and her tone was excited: "Yuqing, Jiajia, guess what I just saw?"

Liu Jiajia grumbled with a hint of annoyance, "Xiaoying, you're finally back! We'll go eat when Zetian gets back, I'm starving!"

Liu Yuqing, however, smiled and asked, "What juicy gossip do you have to share?"

Yu Ying tossed her luggage aside, not bothering to unpack, and spoke rapidly: "I just saw it downstairs, Tian Tian wants to break up with Tao Duping! He's begging her to stay!"

The shocking news stunned Liu Jiajia: "What's going on? Why are they breaking up all of a sudden? They were inseparable before National Day and even planned to go back to Nanjing together. And now, after just one holiday, they're breaking up?"

Yu Ying shrugged: "How would I know the specifics? We can only wait for the person involved to come back so we can ask them together."

"See? I told you so! I knew Tian Tian and that Tao Duping wouldn't last long." Liu Yuqing pouted.

In her view, Zhang Zetian appeared to be gentle, but in reality he was arrogant and had extremely high standards.

Although Tao Duping's conditions are not bad in all aspects, he is still far behind the real social elites.

Zhang Zetian wasn't really satisfied with her boyfriend, but "a good woman is afraid of a man's persistence." Tao Duping had been showing her all sorts of concern and care for her for the past six months, and at one point he did touch her heart. The two of them got together by chance.

Once the initial emotional rush subsided and reason returned, a breakup became inevitable.

Liu Yuqing glanced at the time on her computer; it was already 6 p.m., and suggested, "How about we order takeout? We don't know how long we'll be talking to Tao Duping every day."

Besides, they just broke up today, so they probably aren't in the mood for a big meal. Today's Deals has given out a lot of coupons for National Day, so let's order a big meal and eat in the dorm.

"Okay!" "Agreed."

Yu Ying and Liu Jiajia cheered in response. Eating was the most important thing right now, because they would have the energy to dig up the school beauty's gossip after they had filled their stomachs.

"It's my treat." Liu Yuqing picked up her phone, opened the Today's Priority app, selected a restaurant with decent-looking dishes, and ordered food for four people. The restaurant quickly accepted the order.

"The rider will be able to deliver it in about 40 minutes. He'll come with me to pick up the food in a bit."

While waiting for the delivery rider to bring her food, Liu Yuqing, having nothing else to do, clicked on the Weibo homepage of "Ba Zhanggui," a blogger she had recently followed.

This blogger is known in Weibo gossip circles for praising Liu Shishi. Last month, on the night of the Golden Eagle Awards ceremony, a blog post that was liked by Song Ci's alternate account and analyzed Liu Shishi as the "number one person on the small screen" went viral, gaining more than two million followers in a short period of time.

Liu Jiajia glanced at the familiar Weibo page on her roommate's computer screen and said, "Yuqing, I also follow 'Eight Shopkeeper'. To be honest, he's quite well-informed; he might even be an insider in the entertainment industry."

"A while ago, he revealed that Wang Kai and Lü Yi's new movie 'Finding Mr. Right' had started filming in the United States, which was later confirmed by netizens. He also exclusively released a lot of behind-the-scenes photos of Zhao Liying's new drama 'Under the Zhengyang Gate.' This guy is really resourceful."

By the way, I also bought some snacks from his Taobao store; they should arrive in a couple of days.

Liu Yuqing nodded in agreement: "Most of these bloggers have studios and collaborate with many professional photographers. They attract fans by breaking exclusive news and then drive traffic to their own Taobao stores. This model is actually quite profitable."

Yu Ying turned around and started packing her luggage, putting the autumn and winter clothes she had brought home into the closet.

Liu Jiajia walked behind Liu Yuqing and stared at the screen: "There haven't been any big news in the entertainment industry lately. Does 'Master Gossip' have any new scoops?"

No sooner had the words left his mouth than "Eight Shopkeeper" updated his Weibo with a new post: revealing that the golden couple in the entertainment industry, Pan Yueming and Dong Jie, had broken up, and also implying that Dong Jie "has a new love," pointing the finger directly at actor Wang Dazhi, claiming that the two had a close relationship as early as 2011 when they collaborated on "Please Forgive Me."

"Dong Jie and Pan Yueming broke up?" Liu Jiajia looked shocked. "Back then, the marriage of Leng Qingqiu and Xu Xian was a beautiful story in the entertainment industry. How could they break up?"

Then a question popped into my mind: Who is Wang Dazhi?
As if guessing Liu Jiajia's thoughts, Liu Yuqing quickly opened her browser and searched for Wang Dazhi on Baidu. Relevant information quickly appeared.

"Wow, this person is so ugly!" Liu Jiajia's eyes widened, and she didn't believe "Master Gossip's" revelation at all.

"Dong Jie gave up the handsome Pan Yueming to get together with Wang Dazhi? Is that a bit much? This is ridiculous. These bloggers just love to sensationalize and grab attention with ambiguous information. If they have any real evidence, they should produce it."

Liu Yuqing closed Baidu and switched back to Weibo. In just a short while, the comment section of "Eight Shopkeeper" Weibo had exploded. Many netizens shared similar thoughts with Liu Jiajia, believing that the blogger was fabricating stories and would do anything for traffic.

"Eight Shopkeeper" happened to be online at the moment, and even specifically picked out a few netizens who were cursing him to reply to:

"Would I make things up without evidence?"

"Don't think too highly of Dong Jie; you can know a person's face but not their heart!"

"Just wait and see, this is definitely going to cause a big fuss."

Looking at "Master Ba's" confident reply, Liu Jiajia still found it unbelievable: "Yuqing, is Dong Jie really that blind?"

"Who knows? It's definitely not normal, but my sister-in-law told me that some people in the entertainment industry don't follow the rules." Liu Yuqing raised her eyebrows and subconsciously wanted to check the trending topics on Weibo.

When the trending topics page loaded, I couldn't help but exclaim, "It's trending so quickly!"

The phrase "Dong Jie accuses Pan Yueming" is prominently displayed and has already climbed into the top ten of the list.

Liu Jiajia urged hurriedly, "Open it and take a look quickly."

Liu Yuqing quickly clicked on the link, only to find that Dong Jie's studio had just published a long blog post.

The accusation against Pan Yueming alleges that he is addicted to gambling, has repeatedly traveled to Australia to gamble, has accumulated millions in debt, and forced Dong Jie to pay off his debts.

He was not only rude and disrespectful to his wife and children, but also committed domestic violence.

Furthermore, he strongly condemned Pan Yueming for maliciously hiring paparazzi to follow Dong Jie for a long time, attempting to fabricate evidence of her infidelity, and for spreading false rumors through some unscrupulous bloggers to smear Dong Jie, directly referring to "Patrick Gossip" in his words.

The post also included a photo of Pan Yueming at a gambling den, seemingly confirming the accusations.

This statement quickly sparked heated discussions across the internet.

Dong Jie's portrayal of "Leng Qingqiu" back then was the ideal woman for many, and public opinion was almost unanimously in favor of her.

"May those who block dogs die a horrible death!"

"I never imagined you were a gambling addict. I misjudged you. I'm unfollowing you! Get out of the entertainment industry!" "You actually commit domestic violence, beating and verbally abusing your wife and children. You're not a man at all, you're worse than an animal."

"Those bloggers who spread rumors are no good either!"

. . .

When Liu Jiajia saw the photos of Pan Yueming taken secretly at a casino in Australia, she couldn't help but sigh and exclaim, "No wonder Dong Jie wanted to take her son away; this kind of man is terrifying!"

Liu Yuqing nodded, recalling the pure and resilient Leng Qingqiu from "The Story of a Noble Family," and said indignantly, "Dong Jie has endured so much for the sake of the child, and it's only now that she's finally speaking out. It's truly remarkable."

Yu Ying chimed in, "It's just a one-sided accusation; Pan Yueming hasn't responded yet."

This statement was immediately countered by the two: "The evidence has been presented, how can it be cleared up?"

At the same time, the atmosphere on the set of "Day and Night" was tense and somber.

At this moment, Pan Yueming, the male lead of the crew who was almost universally condemned online, looked distressed and his eyes were filled with sadness: "Director Jiang, I swear to God, these accusations are all slander against me."

Jiang Wei's face was stern, his expression extremely unpleasant, and he was filled with frustration.

The filming of "Day and Night" was halfway through when the male lead suddenly broke out in a negative news story. Pan Yueming was the one who strongly recommended him to the top female host and the investor, Toutiao Video. Now that this has happened, he will inevitably have to take the blame.

"Teacher Pan, I trust your character after working with you on set for so long, but it's no use for you to explain to me; we need to convince the netizens."

You should issue a clarification statement as soon as possible. If it's truly a fabrication, I believe the truth will come out.

“Okay, I’ll issue a statement to clarify right away.” Pan Yueming didn’t dare to delay and immediately took the phone from his assistant and began editing the text on set.

Jiang Wei sighed softly. He was really unlucky to have gotten into this mess: "Let's call it a day. I'll give everyone a day off tomorrow."

After saying that, he let out another heavy sigh, walked to the side, hesitated for a moment, and then dialed the number of the boss's sister.

Liu Shishi had just finished dinner and was taking a walk with her husband in Jingyuan Park.

The osmanthus and geraniums in the garden are in full bloom, their delicate fragrance lingering in the air, making one feel refreshed and relaxed.

My phone suddenly vibrated in my pocket. I took it out, glanced at it, and immediately answered, "Director Jiang, is something wrong?"

Jiang Wei asked cautiously, "Mr. Liu, have you seen the trending topics online?"

The woman shook her head: "I didn't see it. Just say what you need to say."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Wei had no choice but to muster his courage and tell the story of Dong Jie and Pan Yueming. Finally, he asked for instructions: "President Liu, what do you think we should do about this?"

Liu Shishi frowned instantly, her displeasure evident: "Is this how you choose people for me!"

The investment of 50 million yuan in "Day and Night" marks the first step in Toutiao Video's strategy of promoting high-quality self-produced web dramas.

If the male lead collapses, all previous investments will be wasted, and it will also severely hinder Toutiao Video's transformation plan.

The more she thought about it, the angrier she became, and she angrily rebuked, "Jiang Wei, can't you do your job?"
Before filming began for "Day and Night," I repeatedly emphasized that this series was extremely important to the studio and Toutiao Video, and the selection of the lead actors had to be very careful!

I trusted you enough to agree to use Pan Yueming, and this is how you repay my trust?

Liu Shishi's stern rebuke terrified Jiang Wei.

The boss is usually mild-mannered, but that doesn't mean she has no temper. The better-natured a person is, the more explosive their anger can be.

"Are you mute? I'm asking you a question."

Jiang Wei was trembling with fear, but in his haste, a thought flashed through his mind: "President Liu, as far as I know, Pan Yueming has been framed. Just the gambling addiction alone is absolutely impossible."

I knew beforehand that Pan Yueming had spent most of the past two years filming, and the only time he went to Australia was to visit Dong Jie on set and then stop by for a short visit.

Upon hearing this, a cold glint flashed in Liu Shishi's eyes: "You mean, someone deliberately framed Pan Yueming?"

Jiang Wei quickly assured him, "What Dong Jie said is absolutely fabricated!"

Seeing Jiang Wei's unwavering conviction, Liu Shishi knew he wouldn't dare deceive her, and her expression hardened: "He actually managed to persuade Dong Jie to target her own husband like this! Could it be that he's after Toutiao Video?"

"What happened to Toutiao Video?" Song Ci asked softly. Seeing his wife's expression change suddenly, he pulled her to sit down on the stone bench by the path. "Calm down, tell me what happened."

"It's just a small matter on set." Liu Shishi took a deep breath to calm herself, rested her head on her husband's shoulder, and looked at the bright moon that had just appeared on the horizon. "Honey, I can handle it."

Song Ci nodded slightly and didn't ask any more questions. There really wasn't anything major in the entertainment industry that he needed to worry about.

"Jiang Wei, since you're convinced Pan Yueming is innocent, then the production team should issue a statement supporting him. I want to see what kind of monsters and demons they are, do they really think I don't have ruthless methods!"

"I will issue a statement on behalf of the production team immediately! I will report to you as soon as there is any further development." Jiang Wei breathed a sigh of relief, secretly glad that he had barely gotten past his boss and that he hadn't alarmed Mr. Song.

That evening, amidst overwhelming condemnation, insults, and accusations online, Pan Yueming responded on Weibo and filed a countersuit.

He refuted the accusations point by point: first, he denied being a gambler, admitting he had only been to Australia once, after visiting his wife on set. He also stated that the online photo showing "30 in bets" was taken secretly and is not sufficient evidence.

Secondly, he clarified the financial issues, stating that the income after marriage was deposited into a joint family account, while Dong Jie's income "had been transferred to her family a year ago," and made the transfer records public, demanding that Dong Jie also make her bank statements public.

Finally, she accused Dong Jie's agent, Ren Jiayin, of long-term estrangement from her husband, thus obstructing her work opportunities.

The blog post ended with a powerful emotional statement: "I love my children, I love this family! I staked my entire life on this marriage, but I lost everything!"

Shortly after Pan Yueming posted his blog, the crew of "Day and Night" also posted a message in support of him. Director Jiang Wei also spoke out on Weibo, hoping that the couple could calm down for the sake of their child.

After all, it takes a hundred years of cultivation to share a boat ride and a thousand years to share a pillow. Why did this marriage end up like this?

At the same time, we urge netizens to view this matter rationally and give both parties some time and space.

However, the netizens' preconceived notions were hard to shake, and they not only continued to condemn Pan Yueming with great force, but also boycotted "Day and Night".

The public outcry was immediate and intense, leaving Pan Yueming and the "Day and Night" production team in a state of utter chaos.

(End of this chapter)