The Entertainment Industry in Turmoil: Young Actresses All Want to Rise to the Top

Chapter 105 Who have I, Yu Zheng, ever feared?

New Classics Media, Cao Huayi's office.

Wisps of white steam rose from the redwood tea tray, yet they could not dispel the invisible stagnation in the air.

Cao Huayi put down his phone; the screen displayed the bustling comment section below the trailer for "My Love from the Star".

He looked up at the two people on the sofa: Wang Jin, the director of the purchasing department of Hunan TV, and Yu Zheng, who was sitting with his legs crossed and an arrogant expression.

"You two."

Cao Huayi turned his phone screen towards them and tapped it with his fingertip.

"The momentum of 'My Love from the Star' is quite formidable. This level of online popularity can't be achieved simply by throwing money at it."

Wang Jin nodded. "I did try to buy the first broadcast rights a few weeks ago, but unfortunately, they weren't interested in us."

"The reason is quite simple." Wang Jin looked at Yu Zheng.

"They want it to be released at this time; they won't agree to any other time."

"It's a pity that we had already finalized the deal for 'Bounty Hunters' with Professor Yu Zheng at this point in time."

"They forced us to choose between 'Bounty Hunters' and 'My Love from the Star'."

At this point, Wang Jin reached out and patted Yu Zheng on the shoulder, saying, "He underestimated our working relationship with Teacher Yu Zheng."

Yu Zheng adjusted his glasses, a hint of disdain flashing in his eyes behind the lenses. He chuckled softly and gently placed the teacup back into the teapot.

"President Cao, are you boosting the morale of others while diminishing your own?"

He leaned forward slightly, his tone carrying the usual confidence of a hit creator.

"We're sitting here today to talk about my novel, 'The Bounty Hunter'."

"Since he's determined to seize this time slot and challenge me, then let's fight! Who have I, Yu Zheng, ever feared?"

"His ink-based works are good at marketing, but has my Yu Zheng's drama ever lacked buzz?"

Cao Huayi shook his head, his brows furrowing slightly, as if he were recalling something.

"I worked with Shen Mo on 'Love is Not Blind' and also participated in 'Beijing Love Story'."

"Putting everything else aside, their marketing methods are unconventional, quick, and incredibly precise."

"If it weren't for the scheduling conflict, I really wouldn't want to face them."

"marketing?"

Yu Zheng looked as if he had heard a joke, and an exaggerated smile appeared on his lips.

"Mr. Cao, in this industry, how many examples are there of big productions and big marketing campaigns that ultimately flop without a trace?"

"In the end, what the audience cares about is whether the show is good or not! Which of my shows, 'Beauty's Rival in Palace' and 'Palace,' wasn't a genuine ratings hit?"

"How much of a stir can a fledgling company making with a sci-fi romance drama be?"

Wang Jin, who was standing to the side, finally spoke up, slowly saying.

"President Cao, Teacher Yu is right. The quality of the series is fundamental. As for promotion—"

He smiled. "What they have, we will only get better."

"Popular variety shows like 'Happy Camp' and 'Day Day Up' can arrange special episodes for 'Bounty Hunters' and cooperate fully in the promotion."

O

"In terms of star-making ability and platform influence, what does Tomato TV have to compare with us?"

Yu Zheng took over the conversation, tapping his fingers firmly on the mahogany armrest, listing the reasons for his confidence.

"And the cast? We have Qian Yongchen, Jiang Kaitong, Li Yifeng, and Ying Er—aren't they all people with a fan base and representative works?"

"What about them? Apart from Shen Mo, the rest are all new faces. Can they carry the ratings?"

He scoffed, "Even if we're fighting at the same time, what makes them think they can compete with us?"

He finally looked at Cao Huayi and Wang Jin, a sly smile playing on his lips, his tone resolute.

"Moreover, the marketing tactics they can use—online trolls, trending topics, trending topics—"

"Can't we use it? I'll use it even more ruthlessly and effectively than they do."

"When it comes to hype, I, Yu Zheng, have never been afraid of anyone."

Looking at the two confident men, Cao Huayi finally picked up his teacup, took a small sip, and swallowed back the vague unease he felt.

Back in his office, Yu Zheng called over his subordinates, squinting as he tapped the armrest.

"Playing with concepts? Creating suspense? Young people, you're still too green."

A cold, disdainful smirk curled at the corner of his lips.

"Trying to play marketing games with us? Let them see what real 'street-smart' tactics are."

"For the first wave, let's maximize the celebrity effect!"

Following Yu Zheng's order, all collaborating artists and their affiliated studios immediately posted posters for "Bounty Hunters" on their Weibo and Baidu Tieba accounts.

Qian Yongchen's "Detective Swordsman", Jiang Kaitong's "Free Princess", and Li Yifeng's "Just Detective".

Ying'er's "Pure First Love" —

The nine-grid official photos and meticulously edited behind-the-scenes footage, thanks to the massive fan base of the lead actors, instantly went viral.

The fan clubs acted as if they had received a military order, controlling comments and boosting data in an orderly manner.

#The Bounty Hunters are all incredibly good-looking#

#This is what a real period drama should be#

#Yu Zheng's Gold Medal Guarantee#

Many topics quickly became trending topics, rivaling "My Love from the Star".

The press releases were plastered all over major entertainment portals, almost as if they were about to enlarge the font to emphasize "talented actors", "golden screenwriter Yu Zheng" and "big-budget period drama".

Subsequently, resources from Hunan TV also came in response.

Special episodes of Happy Camp and Day Day Up were scheduled one after another, and game segments were even specially designed for the TV series.

Wang Jin assured Yu Zheng that the broadcast time would be scheduled for one week before and one week after the premiere of "Bounty Hunters" to ensure sustained popularity.

Meanwhile, in Shen Mo's office, Li Yitong was sitting on the sofa, frowning as she stared at the promotional material for "Bounty Hunter" on her tablet.

She knew exactly what kind of personality Yu Zheng, whom she had collaborated with several times in her previous life, had, and what methods he would use against his competitors.

Before, when she was on his side, she didn't feel anything, but now that he's started targeting her, Li Yitong feels very uncomfortable.

"This is just the prelude." Li Yitong looked at Shen Mo with concern. "From what I understand, he will have many more tricks up his sleeve."

"And Hunan TV is no simple matter either."

Shen Mo smiled and patted her head, then sat down next to her. "You need to have confidence in 'My Love from the Star,' and even more so, confidence in yourself as the producer and female lead, and in me as the male lead."

"They're recording Happy Camp and Day Day Up, do we really not need to record any variety shows for promotion?" Li Yitong was still worried.

"Do you see any breakout variety shows on Tomato TV? These shows are barely worth recording, and they don't really have much promotional effect."

"That's just the prelude," Shen Mo smiled, "and coincidentally, this is just the beginning for me too."

Li Yitong's concerns were not unfounded.

Yu Zheng's offensive didn't keep her waiting long.

That afternoon, various online forums began to feature posts offering "objective comparisons" and "revelations from passersby."

"In a rational discussion, is the alien setting in 'My Love from the Star' too far-fetched, unlike the more historically grounded 'Bounty Hunters'?"

"In terms of special effects, the live-action sets of 'Bounty Hunters' are clearly inferior to the green screen compositing of 'My Love from the Star'!"

"Breaking news! A certain male celebrity surnamed S acted like a diva on set and treated crew members violently; a certain female celebrity surnamed L, a resource-backed actress, had virtually no acting skills after joining the cast —"

These comments are like a poisonous vine. The truth is not important. Yu Zheng's purpose is simple: to destroy the public's nascent positive image of "My Love from the Star" through repeated stigmatization and denigration.

By limiting them to trashy dramas that are "brainlessly praised by fans," we are blocking the influx of fresh talent.

In this era where real-name registration on the internet is not yet fully implemented, the cost of spreading rumors is almost zero.