I really didn't intend to make a living based on my looks.

Chapter 91 Yu Zheng's Breakdown

"What was He Chengming hesitant to say during the interview? Can you honestly say that the interview transcript wasn't handed to you by your people?"

"And those photos, weren't they from your production team? How could paparazzi infiltrate the set of 'Palace'? Do you think everyone's a fool?"

After saying something on the other end of the phone, Xu Yiruo's voice suddenly rose eight octaves.

"Staff? You're going to blame everything on the staff?"

"You're the screenwriter, you're the boss, which member of the crew isn't one of your people?"

"Yu Chaochao, you just wait!"

"Fuck you!"

The phone was slammed onto the table with a "thud".

Jiang Chen and Li Yitong stood at the door, looking at each other in bewilderment.

"Sister Yan—is she that popular?"

Li Yitong lowered her voice, her eyes wide open.

Jiang Chen's lips twitched. "That's normal. Everyone who's served in the military is like that—"

I only knew Xu Yiruo was protective of her own, but I never imagined she could be so fierce when she cursed.

Hmm—I didn't choose the wrong agent—

Xu Yiruo turned around and walked out, her face ashen, but when she saw Jiang Chen, she immediately composed herself.

"You're here? Let's start the meeting."

The meeting room was small, with six people sitting around a long table.

Jiang Chen sat in the main seat, with Xu Yinuo and Li Yitong on his left.

The three new people on the right are all recently recruited.

"Let me introduce you," Xu Yiruo pointed to the girl with glasses on the far right, "Lin Wei, formerly an editor at Sina Entertainment, responsible for public opinion monitoring and press releases. From now on, she will be in charge of all your Weibo, forum, and portal website communications."

Lin Wei adjusted her glasses and nodded to Jiang Chen: "Hello, Brother Chen, please guide me in the future."

"The one in the middle," Xu Yiruo said, looking at a young man in a plaid shirt, "is Chen Mo. He used to be the executive agent for H&R Century Pictures, and he's worked with two second-tier artists. He'll be in charge of running around to film sets, negotiating contracts, and handling daily affairs."

Chen Mo stood up and bowed slightly: "Brother Chen, Sister Yan, I will familiarize myself with the process as soon as possible."

"The last one," Xu Yiruo pointed to the girl in the corner who hadn't spoken until now, "Zhou Xiaoxiao, formerly a styling assistant at Huace Media, who worked on Liu Shishi and Tang Yan's productions. She'll be in charge of your public image from now on."

Zhou Xiaoxiao smiled, revealing a pair of dimples: "Brother Chen, I brought your measurements. We'll try on a few outfits next week."

Jiang Chen nodded in agreement, his gaze sweeping over the three of them.

This is the first core team of his studio.

We are currently screening candidates for personal assistants and business brokers. For the time being, we are collaborating with professional law firms for legal matters. Positions such as drivers and finance staff will be filled gradually later.

Xu Yinuo took a deep breath and began her report.

"Let's talk about this incident first. It's obvious that that bastard Yu Zheng made the first move. He Chengming's interview, the long article by Yuquan Bamei, and the first wave of photos were all done by people on his side."

"Later, Cai Yinong added insult to injury, using the press conference to kick us while we were down."

"But it's not just them."

"I checked, and several companies' marketing accounts have also joined in —"

"The impact caused ————"

"Regarding scripts, we've been receiving 60% fewer recently. We used to get seven or eight a day, now it's only two or three, and the quality has also noticeably declined."

"Regarding endorsements, 'Moonlight Legend' has stalled, Head & Shoulders is taking a wait-and-see approach, and QQ Browser also said to wait. Of the three luxury brands we had agreed to endorse, two have directly said they won't proceed."

Regarding your reputation—you should have seen it yourself. You lost over 400,000 followers on Weibo, and your topic page is full of negative entries.

People outside are saying you're about to fade into obscurity just as you become famous.

The atmosphere in the meeting room was noticeably somber.

Several newcomers, in particular, were secretly observing Jiang Chen's expression.

Is it possible that the deal fell through as soon as they arrived?

Jiang Chen leaned back in his chair, his expression unchanged.

"Sister Yan, calm down. Actually, it doesn't have a big impact."

Xu Yiruo's real name is Xu Junyan, but they usually call her Sister Yan.

Xu Yiruo frowned: "Not big? Sixty percent of the scripts have been cut, three or four endorsements have been cancelled, and you call that not big?"

Jiang Chen shook his head.

"Sister Yan, I didn't really like any of those scripts out there. Besides, you know I'm focusing on two films right now."

"One film, 'Battle of Changsha,' is produced by our own company, and it's a legitimate and reputable production."

"One film, 'My Love from the Star,' which I organized myself."

"Do you think you can ruin these two dramas just by having Yu Zheng criticize me a couple of times or Cai Yinong call me a 'traffic star'?"

Xu Yinuo was stunned for a moment.

"As for endorsements—"

Jiang Chen reached out and flipped through the documents in front of him, pulled out a data sheet, and pushed it in front of her.

"As you know, I've always had Yitong help me manage my fan group."

"When it comes to endorsements, it's not about who shouts the loudest or who publishes the most negative articles. It's about the purchasing power and influence of the artist's fans."

He pointed to the numbers on the data table.

"Data is everything."

"They call me a traffic star, right? Well then, I'll show them what a traffic star's ability to drive sales really is."

Xu Yiruo stared at the data table for a few seconds, then suddenly looked up and asked curiously, "They call you a traffic star, aren't you angry?"

Jiang Chen smiled.

"What's there to be angry about?"

"Just a little bit of hardship —"

Xu Yiruo: "————"

In its previous life, the term "traffic star" was coined in 2014.

Li Moumou became a sensation after starring in "Swords of Legends," gaining over ten million followers on Weibo and receiving numerous endorsement offers, yet he was scorned by a group of veteran artists.

They say he has no works, only fans and online traffic.

But they trampled them all underfoot!

So someone created this term, with a derogatory connotation, like a hat, and put it on the heads of all new generation artists.

Later, the label was put on him bigger and bigger.

Lu Han, Wu Moumou, Yang Yang, TFBOYS —

Almost all artists born in the 1990s and 1995s have been included in this category.

Ultimately, it all boils down to jealousy!

A celebrity is a celebrity, not a great artist. What's the point of talking about popularity?

However, with the widespread adoption of 4G networks and the expansion of smartphones into third- and fourth-tier cities, the number of Weibo users is increasing.

For the first time, the Internet truly connected young people in small towns.

Young people who were previously ignored by mainstream media suddenly have a channel to voice their opinions, a place to gather, and a way to express themselves.

They no longer passively accept what the TV station broadcasts or what the movie theater shows.

They actively choose, actively spread, and actively consume.

This is the essence of traffic.

It's not fake data, not numbers generated by machines, but a completely new power structure: the fan economy.

Furthermore, the older generation of artists is being reshuffled!

Andy Lau and Jackie Chan are indeed very well-known, so much so that even elderly women in rural areas recognize them.

But they've gotten old, and their fans no longer care about these things!

The entertainment industry's fan base is always dominated by young people.

Eighteen-year-olds are fans of celebrities, twenty-eight-year-olds are paying off mortgages, and thirty-eight-year-olds are picking up their kids from school.

As people get older, life wears away their passion for idolizing celebrities.

This is why a young top star like him might have been completely unknown among his parents' generation.

However, his commercial value can surpass that of older generation artists who have extremely high national popularity.

Because internet platforms don't care about familiarity with faces, and brands don't care about qualifications.

They only look at one thing: purchasing power.

Even a veteran celebrity, no matter how famous, has a scattered fan base. A Weibo post might get tens of thousands of likes, but when it comes to getting young people to actually buy the products they endorse, they might not be willing to buy them.

A top-tier newcomer, not widely known, but with extremely loyal fans.

Whatever you endorse, your fans will buy.

Magazine cover? Sold out in seconds.

The Weibo post announcing the brand's endorsement saw its reposts, comments, and likes surge to six figures within ten minutes.

Internet platforms and brands are not fools.

They could choose anyone even with their eyes closed.

This is the development of the times.

It's not about who's right or wrong, or who's noble or lowly.

Only the direction of the tide has changed.

Hsu Yi-ruo: "So what's next? My idea is to directly sue those who are defaming us."

"The gossip accounts like 'Entertainment Gossip Girl,' 'Entertainment Spy 07,' and 'Entertainment Paparazzi King' are all spreading rumors. Don't let any of them get away with it. I've already contacted a lawyer, and we're compiling the evidence."

The newcomer, Lin Wei, said, "Won't people say we're making a mountain out of a molehill? It's just a post—"

"Making a mountain out of a molehill?" Xu Yiru glared at her. "They spread rumors about cohabitation and abortion, and you call that a mountain out of a molehill? For celebrities, reputational damage is the most serious issue."

"Furthermore, we need to make our stance clear: we are not pushovers who can be bullied and then forgotten. We bite."

Jiang Chen agreed: "Sister Yan is right. We'll proceed with the lawsuit as you suggested."

"But we can't rely on that alone. Lawsuits are too slow, and public opinion waits for no one. In addition, we can release some other content to muddy the waters and disrupt their rhythm."

"Right now, all the public opinion is following their lead. They make accusations, we clarify. They spread rumors, we refute them. From beginning to end, we are on the defensive."

"That won't do."

Xu Yiruo narrowed her eyes: "You mean—"

"Let's release some other juicy gossip," Jiang Chen said confidently. "Doesn't Yu Zheng like to spread rumors? Let's give him one too." "Also, it's time to release my album."

"An album? At this time? There's a lot of criticism outside, aren't you afraid of getting negative reviews from haters?"

Jiang Chen shook his head.

"The more critical the moment, the more we need to issue [the order]."

Ultimately, it all comes down to data.

"They say I'm a traffic star, that I have no works, and that my popularity is fake."

"Then I'll show them what real traffic is."

In the following days, the public discourse remained turbulent.

Hei Jiangchen's posts came out one after another like a tidal wave.

Today they say he "acts like a big shot on set," tomorrow they say he "treats staff badly," and the day after tomorrow they dig up a candid photo of him and an actress, captioned "New relationship exposed."

They don't need evidence anyway, they just make things up.

Jiang Chen's studio has not responded.

Or rather, instead of the tearful clarification statement or the tearful press conference that the outside world expected, they did not do so.

August 20th, Monday, 10:00 AM.

Jiang Chen Studio's official Weibo account released an announcement.

There were no sentimental words, no verbose introductions, just a long image.

A solemn statement regarding the recent malicious rumors.

Below is a densely packed table containing the date, account name, link to the fabricated content, screenshots of evidence, and lawyer's opinion.

A total of 53 marketing accounts published 227 pieces of fabricated content.

"Regarding the above list, our studio has fully entrusted Xingquan Law Firm to file a civil lawsuit to pursue the legal responsibility of the relevant parties. The internet is not a lawless zone, and every fabricated rumor will have consequences."

Netizens are in an uproar.

"Holy crap, are they serious?"

"Sue all of these accounts? Is this an attempt to make an example of someone?"

"Shouldn't those marketing accounts be panicking?"

"Jiang Chen's studio may be small, but this move was pretty bold!"

Some haters also commented sarcastically: "Go ahead and sue, it won't change anything even if you win."

But these voices were quickly drowned out by a larger discussion.

Because Xu Yinuo posted a Weibo post.

"Don't forget, back when 'Palace' aired, Yang Mi's hit song 'The Power of Love' was written and composed by Jiang Chen. And for 'Swords of Legends,' it was also Jiang Chen who recommended Yang Mi for the lead role. I don't need to elaborate on how much that drama helped Yang Mi's career, right?"

"Jiang Chen has never brought up these two things before."

"It's not because he doesn't care, it's because he feels that helping each other is something friends should do, and there's no need to take credit for it."

After this Weibo post was published, it quickly received official recognition from the investors behind "Gu Jian Qi Tan".

Zhengwu Sunshine Film & Television: "Jiang Chen is one of the core driving forces behind 'Swords of Legends.' From script adaptation to actor recommendation, his professionalism and dedication are evident to all."

Tencent Video: "It was a pleasure working with Jiang Chen, and we look forward to more high-quality projects in the future."

Wangyuan Shengtang, the company behind the Gujian Qitan game: "Mr. Jiang Chen's contribution to the drama goes far beyond that of an actor."

We hereby confirm this.

Endorsement from three official sources.

It's not a "leak from an insider" or "rumored".

It was a genuine, public statement bearing the company's official seal.

The scales of public opinion have begun to tip quietly.

But the real turning point came at 2 p.m.

A small account called "Entertainment Industry Worker" posted a long article.

The title itself is quite provocative.

Exclusive Reveal: Why is Yu Zheng so determined to target Jiang Chen? The answer lies in this photo.

The first half of the article is fairly serious.

"Everyone knows that Jiang Chen has been getting a lot of flak lately, but have you ever thought about this question: Why Jiang Chen? And why now?"

The answer is actually quite simple: because Jiang Chen became famous and is now in the way.

He Chengming was originally a top choice for the endorsement of "Moonlight Legend". However, the brand recently contacted Jiang Chen, and it is said that with similar prices, Jiang Chen's market data is significantly better.

This is the most direct conflict of interest.

He Chengming's endorsement deal is about to be snatched away by Jiang Chen.

Yu Zheng was getting anxious.

He has been supporting He Chengming for so many years, and now that the duck that was about to be eaten is about to fly away, how can he not be anxious?

This led to He Chengming's hesitant remarks, the lengthy post by "Entertainment Gossip Girl," and a series of scandals.

All of this was to make the brands feel that Jiang Chen was too risky and choose He Chengming instead.

Up to this point, it's still considered normal gossip.

Then, the style of the artwork suddenly changed.

"However, things are not that simple."

Yu Zheng's hatred for Jiang Chen goes beyond just the endorsement dispute.

The deeper reason is something you probably can't imagine.

There has always been one person in Yu Zheng's heart.

You can judge for yourselves.

At the end of the article, there was a picture.

In the photo, Yu Zheng and He Chengming are sitting side by side on a sofa.

The two held hands, their fingers intertwined, their palms pressed together.

The caption was just one sentence: "Look at your hands."

The comment section exploded like fireworks.

"Hahahahahahahaha, holy crap!"

"Holding hands together? What kind of move is that?"

"This is so exciting!"

"No wonder Yu Zheng is so protective of He Chengming, they're family after all!"

"No wonder they fought over the endorsement to He Chengming, that's true love!"

"So, he's targeting Jiang Chen to get revenge for his own partner? I don't even want to imagine this scenario—"

"That's hilarious, Yu Zheng, you need to explain yourself."

"You brat, so this is your type!"

The phrase "brat" immediately went viral.

No one knows who started it, but that afternoon, the words "brat" became Yu Zheng's new nickname.

Netizens' creative desires were completely ignited.

"That brat is really protective of her own; she'll fight anyone who messes with her people."

"You brat: I can copy the whole world, but the whole world can't bully my Mingming."

"That brat was quite pretty when she was young, so what does she want from him? Does she want him to plagiarize?"

"Stop talking, stop talking, the imagery is too vivid, hahaha!"

"I reasonably suspect that He's hesitation wasn't because he had some dirty secret to reveal, but because he was afraid of exposing something if he said too much."

"Help! I can't help but laugh whenever I see that brat!"

That afternoon, Yu Zheng broke down.

He posted three Weibo posts in a row, each one more furious than the last.

"It's perfectly normal for actors to hold hands. It's friendship, brotherhood, and the revolutionary camaraderie forged in shared struggle! Some marketing accounts are maliciously interpreting this; their intentions are despicable!"

"He and I have known each other for ten years, collaborated on seven films, and trusted and supported each other. Why is friendship in the entertainment industry always stigmatized? The innocent will clear themselves!"

"If anyone spreads rumors again, a lawyer's letter will be sent! I have already instructed my lawyer to collect evidence against the accounts spreading rumors. The internet is not a lawless zone!"

But netizens simply didn't buy it.

The comments section was filled with mockery.

"That brat's getting impatient!"

"Lawyer's letter warning! Next one!"

"An explanation is just a cover-up, and a cover-up is the truth!"

"Revolutionary friendship? Holding hands? Do you believe that? I don't."

"You brat: The innocent are innocent. Netizens: Those who are close are close."