Huayu: A master director who debuted as a singer

Chapter 62 PolyGram's Counterattack

The next day, at a newsstand on a street corner in Hong Kong, the owner had just arranged stacks of newly arrived newspapers.

The most prominent positions are no longer filled with romantic tales or stock market and real estate reviews.

The front page entertainment section of Ming Pao featured the headline, "Why not eat meat porridge? Nicholas Tse reveals he can save 500,000 HKD per month, saying he didn't pay management fees in April was a bitter experience."

The Hong Kong Economic Journal, which usually focuses on finance, also unusually devoted half a page to its supplement today.

"Looking at Nicholas Tse's sponsorship of life, we can see the value rift among today's youth."

The Sing Tao Daily was even more direct.

"When Zheng Hui sings 'Fate cannot make us kneel and beg for mercy,' what is Nicholas Tse worried about?"

Not just these traditional newspapers.

The weekly magazines that Yinghuang and Huang need to pay for space or rely on reporters' sensationalism to get published seem to have all turned their guns on each other today, as if by prior agreement.

PolyGram, as the leading force in the Hong Kong music scene, is still a giant even when it's weakened.

Zheng Donghan didn't even need to make a phone call himself; Director Feng only needed to have tea with the editors-in-chief of a few familiar newspapers once, and the entire public opinion would completely change.

They don't need to collect dirt like Ying Huang did; they just need to present what Nicholas Tse said and did verbatim.

A white-collar worker who works in Wan Chai passed by a newsstand and intended to buy a copy of the Hong Kong Economic Journal to check the stock market.

His gaze was drawn to the headline of Ming Pao.

He picked up the newspaper and began to read.

The first part of the article directly quotes from an interview Nicholas Tse gave to Wen Wei Po in May of this year.

Earlier, it was reported that Nicholas Tse was the most popular celebrity and had the most sponsors, meaning that he had sponsors for everything from food and clothing to housing and transportation.

"Upon seeing this report, Nicholas Tse remained calm, even pointing out that the information in the report was not entirely accurate and that many sponsors were omitted—"

"According to reports, Tingfeng can save between 300,000 and 500,000 yuan per month if he has someone to take care of him."

The white-collar worker frowned. How could he save three to five hundred thousand yuan a month?

He only earns 30,000 yuan a month, which is enough to support a family of four and pay off a mortgage.

He continued reading: "He also revealed that he had failed to pay management fees for four months, and the management office had posted a notice of non-payment on his door."

The newspaper used a very sharp side note here.

According to lawyers and several property management professionals consulted by our reporter, in Hong Kong, ordinary citizens will receive a reminder call from the management office if they fail to pay their management fees within seven days, and will receive a lawyer's letter if they fail to pay within a month.

"The fact that Mr. Xie's luxury residence has tolerated his four months of non-payment of management fees raises questions: is it due to negligence on the part of the management office, or does the eldest son of the Xie family enjoy special privileges?"

The white-collar worker's brow furrowed even deeper.

At the end of the article, the focus shifted, and Zheng Hui was mentioned.

"No wonder Mr. Xie couldn't understand Zheng Hui's songs and found them empty. How could a rich young master who can save several years' income for an ordinary family by sponsoring others every month understand the struggles and perseverance of ordinary people during the financial crisis?"

Perhaps the greatest hardship in his world is forgetting to pay the management fee.

For most Hong Kong people, however, this month's mortgage payment and next month's salary are the real swords hanging over their heads.

The white-collar worker put down the newspaper and picked up another copy of the Oriental Daily.

This newspaper is even more amazing.

They found photos of Nicholas Tse attending recent events and going out in public, and hired a fashion editor to analyze the price of each item he wore and accessorized.

"The sunglasses that Nicholas Tse wore when attending a commercial event were from the Italian brand XXX, and cost about HK$8,000."

"The seemingly ordinary leather boots she's wearing are from a French designer brand and are worth 12,000 yuan."

"This distressed T-shirt is not a second-hand item, but a limited edition from the Japanese streetwear brand XXX, with a market price of over five thousand."

Every photo and every item comes with a clear price tag.

The article also included a comment at the end.

"When a young person uses several months' salary from an average person to embellish their rebellion, what's left of that rebellion besides being expensive?"

After reading the two newspapers, the white-collar worker silently took out money from his wallet.

"Boss, one copy of Ming Pao and one copy of Oriental Daily News."

Behind him, the line of people buying newspapers grew longer and longer.

The atmosphere was oppressive in Mani Fok's office at Fitto Records headquarters.

On the table in front of her were all the newspapers available for purchase that day.

"Mani, what do we do now? The PR department's phones are ringing off the hook, everyone's calling to ask for a response."

"A subordinate asked anxiously."

Huo Wenxi didn't say anything; she picked up a weekly magazine.

Yesterday, this weekly magazine was praising Nicholas Tse as a breath of fresh air in the music scene, but today it devoted an entire double-page spread to the headline, "Spoiled Giant Baby? Nicholas Tse's Rebellious Persona Has Completely Collapsed."

"Have you investigated? Who's behind this?"

"I checked, and the dinners with Ming Pao and Hong Kong Economic Journal were all personally arranged by Director Fung of PolyGram. The direction of the articles was also given by them."

PolyGram – Zheng Donghan –

When Mani Fok read the name aloud, she understood.

This isn't just a simple case of media turning against us; it's industry giants getting involved themselves.

Yesterday, she was thinking of using Zheng Hui as a whetstone for Nicholas Tse, but she never expected that he would directly use the whetstone to smash down on their heads.

"What did Mr. Yang say?"

Mr. Yang said, "You are in charge of handling this matter."

Huo Wenxi rubbed her temples.

Apologize?

impossible.

Should we make Nicholas Tse apologize and admit that he is ignorant of human suffering?

Then his public image will be completely ruined, and he can forget about ever playing the rebellious card again.

Refusing to apologize and stubbornly resisting?

At this critical juncture, any attempt to defend oneself will be interpreted as sophistry and will only add fuel to the fire.

"Get the car ready, we're going to the radio station." Mani Fok threw down the newspaper in her hand and stood up.

"Shall we go now?"

Yes, immediately, right away.

Half an hour later, Mani Fok entered the live broadcast studio of RTHK.

During this peak listening time in Hong Kong, after the host asked her about the news in today's newspaper, she responded into the microphone: "Nicholas Tse has never hidden his family background. He shows what kind of person he is."

He wears whatever clothes he feels comfortable in, and he speaks his mind freely.

We believe that honesty is not evidence of a crime, and the media should not use a young person's honesty as a weapon to attack him.

As she walked out of the radio station building, facing the reporters who swarmed in upon hearing the news, Mani Fok kept her lips tightly shut.

Despite the flashing lights and frantic questions from reporters, she did not respond to a single word. She simply got into her car and left under the escort of security guards.

Back at the company, she immediately gave orders to the public relations department.

"From now on, the company will no longer comment on this matter. All media interview requests have been cancelled. As for Nicholas Tse, he has been told to stay home and not go out."

"Mani, is this the way to handle this?"

"Yes, let's give it the cold shoulder. We've already said what we needed to say on the radio, and our attitude is clear. Saying anything more now would be a mistake."

Once the storm has passed, I'll find an opportunity to release a new song and let my work speak for itself.

This is the only and safest option at the moment.

As long as they don't take the hits, PolyGram's punches will eventually tire.