Chapter 16: Public Opinion

Sun Li slammed a stack of newspapers heavily onto the conference table, the sheets scattering with a rustle, the headline boldly reading "Zhou Huimin Climbed to Fame by Having Her Scandal Boyfriend Write Songs for Her."

"Whose idea was this?" Her voice turned cold as her gaze swept over the executives present.

Public Relations Manager Li Zhiming adjusted his glasses and said calmly, "Director Sun, this is the company's promotional strategy. The bigger the controversy, the higher the attention, and naturally the ratings will rise."

"Ridiculous!" Sun Li slammed the table violently. "Do you have any idea these false reports will ruin these young people?"

Li Zhiming remained unmoved. "That's how the entertainment circle works—being infamous is still being famous. Once they're famous, who will remember these little storms?"

The next morning, the entertainment pages of all major newspapers competed to report:

Ming Pao—"Exclusive Scoop: Zhou Huimin's Original Songs in the Competition Were Entirely Ghostwritten by Her Scandal Boyfriend!"

Sing Tao Daily—"Insider Reveals: Wu Xiang Qian Has No New Works, May Flop in the Finals!"

Oriental Daily—"Wang Jie Is Arrogant, Refuses to Take Photos with Fans!"

What was even more outrageous, a certain tabloid even published a blurry photo titled "Priscilla Chan Secret Late-Night Meeting with Producer," with a caption implying she had advanced through improper means.

In the makeup room, Zhou Huimin stared at the newspaper in her hands, her fingertips trembling slightly.

"This... this is too absurd!" Her voice choked. "'A Lifetime of Love' was clearly something I practiced for three months myself. How can you say that about me?"

Xiang Qian snatched the newspaper and tore it to shreds in a few quick motions. "Ignore this garbage."

Wang Jie pushed the door open with a dark expression, clutching another newspaper in his hand. "You got hit too? 'Wang Jie Throws His Weight Around, Arrogant and Contemptuous'... When the hell was I ever arrogant and contemptuous?"

He slammed the newspaper hard onto the floor, fury blazing in his eyes.

In the chairman's office, Fong Yip-wah elegantly took a sip of red wine as she listened to Li Zhiming's report.

"Public opinion has already fermented. All major media are reprinting it. We expect the finals' ratings to rise by more than 30%." Li Zhiming's tone was smug.

Fong Yip-wah smiled faintly. "Very good. However, the heat isn't enough yet." She set down her wine glass and said lightly, "Before the finals, add another fire."

Late at night, inside the Shaw Brothers recording studio, Xiang Qian wore headphones and re-recorded "Crossing the Ocean to See You" over and over. His voice was already a bit hoarse, but his gaze remained resolute.

The next evening, Zhou Huimin had just stepped out of her apartment when she was surrounded by reporters lying in wait.

"Miss Zhou, how do you view the claim that 'you climbed to fame by having your scandal boyfriend write songs for you'?"

"There are rumors that you have an ambiguous relationship with the producer. Is this true?"

Camera flashes kept popping, the blinding light making her head spin. Zhou Huimin's face went deathly pale, and she suddenly crouched on the ground, covering her face and sobbing uncontrollably.

"Get out of the way!"

An angry shout rang out. Xiang Qian rushed out from somewhere, shoving the reporters aside and shielding Zhou Huimin tightly in his arms. He swept a cold gaze over the crowd. "If you dare harass her again, don't blame me for being rude."

Upon learning the news, Anita Mui drove straight to the Shaw Brothers building.

She unusually addressed her by name. "Miss Fong, aren't these despicable tactics going too far?"

Fong Yip-wah's expression didn't change. "Anita, you've been through this before. You should understand the necessity of publicity."

"Necessity?" Anita Mui sneered. "Back in my day, I was never the target of smutty rumors!"

Before turning to leave, she threw down a line: "If these kids have their futures ruined because of your operations, I won't sit idly by."

The night before the competition, all six finalists suffered from insomnia.

In the hallway, Li Keqin ran into Xiang Qian and asked in a low voice, "Hey, you don't really have nothing left in the tank, do you?"

Xiang Qian smiled mysteriously. "We'll see tomorrow."

Elsewhere, Wang Jie stood alone on the balcony, took a hard drag on his cigarette, a cold glint flashing in his eyes. "Damn it, I'm gonna sing till they shut their mouths!"

On the day of the finals, the host solemnly announced:

"This year's finals will be held over two days! The top three will be decided on the first day, and the final rankings on the second day!"

The audience below whispered among themselves:

"I heard Zhou Huimin is going to withdraw from the competition?"

"Wu Xiang Qian seems to have prepared a new song..."

Backstage, Kelly Chen grabbed Zhou Huimin's hand and comforted her softly. "Those reports... don't take them to heart."

Zhou Huimin forced a smile. "Thank you, I'm fine."

As she turned away, a flash of resolve crossed her eyes.