Chapter 112: The Ideal Husband

After Chen Lin cheerfully announced the "selling barbecue" plan, everyone else nodded in agreement, but the netizens were unconvinced.

[The video is in high definition now, yet this world has gone mad.]

[March Sky seems to have no reputation abroad; at least, they're not as famous as Pink Girl.]

[No reputation? How is that possible? They held an overseas concert last year that sold out in less than a second after going online!]

The netizens in the live stream room debated fiercely.

The combat power of the netizens outside the venue was by no means weak.

Ten minutes later, the hashtag #ChenLinAnnouncesSellingBarbecueAtMusicFestival# parachuted onto the trending search list, breaking into the top twenty!

This sparked another wave of discussion among netizens.

Yet amidst this discussion, while fans cried out that they couldn't accept it, the gossip-loving netizens found it quite interesting.

[Relax, if they're selling barbecue at a music festival, how could they not sing a single song? Don't worry, don't worry~ (sips tea)]

[Perhaps they weren't invited as performing guests, but they can perform from the audience!]

[What's wrong with selling barbecue? I think it's quite fun!]

Here with March Sky.

After deciding to sell barbecue, they planned out the next day's arrangements.

What time to wake up to purchase supplies, what time to enter the venue to set up, how many tables and benches to prepare...

Originally, the fans thought they were joking.

But seeing them actually discussing it seriously, they finally began to panic.

What can be done to save you, my artists~

Eight o'clock in the evening.

The production team cut the live stream, declaring today's broadcast over.

But March Sky and the others did not disperse.

Everyone sat in place, watching Chen Lin run to adjust the television, testing whether it could enter screen-casting mode.

The reason for this stemmed from Qi Guan Mingzhu suddenly remembering that afternoon that Jin Li's starring drama, "The Ideal Husband," had gone online, and asking if she wanted to watch it.

If she wanted to watch, they could use her account; she had specifically activated a Super VIP membership.

Jin Li had originally planned to wait until after the program recording ended before returning to her home country to watch.

Hearing Qi Guan Mingzhu say this, she hesitated slightly and asked, "Can we watch it during the program filming?"

Before Qi Guan Mingzhu could answer, Chen Lin, who was standing nearby, spoke up: "Of course we can; we aren't filming twenty-four hours a day."

Gu Cheng also said, "After the live stream shuts down at night, it's our free time, just like during the lunch break."

Jin Li thought about it and agreed it made sense.

Moreover, the tone of "Leisurely Slow Life" was very relaxed, with not so many rules.

So she smiled and said, "Then let's watch; I don't want to miss the premiere of my first-ever television drama."

The release day of one's first television drama.

For any celebrity, it is a moment worth commemorating.

Whether an actor, a singer, or an artist specializing in variety shows, starring in one's first drama marks the beginning of a career path.

If an actor performs well in their first role, their subsequent career path will be smooth.

If artists of other types perform well, it means they can cross over and expand their own paths.

Whether delving deeper or transforming, it represents infinite possibilities.

With everyone watching her drama, Jin Li did not feel shy.

Once a work is performed, it is meant to be seen by people.

Rather than waiting to read comments after returning home, it was better to check other people's evaluations right now.

Jin Li's calm attitude was observed by March Sky, who all felt she possessed strong psychological resilience.

Yan Xingdong couldn't help but ask, "Sister Jin Li, aren't you nervous at all?"

Jin Li laughed: "What do I have to be nervous about? If I were nervous, why would I have agreed to film it in the first place?"

Qi Guan Mingzhu also said, "A television drama is made to be watched; if it's good, we continue to improve, and if it's bad, we accept the consequences."

"After accepting this drama, one must be mentally prepared to face negative reviews."

Luo Yi admired them and gave them two thumbs up.

He realized that in terms of mental fortitude, they fell far short of the steadiness of the older sisters.

Gu Cheng glanced at Jin Li and felt her sitting posture seemed a bit stiff.

Although nothing could be discerned from her expression.

Gu Cheng suddenly said, "Xiao Lin is still adjusting; who knows how long it will take. Sister Liz, would you like to solve a few problems first?"

Jin Li paused slightly and said hesitantly, "Should I go get the 'Five Years of College Entrance Exams, Three Years of Simulation'?"

Gu Cheng chuckled lightly, casually pulling out several sheets of blank paper from the table. "No need; I'll create problems for you to solve right here."

He twirled his pen slightly, pondering for a few seconds.

The pen scratched across the paper, and a series of smooth, flowing numbers poured forth.

Luo Yi and Yan Xingdong glanced over and silently shifted their bodies sideways, moving farther away from the two.

After they had moved, they looked up and discovered that Sister Zhenzhu had already moved, sitting far away from those two.

After about ten-plus minutes, just as Jin Li began solving the third major problem, Chen Lin suddenly called out, "It's ready, it's ready!"

Just as she was about to lift her head, Gu Cheng raised his hand and gently pressed her head back down.

"Focus; finish solving this problem before you look."

Jin Li's expression froze.

She simply stopped thinking about anything else and continued to immerse herself in that state of deep focus.

The theme song of "The Ideal Husband" seemed to transform into a battle anthem for solving problems.

With no other voices interrupting, Jin Li's train of thought for solving the problems flowed exceptionally smoothly, and she swiftly wrote down a long string of numbers.

Seeing this, Yan Xingdong and the others couldn't help but feel a surge of deep respect.

Is this the legendary realm of the Study God?

After adjusting himself, Chen Lin also dared not speak loudly; instead, he whispered to Qiguan Mingzhu, "Should we turn the volume down a bit?"

The TV screen casting was using her mobile phone, so the volume could be adjusted directly through the phone.

Qiguan Mingzhu pondered for a few seconds, then slowly shook her head.

"Carp has already entered the 'selfless state' of studying, maintaining a marvelous balance with the outside world."

"I worry that changing even the slightest detail will disrupt her state. So, let's just leave it as is."

Meanwhile, in Huaguo.

Before the TV series even went online, a flood of comments attacking Jin Li's acting suddenly appeared on the internet.

This was detected by the Public Relations Department of Chenxi Entertainment.

While notifying Sui Lingfang, they simultaneously mobilized paid trolls to launch a counterattack.

[Just asking, can't girl group members just stick to being in a girl group? Is the threshold for becoming an actor so low now that anyone can come along and leech off it?]

[If she wants to act, she'll act. Is she eating your rice? You're just talking too much ^_^]

[Blind guess: This drama starring a certain fish is bound to flop!]

[What, have you watched it ahead of time? Starting with one picture and making up the rest of the content?]

Sui Lingfang looked at the negative reviews; they were basically uniform, dumping all the filth onto Jin Li.

Her expression turned somewhat serious as she asked the PR staff, "Are you certain this attack is specifically targeted at Jin Li?"

A colleague replied, "Certain. Moreover, they came with great momentum; not a single other person from the production team was mentioned. It's all a concentrated siege against Jin Li."

Just then, another person spoke up: "The ratings on the TV drama website are out. 'The Ideal Husband' still has ten minutes before its official launch, yet 500 people have already rated it, dragging the score down to 3 points."

Sui Lingfang checked the content of the ratings again, and her eyelid twitched.

Good heavens, every single comment from these users giving low scores was about Jin Li, criticizing her poor acting skills.

She frowned. "The resources for 'The Ideal Husband' haven't been leaked, have they?"

The PR staff said, "It hasn't even gone online yet; where would a leak come from? Jin Li has been deliberately suppressed by a premeditated plot."

"Think about it, who has Jin Li offended recently?"

"Being able to gather so many paid trolls and cultivate so many users on the drama website is something no ordinary celebrity team could achieve."

Sui Lingfang shook her head. "I'm not entirely sure. Jin Li has a good temper, doesn't attend many events, and rarely offends anyone."

"The only conflict was with Lian Baozhi during 'PICK~Next Stop Diva,' but later Lian Baozhi also—"

Suddenly, she paused mid-sentence as a figure flashed through her mind.

Li Xunfang!

Sui Lingfang immediately said, "Perhaps it is Li Xunfang. Investigate in that direction; she and Jin Li are currently competing for the spokesperson role of a luxury brand."

While the Public Relations Department of Chenxi Entertainment was still investigating and counterattacking, the full episodes of "The Ideal Husband" finally went online!

Upon launch, three consecutive episodes were released immediately, showing full sincerity!

This series did not choose exclusive broadcasting but launched simultaneously on multiple platforms, resulting in it missing out on featured recommendation spots from video platforms.

However, the series featured two high-popularity female stars, Qiu Qiwen and Jin Li, both making their acting debuts, so the hype was substantial.

Fans would definitely come to support them, while netizens also wanted to see what kind of results these two would deliver in their first television performance.

Therefore, despite lacking strong promotion from video websites, the premiere of "The Ideal Husband" still garnered significant traffic support.

As soon as the drama began, the scene showed Qiu Qiwen dressed as a man, secretly sneaking out of her home to take the academy's entrance examination.

[Check-in, first place!]

[Looking forward to Pear Baby's performance~]

[My Wen is the best!]

[Oh ho, the opening is already a beauty critical hit from my Wen!]

As soon as "The Ideal Husband" started airing, it sparked heated discussions among netizens, instantly overshadowing the earlier surge of malicious comments and the counterattack by Chenxi Entertainment's PR department.

Moving forward, Chenxi Entertainment would closely monitor public opinion to prevent the hidden manipulators from succeeding.

Heeding Sui Lingfang's reminder, they continued their investigation along the trail of Li Xunfang.

Soon, the PR department discovered that Li Xunfang had fifty holding companies behind her, one of which was an entertainment company.

Li Xunfang was originally an artist under a company; before the artist herself had even terminated her contract, she had already opened an entertainment company?

This wasn't right.

The PR department keenly sensed there was something wrong with this company, so they investigated it further.

They discovered that although it was an entertainment company, its business was actually stage outsourcing.

Normally, available information would end abruptly at this point.

But who were the people in Chenxi Entertainment's PR department?

Some of their employees had been temporarily transferred from Chenxi Investment to work part-time.

Every investment involved tens of millions or even hundreds of millions in capital, requiring the Analysis Department to dig up every detail of a company during background checks.

Company data that ordinary PR departments couldn't access was, for an investment bank, very simple to obtain.

Through special channels, they traced the cash flow of the entertainment company under Li Xunfang's name and pinpointed an agency that frequently received transfers.

They dug deeper into that agency.

Soon, the Public Relations Department discovered that the agency specialized in managing official accounts.

It owned thirty gossip accounts with over 50,000 followers each, plus another fifty accounts with over 10,000 followers.

These accounts covered many fields: some sold clothing, others taught yoga, and still others provided industry analysis...

Following this trail, they found that since last week, these accounts had been intermittently pushing articles related to Jin Li.

Some articles used fierce language, tearing Jin Li's comeback apart as worthless.

Others employed subtle wording, ostensibly praising her while actually disparaging her choice to act, claiming she had picked the wrong track.

The Public Relations Department recorded the usernames and IP addresses of accounts that frequently left comments under these articles, then cross-referenced them with the usernames and IPs posting malicious reviews on blogs and drama streaming sites.

Through big data analysis, artificial intelligence indicated an 80% probability that they were the same group of people.

Case closed!

These paid trolls were hired by Li Xunfang!

Upon hearing this news, Sui Lingfang felt her temples throbbing.

She said, "Jin Li mentioned earlier that Li Xunfang might resort to other tactics to compete with her, so I had my assistant monitor the official accounts."

"We did find some articles later, but their view counts were very low; they looked like casual gossip posts, so I didn't pay much attention."

Sui Lingfang paused, narrowing her eyes slightly: "I didn't expect it. Li Xunfang wasn't holding back; she was just waiting to strike exactly when 'The Ideal Husband' went live!"

The colleagues in the Public Relations Department cared little for the grudges and emotional entanglements between stars; they calmly presented two proposals.

"The first proposal is to handle it with a cold approach."

"Simultaneously warn Li Xunfang's team not to play petty tricks again, stating that we will be monitoring public opinion."

"However, there is a drawback here: if Li Xunfang's team ignores the warning and insists on continuing to manipulate public opinion, although we can fight back, we don't have enough paid trolls ourselves and would need to bring in a third-party PR firm for cooperation."

Sui Lingfang said decisively, "Bottling things up and staying silent isn't my style, nor is it Jin Li's. What about the second proposal?"

The PR colleague smiled: "Then we clash head-on."

"She has her sunny path, and we have our single-log bridge. Although our resources for paid trolls fall far short, there is one thing she cannot match us in."

"She dares not stand out in the open to tear into others, but we do."

Sui Lingfang listened curiously as the PR colleague spoke calmly:

"Before 'The Ideal Husband' even aired, we screenshot and saved every negative review from the paid trolls; the 500 one-star reviews that suddenly appeared on the drama streaming site have also been screenshot and saved."

"We can use our official account to expose these malicious negative reviews, appealing to certain industry insiders not to engage in underhanded tactics behind the scenes."

"Taking down Jin Li won't improve her own resources; it will only worsen the environment of the entertainment circle, making it hard to survive, driving out the good with the bad..."

The colleague paused, then suddenly said, "I feel my language is quite lacking; I can't stir up the netizens' emotions. How about finding an online novelist to polish this for you?"

Sui Lingfang perked up: "That's a great idea. I like the second proposal. Do you have anyone to recommend?"

The colleague replied, "I do have someone. A friend of mine writes online novels. She's rather unsuccessful, but that shouldn't matter. Her pen name is Rong Yan."

Sui Lingfang said, "Good, contact her immediately!"

Half an hour later.

The first episode of 'The Ideal Husband' hadn't even finished airing, and Jin Li's scenes hadn't appeared yet.

Chenxi Entertainment used its official account to publish a letter of admonition.

Chenxi Entertainment: ["Founded five years ago, Chenxi Entertainment has stumbled along the way, working diligently and treading carefully."]

["However, chaos frequently arises in this circle—disputes over status, disputes over billing order... We have seen it all yet dared not raise our voices."]

["When the script for 'The Ideal Husband' was handed to us, we once considered not filming it at all; as a former girl-group idol, her acting skills would be more easily questioned by the public."]

["In the end, Jin Li decided to film it. Firstly, the production team showed great sincerity, and she wanted to collaborate with them."]

["Secondly, Jin Li believes that some things must be attempted; without trying, you will never know if you can do well."]

["Failure is not terrifying; what is terrifying is falling down and never having the courage to get back up."]

["But we did not expect that the 'fall' encountered while filming 'The Ideal Husband' would not come from the public's genuine feedback, but from the ulterior motives of certain industry insiders!"]

["Here, we wish to ask certain people:"]

["Do you think that using paid trolls on blogs to attack Jin Li's acting skills before the film has even aired will yield the results you desire?"]

["Before the film has even aired, posting 500 one-star negative reviews in advance on the drama streaming site to drag the rating down to 3 points—does that allow you to rest easy?"]

["No, you are wrong."]

["Even if the true voice is buried beneath rubble, it cannot be covered up!"]

["This time, Chenxi Entertainment will not compromise!"]

["Hereby, our company issues a letter of admonition to certain people: To do business, first be a person; to be a person, first cultivate virtue!"]

["At the same time, we call upon all peers to say no to unjust phenomena."]

["Malicious negative reviews injure me; sky-high rumors slander me; yet Chenxi Entertainment will not compromise!"]

["Chenxi Entertainment earnestly requests all netizens and industry insiders to listen to that true voice, which is buried beneath a wave of falsehoods—"]

["That true voice!"]

Once this letter of admonition was released, Chenxi Entertainment didn't need to buy trending topics; as soon as it went live, netizens spontaneously reposted it, setting off an explosion!

[666, I was wondering why 'The Ideal Husband' had just gone live and the drama site rating already dropped to 3 points; it turns out someone maliciously posted negative reviews!]

[Ridiculous. Jin Li's performance clips haven't even come out yet. Looking at the screenshots, so many comments about poor acting skills—are they prophetic, or did they watch it in their dreams?]

[The drama has already aired. If Pear Baby's acting is poor, we are willing to accept public criticism and doubt. But to pass final judgment saying she's no good before she has even appeared on screen—isn't that biased?]

[Heh, it's not just biased; this is malicious competition among peers! Ever since Jin Li exploded in popularity, countless stars have been eyeing her, wanting to drag her down!]

[Driving out the good with the bad; the atmosphere in the circle is being ruined step by step like this.]

At the same moment.

The official production team of "The Ideal Husband" also reposted Chenxi Entertainment's blog post, stating:

[We hope our peers will compete fairly, rather than using such petty tactics to suppress us!]

Qiu Qiwen, Jin Li, and the rest of the main cast all reposted it one after another.

Jin Li was abroad and did not receive the news in time.

Therefore, Sui Lingfang first controlled her account to repost it, then called Jin Li to explain the situation.

On Jin Li's end.

She had finally finished the ten major problems Gu Cheng had set for her.

As Jin Li worked through them, Gu Cheng observed her progress and assigned new problems accordingly.

Toward the end, the questions grew increasingly difficult, and the time Jin Li needed to think grew longer and longer.

Coincidentally, just as she solved all the problems and looked up, "The Ideal Husband" had nearly reached the scene of her appearance.

Jin Li still remembered this scene.

It was the final scene shot before she wrapped filming.

But at the same time, it was the first appearance of Princess Liu Ci in the television series.

Liu Ci stood beneath a pear tree, watching the snow-white pear blossoms dancing through the sky, and offered an innocent smile.

Chen Lin immediately said, "That smile is beautiful!"

Gu Cheng: "Very sweet!"

Yan Xingdong: "Absolutely stunning!"

Luo Yi: "Adorable!"

Qiguan Mingzhu opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but her mind went blank, leaving her speechless and choked up.

She turned to look at Jin Li, somewhat resentful: "The words I wanted to say have all been stolen by them."

Jin Li laughed heartily and patted her shoulder: "It's fine; anyway, I know this scene is beautiful, and that's what matters."

After the opening scene under the pear tree, her subsequent roles began to increase.

But those plotlines were actually quite ordinary.

Overall, they could be summarized in one sentence:

A female obsessive princess pursues a Commandery Prince, failing repeatedly yet persisting despite every defeat.

Just then, her phone suddenly rang.

Jin Li paused, stepped out to answer the call.

A few minutes later, she returned.

Qiguan Mingzhu asked curiously, "Your agent?"

Jin Li nodded: "Yes. 'The Ideal Husband' hasn't even aired yet, but it's already being flooded with malicious reviews. My company has taken action; my agent first used my blog account to repost on my behalf."

Hearing this, everyone fell silent, their expressions growing somewhat grave.

Qiguan Mingzhu suddenly let out a cold laugh, breaking the silence in the room.

"Some people are getting anxious. Good; the more anxious they are, the more it proves you pose a significant threat to them."

Chen Lin asked, "Do you know who did it?"

Jin Li shook her head: "I don't know."

She paused, then added, "And I don't need to know."

She spoke with earnest gravity: "Xiao Lin, no matter which industry you're in, there will be many competitors."

"If you try to pay attention to every single one of them, will you still have any life of your own?"

"Your days belong to you; you are not living for the sake of others."

Yan Xingdong couldn't help but say, "On this point, Sister Jin Li is absolutely right."

However, after such an incident, everyone spoke more cautiously, afraid of affecting Jin Li's mood.

After watching only two episodes, Jin Li asked everyone to rest; it was already late.

Sanyuetian considered it for a moment and decided not to stay either.

In the suite, only Jin Li and Qiguan Mingzhu remained.

After Chen Lin left, he still felt unsatisfied, muttering softly, "Why didn't you all stay to watch? I thought it was quite good and wanted to keep following it!"

Luo Yi couldn't help but remark, "Everyone says you've gotten smarter recently, but sometimes I still think you're as stupid as a pig."

Chen Lin: ...

Gu Cheng said lightly, "Didn't you notice? Sister Jin Li wanted to chat alone with Sister Zhenzhu."

Chen Lin: "Alright."

He wasn't the type to be a close confidante; how could he possibly notice?

On the other side, with Jin Li.

With only Zhenzhu present, she obviously relaxed considerably.

Qiguan Mingzhu brought up the earlier incident: "Did your agent mention anything else afterward?"

Jin Li nodded: "When she called me, she asked about Li Xunfang, saying these malicious comments were very likely her doing."

"Previously, Sister Fang only focused on official accounts; it turns out her true intention lay elsewhere. Her real trump card was reserved for this film, 'The Ideal Husband'."

"Rather than attacking my style and fashion choices, it's more effective to attack my professional competence and claim my acting skills are poor."

At the time, even Baozhi had warned Jin Li to beware of Li Xunfang, and Qiguan Mingzhu had been present.

Upon hearing Jin Li mention Li Xunfang, she immediately understood and mused, "Competition for brand endorsements is a battle of comprehensive strength."

"Li Xunfang's move is ruthless, fierce, and extremely precise."

Speaking thus, Qiguan Mingzhu smiled: "It's just that even Li Xunfang probably didn't anticipate that Chenxi Entertainment is no pushover."

She clicked her tongue lightly. "Although the company is a mess, short-staffed, and basically a small workshop, nothing can stop Chenxi Entertainment from having money!"

Having money alone was enough to crush many entertainment companies.

As "The Ideal Husband" reached its third episode, advertisements were inserted in the middle.

Jin Li, feeling bored, scrolled through her phone messages and stumbled upon a note from Qiu Qiwen.

Ever since Chenxi Entertainment released its warning statement, she had received so many messages that she hadn't noticed Qiu Qiwen's at first.

Qiu Qiwen: [Your agent contacted my agent, asking about a supporting female lead role in a drama, saying it's for one of their artists. Do you know who it is?]

Jin Li thought for a moment and replied: [I know. It's probably for He Yixuan.]

Not long after, Qiu Qiwen called.

The moment Jin Li picked up, she heard exaggerated praise.

"Wow, your company is awesome! Such a domineering comeback—it's fantastic! It makes me want to jump ship over there!"

Jin Li felt embarrassed and spoke fairly: "That's only because I have high popularity and am a star the company is heavily promoting. Think about it—if it were any other artist, would Chenxi Entertainment go to such lengths? Don't be impulsive, darling!"

Qiu Qiwen snorted. "If I jumped ship, bringing my own resources, let's see if Chenxi Entertainment wouldn't treat me like their precious treasure~"

Jin Li said, "They would absolutely give you VIP-level treatment."

As they chatted, both of them burst into laughter.

Qiu Qiwen then brought up the main matter.

She mainly wanted to know how Jin Li's relationship was with He Yixuan and what kind of artist He Yixuan was.

Jin Li shared her thoughts: "As for this young girl, He Yixuan, her acting skills are decent, and she has a heart determined to hone her craft."

"As long as she can persist, I think she'll be able to make it in the entertainment industry."

Her tone shifted. "But this girl is a bit stubborn; she doesn't like communicating her thoughts with others, especially with her agent. She seems rather resistant to that."

"However, she gets along well with me. Once, when people were spreading rumors about me, she stood up to defend me. Her character is quite good."

Qiu Qiwen said, "Since she's good, that's fine then."

"Xinrui Entertainment doesn't lack resources for supporting female leads; the company has plenty and can easily provide one."

"But I don't want to give a role to an artist without a fighting spirit. Since you think highly of her, she must have unique qualities."

Qiu Qiwen smiled, perhaps thinking of something. "Well, it's normal for a young girl not to communicate much with her agent."

"Your agent is very dominant, you know?"

"It's only because you have a soft personality that she's soft with you too and doesn't dare force you to run errands for publicity events."

"If it were any other agent, Sui Lingfang probably wouldn't be so easy to talk to."

Jin Li paused, not discussing Sister Fang with Qiu Qiwen.

After all, she was her own agent, and in Jin Li's eyes, Sister Fang treated her very well.

After hanging up, Jin Li curiously asked Qiguan Mingzhu a question.

"What do you think of my agent?"

Qiguan Mingzhu said without hesitation: "Very dominant, decisive and swift."

"She gets along very well with partners who match her, but with those whose personalities don't fit, there will likely be many conflicts, and others will have to give way to her."

Jin Li said thoughtfully, "Is that so? But I feel my agent treats me quite well."

Qiguan Mingzhu scoffed. "Just think about what status you hold in the company; would she dare lose her temper with you?"

She paused, then said with some pity, "Besides, your health is too weak; who would want to argue with a frail patient?"

Nevertheless, she would rather Jin Li were healthy and full of vigor.

She would be willing to argue with her every single day.

The next day, early in the morning.

Everyone got up early and set off for the local market to buy supplies.

Due to the time difference, it was 7 a.m. back home, and the livestream room was opened immediately.

[First! Who can be earlier than me!]

[I was half-asleep when I heard my phone ding. I instinctively opened it and instantly woke up—they're streaming this early!]

[Buying groceries, haggling prices, haha!]

In the livestream, Chen Lin was seen seriously gesturing with his fingers to a vegetable farmer, negotiating whether the price could be so much per jin.

A translator followed behind, translating his words.

"We want to buy many, many jin!"

The vegetable farmer asked, "First, tell me how many jin you need?"

"At least ten jin, but we can only buy one jin first to check the quality!"

The vegetable farmer said, "Alright, deal!"

Besides Chen Lin's side, the others also contributed legendary haggling scenes, leading netizens to joke: "Stars descending to earth, finally getting down to earth."

After buying the vegetables, the group set off for the music festival, and the livestream went black again.

However, the netizens were quite satisfied with this.

After all, perhaps because the stream started so early, not only were there no advertisements inserted in the middle, but not even a brand logo appeared.

The video feed was completely clean and refreshing.

It was so satisfying to watch!

While Jin Li and her group were rushing to the music festival, workers in Huaguo were finally starting their day.

After a night of public opinion fermenting, plus three consecutive episodes of "The Ideal Husband," everyone had seen the quality of the drama.

Furthermore, unwilling to be manipulated by paid trolls, netizens finally moved their precious fingers to voice their opinions online.

Therefore, the reaction on the second day was even more enthusiastic than the night before.

Let's first talk about the drama "The Ideal Husband."

Judging by the quality of the first three episodes, the plot is somewhat clichéd but not bad, and the costumes, props, and makeup are well done.

When people focused on the actors' performances, they were surprised to discover that the acting of the three newcomers was quite good.

[The male and female leads, including the second female lead, are all newcomers.

I thought it would be green-screen acting, but surprisingly, it's decent; the transitions are natural, not awkward, and their expressions didn't collapse.]

[Not rolling their eyes was the biggest surprise.]

[Jin Li's acting is quite good; playing Princess Liu Ci is just her being herself; sweetness and innocence are her comfort zone.]

[Qiu Qiwen's acting is still a bit stiff, but the male lead isn't much better either; they are evenly matched.

Only Jin Li's acting pleasantly surprised me; don't you think her performance is very natural?]

[I suddenly get why the director said Jin Li coming to save the show was a surprise; indeed, it is very surprising!]

Then there was the warning statement released by Chenxi Entertainment.

Not only did it receive over ten thousand comments from netizens expressing support,

but today, it also gained reposts and support from many industry insiders.

Few entertainment companies reposted it.

However, many artists did.

First, all former members of Pink Girls reposted it, followed by the entire group March Sky, and then the entire cast and crew of "The Ideal Husband"...

After that, like radiation, more and more artists reposted it.

These artists only posted an emoji or simply typed the word "Repost," without saying anything extra.

But netizens would make guesses.

Had these artists who reposted encountered similar situations in the industry, or seen others experience them, which is why they wanted to speak out?

Even Lian Baozhi, a trending figure recently, reposted it, causing a moderate explosion on the hot search list.

Some netizens attacked her in the comments section, saying she wasn't qualified to repost.

But other netizens supported her, telling her to turn over a new leaf and so on.

Pushed by Lian Baozhi, #ChenxiEntertainmentWarningStatement# hit the trending list again.

Because of this hot search, Sui Lingfang was specifically questioned by the CEO.

President Xiao asked, "I see many artists have reposted the company's blog; you didn't instruct them to do so, did you?"

Sui Lingfang shook her head, "No, how could I have that much influence!"

She paused, "Those artists probably also want to say something but can't, so they silently reposted to support us."

President Xiao thought for a moment and reminded her, "Doing something like burning your own bridges is enough once; it can't be done often. Next time if you want to expose something, remember to report it to me first."

To think he was a CEO who didn't mix in the entertainment circle, only having an entertainment company name attached to him.

As soon as he opened WeChat today, he found many old friends messaging him, saying he was courageous and resourceful, with great tactics.

He was left completely bewildered.

Later, after asking his assistant, he finally learned what had happened.

President Xiao supported what Sui Lingfang did; the other party had bullied them too much.

But these things cannot be done frequently.

Every industry has its own unspoken rules, like hidden undercurrents.

Improving the environment is not a one-day task; it must be done gradually.

Sui Lingfang responded cautiously in agreement.

After returning to her office, she immediately asked a colleague from the Public Relations Department.

"Has Li Xunfang shown any reaction?"

The colleague shook her head, "No, they have been lying low in the shadows; even if they wanted to react, it wouldn't be this fast."

Sui Lingfang raised an eyebrow, "That won't do; we must let our peers know who framed Chenxi Entertainment; I won't play the victim."

She thought for a moment, "Here's what you do: ask your friend who writes web novels, that Rong Yan, if she wants to join Chenxi.

I think her little essays are written quite well; have her come as our company's exclusive copywriter, with benefits and base salary following the promotion department, reporting solely to me."

The PR colleague nodded, "Okay, I'll communicate with her."

Sui Lingfang paused, "If she has intentions to cooperate, ask her to try writing an article that subtly points out Li Xunfang as the mastermind behind framing Jin Li."

She emphasized specifically, "It must be tactful and implicit, yet not lose focus.

It should make people feel that although Chenxi Entertainment is aggrieved, it wipes away its tears and continues moving forward with a fighting spirit."

The PR colleague smiled, "So it needs to be written both fresh and green-tea style; I understand."

"Knock, knock!"

The door was knocked and then opened; He Yixuan walked in.

Seeing someone else in Sister Fang's office, she was slightly stunned and instinctively turned to leave.

Sui Lingfang called out, "No need to leave, come back!"

He Yixuan then turned around and approached Sister Fang.

It just so happened that Sister Fang had nearly finished her discussion with the PR colleague.

Sui Lingfang told He Yixuan, "Your role as the third female lead has been settled."

He Yixuan was stunned, unable to believe it.

"Sister Fang, so fast?"

Sui Lingfang smiled, "It's also your good luck; New Wave Entertainment invests in quite a few dramas.

"The lead female role and the second female role—they certainly won't give those to outsiders. But for the third female role, they have the right to make recommendations, and they told me they could recommend you for an audition."

Her tone shifted. "So, you still have to go through competition; this isn't a predetermined arrangement. You need to demonstrate your abilities."

He Yixuan nodded with renewed vigor. "I will, Sister Fang!"

The conversation naturally came to an end there.

Just as He Yixuan was about to leave, she suddenly asked, almost as if possessed by a whim: "Sister Fang, did Sister Jin Li help me secure this engagement?"

Sui Lingfang pondered for a moment, then nodded. "You could say that. It's just as well you know; I intended to tell you myself when the opportunity arose."

"Qiu Qiwen called Jin Li to ask about you. Jin Li said you were quite good, so Qiu Qiwen was willing to give you a chance. That's how it happened, Yixuan."

She spoke with earnest gravity: "You must work even harder!"

He Yixuan took a deep breath. "Yes, Sister Fang!"

She walked out of the office, yet somehow felt a pang of dejection.

Ever since finishing watching *The Ideal Husband* last night, her state of mind had been unsettled.

Indeed, one should never make comparisons.

Once you compare, you discover the gap between yourself and others is as vast as heaven and earth.

She had always thought Sister Jin Li was a kind person, yet deep down, she also believed Jin Li's resurgence to fame was purely due to luck.

But after seeing her performance clips yesterday, He Yixuan realized her assumptions were utterly wrong.

Sister Jin Li's performance was excellent.

If she were to perform instead, she doubted she could handle it as naturally as Sister Jin Li did.

In terms of variety show appeal, she couldn't compete.

In terms of acting skill, she couldn't compete either.

Ever since Jin Li's comeback, she had become like a towering mountain pressing down upon He Yixuan's head.

Although the volume of her own engagements had skyrocketed alongside Sister Jin Li's explosive popularity,

if things continued this way, when would she ever regain her former status of being cherished and held in the palm of everyone's hand?

Deep in her heart, He Yixuan let out a heavy sigh.

The scene shifts to Jin Li's side.

They had already arrived at the music festival venue!

Today, the heavens cooperated; there was no rain, and the weather was pleasant enough to swap hoodies for long-sleeved shirts.

Jin Li and the others anticipated a busy day with much sweating, so they had specifically worn short sleeves, planning to layer a thin shirt if cold and remove it if hot, avoiding the need to return later for a change of clothes.

Upon arriving at the venue, they quickly located their stall.

The boy band March Sky began setting up the barbecue stall, while Jin Li and Qiguan Mingzhu started writing and drawing on a large advertisement board.

As they wrote, they communicated with a translator regarding the foreign-language versions of the text.

The two of them planned to create a bilingual version.

As for the advertising concept, it was provided by Qiguan Mingzhu.

She mentioned that while ordering food delivery previously, she had noticed some shop notices that she found quite interesting.

Once she shared the idea, Jin Li also found it intriguing.

Before long, a fresh and spicy advertising slogan was born—

[I was originally the CEO of a listed catering company. Betrayed by a friend, my partner absconded with my assets worth over a hundred million.

The company was forced into debt, and I was left with a ruined reputation.

Gritting my teeth through tears, I resolved to strive hard and start anew from scratch!

I originally built my fortune on barbecue, so this time I have decided to return to my old trade.

This time, I will elevate barbecue to its utmost perfection, build it into a brand, expand and strengthen it, and win the hearts of the people.

Please come to my barbecue shop and order barbecue, help me return to my peak, and reclaim my assets worth over a hundred million!]