Chapter 245

Because Sohu held the exclusive online reporting rights, the moment Sohu News reporters on-site sent the photos back and launched a live text-and-image broadcast on the relevant section, the Zhou Jielun who let out that roar instantly became the target of public criticism online.

Or rather, apart from the fans of Sun Yanzi and Zhou Yi, the fans of all other female stars who had ever been rumored with Zhou Yi rushed over upon hearing the news—

The instantaneous traffic was so huge it almost crashed the audio-visual entertainment section.

Even the Zhou Jielun fans who had been squatting on Sohu, happily eating melon alongside their idol, were stunned—

"Wait, isn't this just banter? Does it really need to be taken so seriously?"

"Exactly. Besides, Elva Sun went on stage to play and sing solo; what are you all getting so excited about? Your idols are still sitting in the audience watching. The Emperor isn't anxious, but the eunuch is?"

When the Sohu text-and-image broadcast began, it was already near evening; because it was Friday, a large number of students and young office workers just starting their careers, who were preparing to start their weekends, were very free when the celebration began.

And Zhou Jielun's die-hard fans happened to be concentrated exactly within this group.

Originally, when Sohu announced a full text-and-image live broadcast, they only wanted to see if their idol, who was deeply embroiled in the scandal of being sold, had recovered his mental state.

But now, the idol's mental state is very impressive, while the fans' mental state is very unimpressive.

"Don't you know that randomly playing matchmaker is a very tasteless thing to do!"

"Elva was with Zhou Yi before he even debuted; back then, that 'Lingbo Rib Girl' didn't even count as one of the Twin Stars, okay?"

"Chen Zeshan markets the 'Twin Stars' to bump into Zhou Yi every day; he should take a look and see that Sun Yanzi hasn't even filmed a music video kissing Zhou Yi.

"Our Bingbing kissed Zhou Yi to the end of time and the end of the world in the song 'Love Me or Him' long ago, okay? Can you film like that unless the relationship is intimate to a certain degree?"

"Didn't Zhou Yi say his Cantonese was taught to him by Arissa?"

"..."

During the process where Zhou Yi's rumors flew everywhere previously, not a single male star close to Zhou Yi had come out to "take a side"; Zhou Jielun was the first.

The CP fans of some other female stars were truly completely broken down this time.

"Stop, stop, I said stop. What Zhou Jielun said is highly likely just for show; after all, today is Zhou Yi's birthday. As far as I know, artists in Taiwan are very bold when putting on a show; they say all sorts of tiger-and-wolf words."

"Twin Stars fans are ecstatic! Zhou Jielun, you did great! I'm going right now to buy a copy of 'Fantasy' to support you!"

"..."

Even Sohu itself didn't expect that, having just signed Zhou Yi, he would immediately hand them a huge gift of traffic.

The new traffic brought by Zhou Yi made everyone in the Sohu website department so happy they couldn't close their mouths; they all started flattering the boss, Zhang Chaoyang, who was not currently in the company—

It has to be Boss Zhang; his vision is sharp, and his decisions are wise and decisive!

Boss Zhang is awesome!

Ding Lei of NetEase, busy with internal boardroom infighting, paused slightly to look at the champagne-celebration scene on Sohu's side, discovered it was Zhou Yi who had bought company stock, and then turned his head to continue fighting the internal boardroom battles.

As for Sina, which had ended its internal infighting half a year ago and kicked its founder Wang Zhidong out, it had obviously stabilized its internal structure after several months of adjustment.

But precisely because of this, Sina's current board chairman, Jiang Fengnian, and Wu Zheng, this time truly hated Zhang Chaoyang to the point where their teeth itched—

Damn it, the price Zhang Chaoyang offered was hard-capped right at the red line of Sina's newly stabilized fiscal budget. There's a traitor! There must be a traitor from Sohu in the company!

For internet companies like them, which started as portal websites, massive new traffic and buzz are the lifeline within the lifeline.

Sina never expected Sohu's signing to be so immediately effective.

But there was no way; after acquiring a 29% stake in Sunshine Media Group, founded by the famous host Yang Lan and her husband Wu Zheng, in September this year through a combination of 8 million USD and 4.6 million newly issued shares, Sina currently truly had no cash left to match Sohu's bid.

Under the internet winter, the budget red line set by the board must absolutely not be touched.

"Boss Jiang, should we try to dig up Sun Yanzi? It seems Sun Yanzi hasn't signed yet; since she is known by outsiders as one of the Warner Twin Stars, news about her will surely not lack attention, and after we sign Sun Yanzi, we can also ride on Zhou Yi's popularity."

Someone with a flexible mind had already figured out a roundabout plan to save the country—Sohu definitely couldn't spend a large sum to sign Sun Yanzi now; Ding Lei of NetEase was almost walking the old path of Sina founder Wang Zhidong and being kicked out, so he definitely wouldn't have the mind for it.

Sina could obviously pick up a leak.

It's just unknown whether the Sun Yanzi side would agree...

"..."

Jiang Fengnian, feeling his subordinate's suggestion made sense, seemed to think of something, raised his eyes, and looked at Wu Zheng, who was pondering nearby: "Old Wu, should you have your wife step forward to try?"

Yang Lan, the former famous CCTV host and now the founder of the well-known media company Sunshine Culture. Her newly launched high-end interview program 'Yang Lan One on One' interviews world celebrities from all fields and is deeply loved by the vast audience.

In addition, this year she is also one of the image ambassadors for the Olympic bid, and in July she represented the capital in Moscow to make the Olympic bid statement.

Whether it is her fame and status within the mainland entertainment circle, or even her connections with CCTV, all allow Yang Lan to easily walk into the CCTV building and meet Sun Yanzi, who is participating in the Spring Festival Gala this year.

By then, relying on Yang Lan's eloquence, signing Sun Yanzi over should... not be difficult, right?

"Not difficult, of course not difficult."

Inside the hotel.

Facing Zhou Jianhui's inquiry, Jiang Wen, holding a glass of red wine, smiled and said: "Although the four song script outlines written by Zhou Yi are nominally independent stories, when combined with the lyrics' meaning and the music video outlines, these four songs can actually be completely combined into a single complete story.

"Of course, I don't intend to direct; I just thought that since this is my first time making a cameo in a music video, I would try to help him perfect some details. At that time, Boss Zhou, you should still hire a director to direct; I will absolutely not interfere, absolutely not."

"..."

I don't believe a word of you!

Lu Chuan's 'Finding the Gun' has a reputation far and wide; it almost made him cry.

Thinking of the music video directors who have had multiple good cooperations with the company, Zhou Jianhui felt that the four songs involving Jiang Wen in Zhou Yi's new album should have an outside director instead.

Anyway, it's a one-time thing; if this one-time director happens to have a conflict with Jiang Wen later, it won't affect the other music video directors who have cooperated with the company for many years.

Thinking this way, after finishing his communication with Jiang Wen, Zhou Jianhui went straight to Qian Jiang and asked him to find a tool-person director with some directing basics to come over.

Considering that Jiang Wen would most likely take over the nest like a cuckoo, Zhou Jianhui was still very generous in adding a bit more money to the wages, treating it as a mental damage fee paid in advance to this tool-person director.

"Oh, by the way, where is A-Yi?"

After finishing his instructions to Qian Jiang, Zhou Jianhui, not seeing a shadow of Zhou Yi, asked a question.

"He's fighting with those friends of his over cake; I was afraid that if they were outside, they might get photographed and spread, leading to accusations of waste, so I arranged for them separately in the side hall."

Qian Jiang, who has a lot of experience in this regard, pointed to the cake cream on his face that was still not completely wiped clean.

At the same time, in the side hall.

Zhou Yi, whose fists could not match four, five, six, seven, eight, or nine hands, had a face plastered with thick frosting; amidst Sun Yanzi's and others' boisterous laughter, he helplessly slumped into his chair: "I'm done, I'm done, it's no fun, they're all ganging up on me."

"What kind of talk is that? You are the birthday star."

With cream flying everywhere on her face as well, Sun Yanzi said proudly: "Besides, I'm just training your reaction abilities in advance. After your new album is released, what you receive might be paint splashed by fans and rotten eggs thrown back at you."

"Then you can't escape either; I thought of this based on your suggestion." Zhou Yi, wiping cream from his face and pouting, was determined to drag her down with him.

"I never asked you to write it so extremely."

Sun Yanzi, also somewhat tired, sat in the chair wiping her hands and said disdainfully: "The King of Hell's seat still has to be yours to sit in."

She only wanted to make it a bit sweeter before the knife; Zhou Yi, however, went straight to writing about the knife coming right after the engagement.

Following the sweet "Little Dimples," came immediately a wedding MV so sweet it reached the altar, "Today You Marry Me"; two love duets, and even after she saw the lyrics, she couldn't help but imagine the happy scene of stepping into the altar after being in love.

But Zhou Yi, instead, directly followed the soon-to-be-happy "Today You Marry Me" with the knife-wielding "Fairy Tale."

Plus, the heart-wrenching "Mr. Lonely" that followed "Fairy Tale," the four-part knife-wielding suite put together left her completely stunned.

The world of the living!

Three chapters tomorrow!

(End of this chapter)