Knowing that Qin Ran was coming, Assistant Wu had already arranged for an assistant to wait downstairs. As soon as Qin Ran's Rolls-Royce approached, the assistant quickly stepped forward, opened the car door, and got into the passenger seat to communicate with the driver, directing him to take the back entrance to the underground parking lot.
The assistant briefly paused upon seeing Yu Shuman with Qin Ran, but her professionalism as an assistant kept her from showing any unusual reaction. Instead, she followed Assistant Wu's instructions and began to brief Qin Ran on the current situation.
"Currently, there are three major accusations against Miss Yu Shuman: First, it's claimed that Miss Yu Shuman secured her spot on the variety show through 99 Entertainment, buying off the production team to get more screen time, making her the non-regular guest with the most appearances in the first episode. Second, there's the allegation that Miss Yu Shuman unfairly competed with Ling Miaohan for a role in the latest suspense drama, and that 99 Entertainment had already bought off the production team. Third, it's alleged that Miss Yu Shuman, in collaboration with members of an idol group, bullied Ling Miaohan, with staff confirming that during a previous show, Miss Yu Shuman was seen laughing and chatting with three other members while Ling Miaohan sat alone on the side."
The assistant spoke quickly but clearly, and soon moved on to the next topic.
"In addition to the accusations against Miss Yu Shuman, there are also several accusations against 99 Entertainment, mainly attacking the company for using money to buy out roles and engage in unfair competition."
As the assistant spoke, the car passed by the main entrance of 99 Entertainment. A large group of reporters with cameras were gathered outside, clearly hoping to grab the first scoop. When they saw the Rolls-Royce, they tried to approach, but the car drove past without stopping, leaving them with no choice but to let it go.
The car drove into the back entrance of the parking lot, and Qin Ran noticed a few paparazzi stationed there as well. They quickly snapped away when they recognized the car as the same one Yu Shuman had used previously at an event.
When they reached the elevator, the receptionist was already waiting to directly escort Qin Ran and Yu Shuman inside. Once in the elevator, the assistant continued to speak while pressing the button for the floor and the door close button.
Qin Ran was not in a good mood. After all, no one would be happy if they were greeted with paparazzi first thing in the morning—even if they were only photographing your car.
Once they reached the office, the team was already in place, ready to act. Seeing Qin Ran arrive, Assistant Wu walked over to explain their next steps. "We plan to start with clarifications. First, the claim that Miss Yu Shuman received more screen time in the variety show simply doesn't hold water. The reason for this is clear—several of the other guests had overlapping scenes with the controversial male celebrity, so their scenes had to be cut for easier editing, leaving Miss Yu Shuman with more screen time.
"Second, regarding Miss Yu Shuman's role in the latest suspense drama, the director is still asleep and unaware of the situation, but based on his personality, it's highly likely he'll personally clarify the matter when he wakes up."
Assistant Wu had also met the director with Qin Ran before and was familiar with his personality. The director was arrogant and proud of his talent, and there was no way he would tolerate such a major stain on his reputation. He would likely be furious and issue a clarification as soon as he learned of the accusations.
"Finally, regarding the bullying allegations within the group, two of the artists have already responded that same night. We just need to coordinate with the three of them and release a joint clarification."
"Compared to the allegations against Miss Yu Shuman, the accusations against 99 Entertainment are more challenging to refute because most of what they're saying is true, and the chat records they provided are indeed real. However, they've selectively edited the conversations to shift public opinion against 99 Entertainment. In response, we're prepared to file a lawsuit."
After finishing her explanation, Assistant Wu looked at Qin Ran. Her approach was practical and would quickly improve the current public perception, making it a solid strategy from a PR standpoint. However, Qin Ran wanted more than just a standard response. She glanced at Yu Shuman beside her. If it were possible, she would love to be the innocent little rabbit in front of Yu Shuman forever.
But her senior couldn't just see her pure and kind side; the cunning side was part of her too.
Without worrying about Yu Shuman's presence, Qin Ran revealed her true, shrewd nature. "That's fine. Follow the basic PR plan you outlined, but I want to add one more thing."
Assistant Wu was slightly puzzled. "What is it?"
"Report it to the police. Ling Miaohan's third brother used unfair competition tactics and engaged in cyber-attacks to steal internal information from 99 Entertainment, and also illegally accessed personal information of our employees."
"That might be hard to prove."
"I have evidence." Qin Ran smiled confidently. She knew about their top-tier hacker brother and was well-prepared. Otherwise, she wouldn't be Qin Ran.
Qin Ran had already hired several professionals from the hacker community to secure her company's information. When they took on the job, each one was incredibly confident, promising to deliver. But when Ling Miaohan's brother successfully breached their security and leaked the chat records, it was like a slap in the face for them.
These hackers were well-known in their circles, but they were now collectively humiliated and couldn't find a way to fix it. Most of them had probably gone to seek help from their mentors or big-name colleagues. Qin Ran contacted them through the platform, providing them with the real identity of Ling Miaohan's third brother, even bending the rules to make sure they got it.
With this crucial piece of information, it became much easier for the hackers to find evidence. While Assistant Wu was sending out clarification notices, the evidence had already arrived on Qin Ran's phone. Qin Ran forwarded it to President Li, who wasted no time in reporting it to the police.
However, to everyone's surprise, the most challenging narrative—concerning 99 Entertainment—was spontaneously flipped by netizens once they woke up and started gossiping.
The top trending topic was #WhatKindofTrashIs99Entertainment, with the initial assumption that it was another round of negative news. But upon clicking into it, they found it was started by a regular netizen—a true outsider who wasn't even a fan, just someone who watched TV dramas.
#WhatKindofTrashIs99Entertainment I've seen the trending topics from last night to today, and honestly, everyone knows what kind of trash 99 Entertainment is, right? We all know it's a capital-driven machine. But unlike other tacky companies, 99 Entertainment at least produces content that we, the viewers, enjoy.
I don't believe anyone here hasn't watched a drama invested in by 99 Entertainment. Yes, they throw money around, and yes, they buy roles, but let me just say it bluntly—how many roles in this industry aren't obtained through connections, popularity, or money? Aside from the fans, who cares whether a role belongs to your favorite star or not? I just want to watch good dramas, and as long as 99 Entertainment continues to produce quality content, I'll watch it, no matter what kind of trash it is.
In the comment section, there were many more insightful remarks:
[FYI, it's not capital that I hate; it's the trash capital brings.]
[Say what you want, but the dramas and movies invested in by 99 Entertainment are pretty good.]
[Haha, those criticizing 99 Entertainment should take a look at their track record.]
Underneath this trending topic, someone had posted a list of all the projects 99 Entertainment had invested in recently, including those that Assistant Wu mentioned that lost the company three hundred million yuan. 99 Entertainment had done nothing but invest money, constantly telling the screenwriters and directors, "Don't hold back, do your best. Stop worrying about one bad apple."
For directors and screenwriters who believed in their talent, it was only the harsh realities of life that made them give up. Whether male or female, unless they had a flawed mindset, with a big enough stage, they would always produce results.
Compared to some other entertainment companies producing 2 or 3-star dramas that might barely scrape a 4 or 5 at best, 99 Entertainment's lowest-rated drama still scored 6.5, making it an above-average production. No wonder netizens were more lenient towards 99 Entertainment.
[To be honest, I prefer 99 Entertainment's artists over the trash from other companies. At least they have the looks and professional standards. Even the newbies show noticeable improvement over time.]
[99 Entertainment hasn't been around for long, has it? Why are they so hated already?]
[They're blocking the path of older entertainment companies. Look at the trash they're trying to push. I can't stand it anymore. I'd rather watch 99 Entertainment's artists.]
Besides the casual viewers, 99 Entertainment's artists' fans, such as Rong Hua's, also chimed in.
[Just because 99 Entertainment pulled our Hua Hua out of her previous company, I'll support 99 Entertainment without question.]
[There are so many companies in the entertainment industry that exploit their artists. Finally, we have one that actually does right by them. I'll support them.]
[Back when my idol was being abandoned and stepped on by her old company, no righteous bystander came forward to criticize them. Now that 99 Entertainment is treating her well, you want to stir up trouble?]
[It must be killing you. Our idol is flourishing under 99 Entertainment, with resources pouring in. Jealous much?]
[I'm calling it now: any fanbase attacking 99 Entertainment's artists today is just bitter their own favorites aren't getting the same opportunities.]
The combined force of fans and casual viewers quickly drowned out the previous negative trending topics about 99 Entertainment. The entire discussion board was alive with people recommending good shows, with the rule that nothing should be rated below 6.5, which was 99 Entertainment's lowest score.
Seeing this, both Qin Ran and Assistant Wu couldn't help but feel like they had stumbled into this favorable situation by accident. Qin Ran's strategy of investing in projects wasn't just about diversifying attention away from Yu Shuman but also about ensuring that the company produced quality content, and it seemed that approach was paying off.
Meanwhile, many fans flocked to the official 99 Entertainment account, which had posted a clarification statement.
[Hey, hey, hey! What's up with this weak response? Where's your fighting spirit?]
[I like your aggressive stance. Just remember to close your DMs so we don't lose our cool.]
[Seriously, keep being a savage. If you go soft, your fanbase will crumble.]
No problem.
Qin Ran then instructed the official 99 Entertainment account to post about the company's decision to report Ling Miaohan's third brother for his illegal activities.