As soon as this news was released, the hashtag #99EntertainmentSuesLingGroupThirdYoungMaster# immediately hit the trending list, marked with a "Boom" and quickly climbed to the top.
Netizens, who love to stir the pot, flocked to the comments section under both 99 Entertainment's and Ling Group's official Weibo accounts, saying things like:
[My brother is asking you, where is your Third Young Master?]
[I actually remember this guy. I recall you even posted on Weibo celebrating your Third Young Master's win in a high school programming competition.]
[Hacking is illegal, you know that, right?]
The Third Young Master of the Ling family also had some young fans. After all, the Ling family had good genes, and the Third Young Master was not only good-looking but also carried the halo of a computer genius, attracting a group of young followers. These fans tried to defend him in the trending topic, insisting that they believed the Third Young Master wouldn't do such a thing.
Some even argued: "What law did the Third Young Master break?"
Immediately, the comment section turned into a crash course on legal knowledge:
[Little sister, since you're young, let me explain. If someone uses hacking methods to infiltrate others' websites and steal their information, they are committing the crime of illegal acquisition of computer system data and illegal control of computer systems. The maximum sentence is more than five years, but based on your brother's level, he'd probably only get three or four years.]
While the online flame war raged on, Yu Shuman's new drama director was also roused from his sleep and quickly learned about everything that had happened from last night until this morning. With his arrogant and fiery temper, which was already known for being impolite, he immediately took to Weibo and started cursing up a storm.
When you clicked into his Weibo, you could see his verified account spewing insults left and right.
"You shameless piece of trash! How dare you say I went behind the scenes?! You say the third female lead was originally yours and that I had to hold an open casting?! A little brat like you, instead of honing your acting skills, you spend your time on this kind of nonsense, huh?! When I was making movies, you were probably still playing with mud in some corner! Let me show you what kind of garbage you were performing! No one with eyes would choose you! And you say Yu Shuman stole your role?! You should take a good look at what a crappy job you did!"
Once he started, his temper flared up, and he didn't bother holding back, cursing freely in a way that matched his image. Some talented people really are like this—they'll snap and curse people out without a second thought. Qin Ran remembered reading the diaries of a few famous people during her school days, and some of the language was so down-to-earth it bordered on vulgar.
This director might not have the same level of talent as those famous figures, but his temper certainly wasn't any weaker.
The director didn't treat Weibo as a public platform, instead, he just vented his anger freely.
Then he directly released the unedited footage of both Ling Miaohan and Yu Shuman's auditions. Because the camera was positioned in front of the judges' panel, all anyone could see were the performances of the two actresses, with the judges' reactions hidden.
At this moment, the director didn't care about anything else; he just wanted to make Ling Miaohan, who had slandered him for "accepting bribes to cast," pay the price. He completely forgot how much he had once been moved by Ling Miaohan's image.
This director was still as unpleasant as ever, but Qin Ran found his actions quite satisfying.
Screenwriter Xiaoyue also posted on Weibo, but she was much more gentle. She simply said, somewhat timidly, that Yu Shuman's portrayal of the third female lead was a breath of fresh air, and once she saw it, she couldn't look away, feeling that "this was the one."
Xiaoyue's Weibo post didn't cause much of a stir, mainly because she was a newcomer with little fame, and her words were quite mild. Most people just read it and moved on. But the director's words were a completely different story. He already had a bit of a reputation due to his talent and had directed a few well-received dramas and films. His sharp, full-throttle attack on Ling Miaohan's fans led to a flood of comments under his Weibo, praising him for being as ferocious as 99 Entertainment's "mad dogs."
Ling Miaohan's fans were furious, especially since they were already on the losing side of the controversy. Now, with the director's outburst, they immediately started snarking in the comments.
But the director was more than capable of holding his own. He engaged in one-on-one flame wars with several of the most vocal critics in his comments, showcasing his superior trash-talking skills.
The truth is, the director was a cultured man. He could be as crass as anyone, but he could also be sarcastic without using any foul language. When his opponents became so enraged they resorted to gutter talk, he would simply dismiss them with a saying like, "Not worth my time," and then block them.
Qin Ran even took the time to click into the profiles of a few people who had sparred with the director and found that they were now venting their frustration by cursing him out on their own pages. The director, however, seemed to have blocked them all and hadn't responded in the slightest.
He really was quite a character.
Some netizens even went to 99 Entertainment's official Weibo and asked them to take notes from the director, saying that he really knew how to act like a mad dog.
Qin Ran was impressed.
So much had happened that morning that Yu Shuman ended up having breakfast with everyone else—just coffee and biscuits. Qin Ran had no other choice but to eat the same small snacks. They were busy until 10:30 a.m. when things finally started to calm down.
Seeing how tired everyone looked, Qin Ran decided to give everyone a break. She stood up, clapped her hands, and waited for the conference room to quiet down before she spoke. "It's almost lunchtime, and I'm sure everyone is starving after working from last night through to this morning. Let's all take a break and have lunch. We'll continue this afternoon. Thank you all for your hard work. After we finish this task, everyone can take some time off, bring a family member along, and go on a trip—expenses paid by the company. After all, the company has been running smoothly for so long, and it's all thanks to you."
Qin Ran's approach to managing her team had improved beyond what she'd learned in her previous life. Back then, she hadn't dared to be this generous and could only reward a few employees with bonuses. After all, if the upper management went on vacation, there would be no one left in the company, and if something urgent came up, the company could suffer losses.
Plus, having so many high-level executives take their families on vacation wasn't a cheap endeavor. Even if she had been wealthy, she would've felt the pinch.
But things were different now. Qin Ran's money seemed to grow on trees, and she didn't care how much she spent. Go on, take that vacation. She would've even covered the costs if someone wanted to bring their entire extended family along. But that would've sounded a bit crazy, so she held back.
Hearing this, the staff in the assistants' office were all delighted, not just because of the reward. They were well-paid and could afford vacations on their own. But getting to enjoy company perks always felt good, and more importantly, they felt that their efforts were being recognized and appreciated by their leader.
After all, that's what work is about—money and recognition. When both needs are met, the assistants' office was all smiles.
—They absolutely loved their jobs! The work environment was great, surrounded by like-minded, understanding colleagues of a similar age. Their direct supervisor, while seemingly aloof, was actually very easygoing, and the big boss, who was also a woman, treated them well. The pay was excellent; they were in this job for the money, and the benefits were top-notch. On top of the basic social insurance and housing fund, the company also provided additional insurance, regular health check-ups, and various paid leave options.
They had already decided to stay with the company until retirement! And even if they were ever laid off, they weren't worried. With the company's generosity, as long as it wasn't a termination for cause, the severance would definitely be more than enough.
Stick it out for a few more years, get a nice severance package, and it would be amazing!
After wrapping things up, the staff followed Wu Special Assistant out to a nearby shopping district for lunch. But when they got downstairs, Wu Special Assistant noticed the security guards outside trying to hold back a crowd of paparazzi and media. Qin Ran saw this too and exchanged a glance with Wu Special Assistant, who immediately understood.
Wu Special Assistant adjusted her glasses and walked toward the entrance. As soon as she stepped outside and stood behind the security guards, a barrage of microphones was thrust in her face. "To our friends in the media, regarding the trending topics from last night and this morning, our official response has already been posted on 99 Entertainment's official Weibo account. The false accusations against our artist, Yu Shuman, have also been clarified. We kindly ask that you do not linger at our company's entrance, as it disrupts our staff's work. Thank you for your cooperation."
Wu Special Assistant's tone was so formal that the paparazzi and media were caught off guard. She didn't sound like someone from an entertainment company at all, more like a government spokesperson. Her professionalism left them momentarily speechless.
After a moment of silence, the reporters began shouting questions again: "Miss, what is your position at 99 Entertainment? Can we trust what you say?"
Questions like these bombarded Wu Special Assistant, but she remained unfazed, continuing to respond with the same polite but firm tone, skillfully dodging the questions. Once enough time had passed, she gave the reporters a polite nod and turned back inside the 99 Entertainment building.
Under Wu Special Assistant's cover, Qin Ran and Yu Shuman successfully left the building and headed home. Qin Ran had originally planned to have lunch with the assistant team, but she realized that if they were photographed together, it could cause unnecessary trouble. So, she and Yu Shuman went straight home.
By the time they arrived home, the groceries Qin Ran had ordered online had also been delivered. Sister Li, aware that the situation had been resolved, didn't say much, just gave Yu Shuman a day off to relax and not let the morning's events affect her mood. In a few days, she'd be starting on set, and that's when things would really get busy.
Yu Shuman gladly accepted the break and spent the rest of the day with Qin Ran, doing ordinary couple things.
When two people are together, life is all about the little things, like cooking together. Even with all the money in the world, Qin Ran wasn't exempt from this. For lunch, they made stir-fried celery and pork, and Yu Shuman sat on a small stool, picking the celery.
Yu Shuman couldn't keep her mouth shut. She'd been quiet all morning because she wasn't familiar with the situation at the company, but now her chatterbox nature came out in full force.
"Xiao Ran, you were so cool this morning." She used the same word Qin Ran had previously used to describe her and now applied it to Qin Ran. She really thought Qin Ran was amazing—her performance that morning had totally blown her away.
Hearing Yu Shuman praise her, Qin Ran almost dropped the spatula, grinning from ear to ear.
"Hehe, it was nothing... just okay, I guess."