Against the Light - Chapter 98
Chapter 98: I Will Protect Shi Qing
In the days that followed, Weibo exploded. Heart Entertainment was practically a permanent resident on the trending topics list.
“Look, just look at these trending topics. Before, we couldn’t even buy our way onto the list. Now, we can’t even pay to get them taken down.” Qu Qi sighed, placing her phone on the table.
Gu Xinran picked it up and glanced at it. The format of the trending topics was almost always the same.
#XXMagazineAnnouncesSuspensionofCooperationwithHeartEntertainmentStudio, #XXFashionAnnouncesTerminationofCooperationwithHeartEnt, and so on. Interestingly, even Ye Ting’s clothing brand, 【Chan Ye】, took the opportunity to jump in, announcing they would stop providing custom-made clothing to Heart Entertainment’s artists.
“Honestly, we blacklisted the Chan Ye brand a long time ago. Which Heart Entertainment artist has ever ordered custom clothes from them? This woman really knows how to flatter herself.” Gu Xinran was taken aback by Ye Ting’s shameless move, her eyes filled with disgust.
“Sigh, has she ever done anything that wasn’t shameless? Hey, in the past four days, seventeen fashion magazines and brand endorsements, big and small, have announced they’re canceling their cooperation with Heart Entertainment. There are even paparazzi digging up dirt on our artists everywhere. Two of our rookies lost roles they’d already secured because of this. At the end of the day, the fashion and entertainment industries can’t be completely separated. It’s all about mutual interests.”
“I know.” Gu Xinran nodded, frowning as she scrolled through the list of participants who had spoken out to boycott Heart Entertainment. She pulled it down, and there were quite a few.
Gu Xinran suddenly let out a laugh.
“What are you laughing at?”
“In this situation, I think the one who should be anxious is Bai Yiyue.”
“Look, this list might seem long, but if you look closely, there are hardly any well-known companies. Most of them are just obscure little magazines trying to bolster Wei Yi’s momentum. Bai Yiyue just took over, and for her very first decision, only these small fries are chiming in. If it were me, I’d probably want to find a hole to crawl into.”
“Just think back to the lineup when the fashion industry boycotted Le Tao.”
“Mm.” Qu Qi nodded. It was true. Aside from the frequent trending topics and losing two small scripts, their more established artists were still working normally, almost completely unaffected. Wei Yi’s move this time was all thunder and no rain. Recalling the time Shi Qing boycotted Le Tao, in just three days, Le Tao had lost several major endorsements worth tens of millions and was collectively blacklisted by all the respectable companies, big and small, in the fashion world.
“For now, we’ll continue to develop step-by-step, stay on high alert, and if the enemy doesn’t move, neither do we.”
“Okay, I understand.”
The two had just finished their little meeting when Gu Xinran’s phone chimed. She picked it up and saw that another Weibo notification had popped up.
【Shocking! Fashion Mogul Is Actually a Mistress Who Drove the Original Wife to Her Death to Seize Power!】
Gu Xinran’s hand trembled. She quickly tapped it open. Although the name had been replaced with “a certain mogul with the surname S,” any discerning person could tell at a glance that it was about Shi Qing. And the comments below were already full of mindless, vicious attacks against her.
While it was possible that paid trolls and haters were intentionally doing this, these kinds of comments could easily create a preconceived bias and sway the opinions of casual onlookers.
“I knew she was a mistress, but what’s this about driving the original wife to her death?” Qu Qi looked shocked, putting on an expression perfect for watching drama unfold.
Gu Xinran’s brow was deeply furrowed. She took back her phone and called Fang Yi.
“Hello, Sister Ran. I know what you want to ask. I saw the trending topic. But it’s strange—that little paparazzi group chat seems to have been hacked. The news probably wasn’t released by them. Those guys are also discussing who’s behind this, because whoever did it completely screwed them over. I’m lurking in the chat now. I’ll let you know as soon as I have any news.”
“How’s that thing I asked you to look into before?”
“It’s really difficult. Give me a little more time.”
“As soon as possible!”
“Okay.”
Gu Xinran hung up and opened Weibo again. The discussion below was raging, and all sorts of so-called “concrete evidence” were flying around. In just a few minutes, people were already cursing Shi Qing out by name. Many wanted to attack Shi Qing but found she didn’t have a personal Weibo account, so they flocked to Wei Yi Group’s official Weibo to vent their anger. In the blink of an eye, the official account’s comment section had become a toxic mess, almost unbearable to look at.
【All mistresses should die. You destroyed a happy family and seized their fortune. What right do you have to live so freely?】
【I don’t know enough about this to comment yet, but if it’s really true, you’re pretty disgusting.】
【Your circle is such a mess. Mistresses taking over is common, but driving the original wife to her death is just too vicious, isn’t it?】
【Her being a mistress isn’t big news, is it? Don’t you guys know she raised the original wife’s child for the family fortune?】
【How come I’ve never heard this before? My impression of Shi Qing was that she’s a pretty kind person. She’s enthusiastic about charity and donates a portion of her profits every year to help children in poverty. Am I remembering wrong? How did a perfectly good person suddenly become so despicable?】
【Accidentally took a bite of some major gossip. The hand holding the melon is trembling. If we discuss a mogul so recklessly, will she have us silenced?】
【If you dare to do it, you have to admit it. If she dares to take down the trending topic, we’ll just start a new one. Sisters, don’t be cowards, let’s face her head-on!】
【Some of you gossipers really have too much time on your hands. What does it have to do with you whether she’s a mistress or not?】
“Tsk, a mistress taking over, driving the original wife to her death—those two topics are the best for stirring up public outrage. Netizens have been complaining about a lack of drama lately, and now they’ve got a huge one! This mogul was brilliant her whole life, how did she end up with her reputation ruined so late in life?” Qu Qi sighed. At this moment, she felt a very practical sense of relief that she hadn’t latched onto the wrong person. Such a huge figure had been pulled down from her pedestal. This industry was just too chaotic!
Gu Xinran looked at her.
“What are you looking at me like that for!?” Qu Qi felt her hair stand on end under Gu Xinran’s sharp gaze.
“?”
“Don’t you dare tell me you’re going to get involved in this!?”
Gu Xinran raised an eyebrow slightly. “Didn’t you tell me that Heart Entertainment’s current PR team is very capable, invincible, and all-conquering? Let me see it for myself?”
“Are you kidding me! We don’t even know who’s targeting Shi Qing right now, but they must have a powerful background. This is clearly a fight between gods where the mortals suffer! Whoever jumps into this is an idiot, okay!!!”
Gu Xinran’s gaze was extremely firm. “I will protect Shi Qing.”
“Then you’re dreaming! Look, even Wei Yi’s official account isn’t controlling or banning comments, just letting netizens hurl all sorts of abuse. It means they don’t even want to defend Shi Qing themselves. What are you, an unrelated person, trying to do by rushing in to show your loyalty?? Are you afraid Heart Entertainment won’t go down fast enough?”
Gu Xinran gave her an irrefutable look, letting her figure it out for herself, then turned and left without another word. She got her car from the underground garage and drove straight home.
With something like this blowing up on Weibo, Yilan would probably see it too. It was hard to imagine how upset she would be seeing netizens use such vicious words to insult her mother.
Gu Xinran was anxious to get home, driving as fast as she could. It wasn’t long before she arrived. She pushed open the door, but the house was completely silent.
“Yilan?”
She checked every room but couldn’t find any sign of Yilan. She immediately took out her phone and dialed Yilan’s number.
It rang through once, but no one answered. Gu Xinran’s heart skipped a beat, and she dialed again.
“Hello?”
Hearing Yilan’s voice, Gu Xinran let out a long sigh of relief. “Yilan? Where did you go?”
“The cemetery.”
“I’m coming to find you. Wait for me there, don’t wander off.”
“Mm.”
A light, drizzling rain began to fall on the way. Gu Xinran didn’t bother with an umbrella, parking the car and heading straight into the cemetery.
From a distance, she saw Yilan standing in front of a gravestone, her figure slender and frail. Gu Xinran slowed her pace, walked up to her, and took off her own coat to drape over Yilan’s shoulders.
She gently patted her shoulder, then turned to look at the gravestone.
It was the gravestone of Yilan’s father. There was a photograph on it. Yilan’s father had very gentle eyes and brows, and he looked a lot like Yilan. He seemed like a romantic and poetic person, not at all like a businessman. Gu Xinran looked at it quietly for a moment, comparing their features one by one.
“Is this your father?”
“Mm.”
Gu Xinran took a half step forward and bowed respectfully.
“Hello, Uncle. I’m Gu Xinran. I solemnly promise you here that I will protect your little princess for you.” Gu Xinran had heard Yilan mention her father a couple of days ago. When she spoke of him, Yilan’s expression was one of pure happiness, so she must have had a very good relationship with her father.
Bai Yilan gave a faint smile, turned, and hugged her, burying her face in the crook of Gu Xinran’s neck and holding her tightly.
Gu Xinran gently patted her back. She knew Yilan must be feeling very helpless and lost right now.
Although she had always believed her mother didn’t love her, watching a family member suffer such public condemnation would make anyone feel terrible, let alone a close relative bound by blood.
“Don’t worry, I’ve already told Qu Qi to do everything she can to defend her. No matter what anyone else says, don’t believe it. Yilan, we’ve both been mothers. As a mother, your biggest concern is your child. I have a feeling that when she sent you away back then, perhaps she had her own difficulties.”
Bai Yilan nodded. Ever since the day she realized her mother and Bai Yiyue were only pretending to be close, a sliver of hope had taken root in her heart.
The two of them stayed and chatted with Yilan’s father for a while longer before leaving.
In the car, Gu Xinran helped wipe the raindrops from her hair. “Don’t you dare not answer my calls in the future,” Gu Xinran said, putting on a stern face and trying to look fierce.
Bai Yilan smiled lightly. “I understand, President Gu.”
In a manor on the outskirts of the city.
Shi Qing sat in a wicker chair reading a book. Now that things were quiet, her mood was different, completely at ease.
“Sister Qing, the news is already out, and the paid trolls are in action. The internet is now filled with voices cursing you.”
“Mm.” Shi Qing picked up her teacup and took a small sip.
“The netizens have already stormed Wei Yi’s official Weibo account. I wonder how Bai Yiyue will respond,” Ye Nan reported in a calm tone.
“Good,” Shi Qing replied faintly.
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