Qi Yu found Chen Xi to be an incredibly resourceful person, even coming up with such a malicious plan, which she quite liked.
Chen Xi wore a wicked grin.
Yan Hua sighed and shook his head, "This is indeed a viable method, but we also need to ensure our content is sufficiently engaging. Otherwise, if they watch it, curse it, and then stop watching, wouldn't the ratings still decline? A TV series isn't like a movie that's over in one go."
Qi Yu and Si Qing nodded.
The next morning, as they left the library together for the film set, Director Wang and Director Li were already there, frantically scrolling through their phones, worried about the online commotion from the previous night.
They had initially intended to say something online, but since Qi Yu and Si Qing, the central figures of the controversy, hadn't made any statements, they couldn't act on their own and had to stay up all night waiting until morning.
Seeing the directors busy, and noticing the thick dark circles under their eyes, much like Director Li's, Si Qing couldn't help but chuckle. He walked over to comfort them, "Directors, you're both up all night because of the online situation, aren't you? Don't worry. While we may have missed your so-called golden six-hour window for damage control, this isn't a big deal. We've been talking about promotion all along, and isn't this just free publicity?"
Director Wang blinked in surprise.
Director Li's eyes lit up with understanding as he looked at Qi Yu, "Are you and your sister suggesting we use Wang Lili's words, and then bribe a few influential internet personalities and big accounts to promote us in the opposite direction?"
It's often the case that if you constantly praise a film, many people might become desensitized and lose interest. However, if they frequently hear complaints about a film from various sources, some will become curious and click on it, wanting to see just how bad it is. If the film turns out to be good, it can then clear its name and attract a large following.
Director Wang also grasped this point, his previously dejected expression instantly brightening. This way, Wang Lili and Mr. Huo, these two influential figures, could potentially become powerful promoters for them, possibly even reducing their promotional expenses significantly due to their influence.
"In that case, let's get back to filming. All the main actors, get ready. We'll aim to get everything done in one take today so we can finish early and get back to the hotel to rest," Director Li said, while instructing all the staff to get into position.
No one dared to speak further. Everyone put away their phones, some getting their makeup done, others discussing the script, and some rehearsing their lines. In a short while, the set was back in order. Everyone was doing what they were supposed to, and no one was discussing the Weibo incident anymore.
Meanwhile, in a certain villa.
Wang Lili held a tablet, with three phones beside her. Her eyes, bloodshot, were fixed on the screens, not daring to blink. She wanted to see the responses to her Weibo post, or if anyone would argue with her. However, apart from the supportive comments from her fans, no one on Weibo seemed to be paying attention to the matter. Even though it had trended on hot searches, apart from the general public, very few people in the industry were actually concerned.
Wang Lili's eyes turned red with anger. How could this be? She had stirred up such a fuss, yet Director Wang and Director Li hadn't even come out to clarify. If they remained silent, wouldn't she just look like a clown?
Enraged, Wang Lili let out a loud cry and suddenly slammed her hand onto the table. Bottles and cans, along with the phones, tumbled onto the carpet. Wang Lili was furious, flipping through her phone repeatedly. Yet, Weibo remained quiet. No one was suppressing the hot search, but there was simply no response.
Initially, some people mocked Qi Yu and Si Qing for the lack of response to Wang Lili's accusations. But eventually, with no one responding, Director Wang and Director Li continued to repost and comment on Weibo as if they hadn't seen Wang Lili's words at all. Thus, the matter inexplicably fizzled out.
Although Sui You was filming, he was also fully aware of the online developments. Seeing that Director Wang and Director Li had regained their composure on set, he became somewhat concerned. So, before filming began, he lowered his voice and asked Qi Yu, "Qi Yu, are we really not going to do anything about the Weibo situation? Just let it be?" Although he didn't fully understand the internet in this world, Sui You knew well the power of public opinion.
"Of course, we can't completely ignore it. Instead, we should hire a few internet personalities and big accounts to exaggerate things further with Wang Lili's help," Qi Yu said, pulling out her phone and opening several chat logs. They contained contact information for several internet personalities. "I've contacted a few influencers and sent them my ideas. Once the contracts are signed in a few days, we'll proceed directly with the transaction. These influencers will cooperate with Wang Lili to make the story sound incredibly dramatic, even attempting to side with Wang Lili and accuse us, creating buzz and giving everyone a negative impression of us. At this point, another group of influencers will secretly release some exciting scenes from our drama, and then try to discredit us through various means."
Sui You listened intently, nodding as he heard her explanation. Qi Yu laid out her plan in its entirety. When he heard the end, Sui You's expression briefly turned blank. After a while, he couldn't help but nod and give a thumbs-up, "Alright, that's brilliant. With this move, we truly don't have to worry about promoting our drama anymore."
Qi Yu's face showed a smug expression, clearly pleased with her own cleverness. Sui You couldn't help but chuckle as he looked at Qi Yu's proud little face, reaching out to pinch her cheek.
Qi Yu puffed out her cheeks, freeing herself from his grasp. "Don't pinch!"
This made Sui You want to laugh even more.
Si Qing, bored, was scrolling through his phone and noticed that the netizens cursing them seemed to be decreasing. He couldn't help but hold up his phone and look at Qi Yu, "Sister, what should we do? The discussion about our crew seems to be fading." "Will this affect our promotion? We should get those influencers to stir up the topic quickly."
Upon hearing this, Qi Yu immediately checked her phone and, sure enough, it was true. She sighed, her tone tinged with exasperation, "Why isn't Wang Lili posting on Weibo anymore? Her fans aren't very helpful either."