Chapter 121: Calming the Storm

After getting Xie Tinglan's approval, Fang Xuyang immediately contacted people and started the operation.

So soon, passers-by who were happily enjoying the melons recently discovered that an account suddenly appeared in the entry square and began to speak for Xia Linxing.

"@Leni, what are you wearing today? I think it's a shame that you marketing accounts don't write novels. You can make up such a 'dramatic' story out of such a trivial matter. You really have too much free time..."

It is true that Xingxing tore his clothes himself, but it was not some "self-directed and self-acted" act as those marketing accounts imagined, or a way for him to attract attention on stage. After the accident, he has been isolated in the dormitory for several days, okay?

To be honest, I was the one who directed Xingxing to tear his clothes because he felt the back of his costume was a little empty and wanted to add some decoration.

To prevent nitpickers from making arguments, the program team has always allowed trainees to make their own small designs and combinations of accessories for their performance costumes.

The back of Xingxing's costume was indeed a bit plain, so I recommended a pearl chain. For a more aesthetically pleasing look, the best way to do it was to rip it apart at the back seam and sew the chain on either end. However, I was busy altering another trainee's outfit at the time and couldn't spare the effort. Xingxing was very kind; he asked me how to alter it and then did it himself.

And then… you all saw the result. All I can say is that this little idiot went on stage confidently after making the changes himself, not even thinking of asking me to reinforce it. He did remove the thread, but the pearl chain wasn't sewn securely, which is why the chain broke and the dress tore apart on stage.

So those marketing accounts that are constantly making up stories can save their time! "

Ohhhhh? Are things going to be reversed?!

People who like it quickly clicked on this account.

"@Leni What to Wear Today" is a fashion blogger with a few fans. Her daily updates are all about ootd. However, her old fans know that being a fashion blogger is just her side job. Her main job is to work with the costume designer. In her past updates, you can also see photos of her with other celebrities.

The program group that Leni is in now happens to be "Star Journey Starts".

However, not everyone knows this.

Soon, people who heard the news started mocking the comments section: "You said you are, so you are... And you accused the marketing account of starting with a picture, but you don't even have a picture!"

"That's right. I'll also say I'm a staff member of the program. I saw Xia Linxing cut her clothes just to get attention! Do you believe her or me, Qin Shi Huang?"

The fashion blogger hadn't replied yet, but her fans responded on her behalf: "Hey, why didn't you check Leni's previous updates before you said that? Forget it, since you're clueless, here you go [link]..."

The link contains the updates that Leni had posted before she joined the crew. The update photo includes a work badge that clearly states Leni’s identity as a costume designer, as well as the name of the program crew – “Star Journey Starts Sail”.

In other words…

"Is this really the costume designer for the show?"

"If the costume designer comes out to speak for Xia Linxing, does that mean the previous self-directed and self-acted story was fake? Was Xia Linxing set up?"

"Wow... Thank you, Teacher Leni, for speaking up for Xingxing! We've been scolded so much these past two days that we didn't dare to open our mouths to explain. Now we can finally speak up for Xingxing..."

"It's so sad. Xingxing was already devastated by the stage accident, and now she's being slandered by marketing accounts and scolded by so many people who don't know the truth... Thank you, Sister Leni, for taking care of Xingxing for us..."

"Are those who believe it stupid? Whatever she says is the truth! This blogger is indeed a staff member of the program, but we don't know if she has been paid. Xia Linxing could easily bribe her to say this!"

"Hiss... That makes sense. After all, this blogger hasn't produced any evidence..."

"It seems that Xia Linxing has finally stopped playing cowardice... I thought Xia Linxing would remain silent and drag things out..."

"Uh, can you tell me? Your PR skills are worse than playing coward..."

Just when the haters who rushed into the comment section were feeling smug, they suddenly noticed a wave of people with strange IDs in the comments, and they all forwarded the post posted by "@LeniWhat to Wear Today" to clarify the matter for Xia Linxing.

"@Don't touch my cosmetics: Xingxing promised me that from now on, you'll let the costume designer do everything and stop doing it yourself, okay?"

“@Who cleared my material library: Haha, I saw it when I was editing the material. It was really difficult to sew the stars. It can be seen that the stars really can't do needlework at all, hahahaha…”

"@traineewhendon'tstayuplate: You only saw it while editing the footage, but I was different, I was there! [Chest puffed out with pride][Sunglasses playing cool] So I know what Xia Linxing did better than anyone else... All those marketing accounts spouting nonsense, shut up! / Who cleared my footage library: Haha, I saw it while I was editing the footage..."

@Snacks All Handed Over: Oh my god, I haven't looked outside for a while, how come the wind direction has changed like this... I'm starting to doubt whether the Xia Linxing you're talking about is the same person I know... With Xingxing's brain... With all due respect, he wouldn't be able to come up with something like this... [Put your hands together][Put your hands together]"

…

Reposted comments popped up one after another. Whether they were passers-by, people just for fun, or haters who were team-building in Leni's comment section, they all clicked on these strange accounts to check.

"Hey... these seem to be the staff of 'Star Journey'... They all have work IDs posted in their updates..."

"Does anyone know if these people were all bought by Xia Linxing?"

"One or two people could be considered bought...but if so many people are helping to spread the word, does Xia Linxing have that much power?"

"With so many people reposting it, it must be true..."

"Although it's a bit of hindsight, I felt strange when the trending search about me directing and acting in it came out. If it was really self-directed and self-acted, then Xia Linxing is too stupid... This is a hard-earned stage! Everyone should know that there is no stage in the domestic entertainment industry. It's really one less dance. Even someone like me who doesn't follow talent shows knows how sacred the stage is in the eyes of trainees. I don't believe that any trainee would waste a hard-earned stage opportunity just to get attention..."

"So, the previous statement of 'directing and acting in my own performance' is indeed full of flaws. Even if you want to stand out, you should do it when there is no hope of advancing, such as on the last stage, or when you want to leave a deep impression before being eliminated. But I looked at Xia Linxing's ranking last time, and he was ranked in the middle. There is no need to be so 'all-in'..."

"Okay, the case's solved. I guess someone saw Xia Linxing get into an accident and went viral, got jealous, and then bought a self-directed trending search to discredit him...an old-fashioned anti-explosion tactic..."

"I'm so happy. Xia Linxing has become the perfect victim now? As expected of a young master from a wealthy family, he has a strong backing..."

"Stop it, you bastards! It's obvious that the staff couldn't stand it anymore and that's why they stopped! If Xia Linxing's backers were really strong, would they have allowed you bastards to harass him for so long? Anyone who has watched the voting for the third public performance knows how serious the vote split is on Xia Linxing's side. Forget about his agency, he doesn't even have a decent fan base! You bastards can only bully individual trainees!"

"Xia Linxing, miserable!"

"Hey, am I the only one who thinks Xia Linxing's silly look is kind of cute! Imagine a pretty girl just trying to make her clothes look better, but ends up tearing them, revealing her pretty back... hehehe [drool][drool]"

…

After reading the comments, Fang Xuyang exited the app with satisfaction and called Xie Tinglan.

"Boss Xie, your childhood sweetheart's affairs have been dealt with..."

"Now the comments online have basically come around. Most of the comments are starting to lean towards the idea that the trending search for Xia Linxing's 'self-directed and self-acted' performance was bought by someone to prevent the explosion. The netizens seem to be accepting the stupid character we want to create well."

"Only a small number of comments still firmly believe in their previous views, but basically no one pays attention to them anymore..."

Xie Tinglan said "hmm" with satisfaction, "Thank you for your hard work. Everyone will get a month's bonus this month."

Fang Xuyang was also satisfied, "Then I would like to thank the boss on behalf of everyone else!" It was worth it for them to stay up late these days to think about the public relations plan and contact the staff of the program team everywhere.

It had to be said that his boss' childhood sweetheart... was quite unexpected. He had thought that contacting the staff and convincing them to help would require some effort, but unexpectedly, when they heard that they were helping Xia Linxing clarify the matter, the staff members all readily agreed and were very easy to talk to.

Finally, Fang Xuyang couldn't control his curiosity and asked one of the stylists, the online blogger "@Leni What to Wear Today".

The costume designer was laughing happily, as if Fang Xuyang had asked a silly question: "Of course, it's because I like stars too..."

"I should say that after interacting with the stars on the show, there shouldn't be anyone who doesn't like the stars, right?"

So after hearing that she was going to help Xia Linxing, she agreed very readily, and even wrote a short essay of clarification overnight and sent it to Fang Xuyang for confirmation.

Fang Xuyang sighed: I didn't expect Xia Linxing to be so popular now. Look... he seems to be loved by everyone...

That’s right… He changed his mind and thought: Isn’t their boss Xie the biggest and most ready-made example here?

"I've already informed the production team. The footage of Xia Linxing and his group's third public performance rehearsal will be edited. Don't worry about the footage of Shen Sibai wearing his performance costume."

"Well, I trust you to do the job."

"I also checked the marketing accounts that previously released the 'self-directed and self-acted' news, and the company behind those marketing is Media Asia."

"Media Asia Starlight?" Xie Tinglan's originally nonchalant expression paused.

"Yes..." Fang Xuyang said, "I was also wondering why they suddenly targeted Xia Linxing, so I went to check..."

"Among the trainees participating in 'Star Journey' this time, there's one called Cheng Xuezhou. He seems to have some issues with your childhood sweetheart..."

…

Cheng Xuezhou didn't know that he had been exposed, and he was very proud of himself.

While looking at his phone, he discovered that some staff members suddenly came down and started talking to Xia Linxing, and also calmed down the big pit they had carefully dug for Xia Linxing, which made Cheng Xuezhou a little unhappy.

To be honest, Cheng Xuezhou and his agency had not expected that Xia Linxing could calm the public opinion storm from this angle.

They actually used the word "stupid" to refute the "scheming" image they had painstakingly created for Xia Linxing.

They also went to great lengths to recruit a group of staff to strongly prove their point.

But neither he nor his agency can use their mobile phones to question the costume designers, makeup artists and photographers... Why did they help Xia Linxing lie - isn't this just admitting that they were the ones who harmed Xia Linxing by buying black hot searches?

So Cheng Xuezhou could only watch helplessly as the public opinion storm they had worked so hard to stir up died down, leaving only a few of the trolls they had hired still jumping around unwillingly, but with little effect.

Cheng Xuezhou originally wanted the agency to continue muddying the waters, but was rejected by the company. The reason was that it would be useless to send in more water army, and they found that someone seemed to be investigating who had attacked Xia Linxing this time, so the company decided to call it a day.

Two consecutive pieces of bad news made Cheng Xuezhou feel a bit depressed and low-spirited. But fortunately, the results of the third ranking were out.

The turmoil surrounding Xia Linxing seemed to have subsided, but it still had a significant impact on him recently - his ranking dropped several places, and he was barely on the bottom of the elimination line.

Although he was a little disappointed that he failed to eliminate Xia Linxing this time, Cheng Xuezhou still felt very happy when he saw Xia Linxing's dejected look.

In particular, the program team then announced another good news -

"This performance is also everyone's last..."

After the fourth performance will be the finals, that is to say, those who can survive this elimination will be able to step onto the final stage and enter the final chase on the night of the group formation.

After the third elimination, there were only 30 trainees left. This number was not easy to group, so the production team decided to...

"For this performance, we need to change the performance format!"

"The fourth performance is a collaboration stage between the mentors!"

"What?!"

The trainees were all surprised and exclaimed in surprise.

"What?!"

Xia Linxing was frightened and stood there in shock.