Chapter 462: The Changing Press Conference
In the multimedia hall on the first floor of the Westin Hotel, the press conference for the TV series "Gu Jian Qi Tan" is in full swing.
Under the stage, flash lights flickered one after another, crackling like dense raindrops hitting the glass, weaving a shimmering web of light.
Yang Mi and Deng Shuang sat side by side on high chairs, calmly answering interviews from a group of reporters.
The initial questions mostly revolved around the two's new works and recent schedules. Even when a reporter directed the topic to Jiaxing Media, Yang Mi answered without any mistakes, and the atmosphere on the scene remained relaxed and harmonious.
The host glanced around the audience and announced, "Please ask the reporter in the back row to ask a question."
A deliberately sharp voice suddenly rang out from the back of the crowd:
"Ms. Deng Shuang, there's been a lot of discussion online lately about your appearance, with many netizens speculating whether you've had cosmetic surgery on your face. Do you have any response?"
As the words fell, the scene fell silent for a moment. All cameras simultaneously turned, focusing on Deng Shuang's face like spotlights.
Beside her, Yang Mi still wore a professional smile, but her back was subtly tensed. She was all too familiar with this kind of cryptic question—it was a trap, and the next target would definitely be her.
To everyone's surprise, Deng Shuang neither evaded nor got angry. She tilted her head slightly, looking at the reporter with a frank gaze, even a playful smile playing at the corner of her mouth:
"About this question." The clear voice had a unique babyish tone, but every word was clear. "Yes, I did make some adjustments. I don't think there's anything I can't say."
There was an uproar at the scene, and the shutter sounds became more and more frantic, as if to nail this moment into the film.
Deng Shuang didn't care at all, and his tone was full of naive self-righteousness: "Everyone loves beauty, and this is my own face. If I feel happy and think it looks better this way, I can do it.
It's like buying new clothes or getting a new hairstyle. It's my choice and my right. As long as it doesn't affect my health, I think there's no problem with it."
Her candor left the reporters speechless. Previously, female celebrities have been extremely secretive and evasive about discussing plastic surgery and cosmetic procedures, so it's rare for someone like Deng Shuang to address the topic directly and publicly.
In an instant, excitement lit up in everyone's eyes - this was an explosive response!
At this moment, although the smile on Yang Mi's face had not faded, it was obviously a little stiff.
She maintained her gaze straight ahead, but her eyes were slightly lowered, as if she was staring intently at an inconspicuous corner of the ground.
Deng Shuang's straightforward admission was like a huge rock thrown into a calm lake, and the ripples it caused inevitably affected her - the actress who was also troubled by rumors of "face change".
As expected, the reporters caught this subtle atmosphere and immediately turned their attention to Yang Mi, with their questions carrying obvious guiding and contrasting meanings.
"Ms. Yang Mi, Ms. Deng Shuang has just shared her views very candidly. So, as a female celebrity who is also beloved by the audience and renowned for her beauty, what are your thoughts on the topic of 'plastic surgery'?"
In other words, do you think that in the entertainment industry, undergoing cosmetic surgery is normal, or even necessary, in order to maintain status or pursue a more perfect image?
All the cameras and eyes focused again, like an invisible net, instantly tightening around Yang Mi.
An invisible pressure came over her, and she felt her cheeks getting hot, even though the thick foundation had already covered up her true skin color.
Deng Shuang's frank remarks had inadvertently put her in an even more awkward position—admit it? It was tantamount to tacitly agreeing to the rumors about her.
Denial? Compared with Deng Shuang's "frankness", it would only appear deliberate and hypocritical, and might even be interpreted as "not daring to admit it".
"I think everyone has absolute sovereignty over their own lives and their own choices," she said, firmly following up on Deng Shuang's words, which not only affirmed his point of view but also bought herself a moment to think.
"As Deng Shuang just said, this is a personal right and freedom, and outsiders really have no right to make excessive comments."
After a brief pause, she looked up at the densely packed cameras below the stage, her gaze seemingly able to penetrate the cold lenses and reach into people's hearts:
"As for myself..." She paused, her tone calming down, "I hope the audience will pay more attention to my work and my role.
The value of an actor ultimately lies in whether the character he portrays on the screen can touch people's hearts.
Managing my external appearance is part of an artist's job, but how to give a character a soul through my acting is what I've always been striving for."
This answer was appropriate and official, cleverly avoiding the sharp edge of the question and bringing the topic back to the essence of the actor's profession.
But the reporter who asked the question clearly wasn't going to give up and wanted to press for details. Yang Mi didn't give him a chance, instead turning to the host with a smile and a slight glance before handing the topic over.
Seeing this, the host quickly controlled the rhythm and skipped the topic: "We will give other media interview opportunities later, so please ask the female reporter in the last row to ask questions."
The young woman who was called was obviously stunned, and then looked embarrassed, as if she didn't know what to ask.
After a moment of silence, she slowly stood up and said, "Hello, Teacher Yang Mi, I am a reporter from CCTV Finance Channel."
As soon as she finished speaking, not only did the stars on stage look surprised, but the reporters in the audience also turned around to look at her - it was an entertainment industry TV series press conference, why was a CCTV financial reporter here to join in the fun? Everyone was puzzled.
The female reporter felt differently: the station had just issued an urgent notice that the richest man, Song Ci, was meeting with leaders of the four major banks here, and she was temporarily sent here because she was the closest.
But the hotel was so big, how would she know where the bosses were? Fortunately, the station said that the deputy director was in communication with Song Ci and would try to get an interview opportunity, so she was asked to wait in the hotel first.
Just when she was feeling anxious, she accidentally caught a glimpse of a press conference on the first floor of the hotel. As she had just entered the industry and had never seen an entertainment news event live, she was curious and wanted to come in to take a look.
The security guard at the door saw that she had a CCTV reporter's pass and naturally did not dare to stop her. Unexpectedly, she was called by the host as soon as she came in.
After pondering for a while, she decided to ask a question related to her bank: "Teacher Yang Mi, according to relevant media reports, Mr. Song Ci, Chairman of Tengda Group, is currently meeting with leaders from the headquarters of the four major state-owned banks. What are your thoughts on this?"
As soon as the words fell, the entire press conference fell into an eerie silence. The flashlights froze for a moment, then flashed even more frantically, all the cameras locked onto Yang Mi's face.
The other actors and hosts on stage were also stunned. No one had expected such a cross-disciplinary and sensitive question to pop up—at an entertainment conference, asking a popular actress what she thought of the billionaire's business talks? This was outrageous!
Deng Shuang also glanced sideways, looking at Yang Mi with interest, with a hint of amusement in his eyes.
The originally calm smile on Yang Mi's face froze for a few seconds when she heard the words "Song Ci" and "leaders of the head offices of the four major banks", and the corners of her mouth couldn't help but twitch.
There was only one thought in my mind: should I trick her like this?
But she quickly regained her composure, a brighter smile on her face, as if the previous awkwardness and nervousness had never occurred. She sat up slightly straighter, her gaze focused on the financial reporter, her demeanor calm and composed.
"This is really an unexpected question." Yang Mi's voice was filled with just the right amount of surprise, breaking the stagnation at the scene and relaxing the atmosphere slightly.
She didn't shy away from the question, but instead said gracefully, "First of all, I'd like to thank CCTV Finance for the attention it pays to our show, 'Gu Jian Qi Tan.' I'm truly flattered."
With just one sentence, he cleverly transformed this seemingly tricky issue into a thank you for the media's attention. His attitude was humble, but he did not lose his grace at all.
"Regarding Mr. Song's meeting with the leaders of the Big Four Banks," Yang Mi spoke steadily, her words carefully chosen to avoid any mistakes, "As an ordinary actor and entrepreneur, I am well aware that my access to information at this level is very limited.
Mr. Song is a business leader, and his strategic layout and business trends must be based on far-reaching considerations and a grand vision."
She neither pretended to know nor made any comments, but clearly defined her own position - an "ordinary actor and entrepreneur", which expressed respect for senior business decisions while also implying an appropriate sense of distance.
Then, she changed the subject and naturally led the topic to herself: "But what you said reminds me of a little insight I have as the founder of Jiaxing Media.
In the current economic environment, whether it is a giant leading the industry like Mr. Song, or a small company like ours that is just starting out.
Seeking stable, reliable, and mutually beneficial partnerships, especially healthy interactions with the financial system, are the cornerstones of survival and development."
She cleverly compared the cooperation between the richest man and the bank to the necessity of seeking financial support for her own small company.
He not only expressed understanding, but also appeared humble and pragmatic, and also quietly promoted his entrepreneurial identity.
"I believe that any cooperation that can promote the healthy development of the industry and promote the optimal allocation of resources is worth looking forward to." Yang Mi concluded with a gentle and determined smile.
"Of course, as an actor, I'm looking forward to everyone paying more attention to our upcoming drama, Swords of Legends. After all, letting the audience see wonderful stories on screen is my most fundamental and beloved job.
Thank you to this friend from the financial channel for giving me this opportunity to think across boundaries."
After saying that, she winked playfully at the financial reporter who was still a little confused.
Then he gracefully turned his gaze to the host, perfectly handing back control of the topic and hinting at the boundaries of the interview - entertainment is the main focus, and business topics should be limited to a few words.
The host immediately understood and said loudly, "Thank you Yang Mi for your wonderful sharing! And thank you to this CCTV reporter for the question! Due to time constraints, our media interview session today ends here..."
After the press conference, Yang Mi breathed a sigh of relief. This press conference was like a thrilling adventure, with constant twists and turns, which almost broke her mentality.
At the beginning, Shuangzi admitted to having plastic surgery without any warning. That scene instantly put her in an extremely embarrassing situation, as if the spotlight had turned into a dazzling interrogation light.
She forced a smile and racked her brains to deal with it, barely managing to get over the embarrassing situation.
Just when she thought she could finally breathe a sigh of relief, a CCTV financial reporter suddenly showed up and asked questions that were so outrageous, as if he was deliberately trying to push her into a trap.
"Sister Mi, have some water." Di Lieba was like a caring little angel and handed her a bottle of water in time.
There were little stars of admiration twinkling in her eyes. At this moment, she had completely become Yang Mi's super little fan girl.
Just now, under the reporter's relentless questioning, Yang Mi remained calm and handled it with ease. She looked so cool and heroic, which made Dilraba admire her from the bottom of her heart.
Yang Mi took the water and drank several large gulps before her dry throat finally eased. She couldn't wait to pull out her phone and quickly open Weibo.
As expected, the topic of "Song Ci's secret meeting with the four bank presidents" firmly occupied the top spot on the hot search list, and its popularity is still soaring like a rocket.
After just one glance at the news headline, Yang Mi roughly guessed the ins and outs of the matter, but curiosity still drove her to click on the link.
"Exclusive news! @Entertainment first to break @Film and TV Express
Asia's richest man, Song Ci, appeared at the Westin Hotel this morning and secretly met with the presidents of the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, the Agricultural Bank of China, the Bank of China, and the China Construction Bank.
"Senior executives from the head offices of the four major state-owned banks have made a rare appearance together at an unofficial event, holding closed-door talks with Song Ci, the head of internet giant Tengda Group!
The scene was heavily guarded, and the atmosphere was mysterious. This meeting, at a time when internet finance is booming, has sparked endless speculation.
[Attached: A candid photo of Song Ci and ICBC President Jiang walking side by side into the hotel, and a Reuters photo of the presidents of the other three major banks arriving one after another] #FinancialStorm #InternetGiant #BankGiant
"Mr. Song is upstairs!" Yang Mi was surprised. Then, she glanced at the comments from netizens.
Looking back, the richest man's casual advice to her, suggesting that she buy more houses, made her understand a truth:
As long as you follow the big guys' footsteps, you can make a lot of money even if you just drink some soup.
"Although I don't know the specific content of the talks, the timing is extremely sensitive. Alipay's Yu'ebao has recently caused huge controversy.
Currently, the banking system is more vigilant than ever about internet financial innovation. A few days ago, WeChat launched large-value transfers. Is this a sign of war or cooperation between Tengda and the Big Four banks?
"Hey, the launch conference for 'Gu Jian Qi Tan' that Yang Mi promoted yesterday was also held at the Westin Hotel today. Is this a coincidence or...? Are financial tycoons also fans of celebrities? [dog head]"
"The signal sent by this meeting is too strong: either the banks are putting pressure on WeChat to warn its financial businesses to be cautious.
Alternatively, both sides could seek cooperation and jointly formulate industry rules. The head-on collision between internet finance and traditional banks has officially begun!
"What the hell! Even though this is a ridiculously large incident, the richest man's photos are so handsome! Among a group of powerful bank bosses, he still shines brightly! It really is true that money can make a man more attractive."
"Holy crap! Song Ci + the presidents of the four major banks! With this lineup, we don't even need to hire extra actors to film 'Currency Wars'! Westin is really getting lucky today!"
"Boss Yang is probably about to faint from crying in the bathroom. His carefully planned trending search was inadvertently crushed to dust by the richest man. He completely stole the limelight from the "Gu Jian Qi Tan" press conference. I feel sorry for Sister Mi for a second."
“So, will WeChat be able to make money from money in the future like Yu’e Bao?
I'm really looking forward to it! WeChat Pay is still more convenient to use. If WeChat has a similar product, I will transfer money from Alipay back to WeChat."
(End of this chapter)
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