Perseverance in adversity
The industry's tragedy, besieged on all sides
After the nightmarish media storm swept through, Ah Yu found himself in a world shrouded in gloom. The industry he once knew and was full of opportunities had suddenly closed all its doors to him. Those partners who used to be his brothers and frequent collaborators now avoided him like the plague.
When Ah Yu, clinging to a sliver of hope, dialed the number of the director with whom he had collaborated successfully on several occasions, there was an initial, suffocating silence on the other end of the line. Then, the director spoke in an extremely helpless and slightly apologetic tone: "Ah Yu, it's not that I don't want to help you, but the public pressure is just too great. The investors have made it clear that they will withdraw their funding from any project you're involved in. I have no choice..." With that, the call abruptly ended, leaving Ah Yu standing there, phone in hand, stunned. The busy tone from the receiver felt like a cruel pronouncement from the world.
Not only were film and television projects closing their doors to him, but even brand endorsements were terminating their contracts with him. Termination letters from brands poured in like snowflakes, each one like a sharp dagger piercing Ah Yu's heart. One high-end fashion brand, which had once heavily promoted him as its brand ambassador, issued a strongly worded termination letter accusing his negative news of damaging the brand's image and demanding he pay a huge sum in damages according to the contract. Looking at that astronomical amount of compensation, Ah Yu was filled with bitterness and helplessness.
Desperate for a glimmer of hope, Ah Yu began tirelessly traveling to auditions and interviews. However, each time he entered an interview room full of anticipation, the interviewer would instantly show embarrassment and difficulty upon seeing him. Some interviewers wouldn't even give him a chance to showcase his talents, politely asking him to leave. At an audition for a small web series, as soon as Ah Yu announced his name, a producer sitting on the judging panel frowned, impatiently waved his hand, and said, "We don't consider artists with negative press. Please leave." At that moment, Ah Yu felt his dignity had been brutally trampled underfoot, but he gritted his teeth, turned around, and left, continuing his search for the next possible opportunity.
A glimmer of dawn appeared, but hope was shattered.
Throughout this long and dark ordeal, Ah Yu never gave up searching for a way to clarify the facts. He spent countless hours online every day, meticulously studying the overwhelming negative reports, trying to find loopholes and flaws. Finally, in a chance search, he discovered a post by an anonymous user. The post offered a different perspective on the entire incident and hinted at possible manipulation behind the scenes. Ah Yu felt as if he had seen a glimmer of hope in the darkness. Following this lead, he began a frantic search for this anonymous user.
After several days of effort, Ah Yu finally contacted the online friend. The friend told him that he possessed evidence proving there was more to the story, but Ah Yu needed to pay a hefty fee to hand it over. Ah Yu knew this might be a trap, but to save himself, Zhong Hua, and Lin Wanqing, he agreed to the friend's demands without hesitation. He borrowed money from all sides, even mortgaging his only property, to raise the required amount.
However, when Ah Yu went to the agreed-upon location to collect the evidence, full of anticipation, he discovered he had been scammed. The so-called online friend never showed up, and the huge sum of money he had paid vanished without a trace. At that moment, Ah Yu felt an unprecedented despair. He felt as if he were trapped in a quagmire from which he could never escape, and every attempt to struggle only made him sink deeper.
Staying true to our original aspirations, with unseen forces providing support.
Despite suffering such a heavy blow, Ah Yu's belief in protecting Zhong Hua and Lin Wanqing never wavered. He knew that if he collapsed now, the two of them would face an even more difficult situation. So, he rallied and began to try to find a breakthrough from other angles.
Ah Yu decided to start from the source of the incident—the paparazzi's revelations. Through some old connections, he contacted several colleagues who had previously interacted with the paparazzi. He sincerely sought their advice, hoping to understand the channels through which these paparazzi obtained information and the potential vested interests behind them. After some difficult communication and persuasion, one of his colleagues was moved by Ah Yu's persistence and quietly told him a crucial piece of information: these paparazzi seemed to be acting under the direction of a mysterious force, and this force was likely related to Gu Yanting.
Meanwhile, during Ah Yu's time in distress, some of his true friends did not abandon him. Moved by Ah Yu's unwavering commitment to justice and his protection of his friends even in adversity, they offered their assistance. Some friends used their resources in the media industry to help Ah Yu connect with niche media outlets willing to listen to the truth; others used their legal knowledge to analyze legal strategies for dealing with the current situation. This support from friends, like countless stars in the dark night sky, illuminated Ah Yu's path forward, giving him warmth and strength, and further strengthening his resolve to uncover the truth.
After a difficult search, a glimmer of hope appears.
With clues and support from his friends, Ah Yu began to focus his investigation on Gu Yanting. He knew that bringing down a powerful and wealthy man like Gu Yanting would not be easy, but he had no way out.
Ah Yu began by investigating Gu Yanting's business activities, attempting to uncover any potential illegal or irregular activities in his economic dealings. He collected financial statements and business contracts from Gu Yanting's companies through various channels, spending a significant amount of time each day meticulously studying these tedious data and documents. During this process, he discovered that one of Gu Yanting's overseas investment companies had unclear accounts and unaccounted-for funds. To further verify these leads, Ah Yu decided to risk traveling to the city where the company was registered for an on-site investigation.
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