Ling Yichen and Jun Moran sat in the coffee shop. Sunlight filtered through the dappled leaves outside the window, casting dappled patterns of light and shadow on the table, but they had no time to appreciate it. The wall clock ticked away, each tick like a urging, as the 3 PM deadline for the business partner's reply drew ever closer, each second stretching out endlessly.
"Why is time passing so slowly? It feels like every second is torture." Jun Mo Ran rested his chin on his hands, his brows furrowed, his eyes filled with anxiety and exhaustion.
Ling Yichen reached out and gently patted her shoulder, trying to comfort her: "Don't worry too much, we've done everything we can, now we can only wait." Even so, his fingers unconsciously tapped on the table, betraying his inner tension.
Their phones lay silently on the table. They glanced at them every now and then, hoping for good news from the investigation team, yet also afraid of missing a call from their business partner. In the intervals of waiting, they reviewed the details of their previous communications with their partner, trying to glean a glimmer of hope from the few words they heard.
"What other questions do you think our partners might raise? Should we prepare some backup plans?" Jun Mo Ran asked worriedly.
Ling Yichen pondered for a moment and said, "It's very possible. Let's review the advantages and market prospects of the new drama again, and highlight our determination and ability to deal with risks."
So they started sketching and writing on paper again, reorganizing the unique cultural connotations of the new drama, the actors' superb acting skills, and the popularity data accumulated in the market in the early stages, striving to give the most powerful answer when partners inquire again.
Meanwhile, the investigation team was racing against time to gather evidence. They delved into the details of the tech company's financial dealings and personnel exchanges with its competitors, attempting to find irrefutable evidence regarding anonymous text messages and the smear campaign against the new show. Investigators disguised themselves and infiltrated the area around the tech company, engaging in casual conversations with employees to extract information, leaving no possible clue unchecked.
"Hey, have you guys heard? The company recently got a big job, I think it's about helping someone with their online activities." A conversation between employees in the break room caught the investigator's attention.
The investigator casually leaned closer: "Really? That's so mysterious, can you tell me a little something?"
"I'm not entirely sure either, but I know it's related to a new drama series. It seems like they're trying to ruin that series' success," the employee said in a low voice.
The investigator was delighted; it seemed he was on the right track. He pressed on, "Do you know exactly how it works?"
"I really don't know. I just overheard it. The higher-ups wouldn't tell us too many details about this kind of thing." After saying that, the employee hurriedly left the break room.
Although they didn't obtain any more crucial information, this lead gave the investigation team hope. They continued digging deeper and, through various channels, finally found an encrypted email between the tech company and its competitor. Although the content hadn't been fully deciphered, preliminary judgment suggested it was related to anonymous text messages and a smear campaign.
Ling Yichen and Jun Moran waited in the coffee shop, pondering new strategies. Suddenly, Jun Moran's phone screen lit up; it was an unknown number. They exchanged a glance, a sense of foreboding washing over them.
Jun Mo Ran hesitated for a moment before pressing the answer button. A deep voice came from the other end of the line: "You think you can find out the truth by hiring an investigation team? Don't dream. Give up, the new drama has no chance of being released." With that, the other party hung up.
"This is outrageous!" Ling Yichen slammed his fist on the table in anger. "They must know we're investigating; this is a warning to us."
Jun Mo Ran took a deep breath: "It seems our investigation has made them panic, which also means we are getting closer to the truth."
Just then, Ling Yichen's phone rang. It was a business partner calling. Ling Yichen took a deep breath, calmed himself down, and pressed the answer button: "Hello, this is Ling Yichen."
“Mr. Ling, after our reassessment, we still have some concerns about collaborating on the new drama. Although your proposal is very sincere, the market is too uncertain. We need you to provide some more convincing evidence, such as comparative analyses of successful cases, to prove that the new drama can succeed in a similar market environment.” The business partner’s voice was unhurried, but every word struck Ling Yichen and Jun Mo Ran’s hearts like a heavy hammer.
Ling Yichen quickly replied, "Don't worry, we'll prepare right away. Give us some time, and we definitely won't let you down."
After hanging up the phone, Ling Yichen and Jun Moran immediately sprang into action. They contacted the film crew's market research team, asking them to collect examples of successful overseas releases of similar films in the shortest possible time and conduct detailed comparative analysis.
At this point, the deadline set by the partners was fast approaching. Although the investigation team had some leads, they had not yet found conclusive evidence.
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