AFVSIBS Chapter 226: Zhou Chen Instantly Sees Through the Fake Donation
The more Cheng Qiang thought about it, the more he believed that the story about Chen Xiaoyu donating one billion was likely a publicity stunt—a so-called fake charity.
"Director Cheng, really? They dare to fabricate such a large amount of fake charity?" the assistant beside him expressed disbelief after hearing Cheng Qiang's analysis.
"Why not? In the entertainment industry, many celebrities' donations are fake. It's all for reputation," Cheng Qiang, having been in the entertainment industry for many years, knew this all too well.
"But other celebrities usually fake donations of around a million. This time, Chen Xiaoyu's team claimed it was a billion."
"They did it on purpose. If they didn't claim a billion, how could it attract so much attention? How could it generate such a massive response? I suspect this is Wei Wentao's big move to increase the attention on 'Music 2023.' But unfortunately..."
"Unfortunately what?"
"Unfortunately, they've underestimated the power of netizens. If they had claimed Chen Xiaoyu donated ten million, it would be okay. But claiming he donated a billion will create a huge effect. Firstly, no organization has received such a large donation for the southern flood victims, so they will naturally be suspicious. Especially since the article mentioned that Chen Xiaoyu donated to the Red Cross. The Red Cross leadership will definitely see this trending topic and investigate," Cheng Qiang analyzed further.
"I get it. If it were ten million, the amount wouldn't be too exaggerated, and it might go unnoticed on the books. But a billion is entirely different. When the leaders don't see this billion-yuan donation, they'll first suspect corruption and embezzlement below them. Then they'll investigate. In the end, they'll find out that Chen Xiaoyu didn't donate a billion at all. His fake charity will be exposed, and he'll be utterly disgraced."
The assistant quickly understood everything.
"That's right. If Chen Xiaoyu really donated a billion, it's fine. But if he didn't, then it's only a matter of time before this former top star says goodbye to the entertainment industry," Cheng Qiang said with a sigh.
Over the years, he had seen many promising celebrities ruin their careers with such petty schemes.
Now, he sensed another star about to follow in their footsteps.
Meanwhile, Zhou Chen, after finishing dinner and a shower, didn't go anywhere. Instead, he stayed in his room reading a book.
It was still early, and he planned to read for a while before taking a walk in the yard. Then he'd come back and go straight to bed.
At this moment, Wan Fangfang called.
Seeing her call, Zhou Chen thought she was again trying to persuade him to accept the Spring Festival Gala invitation.
"Sister Fangfang, if you're here to convince me to accept the Spring Festival Gala invitation, forget it. You'll just waste your breath," Zhou Chen said directly.
"Zhou Chen, I know it's hard to persuade you, so I've given up. This time I'm calling about something trending online."
Wan Fangfang knew Zhou Chen rarely paid attention to trending topics, so she called to tell him about the sudden news of Chen Xiaoyu's billion-yuan donation.
"Fake."
Zhou Chen immediately gave his judgment without even thinking.
"Fake? Why? How can you say his billion-yuan donation is fake?" Wan Fangfang asked, puzzled.
"Simple. The southern floods happened a while ago. If he really donated a billion, the news wouldn't only come out now. Isn't it strange for the news to break out now?"
Having been in the entertainment industry in his previous life, Zhou Chen was very familiar with its tricks.
Based on his experience, he immediately guessed that Chen Xiaoyu's billion-yuan donation was fake.
"Your analysis makes sense. To be honest, I also found it odd at first. Usually, celebrities publicize their donations right away because they donate for the fame. If they don't promote it, their donation is wasted. So, if Chen Xiaoyu really donated a billion without any publicity, it's very unusual. But..."
"But you think the amount is too big to fake, right? A billion, after all."
"Yes! If it were a million or ten million, I'd definitely doubt it was fake. But a billion? Even Chen Xiaoyu himself admitted it on Weibo. So, I dismissed my doubts."
"They did it on purpose. By making the fake charity amount so large, they ensured the whole internet would discuss it, creating a huge sensation. A million wouldn't have had the same effect."
Zhou Chen's analysis instantly clarified things for Wan Fangfang.
She couldn't understand Zhou Chen. He seemed to be indifferent, yet he was so familiar and insightful about the entertainment industry. Could it be that he had been secretly studying it?
"Zhou Chen, you're impressive. How can you analyze it so clearly?" Wan Fangfang asked curiously.
"It's nothing, just a feeling. If Chen Xiaoyu's team relies on fake charity to attract attention and traffic, it will backfire."
"Backfire? Isn't that a bit much? Many celebrities have done fake charity stunts and are still fine. Some even became superstars."
"The situation is different. Most of those fake donations were in the millions, which isn't a big deal. Within a reasonable range, it's hard to detect. But Chen Xiaoyu faked a billion-yuan donation. That's a huge deal. Just wait and see. Soon, Chen Xiaoyu will be out of the entertainment industry," Zhou Chen stated confidently.
"Alright, how about a bet? If Chen Xiaoyu doesn't get into trouble, you have to accept the Spring Festival Gala invitation."
Seeing an opportunity, Wan Fangfang immediately proposed a wager.
"Sure. But if Chen Xiaoyu gets blacklisted from the entertainment industry, you can't mention the Spring Festival Gala to me again."
Zhou Chen was confident about the outcome.
"Great, that's a deal. You said it yourself. Let's see how it plays out."
Wan Fangfang couldn't believe it. After all, Chen Xiaoyu was a top star. Many celebrities had faked donations before without facing any consequences. Why would Chen Xiaoyu be any different?
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