RAAS ### Chapter 31: The Interview
### Chapter 31: The Interview
In the early days of the internet, it wasn't uncommon to find wealthy entrepreneurs online. After all, computers at the time cost tens of thousands, and broadband fees were not something an average household could afford.
In the early days of the Chinese internet, so-called online games were nowhere to be seen. Black-and-white game consoles were still popular, and almost every teenager had one. On the internet in 1997, people either chatted in chat rooms or browsed BBS forums, finding little else to do. Therefore, when an entrepreneur like Deng Qilun openly went to the Music Home forum to criticize Li Qing's arrogance, netizens didn't find it inappropriate.
This method proved effective. Some netizens who were initially neutral or indifferent towards Li Qing began to view him negatively after reading Deng Qilun's post. The idea that a newcomer could be so arrogant as to disdain a million yuan was beyond the average person's understanding of the entertainment industry.
When a multi-millionaire clothing company owner expressed anger at Li Qing's arrogance, it wasn't surprising that smaller companies felt even more slighted. Deng Qilun's public post seemed to be a signal for others to join in. One post after another, as if premeditated, began to spring up, all criticizing Li Qing.
It became difficult to distinguish between truth and fiction. With Music Home as the focal point, this news spread to other well-known websites, polarizing the internet into those who supported Li Qing and those who opposed him. Initially, supporters were in the majority, but as time passed and Li Qing didn't come forward to clarify, more opponents emerged boldly.
One particular post caught Song Xueqi's attention. The poster was an employee of a well-known carbonated beverage company, revealing that their company had tried to negotiate an endorsement deal with Li Qing after his first appearance on Music Star, where he performed "Angel Wings." However, the result was that Li Qing's company recommended several other popular first and second-tier singers, including Music Star mentor Zhao Wendi, as if suggesting that Li Qing's worth didn't match the company's status. These singers' endorsement fees exceeded the company's budget, and they were more interested in a promising newcomer like Li Qing. The deal fell through, but the beverage company didn't mind, feeling that Li Qing's company's valuation was off.
This post, with its logical and plausible points, subtly suggested that the issue might lie with Li Qing's management company rather than Li Qing himself. However, it didn't gain much traction, and like other reasonable posts, it quickly sank into obscurity.
Song Xueqi was anxious. She and her company were firmly on Li Qing's side, and she had just seen the prospect of a promotion for the first time. She couldn't let her boss's first assignment fail. That night, she posted several more articles, but they didn't gain the understanding and recognition from netizens like her previous post. Like the carbonated beverage company's post, they quickly disappeared.
With no other options, feeling irritated by the posts, she shut down her computer and focused on her upcoming interview with Li Qing. To maintain a good state, she forced herself to sleep.
The next morning, Deng Qilun's post had over ten thousand replies and nearly one hundred thousand views. Some media outlets shifted from defending Li Qing to questioning his character. Public opinion was becoming polarized.
Recently, every entertainment newspaper reported on the Music Star scandal. As the first talent show in China, it was a groundbreaking program that attracted massive attention, as proven by its ratings. The continuous popularity of these reports indicated the audience's interest. Media outlets naturally catered to this, covering it extensively.
The twists and turns of the scandal made the media exclaim at the drama, providing fresh content daily. This made the media view Li Qing, a talent show singer, with newfound respect. Whether intentional or not, anyone with half an eye could see that someone was leveraging this for publicity.
However, the media didn't care about the fallout. They wanted sales, and the damage to others was irrelevant to them. This is the nature of the media, something Li Qing understood well.
But what Li Qing didn't expect was that some media still maintained a sliver of ethical integrity, such as the New Entertainment Weekly, which had repeatedly supported him.
The owner of New Entertainment Weekly had some connections with Ma Xulian and wanted to contact Li Qing for an exclusive interview through him. This was a favor. Beijing had many well-known newspapers, and Li Qing's first exclusive interview after his talent show loss would be big news. Even if no one remembered Li Qing in a few months, it didn't matter. The timeliness of news dictated everything, and journalists aimed to uncover current hot topics.
The Music Star scandal, with its 25% viewership rating, was a hot topic. Li Qing, a star contestant from the show, was the hottest of hot topics.
Ma Xulian wasn't sure about Li Qing's intentions and cautiously probed him first. Upon hearing about the newspaper's interview request, Li Qing thought about it and agreed.
He wasn't too concerned about online matters, but seeing his name and image repeatedly cited in newspapers was a strange feeling. Initially, it was somewhat gratifying, but being constantly approached by people during his runs and even scrutinized by a group of elderly ladies made Li Qing feel annoyed.
This not only disrupted his life but also made him feel like a clown. For the first time, he felt the burden of fame.
In Butterfly Studio, Li Qing sat in the recording studio, waiting for the New Entertainment Weekly's journalist. A young woman in her early twenties, about the same age as Han Han, with fair skin, greeted him. She was the one who had posted online supporting him, and Li Qing was surprised.
"Hello, I'm the journalist from New Entertainment Weekly, known as Xiao Song in the community. My full name is Song Xueqi. I've heard they call you Qingzi. May I call you that too...?"
Song Xueqi introduced herself confidently. She wore a black professional suit with a white shirt underneath, looking very presentable. This was the outfit she had bought with all her New Year money when she first entered the workforce and had been saving for formal occasions.
Sitting up straight across from Li Qing, Song Xueqi couldn't take her eyes off him at first sight. Her heart started racing, and a thought popped into her head: "He's even more handsome than on TV, by tenfold... Seeing this face every day would be a delight!"