Chapter 15: Sudden Change in Public Opinion

At 9 a.m. sharp, Shao Yifu walked into his office.

He first practiced a set of health-preserving exercises, then sat down at his desk and looked at the newspaper his secretary had brought him.

Shao Yifu first read Ming Pao, whose front page usually featured international news.

Ming Pao has reported on events such as the formal establishment of diplomatic relations between the US and China this year, the war between China and the West, and the nuclear accident that occurred in the US.

Shao Yifu quickly finished reading the first issue and then turned to the supplement of Ming Pao.

Just as he was engrossed in watching, there was a knock on the door.

"Please come in!"

The office door was pushed open, and Shao Yifu looked up to see who it was; it was Fang Yihua.

Shao Yifu found it strange. Shouldn't Fang Yihua be in charge of Shaw Brothers Studio? Why was she coming to see him so early in the morning?

Fang Yihua placed the newspaper she was holding on the desk and asked softly, "Sixth Brother, have you read today's Oriental Daily?"

Shao Yifu shook his head, indicating that he had not yet read it.

Fang Yihua pushed the newspaper in front of Shao Yifu, "Then please take a look at this article."

Shaw Yi-fu put down the Ming Pao newspaper in his hand, picked up the newspaper on the table, and began to read it carefully.

The Oriental Daily News published a very sharp article in its supplement: "Interview with Zhao Yazhi, actress who played Feng Chengcheng in 'Shanghai Bund': The innocent are innocent, and we must stay true to our original aspirations."

The title intrigued Shao Yifu. He could guess that it was written by Li Jiangbo, and he was also curious about how Li Jiangbo would turn the current situation around.

This report takes a strange approach; at first glance, it might be mistaken for another piece of copycat criticism.

Because it was an exclusive interview, everyone was curious to see what Zhao Yazhi said and continued watching with great interest.

The report recorded Zhao Yazhi's thoughts on playing Feng Chengcheng in the TV series "Shanghai Bund". When the reporter asked her about the rumors between her and Huang Yuanshen, she replied...

Zhao Yazhi didn't explain much, only mentioning softly, "There are occasional arguments at home, which were originally just misunderstandings. I just didn't expect them to escalate to the public eye and cause trouble for everyone."

The topic was glossed over, and what remained was Zhao Yazhi's understanding of the role of Feng Chengcheng, which she played in the TV series "Shanghai Bund".

Finally, a close-up photo was attached at the end of the article: Zhao Yazhi holding a book, her eyes clear and gentle.

The caption below reads: "Interpret the role with a calm mind, and face life with gentleness."

Shao Yifu threw down the newspaper in his hand and rubbed the bridge of his nose.

Fang Yihua came up behind Shao Yifu and gently massaged him with her fingers. "Sixth Brother, this report..."

Shao Yifu opened his eyes and glanced at Fang Yihua behind him. "If I'm not mistaken, it must have been Bozai who made the move! But what I didn't expect was that he could find the Oriental Daily to help Zhao Yazhi clear her name."

Fang Yihua asked suspiciously, "How could it be Bo-zai? How would he know anyone from the Oriental Daily News?"

"Don't underestimate Li Jiangbo. He can use a script to exchange for his personal freedom, and he can use a similar method to get the Oriental Daily to whitewash Zhao Yazhi. Moreover, I'm certain that this Bo-zai has more tricks up his sleeve."

"What backup plan?" Fang Yihua asked hurriedly.

Shao Yifu shook his head. "I don't know either, but I think I'll find out tomorrow."

Meanwhile, newsstands in Hong Kong were crowded with people buying newspapers.

Some people saw the Oriental Daily News report and started discussing it with those around them.

"This girl speaks so gently, she doesn't seem like the kind of person who would do that kind of thing. She seems to have been wronged."

"I saw her near the film set yesterday after work. She was wearing a simple cheongsam like this, quiet and unassuming, unlike those flamboyant female celebrities."

"Who knows if it's fake? The interviews are all pre-written."

"That's right! These big stars have all sorts of wild private lives, and they even have evidence—their love letters have been published."

In an instant, the crowd split into three factions. One faction felt that Zhao Yazhi should not commit adultery, and they stood on Zhao Yazhi's side.

One side sided with Huang Hanwei, since he had already published the love letters, which was enough to provide both witness testimony and physical evidence.

The last group simply admired Zhao Yazhi's beautiful photos and made no comment on the incident.

Over the next two days, Oriental Daily News published two highly eye-catching reports, continuing to speak out for Zhao Yazhi.

Day 1 Report: "Gentle and Touching! Zhao Yazhi Visits the West City Orphanage, Warmly Accompanying the Children"

This report documented Zhao Yazhi's entire process of volunteering at the orphanage yesterday, bringing clothes and snacks with her.

The accompanying photo shows Zhao Yazhi squatting on the ground, adjusting a little girl's collar.

After this report was published, public opinion was noticeably less sharp and harsh than before.

A kind-hearted and hardworking image is planted in people's hearts.

Some busybodies are still being stubborn and continuing to insult Zhao Yazhi, but such voices are becoming increasingly rare among the crowd.

The second day's report: "A Deep Dive into the Truth Behind the Scandalous Relationship Between Zhao Yazhi and Huang Yuanshen"

As soon as the report was published, Oriental Daily News sold out in Hong Kong.

Newspaper stands and newsboys from all over the streets flocked to the Oriental Daily News's printing booth, demanding an extra print run.

In a company in Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong.

Liu Ji, carrying a briefcase and holding a copy of the Oriental Daily he had just bought, plopped down at his workstation.

He didn't rush to work; instead, he unfolded the newspaper he had bought and started reading it.

A colleague standing nearby noticed that he was holding the Oriental Daily and whispered, "Old Liu, let me see it after you've finished reading it."

Liu Ji asked, "What, you want to see the rumors about Zhao Yazhi and Huang Yuanshen?"

The colleague said, "No, I'm reading the novel serialized in the Oriental Daily News—'Those Things About the Ming Dynasty.' Now that you mention it, is this another report on celebrity gossip?"

Liu Ji chuckled lewdly, "This scandal is flying everywhere. You read the Oriental Daily all day, how could you not know?"

"Hey! What's so interesting about those news reports? I think novels are much better."

Liu Ji shook his head. "I think this scandal is more exciting than any novel you've ever read! Hey! You know what? The rumors about Zhao Yazhi and Huang Yuanshen were actually false!"

Hearing Liu Ji's words, his colleagues quickly gathered around, all urging him to explain in detail.

Liu Ji cleared his throat, and like a spy making a rendezvous, whispered, "The report says that Huang Yuanshen was just delusional, constantly harassing Zhao Yazhi, writing her love letters from time to time, and even interfering with her work!"

How did the love letter end up in Huang Hanwei's hands?

"It was slipped into Zhao Yazhi's bag by a member of the film crew. Zhao Yazhi was unaware of it and took it home directly, and then Huang Hanwei found out."

"Really?"

Liu Ji patted his chest and assured him, "Of course it's true! The newspapers say they've found the staff member who slipped the love letter to Zhao Yazhi. Furthermore, Li Jiangbo, the director of 'Shanghai Bund,' testified that Huang Yuanshen was harassing Zhao Yazhi while he was discussing work with her!"

"Director Li? That Li Jiangbo who specializes in making erotic films? This erotic guy is actually making TV dramas now?"

Once this topic came up, the tone of the entire conversation suddenly changed, and everyone started discussing Li Jiangbo, the director of erotic films.

Then, a fan of Zhao Yazhi suddenly slammed his fist on the table, exclaiming, "Huang Yuanshen deserves to die, and Huang Hanwei deserves to die too! They wrongly accused their own wife without even asking the truth! If I were to get married, I would definitely be more careful and never marry someone like Huang Hanwei!"

Everyone burst into laughter upon hearing this. Liu Ji joked, "I'm not Huang Hanwei, Ah Zhen, why don't you consider me...?"

Zhao Yazhi's fan was clearly speechless at Liu Ji's words. She hurriedly made up an excuse and turned back to her workstation.

The others chimed in, "Oh! Ah Zhen's even shy!"

......

After three consecutive days of reporting, the "truth" about the scandal between Zhao Yazhi and Huang Yuanshen quickly spread throughout Hong Kong.

In just three days, the Oriental Daily News stirred up the entire entertainment industry in Hong Kong with three reports.

Most people chose to believe the Oriental Daily News report, with only a few believing that the Oriental Daily News had a bad reputation and should not be trusted entirely.

Seeing the shift in public opinion, other newspapers began reporting news favorable to Zhao Yazhi, including the Sing Tao Daily, which had previously reported on her affair.

After various newspapers changed their strategies, their weekly sales broke records. Zhao Yazhi became a household name overnight, and the unreleased TV series "Shanghai Bund" became a hot topic.

Sitting in the boss's chair, Shao Yifu thought to himself, "Public opinion can be used like this? Bo-zai's methods are truly impressive!"