Chapter Forty: Negative Publicity

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“Well, well, our program didn’t even turn you away, and yet you, an unknown nobody, dare to look down on us—how bold you are!”

Yuan Siruo spoke, the disdain on her face now replaced by anger.

Liu Qingshan slowly shook his head:

“Madam, I think you know best why I gave up this opportunity. Even a street cleaner shouldn’t be greeted with such contempt, should they? So, since I believe I’m not fit for this program, surely you won’t treat me any worse. Isn’t it enough that I stepped aside myself? What does courage have to do with this?”

“Outrageous! Even real celebrities wouldn’t dare confront our crew so confidently. If word gets out, your career will be affected. Don’t forget, ‘Entertainment Interview’ is all about reporting on you artists!”

“Do as you wish. My career doesn’t need publicity from a program that’s so prejudiced. Is it enough for me to claim I’m temporarily unwell? I’ll even accept any penalty for breaching the contract—will that satisfy you?”

Yuan Siruo trembled with rage, about to retort, but Du Feiwen stopped her and spoke himself:

“Since Mr. Liu is unwell, we won’t insist. But let me make one thing clear: your refusal to record is entirely your own decision and has nothing to do with ‘Entertainment Interview.’”

Liu Qingshan smiled and was about to leave, but Yuan Siruo, reckless as ever, threw out another line:

“Director Du, ignore him. Let’s get to editing and expose this man’s ugly face!”

Liu Qingshan’s expression turned cold:

“If that’s the case, it seems Madam harbors deep resentment toward me. Then I’ll speak plainly. I’m sorry, Director Du, let’s just proceed as we must.”

“Don’t bother seeing him out!” Du Feiwen, knowing there was no reconciliation, didn’t bother to feign politeness.

Liu Qingshan strode away.

He wasn’t afraid of any negative publicity; he had no reputation at all. Even if ‘Entertainment Interview’ aired the story, who was there to care?

Still, to be safe, he called Chen Long as soon as he left the station grounds.

Chen Long listened silently to the entire account, then burst out laughing:

“Remarkable! Our Qingshan encounters such a mess on his very first outing! Don’t worry, leave the rest to the producers of ‘Legend.’”

“Qinghuang Pictures will respond? Is that necessary?”

“Let’s wait and see what the station does first. If it gets out of hand, Qinghuang will issue a statement detailing the whole incident. Your sister Qiao is still with the crew—I’ll tell her to return their ten thousand yuan right away!”

“Sorry, big brother, I ruined your first favor for me!”

“Qingshan, you can’t let yourself be bullied—especially as martial artists. Don’t worry, I’ll support you unconditionally! Besides, the bigger the fuss, the better for us—it’s free publicity for the film!”

Neither of them expected their casual attitude to be shattered by evening.

Du Feiwen didn’t wait for ‘Entertainment Interview’ to air in a few days; instead, that very night, he broadcast the story on the local news channel.

Chen Long had assumed the station’s higher-ups would consult him first and give him a chance to explain Liu Qingshan’s actions.

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This made the situation serious. Du Feiwen, shrewd as he was, anticipated that the provincial station’s leader who initiated the interview would likely stop the broadcast before it aired. So he found an acquaintance at the local station and leaked the story in advance, under the pretense of hearsay.

The content aside, the sensational headline alone drew attention: “A minor actor, relying on his movie crew’s status in Hong Kong and Taiwan, acts like a diva for no reason during a provincial station interview—such artist professionalism needs improvement!”

Of course, they didn’t mention the ‘Legend’ crew. Chen Long and his team had been treated with ceremony upon arriving in Chang’an, even if they weren’t high-profile. Both the station and Du Feiwen clearly considered the international star’s influence and chose to keep things vague.

Yet anyone determined to investigate could easily figure out which crew it was—‘Legend’ was hardly a secret production.

Liu Qingshan’s name was made public, painting him as arrogant and unruly, while the rescue incident was never mentioned.

Upon hearing the news, Chen Long immediately summoned Liu Qingshan.

As they discussed, Chen Long’s assistant’s phone kept ringing. He couldn’t ignore certain calls and stepped out to answer, including one from the provincial station’s deputy director who had invited Liu Qingshan.

Returning, Chen Long told Liu Qingshan about the man:

“Deputy Director Rong Yongnian used to work in the cultural department—we met back then. Coming to the provincial station was a move to the grassroots. He was the one who suggested inviting you.”

“What did Director Rong say?”

“He said the director played a trick, released the news on the local channel, and claimed it was overheard. Director Rong is now investigating the matter.”

“Ha, that’s a flimsy excuse!”

“But it’s a perfect way to shirk responsibility! I understand how things work here—there are complicated relationships at the provincial station. Director Rong can only inquire, not actually hold anyone accountable.”

“I think we should let it go for now. As long as the ‘Legend’ crew isn’t dragged in, you can’t make a big fuss, right?”

Chen Long caught his meaning: “You’re worried that an official announcement would affect the crew and Director Rong?”

“Obviously. If Du Feiwen had aired the story on the provincial channel, it would be straightforward—he’d be guilty of misconduct for bypassing program review. But by doing it this way, he’s removed himself from the equation, muddying the waters with a strategy that works both ways.”

“Is it really that serious?”

“At the moment, they’re just observing. Unless he’s punished, within two days, newspapers, radio, TV, and other media will start picking up the story. That’s probably Du Feiwen’s real goal!”

“Knowing this, you still want to let the rumors spread?”

“We have to wait until he’s spread it as far as possible—only then will the provincial station abandon him. That’s when we act.”

“You want to use this to stir up future publicity?”

“Big brother, didn’t you notice the news made a huge mistake?”

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“Stop being cryptic, or I’ll smack you!”

“The news never mentioned why ‘Entertainment Interview’ invited me, a minor actor. Wasn’t it because of the rescue incident in the crew?”

“Haha, classic double standards! They deliberately left it out to cast you as an unprofessional, diva-like figure.”

“So, when the time comes, just highlight that point, and the narrative can be reversed. Anyone with common sense will see the purpose behind hiding the main reason!”

“But we don’t have any recordings from that time—how will you prove your argument?”

“When the time comes, the crew and Qinghuang Pictures shouldn’t step forward first. I’ll reveal the truth myself. It doesn’t need evidence—just saying the names of the two people involved is proof enough.”

“Won’t that offend certain people at the provincial station?”

“That’s why, big brother, you should quietly drop hints to some people, distancing the crew from the matter.”

“What should I say?”

“No need for direct warnings—just mention my abilities and hint that I won’t let this go easily. But make sure you clarify the real reason, not that I’m being unreasonable.”

“If you’re doing this for ‘Legend’ and me, I suggest you don’t take the risk. It’s better for everyone to work together—teamwork is always stronger than going solo!”

“Big brother, just trust me this time. No matter what, the crew can’t get involved—that’s my principle.”

“Are you sure? Aren’t you afraid this provincial station will target you in the future?”

“Yes. It’s nothing serious—right now I have no reputation. However wild their coverage gets, it’ll only boost my fame, even if it’s infamy. As new works are released, I won’t care about this second-tier platform anymore. That’s the worst that could happen. Besides, I believe there are many more reasonable people at the station than a few malicious ones.”

“All right, I’ll emphasize your martial artist’s character. Several provincial station leaders have seen the rescue video—they’ll easily believe it.”

With their agreement, the next day, a gag order was announced in the crew.

As Liu Qingshan predicted, there wasn’t much commotion the following day, but by the third day, the story exploded, appearing across local media outlets.

Even some external media picked up the story. By then, the ‘Legend’ crew had already moved on to the filming location in India.

This time, Jin Xishan didn’t need to go along. With Sun Cheng’s help, she was heading to the capital to audition for the sole female lead in the period drama ‘Song Dynasty Magistrate.’

In fact, Sun Cheng didn’t have much trouble landing her the role. Jin Xishan was now a top star in Korea—her looks and talent were genuine.

If they cast her, the show might even be exported to Korea in the future, making it highly valuable for publicity.

Before saying goodbye, Jin Xishan and Liu Qingshan agreed she’d take care of his property temporarily, including renovations.

Despite their reluctance to part, Jin Xishan—six years his senior—displayed a girlish tenderness, shedding many tears. But with the crew waiting to depart, they could only linger in the room for a little longer before moving on.