How can you ascend to heaven when you are a star?

Chapter 448: A delaying strategy?

noon.

As the topic of "Golden Melody Awards jury leaders Tian Boyang and Tian Yu's vow came true" trended on social media, some curious reporters and netizens flocked to Shenzhen Central Hospital to find out what was going on.

"Nurse, which ward is Tian Boyang in?" A man in a plaid shirt came to the information desk on the first floor, and when he faced the nurse, he had a fake smile on his face.

"I just changed shifts, I don't know," the nurse said, while looking down and pretending to tidy up the medical records on the table.

It wasn't that she didn't know, but she was ordered not to reveal anything about Tian Boyang and his son Tian Yu to anyone.

"Nurse, don't misunderstand, I'm Tian Boyang's nephew, he's my second uncle," the man explained.

The nurse glanced up at the man in front of her and said expressionlessly, "Have you ever seen a nephew visit his uncle in the hospital with a DSLR camera? Besides, your uncle is hospitalized, and you don't even know which ward he's in?"

The man glanced down at the DSLR camera hanging around his neck, immediately showing an embarrassed expression. He forced a defense, saying, "I'm here on vacation. I just saw on the news that my second uncle is sick, so I rushed over. You can understand how anxious we family members are, right?"

The nurse chuckled twice, then pointed behind the man and said, "Don't tell me these people are all Tian Boyang's relatives."

The man turned around and saw thirty or forty people standing behind him, each holding either a DSLR camera or a mobile phone. Among them were a few familiar faces, who seemed to be colleagues.

Even more outrageous is that these people are lining up to claim kinship.

“I am Tian Boyang’s nephew, and Tian Boyang is my maternal uncle,” a young man in a jacket shouted, while hiding his phone behind his back.

"I am Tian Boyang's distant cousin," a middle-aged man in a suit said in a loud voice, trying to put on a friendly expression.

"Tian Yu and I are old classmates, and we used to date." A young girl was live-streaming on her phone, her tone exaggerated as if she were acting in a skit.

"..."

The scene instantly turned into a family reunion for Tian Boyang and Tian Yu.

The man in the plaid shirt was speechless.

I've seen shameless people, but I've never seen so many shameless people. Isn't this just plagiarizing his idea?

"You should leave now and not disrupt the hospital's order," the nurse said sternly, her tone tinged with impatience.

She's already exhausted from work, and now she has to deal with these malicious reporters and netizens. Isn't that just adding to her workload?

When the man realized his attempt to claim kinship had been exposed, he changed tactics and pleaded, "Nurse, please let me see Tian Boyang. Many people are concerned about his health, and we want to give the public an explanation."

Upon hearing this, the people behind him immediately rushed to share their thoughts.

"Nurse, is Tian Yu really unable to recognize people?"

"Are Tian Boyang and his son Tian Yu really suffering from Alzheimer's disease?"

"Did Tian Boyang also say that the Golden Melody Award belonged to Zhang Wen?"

The noise kept echoing in the lobby, making it feel more like a vegetable market than a hospital.

"Quiet down, quiet down!" the nurse couldn't help but shout. "This is a hospital, a place for treatment. Please be quiet and don't disturb other patients."

The security guard standing at the door also came over to maintain order at the scene.

A reporter wearing black-rimmed glasses said loudly, "We just want to confirm the health conditions of Tian Boyang and Tian Yu. Their situation is directly linked to the Golden Melody Awards scandal, and the public has the right to know."

"Don't ask!" someone suddenly shouted from the crowd, "The Tian family father and son are in ward 1208 in the VIP area."

These words were like a thunderclap, instantly silencing the hall.

Upon hearing this, everyone immediately stopped asking questions and, regardless of whether it was true or false, rushed towards the elevator. Just like in a 100-meter race, their speed was so fast that even Usain Bolt would have to admit defeat.

The nurse panicked when she saw this and shouted at the group, "Hey, you can't go!"

“They came to visit us in the hospital, why can’t we go? You’re preventing everyone from showing concern for Tian Boyang and his son Tian Yu,” Zhang Wenyi said sternly.

That shout just now was also from him.

Helping others is always his life motto.

"Outsiders are not allowed to visit Tian Boyang's family," the nurse said urgently.

“When did your Central Hospital become Tian Boyang’s private hospital? How come you ban it just because Tian Boyang’s family says so? Besides, were those people outsiders? They are all Tian Boyang’s relatives. Why don’t you listen to their opinions?” Zhang Wen retorted.

The nurse was taken aback by the question, and after a while, she asked, "Who...who are you?"

"Me?" Zhang Wen straightened his clothes and said in a serious tone, "Please call me a righteous man."

"Huh?" The nurse was completely dumbfounded.

Amidst the nurse's puzzled gaze, Zhang Wen strode towards the elevator.

12th floor.

The corridors of the VIP wards were now overflowing with people and in complete chaos.

Fan Cheng and another colleague stood at the door of ward 1208, their arms outstretched, blocking the doorway.

Thirty or forty reporters and netizens crowded in the corridor, some holding DSLR cameras, some holding mobile phones, taking pictures of the ward door, while their mouths were also busy, asking questions all at once.

Is Tian Boyang inside?

"Let us in for the interview!"

"Where's Tian Yu? Come out and say something."

"..."

Fan Cheng gritted his teeth, stopped the reporters who suddenly appeared, and said loudly, "Don't push, don't push. Mr. Tian and his son need to rest and cannot be interviewed. If you keep doing this, I will call security."

However, no one listened to him.

Some people tried to crawl under his armpits, some tugged at his clothes, and others held up their phones to live stream, shouting into the camera: "Family members, I've arrived at the door of ward 1208. Inside are Tian Boyang, the head of the Golden Melody Awards jury, and his son Tian Yu. Do you family members want to go in and see them?"

Fan Cheng was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan. His shirt was already soaked with sweat. He wanted to call the vice president, but he didn't even have time to take out his phone.

Just then, the elevator dinged and Sun Shiping stepped out.

He had just come from the dean's office to discuss strengthening security measures in the VIP area, but as soon as he looked up, he saw a huge crowd of people in the corridor.

not good!

Sun Shiping's expression changed, and he turned around to go back to the elevator, but before he could take a step, he heard someone calling his name.

"It's Sun Shiping!"

"Vice President of the Music Association."

It was the voice of a righteous person once again.

The next moment, the crowd surged toward Sun Shiping like a tidal wave.

Suddenly, a voice recorder, a DSLR camera, and a cell phone were all shoved in his face, and questions rained down on him like a machine gun.

"Vice President Sun, are Tian Boyang and Tian Yu really suffering from cognitive impairment?"

"Vice President Sun, Tian Boyang said the Golden Melody Award belongs to Zhang Wen. What's going on?"

"What do you think about the rumors online that the father and son made a vow that came true?"

"As the organizer of the Golden Melody Awards, what are the Music Association's thoughts on the rumors of behind-the-scenes manipulation of the Golden Melody Awards circulating online?"

Sun Shiping's face flushed red and then turned pale. He turned around and tried to hide in the elevator, but the elevator doors had already closed.

Surrounded by the crowd, he was caught in a dilemma, and could only force himself to remain calm as he said, "Regarding the Golden Melody Awards scandal, our music association has received numerous complaints. The association will issue a unified response later. Please refer to official announcements and do not believe or spread rumors..."

Upon hearing this, the group did not leave immediately. They had already come all this way; how could they leave without getting what they wanted?
"Vice President Sun, what are the main contents of the official response? Could you please tell us in advance?"

"What do you mean by not believing or spreading rumors?"

"Vice President Sun, why won't you let us in for an interview? Are you trying to cover up the truth?"

Amidst a cacophony of questions and doubts, Sun Shiping felt his head was about to explode. Inside the ward were two elderly people with dementia; one muttered, "The trophy belongs to Zhang Wen," while the other shouted, "Give me back my 1.05 million!" How could he dare let anyone in for an interview?
Sun Shiping looked at the excited faces in front of him, then glanced at the closed ward 1208. He felt as if a huge rock was pressing on his chest, and his breathing became increasingly difficult.

I can't escape, and I can't answer. What should I do?
Suddenly, an idea flashed through his mind.

Pretend to faint!

Wouldn't it be quiet if I just lay it on the ground?

These reporters and netizens can't possibly not even let a person who has fainted get away with it, can they?

With this thought in mind, Sun Shiping began to slowly build up his emotions.

He first deliberately slowed his breathing, letting his face gradually turn pale, then his eyes went blank and his gaze gradually lost focus.

The next moment, his legs went weak, and he deliberately fell forward.

Why does it tilt forward instead of backward?
Because there are people in front and no one behind, if you fall forward and land on these people, it won't hurt. But if you fall backward and hit your head, you'll really faint.

"what!"

A gasp rang out from the crowd, and the reporter standing at the front instinctively reached out and caught Sun Shiping as he was about to fall.

Sun Shiping leaned against the reporter, his eyes tightly closed, his lips pressed into a straight line, and even his breathing deliberately became weak, with only the faint rise and fall of his chest remaining.

"Vice President Sun has fainted!"

"Call the doctor quickly!"

The scene instantly descended into chaos, with the previously aggressive questioning turning into frantic shouts.

Some people stepped back, afraid of being scammed; some took out their phones to dial emergency numbers, only to realize they were in a hospital after dialing; others held up their phones, pointed the camera at Sun Shiping, and shouted at the screen: "Look, family members, Sun Shiping is confused by the questions, do you think he's feeling guilty?"

Sun Shiping: Damn it!

Because he was in the VIP ward area, the nurses arrived quickly, examined Sun Shiping, and said, "His blood pressure is a bit high, and his heart rate is a bit fast. It may be a fainting spell caused by excessive tension... Let's take him to the emergency room first."

Under the nurse's direction, those around Sun Shiping were lifted onto an emergency bed and then pushed into the elevator.

Only after hearing the "ding" did Sun Shiping secretly breathe a sigh of relief, thinking that pretending to faint had indeed worked, otherwise he would have been bombarded with questions from those reporters.

However, while Sun Shiping remained unharmed, Fan Cheng and his colleagues became the targets of reporters and netizens.

Just as the two sides were arguing fiercely, someone in the crowd suddenly shouted, their voice drowning out all the noise.

"Look at my phone, the Golden Melody Awards organizing committee has issued a statement!"

Upon hearing this, everyone instinctively pulled out their phones, their fingers flying across social media feeds. Even Zhang Wen picked up his phone, staring curiously at the screen.

He wanted to see what the Golden Melody Awards organizing committee was really up to by getting involved at this time.

The official Weibo account of the Golden Melody Awards organizing committee posted a message three minutes ago titled "Response to the Controversy Regarding the Judging of This Year's Golden Melody Awards".

Dear music lovers, media friends, and people from all walks of life:
Recently, questions raised regarding the judging process of this year's Golden Melody Awards have sparked widespread public attention and discussion. Since its inception, the Golden Melody Awards has always adhered to the principles of "fairness, professionalism, and transparency," and attaches great importance to issues of public concern. After urgent discussion, the following announcement is hereby issued:
I. A special investigation team has been established. The team consists of senior musicians, legal professionals, media representatives, and independent third-party observers to ensure the investigation is independent, impartial, and free from any interference.

II. Thorough investigation of the entire review process. A comprehensive review of all aspects, including the formation of the review panel, scoring records, and shortlisting verification…

Third, regarding the online rumors of "the vow coming true," the organizing committee reminds the public that such unscientific speculations are prone to spreading misinformation. We suggest that everyone view these rumors rationally, not believe or spread them, and work together to maintain a healthy online discussion environment.

IV. During the investigation, an investigation progress report will be released weekly. If any irregularities are found in the review process, they will be dealt with seriously in accordance with laws and regulations, and the works involved will be re-evaluated. At the same time, the organizing committee has opened an official feedback channel, and the public can submit clues via email or dedicated line. The working group will strictly keep the information confidential and verify each one.

The development of the Golden Melody Awards cannot be separated from public support. This controversy has exposed oversights in process management. We will conduct an investigation with a rigorous attitude, respond to public trust with practical actions, and earnestly safeguard the fairness and dignity of the music industry.

Special announcement.

Golden Melody Awards Organizing Committee.

After reading the announcement, the corridor erupted in chaos, with different opinions mingling together.

"The organizing committee reacted quickly and even publicized the feedback channels."

"What do you mean by not believing or spreading rumors? Tian Yu's videos are right there, how can that be called a rumor?"

"I think this public announcement is just to appease public opinion; they have no real intention of investigating!"

"Family members, have you all seen the statement released by the Golden Melody Awards organizing committee? If you think the organizing committee is sincere, type 1; if you think it's just for show, type 2. Share your thoughts in the chat."

Seeing that most people didn't believe it, Fan Cheng, as a member of the music association, immediately said loudly, "Please trust the Golden Melody Awards organizing committee; they will definitely give the public the truth."

"Why didn't the organizing committee mention anything about Tian Boyang's statement that 'the trophy belongs to Zhang Wen'?" Zhang Wen asked loudly from behind the crowd.

"I...I don't know. Please refer to the organizing committee's statement for the most accurate information," Fan Cheng hurriedly explained, inwardly cursing himself for speaking up.

"Why is there no investigation period? Is this a delaying tactic by the organizing committee, hoping to let the matter drop once the heat dies down?" Zhang Wen continued to ask.

"I..." Fan Cheng's heart sank suddenly, and the color drained from his face instantly.

"The organizing committee has not responded to the issues that the public is most concerned about, and has avoided the key issues. Is this in an attempt to appease public opinion?"

"..."

Faced with the aggressive questioning, Fan Cheng was speechless, lowered his head deeply, and wished he could slap himself a few times.

Serves you right for being so talkative! Serves you right for trying to show off!

The surrounding reporters applauded after hearing their 'colleague' speak out.

All the questions were spot on, and from a professional perspective, they directly exposed the Golden Melody Awards organizing committee's pretense.

These issues were also spread throughout the country through live broadcasts by some online streamers. Everyone initially thought that the Golden Melody Awards organizing committee had responded quickly and listened to the public's voice, but after watching the live broadcast, they suddenly felt that the announcement lacked any sincerity.

Immediately, countless netizens left comments on the official Weibo account of the Golden Melody Awards organizing committee.

"Avoiding the important and focusing on the trivial!"

"A delaying tactic."

"What we need is sincerity, not just a perfunctory response."

"..."

Meanwhile, at the music association's office building.

Zheng Jinpeng was sitting on a leather sofa, his fingers flying across his phone screen, his face darkening as he watched the online comments.

Topics such as "The Golden Melody Awards' statement lacks sincerity" and "A reporter's three consecutive questions expose the organizing committee's true colors" have become the focus of netizens' attention.

The announcement that was just released has not satisfied the public; on the contrary, it has aroused their anger.

"Netizens these days are getting harder and harder to fool," Zheng Jinpeng muttered through gritted teeth, his fingers constantly rubbing his temples, his face full of exhaustion.

He originally thought that issuing a statement would temporarily stabilize public opinion and delay until everyone gradually forgot about the matter, but he did not expect that the reporters' questions would directly expose all the loopholes in the statement.

Zheng Jinpeng picked up his phone, dialed the public relations department, and said angrily, "Immediately suppress those voices questioning the announcement!"

"President Zheng, we've tried," the public relations manager said, feeling aggrieved. "The netizens' emotions are too intense right now, and there are also many online streamers broadcasting live from the hospital. We simply can't suppress it."

"Can't control it? When you submitted the budget, you made all sorts of promises, but now that things have gone wrong, you're telling me you can't control it?"

"The main problem is that this matter is too special. The situation of Tian Boyang and his son is too newsworthy, and it seems that someone is deliberately pushing this matter behind the scenes. Several media platforms have refused to help us."

Zheng Jinpeng frowned.

Is someone pushing this?

Who is it that could make major media platforms disregard the music association?
Could it be a vice president?
He leaned back on the sofa, his mind racing: the delaying tactics had failed, and the opposition couldn't be suppressed. The only way now was to give the investigation results as soon as possible in order to quell public anger.

Thinking of this, Zheng Jinpeng's eyes gradually turned cold. Any remaining affection he had for Tian Boyang vanished in the face of reputation and profit.

"Old Tian, ​​Old Tian, ​​don't blame me. It's not that I didn't give you a chance, it's that netizens didn't give you a chance!"

……

(End of this chapter)