Shadow of Chinese Entertainment

Chapter 201 Five Finger Mountain

Whether it was Wang Zhongsong before or Song Wude now, they are nothing more than clowns jumping around.

These people have a clear goal and have already solved it.

But those hidden forces lurking in the shadows are truly the hardest to guard against.

Eating melons is human nature, and there's nothing wrong with that.

However, fabricating rumors and spreading rumors are different. Some people just like to fabricate and spread rumors, even if they have no interest in them, they will still do it with great enthusiasm.

It's simply impossible to completely eliminate it.

Even at the national level, the main focus is on deterrence, guidance, and education.

Hu Xiaobei even wanted to film a movie called "Caught in the Web" for An Xiaoqian ahead of time. He thought that once the movie was released, it would definitely slap a bunch of media outlets in the face.

But after thinking about it carefully, I decided not to do it.

Because it's necessary, this approach will only attract more mudslinging and negative publicity.

Some people are just like that by nature, and there's no point in mocking them.

For them, spreading rumors is fun for a while, and spreading rumors all the time is even more fun.

However, the worst aspects of human nature go far beyond this.

If spreading rumors can bring some people a sense of pleasure, then self-interest is what ordinary people pursue at a deeper level.

In light of this, Hu Xiaobei has been busy lately and decided to use a stronger form of weakness to deal with a relatively weaker one.

Most importantly, this stronger tendency towards weakness is controllable.

After careful screening, he finally selected several domestic law firms that were "reputable", "experienced", and "excellent" in areas such as reputation protection.

He personally communicated extensively with the heads of these law firms and, with ample funds, expressed his firm determination to safeguard An Xiaoqian's reputation through legal means.

After several rounds of negotiations, Hu Xiaobei reached a consensus with these law firms on cooperation and privately established a special fund to combat rumors.

The purpose of this special fund is very clear: to support these law firms in launching a series of legal actions against the spread of rumors.

As long as there's money to be made, Hu Xiaobei doesn't need to worry about which websites or media outlets are spreading rumors; the law firm will proactively launch wave after wave of attacks against them.

The first step is for the law firm to send a well-written and clearly organized lawyer's letter to the parties involved.

The lawyer's letter will clearly state that the content disseminated by the parties involved constitutes an infringement on An Xiaoqian's right to reputation.

They were also asked to remove the fabricated content, delete related information, and issue a public apology within a specified time.

If the parties involved ignore this and refuse to comply with the above requirements.

What awaits them is a series of legal battles, perhaps endless.

Several major law firms will fully utilize their professional legal knowledge and extensive litigation experience to resolutely safeguard An Xiaoqian's legitimate rights and interests.

After careful consideration, Hu Xiaobei decided to invest 1000 million RMB annually in the special fund.

500 million was deposited into the designated account in advance to ensure that all legal actions could be carried out swiftly.

Once the funds have been used up to a certain amount and are close to being exhausted, he will immediately arrange for the finance staff to verify the situation and replenish the funds in a timely manner.

This is to ensure that subsequent legal action will not be hindered by funding issues.

With such powerful legal deterrents, the effects will inevitably be immediate.

Most companies, media outlets, and individuals would carefully weigh the pros and cons after receiving a lawyer's letter.

After all, a time-consuming and costly legal battle could not only subject them to huge compensation claims, but also cause irreparable damage to their reputation and image.

Especially for small companies and media outlets, if they do not comply with this level of lawsuit, they can almost certainly prepare for bankruptcy.

But where can you find a tough nut to crack when these companies, media outlets, and individuals spread rumors?
Unless they are extremely powerful companies and media outlets that rely on their strong backgrounds and have no regard for legal consequences.

Otherwise, they will generally have some concerns and choose to stop the spread of rumors in time and make rectifications as required.

Of course, if there really were such a stubborn company, willing to spend tens of millions of dollars every year to fight lawsuits, that would be a different story.

So... Hu Xiaobei is happy to play along, and can double or even super double the amount at any time.

Sometimes, not only can killing the chicken serve as a warning to the monkey, but the reverse can also have a good effect.

Of course, there are always gains and losses in everything.

In the process of cracking down on the spread of rumors, it is inevitable that An Xiaoqian's news exposure will decrease. This is because some media outlets that might otherwise report on An Xiaoqian's news will become extra cautious in their reporting due to concerns about legal risks, and may even choose to avoid news related to An Xiaoqian altogether.

But in Hu Xiaobei's view, these negative impacts are insignificant compared to controlling the spread of rumors and restoring An Xiaoqian's reputation.

As long as the spread of rumors can be completely contained, the temporary decrease in exposure will not pose a substantial obstacle to An Xiaoqian's future development.

After all, An Xiaoqian is a well-known tank!
Of course, as an actor, the most important thing is to let the roles and works speak for themselves.

With Hu Xiaobei around, An Xiaoqian will never lack good roles and works.

Hu Xiaobei did not let An Xiaoqian know about the special funds.

However, it was impossible to hide it from Liu Xiaoli, nor was it something that could be done.

By the time Liu Xiaoli found out, the plan had already been finalized and the funds had already been transferred out.

Because of the May Day holiday and the lack of work during this period, Hu Xiaobei has been sleeping at An Xiaoqian's house for the past few days.

Upon hearing the news, Liu Xiaoli felt a mix of emotions. So, while An Xiaoqian was in the bathroom preparing to wash up and go to bed, she took the opportunity to talk to Hu Xiaobei about these things.

The air was filled with a faint aroma of tea, but it couldn't dispel the worries in Liu Xiaoli's heart.

Her brows furrowed slightly, and her eyes revealed a complex mix of emotions, a mixture of relief and unspoken worry.

She leaned forward slightly, her gaze fixed on Hu Xiaobei, and broke the silence first: "Xiaobei, I've seen how decisive you are."

The only problem is that the investment this time is too large, starting at 500 million, and we also need to guarantee an annual investment of 1000 million.

Investing such a large sum of money every year already exceeds Sisi's current commercial value.

Hu Xiaobei straightened his back slightly, leaned forward subconsciously, and met Liu Xiaoli's gaze honestly with a gentle yet firm expression on his face. He slowly said, "Auntie, I know very well what I'm doing."

In my opinion, all of these investments were worthwhile.

So many rumors have been spread about Sissi. If we don't fight back, the rumors will only get worse.

Her reputation is of paramount importance to me, far exceeding anything that money can measure.

Liu Xiaoli sighed softly, but the worry in her eyes did not disappear.

She shook her head slightly, her gaze scrutinizing and thoughtful: "I understand you care about Xixi. But this isn't a small amount of money. Although we're close, I can't let you bear such a large expense for no reason."

Hu Xiaobei waved his hand gently, his expression unwavering, his eyes revealing an undeniable determination: "Auntie, I did these things not on a whim, but after careful consideration."

We've always gotten along very well; Auntie and Sisi are like family to me.

I just wanted to do everything I could to protect Xixi and the people I care about.

Liu Xiaoli's gaze lingered on Hu Xiaobei's face for a long time, trying to discern more of his true thoughts from his expression.

She paused for a moment, her tone tinged with helplessness and emotion: "Xiao Bei, I understand your care for Qian Qian, and I hope that you two can support each other and face the storms together in the future."

However, things in this world are unpredictable, and your future is still long; no one can foresee what will happen...

Hu Xiaobei nodded slightly, a hint of determination flashing in his eyes: "Auntie, I understand your concerns, but right now I feel more kinship and friendship towards Qianqian."

Indeed, no one knows what the future holds.

My reason for doing this is not only considering the future, but also out of our current family and friendships.

Looking at Hu Xiaobei, Liu Xiaoli's worry gradually gave way to relief.

She nodded gently, a slight smile playing on her lips: "Xiao Bei, you've always been very sensible in your actions, and your care for Qianqian has been meticulous."

Having spent so much time together, I've come to regard you as my own child.

But Sisi is still young and her mind is still undecided. There's a long road ahead, and I'm genuinely a little worried...

Auntie doesn't want any of you to get hurt; she only hopes you will all get better and better.

Hu Xiaobei deliberately sat up straight, his eyes gleaming with determination.

He slowly raised his right arm, opened his palm, and then slowly closed his five fingers, firmly clenching them into a tight fist in the air, as if he had concentrated all his confidence and strength into it.

He replied with a tone that was both confident and promise-like: "Auntie, you can rest assured. No matter how much trouble Qianqian causes, she will never escape my grasp."

Liu Xiaoli: "..."

(End of this chapter)