How can you become a star without money?

Chapter 35 I can't let you put in both effort and money.

The online public opinion environment in 2010 was actually quite lenient.

Perhaps it's because it's in its early stages and everything needs to be rebuilt.

No one realized what the internet was, nor did anyone think it could change human society much; everyone was in the exploratory stage.

The era of Weibo is also known as the "era of living people".

Because there weren't zombie accounts or marketing accounts flooding the market at that time, you could speak freely on Weibo. Even if you were a celebrity, you could personally get involved in arguments with strangers.

Moreover, Ma Ruo is currently just an ordinary person, but her opponents are netizens from all over the internet.

In just one afternoon, Ma Ruo's level of discussion and popularity surpassed the peak of Sister Feng and Sister Furong back then, making her an undisputed topic of conversation.

Misogynistic otaku used various methods to hurl insults, photoshop images, spread rumors, and dox people in the comments section.

Misogynistic women are also resorting to all sorts of extreme comments and attacks.

Those who followed the trend couldn't help but leave a comment: "The world is going to the dogs, and people's hearts are no longer what they used to be."

The editors of major portal websites were like they were on steroids, mobilizing everyone to start writing negative stories and simultaneously extending interview invitations to Tianhuo Media.

Qu Shou and Zhang Xinyu had to pay to get interviewed on Tencent News, and in one afternoon, Ma Ruo received more than a dozen invitations from people of the same level.

An exclusive interview with Ma Ruo has even fetched a price of 5 yuan.

"What did Wang Gang, the chief director of 'If You Are the One,' say?" He Ming's expression was complicated, a mixture of excitement and worry.

To be honest, he didn't expect that a single Weibo post could cause such a huge public opinion storm. Ma Ruo's popularity has even surpassed that of the World Expo.

Traffic level = value.

He Ming realized for the first time that it really was possible to turn waste into treasure.

"Turn on public, I'll type," Wang Yao gestured.

"Mr. He, what's going on?" As soon as the call connected, Wang Gang's deep voice came through, but his tone was acceptable and he didn't seem angry.

"What's wrong, Director Wang?" He Ming asked with a smile.

"Stop pretending, of course it's Ma Ruo. What's that girl doing on Weibo?" Wang Gang questioned.

"I couldn't find her either. Her phone has been off all day. She's probably been upset. Is there something wrong with her Weibo account?" He Ming sighed.

"We were originally planning to suppress the hype, but this girl's one Weibo post has put us in a passive position. Mr. He, your management of the artists is too lax," Wang Gang sighed.

“Director Wang, Ma Ruo is just an amateur, there aren’t that many rules. Besides, our contract doesn’t say anything about managing these private remarks, right? What do you mean?” He Ming asked in response to Wang Yao’s suggestion.

"That's true. To be honest, we didn't expect this matter to escalate like this. We just wanted to let you know that the public opinion is so strong that we can't control it. If problems arise, it has nothing to do with us."

"But we have a contract. Ma Ruo has only recorded four episodes, and there are still 16 episodes to go. You can't control his personal opinions, and if you can't control that, it's a breach of contract," Wang Gang said with a smile.

The greater the controversy surrounding Ma Ruo, the higher the viewership ratings for their show.

More importantly, all of this is Ma Ruo's personal behavior and has nothing to do with the TV station. If any problems arise, they can simply use a disclaimer clause and even gain some positive energy, which is entirely beneficial to them.

His main purpose in making the call was to put pressure on He Ming and force Ma Ruo to continue participating in the recording.

After all, he desperately needs this massive influx of traffic and controversy.

He was certain that as long as Ma Ruo was around, the ratings would definitely be number one in the country!

"Don't worry, Director Wang, I'll handle it. I'll be on time for the recording. However, we'd like to add a security team for Ma Ruo on set later, just to be on the safe side and ensure her safety," He Ming asked tentatively.

"Don't worry about that. As long as they're with us, there won't be any problems," Wang Gang said confidently.

After exchanging a few pleasantries and making some promises, He Ming even expressed his hope that Qu Shou would also make a guest appearance on an episode, but He Ming politely declined.

"The fact that he called personally shows that Ma Ruo's importance has become apparent. However, this old fox's words were all about shifting the blame and not wanting to give any benefits. How despicable," He Ming laughed after hanging up the phone.

"It's alright. As long as we make Ma Ruo a ratings guarantee for the show, we won't have to worry about the benefits later," Wang Yao said with a light laugh.

"What should we do next? Continue to provoke and create topics?" He Ming was getting impatient.

“Yes, but we’ll talk about it in a few days. Just keep the buzz going. Leave Ma Ruo’s problem to me. The main thing is Qu Shou’s case. The lawyer should be able to get the case closure receipt this week.” Wang Yao said seriously.

"Don't worry, I've already taken care of the announcements, the media contacts, and the celebrity endorsements you needed. We're just waiting for the case closure receipt. How are things going with your and Chi Xin's preparations?" He Ming asked in return.

"President Chi hasn't given me any news yet, but I should at least contact Hunan TV this week to see their attitude. If they're willing to support us, that would be even better." Wang Yao nodded.

“Okay, feel free to contact me if there are any problems. I have to go on a business trip in the next couple of days, so I'll leave the company to you.” He Ming nodded in satisfaction.

"Okay." After seeing He Ming off, Wang Yao invited Ma Ruo to dinner again.

After taking photos and posting them on Weibo in the afternoon, Ma Ruo felt much better and went home for a nap.

"Mr. Wang, what are the arrangements for the next step?" Although Ma Ruo's eyes were still red and swollen and she looked tired, her spirits had improved a lot.

Being attacked online would have put her under immense pressure, and most people would have collapsed from anxiety long ago. But after Wang Yao comforted her and helped her understand things, she acted as if nothing had happened.

This is the legendary superhuman resilience. Wang Yao had specifically looked into it before. Generally, those who can become public figures are either extremely resilient or naturally free from anxiety in a physical sense, or even blindly optimistic. Therefore, they can withstand mental pressure that ordinary people cannot bear.

This can be considered one of the necessary talents for public figures; to put it nicely, it's about having a strong heart, but in reality, it's about being oblivious, self-centered, and lacking self-discipline. However, this type of person also has significant drawbacks: their extreme insensitivity sometimes prevents them from distinguishing between good and bad things, which is what's called short-sightedness and lack of common sense. As a result, they often suffer greatly and are easily manipulated.
Ma Ruo has this typical personality; otherwise, she wouldn't have endured domestic violence seven times in the six months after their marriage without considering divorce.

"Sister Ruo, I'll be managing your Weibo and other social media platforms for now. You just need to rest and wait for the next shoot. Don't worry about anything online, I'll handle it." Wang Yao reassured her before handing her a contract.

"To complement your later persona, you now need your own BMW to solidify your image as a wealthy 'BMW woman'."

"The company is going to provide me with a car?!" Ma Ruo's eyes lit up instantly.

The BMW that Ma Ruo took photos of in the afternoon naturally belonged to He Ming. Her family background was average, otherwise she wouldn't have become a model. Naturally, she had no resistance to luxury cars.

"It's not a company car, it's just a project requirement. It's temporarily registered under your name, but if you're willing, you can repay it with future profits. It's like a lease agreement."

Wang Yao smiled and explained the contract to her.

Wang Yao personally funded the purchase of a BMW 3 Series in Ma Ruo's name through a loan. If Ma Ruo wanted the car, she could repay the loan with subsequent profits; if she didn't want it, she could resell it to Wang Yao after the project ended.

The amount is 35.

"Originally, it was supposed to be in the company's name, but Mr. He wasn't too keen on it, so I personally covered the cost first," Wang Yao said with a light laugh.

"President Wang." Ma Ruo was deeply moved after hearing this.

Unexpectedly, Wang Yao was willing to pay for it himself, and such a large sum of money at that, just to help her!
Moreover, Ma Ruo also felt that she might not be of any value in this turmoil, and that Wang Yao's actions were likely a high-risk behavior.

No man had ever treated her so well.

Moved by her words, she was willing to grant any request Wang Yao made.

"If Sister Ruo thinks there's no problem, we can go look at the car later," Wang Yao said with a warm smile.

“Mr. Wang, I’ve saved up some money myself, enough for the down payment. You don’t need to take such a big risk to help me,” Ma Ruo said, moved.

“Ruojie is one of my artists. No matter what President He thinks, I have an obligation to help you through this difficult time. Besides, it’s just a car. Ruojie can earn more money by taking on more film and television roles in the future.” Wang Yao laughed heartily.

"President Wang, I will definitely live up to your expectations!" Ma Ruo said in a deep voice.

“Okay, let’s work together.” Wang Yao nodded.

The main reason Wang Yao was willing to invest in Ma Ruo was that she hadn't had any scandals. Despite the immense popularity she enjoyed at the time, no concrete evidence of her being materialistic or kept by a sugar daddy was uncovered, which was very important.

Wang Yao's investment philosophy is stability and obedience.

After dinner, Wang Yao took Ma Ruo to a 4S store to look at cars.

Although it was almost 8 p.m., as long as you made an appointment in advance, it wouldn't prevent you from seeing the car, because the sales staff don't have a closing time, and once you decide to buy, the accountant will come to swipe your card even at midnight.

Wang Yao has already chosen the model and configuration; all he needs to do is take Ma Ruo for a test drive and make sure there are no problems.

Most girls don't know anything about cars; they only look at the car logo.

Blue skies and white clouds, coupled with a flashy red paint job, are enough to win over most girls.

Wang Yao specifically inquired about this 4S store in the afternoon; they had a red BMW 320i in stock, just so he could get the vehicle registration certificate quickly.

Once you've paid the down payment and completed the formalities, the rest is handled by the 4S store, including loan processing and insurance. You can take delivery of the car in as little as two days.

The moment Ma Ruo got into the car, it was as if a voice echoed in her mind.

This is my car!

With a down payment of 12, Ma Ruola insisted on paying 10 herself, claiming that she couldn't let Wang Yao contribute both effort and money.

In the end, Wang Yao only helped to pay 2 yuan in advance, and then, under the salesperson's shocked and envious gaze, he signed various car purchase agreements and loan agreements.

I initially thought it was the man buying a car with his mistress, but it turns out the mistress was the one paying for it!
After all, what kind of decent person would secretly buy a car at night?

After dropping Ma Ruo off at home, Wang Yao bought a huge amount of KFC late-night snacks. Instead of going home, he went to school.

"I brought some late-night snacks for everyone. Let's eat something first before we get back to work. There's no rush." ​​Wang Yao asked Zhou Cong to distribute the snacks he brought to everyone.

Amidst a chorus of "thank you, senior" voices, Wang Yao found Ni Ni in the messy warehouse. She was sitting cross-legged on the floor, with a single-player game next to her, constantly emitting a "buzzing" sound.

The printed shipping label looks like a long hada (a ceremonial scarf).

"Let's eat, don't be busy," Wang Yao said with a light laugh.

"President Yao, don't bother me. I'm listening to the sound of money. Is this what a sales explosion looks like? Sales of nearly 100,000 in just one afternoon. I thought the system had a bug!" Ni Ni said, her face full of infatuation.

Wang Yao's newly opened menswear store has seen a real surge in orders.

Because he had purchased paid search traffic from Baidu in advance, he changed all the product titles to be related to Ma Ruo. Almost every search for "Ma Ruo", "BMW woman", "gold digger" or similar terms had a chance of directly redirecting to the men's clothing Taobao store.

With such a massive user base, the conversion rate is naturally astonishing.

Wang Yao smiled with satisfaction.

"Finally, it's starting to feel like an e-commerce platform."

(End of this chapter)