35: I'm helping you find a way out, are you being so Versailles?

Suddenly, the phone screen lit up. Director Yu Jing picked up her phone; it was a message from her assistant.

“Hello, Director. The Market Analysis Department reported that Chen Fang’s online popularity was very high during the May Day holiday, with five related topics entering the top five of the entertainment trending list. He might be a candidate for an endorsement deal. Below are the relevant videos and his introduction.”

Director Yu Jing frowned slightly.

Chen Fang’s reputation had been ruined for nearly a month already, so this…

But out of trust in the Market Analysis Department, she still clicked on the first video her assistant sent. The screen showed a live broadcast clip from a program team—catching snakes, lifting a 240-pound ceramic jar and maintaining balance, and carrying a 70-kilogram weight while walking continuously for an hour and a half.

A hint of surprise flashed in Director Yu Jing’s eyes.

If he was naturally fit, then he could indeed try out for the endorsement. But unfortunately, his reputation was ruined.

Director Yu Jing shook her head slightly, and as her finger slid down, a pitch-black video appeared. Just as she was about to close it, a slightly low, husky, and helpless male voice came from the speakers—“Too young, he is always unsatisfied…”

Director Yu Jing’s hand paused, and her eyes flickered.

After a dozen seconds, Director Yu Jing sighed softly, closed the video, and looked at Chen Fang’s introduction document with a complicated expression.

This song truly resonated with her. Moreover, the short video was posted last night, and it already had 840,000 likes. His popularity was rising again; perhaps he could make a comeback?

Director Yu Jing pressed the voice key and replied, “Keep an eye on him. If there’s any news of him making a comeback, report it promptly.”

…

In front of the last live broadcast camera for the third group of the adventures.

Chen Fang and the two others walked through a lush green bamboo forest. The bamboo varied in height, from five or six meters to over a dozen meters. The bamboo leaves rustled softly in the gentle breeze.

Uncle Liu introduced, “I often cut bamboo in this bamboo forest. Our area is rich in bamboo. After cutting it, we make household items like bamboo baskets, bamboo hampers, and bamboo chairs. Almost every family in our village and the neighboring village has something I’ve woven.”

Uncle Liu was not only responsible for helping Chen Fang clear unexpected situations encountered on the road but also had an important task—chatting with Guo Congxin and Chen Fang to introduce the environment and life in Xiangxi to the audience, adding fun to the live broadcast.

Chen Fang asked with steady breathing, “What about your wife?”

“She’s a doctor. When she was young, she learned traditional Chinese medicine from an old local doctor in the village. We even have some herbs planted in our yard. People in our village who get cuts from chopping wood, sprain an ankle, or have headaches and fevers all come to her for a look.” Uncle Liu’s face showed a hint of pride; he seemed very proud of his wife.

After walking a few more steps, Uncle Liu asked, “Teacher Chen, I… I might have a bit of a stereotype. I’ve always thought that, generally speaking, city people exercise less, and celebrities have better living conditions, so their physical strength should be weaker. How is your physical strength so good?”

As he spoke, Uncle Liu scratched his head.

He had been curious for an hour now. Although Chen Fang said his lung capacity was sufficient for chatting, he was still afraid of tiring him out. After walking with him for an hour and a half and seeing his calm expression, he finally asked.

“I exercise frequently.”

Guo Congxin took a few quick steps with the camera and came beside him, “Teacher Chen, in the public’s impression, you usually go out less, so…”

“Hmm, I really hate going out.”

Guo Congxin, out of protection for his lifesaver, quickly smoothed things over, “Haha, actually, I don’t like going out either. Work is so hard usually, it’s much better to relax at home. Going out means socializing with people, right?”

“Hmm, even with a mask on, people will stop me for my contact information. There’s no way to exercise at all. This face-obsessed world is really annoying.”

“…” Guo Congxin narrowed his eyes.

Damn, I’m heart-to-heart with my brother, and my brother is playing mind games with me. I’m giving you an out, and you’re being a humble-bragger.

Guo Congxin took a deep breath, “Teacher Chen, can you exercise at home? I originally thought you were very reclusive.”

“Of course, I can exercise at home,” Chen Fang said with a puzzled expression, “Is there a necessary connection between being reclusive and not exercising?”

“Teacher Chen, then do you exercise two hours a day when you’re at home?”

“Not really.” Chen Fang said as he walked forward.

Guo Congxin raised an eyebrow slightly.

Then you still say you love to exercise.

Just as he finished complaining in his mind, he heard Chen Fang’s matter-of-fact voice from ahead—

“I’m not used to reducing my exercise volume.”

Guo Congxin: “?”

“Don’t think moving things is difficult. It’s really not difficult. Like me, on days when I have nothing to do, exercising three or four hours is enough. There’s no talent involved; just exercise more.”

Guo Congxin narrowed his eyes, feeling his complete six-pack abs rise and fall with his breathing, and he wanted to punch him even more.

At the same time, at the foot of the mountain.

Xie Yunxuan stared lifelessly at the live broadcast screen on his phone.

No talent?

Not difficult? Just exercise when you have nothing to do?

What’s the difference between this and a top student saying that scoring 140 points only requires getting two fewer multiple-choice questions wrong?!

Damn it! This is truly infuriating!

Xie Yunxuan slammed his phone on the table. Seeing people around look over, he got angry and, in a fit of rage, raged a bit.

After a while, the time came to 11:55 AM.

Chen Fang had been circling the mountain for nearly two hours.

[This guy is really working hard. Carrying 70 kilograms for two hours?!]

[When the broadcast started, who said he was weak?]

[How did Shen Caihan say he had poor stamina?]

[Who is Shen Caihan?]

[Shen Caihan is the obscure celebrity who posted last month criticizing Chen Fang for two-timing, claiming she dated him last year.]

[He couldn’t have trained this in just a year or two. How could his stamina have been poor last year? Could Shen Caihan be lying?]

[Impossible, several people have come out to confirm it, so it must be true. If it were false, wouldn’t his fans have caused an uproar?]

[No, let me just interject quietly, there’s really no evidence for Chen Fang’s scandals. The true fans’ voices are very weak, and many messages posted don’t get much readership; it seems they’re being throttled.]

[+1, the first time I spoke up for him, I received dozens of messages cursing me in my DMs. o(╥﹏╥)o I almost became withdrawn from all the scolding.]

…

Capital, Brand Director’s office.

Director Yu Jing opened her diet meal box. Idly, she suddenly thought of the adventures and Chen Fang, whom she had heard about multiple times this morning. Curious, she placed her phone on the stand and opened the live streaming platform. Just as she was about to search for “the adventures,” she noticed that the top-ranked live broadcast was prominently “the adventures Group 3 - Chen Fang.”

Director Yu Jing clicked in, and bullet comments poured out from the bottom left corner.

She took out her chopsticks, and just as she was about to pick up a piece of broccoli, she saw several bullet comments like “no evidence for scandals” quickly float across the screen.

Director Yu Jing’s hand paused.

No evidence? Could the scandal incident be false?

Director Yu Jing slowly put her hand down, her chopsticks resting on the edge of the lunchbox.

If there was another hidden reason behind the scandal, with his current popularity, there might truly be a slight chance for him to turn things around.

The chairman’s family of Morning Sunshine was once falsely accused of seizing a company.

If he could clear his name, or even publicly reveal that he was falsely accused, then this image would perfectly match Morning Sunshine!

Director Yu Jing picked up her phone and sent a message to her assistant: “Contact Chen Fang this afternoon.” After instructing on the relevant conditions and requirements for the candidate, Director Yu Jing added: “You can assess the situation and provide appropriate and moderate assistance in investigating the truth for him.”

Director Yu Jing put down her phone and picked up her chopsticks again.

This was not out of her great kindness.

Assistance in investigating the truth would be a timely help for Chen Fang, but for Morning Sunshine, it was just a small favor. Morning Sunshine had offered this small favor countless times.

Firstly, it upheld their brand image, and secondly, it was a way to build good relationships.

After all, who knows which thread of good karma might turn into a lifeline in the future?