Chapter 264: It's a Trend to be Entitled

And the screenshots were attached. 

"She really is a fool," Qian Meng said softly. "Don't worry. Sit down. Have you had lunch?" she asked. 

Xiong Fen shook her head. "Great. Someone delivered food from my home. There is enough for the both of us, what do you say?" She offered a spoon. 

The employee nodded. "Thank you, Boss. But should we be eating right now?" she asked. 

"You can't fight a war if you don't have enough energy in you. You need a full stomach to not fall sick after the war is won," Qian Meng said nonchalantly. "Let's eat and discuss the matter, okay?"

Xiong Fen hummed and took her seat on the sofa.

As they munched on their food, Qian Meng started to speak. 

"Why do you think she is pressing so hard on exposing us even though she knows we will have proof of the matter?" she asked. She was a little confused about that. 

"She's someone who is skyrocketing in fame at the moment. From the perspective of a PR person, I have worked with a lot of influencers and celebrities. They usually think they are invincible and that they are entitled to things," the other responded. 

"Is that so? Is this a trend? I have never had to personally talk to celebrities, so…" Usually, more fame meant more at stake. Why would they feel entitled to things when they had more to lose? 

"Usually, this entitlement is present in smaller flies in the entertainment and influencer industry. The actual big names are very careful with how they present themselves and what they want," Xiong Fen explained. 

"But this entitlement, what does she want from this? Why is she publicizing this so much?" Qian Meng couldn't wrap her mind around this.

Xiong Fen's spoon hovered near her mouth but she didn't put it in. She looked thoughtful. "Boss, what do you think she gains from this raucous?"

"I'm coming up blank myself. But we need to figure it out." 

The best way to vanquish an enemy is to understand what they truly desire. Once you know that, you will know what steps they will take in the future. No enemy works against their goals or benefits. Then… what was Shi Yuhan getting out of this? 

"Is it infamy?" Xiong Fen asked. 

"Infamy is bad in the entertainment industry. Public opinion, once it turns against you can ruin your career. Therefore, even if she did want to gain attention and new followers, she wouldn't have chosen to go against Venus," Qian Meng whispered. 

"Venus has a reputation of cleaning up messes well in the business circles. I can't see her betting her career on this," she agreed. 

"Then what can further her career and at the same time cushion the backlash?" Qian Meng asked softly. 

Xiong Fen closed her eyes. There was a moment of silence. "It wouldn't be farfetched to think that she has an impressive backer." She shoved a spoon of rice into her mouth and chewed with distress. 

"Is it one person or an organization?" Qian Meng wondered out loud. 

Xiong Fen's eyes popped open. "Organization," Xiong Fen said immediately. Qian Meng turned to her, looking for answers. "We were suspecting Sophie's Secret for playing it dirty at first but didn't think much of it. But after going over Shi Yuhan's social media, I saw that she is basically promoting their products and affiliate links. She's making quite a bit of money."

"You think she is sucking up to Sophie's Secret team?" Qian Meng inquired. 

Xiong Fen nodded. "According to inside sources, the brand ambassador for Sophie's Secret is ending their contract shortly and they might not renew it."

Sophie's Secret… who was the face of the brand again? "Ah, didn't the brand ambassador get a few hit shows in the recent past? She is quite a big name in the industry at the moment…"

"Which would explain why she doesn't want anything to do with Sophie's Secret any longer," Xiong Fen added. Qian Meng nodded. "Sophie's choice is rooted in fast fashion and they often steal from other brands internationally."

Truly, they had questionable business practices. Qian Meng had spotted similar but bad quality products in Sophie's Secret shops. They tried to imitate Venus accessories but failed miserably. But it was still taking from their ideas. And you couldn't call it counterfeit products. They were just giving a different option. 

"So, Shi Yuhan is using the opportunity to impress the executives and become the new face of Sophie's Secret? That's your opinion?"

Xiong Fen nodded. "But we can't be sure. I'll get someone to check out her relationship with the company. Once we have some context, we can catch her without a shred of doubt."

Qian Meng nodded. "For now, ask about the brands she is collaborating with or thinking of working with. Look at her relationship with Sophie's Secret. Don't leave out the possibility that she is seeing someone with influence in Shanghai either. Entitlement doesn't come easy."

"And what about the current situation?" Xiong Fen inquired.

"We need to see how we can get Shi Yuhan on our side first. I still want you to write a statement from us about how we understand the plight of how high-end fashion brands treat some customers. Agreeing to mistakes is always seen as a humble gesture."

"When is the deadline for that?" the other asked. 

Qian Meng was done with her lunch. "I'll give your team until the end of the day to do a write-up. Leave it on standby for now. Let's talk to this Shi Yuhan before we say anything publicly."

"We have about twenty-four hours to thirty-six hours to respond to the situation."

"I know that. It's a matter of time before the public becomes more aggressive. You weren't wrong about the ban hashtags coming either. I wonder when it is going to start trending," Qian Meng sighed.

No sooner had she said this than Li Min entered the room. Qian Meng jokingly spoke up. "What? Is Ban Venus trending already?" she smirked.