Chapter 58 – Us little angels have no conscience
Every year the entertainment industry releases innumerable movies and TV shows. Every show has more than or equal to one evil character, and there's no dearth of actors who specifically specialise in portraying the wicked side.
But no one was as pitiful as Lisa. When her maiden work was being aired, she was being scolded every day, and every now and then a few low-ball little news would appear. She couldn't sue them all and couldn't erase them all either. At least Jisoo was clever. After that had happened, she had discussed with the company and settled on Lisa's path: The Evil Woman.
She had acted all the way till now.
Now, although there were still vicious comments on her Weibo, the number of passersby and fans had also increased. Sometimes, if there was someone whose trending comment was attacking her personally, the number of replies to it would definitely be in the hundreds and even the thousands. It was even more bustling than those trending little celebrities'.
Many passersby didn't understand how people could escalate something from a character to a person.
But the entire industry knew why. Someone was trying to hurt Lisa ever since she debuted.
Lisa and Jisoo were even clearer about what had happened – they had gotten clear evidence, and for more than once, that the person who kept stabbing her in the back was Lin Yeri.
When in Lin Yeri's hands, Lisa was still a newbie. She had debuted when she was twenty and had, in reality, entered the industry after turning eighteen and knew nothing.
She especially hated Lin Yeri's management style and had once thought of exposing her. What's more, she had even done it. Back then, Weibo wasn't such a big deal, so she had contacted the most prominent fashion magazine at that time. She had even thought about the consequences; with the industry being so complicated, the most that would happen was that she would stop trying her luck here and go back to running her stall.
However, what she didn't expect in the end was that she not only didn't succeed in exposing but also got mocked by Lin Yeri.
Then, she met Jisoo and they hit off well at once.
In the later days, disregarding those sour words she had really gotten on quite well. After her maiden work, her career was really getting better as time passed. But with the past and the present conflicts added together, they really should clear their debts.
Today's photoshoot was her last collaboration with Pasion. After this time, the contract would end. The most she would do was to help reblog when the other posted the official photos.
After the make-up artist left, Lisa sat down beside Jisoo and put a hand on her shoulder. "Jisoo unnie, I need your help."
Jisoo yawned. "Speak."
"Who's the most powerful water army company in the industry?"
Jisoo looked at her with confusion. "What?"
Lisa said, "I want to bust Lin Yeri."
Jisoo found it funny. "'Bust'? What are you, the police?"
"It's not that wrong," she said, "if you don't want to help me, you can just hand me contact information."
"Who said I'm not helping you? But do you know where the biggest and strongest water army (paid posters) is in the country?"
"Where?"
Jisoo dug out a name card from her bag and passed it to her.
[Ran Xing entertainment company, PR department, Director Zhang, Phone Number 13XXXXXXXXX]
Ran Xing, the new name of the company Lisa had once been in after they were bought by Jeon Corporation.
Lisa said, "— How about you find me the contact information to the second-most powerful PR company?"
"Got it, I'll help you keep an eye out. You must think this through – if you don't get rid of her this time, then you should prepare to be faced with even more harassment."
Lisa 'hmmed' casually. The staff opened the door then, looking a little awkward. "Lisa, umm, your photoshoot might have to wait."
Jisoo got up. "What's the problem?"
The staff laughed drily. "Director Xukun says that the company suddenly wants to change a celebrity and are still in the midst of discussions."
Lisa's brows raised. "Meaning that I should wait for them to finish their meeting and come to a decision to see if I'll continue the photoshoot?"
"— Yeah."
"Then let them continue slowly discussing." Lisa took off her shoes. "Let them inform me after they're done discussing."
In the car, Jisoo asked, "Angry?"
This last-minute happenstance meant that what she'd done recently was as good as useless.
"Nah, everyone wants revenge. Me, and Xukun." Lisa crooked a finger at her. "Since we have time, I'll take you out for a spin."
It's uncertain whether Jisoo's brain had shorted out. After a moment of silence, she got up and gave up the driver's seat.
They said to drive around* and it really was driving around catching the wind. She rolled down both windows and went at only 30 miles, even whistling. Jisoo laughed at her. "You're just like a female vagrant."
[*the phrase here literally means 'catch the wind']
They hadn't driven for too long when Jisoo got Pasion's call.
As expected, they'd changed the face and terminated the contract directly. Everything they'd filmed before was trashed, and they'd found a new celebrity for this winter-line. But the other requested that after they release their winter items, Lisa should still work with them. It's not her own commercial, but she still had to help them publicise it – it was a little strange.
Lisa heard it and nodded lightly. "Sure, it's just a like and a reblog, it's all just fingerwork."
Jisoo glanced at her, saying with confusion, "You really aren't angry?"
"I really am not angry." Lisa laughed. "Others might even call me a white-eyed wolf. Back then, Xukun had got me this position against everyone's criticisms, but now I've soured our relationship."
Jisoo laughed too. "When you put it that way, it really is so."
"But nothing else can be done. If I really must sleep with him to repay him, then I'd rather break the contract and pay the fine, or what difference would it be from when I was under Lin Yeri?"
She had just finished saying it when the phone rang. Because she was driving Lisa had Jisoo pick up first.
Hearing Jisoo's respectful tone, Lisa knew who had called.
As expected, Jisoo hung up and said, "Director Jeon says that he's waiting for you at home."
"Got it."
Jisoo held it in for a while before finally asking still, "You're staying together?"
"About there." Jungkook now came to her house about four or five times a week, and he stayed back every time.
"I'm not against your relationship." Jisoo for considered a moment, then said, "But you must think this through. At the moment you still need some fans. Don't keep coming at me with that whole 'I'm an actress, not a celebrity', if your relationship is publicized you cannot help but lose a bunch of fans."
"I've thought it through very well." Lisa said. "It's him."
"I know you've considered this, the question is if Jungkook has. Not that I have an issue with him, I know he's great, but people change." Halfway through, Jisoo no longer knew what she was saying and simply waved her hand. "I just wish that you leave yourself somewhere to go. Don't block it dead. If something happens between the two of you in the future, at least you won't have nowhere left to go."
Lisa laughed. "How could I have nowhere left to go? Don't I have a brilliant and awesome best friend?"
"—" Jisoo shook her head, unable to help smiling. "Nevermind, I can't win."
**
Lisa didn't expect that Pasion's new face was Yang Eunha.
Yang Eunha's Weibo had accumulated 2 million fans in a short span of two weeks. It must be known for a person who had neither had any cinematic works or had debuted and, on top of that, only had three posts on their Weibo, this was a shocking growth rate.
Jungkook was going through his documents and asked her, "What are you looking at?"
"Looking at your neighbourly little sisters's Weibo."
Jungkook laughed. "Which neighbourly little sisters of mine?"
Lisa grabbed his neck. "Wow, how many neighbourly little sisters do you have?"
Jungkook tilted his head and kissed her cheek. "What are you looking at her for?"
"Nothing much, I just scrolled past it."
She didn't plan to tell him about the lost advertisement – it was just a winter season, not something to act pitiful about.
Yang Eunha's Weibo only followed a few people. In the list, there was Jungkook, as well as another Weibo ID that caught her attention: C Soome.
Clicking in, this person's Weibo was very... strange.
There was first a landscape photo with a few cows.
[The last hope of the family, have more calves~ /prayer]
The comments below were:
[Poor girl, are you still in school?]
[Simple ~ Like it ~]
[Girl, are you able to leave contact information? I'm willing to assist you with a job.]
C Soome had chatted with this person.
"Do you have some misconception of me? The few cows I have could sell for at least eighteen thousand each, I don't need help, thanks.]
[Yeah? It's true that I don't quite understand this, thanks for teaching me.]
Lisa couldn't help laughing. This Somi really was possessed by an acting spirit.
She couldn't help replying: [Gift me one?]
She didn't expect the other to respond immediately.
[The biggest one in our house is already yours, go birth your own.]
Lisa then remembered that she was on her main account, but nevermind, Somi's Weibo wasn't verified .. the most they could say was that this was a joke between friends.
She was just about to close it when she saw that Yang Eunha had left a comment too.
[Yang Eunha v: /silent laughter, Somi is really cute.]
Somi didn't reply to her.
Lisa exited and followed Somi casually. The other had followed her sometime earlier, and their status turned into: 'following each other'.
She asked the person beside her, "Why don't you follow your sister on Weibo?"
"I followed and unfollowed." Jungkook looked a little disgusted. "She said I was getting in the way of her selling cows."
"..."
Lisa didn't expect that after she liked Pasion's post, the disaster exploding on the internet couldn't even be halted.
A bunch of news came straight at her, all comparing her to Yang Eunha.
When she received Jisoo's call, she had just finished showering and was in the midst of a passionate kiss with Jungkook.
She raised an eyebrow, then picked up the phone and said, "Jisoo unnie, calling at this time is a little too unreasonable."
"Have you seen Weibo?"
"Yeah," Lisa said. "I've even shown my face."
"Did you see anything afterwards? All right, then don't look at Weibo tonight, relax, it'll be settled by tomorrow."
After hanging up, Lisa thought with confusion, wasn't your call to force me to look at Weibo?
The meat that had just sent itself to his mouth had dropped onto the ground, causing Jungkook's expression to turn a little unpleasant, but he did still hug her and hurried her, "Go look."
Lisa did take a look. It wasn't something big, just a few paid posters with a couple hundred thousand followers posting long essays. Under the last one, the photo attached was that of the last time Rosé had come to find her in the set.
Rosé looked pitiful, but her – she was hugging her waist, crossing her legs, really looking like she was lecturing someone.
These people really look like they'd agreed on this beforehand and came in a group. She was having fun reading it, but the face of the person behind her just kept darkening.
Jungkook picked up his phone and was just about to go 'lecture' the PR department when the person in front of him stopped him.
"Captain Jungkook, I can handle this by myself."
"It's not a matter of handling it." Jungkook's voice was low. "They have to pay before they learn."
"I know." Lisa hugged his hand. "I want to do it myself."
Although she sounded like she was discussing this with him, her tone was decisive.
Jungkook's brows were locked in a frown. After a long while, he tossed out, "Don't be soft-hearted."
Lisa nodded, retreating into his embrace.
"Relax, us little angels have no conscience."