Chapter 14

Fang Qian didn’t sleep all night.

She was following online developments, curious about the outcome. After seeing negative reports from Sunflower Entertainment about Shen Mingyou, Fang Qian was relieved.

It turns out Shen Mingyou’s wealthy lady persona was fake!

Shen Mingyou didn’t return the bag because of defects but to show off on the show. Even their villa was fake.

Fang Qian was pleased. Since Shen Mingyou pretended to be rich, the scratch on the bag wasn’t her fault.

Fang Qian’s Weibo followers increased from 2,000 to 500,000 overnight due to the scandal, bringing potential for unexpected income.

When people kept sending private messages to Fang Qian asking why Shen Mingyou returned the package, she responded publicly on Weibo for the first time, sharing one person’s reaction to the situation.

The best Miss Fang in the world: [The bag is very good, but someone just doesn’t take good care of it. Although the commission is gone, it’s good to see a person’s true face. I will stop being a fan from now on and hope we don’t meet again.]

Many netizens saw her Weibo post immediately.

“Wow, is this her response? Those who defended Shen Mingyou should check this out. The bag has no defects, so Shen Mingyou’s return wasn’t normal. Her fake personality is confirmed again.”

“I feel sorry for Miss Fang. Turns out she was also a fan of Shen Mingyou.”

“It’s really sad. Miss Fang must be upset to be treated like this by the celebrity she admired.”

“Shen Mingyou has been criticized so much that she can’t be criticized more. The situation is so severe, but she and her agency haven’t responded. They must be guilty.”

“Don’t be sad, Miss Fang. When I make money, I’ll buy you a bag if you want one.”

Sunflower Entertainment quickly reposted Fang Qian’s Weibo.

Sunflower Entertainment v: [#Feeling sorry for Miss Fang#＠The best Miss Fang in the world]

Sunflower Entertainment is very popular right now. Comments on their post quickly piled up:

“#I feel sorry for Miss Fang# Hug.”

“#Feel sorry for Miss Fang# Don’t cry.”

“#I feel sorry for Miss Fang# Come on, little sister.”

With Sunflower Entertainment’s repost, Fang Qian’s Weibo followers increased rapidly, nearing one million by seven in the morning.

The entry #Feeling Sorry for Miss Fang# became a hot search topic. It was the first time Fang Qian received such great attention.

She went to work in a good mood.

At the store, it was almost eight o’clock. Several other sales clerks and team leaders had already arrived. When they saw Fang Qian, they immediately gathered around her.

“Fang Qian, you’re on the trending list, and your fans have increased by one million. Did you see that?”

“I saw it,” Fang Qian said happily. “It’s nothing, those netizens just acted on impulse.”

One clerk said: “When Shen Mingyou came to our store to buy a bag, I envied her. She’s so beautiful and rich, and her daughter is so smart. It seemed like she’s a winner in life. Who would have thought it was all fake?”

Another clerk responded: “It’s not all fake. She’s beautiful and her daughter is smart, but we don’t know if her image as a wealthy lady is fake, as the Internet says.”

“Oh, I’ve beaten you so hard, why don’t you believe it?”

“She hasn’t responded yet. Maybe there will be a reversal in this matter.”

“What twists could there be?” Fang Qian said. “There aren’t that many twists in the world. I liked her after watching “Super Mom”. I didn’t expect her to be like this. I need to be more careful when following celebrities.”

“You’re right. Shen Mingyou has been so criticized that it will be hard for her to recover.”

When the store manager arrived and saw the employees gossiping, she walked in with a stern look and said to Fang Qian, “The Weibo post you made involves customer privacy. Do you know you violated employee regulations?”

Fang Qian’s face fell. She hadn’t thought much about it when she posted and regretted her impulsiveness.

She explained: “I’m sorry, store manager. I was just too upset. I posted as a disappointed fan, not as a store clerk. I was too impulsive. I’m sorry.”

“We’re not sure if the scratch on the bag was caused by our store or by Shen Mingyou. Your Weibo post implies there’s no problem with the bag, which means the scratch might have been caused by Shen Mingyou.”

“It was definitely her,” Fang Qian said. “The bag was fine when sold, but it had that scratch when returned. If not Shen Mingyou, then who?”

“Manager, you shouldn’t have accepted Shen Mingyou’s request for a return. Even if you refunded, it shouldn’t have been the full amount.”

Seeing Fang Qian’s lack of remorse, the store manager said, “Do you know the top V-VIP customers of the H brand?”

Fang Qian was puzzled. She knew the H brand’s top V-VIP customers were very exclusive, but what did it have to do with Shen Mingyou?

Another clerk answered: “There are less than 50 top-level V-VIP customers of the H brand in the world. Only those who spend 10 million yuan annually for five consecutive years get a gold card for top-level V-VIP customers.”

“Correct,” the store manager said. “Shen Mingyou is one of those top V-VIP customers.”

The store manager continued seriously, “She’s genuinely a wealthy lady. There’s no need for her to fake it.”

The store manager had seen the top V-VIP customer list at H brand headquarters during training. Shen Mingyou’s name, a Chinese name among mostly foreign names, stood out. She even asked a leader about it, who said: “This customer, Shen Mingyou, ranks in the top three among all top customers. If you meet her, don’t offend her.” 

This incident left a strong impression on the store manager.

When Shen Mingyou’s agent returned the two bags, she found a scratch on the bottom of one, which was why Shen Mingyou wanted to return it. She suspected the store had replaced defective bags and sold them as new. She asked for a full refund and an explanation.

In such situations, it’s hard to determine if the scratch was there before the sale or caused by the customer afterward. It can lead to a lot of arguments.

The store manager, knowing Shen Mingyou was a high-level V-VIP customer, decided to meet her demands. Eventually, Shen Mingyou got her refund. Just half an hour ago, the store manager received an email from the headquarters sent to all branches worldwide.

The email announced that Shen Mingyou would become the spokesperson for H brand in Asia! Only employees at the store manager level and above saw this email, so Fang Qian and other store staff were unaware.

Fang Qian’s Weibo response had worsened Shen Mingyou’s reputation. Now, Fang Qian had to face the consequences.

Fang Qian, shocked, asked the store manager how Shen Mingyou could become the spokesperson for H brand in Asia. The other shop assistants were also surprised, but the manager was confident.

The team leader confirmed the news, showing Fang Qian the apology and official announcement on Weibo. Her face went pale.

The store manager announced Fang Qian’s firing to the entire store and warned that H Group might pursue legal action for the losses caused. Employees watched in silence, some with surprise and sympathy.

The store manager also mentioned Shen Mingyou would seek compensation for the damage to her reputation.

The former spokesperson for H brand in Asia had ended their contract last month. Many top celebrities were competing for the position, including Gu Aifei.

Gu Aifei, a popular young actress, had a chance to become the spokesperson for H brand in Asia, a significant opportunity. She had an appointment with the H brand vice president in Greater China this morning. This vice president had a lot of influence at H Group headquarters, making Aifei’s endorsement almost certain.

Agent Zhang Lin picked up Gu Aifei at 7 a.m. They discussed recent events, and Zhang Lin joked about whether Shen Mingyou would quit the entertainment industry as speculated.