Chapter 716 - A Meme, Acquired!

Roy, who had escaped from the reporters' siege, immediately found a quiet place to tell Laila what had just happened. He wasn't sure if his words would have any impact on her, and he certainly didn't want to disrupt her plans with anything he said.

"No, you didn't do anything wrong. In fact, you handled it very well," Laila reassured him after hearing his account. Impressed by his wit, she couldn't help but laugh at the thought of how the reporters must have been baffled.

It seemed that sometimes fools were lucky. Roy's unplanned words had a significant impact, and his subsequent strategy was quite effective. It appeared that he had developed a good intuition for dealing with reporters.

"Good then," Roy sighed in relief. "I was afraid it might affect you."

"Don't worry, it's just a group of reporters. Their impact on me won't be significant," Laila replied. Being part of the Moran family, and with the Moran Media Group backing her, reporters wouldn't dare to cross certain boundaries with her.

Back when she first entered Hollywood, reporters refrained from making any moves against her due to her family background. It took some time, and after they cautiously tested the waters and realized her grandfather's support, they gradually started reporting more about her.

Even so, few dared to fabricate stories about her. At most, there were rumors about pregnancies, miscarriages, and marriages circulating. Laila couldn't be bothered with such trivial matters; everything would become clear in due time.

Now that Roy had calmed down, he began expressing his concern. "What about the boycott?"

"Don't bother about it; let's see how it plays out," Laila shrugged. In her eyes, this was an opportunity for more people to learn about the movie. As long as it didn't cost her any money and increased the film's visibility, she considered it a positive development. She wasn't concerned about the potential boycott.

It was mainly a matter of perspective. Laila, coming from the future, had a broader view. She knew that negative publicity could still be publicity, and controversies might even boost the film's popularity. She referenced how certain Eastern TV dramas gained higher viewership when facing intense criticism.

Unfortunately, Laila's carefree attitude couldn't be shared by everyone. From the current perspective, a boycott could cast doubts on the movie, affecting its box office performance. If the first movie flopped, it would likely impact the sequels, causing significant losses, even for the company.

Just as Roy was being comforted, Demi reported that Leslie Cheung had arrived and wanted to meet Laila.

Laila could guess his purpose for coming, but she hadn't expected him to arrive so soon. How did he find out about the boycott in just a few days?

"Laila, I heard some things," Leslie Cheung got straight to the point upon entering.

Laila invited him to sit on the sofa and had Demi bring refreshments. With a smile, she asked, "What have you heard?"

Leslie Cheung didn't believe she hadn't heard about it, but seeing her demeanor made him think that the situation might not be too severe.

"I heard that some original fans here have negative opinions about the movie, and there's even talk of a boycott."

"Maybe?" Laila touched her chin, neither denying nor confirming, keeping her response vague.

"Maybe?" Leslie Cheung remembered his friend's urgent tone on the phone when he learned about the situation. It couldn't be anything good. "I heard it's because of my connections."

Using an affirmative tone, he seemed well-informed.

"There might be some truth to it, but I don't think it's a significant issue," Laila replied casually.

"Do I need to make a statement?"

When Leslie Cheung first heard about the situation, he couldn't help but be disturbed. He appreciated Laila's trust and care during the filming process. Seeing the professionalism, orderliness, and dedication of the team, he couldn't forgive himself if his association caused any harm to the movie.

Laila chuckled and shook her head, "I think you might have some misunderstandings. The so-called boycott may not even happen, and even if it does, it won't affect our box office much. Do you think I care about their boycott? The Oscars faced protests for years due to war-related issues, and they still thrived, didn't they?"

Leslie Cheung looked at her, furrowing his brows slightly. He realized he couldn't fully comprehend her words. "You believe the box office won't be significantly affected, so it doesn't matter if there's a boycott?"

"You could say that," Laila acknowledged. Knowing her words might reshape his perspective, she didn't mind. "This is Hollywood; as long as the movie makes money, any difficulties are manageable. Besides..."

To dispel any concerns her idol's concerns, she revealed a bit of her plan, "And don't you think a boycott would give us more strength?"

"Would it?" Leslie Cheung's mouth twitched.

"The so-called publicity is about making your work known to more people. Some spend money on advertising, some rely on viral marketing. If there's really a boycott, don't you think it's just another way to promote our movie?" Laila explained.

Leslie Cheung had never heard such twisted logic. He was shocked by her theory, his eyes widening more than usual.

This was an extremely precious expression. Without a second thought, Laila quickly grabbed the nearby camera and snapped a photo. A new meme was acquired!

"...," Leslie Cheung, bewildered by the sudden photo, didn't know how to express his feelings.

Laila grinned and waved the camera in her hand, "Sorry, your expression just now was priceless. I believe I've obtained a precious collection. You know, I'm your loyal fan."

What could Leslie Cheung say? Could he flip the table just because he was suddenly photographed? Dealing with a female bandit like Laila left him helpless. He couldn't charge her for portrait rights for a single photo, could he?

"It's okay," he could only say that much.