Compared to Lin Zui, Jiang Ye's attitude was relatively gentler.

But this gentleness held a hidden sharpness.

Following Lin Zui and Jiang Ye, the other teammates who had been hesitant also stepped forward, expressing their attitudes towards these bad reviews.

They were originally afraid.

Afraid of being disliked, afraid of inexplicable malice, afraid that every word they said in front of the camera would be interpreted differently by malicious people.

But Jiang Ye's words made them realize one fact.

People who dislike you won't like you no matter what you do.

Since you're going to be scolded no matter what you do.

What's there to be afraid of?

As public figures, they have the right to be scrutinized by the public.

But as individuals, they also have the right to respond.

After recording the reading bad reviews segment, each person had to record a solo interview.

If reading bad reviews with teammates around gave them a little bit of confidence, then the solo interview, directly facing the staff's questions, was even more psychologically stressful.

"Have you ever thought about these points?"

Jiang Ye: "To be honest, I really haven't."

Jiang Ye blinked, looking very obedient and innocent, "Because if I thought I was doing something wrong, I wouldn't do it. How could I possibly know in advance that someone would think it's wrong?"

Staff: "..."

"Then, do you feel sad when you see these words?"

"It's normal to feel sad, right?"

"But I can accept it. After all, being an idol means I have to accept the public's judgment, good or bad, praise or scolding, I'm prepared for all of that."

In other words, you have to bear the consequences of being in a certain position.

Even though seeing those attacking comments is definitely difficult, it's still within her range of acceptance.

"Some people like me, and some people don't, I knew that from the beginning."

"But for me, choosing which voice to listen to is very important."

"Don't think that just because I say this, it means I won't listen to any reasonable suggestions, I only listen to fans' praise, and live in the utopian world they created for me, that's not true."

"Like Lin Zui said, it's just that some of the attacks on me are too boring and inexplicable, I don't think it's necessary to listen."

Jiang Ye smiled and asked the staff member, "For example, do you really think I need to get braces?"

If they really got braces as they wished, wouldn't they still say that she was too concerned about external opinions and lost her own characteristics?

If she reduced her interaction with fans, wouldn't they scold her again for putting on airs and forgetting who gave her the money?

And if she changed her stage style, wouldn't some of the people who used to like her be disappointed?

So, Jiang Ye thought it wasn't necessary.

Moreover, some of the attacks on her were inexplicable.

Although Jiang Ye understood that these were things that public figures had to endure.

But does that mean it's right?

The public seems to be much stricter on female artists.

They seem to have to be perfect.

Too tall, too short, too fat, too thin, regardless of whether they are beautiful or ugly, regardless of their stage skills, they will be scolded.

They even speculate about whether there is really scheming and manipulation between the girl groups, like a palace drama, every unintentional detail can be cut out and used as so-called evidence for rumors and slut-shaming.

The company, to protect their feelings, has already filtered out the most offensive words.

Even so, the comments that were presented to them were so extreme.

What about the rest?

Does she really need to listen to them all?

At the end of the interview, Jiang Ye faced the camera and said, "I won't get braces."

"I really like my bunny teeth."

"Even though they sometimes bite me."

Jiang Ye smiled and showed them to the camera, "But I still really like them."

She used a joke to explain her attitude.

Teeth are good, style is good.

As long as there's nothing wrong, it's a valuable part of herself.

•••

5tars was exhausted from recording.

When they got back to the villa, they started to worry again.

Shen Zhiyi cautiously said, "When this video is released, will we get scolded?"

"Relax."

Lin Zui said nonchalantly, "If we get scolded, it means we've at least gotten attention."

Others: "..."

"Actually, I've always thought it was strange."

"Why can't we speak?"

"Do idols have to be serious, have to be produced according to a template, only post advertisements on Weibo, and just beat around the bush and use official rhetoric in every interview? Is that fun?"

Lin Zui rolled her eyes, "I don't want to do that."

She picked up the crocodile toy next to her and pressed down all its teeth, "It hurts to get pinched, but it hurts more if you get pinched and don't fight back."

She wasn't afraid when she was unknown.

There's no reason why she should start suppressing her right to speak now that she's famous.

"I think!"

Cheng Zhen immediately said, "We're being very tolerant, okay?"

"My parents told me that you can directly sue for these kinds of slanderous posts, don't think that just because you're hiding behind a keyboard that nothing will happen, you have to have the courage to bear the consequences of your actions!"

Jiang Ye, upon hearing this, seemed to recall something and immediately started counting on her fingers.

Cheng Zhen: "What are you doing?"

"I forgot that we could also take legal action."

Jiang Ye said, "Let me count how much money I need to save up to hire a lawyer."

Jiang Ye calculated and sighed, "It's too expensive, let them scold us, after all, being scolded doesn't make me lose any flesh."

Everyone: "..."

As the second album was about to be released, the reading bad reviews video was released as a special preview for the album.

When the preview was released, the comments on Weibo were filled with scolding.

【Damn, which heartless staff member thought of this project?】

【Can you please not make them watch these?】

【I let my daughter debut so she could always hear good things and always look forward, not so she could watch people scold her!】

In the middle, there were also a few comments from fans defending and controlling the comments.

【Protect xx!】

【Please treat xx fairly, Guang Ying Entertainment!】

But when the video was officially released, the fans were all crying.

【Wuwuwu, my little sister is so brave and honest.】

【Sister Lin! As expected of you!】

【To be honest, this fan is really happy, I've been wanting to say this for a long time, why do they even scold my wife for cherishing fans? Isn't that a basic quality for an idol? Don't idols who can't respond to their fans' love feel pathetic?】

The video was very good at making fans feel sad.

After it was released, the pre-orders for the second album increased significantly.

It seems that making fans feel sad is indeed a good way to make them spend money.

On the day the second album was officially released, the MV for the title track "Unworthy" was also released.

Because of the previous video, fans opened the video with a little anxiety and unease, afraid that they would be tortured again.

The MV starts with a very oppressive atmosphere.

Gray and black tones.

A bolt of lightning strikes from the clouds, a feeling of dark clouds pressing down on the city.

The camera switches to indoors.

The interior setting is very messy.

On the LED screen in the background, various offensive and harsh words keep appearing.

The fans' hearts jumped to their throats.

The next second, the camera flickers.

You can see that in five different places in the room, there are the five members of 5tars.

Each of them has a white piece of paper with words written on it, these pieces of paper with the offensive comments on them are like heavy shackles that bind them, tightly wrapping them like mummies.

The camera rotates and pushes towards them, creating a dizzying feeling.

The first close-up shot is of Jiang Ye.

She's covered in pieces of paper all over.

But these pieces of paper on her have a fragile beauty, as if the pieces of paper aren't pieces of paper, but rather decorative tassels that belong to her.

Jiang Ye slowly reaches out her hand, trembling as she removes the piece of paper covering her eyes, and slowly opens them.

The lights switch.

The camera shakes.

In the flickering interplay of light and shadow, Jiang Ye raises her head.

She seems to be cut in half, the left half illuminated by spotlights, and the right half submerged in an unclear shadow.

The camera gives a close-up shot of each person in turn.

They all remove the pieces of paper covering their eyes or wrapped around their necks, their expressions are either confused, terrified, or uneasy, they are a little overwhelmed by these shackles of paper that bind them.

The drumbeat in the music gradually speeds up.

They slowly walk to the center of the stage.

And with a beat.

Everyone starts to rip off the pieces of paper from their left shoulders, the action is clean and swift, as fast as the wind.

The first verse begins.

The camera cuts, the scene changes.

Jiang Ye is wearing clothes similar to a magician, holding two bottles in her hands, she starts to sing the first verse.

The bottle in her left hand contains a murky black mixture, and the bottle in her right hand contains a candy-colored liquid.

Jiang Ye places the two bottles on a balance scale, as if weighing which side to choose.

But the balance scale always sways, just like her uncertain heart.

The camera cuts again.

Each person is in a different scene.

Tan Meng is in the practice room.

Lin Zui is at the claw machine.

Cheng Zhen is at the snack vending machine.

Shen Zhiyi is on a single-plank bridge.

Everyone is equally confused, the fear of the unknown ahead, like invisible pieces of paper, binds their hands and feet.

But when the chorus arrives, the camera cuts to outdoors.

With the chorus's synchronized dance, the five girls gradually remove all the pieces of paper from their bodies.

Those are the malicious labels placed on them.

They are the negative comments that prevent them from moving forward.

After the chorus.

The MV's color scheme brightens.

It switches back to each person's solo scene.

The practice room without lights seems to be inhabited by a devil.

But Tan Meng tiptoes and fixes the lights, starting to practice.

The self-service snack vending machine opens its abyssal maw.

But Cheng Zhen still reaches out her hand towards it.

The balance scale still sways.

But Jiang Ye chooses the one filled with candy.

Everyone removes those shackles and takes their own step forward.

The last part of the song returns to the original scene.

The girls stand in a row.

A gust of wind blows.

It blows the pieces of paper they removed from their bodies all over the place.

But the clouds in the sky gradually dissipate.

They all raise their heads.

There are still dark shadows on their bodies.

Although these shadows don't leave them, they always face the bright sunshine.