Caught Between Two Sides

At 8:30 a. m., Dongbei Catering's official Weibo posted a new message:

[# Dongbei # From now until March 15th, dine in and take a photo of your meal, then post it on Weibo / Douyin with the hashtag for a chance to win a 1000 RMB gift card! Ten lucky customers will be drawn each week, and there's even a mystery grand prize waiting for you! We insist on using fresh ingredients and cooking to order, and we welcome every customer's supervision and witness!]

The accompanying photos are in a nine-grid format: the first photo shows live fish purchased from the seafood market swimming in a tank; the second photo shows a chef cutting vegetables at a cutting board, their green leaves glistening; the third photo shows flames rising in a wok, ingredients flying around; the fourth to eighth photos show various finished dishes, exquisitely plated and tempting in color; and the last photo shows a smiling waiter serving dishes to the table.

The copywriting was enthusiastic, and the photos were incredibly appetizing.

Within ten minutes of being posted, it had been forwarded over a hundred times, and comments began to flood in.

The front row was mostly filled with neatly arranged slogans like "Support Dongbei!" "Freshness you can see!" and "There's one near my house, I go there often, it's really delicious!"

But scrolling down, you can also see some discordant voices:

"Only now you think of proving it? Why didn't you do it sooner?"

"Taking photos proves freshness? Are all the pictures the kitchen shows you staged?"

"Why not just stream the kitchen directly? Why all this fuss?"

"So, did those two apologize?"

The comments were quickly flooded with more "support" and "showcases". Dongbei's operations team had obviously hired online trolls, or may have mobilized internal staff. In any case, the topic's popularity was slowly climbing.

Zheng Dong sat in his office with three tablets open in front of him: one for Weibo, one for Douyin, and one for Dianping.

He swiped his finger across the screen, refreshing and refreshing again. A praising comment eased his brow slightly; a critical one furrowed it again.

The secretary knocked and came in, carrying freshly brewed coffee.

"Chairman Zheng, the marketing department reported that within one hour of the hashtag # Dongbei # being posted, there were 3,700 discussions, with positive comments accounting for approximately 82%, negative comments for approximately 12%, and neutral comments for 6%. The hashtag's views on Douyin have exceeded 500,000."

"What about the conversion rate?" Zheng Dong asked without looking up.

"Well... it's not clear yet. The promotion has just started, and most of the posts showing off are from regular customers and... internal staff."

Zheng Dong hummed in agreement and didn't ask any further questions. He knew the data was inflated, but what he needed now was precisely that—to dilute the doubts and reinforce the impression that "Dongbei insists on freshness."

"Have the offline arrangements been made?" he asked.

"It's all arranged," the secretary said. "Director Zhao is personally leading the team, selecting five flagship stores for 'open kitchen days,' and has invited some food bloggers and local media. It starts tomorrow."

Have you taken care of the media?

"We've already given them instructions; the reporting will primarily focus on positive aspects."

Zheng Dong nodded and waved for his secretary to leave.

He closed the office door, leaned back in his chair, and let out a long sigh.

Online hype and offline events – a two-pronged approach. This was the crisis management plan proposed by the brand department, which he approved. Although he felt it wasn't enough – the two parties involved hadn't apologized yet, so the matter wasn't over – he also understood that pressure alone wouldn't suffice; the public needed positive guidance.

He picked up his phone, opened WeChat, and found Lao Xing's chat window.

"How's the search going?"

Lao Xing quickly replied, "I found the address; it's in the ' Splendid Garden ' residential complex in the east of the city. I'll need to wait a while for the exact house number, as the property management is tight-lipped. I've confirmed the job information; she's an assistant at Zhou Wenyuan Law Firm, and has been there for less than a year. Her social circle is quite simple; her daily life revolves around the law firm and home, and she doesn't have any particularly close friends."

Where are the family members?

My parents are ordinary factory workers in our hometown. I have a good college classmate named Hou Jun, nicknamed "Monkey," who now works in sales at a small company. Should I get in touch with him?

Zheng Dong thought for a moment, "Not for now. Let's focus on controlling the online public opinion. As for those two... I'll let you know."

"Clear."

Putting down his phone, Zheng Dong looked back at the screen. On Weibo, someone had posted another photo of themselves at Dongbei restaurant: a plate of braised fish, captioned, "Dongbei's fish is so tender, freshly killed and cooked makes all the difference!"

The comments section was full of likes and agreement.

Zheng Dong stared at the comment for a few seconds, then clicked on the user's profile picture. It was a young girl with many selfies; she looked like an ordinary customer.

He breathed a slight sigh of relief.

Perhaps this will work. Shift the focus with positive activities, let time fade the memory. In a month or two, who will remember what those two people said at the service area?

But the next second, he saw a new comment:

"So, did that legal assistant in the video apologize? Dongbei, dare to tag him?"

The number of likes is slowly increasing.

Zheng Dong's brows furrowed again.

At the same time, in the eastern part of the city, at the entrance of Splendid Garden residential community.

A black sedan was parked on the side of the road. There were two people inside: Xiao Liu, an assistant from Dongbei's public relations department, was in the driver's seat, and Zhao Bin was in the passenger seat.

Xiao Liu was a little nervous, his fingers unconsciously tapping the steering wheel. "Director Zhao, are we really going to the law firm to see him? Lawyer Zhou's attitude last time..."

"Last time it was a phone call, this time it's in person." Zhao Bin looked out the window at the gate of the residential compound, his tone calm. "Face to face, some things are easier to say."

"But..." Xiao Liu hesitated, wanting to say something but stopping himself.

"There are no 'buts'," Zhao Bin interrupted her. "Chairman Zheng's meaning is very clear: online public opinion must be guided, and offline pressure cannot be stopped. Those two parties involved must apologize. The blogger has already bowed his head; this one is the toughest nut to crack, but even the toughest nut must be cracked."

Xiao Liu didn't dare to say anything more. She was just a new employee who had only been with the company for half a year. This time, Director Zhao brought her out, ostensibly for "learning," but in reality, it was just to do odd jobs and boost her courage.

"Let's go." Zhao Bin opened the car door. "To the law firm."

17th Floor, Golden Cauldron Building, No. 188 Zhongshan Road.

The receptionist at Zhou Wenyuan Law Firm was a girl in her early twenties named Xiaoyu. She was pretty and spoke softly. She was sorting through today's packages when she suddenly heard the elevator "ding," the doors opened, and a man and a woman walked in.

The man was in his forties, wearing a dark gray suit and gold-rimmed Glasses, and looked very refined. The woman was younger, wearing a business skirt suit, holding a folder, and looked somewhat reserved.

"Hello, who are you looking for?" Xiaoyu stood up, giving a professional smile.

"Hello, I'm looking for lawyer Zhou Wenyuan," Zhao Bin said. "My surname is Zhao; we've spoken on the phone before."

Do you have an appointment?

"No. But the matter is rather urgent; there are some issues regarding his assistant Lin Feng, that need to be discussed in person."

Xiaoyu's smile remained unchanged, "I'm sorry, Lawyer Zhou's schedule is full today. If you have something urgent, you can make an appointment with me first, or leave your contact information and I will pass it on for you."

Zhao Bin took half a step forward, lowering his voice slightly. "Young lady, I'm not here to consult Lawyer Zhou about legal issues. I'm Zhao Bin, Brand Public Relations Director of Dongbei Catering Group, here to discuss Mr. Lin Feng's false statements that have damaged our company's reputation. This is a serious matter, and I hope to communicate directly with Lawyer Zhou."

Xiaoyu's smile faded slightly, but her tone remained polite. "Mr. Zhao, I understand your feelings. But Lawyer Zhou is indeed busy. Moreover, regarding Lin Feng's assistant, Lawyer Zhou has already clearly stated: it's a private consumer review, not involving legal issues, and he has no intention of discussing it further."

Zhao Bin stared at her for two seconds, then suddenly smiled, "Young lady, you're just a receptionist, there are some things you might not understand. Dongbei is a legitimate company, not here to cause trouble. But this matter has already caused substantial damage to our company. If we can't see Lawyer Zhou or Lin Feng in person today, then I'll have to take other measures."

He paused, then added, "For example, reporting the situation to the bar association, or... talking to media friends. I think Lawyer Zhou wouldn't want his law firm to be embroiled in unnecessary media controversy because of an assistant's personal behavior, would he?"

Xiaoyu's expression changed slightly. She bit her lip and picked up the intercom. "Lawyer Zhou, there are two guests from Dongbei Catering at the front desk who insist on seeing you... Okay, understood."

She hung up the phone and looked at Zhao Bin: "Lawyer Zhou invites you in. But only you can come in; this lady will need to wait outside."

Zhao Bin nodded and said to Xiao Liu, "Wait for me here."

He followed Xiaoyu into the law firm. The corridor was quiet, with offices on both sides separated by frosted glass partitions, through which one could vaguely see people working at their desks. The door to the office at the far end was open, and Zhou Wenyuan stood in the doorway.

"Director Zhao, please come in." Zhou Wenyuan's voice was calm and emotionless.

Zhao Bin walked into the office. The room was small, but clean and tidy. One wall was lined with bookshelves, and the other was a floor-to-ceiling window offering a view of the river in the distance. The documents on the desk were neatly arranged, and the computer screen was dark.

"Sit down." Zhou Wenyuan gestured to the sofa in the reception area and sat down opposite it. "Tea or coffee?"

"No need, thank you." Zhao Bin sat down and got straight to the point, "Lawyer Zhou, I'm here today to discuss Lin Feng's assistant in person."

"I've already made myself very clear over the phone," Zhou Wenyuan said, looking at him. "Mr. Lin Feng has no obligation to communicate his personal consumption experiences to your company. If your company believes his remarks infringe on your rights, you can resolve this through legal channels."

"We are pursuing legal avenues." Zhao Bin took a document from a folder and placed it on the coffee table. "This is a copy of the lawyer's letter, which was sent to your firm three days ago. Unfortunately, we have not received any response so far."

Zhou Wenyuan glanced at the document but didn't touch it. "I received it and also relayed it to Mr. Lin Feng. His attitude is very clear: no apology, no response."

Zhao Bin took a deep breath and tried to maintain a smile, "Lawyer Zhou, you are also a legal professional, so you should understand that although defamation lawsuits are time-consuming and laborious, once initiated, they are not beneficial to either party. Especially for a young person like Mr. Lin Feng who has just entered the profession, having a lawsuit record could affect his career."

"Is Director Zhao threatening my client?" Zhou Wenyuan's tone remained calm, but his eyes turned cold.

"No, I was just stating the possible consequences." Zhao Bin leaned forward. "Lawyer Zhou, Dongbei genuinely wants to resolve this issue. As long as Mr. Lin Feng is willing to issue a public apology and declare that his previous remarks were a personal misunderstanding, we can even offer some... financial compensation. Let's put this matter behind us; it's better for everyone."

Zhou Wenyuan was silent for a few seconds, then slowly spoke, "Director Zhao, I'm very curious. Your company has gone to such lengths for a customer's casual remark, 'It's normal for the quality to be a little lower,' sending a lawyer's letter, hiring online trolls to flood reviews, and now personally coming to negotiate—is this all because your company genuinely believes that this remark caused 'substantial damage,' or because...?"

He paused, then looked directly at Zhao Bin: "Your company has something to hide, so you can't stand the truth?"

Zhao Bin's expression changed. "Lawyer Zhou, please watch your words!"

"My wording was appropriate." Zhou Wenyuan stood up, walked to his desk, picked up a document, and handed it to Zhao Bin. "These are photos taken three days ago of your company's personnel loitering and secretly taking pictures downstairs at my law firm, along with surveillance footage provided by the property management. Furthermore, in the past 72 hours, Mr. Lin Feng's mobile phone received over two hundred harassing phone calls, and his work email received over five hundred threatening emails. How does Director Zhao explain these?"

Zhao Bin took the documents and quickly flipped through them. The photos were very clear; two men were secretly taking pictures of the law firm's entrance from across the street. Surveillance footage showed them loitering downstairs for over forty minutes. The records of harassing phone calls and emails were even more numerous.

A fine sheen of sweat appeared on his forehead.

"I'm not aware of these things," he said reluctantly. "It could be the individual actions of some employees, or... excessive enforcement by a third-party company. I'll go back and check."

"No need to verify anymore." Zhou Wenyuan sat down again. "I've already had my assistant compile all the evidence, including call logs, email screenshots, surveillance videos, and the offensive statements posted online by the PR firm you hired. If your company continues to harass my client or files any pointless lawsuits, we will immediately file a countersuit against you for infringing on citizens' personal information, defamation, and malicious litigation. At the same time, this evidence will also be provided to the media—I think our media friends will be very interested in the story of a well-known restaurant company using such methods to deal with an ordinary customer."

Zhao Bin opened his mouth, but no sound came out.

"Furthermore," Zhou Wenyuan added, "Please convey to your company's management: a restaurant's reputation depends on its food and service, not on intimidating customers and lawyers. I said this on the phone last time, and I'm saying it again now in person."

The office was so quiet that you could hear the slight hum of the air conditioner blowing air.

Zhao Bin's face was ashen, his fingers gripping the document so tightly that his knuckles turned white. All the arguments he had prepared—a combination of persuasion and coercion—were now stuck in his throat, and he couldn't utter a single word.

"Director Zhao," Zhou Wenyuan glanced at his watch, "I have a client meeting in ten minutes. If there's nothing else, I won't see you off."

The order to leave was made perfectly clear.

Zhao Bin stood up stiffly, picked up the folder, and turned to leave. When he reached the door, he stopped and glanced back at Zhou Wenyuan.

Zhou Wenyuan had already sat back down at his desk and turned on his computer, as if the conversation had never happened.

Zhao Bin gritted his teeth, opened the door, and went out.

At the front desk, Xiao Liu saw him come out and immediately greeted him, "Director Zhao, how did it go?"

"Let's go." Zhao Bin squeezed out the word through gritted teeth, his steps unwavering.

The two hurried into the elevator. As the doors closed, Xiao Liu cautiously asked, "Lawyer Zhou... did you agree to communicate?"

"Communication?" Zhao Bin sneered. "He gave me this."

He tossed the document to Xiao Liu. Xiao Liu opened it, saw the photos and records, and turned pale.

"What... what should we do?"

"Go back and report." Zhao Bin closed his eyes and leaned against the elevator wall. "Let Chairman Zheng decide."

The elevator descends, and the numbers change with each floor.

Zhao Bin's mind was still replaying Zhou Wenyuan's last words. "A restaurant's reputation depends on its food and service, not on intimidating customers and lawyers."

He suddenly felt a little tired.

Splendid Garden Complex, Lin Feng Apartment Complex.

Lü Yi lay on the carpet, with three mobile phones in front of her, simultaneously browsing Weibo, Douyin, and Tieba.

"Boss! Dongbei's running a check-in event, asking people to post pictures to prove they're fresh!" he shouted without looking up. "It's hilarious, a bunch of fake reviews are just spam."

Lin Feng was cooking noodles in the kitchen. The water boiled, and steam rose. He threw a handful of noodles into the pot and casually asked, "Is anyone drying them?"

"Yes, but it was mostly older women and kids, probably there for the prizes." Lü Yi rolled over, lying on her back, holding up her phone. "Look at this one, the fish's burnt, and they still dare to call it fresh."

Lin Feng didn't reply. He took out two bowls, prepared the broth, and waited for the noodles to cook.

My phone vibrated; it was WeChat from Zhou Wenyuan: "The people from Dongbei came, but just left. I gave them a warning."

Lin Feng replied, "Thank you for your hard work."

They won't let this go.

"Know."

Is there anything I can do for you?

"No need. Just wait."

The noodles were cooked. Lin Feng scooped them out, divided them into two bowls, poured broth over them, and sprinkled chopped green onions on top. He carried them to the living room and placed them on the coffee table.

Lü Yi jumped up, sat cross-legged, picked up the bowl, and slurped a big mouthful. "Hot, hot, hot... but delicious! Boss, you're really good at cooking noodles!"

Lin Feng sat down, picked up his chopsticks, and slowly ate his noodles.

The sunlight outside the window was bright, streaming through the glass and casting a bright patch of light on the floor.

While eating, Lü Yi scrolled through her phone and suddenly exclaimed, "Hey, boss, someone posted that Dongbei's kitchen doesn't actually 'cook to order' food; it's all pre-packaged meals that are heated up. But the post was deleted as soon as it was published."

"That's normal," Lin Feng said.

"Yeah, Dongbei's definitely keeping an eye on things," Lü Yi muttered. "But the faster they delete it, the more it suggests something's wrong, right?"

Lin Feng didn't answer, he just quietly ate his noodles.

His phone lay to the side; the screen lit up briefly, displaying an encrypted message:

"Central kitchen production records have been downloaded. Scanned copies of the cold chain logistics contracts have been obtained. Evidence chain completeness is 85%. We are currently attempting to infiltrate the internal meeting system to obtain recordings or minutes."

Lin Feng finished reading and locked the screen.

The steam from the noodles rose in wisps, forming tiny beams of light in the sunlight.

The street below was bustling with traffic and people.

Everything is as usual.