The stylist began working on Zhuang Qin’s hair. His hair had a natural wave to it but was in excellent condition, having never been dyed or permed.
Xiao Lian came out of the dressing room and informed Zhuang Qin that the clothes were ironed and ready.
After about ten more minutes, the styling was complete, and Zhuang Qin went into the dressing room to change.
A burnt smell filled the room.
“Oh no!” Xiao Lian exclaimed, rushing over to unplug the iron.
“Sizzle—” The iron had been pressed onto the suit, and a puff of smoke rose from it.
“It’s ruined!” Xiao Lian was about to touch the iron when Zhuang Qin grabbed his wrist. “Don’t touch it, it’s hot!”
Xiao Lian was on the verge of tears. “I swear I turned off the iron! How could this happen? I was sure I… I was sure…”
“It’s okay,” Zhuang Qin said. “You stepped out earlier, so someone probably came in.”
Xiao Lian’s eyes widened in realization. “It couldn’t be…!” Anger flashed across his face, and he was about to storm out to confront Zheng Fengbai’s assistant, but Zhuang Qin held his shoulder and shook his head, signaling him not to act rashly. “It’s fine. The suit isn’t worth much; let’s just forget about it.”
There were no security cameras, no evidence, and no way to prove who did it. It wouldn’t be worth causing trouble over.
“But… but…” Xiao Lian’s eyes filled with tears. Zhuang Ge wasn’t washed up yet—he had only taken on a single LGBTQ movie, so why were they bullying him like this?
“What should we do now?” Xiao Lian asked. “You have some outfits at home, but they’re last season’s and you’ve worn them before…”
Wearing the same outfit more than once would cause people to gossip for ages if they found out.
He started pacing anxiously. “Should I call Wen Jie and ask if she can get a new suit delivered right away?”
“Let’s go home first,” Zhuang Qin said, packing up the ruined suit. “We’re running out of time. We’ll figure it out.”
“What are we going to do, Zhuang Ge…”
“Don’t worry, I remembered I have an outfit at home that I haven’t worn yet.” He handed Xiao Lian a tissue.
“Huh?” Xiao Lian wiped his eyes, confused.
Zhuang Qin had the driver take them back to the Golden Coast apartment complex.
When they arrived home, Zhuang Qin went to his walk-in closet, and that’s when Xiao Lian realized that the outfit Zhuang Qin hadn’t worn yet was a traditional changpao (long robe) and makuai (vest).
“What? Isn’t this what crosstalk performers wear?” Xiao Lian was stunned.
“Yes,” Zhuang Qin carefully unfolded the outfit. “It was handmade by Shiniang. Do you think it looks good?”
Xiao Lian examined the clothes carefully. Despite his surprise, he had to admit the craftsmanship was impeccable. The fabric was high-quality satin, with the upper vest in a muted grayish-blue and the long robe in a pearl white, embroidered with delicate silver patterns. If this were a Republican-era drama, it would definitely be something a noble young master would wear.
But for today… Xiao Lian couldn’t imagine it. He scratched his head. “Zhuang Ge, is it really appropriate to wear this to an awards ceremony?”
“Do we have a better option? We could try to borrow something, but it’s unlikely we’d find anything that fits, and even if we do, it’ll probably be a worn-out, last-season suit.” Zhuang Qin pulled out a dark purple suit from the rack. “I’ve only worn this twice.”
“You’ve already worn that!” Xiao Lian immediately recalled. “Last time…”
“How about this one?” Zhuang Qin held up a black three-piece suit. “These tuxedos all look the same, no one would notice.”
“Zhuang Ge, don’t you remember? You wore that and went viral on social media.” That particular tailcoat made Zhuang Qin look like a prince. At 180 centimeters, Zhuang Qin wasn’t the tallest actor in the industry, but he was taller than most, and he maintained a perfect physique, always standing out in photos.
Ten minutes later, Zhuang Qin stepped out wearing the new changpao and makuai.
Xiao Lian’s eyes lit up instantly.
In the car, Zhuang Qin nibbled on a low-fat cookie as they drove to the awards ceremony venue.
He sipped water through a straw and continued reviewing the script, pen in hand, soon becoming absorbed in it. Xiao Lian snapped a photo of him, thinking it would be perfect to post once the red carpet pictures went public.
With this look, Zhuang Ge was sure to trend.
Xiao Lian opened the group chat. The fan support team had already gathered outside the red carpet venue, standing behind the barricades. Many media outlets were present, almost all the entertainment reporters had arrived, and he wondered if they’d be blown away when they saw Zhuang Qin in this outfit.
At the red carpet waiting room, the celebrities were assigned different rooms based on their status. Zhuang Qin, being one of the top-tier stars, was in the first group. His arrival caused a stir among the others, though despite the initial shock at his outfit, most people were more impressed than anything else.
These days, it wasn’t unusual for male celebrities to go all out in their fashion choices. It was no longer just women competing for the spotlight, but most men still stuck to trendy brands.
“Why are you dressed like that?”
The question came from Song Ke, one of Zhuang Qin’s senior colleagues. The two had recently worked together on a magazine cover and got along well.
“Is it strange?”
“Not strange,” Song Ke said, looking him over. “Just unexpected.”
The grayish-blue makuai paired with the pearl-white changpao, fastened with frog buttons up to the collarbone, was a custom design by his Shiniang. She had worked on it intermittently for over a year as a gift for Zhuang Qin’s coming-of-age ceremony.
She had intentionally made it a bit larger, and now that Zhuang Qin had grown taller and broader, it fit him perfectly. Though this type of long robe didn’t show off his figure or legs, it exuded an air of elegance and nobility. Especially the few embroidered red plum blossoms on the cuffs—when he raised his hand, it was as if their fragrance filled the air.
Song Ke leaned in to sniff the air, thinking he had imagined it, but there was a faint, pleasant scent—not perfume.
Song Ke had always felt Zhuang Qin had a sort of old-world young master vibe. Now, seeing him dressed like this, he finally understood where that impression came from. Zhuang Qin’s features were exceptional—his gaze was lively, his eyes clear and bright, yet when lowered, they carried a certain charm. His lips were naturally red, his teeth perfectly white, and his aura was ethereal. His slightly wavy black hair added a touch of Western elegance. This outfit suited him too perfectly!
“You look great,” Song Ke thought, certain that Zhuang Qin would outshine all the female celebrities on the red carpet tonight. Typically, red carpets were dominated by the women, but who could’ve predicted that Zhuang Qin would show up dressed like this?
“What made you decide to wear this? Was it your stylist’s idea?”
“No, the suit I was supposed to wear had an accident today, so I changed into this last-minute,” Zhuang Qin admitted.
“An accident? And where’s your manager? You didn’t bring any bodyguards?”
Zhuang Qin hummed in acknowledgment, not bothering to make excuses.
Song Ke furrowed his brows, confused by why Yue Dong Media would treat Zhuang Qin this way.
“Our slots are back-to-back. Stick close to me later—my bodyguards will cover you. There are a lot of people outside, and if someone rushes at you, things could go wrong.”
Zhuang Qin was taken aback for a moment before smiling. “Thank you, senior.”
“No problem.” Though there were security guards at the red carpet, they were mainly there to maintain order and couldn’t be as attentive as personal bodyguards. If Zhuang Qin walked alone, it could easily attract unwanted attention from the paparazzi.
While waiting, Zhuang Qin spotted Zheng Fengbai, who had changed outfits. He glanced at Zhuang Qin, paused for a moment, then turned away and resumed chatting with others.
Soon, it was time for them to walk the red carpet. A staff member came over to inform Zhuang Qin that his turn was coming up. He and Song Ke headed out together. As the son of a wealthy family, Song Ke was flanked by five burly bodyguards in black suits, escorting them through the crowd. The press and fans who didn’t have access to the red carpet area were gathered on either side of the barricades.
Zhuang Qin heard screams and turned his head, catching sight of fans holding light signs with his name on them.
“Ahhhhh! Qinbao! Qinbao, ahhhhh—Mommy loves you!!”
“You’re so handsome!!”
Countless people raised their phones to snap photos, and the fans near the barricades nearly broke through. The frenzied energy made Zhuang Qin hesitate for a moment, instinctively taking a step back, as if he were afraid of something.
“What’s wrong?” Song Ke asked.
“Nothing.” Zhuang Qin waved at his fans, smiling slightly, which triggered another wave of excited screams. Fortunately, the number of fans allowed in was strictly controlled, preventing further chaos.
Zhuang Qin walked ahead of Song Ke, and when a staff member saw him, they greeted him immediately. “Teacher Zhuang, you’re up next!”
The female celebrity in front of Zhuang Qin posed for two minutes at the signature backdrop, exchanging a few awkward pleasantries with the host. Then it was Zhuang Qin’s turn.
As soon as he stepped out, he was greeted by a sea of cameras and media.
“Click, click, click—”
The camera shutters and blinding flashes from the magnesium lights made him instinctively want to retreat, but it was such a brief moment that no one noticed, and he quickly regained his composure.
Presenting his best self, he nodded and smiled as he walked, exuding grace and confidence.
If nothing else, his posture and presence from his opera training easily outshone most celebrities.
The host had received a heads-up that Zhuang Qin would be dressed in a Republican-era style and couldn’t help but exclaim, “Wow!” upon seeing him.
The media was equally stunned.
He looked like he had stepped out of a painting—a noble young master from the Republic of China, returned from studying abroad. While the audience was no stranger to Republican-era dramas, no one had expected such a bold choice for the red carpet, and certainly not one that looked this stunning! He truly lived up to the phrase “brows like a painting.”
“Teacher Zhuang, your outfit today is quite unique,” the host commented as Zhuang Qin finished signing his name. Clearly off-script, they asked, “You look like a young master from a Republican-era drama. Is it because your next project has a Republican theme?”
The original question had been about his upcoming projects, but seeing him dressed like this, the host improvised.
“No, my next project is set in the modern day.”
“Can you give us a little teaser?”
“Well, it’s a crime film. I can’t reveal much for now, but everyone will know soon enough.”
The host nodded. “We’ll be looking forward to it. Can’t wait to see your new movie!”
Zhuang Qin stood in the spotlight, posing slightly to the side as the media took countless photos, only stepping off the red carpet after a minute.
He followed the path into the awards venue, where a staff member led him to his assigned seat.
This particular awards ceremony wasn’t very prestigious. The awards didn’t carry much weight, and the biggest highlight was the red carpet photos. Zhuang Qin had already been informed that he had won the “Most Talked About Male Artist” award. He went on stage to accept the trophy, and the entire ceremony lasted several hours before wrapping up.
Song Ke, worried that Zhuang Qin might get swarmed by fans, insisted on accompanying him to the parking lot. With five stern-faced bodyguards in sunglasses escorting them, no one dared approach.
But they couldn’t outlast the persistence of some die-hard fans who had been waiting outside the venue the entire time.
“Zhuang Ge, those are your fans,” Xiao Lian pointed out.
Their light sign read: “Qinmu You.”
It was the fan club’s slogan.
“I know.” Zhuang Qin had thrown on a black hoodie over his outfit. Although it was warming up in March, there was still a chill in the air, and it was quite cold outside.
Seeing him, the fans rushed over, screaming his name. The bodyguards moved to block them, but Zhuang Qin quickly said, “Don’t hurt them.”
Xiao Lian, knowing they just wanted autographs and photos, shouted, “Don’t push!”
“Song Ke! It’s Song Ke! Oh my god, are they leaving together? I’m shipping this CP so hard!”
Zhuang Qin heard someone whispering, but he just smiled and casually signed autographs. “Thank you, everyone. You’ve worked hard. It’s getting late—go home and rest.”
The fans’ eyes welled up with emotion as they stuffed plush toys and bouquets into Zhuang Qin’s arms. Xiao Lian also helped carry them.
Song Ke commented, “Your fans are really dedicated.”
Song Ke wasn’t unpopular, but he didn’t engage in much self-promotion, so his fan base wasn’t as large as the current top-tier stars.
After Zhuang Qin thanked him and promised to treat him to a meal next time, Song Ke left with his entourage.
Sitting in the car, Zhuang Qin leaned back in his seat, exhausted. He hadn’t eaten much today, worried that eating too much would make his face puffy on camera.
Seeing him open a pack of biscuits and take a bite, Xiao Lian handed him the phone, saying, “Director Guo called earlier. I answered, and he asked if you could call him back when you’re done.”
Zhuang Qin dialed the number and put on his headset.
“Hello? Teacher Zhuang, are you done for the night?”
“Just finished. It’s almost… ten o’clock now. Is it still possible to meet?” The ceremony had started recording at 6 p.m., so it had wrapped up earlier than expected.
Xiao Lian quietly opened a pack of makeup remover wipes and gently wiped away Zhuang Qin’s light makeup.
“Do you have any plans for tomorrow?” Director Guo asked.
Zhuang Qin glanced at Xiao Lian. “What’s on my schedule tomorrow?”
“It’s been canceled,” Xiao Lian replied, noting that the company had pulled his engagements.
“I’m free tomorrow,” Zhuang Qin said into the phone.
“Then shall we meet tomorrow?” Director Guo suggested. “What time works for you—afternoon or evening? We could meet at the hotel.”
Zhuang Qin hummed in acknowledgment, then suddenly had a thought and said, “How about now? I’d like to rest at home tomorrow and not go out.” Going out would mean showering, doing his hair, changing clothes, and a bunch of other preparations. He figured it would be better to get everything done tonight so he could relax tomorrow without anything hanging over his head.
Director Guo hesitated. “Now? That should be fine… Do you still have the energy?”
He could tell from Zhuang Qin’s voice that he was tired.
“It’s no problem. I’m just hungry. Director Guo, send me the address, and I’ll head over shortly.”
Zhuang Qin received the message with the hotel name and immediately had Xiao Lian book a suite under his own name.
The car stopped outside a convenience store, and Zhuang Qin said to Xiao Lian, “See if they still have beef balls for the hotpot. I also want some kelp knots, konjac strips… Actually, forget it. Just get me some bread, snacks, and fish tofu. Oh, and get some gum, lots of it.”
Even though the chances of a kissing scene during the screen test were slim, Zhuang Qin still liked to be prepared for anything.
