As if a fish out of water, deprived of the air in his lungs, Chu Yan woke up drenched in sweat and found himself in a completely different environment.
The 2333 system crawled out from under the pillow and greeted Chu Yan.
After a moment, Chu Yan surveyed the room. The room wasn’t large, at most around sixty to seventy square meters. The air was damp and stifling, making it hard to breathe, and the lighting wasn’t great either, causing the surrounding light to appear particularly dim.
His gaze finally landed on a photograph on the bedside table. It was only then that he realized which world he was in.
However, due to the passage of time, it took Chu Yan quite a while to slowly piece together the plot of this world.
In this world, his counterpart was a celebrity who rose to fame through talent shows. He came from a humble background and had average educational qualifications. The only remarkable thing about him was his exceptionally handsome appearance. Through a stroke of luck, he was discovered by talent scouts and participated in an idol talent show, which marked the beginning of his journey into the entertainment industry and a life drastically different from the first twenty years of his existence.
Normally, the entertainment industry is fiercely competitive and full of smoke and mirrors. Those who could thrive either possessed talent and acting skills or came from influential backgrounds. However, Chu Yan was different. Besides his good looks, he seemed to lack any other remarkable qualities.
Yet, the dynamics of success in the entertainment industry were often enigmatic, and perhaps it was truly his striking appearance or the captivating short promotional video from the initial audition that garnered him a tremendous amount of attention online.
Not to mention, when the formal competition began, as his exposure increased, his popularity soared in a straight line.
However, while participating in an idol talent show, Chu Yan not only lacked singing and dancing skills but also had an empty head. He lacked any sense of variety show humor or wit… While many innocent fans loved him to the extreme because of his looks, there were also quite a number of netizens who couldn’t stand Chu Yan. As a result, throughout the show, he single-handedly monopolized all the topics and attention.
In this world, the male lead’s name is Xu Linshen.
As the pinnacle of B City’s elite class, he was sent abroad for education from a young age and rarely made appearances in B City. Therefore, his return banquet naturally attracted countless upper-class celebrities and some industry stars who wanted to get to know him. Chu Yan was among them.
Xu Linshen was almost love-struck at first sight with Zhong Yu. Although there were many beauties in the entertainment industry, someone with looks as captivating as Zhong Yu’s was hard to forget after just one encounter.
With initial good feelings already in place, Chu Yan occasionally and intentionally dropped hints to him. Additionally, since Xu Linshen had been studying abroad and hadn’t had much time for romance, their ambiguous relationship quickly escalated, and Xu Linshen fell head over heels in love, unable to control his feelings.
As the beloved of Xu Linshen, the sole heir of B City’s Jiaxin Enterprise, Zhong Yu naturally possessed enviable advantages that made countless people green with envy. Even though he faced doubts about his education and acting skills, nothing could stop his skyrocketing fame at a speed akin to riding a rocket.
However, since Chu Yan was portraying a cannon fodder and not the protagonist with a typical comeback storyline, it didn’t take long before an incident occurred on set. On that day, during a fire outbreak in the studio, Xu Linshen came to visit and, in order to protect his lover, was seriously injured by collapsing steel wall panels. He suffered paralysis in his lower limbs and spinal damage.
In contrast, Zhong Yu emerged from the incident with only minor injuries and was relatively unscathed.
After waking up, Xu Linshen was in excruciating pain. However, to prevent his lover from feeling guilty and upset, he quickly forced himself to accept the reality. Through this accident, he became more dependent on and attached to Zhong Yu. He also began to cherish the hard-earned relationship between them even more.
However, Zhong Yu was inherently ungrateful. Not only did he not feel indebted to Xu Linshen, but he also started to look down on his disability. Yet, in order to keep Xu Linshen as his powerful backer, Zhong Yu dragged on the relationship, until the media captured photos of him having an intimate meal with another scion of a wealthy family in a restaurant…
As the memories faded, Chu Yan rubbed his temples. Just then, his phone vibrated, and he retrieved it from under the pillow. He glanced at the screen—it was a text message.
Yu Fei: Are you feeling any better from the cold? I’ll bring you some cold medicine later, okay? [Puppy eyes] [Puppy eyes]
Chu Yan scrolled through their chat history, finally understanding the current point in time. He had just broken up with Xu Linshen and was now enduring Yu Fei’s relentless pursuit. It had to be said that Chu Yan’s portrayal of a refined and defeated character was quite successful. People who didn’t know him well would really think he was independent and strong, untainted by the decadence of the entertainment industry… Xu Linshen was one of those people, and so was Yu Fei.
While it was termed as “pursuit,” Chu Yan couldn’t help but feel that Yu Fei’s approach was somewhat different. He was clearly not pursuing Chu Yan in the manner of a lover; his behavior seemed more like that of a fervent and somewhat blindly enthusiastic fan…
Chu Yan casually replied: No need.
He then tossed the phone into the disheveled sheets and turned to head to the bathroom to change his clothes.
After splashing water on his face, Chu Yan lifted his gaze to the mirror and looked at the reflection of his own face. His hair was jet black, with wet ends trailing down, leaving traces of water. The contours of his face were clean and smooth, a high-bridged nose, delicate and distant eyebrows and eyes, lips not too thin, but attractive due to their well-shaped curve.
Tall stature, long legs, a clean and refreshing demeanor.
He indeed possessed the charm that could make someone fall in love at first sight…
Taking a quick shower, Chu Yan changed into fresh clothes. He opened the fridge, took out a few slices of whole wheat bread, and put them in the toaster. He also brewed a cup of oatmeal, quickly preparing his breakfast.
After finishing breakfast, Chu Yan’s manager sent him today’s work schedule.
“Happy Express” recording studio dressing room.
Zhao Zhuoer was huddled on the sofa, scrolling through Weibo, while allowing the makeup artist to apply foundation to his face. He maintained a cold expression throughout, and there seemed to be a hint of displeasure between his eyebrows and eyes.
As one of the flagship variety shows of the country’s top TV station, “Happy Express” had a sharp and topical style, along with engaging interactive segments. Its viewership had always remained high, and it had a broad audience base. The show’s influence on the internet was also substantial.
This time, the main cast of the drama “Longing for the Sword” appeared together on the show for promotion. The Weibo hot search and various major forums were synchronized, but the topic that garnered the most discussion was still about Zhong Yu.
Although there seemed to be more negative comments, most of them criticized Zhong Yu’s acting to the point where it was incredibly distracting. Among them, the segment of his emotional crying scene was reposted the most by various marketing accounts.
However, the top comments had a different tone:
—Seeing Zhong Yu cry makes me want to laugh. But, brother, as long as you’re not acting, we still love you. I think I might be a fake fan. [dog head]
—Ah, this profile is so good-looking!
—This acting is just too awkward, the fans in the front row are manipulating the comments too much. Your ‘big brother’ is so petty, no matter how good or big the role is, he can’t handle it.
In fact, for celebrities, being criticized or praised both lead to fame, especially when compared to other actors with worse acting skills than Zhong Yu, his level can hardly be called negative. It’s as if there’s always an inexplicable sense of tolerance towards Zhong Yu among netizens.
After scrolling on his phone for a while, Zhao Zhuo’er finally put his phone away and glanced at Chu Yan, who was sitting in front of him, doing makeup. In the end, he scoffed disdainfully.
In the entertainment industry, good-looking people are as common as fish in the river. People like Zhong Yu, who have no substantial work but are considered fresh meat, can become popular quickly and fade away even faster.
Chu Yan’s skin was in good condition. Based on his appearance, his company designed a route for him as a fresh and sunny handsome young man, so he didn’t need any extra makeup. His makeup artist had an easy job. Moreover, since “Happy Express” was positioned as an entertainment and gossip talk show, the dressing style of the main actors was relaxed and comfortable, and their looks were kept simple.
Also present at the scene was the female lead of this drama, Lin Qingxuan. She is currently a highly popular actress in the entertainment industry, known as a top-tier female celebrity. Unlike male young actors who are constantly replaced, female stars, once they attain the position of a top celebrity, have a more stable style and fan base. It’s much harder for them to cool down once they’ve reached that status.
However, the TV drama industry is filled with young female talents of various styles. While many can fit into this category, only a select few manage to secure those top positions. Lin Qingxuan’s rise to fame can be attributed to her beautiful crying scenes and strong emotional connection with the audience. What’s even more rare is that she possesses a female lead’s face that viewers adore.
She was dressed in a light yellow dress; her makeup was exquisite, and her carefully styled curls gave her a sweet and generous appearance.
“Happy Express” also has a unique and attention-grabbing feature that sets it apart from other TV variety shows – live broadcasting. As the name suggests, this show is broadcasted live on both TV and the internet, with no post-editing involved. This is why many celebrities have stumbled or embarrassed themselves on this show, making it stand out among numerous variety programs.
Before stepping onto the stage, Chu Yan’s manager, Fang Dingyao, repeatedly reminded him to be cautious and advised him to speak less if he had to, rather than saying something inappropriate.
Having been intimidated by his previous appearance on the show, Chu Yan was genuinely afraid and decided it was better to say less if he couldn’t speak well.
In the front rows of the audience, several major stars’ fans occupied their seats, with Chu Yan’s sea of red support lights being the most spectacular, nearly dominating half of the front row.
At precisely 9:30 PM, the host took the stage punctually. High-definition cameras were placed in various corners of the recording studio, and a large screen hung directly above, broadcasting the live feed online.
Fans, both on the internet and in front of their TVs, had been eagerly awaiting this time slot for a long time. After the host’s introduction, the main cast of “Longing for the Sword” stepped onto the stage amidst enthusiastic applause.
In fact, television cameras have high demands on a person’s appearance. The moment Chu Yan walked out, the fans sitting in the front rows and those watching on their phones and computers felt an immediate onslaught of beauty.
He was wearing a simple white T-shirt on his upper body, with his soft and natural hair tousled, giving him a refreshing look. His dark hair framed his high and straight nose, accentuating his delicate features. With a slender waist and long legs, his proportions were practically perfect.
Due to the strong interactive nature and high engagement of online comments, within moments, the video was flooded with numerous astonished bullet comments.
The fans of the two male leads in the drama have been at odds since the show started airing. Both actors held similar status, but unlike Chu Yan, Zhao Zhuo’er, despite also being a rising young actor, had gained recognition for his acting skills due to his performance as a supporting male character in a phenomenally popular period drama last year. He held his own against seasoned actors and received much praise, earning a certain level of acknowledgment for his acting abilities.
This made Zhao Zhuo’er’s fans, who admired his acting skills, particularly disdainful of Chu Yan, whom they saw as nothing more than a face without substance. Moreover, rumors had spread online that Chu Yan had a powerful backer, suggesting he had financial support behind him. However, due to effective public relations by his team, this didn’t cause much of a stir.
Yet, his resources were surprisingly abundant. Otherwise, as a newcomer with just a year in the industry, no significant body of work, and endorsements and magazine shoots practically non-stop, how could he still occasionally land roles in movies by renowned directors with such acting skills? With his acting skills at this level, the television drama industry was finding it hard to keep up, but he could still occasionally appear in a blockbuster film directed by a top filmmaker?
Only a few minutes into the show, before the warm-up segment had even finished, the barrage of comments and discussions in the comments section had already erupted into a frenzy.
—Your main star is just a high school graduate, a nobody in society, lacking education, acting skills, manners, and character. He keeps posting PR articles to brag about his looks, but seeing that face now makes me physically nauseous.
—I’m sorry, my brother is one meter eighty-eight.
—Ouch, hitting where it hurts. In the same frame, it’s a knockout. His height and physique are just too much, it’s a crying shame, hehe.
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