In short, the fans are so fervent that they’ve become extremely critical. They’ve gone from criticizing the characters and scenes in the two actors’ drama to fighting over their rankings and resources outside the show. They criticize the screenwriters and directors, and the barrage of comments is filled with blocked words. It’s as if they only need a slight reason to take control of the entire world.
The lively opening segment of the show quickly ended. “Happy Express” has three hosts, two males and one female, who are seasoned veterans in the hosting industry. They have developed their own distinctive hosting style through years of cooperation, displaying remarkable synergy. They are skilled at controlling the program’s pace and incorporating popular internet trends to easily engage the live audience’s emotions.
The live broadcast, lasting an hour and a half, is mainly divided into three segments: discussions, talent performances, and interactive games. The interactive games include both non-verbal reaction games and physical challenges.
There aren’t actually many segments in which Chu Yan needs to participate. He has a lot of time to sit in a nearby chair and rest, so overall, he feels much better than he expected throughout the entire show.
After the show, it was already 11 PM. Chu Yan sat in the chauffeured car, leaning against the back seat and gazing out of the window.
On the bustling commercial street, surrounded by towering commercial buildings, a large outdoor electronic billboard caught his attention — an advertisement for a men’s facial cleanser, featuring none other than Zhong Yu.
The person in the advertisement had a bright smile, impeccable facial features. Even Chu Yan had to admit that this face was truly exceptional.
Fang Dingyao leaned against the passenger seat and swiped open the tablet, opening the schedule: “You can rest tomorrow morning. There’s a photo shoot for an advertisement around 2 PM in the afternoon. Cheng Yang will come to pick you up at your place around noon.”
“Mhm,” Chu Yan responded, indicating that he heard.
Fang Dingyao turned his head to look at Chu Yan, who was nestled in the back seat. His posture was casual, and his makeup was fresh and light. His skin was excellent, and even at such a close distance, it was smooth and flawless, with no imperfections in sight. When he lowered his eyes slightly, his features appeared distinct in the play of light and shadow.
It had to be said that Zhong Yu was actually the artist he managed with the best appearance. It was as if he had been blessed by the heavens, having both backing and resources that kept up. Fang Dingyao let out a slight sigh; if he could only muster a bit more determination for himself…
However, today’s performance was not bad, and with this thought, Fang Dingyao opened his tablet and accessed Weibo. When he saw the trending topics, he couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow.
Originally, it was quite normal for the cast of “Longing for the Sword” to appear together on “Happy Express” for promotion and make it a trending topic, but it shouldn’t be about criticizing acting skills… There were already people setting a negative tone for Zhong Yu’s acting skills before, and the resulting high engagement was expected as well…
In fact, Zhong Yu’s public relations are outsourced to another top-notch marketing company, a highly prestigious PR team. Every time Zhong Yu gets into trouble, before she even starts worrying and thinking of countermeasures to salvage the situation, the other side efficiently manages to quell the controversy invisibly… Fang Dingyao is well aware of this aspect of Zhong Yu’s connections, and she can only attribute it to good fortune.
However, this time it’s different. The trending topic about criticizing Zhong Yu’s acting skills started climbing in the afternoon and gradually reached the third position. The search volume continued to rise, and just until a moment ago, to her surprise, there was no movement from Zhong Yu’s usually efficient PR team. In her memory, the benefactor behind Zhong Yu seemed to hold him in high regard and protect him dearly, capable of suppressing such negative trends.
Originally, for artists like Zhong Yu, as long as there were no moral or legal controversies, going through both positive and negative attention might have been the most suitable path for him… It’s convenient, and the rewards are high…
After clicking on the trending topic, Fang Dingyao looked through it and quickly realized—Zhong Yu’s PR team surprisingly hadn’t intervened at all this time. Such news typically gains a lot of attention, and with the added boost from tonight’s “Happy Express,” it quickly climbed to the top position. Unlike the situation in the afternoon, the top comments had completely turned negative now.
Entertainment Pioneer V:
#HappyExpress Zhong Yu# #Longing for the Sword Zhong Yu# #Zhao Zhuo’er Acting Skills# #VideoLink#
“Longing for the Sword” has been airing for nearly a week now. Zhong Yu, who doesn’t have a formal acting background, not only lacks proficiency in lines, but also fails to convey any emotional changes in his expressions. On the other hand, the performances of Lin Qingxuan and Zhao Zhuo’er in this scene easily allow viewers to immerse themselves in the emotions.
The discussion below is intense, but it’s mostly mockery directed at Zhong Yu.
—Zhong Yu really stinks up the entertainment industry. He constantly promotes himself with catchy slogans and touts himself as the most beautiful in the industry. He talks a big game, but his acting skills are a joke. Learn from someone like Qin Ye who embraces self-deprecation due to his poor acting. It’s only you who has terrible acting yet your fans cheer you on like crazy. [dog head] Oh, and by the way, your fans respond to insults in private messages with even more aggression.
Fang Dingyao closed the tablet. In this situation, it’s actually fine that the other side didn’t intervene. She didn’t need to worry too much about it.
Chu Yan’s busy schedule continued for nearly half a month before he finally had some free time. He took the opportunity to find a way to connect with the male lead of this world, Xu Linshen.
However, his approach wasn’t intentional; he wanted to create a chance encounter. The upcoming award ceremony provided him with that opportunity.
The Golden Deer Award, one of the most prestigious awards in the Huaguo film industry, has a long history. It was usually held in mid-April at the Cultural Center in City C. This event witnessed some of the most unforgettable moments in the history of Huaguo cinema.
The Golden Deer Awards, as an annual event in the film industry, had already announced the list of nominees a week prior. A total of 23 domestic films and five cross-strait Chinese-language films were nominated for the 16 categories in this edition.
Among them, the most prominent figure was the reigning Best Actor, Ye Jingyun. As the only male actor born in the 1980s to have been nominated for the Triple Crown (Golden Rooster, Hundred Flowers, and Golden Horse Awards), Ye Jingyun’s status in the entertainment industry was beyond that of his peers.
After all, actors who excel in both acting skills and appearance are extremely rare in the entertainment world.
A convoy of black vehicles lined up one after another at the entrance of the theater. Soon, car doors opened, and Ye Jingyun stepped out. He was dressed in a tailored black suit with a crisp white shirt underneath, accentuating his tall and upright figure, while his countenance remained cool and stern.
As soon as he emerged, fans on both sides of the red carpet erupted into excited screams. Countless cameras followed closely behind him, and eager journalists jostled to capture shots of Ye Jingyun, repeatedly pressing the camera shutters.
In reality, the division between the film and television industries was not as thick as one might think. As long as a celebrity had a decent standing, they would seek opportunities in various fields; singers ventured into television dramas, while television actors tried their hand at movies.
However, considering how remarkably poor Chu Yu’s acting skills were, he still naively attempted to enter the film industry. Though those prestigious directors weren’t lacking in investment, they wouldn’t have any issues cooperating for the right price. Xu Linshen, always compliant with his lover’s desires, naturally gave him carte blanche. Getting him a role in a film, even a minor one that required no acting prowess, was a trivial matter.
The award ceremony was being streamed live on various major online video platforms. In the days leading up to the event, discussions about the winners of each category had been a hot topic, taking over the top spots on Weibo and various forums for several days.
After the red carpet segment of the event concluded, online viewers began to jest. “A grand chorus of singing, dancing, and acrobatics – with this lineup, it’s practically a Spring Festival Gala. We just need some sketches and cross-talk, and we’re all set!”
Between the performance segments, awards were presented. After nearly two hours of watching, as the event was already halfway through, Chu Yan took a moment to greet the people around him and then left his seat to go to the restroom.
Leaving the bustling main hall, the third floor housed the rest area for the stars attending the event. Chu Yan walked through the corridor and stopped at the balcony at the end.
There was still a hint of chill in the April night. Chu Yan loosened his tie, opened the window, and took a deep breath of fresh air.
Chu Yan stood by the window for a while longer, about to turn and leave, when suddenly, the elevator chimed and its doors opened.
Thick carpet covered the floor, and a wheelchair rolled out silently upon it.
Due to Chu Yan’s position, he remained hidden in the shadows, making it impossible for the person coming out of the elevator to notice him. Yet, from Chu Yan’s vantage point, he could clearly see the newcomer.
Even seated in the wheelchair, his presence showed no sign of weakness. His facial features were sharp and well-defined, as if carved by a master craftsman, and there was a certain European depth to his brows and eyes.
“I didn’t expect you to come either,” a voice sounded from the dimly lit space, carrying a deeply familiar tone.
Following closely behind was Ye Jingyun, dressed in a black suit, stepping steadily out of the elevator.
Chu Yan was taken aback for a moment, then a bitter irony rose from within him, his clenched fists whitening at the knuckles.
“Perform well, you should be able to,” the words were delivered in a calm tone, devoid of any discernible emotion.
Chu Yan remained in his spot until Ye Jingyun was approached by his manager and led away. Once Xu Linshen was wheeled into a VIP lounge, Chu Yan emerged from the shadowed balcony and pressed the elevator button, which was still ascending.
In the brief interlude of waiting for the elevator, a familiar yet chilling voice resounded from behind. The voice was calm and distant, but it gripped one’s heart.
“Zhong Yu.”
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