Three days later marked the start of filming for the drama, and at the same time, the final episodes of “Longing for the Sword” were drawing near. As a popular modern puppetry fantasy wuxia drama in recent years, it boasted impressive costume design, special effects, and aesthetic appeal, along with a well-crafted script. The leading actors were also among the current top-tier idols, making this drama one of the hottest productions of the year.
Fang Dingyao was well aware of the principle of not overdoing things. In recent days, Chu Yan’s exposure has been substantial, and pushing it further might lead to a counterproductive outcome. Thus, she decided to grant him a two-day break before he joined the film crew.
However, she wasn’t entirely at ease. She couldn’t shake off the feeling that, given Zhong Yu’s temperament and personality, he might still stir up some trouble once he entered the set of “Thunderous Awakening.”
What she didn’t anticipate was a rather vexing incident that occurred before Zhong Yu joined the production.
It all began with her recent negotiations with ray-litlrry about renewing Zhong Yu’s endorsement contract. Last year, ray-litlrry had chosen Zhong Yu as their brand ambassador for the Greater China region. They even launched seven sets of co-branded products featuring Zhong Yu on their official website, and the sales have been consistently strong. Therefore, this year they approached Zhong Yu again for a contract renewal discussion.
ray-litlrry has always pursued a path of affordable luxury, which is why they have consistently hired a large number of young idols to attract the purchasing desires of the youth. Their decision to select Zhong Yu as their brand ambassador last year was also driven by this strategy.
Zhong Yu’s image indeed aligned well with their product positioning.
Originally, with Zhong Yu’s rising popularity and value this year, Fang Dingyao had thought about adjusting the endorsement fee accordingly and was planning to negotiate with them on this matter for a few days.
However, to her surprise, within these few days, the company directly approached someone else and signed a contract with the manager of Le Huo, taking the lead. At first, Fang Dingyao didn’t pay much attention to this matter. Zhong Yu already had numerous endorsements, and he had signed contracts with several companies of ray-litlrry’s caliber; losing one wouldn’t make much of a difference.
However, something unusual happened. After ray-litlrry’s official Weibo account posted the endorsement announcement and tagged Le Huo’s studio, several marketing accounts, as if in coordination, immediately added tags to both Zhong Yu’s and Le Huo’s endorsement posts, suggesting that Le Huo was snatching Zhong Yu’s ray-litlrry endorsement.
Following this, a flood of internet users joined in, including armies of fake accounts, as well as gossip accounts speculating on their relationship.
From “Star Voice” to Starlight Entertainment and now to “Thunderstruck,” the orchestrated campaign by the fake accounts ignited an immediate explosion among Zhong Yu’s fan support base upon seeing the Weibo post.
— Lunar landing confrontation1“Lunar landing confrontation” refers to a situation where a smaller entity is challenging a larger one, similar to the idea of a “mouse trying to take on the moon.”? Who is this Le Huo, a D-list nobody, to even think about competing with my brother for endorsements? My brother already has several endorsements at this level, okay?!
— Poor little D-lister doesn’t stand a chance. Did ray-litlrry patent Zhong Yu? Looks like they’re just envious that he got the male lead role in “Thunderstruck,” while your brother is just a third-rate supporting character.
Zhong Yu’s fans were always known for their strong combativeness, and it didn’t take long before they stormed Le Huo’s Weibo post, tearing him apart in the comments.
On the other hand, many of Le Huo’s fans were newcomers, lacking organization and discipline, and they couldn’t put up much of a fight.
Facing this situation, Fang Dingyao felt a headache coming on. Originally, the situation wasn’t a big deal, but now it seemed like Zhong Yu was suppressing the newcomers.
“For the next few days, focus on studying your script and character. Stay away from Weibo, and as for everything else… it’s best to just not think about it,” Fang Dingyao said as she opened the car door and got in.
Deep down, she felt somewhat regretful about this situation. Back then, with how much attention and care Xu Linshen had shown Zhong Yu, she had a fleeting feeling that there might have been some genuine emotions between them. But now, it seemed that as soon as they turned their backs, they would forget about each other completely, unable to resist even the slightest temptation.
“By the way, Director Zhao has made it clear that there can be no friction on set. I managed to postpone your schedule for the next two months, but the cost was quite significant. Just be careful not to lose your temper on set…”
Chu Yan calmly interrupted her, “Don’t worry, Sister Fang, I can handle this matter.”
Fang Dingyao smiled. This time, he seemed to be able to keep his emotions in check.
—
Chu Yan arrived on set a day ahead of schedule. Since the story was set in the Republican era, the filming location was chosen to be Guandong Film and Television City. The architectural style here naturally matched the era, eliminating the need for additional set construction.
Upon arriving at the filming location, the production staff had already arranged a room for Chu Yan. After receiving his room key at the front desk and having his luggage sent up, Chu Yan did a quick search online and eventually settled on a nearby restaurant with good reviews.
It was a pleasant May day, and the vicinity of the film and television city was bustling with young tourists. The area was bustling with crowds, creating a lively atmosphere.
The chosen restaurant was a Western-style one, offering a relatively quiet atmosphere. The light by the window was soothing, and a fresh bouquet of water lilies adorned a crystal vase on the table.
After placing their orders, Chu Yan was engrossed in his phone while waiting for the food. Suddenly, a shadow cast over him from above.
“Senior Zhong.”
Le Huo had also come in the morning. He had heard that this restaurant had good food, so he thought of bringing his assistant here. He didn’t expect to see Zhong Yu… Even though Zhong Yu was wearing a duckbill cap, and the brim was pulled low, Lei Huo still recognized him immediately.
When Chu Yan heard the voice and looked up, he saw Le Huo standing at his table.
For a brief second, as their gazes met, Le Huo’s breath involuntarily hitched. Even though Zhong Yu’s face showed no expression, his presence made the back of Le Huo’s neck tighten inexplicably. An unexplainable sense of tension surged from the depths of his heart.
Just then, the waiter brought their dishes. Chu Yan took a sip of water from his glass, then raised his eyes to ask, “What’s up? Do you have something to discuss?”
Le Huo had initially intended to explain his relationship with Xu Linshen to Chu Yan, but seeing Chu Yan’s nonchalant demeanor, he suddenly felt there was no need for any explanation.
Chu Yan watched Le Huo’s inexplicable arrival and departure, feeling a bit puzzled. After a moment of bewilderment, he turned his attention back to his meal and continued eating.
After finishing lunch, Chu Yan drove back to the hotel, tidied up his personal items, took a shower, and then went to sleep until the evening.
The next day marked the official start of filming. As the supporting actor playing the third male lead, Chu Yan had significant scenes to shoot. Although the weather in May was pleasant, the prolonged exposure to the sun during filming still made it a bit uncomfortable for everyone.
Furthermore, Director Zhao’s demands were extremely high, and he didn’t spare anyone when it came to scolding during the filming. Even Lang Cen, who had collaborated with him multiple times before, wasn’t an exception.
The actress playing the second female lead in scenes with Chu Yan was a young talent fresh out of film school. This was only her second TV drama, and her frequent failures to deliver lines correctly had left her with red eyes from being scolded.
After finishing a few scenes in the afternoon, there was a break. Chu Yan’s assistant, Cheng Yang, immediately handed him a chilled drink to relieve the heat.
Chu Yan sipped the drink while listening to the director explaining his scenes, occasionally asking questions which Director Zhao patiently answered.
Just at that moment, there was a sudden commotion at the entrance of the studio. Chu Yan looked up and saw a man in a dark suit sitting in a wheelchair, entering the set.
Although Xu Linshen was the main investor in the project, his unexpected appearance on set surprised many. However, after speaking with his assistant behind him, Chu Yan soon noticed that Lei Huo had appeared by his side.
Director Zhao also noticed Xu Linshen’s presence and patted Chu Yan’s shoulder before walking over to him.
On the side, Lang Cen rolled his eyes and muttered, “”Using others’ influence like a dog.”
…
Night fell as filming wrapped up, and while keeping an eye on the road, Cheng Yang glanced at Chu Yan’s expression through the rearview mirror.
Outside, the alternating streetlights flickered as the car passed by, casting intermittent shadows inside the car and reflecting on Chu Yan’s face in the back seat, making it difficult to discern his expression.
Sighing softly, Cheng Yang thought that although he used to think Chu Yan had a bad temper, he realized that Chu Yan had never mistreated him. Moreover, having been with him for a year, Cheng Yang couldn’t help but feel that, in the case of Mr. Xu, Chu Yan might have had genuine feelings.
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