Author: 颜凉雨 / Yan Liang Yu
Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/
Chapter 5
For every skilled Daoist, there’s a demon a zhang higher*.
*As virtue rises one foot, vice rises ten (道高一尺，魔高一丈) It’s a proverb often used to suggest that when good increases, evil increases even more in response. Note: A zhang is 3.33 meters.
Lu Yiyao, with minimal effort, harvested all the heat that had been painstakingly generated for Ran Lin.
It’s like you exhaust yourself swinging a shovel and hoe to fry a pot of sugar-coated chestnuts, only to have someone else easily scoop them up for just a few cents when they’re done.
The charm of the airport incident originally revolved around Lu Yiyao. If Ran Lin were replaced by some other low-tier actor, nobody would care. Thus, when Ran Lin’s proactive @ raised expectations to their peak, Lu Yiyao’s response became the brilliant climax of this event.
Whether they were fans or just passersby, they could finally breathe a sigh of relief. Then, either screaming until their voices were hoarse or laughing with great enthusiasm, they eagerly rushed to comment under Lu Yiyao’s Weibo, sharing the thoughts and feelings they had been brewing all day.
By the time Lu Yiyao posted his Weibo, Ran Lin had already been sent back to his dorm apartment.
In reality, he spent the entire day in the company’s meeting room doing just one thing—posting that Weibo tagging Lu Yiyao. The rest of the time was spent waiting for Lu Yiyao’s response.
But Lu Yiyao was too calm, so by four in the afternoon, Wang Xi, having other matters to attend to, let him go after giving some instructions.
There were three things Wang Xi instructed. The amount of information was quite large, but seemingly sure that he would understand, she stated them succinctly:
“First, for the near future, all Weibo-related actions must wait for company instructions; no free play or self-expression allowed. Second, tomorrow the company will arrange for you to visit Han Ze’s drama set. There will be a short interview by a gossip entertainment program also visiting. The airport incident will surely be brought up, so you better prepare in advance. Third, I will take over your scheduling. I might not be able to attend to you daily like Kang Hui, but we don’t need to be like family. Just remember, I can make you famous.”
What’s the relationship between an artist and their agent?
If the artist is famous enough, then the agent serves them.
But if the agent is more famous and has better resources and connections in the circle, then unfortunately, they’re here to lead you towards prosperity. If they tell you to plant rice, you better bend down and get to it.
“Have you seen Weibo?” At 6:02 PM, just two minutes after Lu Yiyao’s Weibo was posted, Wang Xi called.
Ran Lin was in the shower at the critical stage—hair washing. Fortunately, his phone was on the washstand, so despite the awkward situation with foam on his head, he still managed to pull back the shower curtain and answer the call, putting it on speaker.
“Not yet, Xi Jie. What’s up?”
“Lu Yiyao replied.”
“Really? How did he reply?”
“Aren’t you going to check yourself?”
“…”
“Are you in the bathroom?”
Ran Lin was startled. His first reaction was to grab the shower curtain to cover his lower body, then he looked up at the black and white ceiling of the bathroom, as if somewhere in those eerie squares had a hidden surveillance camera beneath them.
“You sound echoey. It’s obviously a closed space.” Wang Xi seemed to imagine his frantic actions from the sound of the shower curtain, her voice carrying a rare hint of amusement. “He interacted with your Weibo post, very cleverly done. You can check it. No need to reply to him. That would be superfluous. But remember to follow him.”
“Okay.”
After hanging up, Ran Lin wiped a clear path on the foggy mirror.
In the limited space of the mirror, a young man with messy hair from shampoo appeared. Bright eyes, white teeth, youthful energy, somewhere between a boy and a man, with a face full of collagen, past the baby fat but not yet maturely chiseled. Handsome and enduring.
“You can only fool little girls.” Ran Lin poked at the harmless face in the mirror. “Lu Yiyao probably wants to curse your entire family tree now.”
After quickly rinsing his hair and hastily finishing with the shower gel, Ran Lin then rolled back onto his bed with his phone.
Taking a deep breath, with the reverence of reading some important document or a great work, he clicked into Lu Yiyao’s Weibo.
Lu Yiyao’s public demeanor was within Ran Lin’s expectations, but his approach was even more brilliant than Ran Lin had anticipated.
Truly worthy of being a star who could grip both popularity and reputation.
Whether this attitude was Lu Yiyao’s own or his team’s suggestion, it was the most beautiful response.
From the replies under Lu Yiyao’s Weibo, it was clear to see that, aside from fans sending hearts, there was a stream of people turning into fans.
Ran Lin let out a soft sigh, somewhat wishfully thinking that since Lu Yiyao agreed or was willing to post such a Weibo, maybe he wasn’t so opposed to being used for popularity…
[😲 God Lu’s acting skills showcased in the mall. Yun Zhang’s angry soul returns!! [Second-hand video]]
“…and will never, ever, forgive you!”
Why did he impulsively click on this fan-taken video?
Why let him see that the video’s filming time was this very afternoon?
Why, long after the drama had finished shooting, could Lu Yiyao’s acting still be so genuine and immediate?
That night, Ran Lin dreamt about these questions.
In his dreams, the temporary stage in the mall had an extra person who looked and was built just like him. Lu Yiyao’s explosive line was no longer directed at the fans below, but at the person on stage with him.
Later, it seemed like Lu Yiyao wanted to get physical, but the host, sensing trouble, immediately made a joke.
Then Ran Lin woke up, frightened, and couldn’t fall back asleep.
—On this quiet autumn night, Ran Lin, an 18th-tier male star, made a wish that he would never cross paths with Lu Yiyao in this lifetime.
The visit to Han Ze’s drama set went smoothly. Although Han Ze was indifferent to him privately, he displayed unity and friendship in front of the camera, as expected of artists from the same company.
Sure enough, the moment the gossip entertainment reporter saw Ran Lin, they perked up, almost eager to interview him thoroughly about the airport incident.
Fortunately, Wang Xi intervened in time and pulled him away. Otherwise, most of the scenes he prepared for might not have been sufficient.
However, what ultimately appeared in the entertainment program was a somewhat shy and inexperienced young man regarding the airport incident. Far from being arrogant, he sincerely expressed his apologies for the trouble he caused Lu Yiyao.
The interview aired two days later. By then, the fervor over the airport incident had significantly cooled, but the lingering interest remained. Thus, Ran Lin gained a substantial number of new fans and followers.
On the day the program aired, Lu Yiyao responded to his follow—by mutually following each other on Weibo.
Mutual following was precisely the development the company hoped for, much like Lu Yiyao’s previous response, which the company also welcomed.
But for some reason, Ran Lin always found the timing of Lu Yiyao’s actions intriguing.
For example, his response to the Weibo post came after a whole day of the incident fermenting and after Lu Yiyao had recited lines at the mall.
And then, like this time, when the interview aired and the discussion, which had been dying down, revived again.
The timing of Lu Yiyao’s choices seemed like… he was using these actions to express his attitude. And Ran Lin always felt that the clearer Lu Yiyao’s response, the more it indicated that his emotions were fluctuating intensely, even though there was no basis for such a deduction.
The broadcast of the interview and mutual following on Weibo weren’t the end. That evening, a renowned two-dimension artist released a CP video of Yun Zhang x Linghu Xiaodao.
Linghu Xiaodao was the most handsome ancient costume character Ran Lin had ever played, among all his male roles. Although the drama’s viewership was abysmal from start to finish, and even the TV station was reluctant to rerun it, Linghu Xiaodao became the cherished character for a small group of two-dimension fangirls.
Needless to say, Yun Zhang had already become the husband of countless fangirls.
What was even more fatal, the video was excellently produced, combining clips of Yun Zhang and Linghu Xiaodao into a heart-wrenching, fanservice MV. From editing to soundtrack, it was seamless and fluent, making the four-minute video almost more exciting than the two original works.
People in the industry could tell it was professionally made.
Although many top fans create videos for their beloved characters, the timing of this release, right after mutual following and immediately being shared by various marketing accounts, was quite suggestive.
Of course, the melon*-eaters didn’t care about such nuances.
*Term used for gossip/rumors. Melon eaters/eating melons, refers to people who are consuming gossip without taking any sides or expressing any particular opinions.
Especially a wave of fangirls, instantly fired up by the video, were charmed to death.
Yun Zhang and Linghu Xiaodao rapidly ascended the hot search list.
The two parties involved didn’t respond further or interact.
But after all, the loving fangirls were a group capable of conjuring an 80-episode idol drama from a simple mutual follow. Thus, the CP hype, riding on the wave of the airport incident, blew even stronger and farther.
A month later, Ran Lin, who had appeared on several small-scale notices, received a contract for the reality show <National First Love Drifting Story>.
<National First Love Drifting Story> was a star-studded travel, adventure, survival, and challenge reality show heavily invested in by XX Satellite TV.
Judging from the planning alone, it seemed unfocused, a bit of a mishmash, unlike other shows where the focus was clear from the name—be it parenting, puzzle solving, singing, or labor. Even pure travel shows had their selling points—beautiful scenery plus celebrities. Audiences could easily choose what interests them.
But the cast of this show was its distinguishing feature—Lu Yiyao + Zhang Beichen + Xia Xinran + Gu Jie + ?.
These four names were among the brightest new generation in the entertainment industry.
The oldest, Gu Jie, was twenty-five, and the youngest, Xia Xinran, twenty-two. Although there were younger stars in the industry, either their popularity didn’t match up or their image didn’t fit the show’s planning.
More importantly, all five had achieved fame at a young age and had been touted as the “National First Love*” by their companies.
*Term in the entertainment industry referring to stars who capture the hearts of the public with their charming, fresh, and innocent image, reminiscent of one’s first love. Generally, these celebrities are youthful, attractive, and possess certain innocence or purity traits.
Lu Yiyao, needless to say, debuted in a youth campus movie adapted from a novel. Although he was still a sophomore at a university in the UK at the time, he took advantage of the holiday to return to China to play a supporting male role. As soon as the film was released, it achieved good box office results. Coupled with the “acting contrast” provided by the leading actors, Lu Yiyao, who had studied drama and performance at the University of Manchester for less than two years, unexpectedly gained the most popularity and successfully entered the entertainment industry. Of course, later on, because he spent most of his time filming in China, he eventually dropped out of university. Consequently, his management company soon stopped marketing him as a scholarly idol. However, his incomplete college education was still modestly listed in his Baidu Encyclopedia educational background section.
Zhang Beichen and Xia Xinran, 23 and 22, respectively, rose to fame four years ago in a talent show called <You Are Still Young>. At the time, countless girls dreamed of being their girlfriends.
Zhang Beichen, with his sharp eyebrows and starry eyes, was dashing, while Xia Xinran, with red lips and white teeth, was delicate and pretty. Both stunning and handsome, they impressed in subsequent film and television works. To this day, people have gradually forgotten their idol show origins but still remember their “youthful boyfriend” images.
Gu Jie was the most distinct among them—the epitome of hormonal appeal.
He became famous at twenty with an ancient detective drama, playing a taciturn but highly skilled young martial artist. Initially burdened with deep vengeance, he later clears his family’s name and avenges them with the help of the male lead, becoming the lead detective’s loyal hound.
That drama made both the male lead and him famous, especially Gu Jie, who initially received unfavorable reviews—his looks were only average in the demanding idol drama environment, and he had a slightly dark complexion and an odd appearance, perhaps having offended the makeup artist. But later, thanks to his heart-wrenching romance with the second female lead, he rebounded.
And in a scene near the end, the screenwriter showcased his physique.
Only then did people realize, “Holy shit, he’s thin in clothes but muscular without! Totally different from the frail, flowery young men outside!” He exuded raw, sexual masculinity!
That’s just human nature. When someone dislikes you, even your beauty appears ugly, and when they like you, even your ugliness seems handsome.
Besides, Gu Jie wasn’t ugly. After the TV series ended and he attended various promotions, he adopted a clean and dashing style. Gradually, no one thought he wasn’t handsome anymore. Everyone felt he was irresistibly charming, the kind whose mere glance could “impregnate”.
There were five guests, but only four names. During the initial promotion of the show, the fifth guest was represented by the silhouette of a killer from the “Conan” series, a move Ran Lin thought was just a gimmick by the production team.
It wasn’t until Wang Xi handed him the contract that he realized the star the production team had in mind was still considering and hadn’t given a final word, forcing them to wait.
Now that the star had declined due to scheduling conflicts, only they knew the real reasons. Wang Xi finally managed to secure this opportunity for Ran Lin.
Partly due to Wang Xi’s efforts and partly due to luck.
In terms of fame, appearing on the show with these four was a step up for Ran Lin. The production aimed to present the “National First Love”, a concept not so easy to personify. There were many popular stars, but few could claim the title of “National First Love”, be available, and not demand exorbitant fees. After much deliberation, they settled on Ran Lin, whose recent popularity was intertwined with Lu Yiyao.
Although his fame might be somewhat inflated, he was affordable. The price Wang Xi negotiated for his participation in this reality show was a bargain for the production team.
One wanted to rise on the heat of the moment, the other sought the best value for a smooth production. Once they negotiated, it was a perfect match.
“The terms are a bit strict but not excessive. We’re the ones asking, so some compromise is necessary,” Wang Xi said nonchalantly as Ran Lin scrutinized the contract.
Ran Lin blinked, returning to the present. In fact, Wang Xi had misunderstood him; although he was pondering over the contract, his mind was occupied with someone else.
Putting down the contract, Ran Lin looked worriedly at Wang Xi. “Are you sure… he will accept my participation?”
The person Ran Lin hoped never to encounter again—not only might they meet, but they would also be shoulder to shoulder on a rough journey.
Ran Lin was now embarrassed to even think of the other’s name, fearing the gods might record another sin against him.
Wang Xi thought he had a serious question. Hearing this, she smiled. “He signed the contract last month. He won’t break it for you. Besides…” Her makeup-perfect face showed a familiar trace of sarcasm. “His status isn’t high enough to influence the production team’s decisions.”
Ran Lin had nothing more to say.
Actually, he wanted to ask if he could avoid participating, or at least join a different show, and not always be associated with the same person.
But he knew there was no need to ask.
Just looking at the lineup, he knew this variety show would be a hot topic. Wang Xi must have worked hard to secure this opportunity. Missing out on this would mean losing a rare chance.
Shanghai, in a dressing room at a magazine cover photo shoot.
After the stylist finished Lu Yiyao’s makeup and left his agent Yao Hong brought hot news, which shocked Lu Yiyao…
“Ran Lin is the fifth person?!”
And infuriated him.
“I’ve tolerated the fake CP hype but is he planning to exploit me forever?!”
In the makeup room, only Lu Yiyao and Yao Hong remained, but the former still kept his voice as low as possible, expressing his vehement feelings through gritted teeth.
Hong Jie gently patted her artist’s shoulder, a light touch with a calming effect. “He’s affordable and can fit the ‘National First Love’ theme.”
Yao Hong’s voice, as plain and kind as her personality, gradually calmed Lu Yiyao. However, he still found the claim of Ran Lin fitting the show’s theme laughable. “Him, a National First Love?”
Lu Yiyao was naturally charismatic; even his angry expressions were charming.
Fortunately, Yao Hong’s son was already in high school, so managing Lu Yiyao was like taking care of a child, with patience and tolerance.
However, Yao Hong’s ability to bring Lu Yiyao to his current status indicates that she wasn’t a pushover. Unlike Wang Xi’s assertive and flamboyant style, Yao Hong possessed a combination of softness and firmness, handling matters with more tact and thoroughness.
Seeing Yao Hong scrolling through her phone, Lu Yiyao curiously asked, “Hong Jie…”
After a moment, she handed him the phone.
It was an entertainment news article from two years ago, the kind written out of desperation for lack of topics— [If there’s a first love, it must look like you: Ran Lin, the most handsome boy in a white shirt in history.]
The content was negligible, full of clichés.
But the accompanying picture was intriguing. Sunset, playground, horizontal bars, a boy in a white shirt.
“See? Fits the first love theme, right?” Yao Hong teased seeing how engrossed Lu Yiyao was.
Lu Yiyao returned the phone, pondering for a while before commenting, “He’s aged well.”
The boy by the playground and the “fake fan” at the airport, except for their clothes, were indistinguishable.
It was a face forgotten by time, forever young.
“Stop thinking about it and prepare well.” Yao Hong knew Lu Yiyao had accepted reality but still needed time to let go. “This is your first variety show. It’s very important.”
Lu Yiyao, however, struggled in his thoughts one last time. “Is there really no way out?”
Yao Hong looked into his eyes, saying softly but firmly, “One day in the future, you will be a true superstar. Then, everyone who wants to stand by your side will need your consent.”
Lu Yiyao was momentarily speechless.
The photography assistant came in to notify the start of the second set.
Lu Yiyao nodded and followed him out.
He was distracted during the second part of the shoot, only gradually focusing after several reminders from the photographer.
He was pondering Yao Hong’s words.
He wasn’t questioning their validity but wondering if that future was what he truly wanted.
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