Chapter 4
Director Zhang, being more worldly, was the first to recover from his astonishment. He strode over to Qi Ke, grabbed his shoulders, and asked in disbelief, “Did you hear that correctly?”
The station director couldn’t believe it either, his eyebrows knitting together. “That’s right, why would Film Emperor Lu suddenly change his mind?”
Qi Ke nodded at them, signaling for them to calm down.
He could understand.
He really, truly could.
He had been even more excited when he first heard the news. He cleared his throat and announced with pride, “Film Emperor Lu’s manager’s car is parked downstairs. He said they can sign the contract immediately…”
Director Zhang and the station director exchanged a look, unable to hide their joy.
They had only one thought.
With Film Emperor Lu on board, it would be a crime if National Style didn’t become a massive hit!
***
Ji Wei spent the next week buried in busy exam preparations and streaming, with the exception of taking some time out to go to the Civil Affairs Bureau with Lu Shenxing to get their marriage certificate.
His idol was busy flying all over the country for filming, while he was busy studying for exams, shuttling between the library, the academic building, and his dorm.
Being in a hidden marriage with his idol… was really no different from not being married at all. He couldn’t feel any difference whatsoever!
His exams ended the day before the show was set to begin filming. He finally had time to open Weibo and cleanse his brain, which had been tormented by art history, only to belatedly see the news that Lu Shenxing would also be appearing on National Style.
What a coincidence.
Ji Wei was thoroughly shocked.
To be able to film a variety show with both his idol and the great master Ma Liqing… what had he done to deserve this?
He wasn’t the only one who thought so; the general consensus on Weibo was that National Style was not worthy of Lu Shenxing’s status.
It was no exaggeration to say.
The entire Weibo platform had exploded.
One moment, marketing accounts were confidently asserting that Lu Shenxing would absolutely not participate in National Style. The next, National Style officially announced its guest list.
[Entertainment Frontline] I’m not just saying this, but did Yancheng Television Station sell its next three years of advertising revenue or its station director?! To actually get Film Emperor Lu, I always thought this was just a fake rumor.
[Daily Dig] To be able to get a mega-god like Film Emperor Lu, it seems Tomato Television Station has really put a lot of pressure on Yancheng Television Station.
[Industry Observer] I’m so jealous. Is there even any question about this year’s ratings champion? Yancheng Television Station will definitely be number one.
Why was Film Emperor Lu willing to come?
This question swirled in everyone’s minds. Some even speculated that Lu Shenxing had taken a liking to the little fresh meat on the same show, Zhao Yue, and started all sorts of wild fantasies. The second trending topic was “Film Emperor Lu Suspected of Pursuing Zhao Yue.”
Ji Wei: “…”
Lu Shenxing was clearly in Shanghai to attend an awards ceremony, yet it was spun into a special trip to Shanghai for Zhao Yue’s birthday.
Given the marketing accounts’ terrifying ability to connect dots, Ji Wei felt it was better to pretend he didn’t know his idol.
In the evening, he started his stream, playing Civilization 6.
[The missing person has finally returned!]
[Civilization: From Beginner to Quitter.]
[Savage 6? And on Deity mode, no less. The streamer is such a hardcore technical player.]
As everyone knew, Civilization 6 was a very time-consuming game, with a single match lasting seven or eight hours. He was extremely tired, and he had to film the show tomorrow, so Ji Wei ended the stream at midnight.
His roommates had all returned from their nights out.
Chen Yan, reeking of alcohol, draped an arm over his shoulder. “Comrade Ji Wei, bro has a favor to ask. Aren’t you filming a TV show tomorrow? Help me get Lu Shenxing’s autograph. I just took on a Lu Shenxing fan as a little sister, you know what I mean.”
“Get one for my mom too, will you? She’d go crazy with joy!”
“Good brother, my sister has been nagging me about it too, you see…”
Ji Wei sighed.
Look at that, his idol’s national popularity spanned from the old to the young. Ji Wei agreed, feeling outwardly helpless but inwardly proud.
Just as he was about to close his laptop, he suddenly realized his microphone might have been left on. He had no idea how much of their conversation had been recorded. The bullet comments were scrolling by frantically.
[Why do I feel like I heard Film Emperor Lu’s name? Is it National Style?]
[Weiwei, you’re finally going to be famous!]
[It might not be National Style. I checked, and Tomato TV’s Esports Youth starts recording tomorrow. They’ve invited several esports streamers, and God Wen Zheng will be there too. It’ll be awkward if they run into each other.]
[But the only show with Film Emperor Lu is National Style! I heard the requirements for non-celebrities are really high. How did you get selected, streamer?]
Ji Wei fell silent for two seconds.
Were the requirements really that high?
Could he tell them he was invited to film without even an interview? If he hadn’t known that Master Ma Liqing and his idol were also participating, he would have thought it was some third-rate show.
Ji Wei didn’t want to bring things from the ACG world into the real world, so he replied that it was just a local channel’s variety show.
Overcome by a wave of drowsiness, he blurted out the last sentence without thinking, “Anyway… I really don’t know what National Style is, and I don’t know what Lu Shenxing is.”
[See, I told you. You guys must have misheard.]
[That scared me to death. I thought you were going on the show. Can you imagine how many fans you’d lose from the online-to-offline fail? I feel bad for you just thinking about it.]
[What is Lu Shenxing… Streamer, have you stopped being a fan… ]
Ji Wei snapped awake, but the words were already out. He nervously glanced at the time on his phone. It was already past midnight. Lu Shenxing was so busy, how could he possibly be watching his stream? He probably, no, definitely didn’t see that reply.
Ji Wei drank a glass of water, his heart still pounding.
That was close.
He had almost ruined his fan image in front of his idol.
He turned off the stream and went to bed, content.
At six the next morning, the production team’s car was already waiting downstairs from the dormitory. Ji Wei slung on his backpack and headed out.
Perhaps because the TV station was worried he was a case of photo fraud and couldn’t be trusted, they had sent four or five makeup artists, cramming the SUV full.
As he got into the car, he overheard the makeup artists whispering.
“I didn’t lie to you, did I? Director Zhang has such high standards. He decided he wanted him just from one look at his photo. He’s just… incredibly good-looking.”
“Nodding furiously! Aaaaaah, he’s so cute. His skin is so fair it glows, and he has pear dimples when he smiles. Today was definitely not a wasted trip.”
“Sob, sob, I really want to do his makeup!”
Ji Wei sighed sorrowfully.
He wanted a wheat-colored complexion too!
But he just couldn’t get a tan.
Several makeup artists got up from their seats, walked over to him, bent down to get a closer look at his face, and then regretfully announced, “No makeup needed.”
“His double eyelids are so wide, and his eyebrows are so thick. What’s there to put on?”
“Seriously, just a light base is enough. He doesn’t even need concealer. His skin is better than a female celebrity’s.”
The originally one-hour makeup session was shortened to ten minutes. With only a thin layer of foundation dusted on his face, the vehicle started and headed towards the filming location.
The drive took four or five hours, and he was the first to arrive.
There were a total of six guests on National Style. Besides old Sir Ma Liqing, Lu Shenxing, and himself, there was also the newly popular celebrity Zhao Yue, the Heavenly Queen Su Wen, and the famous CCTV host Du Ruosong.
As soon as he got out of the car, he was met with the staff’s overwhelming enthusiasm.
“Is Film Emperor Lu really coming today? I’m still in a state of disbelief. When did our Yancheng Television Station get this much clout?”
“Me too. My mom nagged me a thousand times to get an autograph for her. I wonder if Film Emperor Lu will be willing. He seems like a pretty cold person.”
“I’m different. Besides an autograph, I also want a photo with Film Emperor Lu!”
The surrounding staff were all in a state of excitement. Only Ji Wei sat calmly in his chair, reading the thick show script and pretending he didn’t know who Lu Shenxing was.
Because he was so calm and composed.
The intern assigned to him, Qi Ke, held it in for a long time before finally being unable to resist asking, “Aren’t you even a little bit excited? That’s Film Emperor Lu.”
Ji Wei looked up with a slightly puzzled expression and politely asked back, “Who is Film Emperor Lu?”
His acting must have been perfect.
So perfect that Qi Ke looked utterly shocked. “Today, I’ve finally seen a living fossil.”
Within an hour, all the guests had gradually arrived, except for old Sir Ma Liqing and Lu Shenxing.
Zhao Yue was undoubtedly the center of attention.
He had dyed his hair blond, which was exceptionally dazzling in the sunlight.
Everyone’s eyes were on Zhao Yue, filled with a desire for gossip. Even the Heavenly Queen Su Wen was left to the side.
However, she stood by the cliff’s edge in a red dress, her fingers holding a long, slender cigarette holder as she tapped off the ash. Her face was cold and beautiful, and she clearly didn’t care.
“Brother Zhao, Film Emperor Lu is also coming to film this time. How is your relationship with him?” the planner probed discreetly.
Zhao Yue seemed to enjoy being the center of attention. He lifted his chin slightly and said in a familiar tone, “You mean Teacher Lu? He’s a senior I greatly respect. He’s given me guidance before.”
Hearing this intimate form of address, everyone showed a knowing expression.
Seeing their expressions, Zhao Yue smiled with satisfaction. As he turned to sit down, he suddenly caught sight of Ji Wei and frowned. “Who is that person?”
The planner understood his tone immediately and quickly said in a fawning manner, “Just a nobody. His foundation is so bad, he has layers and layers of makeup on. He’s nothing compared to you.”
Only then did Zhao Yue retract his gaze.
Just then, the sound of an approaching vehicle was heard. A black car drove up to the filming site, and the door slowly opened.
First, a long leg stepped out, followed by a straight back, and finally, a man’s gentle yet sharp face. His eyes were upturned, and he exuded a subtly imposing aura.
He lowered his eyes and swept his gaze across the scene, as if confirming something.
The entire set erupted!
Because the name Lu Shenxing represented a golden age.
In the seven years since his debut.
From twenty-one to twenty-eight years old.
With his textbook-perfect, exquisite acting skills, he had climbed to the peak step by step, never experiencing a low point because he was always ascending.
Ji Wei wanted to scream along with everyone else, but he remembered he couldn’t expose himself, so he suppressed the urge and clapped very coolly.
Qi Ke, who was watching from the side, was filled with awe.
As expected of an academic ace from the Chinese Painting Department of Yan University. He could almost imagine him spending ten years studying hard, oblivious to the world outside, so much so that even with a man like Lu Shenxing standing before him, he remained unmoved.
Suddenly, Lu Shenxing looked in Ji Wei’s direction and smiled faintly.
When Lu Shenxing wasn’t smiling, he looked somewhat cold. His pupils were dark, and the creases of his double eyelids were deep and angled upwards.
But when he smiled, his eyes curved like a fox squinting, exceptionally gentle.
Ji Wei struggled to turn his head away.
Ah, maintaining this persona is really… so hard.
Fortunately, Lu Shenxing didn’t walk over to him but instead went towards Director Zhang. The two chatted, and Ji Wei breathed a sigh of relief, continuing to read the show’s script.
National Style innovatively adopted a dual format of online live streaming and offline broadcasting. To ensure ratings and for ease of viewing, the online live stream was split into different guest-specific rooms.
There was no need to guess; his would definitely have the lowest number of viewers.
Ji Wei was about to turn to the next page.
Suddenly, he couldn’t turn the script in his hand. It was held fast by a slender hand. A man’s magnetic voice came from above his head, asking word by word, “Don’t know what Lu Shenxing is… a thing?”