The Twentieth Star
Qin Tong’s brows furrowed even tighter, as if recalling something. “Is he the one who was involved in the hype with you recently?”
Jiang Chuyi nodded cautiously.
The clamor behind them was slow to subside, leaving the director no choice but to cut away from the camera.
Qin Tong gazed forward, his tone becoming increasingly stern, “I told you to keep your feet on the ground when acting, to lay low for a few years and stay away from these controversies. Don’t let any misguided thoughts cross your mind.”
“I know, Teacher,” Jiang Chuyi’s fingers unconsciously picked at something as she explained, “I haven’t had any misguided thoughts.”
Qin Tong said, “You’d better be clear about that yourself.”
About half an hour later, the New Year’s Eve Gala finally began. Jiang Chuyi maintained a smile, applauding when appropriate and listening attentively. The entire process lasted about one to two hours.
When Xin He was about to take the stage, Jiang Chuyi had a sudden thought. She leaned over and lowered her voice, “Teacher, I recently made a new friend.”
“What friend?”
“The one who’s going on stage now,” Jiang Chuyi pointed for Qin Tong to see.
Qin Tong stared at the actress on stage, “What’s her name?”
Jiang Chuyi replied, “Xin He.”
The name sounded a bit familiar. Qin Tong perked up and thought for a moment, “She’s from Huarui Entertainment, right? Is her father Xin Xiaolu?”
“I’m not quite sure.”
“The boss of Tianci PR.”
Tianci Public Relations, currently the largest PR company in the country.
Jiang Chuyi hesitated, “Probably?”
“How did you meet her?”
“We filmed a movie together recently and got to know each other.”
Qin Tong calmly asked, “And then?”
Jiang Chuyi cautiously probed, “What do you think of her?”
“She’s good-looking,” Qin Tong’s expression was cold. As he heard a few lines of Xin He’s off-key singing that could reach the Pacific Ocean, he commented indifferently, “Not suitable for singing.”
Seeing Jiang Chuyi’s hesitant expression, Qin Tong discerned her thoughts and said sternly, “If you have something to say, just say it.”
“The script that Qing handed me a while ago, Director Li’s. I read the script and it’s quite good, it’s just that the character’s image doesn’t quite suit me.”
As soon as she finished speaking, Qin Tong understood what she meant, “You mean Xin He is suitable?”
“Xin He is quite suitable.”
Qin Tong’s expression remained unchanged, “Li Qunwu won’t use popular stars to tarnish his reputation, and Huarui won’t accept this kind of film for Xin He.”
Jiang Chuyi spoke again, “Actually, Xin He…”
Qin Tong was a bit displeased and slightly frowned, interrupting her, “Have you forgotten the lesson from last time?”
Jiang Chuyi fell silent.
Li Qunwu was Qin Tong’s first disciple whom he had personally mentored. He was a big shot in the Shanghai film circle and was heavily influenced by the thoughts of the older generation, very aloof and proud. Now the entertainment industry was roughly divided into several factions: the Northwest circle, the Beijing circle, the Hong Kong circle, and the Shanghai circle. With the Hong Kong circle gradually declining and new stars rising in the mainland, the remaining three major systems were openly and secretly fighting.
Within the big circles, there were also small circles. The Shanghai circle mainly focused on TV dramas. The core figures with status in the film industry were Qin Tong and the others. These big-name film directors all had deep-rooted traditions. They loved using newcomers, but found it difficult to accept “newcomers” joining, especially those popular fresh meat actors. No matter how strong your backers were or how high your popularity was, if they said they wouldn’t play with you, they wouldn’t play with you. Without someone introducing you, it was very difficult to enter their circle.
Jiang Chuyi was brought into the circle by Qin Tong. Because of the title “Tong’s Girl,” she had also enjoyed a brief period of fame.
At that time, she was young and simple-minded. There was no shortage of people who wanted to use her to get close to Qin Tong. When Jiang Chuyi was fifteen or sixteen years old, she trusted a certain “good friend” who ended up backstabbing her. Later, a scandal broke out, causing her reputation to plummet.
Although the malice and attention were only temporary, the various public opinions during those two years were enough to make Jiang Chuyi disillusioned. During her university years, she kept a low profile and, due to a kind of aversion, and rarely took on roles. As Qin Tong had already semi-retired and she wasn’t the only “Tong’s Girl,” by the time she was about to graduate, she had signed with Kaijun with Jin Qing’s introduction and had fallen to the 18th-tier and beyond.
When Qin Tong learned that she was no longer making films and had started taking on TV dramas, he didn’t say much and just advised her to lay low for a few years to cultivate her mental strength.
In recent years, Qin Tong rarely brought Jiang Chuyi with him to public events, to the point where many people felt that she had already become a “discarded piece.” The halo of “Tong’s Girl” on her head had completely disappeared. What this circle lacked the least was people who judged others based on their usefulness. Most of them acted according to the principle of mutual benefit. There was no benefit to be gained from her, so what she received was cold eyes and neglect.
Someone like Xin He, who didn’t want anything in return and simply wanted to lend her a helping hand, was rare for Jiang Chuyi to encounter.
Jiang Chuyi was actually also stubborn. “Teacher, I know what you mean. But Xin He is really a good person. We didn’t become acquainted because of anything else, we simply hit it off. She really doesn’t want to use me. A few days ago, I even went to meet Li Ming, and it was her recommendation.”
Qin Tong snorted, understanding, “So you want to repay the favor so quickly?”
“No, no, it’s not about repaying a favor,” Jiang Chuyi’s tone was serious. “I don’t want to ask you to give her any resources. Xin He doesn’t lack those. I just chatted with her last time, and she’s quite interested in films. She doesn’t care about remuneration or awards and just wants to improve herself. But you also know that her circle is different from ours, so she has always been unable to access high-quality scripts. I was thinking, if there’s an opportunity, when you and the other directors are planning new works, if there are suitable roles, you could consider her.”
After listening to her long speech, Qin Tong reassessed Xin He, who was performing on stage. After a moment of silence, he commented, “She seems to have more ambition than her uncle.”
Hearing Qin Tong say this, Jiang Chuyi knew that there might be a chance and couldn’t help but chuckle.
“Also, you need to change that personality of yours,” Qin Tong scolded her. “When someone is nice to you, you can’t wait to give them everything you have. How are you going to survive out there!”
“I know,” Jiang Chuyi giggled, shamelessly acting cute. “Isn’t it because you appreciate my pure heart that you’ve always looked after me?”
Qin Tong snorted again.
As they were talking, the performance on stage had already ended. Jiang Chuyi sat up straight in a good mood and applauded along with the audience.
Soon, it was Zhao Guangyu’s turn to perform.
He had dreadlocks on his head and was trying hard to draw the character “Fen” with his head while rapping on stage. The young people cooperated and got hyped up for a bit, but the VIP guest area was filled with a group of elderly directors and producers, so it was almost dead silent.
Only Jiang Chuyi secretly raised her phone and awkwardly filmed a couple of clips.
Chen Yi was watching the live broadcast in Sanya and kept criticizing Zhao Guangyu on WeChat: “There’s a reason why Zhao Guangyu isn’t as popular as others. He can go off-key twice in one verse, and he waves his hands like a duck. Only his fans can praise him with their eyes closed. I’m embarrassed for him. Oh my god, we definitely need to supervise him in the future and let him play fewer games. With that time, he should train and improve his professional skills more, so he doesn’t flop every time on these big holidays.”
Her sharp tongue made Jiang Chuyi laugh for at least half a minute.
*
As in previous years, BloodxGentle still appeared as the finale of Xingcheng’s New Year’s Eve Gala.
The two hosts were still teasing the audience on stage, deliberately pausing when introducing the performers, immediately causing a stir in the fan area.
Apart from watching a live performance of BloodxGentle at the club that time, this was the first time Jiang Chuyi had seen their stage in person.
Perhaps infected by the passionate excitement of those fans, a thread of anticipation surged in her heart as well.
Looking left and right to make sure Qin Tong wasn’t paying attention, she discreetly started her phone’s recording mode.
“They are a super popular group excelling in both singing and dancing, undefined and carefree. So, coming up next is…”
While the introduction was still being spoken, the stage lights suddenly went out, leaving only a single spotlight that began sweeping across the entire venue.
As the sound effects abruptly stopped, the female host finished her line: “—BloodXGentle!”
The moment this name was called out, all the dimmed stage lights instantly changed colors and shone brilliantly, accompanied by the fans’ frenzied cheers and seemingly endless chants. The multi-colored linear spotlights swayed and intersected, finally converging on the stage.
The four members of BloodXGentle appeared at the center of the stage.
Their silhouettes gradually went from dark to bright. Jiang Chuyi clearly heard the sound of many people in the audience gasping.
Just two minutes before BloodXGentle’s appearance, the hot search keywords had already skyrocketed. Among the various satellite TV stations holding New Year’s Eve celebrations across the country, only Xingcheng’s live broadcast ratings began to soar, with popularity continuously climbing and breaking three points, leading by a wide margin and ranking first across the three networks.
Fu Cheng adjusted his microphone, and the intro began.
“Windsor Constellation” and “Wind-Piercing Cone” were both fast-paced dance songs. The two were sung together, stimulating and breathtaking.
Unlike when they were filming abroad, the four of them completely shed their usual playful state. They held their microphones casually and unrestrained, exuding a sexy charm with every move.
The elevated platform rose, and Zong Ye was at the highest point, carrying a black electric guitar as he paced. With his elbow resting on the guitar body, he strummed the strings back and forth in sync with the explosive rhythm.
The moment he lifted the whammy bar, the speakers wailed, completely igniting the emotions of the fans on-site. Accompanied by the intense drumbeat, it made the audience feel as if they were in a hyped-up mosh pit at a rock concert.
The venue was completely blown up.
These few individuals on stage, in the extremely competitive entertainment industry, including the impact of various diversions such as variety shows, danmei adaptations, and talent shows, had achieved a phenomenal level of popularity since their debut. Relying solely on their stage performances, they had taken the country by storm. For three consecutive years, they had steadily held the title of “top stream in the domestic entertainment industry,” and their status remained unshakable. They were the undisputed Heavenly Purple Star.
A big reason why they could become so popular was that the Heavens had blessed them.
Each person had the aura of a superstar, but when they grouped together, they produced a magical chemical reaction. Despite the presence of many professional singers in the previous performances, none of them could do what BloodXGentle did—forcefully turning a New Year’s Eve Gala performance into a concert venue, completely transforming it into their own home turf.
…
…
The last song was the annual reserved performance for the New Year’s countdown, BloodXGentle’s debut song “Stars Shine,” which was also the beginning of these individuals’ legend.
The familiar intro played.
Most of the people in the fan area had come for BloodXGentle, so when this song came on, it led to more than half of the audience singing along.
Finally, it reached the iconic slogan that had gone viral.
All the noise faded away.
The overly excited venue fell into a moment of silence.
Under the gaze of tens of thousands, Zong Ye pulled the microphone from the stand. The director switched the camera, and his face was magnified on the big screen at the center of the venue.
Due to the intense performance, sweat slowly dripped down his chin. He lowered his eyes, and his deep, sexy voice was transmitted through the microphone to every corner of the venue.
“—When I appear, the stars tremble for me.”
The instant this English line came out, fireworks exploded in sync below the stage. All the main and secondary stage screens surrounding the four sides, as well as the floor, fully activated a mesmerizing 3D special effect.
Hundreds of lasers changed colors, like magic. Countless glittering stars began to tremble, falling like meteors, twinkling. The venue seemed to be submerged in a deep blue starry sea.
The fans went completely wild, letting out overlapping shouts of “Ahhhh—” that almost burst eardrums.
This was undoubtedly the grandest climax of the night.
Jiang Chuyi’s mind buzzed, feeling a sense of dizziness.
She was a bit shocked and couldn’t help but raise her phone to record a couple of clips.
When their performance ended, she was still a bit dazed, feeling empty inside, lingering in the aftermath. She took out a segment of the video she had just filmed to watch.
*
There were five minutes left until the New Year countdown. The guests who had just performed all returned to the stage. Everyone was lively and energetic, following the two hosts to count down to the New Year with the fans watching the live broadcast.
Jiang Chuyi was still sitting in the audience, and like many viewers, she was scanning through the crowd on stage via the big screen, searching for familiar figures.
Xin He was still as aloof as ever, seemingly not close to anyone. She stood alone on the right side, wearing a standard business smile, with her entire demeanor screaming “don’t talk to me.”
Zhao Guangyu was a natural social butterfly. When the atmosphere was lively, he was in high spirits. He chatted with people in front, behind, left, and right, looking very happy with animated expressions.
As for the members of BloodXGentle, they were naturally arranged to stand in the C position. The hosts would occasionally cue them to maintain the real-time popularity.
After a while, a staff member bent down and went on stage, saying something in Xin He’s ear and leading her to a more central position.
Xin He lifted the hem of her dress and walked through the crowd to stand beside BloodXGentle.
The staff member carefully pointed out a spot for her.
When Xin He saw the person standing next to Zong Ye, she restrained the urge to roll her eyes. She walked straight to the other side and stood next to Ji Kai.
Chi Mengyue.
Among the post-95 generation, she was tied with Xin He as the top two popular flowers and was also Xin He’s biggest competitor at the moment, commonly known as her rival. The two had yet to determine a winner, and their discord was well-known. Their fans, both publicly and privately, had fought countless times.
Compared to male celebrities, the fights between female fans were the dirtiest. In addition to throwing black material and Photoshopped scandalous photos at each other, when they quarreled, all kinds of insults flew. Xin He had been angered to the point of vomiting blood at home by Chi Mengyue’s brainless fans, and she had sued several black fans.
Chi Mengyue’s appearance was completely opposite to Xin He’s. She took the pure and innocent route, looking pitiful and delicate, conforming to most people’s skinny and youthful aesthetic.
Compared to each other, Xin He received much stronger fashion resources and could be said to crush Chi Mengyue in terms of endorsements. The only area where Xin He was at a disadvantage was in films and awards.
Chi Mengyue’s team had used this to belittle Xin He, and those fans, relying on their idol having acted in a few pretentious art films and winning the Best Supporting Actress at the Hundred Flowers Awards, inflated their own worth. When listing achievements, they hard-sold her as a film actress, a level above Xin He.
Chi Mengyue was wearing a white long dress today, looking slender and graceful with a delicate face.
There was a large group of cameras at the front edge of the stage. Chi Mengyue could only glance at the person beside her out of the corner of her eye.
In the cold winter month, she was only wearing a thin dress and couldn’t help feeling a bit cold. Chi Mengyue hugged her arms and shivered slightly, muttering to herself, “It’s so cold.”
After complaining, Chi Mengyue quietly waited for Zong Ye to take the initiative to talk to her.
She couldn’t help stealing another glance to the side.
He had just finished performing and was still wearing his in-ear monitor. His black hair was a bit damp with sweat, his profile was handsome and cold, exuding a very charming hormone. He seemed to not have heard her speak and silently gazed at the audience below, not knowing what he was thinking.
Chi Mengyue wasn’t the type to take the initiative to fawn over someone. Since Zong Ye didn’t respond, she didn’t speak again.
But Chi Mengyue felt that Zong Ye was a bit unusual today.
She had heard about the four members of BloodXGentle. Fu Cheng and Wang Tan had unrestrained personalities, while Ji Kai was enthusiastic. Zong Ye was gentle and very low-key. Even if he encountered unfamiliar people trying to chat with him, he would politely respond with a few words.
But since she had come over, he hadn’t said a single word.
There were countless idols and fresh meat in the industry pursuing her, deliberately trying to get her attention and even publicly showing favor on shows. It’s just that Chi Mengyue had always looked down on them. Firstly, she wouldn’t ruin her career by dating. Secondly, she had a psychology of admiring the strong and was a face-con. Even if she were to date, it would be with a rich second-generation or a member of BloodXGentle’s status, such as Zong Ye.
Due to the sense of superiority cultivated since childhood, especially in terms of attracting the opposite sex, Chi Mengyue had always been confident. She couldn’t help thinking, could Zong Ye’s silence be an intentional pretense of restraint in front of her? Or nervousness?
With this thought, Chi Mengyue’s mood became more relaxed. Suddenly, the surrounding voices became lively.
The countdown appeared on the big screen.
The host excitedly shouted along, “5, 4, 3, 2, 1—Happy New Year!”
The clock struck midnight, and amidst a burst of cheers and laughter, they crossed into the new year. The celebrities on stage also sought out familiar faces to hug and offer blessings.
Influenced by the atmosphere, Chi Mengyue cleared her throat and said casually, “Zong Ye, happy New Year. Wishing you happiness every day.”
Since she directly called out his name, Zong Ye finally reacted this time. He slightly nodded, “Happy New Year.”
Although it was a polite perfunctory response, Chi Mengyue still couldn’t suppress the joy welling up in her heart. She took the opportunity to continue the conversation, her tone playful, “You’re the first one I’m sending New Year’s greetings to.”
Zong Ye’s emotions were restrained, his expression still very faint, “Thank you.”
Chi Mengyue tilted her head and chuckled, blinking, “There’s no sincerity at all. Why don’t you give me a New Year’s blessing too? Courtesy demands reciprocity.”
Zong Ye had a faint smile that wasn’t quite a smile, showing no intention of responding.
Chi Mengyue’s heart tightened at his indifferent expression.
Two steps away, Xin He was talking to Ji Kai but had been noticing Chi Mengyue for a while.
Their conversation vaguely drifted over. If it weren’t for the cameras filming, Xin He’s face would have darkened again. She maintained a smile on the surface, but anger surged in her heart.
The first one to send New Year’s greetings?
So pretentious, who are you trying to flirt with? Don’t make your ulterior motives so obvious!
This coquettish white lotus actually dared to lay her hands on her friend circle! Dream on!
Ji Kai was a chatterbox, completely oblivious to the situation, and kept babbling, “These pants are too damn tight. I was afraid they would rip open when I was dancing just now.”
Xin He suddenly raised her voice, “Right, I just saw Director Lin and Jiang Chuyi in the audience. Should we go say hello to them?”
Ji Kai was stunned, “What the heck?”
…
…
Chi Mengyue was still smiling and waiting for Zong Ye to send his blessing when a familiar, annoying, arrogant voice reached her ears.
Looking up, it was indeed that bitch Xin He.
Before she could even feel displeased, Zong Ye suddenly nodded to her, absentmindedly bidding farewell, “Sorry, I have something to attend to.”
Chi Mengyue: “…”
She didn’t even have a chance to say a word before watching Zong Ye walk towards Xin He just like that.
That bitch had a triumphant posture, looking back at her smugly.
When Zong Ye approached, Xin He leisurely laughed and raised an eyebrow, “Why are you coming over? Weren’t you chatting happily with that person?”
Zong Ye’s tone was calm, “Aren’t we going to find Director Lin and the others?”
Xin He sneered inwardly.
You’re going to find Director Lin and the others? I’m too embarrassed to even expose you!
