Late at night, on the entertainment section of a famous gossip forum, someone quietly published a post.

[Possibly some solid evidence] [I suspect that a certain two-character-named male star whose surname begins with Z and a certain three-character-named Film Emperor whose surname begins with J have an indescribable relationship.]

OP: To get straight to the point, today I happened to run into a certain two-character-named male star whose surname begins with Z while he was shopping in a large shopping mall. At the time, he was wearing wireless earphones and having a video call with someone. The person on the other end didn't show their face, but the two of them were speaking in a very affectionate tone. The male star whose surname begins with Z even asked whether he could keep the other person. Although my gossip-loving heart was already blazing like a raging fire, I still managed to hold myself back with all the primordial power at my disposal. But what I absolutely hadn't expected was that, just then, Z's earphones ran out of battery, and the male voice from the other end suddenly came out of the phone's speaker!! It came out loud and clear!!! Fuck, do you know whose voice I heard????

1L: He was wearing earphones, and you could still hear that they were speaking affectionately? Do you have the ears of a super human hearing? (NT: Shunfeng’er (顺风耳), litt. Wind-following ear, a legendary figure with extraordinarily sharp hearing)

2L: The three-character-named Film Emperor whose surname begins with J is way too easy to guess. OP might as well have typed out his full name.

3L: And that brings to mind the two-character-named male star whose surname begins with Z. The first person who comes to mind is that certain pest who's so unpopular he's fallen through the centre of the earth.

4L: Fuck, is this gossip really that huge?

7L: Gossip backed by evidence is called proof; gossip without evidence is called a rumour. I hope everyone will bear that in mind.

8L: I could make up twenty pieces of gossip just like OP's on the spot. Move along, move along. Here we go again: someone making things up out of thin air.

OP: I haven't finished yet! I reckon anyone who's ever heard the J Film Emperor's voice would never forget it, right? How many voice-obsessed fans use it as a soothing lullaby before going to sleep! When I heard that voice at the time, I was so shocked that my whole body trembled! I almost dropped everything I was holding!

At first, I reassured myself that it was merely someone with a similar voice, but immediately afterwards I was slapped in the face. The Film Emperor's manager has that unmistakable hoarse, duck-like voice. Anyone who pays even a little attention to the Film Emperor should have heard it, right? Although I'm not a die-hard fan of the Film Emperor, I've attended events to see him in person, so there's absolutely no way I could have mistaken it. And!! Here's the important part—the manager actually called the Z-surnamed male star by name, then said something particularly suggestive: “Just ordinary friends, got it, got it.”

Doesn't that phrasing sound familiar? Dear chubby friends, when you have that someone you can't openly talk about in mind, isn't that exactly how your friends tease you?

At that moment, my world really did collapse, the heavens and earth seemed to turn upside down, and my emotions spiraled completely out of control. I really couldn't keep it to myself any longer, so I came here to let everyone have a taste of this. I can't be the only one going crazy!

12L: ...OP, the story you've made up does sound rather convincing.

13L: What part sounds convincing? Anyone who knows even a little about J Film Emperor knows this is impossible, okay? And besides, it's that Z male star we're talking about. The two of them couldn't possibly even have had any contact!

14L: Speaking of which, the Z-surnamed male star and the J Film Emperor really did work together on a drama recently.

15L: 13, have you only just got internet access in your village? Why don't you look into the incident from a while ago when the Film Emperor himself followed, liked and commented on a post by the Z-surnamed male star on Weibo?

18L: You guys can stop with the J-surname and Z-surname nonsense. Why not just say Jiang Sheli and Zhu Huai outright? I'm a Jiang fan, and I swear to heaven: if Jiang Sheli and Zhu Huai have something going on between them, I'll livestream myself eating shit!

19L: Um, excuse me, but who is Zhu Huai?

20L: ...I haven't heard of him either. I've only heard of Jiang Sheli.

21L: Haven't heard of him either +1. Where did this obscure, B-list nobody come from, trying to ride our Jiang-ge's coattails? I'll teach him a lesson!

24L: Everyone above, calm down. He's just an obscure nobody deliberately tying himself to the Film Emperor to generate publicity. Don't fall for it and give him free exposure!

30L: Honestly, there are countless entertainers in the entertainment industry who try to ride Jiang Sheli's coattails for publicity. Only Zhu Huai has managed to make all of you Jiang fans remember him. In a way, you could say that's a success, couldn't you?

...

66L: I think OP might actually be telling the truth. Was that shopping mall one whose name began with X...? If it was, well...

That day, my boyfriend and I were browsing in a certain G-brand store. A young man with an especially refined air came in. He had particularly beautiful eyes. I couldn't help sneaking a few extra glances at him, and my boyfriend even got jealous... Ah, I'm getting off topic. At the time, he was carrying a whole lot of shopping bags, which must have contained clothes he'd bought.

When he came in, the shop assistant asked what he wanted to buy. He said he wanted to buy cufflinks as a gift for a good friend, and he specifically emphasised that the friend was male. But what I absolutely hadn't expected was that he bought G's newly released Galaxy of Stars collection. Those of you in the know should understand the meaning the collection's designer gave it, right? If it weren't for my need to preserve the dignity a poor person should have, I would really, really have wanted to buy them for my boyfriend.

And the funny thing was, when the shop assistant asked whether he wanted to buy the matching tie clip as well, he hesitated. None of the various special offers the shop assistant brought up managed to tempt him. But then came the turning point: the shop assistant said there was a lucky draw, and the first prize was a life-size standee bearing the Film Emperor's handwritten autograph. He paid immediately! Six figures, you know! Tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk! My boyfriend and I were both absolutely dumbfounded!

OP : That's right!! He really did buy a lot of clothes that day!

70L: But that doesn't prove anything, does it? Even if what you're saying is true, what if Zhu Huai is simply a fan of Jiang, the Film Emperor?

71L: Did Zhu Huai win the first prize?

66L: No. His little expression at the time looked as though he was about to cry. He only cheered up after the shop assistant gave him a poster.

71L replied: There was a poster too?? I'm genuinely lemon with envy!

72L: How come none of you know how to ask the important question?? OP, where is that shopping mall of yours??? If I rush over there by plane right now, will I still make it in time for the promotion?

80L: ??? No, seriously, what's wrong with you people? How much did Zhu Huai pay you? Send me the group chat number. OP didn't even see his face. Who knows whether what you're saying is true or not? If you've got proof, show it; if you don't, shut up! I've already contacted the moderators. You're welcome!

66L : I did see his face! He probably found it stuffy at the time and had pulled his mask halfway down. There's absolutely no way I could have mistaken him!

80L : Where are the photos? I'll say it again: if you've got proof, show it; if you don't, shut up.

82L: Zhu the despicable has really gone too far. Shipping him with that X Film Emperor? I'd rather ship Liu Qi with the Film Emperor! At least Liu Qi comes from a respectable background and has never done anything to harm his teammates.

83L: I'm in! A puppy-like rising star × a cold, refined Film Emperor. Any fanfic writers interested in writing this pairing? [Please the brush.jpg]

84L: Last time, Jiang the Film Emperor deliberately followed Liu Qi on Weibo, and then he deliberately followed Zhu Huai. Who knows whether that was just make a noise in the east and attack in the west? (NT: to distract people from one's real intention)

88L: Aaaaaah, finally someone ships this couple! At last I can say it out loud! I have a friend who works as a production assistant on the set of The Unfaithful Minister. Apparently, the Film Emperor has personally coached Liu Qi in acting several times, guiding him step by step, and never showed the slightest impatience! He's not cold and aloof at all! Aaaaaah!

89L: I'm shocked. This isn't the Jiang Film Emperor I know!

90L: No need for the sister at 80L to remind me to provide proof. I'll do it myself. [video.avi]

It was clearly a secretly filmed video. The image quality wasn't particularly sharp, but the people in it could still be made out. Liu Qi and Jiang Sheli, both dressed in their period costumes, were sitting close together in an intimate manner. Jiang Sheli had his back to the camera and was demonstrating some sort of movement with his hands, while Liu Qi imitated him beside him, a satisfied yet cautious smile on his face.

The video wasn't long, only a little over ten seconds, but that was already more than enough for netizens to imagine all kinds of heartbreaking romances: a popular idol and an award-winning Film Emperor caught in a secret, painful love affair, both enduring their feelings in silence.

Sure enough, before long, the post was soon flooded with excited fan squeals . The thread quickly acquired a [hot] tag and remained near the top of the forum's homepage.

However, this didn't last long. When netizens clicked on the post again, they found that the moderators had deleted it and banned the accounts of both the OP and user 66L for one month.

Reason: Spreading rumours without evidence.

The day after celebrating Qi Baojia's birthday, Zhu Huai returned to the company's dormitory to prepare for Thursday's indoor variety show.

However, even by the day before filming was due to begin, he still hadn't received the programme script or any rehearsal instructions.

He called Xiao Nan and asked, "Where's the script for the variety show?"

"Brother Zhang hasn't sent it to me," Xiao Nan replied. "He handled this engagement directly, so why don't you ask him?"

Brother Zhang's full name was Zhang Bei. He was the very same manager of Zhu Huai's who routinely washed his hands of everything and left him to fend for himself.

Zhu Huai had no choice but to call Zhang Bei himself.

It took a long time for the call to connect. At last, his manager's lazy voice came through the phone. "Zhu Huai?"

"Brother Zhang, I'm calling to ask about tomorrow's variety show..."

"Oh, that. I was just about to call you about it." Zhang Bei interrupted him. Hearing from his tone that this was clearly not what he had intended to do, Zhu Huai nevertheless replied good-naturedly, "All right, go ahead."

"There's no rehearsal for this event. Tomorrow's pre-recorded programme has been changed to a live broadcast, and there won't be a script either. It'll be a test of the guests' ability to react on the spot. You won't have any problems with that, will you?"

A live broadcast?

Zhu Huai was taken aback.

It was true that many variety shows nowadays had adopted live broadcasts. Netizens had grown tired of finished programmes edited by the cutting-room staff, where the truth could be twisted, turning black and white upside down. Rather than watching what the production teams wanted them to see, they preferred seeing things for themselves.

But, by the same token, live broadcasts were much more prone to mishaps. Even if there wasn't a complete script, the guests would normally at least be informed of the general direction the programme was expected to take.

Zhu Huai voiced the doubts he had been harbouring.

Zhang Bei sounded a little impatient. "You don't trust me?"

"No, it's just a little strange."

"What's strange about it? Audiences don't like scripted programmes anymore. Besides, it's just some flop of a little variety show. You can do whatever you like. What, are you afraid of going on camera?"

Of course Zhu Huai wasn't afraid of being on camera. He simply found the situation rather odd. He had watched every episode of Indoor Games, and the traces of scripting had been obvious in every single one. For that to suddenly disappear now, the only explanation he could think of was that the producer had been replaced.

Zhang Bei's voice sounded again, but this time he brought up something else. "Zhu Huai, I heard from a friend at the studio that Jiang Sheli has been looking after you quite a bit?"

Zhu Huai's internal alarm bells immediately began ringing. He answered evasively, "Jiang-ge treats everyone very well."

Zhang Bei neither agreed nor disagreed. "I know you and Liu Qi don't get along, but you're still with the same company, after all. If he can win Jiang Sheli's favour, he might be able to give you a helping hand too. Just look at your situation right now: no work, no popularity, and scandals hanging over your head. When your contract expires, do you think any other company will want you?"

Zhu Huai said nothing. His jaw tightened, and his eyes narrowed slightly, their corners sharp and fierce.

Zhang Bei hadn't expected him to answer anyway, so he continued, "Don't tell me you're still entertaining the unrealistic fantasy of joining Phantom? Jiang Sheli is famous throughout the industry for being unapproachable. Ordinary people simply can't get in. You know that, don't you?"

"Brother Zhang," Zhu Huai said, "just tell me directly what you're trying to say."

"Smart boy," Zhang Bei replied. "If Jiang Sheli asks you out for a meal or something, remember to let me know. Give Liu Qi a chance to get closer to him, and as for renewing your contract, I can have a proper discussion with the higher-ups on your behalf."

So he wanted to pair Liu Qi and Jiang Sheli up for publicity.

A surge of anger rose from Zhu Huai's chest and rushed up into his throat. Even his breathing rhythm changed. His knuckles had turned somewhat white from gripping so tightly.

Back when he was in the idol group, the company had arranged for members to promote themselves by being paired off with one another more than once. It had indeed helped boost their popularity.

With someone of Jiang Sheli's status and standing in the industry, a publicity pairing with him could generate far greater buzz than those small-time publicity stunts Zhu Huai had been involved in before.

Zhang Bei understood that, if he wanted Zhu Huai to give up such a golden opportunity, he would have to offer him something substantial. Otherwise, there was no way he could get him to agree.

"You're familiar with A Beautiful Life, right? The production team originally invited Liu Qi. I can tell them that Liu Qi's schedule is too full and arrange for you to take his place..."

Zhu Huai interrupted him. "I'm sorry, Brother Zhang."

"What?"

"Jiang Sheli and I aren't that close."

 

--

The author has something to say:

Zhang: Ordinary people can't get into Phantom.

Jiang: But the boss's wife can.

 

Translator : DarNan