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Chapter 577: No Longer a Fan, Attacking Back! Si Fuqing’s Technique Guidance (2)
Chapter 577: No Longer a Fan, Attacking Back! Si Fuqing’s Technique Guidance (2)
Chapter 577: No Longer a Fan, Attacking Back! Si Fuqing’s Technique Guidance (2)
Translator: _Min_
Xu Jianian found himself at a loss for words, deeply aware of his rise to fame through the support of his fans.
For the past few years, he had diligently interacted with his followers, engaging with them regularly.
That was until he met Lin Wansu.
He genuinely harbored feelings for Lin Wansu and knew she belonged to the Lin family.
When Lin Wansu pursued him, he naturally accepted her advances.
Xu Jianian had not anticipated being photographed the previous day.
With the incident exposed and the photos unmistakably clear, denial was not an option.
Taking a deep breath, the agent inquired, “Who is the woman involved?”
Resignedly, Xu Jianian sighed, “Lin Wansu.”
“Lin Wansu?” The agent laughed in disbelief, “Of all people, why her? What assistance could she possibly offer you in your career? She can hardly secure her own standing!”
A drop in magazine sales would directly affect Lin Wansu’s fashion endorsements.
Xu Jinnian pressed his lips together, “She is from the Lin family.”
“The Lin family is vast,” the agent rebuked, frustrated. “If she were truly valued by them, her resources would have skyrocketed by now. Were you hoping to leverage her to infiltrate the elite circles of Sijiu City? Then you should have informed me about your relationship!”
With prior notice, he would have devised a strategy. Now, they were caught entirely off guard.
“I’m sorry…” Xu Jianian felt powerless.
“Apologies should be directed at your fans, not me,” the agent said, making several calls, his expression grim. “There’s no choice but for you to publicly acknowledge the relationship. Denial would only do more harm.”
The number of members in the forum and Xu Jianian’s follower count were plummeting.
The agent knew denying the relationship would not win back the crucial girlfriend fan base.
The only alternative was to employ different tactics.
“The company has already summoned the reporters,” the agent explained. “Admit to the relationship openly, but refrain from revealing who the woman is. Show loyalty to her, understand?”
Having navigated the entertainment industry for years, Xu Jianian grasped the implications instantly.
This was their only option.
The news was broke out at noon, by two in the afternoon, a live press conference was held.
“We’ve only recently started dating. I had intended to share the news once things were more stable but was beaten to the punch,” Xu Jianian said, smiling at the camera. “I know everyone’s curious, but due to certain reasons, I can’t disclose more. If there are any issues, please direct them at me…”
This admission effectively alienated his girlfriend fans, leaving only the loyal and uncritical supporters.
[Quick to admit, that’s a real man.]
[Who is the woman? Shouldn’t she also show some responsibility?]
[I’ll never understand fan culture. Celebrities are human too. Xu Jianian is nearly thirty; what’s wrong with dating? The fans overreacting over his open and honest approach have converted me into a fan.]
[LOL, are you even a fan? He’s using fan money, and the fans are supporting him. Yes, he can’t date. If he had true talent, he could be like Su God, but does he?]
[Regardless of who the woman is, her silence makes her a coward!]
[If she’s an outsider, fine, but if she’s in the industry and eventually gets exposed, I’ll be her anti for life.]
The narrative slightly shifted, offering the agent a sigh of relief.
Admittedly, Xu Jianian’s fall from grace was profound, but this was the best PR move available.
Unless there was a chance for redemption, this might be the end of his top-tier status.
The assistant asked, “Brother, now that the press conference is over, what’s next?”
“Absolutely do not reveal Lin Wansu. She’s of no use,” the agent frowned. “Let’s
stir up some top female celebrities, including Si Fuqing. Isn’t she filming in
Northern State?”
Controversy wasn’t feared as much as irrelevance.
Fortunately, there hadn’t been any bad news regarding the drama Xu Jianian was transitioning to.
If the transition was successful, he might not remain a top-tier celebrity, but his status in the film and television industry would be secure.
The agent hurried off to prepare other PR strategies, contacting various paid influencers to start spinning the narrative towards other female celebrities.
Meanwhile, at the “Crossing the Demon Realm” film set.
Martial arts sequences, especially distinct from those in martial arts dramas, played a crucial role in xianxia dramas.
Tang Haiqiu, raised on martial arts novels, personally designed these sequences.
His work on “Sword Immortal” a decade ago even won a Best Martial Arts Award.
In the realm of the internet, it was often lamented that the genre of xianxia and was in decline, largely due to the underwhelming fight scenes that seemed to suggest that becoming the foremost master in the celestial realm required no more effort than casually twirling a fan.
During the production of “Crossing the Demon Realm,” Tang Haiqiu took these criticisms to heart and adopted a more meticulous approach.
He sought the expertise of the martial arts division from the Heaven Earth Alliance to oversee the choreography.
Given that the drama featured a prominent female lead, the spotlight of the action scenes was firmly on Si Fuqing.
When Tang Haiqiu learned from Sang Yanqing that Si Fuqing had been bested by a mere sip of alcohol the night before, he expressed his concern, “Perhaps you should take some more rest? We are well ahead of schedule; a few days’ break wouldn’t hurt.”
“No need,” Si Fuqing paused briefly, her expression a mix of embarrassment and resignation, “My body is okay, it’s just that…”
It was yet another moment of social embarrassment for her.
She learned the details of the incident through Yuejian.
Mistaking the pixiu for a mere pig destined for the cabbage patch was one thing, but to have actually embraced Yu Xiheng was another.
Xi Jiang and Feng San comforted her, advising her not to dwell on it.
They rationalized that since she had healed Yu Xiheng’s leg, it was perfectly normal for him to act as her means of transportation.
The thought of this comforted Si Fuqing.
She felt a lot better.
“Alright, but if you feel unwell at any point, you must let me know,” Tang Haiqiu nodded, handing her the script for the day. “Here are the scenes for today and the choreography. I’ll have some of our instructors go through it with you shortly.”
As Si Fuqing flipped through the storyboard, she had to admit that Tang Haiqiu had some skill.
However, the moves seemed more decora tive than practical, aesthetically pleasing but lacking in substance.
Yuejian, leaning on her shoulder, smiled teasingly, “Why don’t you also tell your director that the newcomers in our organization have been trained to exhaustion by you?”
Sketching some modifications to the choreography with a pencil, Si Fuqing remarked, “As if Director Tang would believe that.”
“He might,” Yuejian said with a shrug, “He believes you’re a lucky koi fish, after all.
Si Fuqing was momentarily speechless.
Tang Haiqiu returned, “Qingqing, the props are ready for you. You’ll be using a machete; see if it’s manageable.”
Si Fuqing weighed the weapon with her hand, and responded, “It’s pretty light.”
The machete felt surprisingly light in her hands, prompting Tang Haiqiu to swallow his words about its fifty-pound weight.
He had planned for her to use a lighter prop machete for the actual fighting scenes, only using the real one for scenes with a close-up of the machete.
But why does this feel like a fruit knife for her?
“Director Tang,” Si Fuqing, still holding the sword, passed him the storyboard, “I’ve adjusted some of the moves. Take a look.”
Tang Haiqiu was at a loss for words as he opened the storyboard, his brain numb.
“Sister Sang, this is bad!” In that moment, the agent’s assistant rushed over. “Xu Jianian has apologized, but he hasn’t disclosed who the woman is. The internet is ablaze with speculation, and our Qingqing is topping the list!” Sang Yanqing frowned. “Are they blind?”
“It’s because this town is the closest to our drama crew,” the agent’s assistant explained with a grimace. “Some also suspect Cheng Yiqiao, but judging by the photos, she doesn’t seem to fit the bill. A good number of onlookers and Xu Jianian’s fans have swarmed Qingqing’s Weibo, demanding she also confess to the relationship.”
“Madness!” Sang Yanqing erupted in anger. “Why should Qingqing confess to something she didn’t do? Does Xu Jianian’s team really think their star is beloved by all, flowers blooming at his sight?”
Not to mention, Si Fuqing herself was renowned for her “Divine Beauty,” and her circle of friends was nothing short of impressive.
And after being accustomed to the likes ofmen like Yu Xiheng, could there possibly be another face that caught her eye?
“The online sentiment is heavily against us, ” the agent’s assistant remarked.
“Sister Sang, we should just clarify the situation.”
Sang Yanqing nodded. “Clarification is indeed necessary. Who would want to be associated with them? Don’t we have photos to prove our point? At that time yesterday, Qingqing was dining at the tea house.”
“These paparazzi are lacking..” Si Fuqing, holding a long sword and squinting her fox-like eyes, commented lightly, “Sister Sang, do you think I should give them a hand?”