Chapter 34

Chapter 34

Over the next few days, Ning Yuyi was kept busy, constantly being escorted by Zhou Er to the company for posture training and oratory lessons, leaving home early and returning late.

Finally, after a week's worth of classes, "Hello, Actor" was aired.

"Hello, Actor" has consistently been a popular variety show in recent years, providing opportunities for both fading veteran actors and new rising stars to showcase their talents.

Veteran actors brought their acting skills, while rising stars brought the audience, and the show's formula has always worked well.

The moment this episode of "Hello, Actor" aired, combined with Xie Yezhou's special Weibo shoutout to Ning Yuyi, the hashtag #NingYuyiActingSkills quickly trended.

Its popularity surged, ultimately securing the third spot in the hot search.

[My god, he's so handsome and can act? Is he heaven-sent?]

[I remember him! I think his name is Ning Yuyi. Fan's Group followed him a while ago, causing quite a stir. I was so engrossed in the drama that I almost forgot about work.]

[I remember too. He looks so delicate and well-mannered. I thought he might not be a great actor, but... I was wrong.]

[Crying tears of joy as a fan of "Jiandao". My beloved show is saved!]

[Fan +1, I'm impressed. I didn't have high hopes and thought of becoming a hater, but today, I was blown away.]

……

With Fenghua adding fuel to the fire, the comments quickly shifted their focus to "Jiandao".

The director of the variety show "Old Friends" noticed this trending topic and, the next day, while the hype was still ongoing, released the uncensored teaser. He officially tagged both Xie Yezhou and Ning Yuyi, welcoming them to the recording of "Old Friends".

If "Hello, Actor" was just a warm-up the day before, then today's announcement from "Old Friends" truly solidified Ning Yuyi's fame.

To stir interest, the director had previously blurred out Ning Yuyi and Xie Yezhou in the teaser, hoping to arouse the audience's curiosity through speculation.

But this meant that many fans hoped their idol was behind the blur, and now that hope was dashed.

Suddenly, the disappointed fans from other camps unleashed their anger on Ning Yuyi.

Zhou Er spent that entire day brainstorming with the head of the PR department, trying to manage and suppress the negative comments.

Thankfully, Ning Yuyi's accumulated goodwill from the previous day, combined with Fenghua Entertainment's promotional accounts, managed to slightly tilt the narrative in their favor.

The head of the PR department leaned back in his chair, his usually neat hair a rare mess.

"After this, you owe me big time," Ying Jin ruffled his hair, "I've been run ragged because of you."

"Shut up and rest a bit," Zhou Er never took his eyes off his computer, "The current sentiment seems stable, but we need to be prepared for any surprises."

"Yes, some fan groups haven't made their move yet. Currently, the primary force of haters consists of Zhang Yang's fans. They probably aim to bring Ning Yuyi down and prop Zhang up," said Ying Jin, rubbing his temples. He had been working overtime with Zhou Er for days. After just two days of rest, this mess had unfolded.

"What do we do then?" Zhou Er grew restless. "We can't constantly monitor things online."

"We need to target the ringleaders first, then divert the public's attention."

"What's the plan?" Zhou Er inquired.

"Hmm..." Ying Jin smirked, "Give me a kiss, and I'll tell you."

Zhou Er scoffed, "If you don't handle this, Mr. Xie will be here personally to take matters into his own hands."

Ying Jin touched his nose dejectedly, "While your artist, Ning Yuyi, does have potential, don't you think Mr. Xie is a bit too concerned? Could it be..."

Zhou Er gave him a sharp look.

"Has Mr. Xie taken a liking to your young artist?"

"If you have the guts, say that in front of Mr. Xie." Zhou Er stood up. "I need to use the restroom."

Though Ying Jin had teased Zhou Er about the kiss, by the time Zhou Er returned from the restroom, everything had been settled.

"What did you release?" Seeing Ying Jin's anticipatory grin, Zhou Er grew curious.

"Info on Zhang Yang. Since we need to divert attention and address Zhang Yang's fans, releasing dirt on him is the most convenient choice," Ying Jin leaned back, eyes half-closed, ready for a break.

As Zhou Er approached the computer, he understood what Ying Jin meant by "handling."

Most established entertainment companies have dirt on artists outside their company, usually kept under wraps. However, when there's negative press or rumors surrounding their own artists, they release this dirt to divert attention.

As the largest company in the entertainment industry, Fenghua naturally held a plethora of such information.

What Ying Jin released was a blurry photo of Zhang Yang embracing a middle-aged woman. Despite the poor quality, one could clearly identify Zhang Yang.

Once the image was released, it caused a sensation, quickly surpassing Ning Yuyi's topic in the trending list.

[Wow! That's definitely Zhang Yang! He was wearing the same outfit for an interview. Right after that, he's seen dating?]

[Dating? Don't tell me no one recognizes that as the eldest daughter of Jie Cheng Ltd. She's over forty and still married!]

[I recall she's divorced. But is Zhang Yang being kept as a sugar baby?]

[This doesn't look like romance. Would you date someone 20 years your senior who's average-looking? Especially when you're a trending star like Zhang Yang.]

[All adults know what's happening here. Surprising that Zhang's fans are silent, given how loud they usually are.]

[Honestly, looking at his unedited photos, can he be considered a sugar baby? I wonder what the wealthy woman sees in him.]

[If I were rich, I'd want Xie Yezhou, haha. Wait, no. I'd want both Xie Yezhou and Ning Yuyi. A mix of wild and tame is perfect.]

[With Zhang Yang's natural looks, can he be considered 'tame'? It's hard to imagine what she sees in him.]

[You've been greedy, leave one for me!]

[What are you dreaming about? Even with money, you can't possibly get Xie Yezhou, the second son of Xie's Corporation!]

[Well, I might fantasize about Ning Yuyi. Such a sweet kid, I'd be happy just having him around to please my eyes.]

[Let me dream too. The life of a rich woman is so delightful, except she's blind in her choices.]

……

Fans of Zhang Yang were previously criticizing Ning Yuyi, but they were caught off-guard by the news about Zhang Yang, leaving the fandom in silence.

The usually buzzing chat group now only has a message sent every few minutes.

A few of the prominent fans are insisting that the news is false, and a malicious frame-up, claiming it was staged.

But the photographic evidence is overwhelmingly compelling; the fans have eyes of their own.

Finally, someone posted a message.

[I'm tired. This is disgusting. I'm leaving the group, selling all my merchandise, low prices on Xianyu.]

This message acted like a switch; the group's membership started dwindling, and listings to sell Zhang Yang merchandise surged on Xianyu.

For a moment, both Zhang Yang and his agent were too preoccupied to bother targeting Ning Yuyi.

This expose from Fenghua served as a warning to other celebrities: if you want to risk getting exposed, go ahead and pick on their artists.

After Zhang Yang became the sacrificial example, everyone else quickly behaved.

Ning Yuyi, more interested in gossip than being online, was oblivious to the "celestial fight" on Weibo, spending his days at home playing with his cats, cooking, and gaming.

Indeed, ever since Xie Yezhou learned that Ning Yuyi's first visit to Fan Zhongchuan's home was just for the gaming room, he too prepared the latest gaming room for Ning.

Compared to Fan Zhongchuan's, it's even more impressive.

Ning Yuyi has been engrossed in the gaming room for days. Tian Tian, the cat, is well-behaved, snuggling by Ning's side, occasionally brushing against him.

A man and his three cats, living the life of comfort.

Until Zhou Erhe came to Ning Yuyi's house and dragged him out of the gaming room.

Zhou Erhe brought him straight to the company, heading for the photo studio.

"What interview?" Ning Yuyi, forced to change into a new outfit, quickly left his cat and was pulled back to the company.

"A well-established magazine with a vast Weibo following. It has a good reputation," Zhou Erhe said, leading Ning Yuyi to the studio and knocking on the door.

"He's here," Zhou Erhe announced, stopping in front of a slightly chubby man.

The slightly overweight man rose with a smile and shook Ning Yuyi's hand.

"The questions are straightforward, don't worry," he reassured Ning Yuyi, noticing his nervousness.

Ning Yuyi chuckled at the phrase "straightforward questions" and took a seat, waiting for the camera to be set up.

Once the photographer gave an 'OK' sign, the interview officially began.

……

The interview was recorded for just under an hour, by the end of which Ning Yuyi's face felt stiff from smiling.

He rubbed his facial muscles and reached for the bottled water the staff had prepared for him.

The studio door was knocked again. Amid exclamations, Ning Yuyi turned to see Xie Yezhou at the entrance.

"Is it over?" Xie Yezhou approached Ning Yuyi and, without hesitation, smoothed out the strands of hair disturbed by his drink.

"Yes, it's done," Ning Yuyi nodded, "Brother Xie, what brings you here?"

The host, who was busy with his interview notes, jolted in surprise, his chubby face quivering.

My goodness, he seemed to have heard some astonishing news.

This newcomer just called Xie Yezhou "Brother Xie"!

Having been invited to Fenghua Entertainment for the interview, the host was no fool. Connecting the dots, he had a hint about the relationship. As a presenter, he was privy to much gossip and had seen photos of Mrs. Xie.

The Xie family had lost their youngest child years ago. Ning Yuyi's age matched, and he bore a resemblance to Mrs. Xie. These clues almost spelled out the answer for the host.

This was big news!

Alas, it was a scoop he had to keep to himself.

The host swallowed the shock he almost blurted out, pretending to have heard nothing, and left with his crew.

Fenghua Entertainment was not to be trifled with, and neither was the Xie family, so he could only relish this scoop in solitude.

"Let's go, I'll treat you to lunch."

Xie Yezhou and Ning Yuyi walked side by side, drawing many glances within the company.

Ning Yuyi, accustomed to the attention, even managed to wave at Zhou Erhe while passing by.

Xie Yezhou took Ning Yuyi to the same restaurant they first visited, where Yao Yao had reserved a private room for them.

Entering the restaurant again, Ning Yuyi felt a world of difference from his first visit.

Recalling that this was where he first met Xie Yinan and Fan Zhongchuan, he couldn't help but smile.

As he ascended the stairs, to his amusement, he once again saw Xie Yinan and Fan Zhongchuan.

Upon seeing Fan Zhongchuan, Xie Yezhou's first instinct was to shield Ning Yuyi behind him, casting a wary gaze in Fan's direction.

"Brother, of all places, you chose this one too?" There was no synchronization at all. Now Ning had run into Fan Zhongchuan again!

First glancing affectionately at Ning Yuyi, Xie Yinan replied nonchalantly, "Business meeting."

"Let's dine together," suggested Fan Zhongchuan, signaling his assistant to alert the waiter.

Since they had crossed paths, there was no avoiding a shared meal.

The four entered the private dining room reserved by Fan Zhongchuan and re-ordered their dishes.

As Xie Yinan and Fan Zhongchuan discussed business, Ning Yuyi, not understanding, focused intently on his meal.

The spicy pig's feet were delicious! Softly braised, they melted in the mouth with a spicy aroma. Ning Yuyi could easily eat ten bowls of rice with it.

The steamed snapper was also a treat! Unlike the spicy pig's feet, this dish, sprinkled with the right sauce, was succulent and refreshing. Ning Yuyi wished he had more stomachs to savor it all.

The other dishes were equally exquisite. It's no wonder even Fan Zhongchuan had to reserve in advance; the taste was unparalleled.

After two bowls of rice, Ning Yuyi, with a slightly distended stomach, unintentionally let out a burp.

Instantly, all eyes converged on him.

Covering his mouth, Ning Yuyi felt so embarrassed he wished he could disappear under the table.

Perhaps out of sheer anxiety, he couldn't suppress his successive burps.

"Did you eat too much?" Xie Yezhou had been engrossed in the business conversation and hadn't noticed Ning's indulgence.

Xie Yinan poured water to help Ning Yuyi settle, while Fan Zhongchuan instructed an attendant to prepare hawthorn tea.

After sipping some water, Ning Yuyi finally got his burping under control, though his face remained flushed.

Fan Zhongchuan, not letting the waiter in, personally handed the hawthorn tea to Ning Yuyi.

And, on the side, he playfully pinched Ning Yuyi's reddened earlobe.

Ning Yuyi continued sipping his tea and occasionally chatted with Xie Yezhou.

By the time Xie Yinan's conversation was winding down, a dazed Ning Yuyi was led out by Xie Yezhou.

"Is it over?" Ning Yuyi whispered to Xie Yezhou.

"Yes, we'd almost finalized things earlier; this was just a confirmation." Xie Yezhou, somewhat familiar with the family business, explained.

Though Ning Yuyi didn't quite catch all of it, he nodded earnestly, receiving a playful ruffle of his hair from Xie Yezhou.

"Let's go. I'll drive you home," Xie Yezhou said, producing his car keys, ready to drive Ning Yuyi back to Qing'an.

Ning Yuyi looked up, instinctively turning his gaze towards Fan Zhongchuan.

"I can give him a lift. It's on my way," Fan Zhongchuan said, pausing in his stride.

Xie Yinan also stopped. The four of them unintentionally clustered together, blocking the way to the parking lot.

"There are people coming from behind; we should move," Ning Yuyi remarked, noticing a group approaching.

"Right," agreed Xie Yinan, taking a deep breath. "Aren't you heading back to the office, Mr. Fan?"

Xie Yezhou was about to decline the offer, insisting he'd handle his own brother's transport. Yet, he watched, speechless, as Ning Yuyi, engrossed in his phone, easily slid into the passenger seat of Fan Zhongchuan's car.

Xie Yezhou felt as if he could articulate his disbelief with a series of ellipses.

Even Xie Yinan was stunned by Ning Yuyi's fluid motion, causing him to wonder if Ning might actually be fond of Fan Zhongchuan.

"Goodbye, brother," Ning Yuyi, having merely accepted a file from Zhou Erhe on his phone, waved as they departed.

"Goodbye, Ning Ning," Xie Yezhou forced a smile, striving to maintain a favorable impression in front of his younger sibling.

As soon as Fan Zhongchuan's car pulled away, the smile vanished from Xie Yezhou's face.

"Let's head home," he said, his tone considerably colder.

"Yeah," agreed Xie Yinan, eager to discuss matters concerning Fan Zhongchuan with their parents.

That earlier scene made Xie Yezhou realize just how much Ning Yuyi seemed to rely on Fan Zhongchuan.

At the very least, they couldn't compete for Ning Yuyi's affection against Fan.

"Tsk," disgruntled by this realization, Xie Yezhou got in his car, pressed the accelerator, and sped off.

Yu Sihan, enraged, hurled whatever was within reach. On checking his phone, his anger intensified. Intending to post a sarcastic anonymous message on the forum "Rabbit Zone," he was greeted by a trending topic.

[Title] Don't you guys think this cutie is way more talented than that overly-hyped Yu Sihan from a while back?

0L: Decent looks too. Check out the pics below. A treat for you all! But those who prefer tough guys might not be fans.

When Yu Sihan saw this post, his face contorted with anger. He clicked it, thinking it was probably a planted post by Fenghua Entertainment's PR team. Surely, the notorious Rabbit Zone users would be mocking Ning for deploying paid trolls.

However, when he accessed the post, he went pale with fury.

1L: I stumbled upon this yesterday, and he's so adorable! Such a sweet presence, taking the director's feedback so earnestly.

2L: It's my first time seeing all the directors unanimously praising someone. They pointed out minor issues, but I couldn’t spot any!

3L: This could be the pinnacle of the new generation's acting prowess. Fans of Xie Yezhou are always bragging about his massive following and commendable acting. Now isn't this a slap in the face?

I hope this captures the essence of the content. Let me know if you need further refinements!

4L: Seriously? Are there still people who don't know that the drama "Hello Actor" was produced by Ice and Fire Investments? Yu Si Han is also an actor heavily promoted by Ice and Fire. Don't you know?

5L: Got it. Thanks for the info, previous commenter.

6L: Yu Si Han's acting has always been mediocre. Although he stands out among the new generation, he pales in comparison to veteran actors. I don't know how some directors praised him so much.

7L: Well, money talks. It's only natural. Investors can't be offended, after all.

8L: Wow, wow, wow! I've uninstalled Weibo. Who is this adorable person? Totally my type.

9L: Just search for Ning Yu Yi on Weibo. Also, my idol Zhou Zhou is close with Ning Yu Yi. What are the haters trying to prove?

……

Yu Si Han clenched his teeth so hard they could break, his hand trembling in anger.

He exited the post, clicked on "Create New Post", and began typing rapidly.

As he was about to post, he realized the username displayed wasn’t his usual "Double Eyelid==". While attempting to change it, a real-name verification prompt appeared.

At that moment, all of Yu Si Han's rush of emotions dissipated.

He's a celebrity; he can't reveal his real identity in such a toxic environment.

Yu Si Han took a deep breath, threw his phone on the bed, and sat down, trying to calm himself.

"It's okay, Yu Si Han. You're the protagonist of this story. You'll prevail. How could a side character like Ning Yu Yi surpass you?"

Muttering this to himself, Yu Si Han stared out the window, lost in thought.

Author's Note: Mr. Fan: I made it.

Xie Yi Nan: For a CEO, shouldn’t you be at work? What are you "making" at home?

Mr. Fan: I'm in Ning Ning's heart, just making a detour home.