Chapter 19: Let’s Watch the Show Together

Chapter 19: Let's Watch the Show Together

Shu Xiaoan took refuge from the wind at a corner with a group of junior assistants. She listened intently to gossip about the entertainment industry, her ears pricked up and her attention focused.

Previously, Sister Feifei had mentioned how challenging it was to be an extra, but she hadn't fully understood just how difficult it was until that day. She now realized that the entertainment world could be ruthless.

Even those who were somewhat recognizable could only sit on small stools waiting for their turn, called out by name. When someone shouted for extras, the scene resembled a feeding frenzy in a fishpond, with countless fish darting to the surface for a single morsel.

With her petite frame, there was no chance she could squeeze to the front.

Tang Fei had offered her a part-time assistant position, willing to pay her four thousand yuan – an act of kindness. Knowing that she had encountered a good person, Shu Xiaoan wanted to work hard to become a qualified assistant as a way to repay Tang Fei and not just take the money for nothing.

Just as she was putting effort into her task, she suddenly heard a distant commotion amplify several times over.

The crowd hiding in the corner began to stir.

"Goodness gracious, they're going to fight!"

"Where? Let's go take a look."

"No, I have good eyesight. They're almost kissing, pretending to be deeply affectionate sisters!"

Shu Xiaoan was petite and had to stand on tiptoe to see above the crowd. Curious about who could be causing such a commotion during the audition, she asked, "Where? Who's kissing whom?"

"Right there, Tang Fei and Guan Yun. Just a few centimeters apart." The speaker sniffled and tapped her feet nervously.

What?!

Sister Feifei?

Her artist was the one causing this chaos!

Shu Xiaoan felt as if she had stumbled upon a spectacle only to realize it was her own house burning down. She pushed her way through the crowd, determined to reach the heart of the disturbance.

Halfway there, someone blocked her path. It was a tall, broad-shouldered man in a black suit, resembling a bodyguard.

Startled by the sudden obstruction, Shu Xiaoan panicked. She anxiously glanced in Tang Fei's direction, her face turning pale with worry.

"Hai Sheng, don't frighten her."

The voice was gentle, and the person who had stopped her retracted their hand, smiling at her. Shu Xiaoan's anxious heart calmed slightly. "Can you let me through? My artist needs help."

The one who had stopped Shu Xiaoan was Zhou Weichuan's assistant, Zheng Haisheng. Zhou Weichuan was watching Tang Fei and Guan Yun's intense showdown. He observed how she skillfully maneuvered around her opponent, adjusting angles so that those holding up their phones could capture clear shots of her and Guan Yun from all directions.

He watched with curiosity as Tang Fei took the upper hand, ingeniously capitalizing on public opinion to generate heat for herself while diverting negative attention away.

She was smart, and in dealing with Yao Hui, she particularly suited his taste.

Seeing Shu Xiaoan attempt to assist, he instructed Zheng Haisheng to stop her.

"Your artist is doing just fine and doesn't need your help. Let's find a good spot to watch together," Zhou Weichuan said with a warm smile, his demeanor polite and his voice pleasant. With his handsome looks, Shu Xiaoan easily believed him. Zheng Haisheng led them to a half-built fake hill on set. After chatting with the busy set designers and offering a cigarette, they were allowed to ascend, enjoying a fantastic view of the crowded live broadcast scene.

The event continued, and short videos kept being posted online.

"Let go of me!" Struggling in Tang Fei's grasp, Guan Yun gritted her teeth. "Do you believe I'll get…."

"Yao Hui to blacklist me? Didn't you already do that?" Tang Fei recalled the original owner's inexplicable death, anger surging within her. She squeezed Guan Yun's hand fiercely, causing the latter to cry out in pain. Tang Fei then gently released her grip. The constantly squirming Guan Yun lost her balance and fell to the ground, landing in a puddle of soft, muddy soil.

Guan Yun's humiliation was unprecedented in her career, no, in her entire life. Tears hung in the corners of her eyes as she looked around at the circle of people. Where was her assistant?

Her assistant was also stopped by Zheng Haisheng outside: "Please come this way. It's better for the artists to resolve their issues themselves."

"Don't want to go?"

"This is a filming and audition site. Being forcefully ejected for causing trouble would look even worse."

Half-coercively, Guan Yun's assistant was also invited up the artificial slope to watch Tang Fei and Guan Yun's love-hate dynamic.

Seeing Guan Yun in such a state, Tang Fei felt a pang of sympathy. For someone as sensitive as Guan Yun, who couldn't handle being called a midget without crying, enduring public humiliation was a harsh lesson.

The original owner's grudge against her brother was greater; he had caused more trouble than just a few verbal spats. In this aspect, the spoiled child Guan Yun and the previous Tang Fei were evenly matched.

Tang Fei crouched down and gently wiped the redness from around Guan Yun's eyes and the tears pooling in the corners with a tissue. Sensing Tang Fei's sudden softening expression and gentle touch, and seeing the excited faces of those watching the drama unfold, Guan Yun's tears flowed even more. She felt like a monkey being made fun of, with an audience observing her misery. Pushing Tang Fei away, she exclaimed, "Who needs your fake kindness? This is all your fault!"

Guan Yun covered her face and ran off.

"Little Yun!" The assistant, coerced into watching from the high ground, hurried after her.

As Guan Yun ran, tears streaming down her face, she choked out a call to Guan Mo, asking him to remove all the messy trending topics. She didn't want to see Tang Fei on the hot searches, nor did she want to see any videos of her and Tang Fei.

Fei Yun's trending ranking was swiftly climbing from the sixties to the top twenty.

Tang Fei had stolen the limelight today, with three related hashtags about her on the hot searches, a treatment usually reserved for superstars.

"Feifei, how are you? Feeling alright?" Shu Xiaoan approached Tang Fei's side.

"I feel great all over. Have you seen Weibo?" Tang Fei pulled Shu Xiaoan aside. "Don't worry about me. Although I'm not a big star yet, I can confidently say that in the realm of being both hated and loved, no one else in the entertainment industry dares claim to be number one."

Still tense, Shu Xiaoan frowned. "Feifei, I don't think it's good to be disliked."

"So serious…" Tang Fei scratched her head. "I did retaliate. Look, the hot searches have cooled down. Strategically, we've won. You're taking away my sense of accomplishment."

To show she'd taken Tang Fei's words to heart, Shu Xiaoan forced a smile on her face.

Guan Yun's agent had been busy all day, investing nearly eight hundred thousand yuan into boosting her client's popularity, only for the main character herself to spend a few hundred thousand to overshadow it.

In the end, they'd just funnelled money into Weibo without gaining anything. Guan Yun had made a fool of herself during prime time at nine o'clock. The agent could forget about Zhou Weichuan regretting his actions; once Guan Yun investigated the matter and traced it back to him, he might even lose his job.

Now, he was overwhelmed with remorse. He immediately called Song Li, who was the closest friend Guan Yun had in the industry. "Sis Song, you've got to help me out."

"Don't worry, I'll talk to Little Yun. Just apologize and show some humility – with me around, Little Yun won't do anything to you." Song Li placated the person first, but in his mind, he was already pondering if there were any leverage the other party had on him. After reviewing the situation, he realized he held little value, so he called Guan Yun: "Little Yun, how are you? Are you alright now? I just found out about this incident. I'll come see you tonight."

...

"Your agent just called me, asking for my help. I was confused back then, but now it seems suspicious. Should we investigate him?"

...

The Weibo fever subsided, but within smaller circles, two videos continued to circulate – one of Tang Fei combing Guan Yun's hair, both blushing as they gazed into each other's eyes, and another of Tang Fei crouching down to wipe away Guan Yun's tears with a tender expression.

Guan Yun's fans, the 'Cloud Grass,' rushed to defend their idol.

"How can those shipping them be blind? Didn't they see Yunbao trembling with anger? That wasn't shyness!"

"Stop smearing our Yunbao like sticky gum! Away, trash!"

"Shipping workplace harassment? Do you have any hearts?"

"Sugar Auntie is moon-grabbing and clinging to my Yun. GUNNNNNNNA!"

However, the general public couldn't resonate with the fans' sympathy, objections, or complaints. They found it annoying and continued watching the video while voicing their opinions.

"So sweet, I love it."

"Boss, I need some anti-diabetic medication."

"The domineering elder sister and the tsundere younger sister, they're so cute together!"

"Tang Fei's acting is terrible, she couldn't pull this off. They must be genuine!"

Guan Yun read through the comments with tears in her eyes, and by the time she finished, she was so enraged that it seemed as if her entire being was on the verge of contortion!

"Second Brother, quickly order everyone to delete those videos!"

"Sis, it's spreading on WeChat and QQ. There's nothing I can do to stop it." Guan Mo held the tear-streaked Guan Yun in his arms and sighed helplessly. He knew that it all started with her agent and then Guan Yun herself had fueled the fire by seeking out the spotlight. It was a mess of their own making.

The trending searches on the side of the book fans have been removed, and the online promotion company has ceased its operations. Only a small group of fans continue to boycott on their own initiative. As a result, the opposition to Tang Fei and the negative waves gradually dissipate.

Unlike Guan Yun, who was moved to tears, Tang Fei watched the video of herself with great appreciation. Her acting skills had vastly improved, and her movements were flawless. She presented her most attractive self before the blurry smartphone cameras of the crowd.

In a sense, Guan Yun was like an angel sent from above to bring warmth to others.

For someone as poor as her, it wasn't easy to trend on the hot searches. She had to cherish every moment of it.

Zhou Weichuan had watched the video several times. He analyzed Tang Fei's talent, mental resilience, and quick thinking in a crisis. He believed that Tang Fei was a raw gem of exceptional quality, worthy of being polished by the best craftsman into a perfect masterpiece: "This candidate has great potential. Hai Sheng, arrange for me to see her audition. Draft a contract now, and if it's suitable, let's discuss with her agent tonight."

"Boss, she doesn't have an agent, just a cousin who acts as her assistant."

"Then find her cousin."

The onlookers in the reception area were astonished by the turn of events. No one expected Guan Yun to suffer such a setback.

Zhuzi Yunzhen shivered, saying, "I need to reassess Tang Fei. She's a bit scary."

Wu Yi continued scrolling through her phone, commenting when the hot search started to fade, "If she hadn't provoked Tang Fei, this wouldn't have happened."

Jiang Xiaoying agreed, "Exactly, she brought this upon herself."

After the incident subsided, Li Xiuyun's audition number was finally called, followed by Tang Fei's. Tang Fei composed herself, recalling Li Xiuyun's demeanor, and entered the room. She bowed to report her number and name. As she lifted her head, her eyes met Zhou Weichuan's, seated right in the middle.

Zhou Weichuan's chiseled features and handsome visage might have conveyed an intense and stern impression, but his gentle and soothing demeanor balanced it out, making him appear pleasantly approachable. He offered Tang Fei a friendly smile.

Tang Fei returned the gesture with a polite smile of her own, though inwardly she wondered, Who is this? Why haven't I seen him before? Someone with such striking looks should have some recognition in the entertainment industry.

At that moment, a staff member handed her a script.