Chapter 70: 070 Wrap-Up Dinner

Chapter 70: 070 Wrap-Up Dinner

On the day "Voices of the Dead" wrapped up, the crew organized a dinner for everyone at the restaurant where Shao Yao often took Lu Xu.

They were already regulars.

The director, aware of this, glanced at the two but said nothing.

After a few drinks, the director patted Lu Xu on the shoulder, beaming: "This has been the smoothest shoot I've had in years."

Zhao Jincheng wanted to advise him to say less, but their table only had a few main crew members, all familiar faces, so speaking out wouldn't offend anyone.

Lu Xu and Shao Yao exceeded everyone's expectations.

Having reliable leads naturally improved the set's atmosphere.

In today's entertainment industry, finding such low-maintenance actors isn't easy. Even on the most peaceful sets Xu Yan had worked on, there were always one or two troublemakers.

The smooth production of "Voices of the Dead" was largely due to Lu Xu and Shao Yao.

Lu Xu, who's currently riding high on popularity and known for his online spats, was initially thought by Xu Yan to be difficult to get along with. However, after months of filming, Xu Yan found that apart from being overly serious about acting, Lu Xu was quite easygoing in other aspects.

Xu Yan privately joked that Lu Xu was the "set's golden boy."

Not only could he handle Shao Yao, but he also managed to tame the troublemakers on set—Lu Xu's acting skills matched those of more seasoned actors, his status was higher, and his unbeatable track record in arguments played a positive role both on and off the set.

One Lu Xu is worth ten of anyone else.

"Next year, Lu Xu's a shoo-in for the Starlight Award, don't you think?"

After the meal, the director and the scriptwriter were whispering to each other.

"It's tough for us," Zhao Jincheng said. "Given his performance in 'The Path of Bones', he should easily get nominated."

"I'll throw my vote his way," Xu Yan said, looking at Zhao Jincheng. "Who will you vote for?"

"Of course, I'll vote for him too," Zhao Jincheng thought for a moment. "As long as none of our actors get nominated."

The director glanced at him silently: "You're reading too much into it."

He could see Zhao Jincheng was in high spirits too.

As the director, he had worked hard for the shoot, and as the scriptwriter, Zhao Jincheng naturally hoped that his written words would be respected by the actors.

In the entertainment industry, what happened with 'Rising Sun' isn't unique.

"This time we were quite lucky, next time..." Zhao Jincheng was halfway through his sentence when Xu Yan quickly covered his mouth, "Don't tempt fate."

"We're done shooting—any word on the platform?" Zhao Jincheng asked.

Xu Yan was already in good spirits at dinner, and hearing Zhao Jincheng's question, the director couldn't hide a smug grin. He extended five fingers: "Five platforms are in the running."

"That impressive?"

"Do you even know who's starring?" Xu Yan counted on his fingers, "'The Noble Son', 'The Son of Heaven', 'The Supreme' to 'The Path of Bones', I ask you, has Lu Xu ever flopped? 'The Path of Bones' hit 14,000, just to ride on his coattails, platforms are willing to buy Lu Xu's shows."

In fact, even before 'Voices of the Dead' finished shooting, and Lu Xu had not been in the group for a full month, several platforms had already reached out to Xu Yan.

Xu Yan, having been a director for so many years, had never seen any platform being so courteous.

Especially Grape Pictures, right off the bat, they offered a sky-high price that no one could refuse.

Xu Yan was curious: "How much did they really make from 'The Path of Bones'?"

"Traffic conversion, VIP purchases, advertising fees, and sponsorships... I heard that after the finale of 'The Path of Bones,' they landed new sponsors because its popularity remained in the top five for a long time."

"Did 'Watchmen' recoup all its losses?"

"Very likely," Zhao Jincheng sighed, "Grape Pictures just has that kind of luck."

Xu Yan was glad he wasn’t tempted by Grape Pictures’ sky-high offer at the time. Instead, he took some time to consider—during which several more platforms proposed cooperation, and Grape Pictures’ offer increased again.

Xu Yan fell silent: "..."

The contrast is pretty brutal.

His previous drama never got such generosity from Grape Pictures.

Haha, now he's also leveraging Lu Xu to call the shots with platforms.

...

Shao Yao was quite reluctant about the quick wrap-up of 'Voices of the Dead,' like he wanted to collaborate with Lu Xu on ten more projects.

By this time, his agent's look at Lu Xu wasn’t as friendly as before. Lu Xu suspected that the agent might think he would lure Shao Yao to Feiyang Entertainment.

For actors like Shao Yao, Feiyang Entertainment is a great fit.

"Am I that kind of person?" Lu Xu asked.

"You look like it."

Lu Xu glanced at Xu Wen; he didn’t quite like hearing this from the agent.

"Shao Yao is now the golden boy at Mingniao Entertainment. If you really poach him to Feiyang, Jiang Song will go after you, oh no, he should go after me first."

Jiang Song is the boss of Mingniao Entertainment. He used to be an agent in his early years and later struck out on his own to start Mingniao.

Xu Wen doesn’t know him well, but they're not complete strangers either.

However, even though 'Voices of the Dead' has wrapped up, Shao Yao and Lu Xu's communication has only gotten more frequent. Since both live in City C, they can grab meals or go biking. Both are not big on socializing, so they make a good match.

"Let's put the bike rides aside for now; you have a ton of work here."

During Lu Xu's time filming 'Voices of the Dead,' Xu Wen never bothered him. This was a condition agreed upon when Lu Xu signed the contract: as long as he was filming, no matter how high the signing fee from brands, Lu Xu couldn't leave the set halfway.

As for those brands with long evaluation periods and extremely demanding conditions, Lu Xu wouldn't consider them either.

He always felt that cooperation is a two-way street. Since the other party can set high and complex thresholds, he also has the right to refuse.

"What's there?"

"G brand's event, and also an invitation to C brand's show," Xu Wen said. "C brand wants to sign you and is willing to give the company two ambassador positions for their sub-lines. The higher-ups hope you can attend."

Lu Xu's collaboration with G brand has been signed for over half a year. The brand has treated Lu Xu very well, with the title of spokesperson, no other miscellaneous titles, and the signing fee and cooperation duration have also satisfied Lu Xu.

Relatively speaking, Lu Xu is a bit out of his depth as a spokesperson.

After the contract was signed, it was the Starlight Award ceremony, followed by the release of 'The Path of Bones,' and then joining the set for 'Voices of the Dead.' Up to now, Lu Xu hasn't attended many events organized by G brand.

He felt... somewhat uneasy about accepting the money.

Fortunately, the brand was quite satisfied with Lu Xu.

First, there was the massive exposure from the Starlight Award. From the red carpet to the main event, Lu Xu was one of the most favored celebrities among photographers.

The G brand's official blog was overwhelmed with photos of him.

Although Lu Xu didn't win an award, the HD photos released by the Starlight Award organizers always featured him prominently. Both of his outfits that day were provided by G brand, making them the clear winner in men's fashion that night.

The massive success of *The Path of Bones* further solidified G brand's presence over the next month.

Lu Xu's endorsement criteria are selective but precise. After the explosive success of *The Path of Bones*, brands lining up to collaborate with him have formed a long line. As the first luxury brand to secure Lu Xu, G brand moved quickly and decisively. Whenever Lu Xu is mentioned in fashion circles, G brand is inevitably brought up.

When G brand first signed Lu Xu, some people hinted that he didn't deserve the high title and signing fee. Indeed, G brand paid above the market rate for him. However, after *The Path of Bones* overshadowed *The Empress* in popularity, everyone realized that G brand had made a highly profitable deal.

If they had waited to sign him after *The Path of Bones* aired, Lu Xu's value would have skyrocketed.

So, what if Lu Xu missed a few brand events?

Even if Lu Xu wasn't physically present, his legend lived on—as long as his large posters hung in G brand's store windows, they were enough to attract consumers.

C brand, a watch and jewelry brand, isn't a direct competitor to G brand. Generally, male celebrities have fewer opportunities in this category, but in recent years, such brands have increasingly sought partnerships with male stars.

Feiyang Entertainment previously had fewer resources in the fashion industry, but after signing Lu Xu, the situation improved. As long as brands are willing to collaborate, opportunities for negotiation increase, and Feiyang Entertainment naturally retains these resources.

...

The *Voices of the Dead* crew wrapped up quietly. If it weren't for the marketers spilling the beans, fans might not have known at all.

Lu Xu himself rarely posts much on Weibo.

Tan Qi, while eagerly anticipating the early launch of *Voices of the Dead*, searched for Lu Xu’s name to learn about his recent activities—since he rarely attends events, Tan Qi didn’t hold much hope.

However, just a few minutes after refreshing, she saw a preview from G brand’s official Weibo on her homepage.

"Yay! Lu Xiao Gou is going to a fashion event!"

"I’m ready to save the pics!"

"LOL, G brand’s preview is so over-the-top, and the brand is not easy either—this photo is from months ago, right?"

"Reusing the same photo, the brand is really adaptable."

As a fan, Tan Qi has a folder on her computer dedicated to storing various photos of Lu Xu. Unfortunately, since the Starlight Award, Lu Xu has barely had any live event photos.

Fortunately, he’s really good-looking—even his stills are worth collecting.

Tan Qi waited for two whole days, and it must be said, G brand is pretty thoughtful—the event was livestreamed on Weibo.

As soon as Tan Qi clicked in, she saw the comments section flooded with "there are so many people here!"

At an event hosted by G brand, naturally, many celebrities from various fields attended. Tan Qi only had eyes for Lu Xu; she’d glance at other celebrities but skip right past them.

Shortly after the red carpet segment began, Tan Qi saw a familiar figure—Meng Qin from Verse.

After Verse disbanded, Meng Qin jumped into the fashion scene and has maintained good relations with various brands. Tan Qi thought he wouldn’t attend an event with Lu Xu, but to her surprise, he did.

"OMG, it’s Meng Qin!"

"Front row at Paris Fashion Week, the fashion muse dazzles at G brand's event night!"

"Do people really think G brand only invites Lu Xu? Meng Qin's fashion appeal and sales ability are second to none in the industry. G brand inviting him says it all. My brother's fashion sense is unmatched in the industry, okay?"

"+1, Lu Xu may have good luck with roles, but in fashion, my brother takes the crown."

"Meng Qin's fashion sense? Lu Xu isn't even in the same league, okay?"

Tan Qi: "..."

Is fashion just about opening men's shirt collars wide and showing off chest muscles?

In Verse, when it comes to looks, Meng Qin has always ranked fourth. As the group approached disbandment, Meng Qin's popularity barely surpassed Lu Xu's, which is why his career path is narrower compared to Xie Qingyang and Gu Sinian.

He's been around the fashion scene for some time, and Tan Qi has seen many of his event photos, but subjectively, she doesn't quite understand Meng Qin's fashion. She favors Lu Xu's more understated style; Meng Qin's outfits are just too over-the-top.

"Speaking of which... are Lu Xu and Meng Qin about to cross paths?"

"Ah, this..."

"LOL, Lu Xu's a rookie in the fashion world, okay? Do you really think Meng Qin is easy to bully? Why not compare how they're treated on the runway?"

"+1, Lu Xu should stick to acting and not try to outshine others in fashion."

The comments are getting wilder and wilder, and Tan Qi can't take it anymore. Since the other side is throwing shade, she can't help but clap back: "But... Lu Xu is G brand's spokesperson, you know."

"Brand ambassador, complete with billboards and everything."

"Has G brand given Meng Qin any billboards? I haven't seen any."

Sure enough, scrolling through Weibo, #MengQin'sLook is trending again.

Even though the event just kicked off and not all the stars have shown up, Ling Ge Entertainment has already secured a spot on the hot search list.

"Do they really need to buy their way onto the hot search list?" Tan Qi can't help but complain to her friend.

"They can't," her friend replies. "I wonder if they even make enough to justify all this spending. They're obsessed with marketing."

Seeing comments like "My brother's taste is saving the entertainment industry," Tan Qi feels a headache coming on.

She decides to ignore any Meng Qin-related hashtags and focuses entirely on Lu Xu's updates.

"He's arrived, he's arrived!"

Even before Lu Xu shows up, the live stream chat is already buzzing with comments. However, the first thing Tan Qi sees is not Lu Xu's face, but an unfamiliar old man.

Beside him, Lu Xu's figure slowly comes into view.

He's still in a conservative suit and shirt, but the suit's fabric, unknown, gives off a satin-like sheen under the live stream's slightly blurry light.

The suit's lapel is slightly long, paired with a white shirt and black tie, everything is very conservative, but with the tie knotted at the top, only a small part of his throat is visible, sparking imagination.

The light hits Lu Xu's black hair, giving his soft locks a golden hue.

Unlike his appearance at the Starlight Award ceremony, this time Lu Xu isn't smiling. His black-framed glasses make his expression even more stern. A beam of light hits his lenses, seemingly warming his clear black and white eyes, but upon closer inspection, they remain cold.

Lu Xu's makeup is very light, Tan Qi can't even tell if he's wearing any powder—compared to others, his skin has a normal tone under the light.

But maybe it's exactly because it's so simple and natural that he resembles a nobleman straight from a novel.

One person is like a fashion spread.

"Ahhhh! Lu Xiao Gou is wearing glasses!!"

"So refined! So handsome! I'm at a loss for words!"

"Handsome!!!!!"

"Why does this person always look like a fashion spread every time he appears!! So amazing!!"

"You all only care about whether Lu Xiao Gou is handsome, but I just want to ask if he's hot. If he's hot, then take off a couple of layers [dog head][dog head][dog head]. I won't mind."

"I can hear your scheming all the way from abroad."

"He's so handsome!!!! Why doesn't he do more fashion events? This is such a waste of his looks, a face meticulously crafted by the heavens!"

"Hey, upstairs, have you been influenced by Meng Qin's fans?"

The live broadcast lens isn't very clear, but Lu Xu's face is still undeniably good-looking.

Only after seeing the comments did Tan Qi realize that the old man appearing with Lu Xu was none other than the domestic head of G brand, who had previously finalized the cooperation between G brand and Lu Xu and even made Lu Xu a brand ambassador.

"Accompanied by the head, the treatment must be great, right?"

"Lu Xiao Gou is amazing!"

Fashion events are basically just promotional dinners, and the venue arranged by G brand is spacious enough, so even though the lens is focused on the stage, fans can still see a bit of the situation offstage.

Lu Xu's seat is at the center of the first-row round table, with brand executives on both sides, and at the same table with him is a well-established actress of high caliber, as well as a few influential, though lesser-known, jewelry collectors.

Tan Qi's gaze was fixed on Lu Xu, occasionally scanning the other tables.

For this event, the G brand indeed invited many celebrities and dignitaries, but... Meng Qin's seat was actually in a corner, far from Lu Xu's seat.

"Hmm, is this fashion looking at Meng Qin?"

"Not to be rude, but this treatment... the gap between the hype and reality is pretty big, don’t you think?"

"Anyone can see that Lu Xu is the protagonist today, but looking at the hot searches, one would think Lu Xu is just a random person trying to ride the coattails."

"It’s just Ling Ge Entertainment’s usual tactics—I’m used to it by now. Before, they used Lu Xu to promote Xie Qingyang as the devoted team leader. Later, when Lu Xu became an actor, they mocked his projects and lack of buzz."

"...By the way, I found something interesting."

"At this event, each table had a sign, divided into sections A, B, C, and D. Meng Qin’s seat doesn’t seem to be among the brand-invited guests; he attended as a client."

"???"

"He wasn’t seated with other celebrities, and he’s not part of the usual crowd the G brand associates with."

"Ah this..."

Tan Qi didn't expect someone to scrutinize the event so closely. She hadn’t noticed the signs on the seats, and even if she had, she probably wouldn’t have looked so carefully.

However, Tan Qi specifically observed later, and indeed, Meng Qin's seat was far away, and the people sitting next to him were obviously not celebrities from the entertainment industry, but unfamiliar faces.

"With his status, he wouldn’t crash the event for clout, right?"

"Do you think he's doing better than Gu Sinian and Xie Qingyang?" a friend complained to Tan Qi. "He's not a designer or a model. What does he rely on to mix in the fashion circle? Isn’t it the popularity he accumulated during the Verse period? The fashion world is cutthroat—it’s all about promoting some and tearing others down. Only those with real achievements can hold their ground."

"What does he have?"

"He has a bunch of flashy titles, but few hold real weight. The fashion circle isn't stupid."

Perhaps the photographer did it on purpose; the camera just happened to capture the interaction between the celebrity guests. Meng Qin moved from the back table to the front table and chatted briefly with the actress seated with Lu Xu. The actress maintained her composure and politely took a photo with him.

Meng Qin seemed to want to greet Lu Xu as well.

It's common knowledge among all fans that Lu Xu has grievances with the other members of Verse.

Tan Qi originally thought that in such a setting, Lu Xu might show some respect for the brand, but when faced with Meng Qin approaching, Lu Xu just looked at him with cold eyes. He didn't smile, and his expression was even colder than when he first appeared.

All Tan Qi could think was, "Lu Xiao Gou is so handsome!!"

"Feels like Lu Xiao Gou could totally play a period drama master or a domineering CEO, that noble and cold vibe is just amazing!!"

"Ahhhhh after so many years, as a Lu Xu fan, I can finally say stop leeching. Before, Lu Xu was always accused by individual fans of being a leech. Honestly, the more you lack something, the more you market it, right? Lu Xu clearly doesn't like to leech; it's those three who do!!"

"So satisfying!!! As a fan, I'm thrilled. Why should Lu Xiao Gou have to be magnanimous!! When signing and taking photos, Meng Qin's fans even mocked Lu Xiao Gou!!"

"Making a comeback to become a superstar, isn't this more satisfying than reading online novels? Lu Xu is definitely going to be many times more popular than some people, and it's going to drive them crazy, wow!!"

...

Lu Xu didn't expect to meet Meng Qin at the G brand's dinner party, nor did he think the other would take the initiative to greet him.

During the Verse period, the other three were very good at acting and being sarcastic, and Meng Qin was the master of it all. He usually wasn't the first to step forward, but the original member's downfall was definitely influenced by his fanning the flames.

Lu Xu became an actor, and their careers didn't intersect much, but Verse was already a thing of the past, and their relationship was known to be broken. Meng Qin could still talk about the "good times" in the group without batting an eye.

Lu Xu was truly admirable.

If it were him, he wouldn't be able to utter a single word.

Lu Xu himself doesn’t engage in hypocrisy.

Even if he could, it would be difficult for him to do so.

He became Lu Xu, a blend of his soul and the original host's body. He doesn’t have the right to forgive the original host's suffering.

Moreover, he has no reason to reconcile with the other three.

Meng Qin didn’t expect Lu Xu to be so unaccommodating, his expression momentarily stiffened. However, having been in the fashion industry for a long time, he had encountered such situations before—sometimes at overseas fashion shows, foreign celebrities might not give him face. In such moments, Meng Qin would either laugh it off or use marketing accounts to post his experiences online.

Fans would naturally defend him.

For Meng Qin, Lu Xu’s cold shoulder was just another opportunity for publicity, something Meng Qin currently lacked the most.

At least among domestic celebrities... none are as aloof as Lu Xu, right?

Meng Qin was already a pro at this kind of marketing. After giving Lu Xu a sad look, Meng Qin "sullenly" turned and moved to the table behind.

...

In fact, Lu Xu had expected Meng Qin to pull some trick.

After all, the original host had been with Ling Ge Entertainment, which had its own set of habitual PR tactics, excelling in smearing reputations and spreading rumors.

If another company had tried this, they would have been torn to shreds. However, with three members in Verse, targeted and separate PR campaigns could fly under the radar.

After the G-brand dinner, looking at the trending topic #Meng Qin Receives Cold Look from Lu Xu#, Lu Xu wasn't the least bit indignant, only the words "not this again" flashed in his mind.

Lu Xu didn't feel like explaining.

Yes, it was him who gave the cold look, and it was also him who was arrogant.

In fact, if it weren't for the inappropriate occasion, he even wanted to give a big eye roll.

Lu Xu didn't click on the trending topic to look; he figured it was just a bunch of people bashing him.

Lu Xu sat in the back seat of his manager's car, quietly dozing off.

Xu Wen's driving skills were excellent; the car moved smoothly and quickly. It was already very late, the lights in the car were off, and the outside light made people feel drowsy. Lu Xu felt that attending an event was more tiring than pulling an all-nighter on set. He was not only the spokesperson for G-brand but also the salesperson and display stand—he had so many roles he couldn't keep track.

It was fine when the manager wasn't there, but as soon as the manager arrived, Lu Xu was so sleepy that he didn't even want to talk.

He slept until the car drove into the parking lot, then Lu Xu stood up and yawned loudly.

"The company has handled the trending topic for you," Xu Wen said. "You don't need to take it seriously."

Lu Xu nodded.

"Lin Ge now just wants to ride your coattails for attention. Unless the three of them have a falling out, it's hard for them to create new topics."

Xu Wen told Lu Xu to go upstairs and not to check his phone but to go to sleep quickly. Lu Xu verbally agreed but still couldn't resist opening Weibo.

As a result—

Under the trending topic #Meng Qin Receives Cold Look from Lu Xu#, it wasn't all one-sided hate.

"Ahhh, the cold-faced guy is so handsome!"

"I thought Lu Xu looked good when he smiled, but he looks even better with a cold face—so intense!"

"The black-framed glasses really bring out his elite vibe—such a classy guy!"

"With the lighting, he looks like he's edged in gold!"

"So what if he gave a cold look? Given what Lu Xu has been through in Verse, why should he give you a smile after all that?"

"It's so annoying that they keep trying to leech off Lu Xu every day!!!"

"Breaking news!!! Meng Qin was exposed as someone who crashed the event. He probably wasn't an officially invited guest by G brand. No wonder, I was wondering why G brand would be so tone-deaf as to seat Verse together at one table."

"Not a guest???!!! @G brand, please clear the venue next time and don't let uninvited people steal the spotlight from the endorser, okay?"

Lu Xu scrolled for a while and felt that those speaking up for him were slowly winning the argument.

Someone on his homepage also supported this topic.

"Your friend Shao Yao just endorsed 'Lu Xu is the well-deserved G brand endorser...'"

Lu Xu: "What?"

Shao Yao: "Just placed an order (to support you)."