Chapter 177 177 Joining the Crew

The Chapter 177: Entering the Production Team

Liu Rennong's thoughts had nothing to do with Lu Xu, but due to his influence, the roles Bei Hong managed to secure were of much poorer quality.

The ruthless opportunism of the entertainment industry becomes especially evident when someone falls from grace.

Bei Hong couldn’t help but use an anonymous account to criticize Lu Xu for being pretentious, but unfortunately, it was exposed as his alt. He had no choice but to embarrassedly delete the post.

Lu Xu couldn’t be bothered to respond, but the audience’s comments cut Bei Hong to the quick.

"Say what you will about Lu Xu being pretentious, but at least he has the qualifications to be so. Do you?"

"How laughable, always treating Lu Xu as some perceived rival when his achievements aren’t even a tenth of Lu Xu’s."

Bei Hong: "..."

He simply went silent and refused to admit it was his account.

As netizens put it, Bei Hong truly lived up to being signed under Liu Rennong’s studio—his style was exactly the same.

...

However, Lu Xu’s candid statements also sparked concern among his fans—he might offend theaters, which could affect his next film co-starring Li Yan.

But Lu Xu himself wasn’t worried.

Having been an actor in his previous career, he knew all too well that schemes like Liu Rennong’s had always existed. On the surface, they might help cinemas maintain profits, but in the long run, they only eroded the audience’s trust, leading to fewer people willing to buy tickets.

After all, there were so many leisure options—movies weren’t a necessity.

Often, audiences didn’t go to theaters out of deep love for a film but simply for entertainment. In other words, movies were just one of many leisure options.

Once audiences stopped finding that enjoyment, they’d drift further away from cinemas.

Exposing the truth early was actually a good thing.

To some extent, films willing to sign such deals with theaters were in the minority. *Return Undecided* was already one of the higher-grossing films, so cinemas still needed blockbusters like *Fearless Life* to generate substantial revenue.

Moreover, *Fearless Life* was the kind of work that expanded cinema's cultural impact.

If theaters only screened mediocre films, audiences would naturally lose interest. For cinemas, *Fearless Life* represented the idea that "movies are still worth watching."

Not only did audiences need films like *Fearless Life*, but so did the cinemas.

As an actor, starting with *Deception*, Lu Xu had been steadily building the audience’s trust in him. By *Fearless Life*, he had reached the peak of his career so far.

Audiences were willing to buy tickets for his name alone, to step into theaters for him, to analyze the character Bai Qianshan in depth, and to be moved by his performance—all of which contributed to the smooth progression of Lu Xu’s film career.

Under these circumstances, even if Lu Xu offended theaters, even if they made things difficult for him, he could still succeed through talent alone.

Who would’ve thought *Fearless Life* was a film that started with only 14.7% opening day screen share?

On top of that, Lu Xu had award-winning streak—he was the youngest-ever Contention Award Best Actor winner.

Since *Fearless Life*'s release, not only film forums but also media and industry insiders had publicly endorsed Lu Xu, believing he deserved nominations for next year’s Top Three Awards.

Even... his chances of winning were high.

His portrayal of Bai Qianshan didn’t just capture the character’s surface—it embodied his very essence and soul. It wasn’t superficial. The original Bai Qianshan had inspired a generation, and Lu Xu’s performance brought the character back into the spotlight, inspiring a new generation.

On film forums, netizens have been analyzing Lu Xu's acting skills continuously since *The Son of Heaven*, and after *Fearless Life*, it has become widely acknowledged that Lu Xu is undoubtedly an acting prodigy—an ever-evolving talent.

His performance in *The Son of Heaven* was stunning, and by *Fearless Life*, he was still transforming.

*"Honestly, I don't care about anything else—I just hope that if my favorite novel gets adapted, Lu Xu will play the lead."*

*"I’ve lost all hope, hahaha. If my favorite character had been adapted years earlier, back when Lu Xu wasn’t as famous, he might’ve actually taken the role. But now… sigh, seeing my favorite character ruined like that really breaks my heart."*

*The Path of Bones* is undoubtedly the most coveted book-to-screen project.

Whenever Lu Xu plays a character, he brings out the most unforgettable aspects of that role.

Film critic "Movie Diary" meticulously analyzed the subtle differences in Lu Xu’s performances across four vastly different films, starting with *Deception*. Just like critiquing established thespians in the industry, Lu Xu has now warranted having his own dedicated column.

And when "Movie Diary" conducted this analysis, not a single netizen found it inappropriate.

Though Lu Xu is a relative newcomer in the film industry, he has already earned the right to be mentioned alongside seasoned veterans.

...

After the Lunar New Year movie season ended, Lu Xu prepared to join another film production. He had already read and carefully analyzed the script.

Though this was a big-budget tentpole film, Lu Xu didn’t feel much pressure before accepting it. After all, box office success is determined by the audience—all he could do was perform well and ensure he had no regrets.

Before joining the production, he attended a major industry event, featuring both bankable stars and up-and-comers—a rare spectacle in the entertainment industry.

At the event, Lu Xu ran into Gu Sinian and Xie Qingyang. Meng Qin wasn’t there, and Lu Xu later searched online to find out that Meng Qin had effectively retired from the industry.

Both Gu Sinian and Xie Qingyang had bought out their contracts with Ling Ge Entertainment, though the split wasn’t amicable. Gu Sinian and Xie Qingyang just wanted out, while Ling Ge Entertainment tried to milk them for one last payout.

From this perspective, Lu Xu being forced out early was actually a blessing in disguise.

Of course, Ling Ge Entertainment’s influence back when Lu Xu terminated his contract was different from what it is now.

At that time, Ling Ge Entertainment was a solid second-tier agency—well-funded and with a respectable roster of talent. Now, it’s just another small-time agency, with artists either leaving or locked in legal battles. In the past, Ling Ge Entertainment had plenty of ways to control its artists, but now, even if they leverage dirt, they can’t stop Xie Qingyang and Gu Sinian from leaving.

At the event, Lu Xu was surrounded by everyone—from directors and screenwriters to A-list actors. Even if they weren’t close, people still wanted to chat with him.

Meanwhile, Gu Sinian and Xie Qingyang stood in a corner of the venue. Many celebrities recognized them, but almost no one approached to greet them.

*"It’s because Lu Xu has become untouchable."*

Though Lu Xu focuses solely on acting, limits his investments to the film industry, and has no interest in expanding his connections or engaging with so-called capital circles and industry factions, it’s precisely this approach that makes the audience trust him and industry veterans willing to collaborate with him.

As an actor, Lu Xu is a bankable star—and his box office appeal can’t be ignored.

Supporting Gu Sinian and Xie Qingyang might not necessarily offend Lu Xu, but everyone wants to maintain a good relationship with him—because if they ever work with him in the future, the former would definitely be a black mark against them.

*"It feels like almost no one remembers Verse anymore. These days, the place where Verse has the most presence is probably Lu Xu’s Wikipedia page."*

Despite coming from the same group, Lu Xu and the other three have ended up in vastly different situations. In summary, Lu Xu seized every opportunity, while the other three squandered theirs to varying degrees.

With enough talent, there’s always a chance for a comeback—unfortunately, Xie Qingyang and Gu Sinian don’t fall into that category.

*"Not an ounce of sympathy here. Seeing the three of them in the same frame, only one word comes to mind—karma!"*

*"As a longtime Lu Xu die-hard fan, I just want to scream to the heavens, hahaha! The score I've wanted to settle since Verse’s debut days is finally avenged. Serves them right for picking on our boy, hahaha!"*

For Lu Xu, this encounter was just an accident. Facing Gu Sinian and Xie Qingyang again, he didn’t stir any feelings in him—not a flicker of emotion whatsoever.

After all, he wasn't the one who'd been bullied.

Lu Xu didn't even feel like he had achieved revenge—he simply believed everything had returned to its rightful place. Isn't it only right that good people get rewarded?

The original host had endured so much malice, so as those who inflicted it, it was only natural they didn’t fare well.

...

In early April, Lu Xu officially joined the filming of *Night Sky Observations*. The movie was tentatively titled this, though they planned to consider a better one after shooting.

Despite the temporary title, the moment fans saw it, many felt it was perfectly fitting for Lu Xu to star in.

“OMG, isn’t this Lu Xu’s whole mystic vibe?”

“Lu Xu observes the night sky and finds Liu Rennong’s star has fallen—just like many others before.”

“????? Is Lu Xu going to be called the Tire Monk? OMG, I really wanna join Lu Xu’s Bicycle Sect.”

After joining the *Night Sky Observations* crew, the first thing Lu Xu busied himself with wasn’t filming but finalizing his costume and makeup.

As a fantasy epic, there would inevitably be many special effects scenes. As the lead, his look was critical. Before he joined, the crew had designed more than a dozen looks for him, ultimately settling on one that best matched his character and delivered the most perfect effect.

Yet during the first costume test after finalizing the look, Lu Xu himself noticed something off.

Director Yue Chen was puzzled, and Li Yan was equally curious.

Since the crew had sincerely invited Lu Xu to star, they wouldn’t give him an unsuitable look.

But Lu Xu’s expression was too serious—he clearly wasn’t being difficult just because—so Yue Chen patiently listened to his thoughts.

Lu Xu first opened the script, marking some pages at the beginning before flipping to later sections: “My character should be more grounded. This look is too otherworldly.”

“If my understanding is off, we can discuss it further.”

Lu Xu truly wasn't satisfied with his current image. Either the script was wrong and needed correction, or there was an issue with the design.

Though it was just a detail, Lu Xu had doubts, and since he did, he naturally wanted to resolve them before official filming began.

For this movie, Lu Xu had cleared his whole calendar for the year. In fact, based on Li Yan and the director’s plans, the filming of *Night Sky Observations* might run even longer.

Lu Xu agreed—if delays were necessary, he would fully cooperate.

He wasn't being picky, but compared to other projects, *Night Sky Observations* demanded more time.

Since he was putting in the effort, Lu Xu naturally hoped for the best possible result.