Six months later

As Shen Xingsui stepped out of the recording studio, the weather had turned chilly.

Dressed in a padded jacket, he stood outside. A cold gust blew, sending shivers down his spine. Exhaling deeply, his breath fogged up, dissolving into the crisp air.

Canny approached from behind, saying, "It's going to snow in a few days."

"This year has flown by," Shen Xingsui remarked with a smile, "It feels like just yesterday when we celebrated the New Year."

Canny nodded in agreement.

Last Lunar New Year, Shen Xingsui was filming "Starry Skies". Back then, An Ran and Jian Zhi hadn't left the entertainment industry, and Shen's relationship with Fu Jinxe wasn't as strong as it is now. In just one year, it seemed as if nothing had changed, yet so much had.

"Better days will come," Canny whispered reassuringly.

As Shen Xingsui got into the car, he responded, "I hope so."

"You've barely rested all year. And with the film premiering around the New Year, you'll probably be running around for promotions and won't get much rest," Canny remarked, scanning their tight schedule, "It's tough."

Shen Xingsui took a glance at the schedule, saying, "It's okay. I'm busy, but isn't Master Fu busy as well?"

Nodding in agreement, Canny said, "Absolutely. Master Fu has always been so occupied, especially these past few years. He hardly takes breaks."

Even the recent break was pushed by Shen Xingsui.

The promotion for the film's premiere was quick and intensive. Since it was an investment by Shen Xingsui and Fu Jinxe, their own entertainment company handled the main promotional activities. With their experienced marketing team, the film generated buzz during its pre-release. However, aside from the allure of star Fu Jinxe, the rest of the cast were newcomers, which received lukewarm responses from the audience:

"Is Master Fu mentoring newcomers?"

"Except for Master Fu, I'm not interested in the others."

"Why this cast?"

"Doesn't Master Fu have access to bigger movies?"

From the external market feedback, the general sentiment towards the film was skeptical at best.

Especially when it was revealed that Shen Xingsui was the other lead actor, and the nature of the film, mainstream audiences didn't have high expectations.

This made Shen Xingsui anxious.

He had never tried making a film before. It was his first attempt, and he feared the movie would flop. More than his own reputation, he was concerned about dragging down Fu Jinxe's reputation. While checking the online reviews, he received a call from Fu Jinxe.

Upon answering, a voice came through, "Why did you take so long to pick up?"

"Huh?" Shen Xingsui quickly responded, "I was just reading the film's online reviews."

"Why bother with those?" Fu Jinxe sounded relaxed, probably fresh out of a shower, "You can't please everyone."

Shen Xingsui softly replied, "I know..."

Detecting Shen's dejection, Fu Jinxe chuckled, "Does Master Shen lack confidence in himself?"

"It's not that," Shen Xingsui tried to argue but hesitated, "I'm just afraid that if the film receives poor reviews, it might tarnish your reputation..."

Fu Jinxiao raised an eyebrow, evidently surprised by the response.

For several months leading up to the film's release, he had noticed Shen Xingsui's downcast mood. He had assumed it was out of fear or timidity, but he hadn't expected this reason.

"What does it matter if the film fails in terms of public opinion or box office?" Fu Jinxiao remarked with a hint of nonchalance, chuckling, "It wouldn't be the first time."

Shen Xingsui was taken aback.

As far as he remembered, ever since he started following Fu Jinxiao's career, all his films had been successful.

Fu Jinxiao, sensing his thoughts, slowly remarked, "What you see isn't always the whole story. Many films never get released due to censorship or issues with the cast, and some inflate their box office numbers just to look better."

"Oh, and in my earlier years," Fu Jinxiao continued casually, reflecting on his struggles, "I faced heavy criticism from directors and audiences alike for various reasons. Sometimes, no matter how glamorous things seem on the outside, underneath it all, every beautiful flower has roots deep in the mud."

This seemed to lift a weight off Shen Xingsui's shoulders. He chuckled, "So, everyone runs the risk of facing failure at some point?"

From the other end of the phone, Fu Jinxiao softly replied, "Yes, they do."

A warmth crept into Shen Xingsui's eyes.

"But..."

Before he could finish, he heard Fu Jinxiao's slow, confident laughter over the phone, saying, "With me by your side, that risk can be greatly reduced."

Shen Xingsui's eyes widened, and the unease he'd been feeling seemed to dissolve in an instant.

Fu Jinxiao whispered, "Don't you trust me?"

"I do," Shen Xingsui responded confidently, his eyes softening with affection, "In fact, I trust you more than I trust myself."

...

The New Year was approaching, and big films were set to premiere.

"Solitary City," despite the initial skepticism surrounding it due to its cast of newcomers, took everyone by surprise. While many were initially doubtful, the influx of positive reviews following the film's first screenings changed the narrative.

"Such a dedicated production."

"The budget was wisely spent on the production itself rather than a star-studded cast."

"I was in tears when Fang Zhiwen died."

"Bring extra tissues to the cinema!"

"The best film I've seen this year."

Praise flooded various platforms, with spontaneous word-of-mouth promotions amplifying its success. From a high rating of 9.7 on Douban to rave reviews on other ticketing platforms, "Solitary City" was universally acclaimed.

However, with the surge of positive feedback came the inevitable controversies. Many fans began pairing up characters (and actors) romantically, leading to a massive influx of fan-created content. The names of Fu Jinxiao and Shen Xingsui frequently appeared together, first as their fictional counterparts and then as themselves.

"Xingsui's acting is commendable."

"And his behind-the-scenes moments with Master Fu are just too sweet."

“The teacher-student relationship must be real.”

“The restrained yet profound love that Fang Zhiwen has for Xu Yan moved me to tears repeatedly.”

“These two should really get together!”

Due to the massive appearance of 'shipping' fans, many expressed their discontent, especially Fu Jinxiao’s most loyal fans, who were vehemently upset. They loathed the malicious pairing and publicity stunts, especially when fictional characters were associated with real people. Thus, they retaliated against these 'shipping' fans:

“Ship the characters all you want, but keep the real people out of it.”

“I really detest the same-sex pairings; I won’t even watch the movie.”

“Get together? Does Shen Xingsui even deserve Master Fu?”

“I hope the film remains just that, a film. Stop this absurd pairing!”

Many fans, including those on Fu Jinxiao's super topic, protested against this pairing and publicity stunt. Some even began attacking Shen Xingsui personally, labeling him as a fame-seeker and opportunist, fueling antagonism to its peak.

Even Fu Jinxiao's official studio received numerous private messages and complaints, demanding the cessation of the pairing and defending the artist's clean image, insisting that there shouldn't be any such implications.

...

At the film's promotional event,

Most of the main cast and guests of "Lonely City" were present. Due to the movie's impressive box office, numerous media outlets were in attendance.

The dressing rooms backstage buzzed with activity.

The planner continuously discussed procedures with Shen Xingsui, giving him drafts on how to address potential media questions.

Meanwhile, on another side,

On the way to the event, the atmosphere inside a chauffeur-driven car was tense.

Wang Meican sighed after reading some reviews, “I didn't expect the audience to accept other relationships but vehemently reject yours and Xingsui's. This was just an experiment to gauge public reaction to your relationship, but I didn’t foresee such resistance.”

Inside the car, Fu Jinxiao perused netizen comments, his face stone-cold.

The man sat, his gaze deep and brooding. After hearing his manager, he chuckled sarcastically, "What's your plan?"

“I spoke to Xingsui a few days ago. He’s heartbroken over this but is more concerned about your image. So, he suggested minimizing such marketing in the future and staying low-profile to avoid paparazzi,” Wang Meican sighed. “Xingsui is very mature. He never makes a fuss and even now, he's thinking of you.”

Fu Jinxiao furrowed his brows. “Did he say that?”

Wang Meican nodded, “Given the circumstances, it seems like the best approach. If Xingsui is willing to handle this discreetly, it might appease some of the fans.”

Fu Jinxiao scoffed.

Looking at his icy gaze, Wang Meican felt a foreboding unease.

“Is continuous deception and concealment a satisfactory answer for the fans?” Fu Jinxiao threw his tablet aside, speaking calmly, “Publicly promoting singlehood to attract traffic and exploit fans is a breach of trust. Hiding one's loved one from public view and letting them face online abuse is failing to uphold a man's duty.”

A faint smile graced Fu Jinxiao's face: "Sister Wang, do you truly believe this is right?"

Wang Meican found herself staggered by Fu Jinxiao's words. She wanted to point out that many artists adopted the same approach, but as she met his forthright gaze, she found herself unable to muster a counterargument. Some deceive and exploit their fans for the sake of popularity, while others step forward to face the storm, fully aware of the potential fall from grace.

Wang Meican chuckled softly, "You realize there might be severe consequences, right? Shensingsui is new, so his fan base might not crumble, but you've built your reputation over decades in the industry. You could lose everything. Are you prepared for that risk?"

Fu Jinxiao's lips curled: "I am prepared."