Luo Yu glanced at Mr. Yang Chen not far away. He still needed to say goodbye before leaving.

“Teacher Yang, let me see what you’re doing. Oh dear, you’re sneaking some cream.”

You c an fi nd t he la te st cha pte rs at ( th e bl mu se . c o m )

Yang Chen quickly moved the plate aside, pretending to hide it. “My blood sugar has been fine lately. You… young people shouldn’t be meddling in everything!”

“If you want to eat, just eat. No need to hide it,” Luo Yu said with amusement.

“You’re leaving, and I feel reluctant. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen a young actor capture the essence of a character so finely. The last one was Gu Xiaowei,” Yang Chen said, shaking his head at the mention of Gu Xiaowei.

“What’s up with Gu Xiaowei?” Luo Yu asked curiously.

“He’s only in his twenties but acts like an old man, always serious and not the least bit adorable.”

“Oh,” Luo Yu responded. “He also didn’t let you eat cake?”

“Exactly! He wouldn’t let me eat anything good. On my birthday, I could’ve had a big piece of cake, but he cut me a slice as thin as paper. Don’t be like him. What’s the point of living if you can’t be happy?”

Luo Yu laughed and nodded. “But after this piece, you really can’t have more. This one is as thick as a dictionary!”

He even measured the thickness with his fingers for emphasis.

Mr. Yang Chen quickly changed the topic. “Xiao Luo, Zhu Jun and Yan Mingrui and I have high hopes for you. We were excitedly talking about your performance in the car that day. Keep acting well; we’re all watching you!”

“I will act well and not disappoint you three teachers.”

The cake was finished, and the crew had more scenes to shoot.

Luo Yu spent the afternoon watching scenes between Mr. Yang Chen and Cheng Fei, then reluctantly said goodbye to the crew.

He returned to his apartment and took a deep breath.

His phone buzzed. It was a WeChat message from Gu Xiaowei: [Congratulations on wrapping up.]

Luo Yu smiled, surprised that Gu Xiaowei was following his progress. He replied: [Yan Ye, have you fulfilled your promise to Bai Ying?]

Gu Xiaowei: [Another week, and Yan Ye will tear down that dark sky to let Bai Ying see the light.]

Luo Yu: [When that happens, Luo Yu will treat Gu Xiaowei to a meal. You can think about what you’d like to eat, Teacher Gu.]

Gu Xiaowei: [Alright.]

For some reason, Luo Yu missed Gu Xiaowei.

He missed his unexpected “gift of popularity rubbing,” his disregard for others’ opinions when feeding Luo Yu candy, and his focus during their scenes together.

“As expected of Gu Xiaowei, he really knows how to make his presence felt, even in a few WeChat messages.”

The next day, the sun rose as usual. Luo Yu maintained his routine, waking up early, going for a run, and then swimming a few laps.

Sister Cui called, so excited that she could barely hold her phone: “Luo Yu! Luo Yu! Luo Yu! I’m in such a dilemma right now!”

While drying his hair, Luo Yu asked curiously, “Is there a scheduling conflict for a role’s audition?”

“No, it’s just that the official account for ‘Storm’ released the second team building video. It includes the scene where you and Li Shengyu were acting opposite each other! Especially the death of Huo Haoyan; it was so impactful! You can really see the difference in acting skill!”

Luo Yu paused, “But won’t showing Huo Haoyan’s death spoil the character’s ending?”

“The official video didn’t have any dialogue, only background music, so viewers can’t be sure if Huo Haoyan died or just rested. It actually piques their curiosity and anticipation. Many people said your scene of collapsing in the chair was very atmospheric. If that’s Huo Haoyan’s ending, it’s a good one! Several film companies have already reached out to ask if you’ve decided on your next move,” Sister Cui said.

“The reason that acting comparison trended is because other industry colleagues were kind enough to share it. Like Brother Long, Fang Qin, Cheng Fei, Xie Chang… and Gu Xiaowei all liked and shared it, which is why it trended. It’s not entirely due to my own ability. I suspect these companies are more interested in riding the wave of popularity than in my acting skills.”

“Your clarity is refreshing but also a bit disheartening. However, having such popularity means you have good connections! That’s why so many people helped you share it!”

“I’m happy to hear that.”

Luo Yu thought to himself that he had made many good friends.

“Plus, your trending status wasn’t bought; it’s real popularity! These companies have noticed that your looks and acting skills are both impressive. Once ‘Counterattack’ and ‘Storm’ are both aired, the terms for signing you will definitely improve, so they want to act quickly!” Sister Cui pondered, understanding the motivations of these film companies looking to snag a good deal.

“Oh.” Luo Yu grabbed his waterproof bag, brushed his hair aside, and walked out.

“Don’t just ‘oh’ me! First, your old opponent, Dijun Media, reached out again. Ou Juntao’s secretary said they want to have dinner with us and discuss any terms we might be dissatisfied with. Should we give them a chance?”

“While it’s good to leave a way out for the future, since I don’t intend to sign with them, let’s not waste their time. After all, if we have dinner, they might think there’s hope.”

Sister Cui agreed.

“Next, Xinghan Pictures also reached out. They sent over a contract. The terms are quite fair, but…”

“But they have many actors. If the acting industry had ten points, Xinghan Pictures already holds five. Signing with them would certainly give me good roles, but becoming a lead like Cheng Fei would be tough.”

Sister Cui shared Luo Yu’s thoughts. “Exactly, that’s my concern too. However, they didn’t shut the door on negotiations, meaning we can still discuss better terms.”

Luo Yu gave a light hum. “Any other companies?”

Hearing that Xinghan Pictures wanted to negotiate on their turf, it was clear they wanted to use home advantage to push them into accepting a fair but not superior offer.

“Oh, there’s Honghe Film and Television. Their offer was pretty average, like they heard about your reputation and sent a contract just to join the fray.”

Luo Yu expected this and calmly asked, “Besides these three, are there any others?”

“Yes! There’s Yuanjing Films, where Li Shengyu works. They also want to have dinner to discuss intentions, but they didn’t send a contract, suggesting more flexibility and room for negotiation.”

After comparing all options, Sister Cui found Yuanjing Films quite appealing.

They collaborated with various companies but didn’t have any standout actors, so Luo Yu would likely be highly valued there.

“Let’s wait a bit,” Luo Yu suggested.

Sister Cui was taken aback by Luo Yu’s calmness. “Wait? I know you have your own ideas now and think long-term, but can you share if there’s a company you prefer? Are you waiting for better terms?”

“Just a little longer. It won’t take long,” Luo Yu said, glancing at the torn calendar page.

“By the way, Luo Yu… six months ago, I couldn’t even imagine negotiating contracts with these major companies. Even meeting their assistants made me feel half a head shorter. But now, they’re all coming to us, speaking politely and respectfully. Is this a case of life’s unpredictability or the wheel of fortune turning?”

Luo Yu lowered his gaze. He knew well how much Sister Cui had suffered for his sake.

“What’s the big deal? You’ll be even more successful in the future.”

This wasn’t just Luo Yu boasting but the goal he set for himself.

—To never disappoint anyone who had worked hard for him.

“Alright! Let’s work hard together!”

Sister Cui believed Luo Yu’s top choice might be Xinghan Pictures.

After all, Lin Yue, Luo Yu’s benefactor, was a director under Xinghan Pictures.

Moreover, Gu Xiaowei from Xinghan Pictures had always looked out for Luo Yu, sharing all his updates, almost to the point of “traffic sharing.”

During this filming period, Luo Yu and Cheng Fei had even become good brothers.

Even if Xinghan Pictures’ contract didn’t seem preferential, having these supporters meant Luo Yu wouldn’t really be unable to make it.

With the pay from two dramas received, Luo Yu wasn’t financially strained.

He became more selective with scripts, choosing roles cautiously, though still mostly supporting roles. Some were significant roles in small productions, while others were third or fourth leads in medium to large productions.

A few days later, the temperature dropped again.

Luo Yu decided to buy some groceries and cook hotpot for himself.

He bundled up in a hat and mask, found the small cart given when he got a membership card last year, and was about to head out when his phone rang.

The caller ID showed “Hu Wei,” a classmate from the Film Academy. After graduation, Hu Wei had struggled to get signed by a company, and Luo Yu had introduced him to Zhuque Media.

Hu Wei later became a “powerhouse” promoted by Zhuque Media, while Luo Yu kept taking subpar gigs, widening the gap between them.

Initially, Hu Wei promised to help Luo Yu once he succeeded, but after gaining some fame, their interaction became a mere exchange of nods.

There’s a saying online: when a long-absent classmate suddenly contacts you, it’s either to borrow money or to invite you to their wedding.

Hu Wei definitely wouldn’t get married during the peak of his career, and borrowing money was even more out of the question. He had far more money than Luo Yu. So, it could only be a case of a weasel paying a chicken a visit—no good intentions.

Luo Yu smiled faintly; the opportunity he had been waiting for had finally arrived.

He answered the phone, and Hu Wei’s enthusiastic voice came through: “Hey, Luo Yu! You finally picked up! Got any plans tonight? Let’s have dinner! It’s my birthday today!”

Luo Yu replied leisurely, “It’s your birthday, huh? I didn’t prepare a gift, so it’s a bit embarrassing to go.”

“It’s not like we’re kids needing gifts to be happy! The main thing is to get together!”

Pouring himself a cup of coffee, Luo Yu said, “I’ve left Zhuque Media, so going to your birthday party would be awkward. I’ll just wish you a happy birthday and great success.”

Hu Wei’s voice turned a bit urgent, “Come on! There’s no one else from Zhuque Media tonight! I didn’t even invite Boss Bo. I just want us two brothers to have a good talk!”

Luo Yu’s smile grew more evident. Back then, he had fallen for Hu Wei’s nonsense, leading to that disastrous dinner gathering.

You c an fi nd t he la te st cha pte rs at ( th e bl mu se . c o m )

At that same time in his previous life, Luo Yu had faced loneliness and pressure alone. Receiving Hu Wei’s call, he thought someone was finally showing kindness, ignoring Hu Wei’s clumsy excuses, which led him into a trap, almost losing his chance to make a comeback.

But this time, he had to attend this dinner, as there was a friend he couldn’t abandon.

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“Tea… Teacher Luo.”

Seeing Li Shengyu’s reddened eyes, Luo Yu thought he was upset about being scolded by netizens and patted his shoulder to comfort him, “I think you’ll become a very famous actor in the future. When that time comes, those who criticize and attack you now will forgive your mistakes because of your professionalism and character. Of course, some will still use it as a black mark to continue labeling you at your peak.”

You c an fi nd t he la te st cha pte rs at ( th e bl mu se . c o m )

“What should I do then?” Li Shengyu asked.

“Then you should calmly view these labels and tell them, ‘Thank you for the reminder, I won’t make such mistakes again.’”

Li Shengyu suddenly realized that Luo Yu had gone through the same thing. Although Luo Yu’s fame hadn’t yet reached the level of Cheng Fei, who was recognized for his acting skills by the public, Li Shengyu felt as if he could already see Luo Yu shining brightly.

Li Shengyu took a deep breath and suddenly hugged Luo Yu, muttering, “Thank you.”

Then he straightened his back and walked towards his next scene.

Meanwhile, in the office of Dijun Media, Ou Juntao squinted at the newly released video on the official Weibo of the “Storm” crew.

Li Qian had smartly not portrayed the acting PK as internal crew conflict to attract attention but used a relatively mild description—”team building.”

The purpose of team building was to resolve conflicts and make the team more cohesive, pulling in the same direction.

Team Building Highlights Episode One—Group Extra Challenges Crew’s Big Boss Cheng Fei.

This video immediately caught the attention of passersby, with netizens praising Chen Dong’s courage and being impressed by Cheng Fei’s acting. Especially at the end of the video, when Director Xu Han promised to let Chen Dong play an economic investigator following Cheng Fei in the subsequent filming, goodwill towards the crew soared.

Many people, exhausted in real life and used to their efforts going unnoticed, saw Chen Dong as a representative of ordinary people, undaunted by ridicule and failure, challenging Cheng Fei and receiving the director’s recognition, which felt like a form of spiritual comfort.

Combining this with the morning’s trending topic, everyone was more eagerly anticipating the official video clip of Luo Yu challenging Li Shengyu.

After all, the trending video was shot on a phone with unclear angles and poor quality compared to the official behind the scenes highlights, leading to a surge in the official Weibo followers, all urging for the release of the Luo Yu vs. Li Shengyu highlight.

Ou Juntao’s secretary knocked on the door and entered, “Chairman Ou, I have something to ask you. Should we proceed with the plan to hype the scandal between Lin Yue and Luo Yu?”

Ou Juntao sneered, “What do you think?”

The secretary calmly analyzed, “I think it’s unnecessary now, and it might backfire. Firstly, Luo Yu has just won against Li Shengyu in the crew’s team building, and the public has a good impression of his acting skills. If we hype him getting roles through improper dealings with Lin Yue, it might provoke a backlash, creating a sense of subtlety and targeting. Secondly, Li Shengyu just apologized on Weibo, directly tagging Luo Yu and Lin Yue. If we release black material now, it will coincide with Li Shengyu’s apology, greatly reducing its effect.”

“Li Qian has already blocked this move. If we release this black material now, it will probably provoke resentment from netizens. Cancel it,” Ou Juntao said.

The secretary nodded and left.

Another week later, the character Huo Haoyan reached his final scene.

This scene featured only Luo Yu, with Mr. Yang Chen playing the big boss, only appearing in a phone conversation with him.

But for some reason, many people came to watch, crowding the set.

There were group extras, other small supporting roles, Li Shengyu, Cheng Fei, and the leading actress of this drama, Jiao Ning.

The assistant director approached Xu Han and whispered, “There are so many people here. Should we ask them not to gather here?”

“This is Huo Haoyan’s final scene, and everyone wants to see if Luo Yu can deliver a more profound performance than the acting PK. The wrap celebration should be lively. As long as it doesn’t affect filming, why be the villain?”

“Well, that’s true.”

“Go to my car trunk and get the cake.”

“Cake? What cake?”

“To celebrate Huo Haoyan’s wrap up,” Xu Han said.

The assistant director was shocked, “Director Xu, you actually bought a cake yourself?”

“Why? Can’t I thank him? His scenes are in the first five episodes. I originally thought it would take more than a week to finish, but haven’t you noticed he never flubs his lines or breaks character? He saved me at least three days of shooting time. Shouldn’t I encourage such a good actor?”

“Oh! I’ll go get the cake right away!”

Today’s weather was great. The sunlight was warm outside the floor-to-ceiling window of Huo Haoyan’s office. Standing by the window, Huo Haoyan did not look down at the cars and pedestrians below like a god controlling everything. Instead, he raised his hand to block the sunlight, looking towards the horizon.

“Hao Yan, I know you’re tired.” The boss’s voice sounded from the phone.

It sounded like an elder caring for the younger generation, but if you tasted it carefully, it was the dictator of fate announcing the final chapter.

“Boss, do you have any plans?”

Compared to the open rooftop where the acting PK took place, the semi-enclosed office made Huo Haoyan’s lines sound even more textured, cold and mechanical, as if he was tired of the warmth of life, a hint of irony suffusing every syllable.

And this irony was a sign of powerlessness, a final bit of resistance against the devil who controlled and ruined his life.

“Take a good rest. Your sister will give birth in a few days. I’ve chosen a good nanny for her. From kindergarten to university, I’ve planned everything for the child.”

Mr. Yang Chen successfully delivered lines that showcased a seemingly caring but actually cold and ruthless superior, who used Huo Haoyan’s most valued familial ties to deliver the final blow.

“Thank you, boss.”

At that moment, Huo Haoyan’s figure from behind looked like a withered tumbleweed, always calculating and fighting in a destiny controlled by others. But now, he borrowed the sunlight to burn for himself.

He sat back in his seat, swallowed the drugs he had prepared for many years, and closed his eyes facing the sunlight.

Wishing himself freedom from the life and death dictated by others, he fell into a dreamless sleep.

The anti-economic crime team leader, Ling Jin, rushed into Huo Haoyan’s office with his team. Ling Jin took a deep breath; the scene was too real and emotionally stirring. He quickly stepped forward, pressed his fingers against Huo Haoyan’s neck, and said regretfully, “We are too late.”

There were follow-up scenes where the forensic doctors came to collect evidence. Luo Yu didn’t need to do anything, just lie there with his eyes closed.

After some reshoots, the assistant director saw that Luo Yu hadn’t moved and suddenly felt worried.

“Is Luo Yu okay?”

Cheng Fei whispered to the assistant director, “Why don’t you check if he’s still breathing? I just noticed that his chest wasn’t moving at all. Could it be…”

The assistant director panicked and quickly approached Luo Yu. Just as he was about to check Luo Yu’s breath, Luo Yu suddenly opened his eyes.

“Is this scene finished?”

The assistant director nearly jumped up, and laughter broke out among the onlookers, especially Cheng Fei, who laughed the most mischievously.

“You… you… won’t have any cake later!”

“Cake? What cake?” Luo Yu curiously stood up. “Is it someone’s birthday on set?”

“Director Xu ordered a wrap-up cake for you.”

Luo Yu was stunned. In his past life, he only received such treatment when he returned to screen acting from theater.

“Alright! Enough talking! Huo Haoyan, congratulations on wrapping up your scenes,” Xu Han stood up. “Luo Yu has maintained a record of one-take scenes, saving us time for cake! Let’s applaud!”

Applause erupted on the set.

Luo Yu couldn’t help but feel excited. The applause, the cake, and the colleagues waiting for him to wrap up were all recognition of his work.

He took a deep breath and walked up to the three-tier cake.

Cheng Fei shouted, “Wait! Our crew is united and loving! How can we not take promotional photos?”

“Absolutely! Where’s the behind-the-scenes photographer? Hurry up!” The assistant director also joined in.

Xu Han knew what Cheng Fei was thinking; he wanted the wrap-up photos to show the netizens who had previously criticized Luo Yu that he was appreciated by many people for his character and his acting skills.

He also didn’t hesitate to express his admiration for a certain actor and stood over next to Luo Yu.

On Luo Yu’s left was Xu Han, on his right was the old Mr. Yang Chen, and next to him was Cheng Fei.

Luo Yu spotted Li Shengyu in the crowd and waved him over, “Hey, the anti-economic crime officer, come here!”

Li Shengyu was stunned. He immediately understood that Luo Yu was inviting him for a group photo to show that the crew had forgiven his previous inappropriate remarks and to ease the negative comments against him.

Luo Yu cut the cake and distributed it to the director and crew.

While eating the cake, Xu Han chatted with him.

“So, what’s next?” Xu Han asked casually.

“Well, I’ll see what roles my agent gets for me. If there’s an interesting role, I’ll go shoot it. If not…” Luo Yu touched his nose.

“And if not?” Xu Han looked up with interest.

“I’ll go to a theater group to train a bit,” Luo Yu said with a smile.

Because Mr. Yang Chen had always invited him to guest star in a role that wasn’t heavy but significant in a stage play, which made him itch to try.

“You won’t have trouble finding good roles. ‘Counterattack’ will wrap up soon, with post-production taking about three months. It will be broadcast by the end of the year. And our ‘Storm’ will likely air during the winter break. After this period, you won’t be short of roles.” Xu Han said.

“Do you have any suggestions, Director Xu?” Luo Yu asked with a smile.

“Your performance is very compelling. Besides TV dramas, I think you’re also suited for the big screen. I know a movie that’s about to start production. I can’t reveal much yet, but I’ve read the script, and there’s a supporting male role that fits you well.”

Luo Yu almost choked on his cake, “A movie? A supporting male role? That probably won’t come to me. I might not even get a chance to audition.”

“So, it depends on how you think.” Xu Han said.

“Do you mean I should sign with Xinghan Films?”

Xu Han shook his head, “Signing with Xinghan Films wouldn’t be a good deal for you now. After the dual drama releases, people will be lining up to sign you.”

Luo Yu couldn’t help but laugh, “Director Xu’s advice is the same as a friend’s of mine.”

That friend was Gu Xiaowei.

“We would never suggest where you should sign. We just hope you can attend the audition for that movie.”

Luo Yu understood that this was Xu Han’s favor, hinting at him to hone his acting skills during this period and stay in good shape so as not to miss out on that supporting role.

“I’ll keep that in mind, thank you, Director Xu.”

At this moment, Cheng Fei came over, threw an arm around Luo Yu, and half-jokingly said to Director Xu, “Director, can’t you add a scene for Huo Haoyan like Director Lin and Screenwriter Hua did? Let him stick around a bit longer? I haven’t had enough scenes with Luo Yu!”

Xu Han replied good-naturedly, “Haven’t you heard of ‘less is more’?”

You c an fi nd t he la te st cha pte rs at ( th e bl mu se . c o m )

Cheng Fei laughed, patting Luo Yu’s shoulder, “Bro, let’s act together in the next drama. Come out often to hang out.”

“Of course, it’s Brother Cheng’s treat.”

“Treat! Treat! Treat! You cheapskate!”

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“I… I have…” He Mu hesitated. “Why do you ask?”

“Do you think your acting is better or his?”

He Mu choked for a moment. Previously, whenever Luo Yu received a casting invitation, He Mu would “hire” some haters to bash Luo Yu, knowing his psychological resilience was weak, causing him to retreat. If it was a good role and Luo Yu insisted on auditioning for it, they would pressure Bo Wenyuan to stop him. Until the time Luo Yu auditioned for Bai Ying, when Luo Yu’s acting was clearly far superior to He Mu’s.

You c an fi nd t he la te st cha pte rs at ( th e bl mu se . c o m )

But that was because Luo Yu graduated from the Film Academy, receiving complete acting training, while He Mu had only studied for just over a year, so it was normal to not be as good. But wasn’t Li Shengyu also inferior?

On the other end of the line, Li Shengyu spoke up again, “You still haven’t answered my question.”

He Mu hurriedly stammered, “Acting is… you know, everyone’s pretty much on par. What matters is the strength of the management company! Isn’t it strange to ask this?”

A surge of anger rushed to Li Shengyu’s head. He gritted his teeth, repeating He Mu’s words, “It all depends on the strength of the management company?”

He Mu instantly realized he misspoke, which was tantamount to indirectly admitting he had previously won roles over Luo Yu because of Dijun Media.

“You… you kept provoking me, and I just got caught up in the moment…”

Previously, Li Shengyu had been like his follower, but today he was noticeably more assertive, making He Mu flustered.

Li Shengyu sneered, “So when you and Luo Yu were competing for roles, it was his fault for overestimating himself, and he deserved to be suppressed by you. He shouldn’t take on roles you don’t want, and if he does, it’s like eating leftovers? What about Bai Ying? You didn’t get that role because Dijun Media couldn’t beat Zhuque Media that time?”

“Li Shengyu! How dare you talk to me like that? I didn’t want the role of Bai Ying! It’s a villain and could affect my public image!”

“Then why did you audition? Why not just decline? I asked you who you thought was the better actor, and you responded that it depends on the company’s strength? You were there for Luo Yu’s audition. Do you think he got the role by sucking up to the director or by his acting skills? You know better than I do, don’t you?”

“You… Li Shengyu… do you think that I won’t…”

“Won’t what? Are you planning to have Dijun Media get my management company to freeze me like they did to Luo Yu?” Li Shengyu’s voice rose by an octave.

He lost to Luo Yu in the acting showdown, losing not just face but the pride of being an actor. He had no complaints if the director asked him to leave the crew.

He initially believed his “friendship” with He Mu was genuine. Now it seemed to be more due to the collaboration between Dijun Media and Yuanjing Films.

If he were face-to-face with He Mu now, he would dump a trash can over his head.

“You used your top star popularity to brainwash me, making me go in circles within your rules. Competing for roles? There are countless roles in the industry. You want something, and others can’t compete with you? Copying your career path and stealing your ‘national school hunk’ image… Oh my god, why do you even think the title of ‘national school hunk’ belongs to you? Just because it says ‘national’? Did you get everyone’s approval? Is the school hunk image only yours? What’s so great about this persona that Luo Yu would fight for it? And the leftover roles? If others accept roles you don’t want, it’s fine, but if Luo Yu does, it’s eating leftovers? Why don’t you accuse Gu Xiaowei of eating your leftovers?”

“You… you… did you eat dynamite today? Are you insane?”

“Did you know because of what you said, I truly believed Luo Yu was a talentless flower vase who got roles by sucking up? Do you know what it feels like to be a clown in front of everyone? You always think Luo Yu is bad and low because you know that without Dijun Media’s protection, you are nothing compared to him!” Li Shengyu retorted.

“Li Shengyu… you… you better remember this…” He Mu stammered in anger.

“Remember what? If I lose this role, I’ll just be a sidelined actor in my own company, with no future. But I will always remember you, hypocritical and selfish. I was foolish enough to see your popularity as a halo of personality. I was blind.”

Li Shengyu didn’t give He Mu a chance to respond and hung up directly.

He Mu was left bewildered, breathing heavily, almost ready to explode on the spot.

“Ahhhh!”

In the middle of the night, He Mu yelled and threw his phone to the ground in frustration.

Unfortunately, the floor was carpeted, so it didn’t even make a dull sound.

He Mu wanted to call his agent to suppress Luo Yu’s trending topic, but the agent just sighed on the other end.

“Little ancestor, the trending topic will naturally go down by morning. Let’s not make a fuss, okay?”

“No way!” The more he thought about Li Shengyu’s words, the more enraged he became.

“It’s not negotiable.” The agent said coldly.

Although He Mu didn’t know it, the agent had received a call from Chairman Ou’s secretary, instructing him to keep an eye on He Mu and ensure he no longer targeted Luo Yu, including instigating fans or hiring trolls.

The agent also understood that since Luo Yu joined the “Counterattack” crew, his online reputation had been steadily improving. Although the change wasn’t drastic, given time, Luo Yu would surely rise up in status. When that day came, people would revisit the past controversies and realize He Mu had been targeting him. If He Mu didn’t restrain himself now, he would suffer even more when that time came.

The next morning, Luo Yu woke up as usual, scratched his head, and sat up.

He glanced at his phone, expecting to see a message from Sister Cui, but instead saw a WeChat message from Fang Qin.

Fang Qin: [Bro, did you see? You’re trending again! Brother Gu is amazing, anything he shares goes viral!]

Luo Yu was momentarily stunned. His first reaction was not to check his trending position, nor the content, but instead opened Gu Xiaowei’s Weibo.

Gu Xiaowei was the true trending master. In just one night, the comments under that post approached thirty thousand, and shares also surpassed one hundred thousand.

Partly because of Gu Xiaowei’s “senior brother,” typed by hand, making hearts flutter.

And many fans genuinely appreciated Luo Yu’s acting, becoming his fans after watching the video.

In one night, Luo Yu gained fifty to sixty thousand new followers, many sending him private messages like “Senior Brother’s acting is top-notch, when will the project be released?”, “Can’t wait for Senior Brother and Brother Gu’s scenes together,” and “Looking forward to Bai Ying.”

There was a long period when his private messages were flooded with endless insults.

But since joining the “Counterattack” crew, he had gained more recognition, receiving more fan encouragement in his private messages.

He didn’t have time to reply individually, so he stood by the window with a mug, took a photo, and captioned it: Not letting down expectations, not letting down the morning light.

By the time he finished breakfast and put on his coat, the comments had already surpassed three thousand.

[Gege exudes hormones early in the morning~]

[Is this the French nonchalant elegance I hear about?]

[I want to crash into gege’s arms, preferably spilling coffee on his shirt~]

[Can’t wait to see Bai Ying! Can’t wait to see Bai Ying! Can’t wait to see Bai Ying!]

[When will Senior Brother act with Brother Gu? The clash of different alpha auras will explode with pheromones!]

Luo Yu looked at these comments, a bit puzzled.

He couldn’t help but text Sister Cui: [Wearing a plain shirt and holding a mug, where do the hormones come from?]

Sister Cui: [Your collarbone and Adam’s apple. Pheromones don’t always need muscles; strong auras also exude hormones. Look at Gu Xiaowei.]

Well, Luo Yu scratched the back of his head.

Upon arriving at the set, he sat in his usual spot, but while waiting for the makeup artist, unexpectedly he encountered the two actors who previously gossiped about him.

“Teacher Luo… hello!”

“Teacher Luo, you’re here early.”

“Hello.” Luo Yu smiled back and lowered his head to continue reading his script.

The two exchanged glances and finally spoke up.

“We had some… misunderstandings and biases about you before, said some inappropriate things, and we apologize.”

“Yes. After watching your acting yesterday… we feel very ashamed.”

Luo Yu didn’t say he forgave them because he wasn’t in a position to forgive on behalf of Lin Yue.

Moreover, forgiving too easily makes the forgiven feel that the cost of their mistake is low.

“We’re actors, and actors are also communicators. Misunderstanding is the fate of communicators. Misunderstanding me is nothing, but you surely understand Lin Yue’s character. He is fair and just, giving many non-major company actors a chance to shine. I believe you also look forward to such opportunities; they are the motivation for many buried talents to keep striving. So, please don’t belittle it.”

At this moment, the two finally seemed to understand why Luo Yu took the initiative to challenge Li Shengyu yesterday, and their sense of guilt deepened.

Li Shengyu stood outside the dressing room, knowing that Luo Yu was inside and feeling too embarrassed to enter. Hearing Luo Yu mention Lin Yue, he realized that Luo Yu had never been trying to prove himself by participating in the acting PK; it was all for Lin Yue’s reputation.

He had listened to He Mu largely because he was already jealous of Luo Yu, and He Mu had given him a reason to release his malice. Not only had he belittled Luo Yu, but he had also hurt a director dedicated to supporting talented actors without backgrounds.

In this way, how was he any different from those paid trolls who attacked others regardless of right or wrong? Jealousy had turned him into the kind of person he despised the most.

Li Shengyu pushed open the door. As Luo Yu turned his head, he saw Li Shengyu bow deeply and say loudly, “I’m sorry.”

Luo Yu was taken aback, “Uh… ah? I… it’s okay…”

“I will also apologize to Director Lin Yue!” Li Shengyu said.

“Oh.”

That day, Li Shengyu posted an apology on Weibo, apologizing to Lin Yue and Luo Yu for his inappropriate remarks in the crew due to jealousy, and he tagged them both. Some netizens praised him for knowing his mistake and correcting it, while others mocked him for apologizing because he was afraid he couldn’t stay in the crew after losing to Luo Yu in the PK.

However, Li Shengyu felt that even if he was mocked and cursed, at least the stone pressing on his heart had been lifted.

He originally thought Luo Yu’s forgiveness was out of courtesy, but Luo Yu replied to his Weibo post saying: [Our competition was to resolve misunderstandings and improve together, fighting, Xia Yunzhi!]

Li Shengyu read “Fighting, Xia Yunzhi” many times. Did it mean the crew had no intention of replacing him?

Then Xu Han liked his Weibo post.

Lin Yue also commented below: [Young people challenging authority is courage. Publicly apologizing for their actions shows responsibility.]

You c an fi nd t he la te st cha pte rs at ( th e bl mu se . c o m )

Li Shengyu didn’t expect to receive such a comment from Lin Yue and suddenly felt very fortunate.

Just as he put his phone back in his pocket, he saw Luo Yu walking over after finishing a scene.

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Xu Han, holding a megaphone, said, “Addressing casting doubts by suppressing or silencing won’t solve the problem. Even if I remove those dissatisfied or have a misunderstanding with the crew, they can still continue expressing their dissatisfaction outside.”

“Expressing dissatisfaction” was a euphemism for spreading and believing rumors.

You c an fi nd t he la te st cha pte rs at ( th e bl mu se . c o m )

“Only through genuine acting competitions can we enhance our understanding of each other. This is a crew, a place for acting. I always believed that each actor’s job is to perform their role well, not to stir up trouble or use mutual interests or jealousy to push someone out.”

Everyone suppressed their inexplicable excitement, feeling a glimmer of hope amidst fatigue and gloom.

Xu Han continued, “We have no headlines or trending topics here. Tonight’s acting PK is simply teambuilding and a forum for resolving conflicts. Those who win the PK should communicate with the writers for the promised five minutes of highlight, without compromise. Those who lose should remember to reflect, as progress requires self-examination.”

After saying “wrap it up,” Xu Han turned off the megaphone and handed it to a staff member.

Everyone expected Xu Han to give a lengthy summary or reprimand, but it ended just like that!

Some were excited, some felt guilty, some were lost, and some found this crew to be quite interesting.

Xu Han approached the three judges to thank them.

“Thank you so much, teachers! Relying on your prestige to resolve issues makes me, as a director, feel quite ashamed.”

“I’m a part of the crew here, and those unpleasant rumors have become quite outrageous. Nowadays, information spreads quickly. You never know if what you hear today and what trends tomorrow are the same thing. Last year, a TV drama was almost boycotted nationwide due to issues between the lead actor and the producer,” said Mr. Yang Chen.

Zhu Jun patted Xu Han’s shoulder, “Director Xu, why feel ashamed? I think this method is great. It not only identifies talent within the crew but also provides a platform to address conflicts. Otherwise, unresolved grievances would increasingly disrupt your filming.”

“What Teacher Zhu said is also what I wanted to say,” Yan Mingrui said, holding his thermos cup with a laugh. “Tonight’s PK was more interesting than those variety shows centered on acting. Especially Luo Yu, he left a deep impression. I haven’t seen such a talented young actor before!”

Mentioning Luo Yu, Mr. Yang Chen couldn’t help but continue.

“You have no idea, when Luo Yu acted opposite me in our scenes, his aura was steady as a mountain, his lines fluent, and he particularly stirred my emotions. It’s been a long time since a young actor performed so well. It reignited my passion for acting, making me want to run lines with him eight hundred times more!”

Yan Mingrui’s smile widened upon hearing this. “Unlike Teacher Yang and Teacher Zhu, I’m from T City. When I first received Director Xu’s call, I thought it was to handle some complex interpersonal issues in the crew. Who knew that at noon, Xiao Gu called me!”

“What did he call you for?” Zhu Jun asked curiously.

“Haha, he told me that there was an exceptionally talented actor in Director Xu’s crew. He thought this person might be his biggest rival in the future and asked me to come and evaluate his acting skills. With Xiao Gu saying that, how could I not come? I just assumed Xiao Gu was referring to Cheng Fei. Who knew Cheng Fei was just accompanying the prince to study today!”

“Oh? So after watching for a while, who does Teacher Yan think is Xiao Gu’s rival?” Zhu Jun asked with a smile.

The three teachers simultaneously looked at the young man leaving shoulder to shoulder with Cheng Fei.

“That kid, I’m looking forward to his future performances!”

The crew wasn’t a sealed-off area. That very day, someone posted a cellphone video of the acting PK scene online.

Especially the part where Luo Yu and Li Shengyu were sparring in acting. At first, no one was interested or paid attention, but Brother Long, who was playing a small role in another, saw it and excitedly told his fellow extras, “Look! Look! This Luo Yu is my buddy! Damn, he’s awesome! His acting is amazing! He can portray anything! I even suspect he’s a computer—he remembers every line!”

Brother Long had some influence among the extras. When they shared it among themselves, the crew members who were filming saw it too. After watching, they agreed that Luo Yu’s acting was indeed impressive and gave it a like.

Just like that, the video spread from one to ten, then to a hundred, eventually reaching the lead actor of Brother Long’s historical drama, Xia Chao.

That evening, Xia Chao was about to shoot a martial arts scene. Bored while waiting, he was browsing Weibo and accidentally clicked on the video. He got so engrossed that he forgot he was being called to shoot, and inadvertently liked the video. As a result, his fans noticed the acting PK video, and its popularity started to rise.

Cheng Fei took Luo Yu home, reminding him as he got out of the car, “Put on your mask and hat! You’re on the bright path to stardom!”

“Haha, thanks for your good wishes, Teacher Cheng.”

Luo Yu smiled and walked home under the lights.

In the car, Cheng Fei started browsing Weibo and saw the video. Without hesitation, he shared it to his millions of followers, who quickly noticed.

Moreover, Cheng Fei urged his assistant Ah Qing and makeup artist Xiao Jun, “You two should share it too! He doesn’t care about this, so we have to help him get recognized!”

Xia Chao returned from hanging on wires, and his agent alerted him about the video he had liked on Weibo.

Xia Chao was startled, remembering that Luo Yu seemed to have a lot of haters.

He hesitated, wondering if he should support Luo Yu out of principle or avoid trouble by unliking the video.

But then, he was stunned.

“Who knew this Luo Yu was so popular in the circle?”

Because not only did Cheng Fei shared it, but he also praised Luo Yu’s acting with great enthusiasm.

Then, Xie Chang surprisingly shared Cheng Fei’s Weibo, commenting, “Great minds think alike.”

What shocked Xia Chao the most was that at 12:30 AM, Gu Xiaowei also shared Cheng Fei’s Weibo, adding the caption: “Senior Brother’s acting.”

Just a few words, without saying who the senior brother was or how good the acting was, yet it made people curious enough to click and watch the video.

Xia Chao patted his chest in relief. Since so many popular actors had shared it, and even Gu Xiaowei, who used his Weibo as a bulletin board, his like was well in line with the trend, so there was no need to unlike it.

So, as Luo Yu drank a glass of milk and went to sleep in his warm bed, the hashtag #SeniorBrother’sActing# inexplicably shot into the top ten trending topics.

Although it was already late at night, many netizens, seemingly accustomed to competing with the moon, were still active.

Netizens who watched the performance were amazed at how Luo Yu portrayed both the economic investigator Xia Yunzhi and the CFO Huo Haoyan with entirely different auras and personalities. Not only was his portrayal in line with the characters, but the short performance also managed to be highly immersive.

Admiration from some netizens naturally led to the emergence of haters.

They aggressively attacked Luo Yu, accusing him of having terrible acting skills and buying trending topics. They claimed that a short video couldn’t showcase real acting talent, that buying trending topics late at night was a waste of money, and that if Luo Yu had acting skills, even pigs could fly…

The words were harsh, and with the video being commented on by well-respected veteran actors, some netizens who couldn’t stand it rushed to defend him.

[Buying promotion? I didn’t know any marketing company could buy off veteran actors like Yang Chen and the others!]

[Did you even watch the video before hating? Next time, hate more professionally, and drag the veteran artists into it too!]

[Crew members testify that Luo Yu never flubs his lines on set. Director Xu never gets a chance to yell at him—he’s like a line machine!]

[Towards a certain top star’s fans, calm down! Luo Yu’s line delivery alone shows his skills! That top star was kicked out of a crew for stumbling over his lines!]

[Haters, haven’t you had enough? Which company paid you? Let me in on the deal so I can earn some too!]

Because of this acting PK video, not only did the “Storm” crew’s Weibo followers spike, but Luo Yu’s Weibo followers also skyrocketed.

Bored from having his gigs suspended, He Mu was playing on his phone late at night and saw this trending topic.

“This was bought! It must have been bought! No… it’s because Gu Xiaowei shared it! He can’t be that good at acting!”

The more He Mu watched, the more annoyed he became. He found that many comments hating on Luo Yu also mentioned him. Previously, he could rely on his fans to crush Luo Yu, but now he was getting dragged into it as a comparison.

Unable to contain his anger, He Mu made a late-night call to Li Shengyu.

When the call connected, He Mu couldn’t hold back his irritation and spoke with an accusatory tone, “Li Shengyu, what’s going on? How could you lose to Luo Yu in that acting PK?”

Actually, even if He Mu hadn’t called, Li Shengyu wouldn’t have been able to sleep.

But hearing He Mu’s angry voice, Li Shengyu became 100% certain that He Mu had just been using him.

Think about it, he had been brainwashed by He Mu’s talk in the crew, while He Mu lounged on the couch enjoying the benefits.

“Did you watch that video?” Li Shengyu asked, suppressing his anger and trying to sound calm.

“Yes! Those three veteran actors invited by the crew kept praising Luo Yu. Who knows if Luo Yu invited them or if the crew did, they were totally biased towards Luo Yu!”

Hearing this, Li Shengyu clenched his fists.

Because the video was short, it omitted the introduction of the veteran actors’ resumes, and the resolution wasn’t very clear. Even so, He Mu acted as if he didn’t recognize them or didn’t care who they were.

Taking a step back, if He Mu had watched the video, he should have realized that their acting skills were in different leagues—He Mu’s year at film school had been wasted—he didn’t understand acting.

A person who didn’t understand acting had been badmouthing another actor to him for so long, and he, Li Shengyu, had believed it. What a ridiculous irony!

“Are you listening to me, Sheng Yu?” He Mu asked, dissatisfied.

Thinking of how He Mu’s biases led him to underestimate Luo Yu’s acting, and how he had ignorantly commented on Luo Yu and Lin Yue’s relationship in the crew, Li Shengyu realized he had trusted the wrong person.

You c an fi nd t he la te st cha pte rs at ( th e bl mu se . c o m )

“I’m listening, He Mu. I have a question for you.” Li Shengyu’s voice was tinged with coldness.

“What do you want to ask?” He Mu sensed something was off in Li Shengyu’s tone.

“Have you ever watched Luo Yu act?” Li Shengyu asked.

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