She hadn't suspected Jiang Qing at first, and neither had Lu Yu. However, after the incident, Lu Yu told her that Jiang Qing had gone to see Han Xiao at his wrap party.
Lu Yu learned about this by chance. She initially suspected that Han Xiao harbored resentment towards Chen Fu, which was why he was plotting revenge. However, when she learned that Jiang Qing had met with Han Xiao in private, the matter became quite interesting.
After all, nothing can escape the pursuit of profit.
While one or two marketing accounts might be jumping on the bandwagon to generate buzz, the involvement of dozens of accounts and countless "casual viewers" indicates a large-scale operation backed by substantial financial resources. Jiang Qing and his team could indeed be doing something like this to promote "Cultivation."
The idea made Chen Fu feel nauseous.
She entered the entertainment industry with dreams in her heart, but once inside, she discovered that the place she had longed for was actually so dirty and filthy.
“Those rumors have been dealt with. As for what to do next, Chen Fu, I respect your choice.”
Chen Fu looked at the person in front of her.
Lu Yu was just a kid in his early twenties, yet he managed to remain calm and collected in the face of such a difficult situation.
Unfortunately, no matter how serious the person in front of her was, she still saw him as a child.
Chen Fu slowly pondered a solution. In fact, if this matter were handled properly, the previous insulting remarks could be quickly reversed.
...
Seeing that the person in front of her did not answer for a long time, Jiang Qing asked the same question again.
"Sister Fu, how are your preparations for the annual party going?"
Jiang Qing's words brought Chen Fu's attention back to her. She smiled and asked, "Is it the stage with you? I've already practiced that song thoroughly."
"But you, being an actor, won't you sing off-key when you go on stage?"
Jiang Qing smiled sheepishly.
"Sister Fu, the media will be visiting the set later."
Seeing that Chen Fu and Jiang Qing were chatting happily, Xiao Lingdang frowned and stepped in to interject at the opportune moment.
President Lu recently mentioned to her that it's best not to let Chen Fu and Jiang Qing meet alone...
Upon hearing this, Chen Fu nodded and said, "I understand."
Jiang Qing, who was interrupted, was not angry; on the contrary, he seemed quite happy.
He was so familiar with the filming sequence that he could practically recite it backwards.
After all, this was the final step in his plan.
--------------------
Author's Note:
Finally finished working on it, time for bed.
Chapter 27 CP27
This scene is Jiang Qing's final scene. In the drama, the female lead discovers that the male lead is actually an undercover agent planted by the villainous boss, a reality that leaves her heartbroken. After an argument and a fight, the male lead kneels before the female lead, begging for forgiveness. He kisses her cheek with painful humility, only to be slowly pushed away by the heartbroken female lead.
This is the final climax of the entire series, and also one of the female lead's highlight scenes. Many book fans became completely hooked here, feeling that the injured female lead was simply a fragile beast, exuding a captivating fragility.
Then Ye Xin changed this scene.
Ye Xin said that this scene was too unfair to the male lead, so she suggested that the roles of the two be reversed and that the one who was suffering and humbled be replaced by the female lead.
This seems to make sense. Even though she was betrayed by the male lead, the female lead, who deeply loved him, ultimately chose to understand and forgive him. That painful kiss represented the female lead's compromise and also represented her ultimately subservient position under the male lead's control.
However, the biggest selling point of the drama "Cultivation" is the strong and resilient character of the female lead. Changing it would inevitably cause dissatisfaction among book fans and would also make the character settings contradict each other. Therefore, Yanshan quickly rejected the proposal.
Ye Xin knew that Yan Shan would not agree easily, so she used both soft and hard tactics, and even revealed to him that the change of script was actually at Sun Hao's behest.
Sun Hao is Yan Shan's senior fellow apprentice and also the boss of Xi He. Yan Shan can't possibly refuse to give Sun Hao face.
Even though he was unwilling, Yanshan had no choice but to agree.
*
The actual filming location was chosen indoors. Facing the messy living room after the argument, the female lead, played by Chen Fu, slumped wearily on the sofa.
Jiang Qing knelt in front of her, her face full of the cold expression of someone who had gotten into character.
Yanshan looked helpless behind the monitor.
The male protagonist's emotions at this moment should have been incredibly complex. His loyalty to his lover and his commitment to his mission tormented him, and it was this multitude of conflicting emotions that created his three-dimensional character. It was precisely these contradictions and conflicts that made the male protagonist's role more rich and compelling. However, Ye Xin didn't understand, and neither did Jiang Qing. They only pursued a superficial, cool and handsome image, completely failing to grasp the deeper meaning behind the character.
Seeing his proud work ultimately turn into a stereotypical idol drama, Yanshan felt a pang of pain in his heart.
As their eyes met by chance, Chen Fu trembled weakly, and Jiang Qing's face grew even colder.
But that expression just looks weird no matter how you look at it...
Because of this indifference, Jiang Qing was trying her best to suppress the urge to laugh.
He really should have laughed out loud at that moment.
He was incredibly lucky. He gained widespread praise from both inside and outside the industry for rescuing people from the fire. Moreover, he used public opinion manipulation to suppress his competitors.
Whether it was Jiang Qing's pretentious statement that had an effect, or Lu Yu's behind-the-scenes public relations efforts, the accounts that spread rumors about Chen Fu causing the explosion all disappeared. Netizens gradually began to attack Chen Fu's character, labeling her a "green tea bitch" and a "pretending to be weak," enough for Chen Fu to endure for quite some time.
Furthermore, after this scene airs, the significant changes to the plot and the inconsistencies in the female lead's character will inevitably cause dissatisfaction among fans of the original novel. The changed image of the female lead as weak and humble coincides with Chen Fu's current black-clad persona, which can completely solidify Chen Fu's image in the eyes of the audience.
A pair of "CP" with such a large difference in reputation will inevitably lead to a large number of CP fans turning into solo fans.
This will be very beneficial for Jiangqing's subsequent publicity and fan growth.
These thoughts filled Jiang Qing with joy, but he still tried his best to control his expression. Chen Fu, who was sitting on the sofa, leaned closer and put her arm around Jiang Qing's neck.
This is the secret signal that the female lead is about to kiss the male lead.
As expected, Chen Fu's body gradually moved closer to Jiang Qing, and the scene of the female lead kissing herself while crying would soon be recorded by countless cameras. Then this scene would be edited into various short films and appear in all entertainment apps.
With these feelings in mind, Jiang Qing eagerly put her arm around Chen Fu's waist.
It was nighttime, and the living room was dark, making it impossible for Jiang Qing to see Chen Fu's expression. The next moment, as the world spun around, Jiang Qing felt a sharp pain in her head, as if she had been hit hard.
Instead of the expected sweet fragrance, he was grabbed by the collar and slammed against the wall by Chen Fu.
The media who were filming were immediately stunned.
This plot is so exciting!
Ye Xin, amidst the crowd, abruptly threw down her script and pushed aside the stagehand blocking her way, only to be grabbed by the arm by Lu Xiaomi, who was standing next to her.
The sudden turn of events left Jiang Qing stunned. He endured the pain in his head and looked blankly toward Yanshan.
Why didn't the director call "cut"?
He tried to signal to the staff that he was injured and ask them to stop filming, but Chen Fu didn't give him the chance at all. This woman was incredibly strong; she held Jiang Qing's arm with one hand and grabbed his collar with the other. The suffocating pain made Jiang Qing want to hit her, but looking at the dozens of cameras in front of him, he immediately dismissed the idea.
He can't let his public image crumble!
Having received no response, Chen Fu lifted his chin, and when their eyes met, Jiang Qing trembled with fear.
That same expression again.
A cold indifference devoid of any emotion, like contempt, a disdain emanating from the very core of one's being, as if one's actions had already been exposed.
Jiang Qing's once-proud aura was completely drained.
With a snap of Yan Shan's voice, Chen Fu finally let go of his hand.
The cold gaze vanished instantly. Chen Fu gently supported the exhausted Jiang Qing and slowly leaned close to his ear.
"This time, it's my turn to apologize to you."
*
After filming wrapped, Lu Xiaomi left the set, instructing her assistant to ensure the video footage was properly edited.
"The media outlets you've brought in know what they should do, right?"
The assistant nodded quickly.
After struggling a few times in her arms, Lu Xiaomi placed 0413 on the glass coffee table in the lounge.
Since purchasing Dream Cards from 0413 last time, Lu Xiaomi and 0413 have become friends who have worked together to find system bugs, thus forging a revolutionary friendship based on mutual appreciation. According to 0413, 0505's card shop has added several new items, including some that Lu Xiaomi might find interesting.
Lu Xiaomi looked at 0413 with anticipation.
"What kind of amazing thing is it? Can it fly, go underground, or become invisible, walk through walls, breathe fire, or spew water?"
0413 mysteriously shook his head, and amidst Lu Xiaomi's anticipation, read out the effects of these cards.
"Buy yummy food for 0413, buy 0413 new clothes, buy 0413 a bunny doll!"
Lu Xiaomi: ...
The revolutionary friendship that the two "people" had built up in less than five minutes shattered instantly, and Lu Xiaomi started looking for a cage everywhere.
"Why buy clothes like those little vests for cats and dogs? Your fur is so long, aren't you afraid of getting heat rash?"
0413, whose tail had been grabbed, argued,
"What do you mean by cat and dog clothes? I'm talking about human clothes, like the kind you're wearing!"
"Keep dreaming."
"etc..."
Lu Xiaomi gradually realized that something was wrong.
"What do you need clothes for...?"
"Can you turn into a human?"
0413 arrogantly flicked its big tail.
"I! Always! Can!"
*
Jiang Qing sat in a chair, drinking alone.
His bad mood has lasted since the end of filming. Tonight is his wrap party. Ye Xin had advised him that he would be meeting with several investors later, and she told Jiang Qing not to look so upset.
"Don't worry, as long as we keep up the publicity efforts, this is nothing."