CSGM - Chapter 141
Chapter 141: Overnight Sensation
Ren Zhi was instantly wide awake, flipping out of bed.
Their movements were swift and decisive. In a flash, they had their clothes on.
A quick glance at each other revealed they were both perfectly dressed again.
But the fact that they were standing under the same roof plunged their shared gaze into a brief silence.
Ren Zhi: "When did they say they were coming to check the rooms?"
Chu Xi: "I'm not sure. They just said it would be soon. It should still take some time for them to get here…"
The air was slightly awkward, mixed with a sense of helplessness in the face of this dramatic reality.
Of all the nights for Ren Zhi not to return to her own room, it just had to be the one the hotel had an incident.
Was it too late to go back now?
Clearly, it was. Every hallway and elevator entrance was now guarded by hotel staff. The security was so tight that even the restroom doors were being watched. The phone call had instructed all guests to remain calm and stay in their rooms for the time being.
Once the hotel completed its initial round of checks, guests who were cleared of suspicion would naturally be allowed to come and go.
But when they were questioned, how were they going to explain why Ren Zhi, who had her own room, had spent the entire night in Chu Xi's?
Ren Zhi took a sip of water. The cool liquid soothed her dry throat from the night before as she calmly considered their options.
Before Chu Xi could even start thinking, she couldn't help but curse inwardly.
What rotten luck. Although she didn't know who was responsible for the theft of valuables, she had already cursed the thief a hundred times over.
If she had some witnesses or evidence right now, she might even be able to help the hotel solve the case.
But the problem was that both she and Ren Zhi were in the room, and the hotel had secured all the exits, preventing guests from moving around.
Chu Xi paced a few steps by the bed, then suddenly tilted her head and suggested:
"Baby, why don't you just say I drank too much and you stayed to take care of me…"
It was a cliché, conventional, and common excuse, but it was also the simplest and most effective.
She scratched her forehead and mumbled a second option.
"Or we could say you were helping me rehearse, that we were practicing the script…"
Ren Zhi glanced over at her. In the midst of her own thoughts, her mind had surprisingly calmed down.
Chu Xi shot down her own suggestion. "Forget it, that won't work. The 'luminous script' scandal is too famous."
Nowadays, if you put the keywords "late night," "room," and "rehearsing a script" together, even if you were completely innocent, people would easily get the wrong idea.
Besides, the two of them weren't exactly innocent.
Chu Xi pressed her temples, a headache forming. Ren Zhi handed her the glass of water. "Have some."
Chu Xi took a couple of sips, then turned to her with knitted brows, a hint of guilt in her expression.
This was a disaster for their secret relationship. The morning's events had caught her completely off guard.
Suddenly, an idea struck her.
"How about this? I'll hit my head and make it bleed. You can say I came back drunk last night and hit my head, and you were worried something might happen, so you stayed to look after me." Thinking of a more plausible reason, Chu Xi's tone inadvertently took on a cheerful note.
Although the wound and blood might not look like they were from last night, she could cover it with gauze, and the hotel staff wouldn't be able to tell the difference at first glance.
A self-injury ploy was a good idea. Faking an illness was useful.
Having thought of this all-purpose trick, Chu Xi was already scanning the room for a reasonable place to hit her head.
But Ren Zhi suddenly walked over, bent her middle finger back with her thumb, and flicked her hard on the forehead.
"Hiss…" Chu Xi took half a step back, rubbing her forehead.
"Baby…"
"You think that hurts, and you want to smash your head open?" Ren Zhi was so exasperated by her genius idea that she wanted to laugh.
Avoiding a scandal was important, but her health came first.
Had Chu Xi lost her mind? Such a lack of self-respect. She would not agree to it.
"I'm fine. I'm just worried it'll be hard for you to explain if people ask," Chu Xi said. "If I'm injured, it's more reasonable for you to be worried about me."
Compared to the long-term stability of their relationship, Chu Xi was willing to be tough on herself for a small bump.
But her proposal was sternly rejected, and Ren Zhi warned her:
"Don't you ever think of such a stupid idea again."
What a silly dog.
Ren Zhi thought that Chu Xi shouldn't participate in I Am the Brain King anymore. She'd be a better fit for I Am the Love-Struck King.
Who on earth would think of a self-injury ploy just to hide a secret relationship?
Ren Zhi turned around with an amused smile and patted Chu Xi's head, but her heart couldn't help but fill with tenderness.
How could she be so good?
It seemed like she was always thinking of her.
Ren Zhi looked into those sincere, troubled eyes. At that moment, it felt as if all the genuine, fervent love she had ever wanted had taken a physical form.
Chu Xi's ears had been pricked the whole time. Hearing a sound, her expression suddenly changed.
"Someone's coming. I think it's the hotel staff."
She instantly deduced, "They must be checking the floors from the bottom up. They haven't realized you're not in your room yet."
A knock sounded at the door. Chu Xi frowned slightly and asked, "Should you get it or should I?"
"Let's go together."
Ren Zhi went to open the door, and Chu Xi followed behind her, her face a mask of indifference, trying to appear calm.
At least their expressions betrayed no flaws.
It had to be said, the mental fortitude and on-the-spot adaptability of professional actors were truly impressive.
The sight of both of them appearing at the door at the same time made the hotel staff, who had come to investigate, freeze for a moment.
They knew the cast of Jade-Carving Ballad was staying at their hotel, but didn't each actor have their own room?
Why were Teacher Ren and Teacher Chu together right now? When did this happen?
After confirming that the registered guest for this room was Chu Xi, the staff member asked, a bit presumptuously but professionally:
"Teacher Ren, why are you here?"
Everyone knew Ren Zhi. There was no need to ask the extra guest in Chu Xi's room for identification. The moment they saw her face, the hotel staff recognized her.
Ren Zhi's expression didn't change as she said, "We had a cast dinner last night and had a little to drink. She wasn't feeling well, so I stayed with her."
When Chu Xi heard this, she thought, isn't that just the most cliché excuse?
But Ren Zhi delivered it with such a serious and proper demeanor that the staff couldn't press the matter further.
They simply recorded the reason, gave the room a cursory glance, and then politely took their leave.
At nine in the morning, there seemed to be a development in the case of the stolen valuables. Uninvolved guests were allowed to move about freely, and the hotel management even offered small gifts to apologize for the morning's disturbance.
During that hour or so, Ren Zhi's mood was abnormally calm.
She pulled Chu Xi in for kisses, their bodies entwined on the bed and against the wall, as if they were determined to live in the moment, to hell with the flood raging outside.
She had thought the scandal was about to take flight again. She should have been terrified, anxious, and uneasy.
Or she should have been scrambling to think of an emergency PR strategy, planning ahead to minimize the fallout.
But in reality, while trying to come up with an excuse, Ren Zhi's state of mind had been strangely free of anxiety.
Now, she actually felt a sense of relief.
Chu Xi asked her, "Baby, if this gets out, how will we explain it?"
Ren Zhi replied calmly, "Just like I said earlier. That I was taking care of you."
Chu Xi scratched the back of her head. "That seems a bit…"
A bit of a tired, unbelievable excuse.
Ren Zhi chuckled.
Chu Xi was a little puzzled. "I thought you didn't want to go public?"
Ren Zhi felt none of the tension she had imagined. Instead, she was at ease, saying calmly:
"We'll just say that. They can believe it or not. I'll handle the cast and the hotel. They won't dare to spread rumors."
It was a bit domineering, but it was true. Even if the people around them found out, they were all in the same circle and wouldn't dare to gossip recklessly.
But what wall in this world is truly airtight?
Chu Xi was trying to think from her perspective, but at this moment, she couldn't figure out what Ren Zhi was thinking. Why didn't her baby seem worried at all?
Ren Zhi pinched her cheek. "What are you looking at me for?"
Chu Xi answered honestly, "I just can never guess what you're thinking. Baby, didn't you want to avoid suspicion?"
Ren Zhi smiled. "Maybe I just suddenly realized that with so many accidents, we'll be found out sooner or later. If people want to guess now, let them."
She walked over and hugged Chu Xi from behind, clasping Chu Xi's wrists in front of her. She rested her chin on Chu Xi's shoulder and whispered softly.
"It's impossible to hide like this for a lifetime. If you don't leave me, and I don't leave you, being discovered is just a matter of time."
Nestled in Ren Zhi's embrace, Chu Xi turned her head and inhaled the fragrance of her hair. The air became exceptionally warm and enchanting.
"From now on, if you don't want to avoid suspicion, you don't have to hold back. Besides not being able to kiss me in public, you can come find me anytime." Ren Zhi's lips brushed softly against her ear.
"Baby, you're also worth me doing things I couldn't do before," Ren Zhi confessed, her heart open, right by her ear.
After deciding not to be so secretive anymore, Ren Zhi's heart was filled with an unprecedented sense of ease and sweetness.
It turned out that boldly giving love was more reassuring than cautiously seeking to be loved.
The Four Little Flowers and Jin Yuan had also been educating Chu Xi a lot about celebrity relationships recently.
For example, the reason idols were conventionally forbidden from dating was that many fans fantasized about being in a relationship with them, and idols couldn't shatter their single persona. Also, celebrities who relied on their looks should focus on their careers; dating all the time would ruin their fan affinity! And of course, there were cautionary tales from the industry about former top-tier stars who had no career ambition and faded into the background after falling in love…
Chu Xi now understood Ren Zhi's thoughts, and hearing this, she started to worry about her instead.
"Baby, baby, it's okay… Even if you don't want to go public, I don't feel wronged… I support you…"
Ren Zhi smiled lightly.
"Don't always think about me. Besides, I'm not just an idol."
"Right, right, baby, you're a talented actress too," Chu Xi nodded earnestly.
"I mean, being your girlfriend right now is pretty good too," Ren Zhi said, then leaned quietly on her shoulder.
Time flowed gently by.
As expected, gossip was one of the fastest things to travel. That afternoon, during a break on set, Wen Huixiang came over to ask Chu Xi about why Ren Zhi had spent the entire previous night in her room.
As Wen Huixiang asked, she covered her mouth and giggled.
An invisible bead of cold sweat dripped down Chu Xi's forehead. She fended off the question with the most common line: "She was just taking care of me."
Beyond that, she didn't say another word.
Meanwhile, there was one person on set who was "invited" by Ren Zhi into her dressing room for a private talk.
"I know live streaming is part of your job, but you should know what you can and cannot say. If you affect the production's reputation, the contract states what your responsibilities are."
It was the first time Ren Zhi had spoken so sternly to another actor, and she didn't mince her words.
This made Zhou Yu feel quite embarrassed, but he didn't dare to argue with her. He could only nod and bow, saying, "I understand, Sister Zhi. I'll be careful from now on!"
But after Zhou Yu left, he was completely baffled and in disbelief.
Why was Ren Zhi's attitude toward him like this?! What did it mean? Could it be that Ren Zhi and Chu Xi really had something going on?!
No way, was Chu Xi really that lucky?!
Now, whenever Zhou Yu saw Chu Xi and Ren Zhi joking around on set, another layer of jealousy was added to his heart.
He was jealous because he had fought his way up step by step, but someone as young as Chu Xi had met Ren Zhi, a powerful benefactor. If she skyrocketed to fame with Ren Zhi's help, the thought alone left a bitter taste in Zhou Yu's mouth.
He had the classic mentality of someone who "didn't want his colleagues to suffer, but really didn't want to see them driving a Land Rover."
Seeing someone else succeed so easily and smoothly was sometimes more painful than seeing his own failure.
However, while he was still worrying about whether Chu Xi would soar to fame with this one leading role, another movie she starred in, Three Kingdoms Prequel: Yellow Turban Rebellion, was released to the fervent anticipation of many netizens.
It had to be said that the director of Three Kingdoms now thought the movie's release date was absolutely perfect.
It was right within the week of the international Brain King competition. The audience's excitement from the match hadn't faded yet. Moreover, many people had heard about the competition against the Japanese team and, after watching it, developed a strong interest in seeing the movie Chu Xi starred in.
—Simply put, the movie was released at the peak of her popularity!
Filming for Jade-Carving Ballad had wrapped up smoothly. For the next period, Chu Xi returned to the Three Kingdoms crew to attend the premiere and roadshows in various cities.
On the first day of its release, the box office exceeded 50 million, with an online rating of 9.8 and overwhelmingly positive reviews.
On the second day, the box office surpassed 100 million. Countless organic fans began to spontaneously promote Three Kingdoms.
The reason was simple: this time, it was all about the work's inherent quality.
The special effects were magnificent, the script was meticulously crafted, the acting was solid, and the historical atmosphere was incredibly strong. And especially… the fit and eye-catching physiques of the characters in every frame of the movie! Swoon.
Wasn't this far more appealing than the skinny, monkey-like immortal emperors in white robes from assembly-line xianxia dramas?
On the third day, the box office shot straight to 300 million, crushing other films released at the same time. A new trend emerged on many people's social media feeds: posting photos of their Three Kingdoms ticket stubs.
This is a movie that aligns with a healthy aesthetic! Everyone go watch it!
This is the kind of physique characters in historical costume dramas should have. I'll be sad if anyone doesn't appreciate it, OK?
This is a movie that doesn't use the Three Kingdoms IP as a money-laundering tool but actually polishes the script seriously! The ticket price is worth it!
Netizens commented: 【Director, what do you mean by "Three Kingdoms Prequel"? Does that mean there's a midquel and a sequel? Don't hide it from us, release them quickly!】
After many pioneering viewers went to the theaters and reported back, affirmations and positive reviews for Three Kingdoms sprang up like mushrooms after rain on all major social media platforms.
Even though it wasn't loved by everyone like money, and there were still some criticisms, the vast majority of feedback was positive, with recommendations to see the film.
On the fourth day, theater occupancy remained as high as eighty percent, and the movie's plot was a hot topic of discussion among netizens online.
On the fifth day, Chu Xi's Weibo followers increased by five million, and her personal Super Topic's popularity surged into the top ten on the celebrity charts. For a time, her fame could be described as unparalleled.
Her makeup, acting, and her reverse-role portrayal of the male lead, plus the contrast of playing both the general and the dancer, stunned countless viewers.
One was a young, famous, hot-blooded male general fighting on the battlefield; the other was a cool, aloof, and graceful dancer hidden deep within a mansion. The switch between the two roles on her was seamless, without a hint of awkwardness.
In fact, many viewers only realized after leaving the theater and reading others' comments that the dancer and General Guan Hai were played by the same person!
Well, no wonder! They had thought this pair of siblings from a chaotic era looked quite alike. They had even praised the director for being so good at casting!
On the sixth day, Chu Xi's name continued to pop up on Weibo's hot search list from time to time.
On Weibo, Douyin, and many other forum platforms, a lot of "archaeological" content about her began to appear.
When a celebrity starts getting "dug up," it's usually a sign that they've truly made it.
On the seventh day, the movie's box office continued to defy expectations and rise, becoming a miracle for the May movie season. The total box office for Three Kingdoms surpassed 1.3 billion!
1.3 billion in seven days, and not even during the National Day or Spring Festival holidays. The director was so happy he didn't sleep for a day and a night.
Today, they were in X City for a roadshow. After getting off the plane, the director pulled Chu Xi aside.
"Xixi, my apologies, but you'll have to wait a bit. Come out later, we'll go first. Let's split up, hahahaha…"
The director had been in high spirits these past few days, his words having a mischievous, "better you than me" tone. After landing, he and the other main actors slipped out through the VIP channel, leaving Chu Xi to come out later.
—Otherwise, if they walked with Chu Xi, the path would be impassable.
Inside the airport now, the largest LED screen and several smaller ones had been bought out by fans.
They were all covered with Chu Xi's photos and promotions for her movie.
By the time Chu Xi, Jin Yuan, and a few bodyguards and airport security personnel came out, the area next to the VIP channel was quickly swamped.
The dozen or so steps Chu Xi took in the channel felt as difficult as ascending to heaven.
Hands were stuffing flowers, gift boxes, letters, and even snacks toward her… To put it less elegantly, it was like a chaotic mob of zombie hands clawing at her from all sides.
Jin Yuan, carrying a large canvas bag, followed behind her, collecting every letter she saw.
If a gift was clearly handmade, she would also accept it and put it in the bag. She did her best to stuff in other smaller items as well.
As for flowers, if they were pretty and easy to hold, she could tuck one under her arm, but that was all she could manage.
Food was a no-go, unless Xixi accepted it herself.
As Jin Yuan walked, she accepted things and said, "Thank you, thank you, thank you… Thank you all… I'm sorry, this really won't fit… Apologies, see you next time~"
Having been a fan herself, she understood these fans' feelings better than anyone.
They traveled from afar, waited anxiously, got pushed and shoved, all just to see their idol for a moment, say a few words to her, and if they were lucky, have a gift accepted. That alone could make them happy for a long time.
At the same time, Jin Yuan thought with relief: Xixi, you've really made it.
Accompanying her on trips these past two days, Jin Yuan's biggest worry was that her bag wasn't sturdy enough.
Chu Xi turned her head and asked, "Xiao Yuan, are you tired?"
She thought Jin Yuan looked like a little turtle carrying that canvas bag.
Jin Yuan was tired but happy, shaking her head. A bodyguard nearby saw this and reached over to help support the bag on her shoulder.
Chu Xi spoke to the circle of fans outside:
"Don't push, don't shout. Quiet down, and I'll take a photo with you all in a bit."
Sure enough, the airport environment instantly became quiet and orderly, and Chu Xi kept her promise, taking a group photo with the fans who had come to meet her.
One fan was holding a workbook, waving it at the edge of the crowd for a long time. Just as Chu Xi was about to get in the car, she heard the fan muttering, "I don't know how to do it…"
Unable to ignore it, Chu Xi stopped, walked through the crowd, and took the math workbook from her.
"This? You can't even do this?" Chu Xi frowned. Wasn't this a very simple problem?
She glanced sideways and saw the girl who handed her the book gazing at her with a doting, infatuated smile.
Chu Xi chuckled and wrote out the solution steps for her.
The girl whined, "Xixi, can you sign it for me too?"
Chu Xi flipped through the first few pages of the workbook and saw they were filled with completed problems and red checkmarks. She immediately knew what the girl was up to.
Her intentions were clearly elsewhere. This wasn't about not knowing how to solve a problem; it was about getting an autograph.
She smiled, signed her name on the first page of the workbook next to the girl's name, then handed it back with a laugh.
"You're full of tricks. Take it. Keep up the good work with your studies."
After taking the car to the roadshow venue, the sounds of people calling Chu Xi's name rose and fell, all screams of delighted surprise.
"Wifey Chu Xi!!!"
"Hubby Xixi!!!"
"Baby Chu Xi!!!"
"Mommy!!!"
After so many roadshows, Chu Xi had heard every possible title and no longer knew what she was in her fans' eyes.
Let them call her whatever they liked.
Now that there were more Milkshakes, many Golden Milkshakes—fans who spent a lot of money—had appeared among them.
Outside every roadshow theater, there would inevitably be a large area of temporary support stations and parked support vans.
In addition, personal support LED screens for Chu Xi had appeared in subway stations in many cities, displaying her beautiful photos for all passersby to see.
—All paid for by the Golden Milkshakes.
Overnight, Chu Xi's public appearances now required dozens of on-site security personnel and professional bodyguards to clear a path.
The agency immediately upgraded her to a high-end nanny van, and all her benefits were suddenly elevated. Meetings were held one after another, bringing up last year's topic again—it was decided that Chu Xi must be one of the main artists they promoted this year!
On the tenth day of the movie's release, her previously unremarkable and unnoticed agent, Yu Yixue, now had people trying to curry favor with her.
And it was all because of that one movie she had strongly advised Chu Xi against—Three Kingdoms—that Chu Xi had ascended.
Such heaven-sent fortune as becoming an overnight sensation had actually fallen upon an artist she managed.
Looking at the pile of acting offers and business invitations she had received over the past few days, and the sudden, eager greetings on WeChat from friends she hadn't contacted in a long time, Yu Yixue felt incredibly fortunate. Thank goodness Chu Xi had been a wild horse back then.
Comments
Post a Comment