Top Chinese celebrity: Debuted from Running Man

Chapter 246 Siblings Resurrected 2.0? (Bonus Chapter 4k)
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—A fashion brand's press conference

Inside the dressing room,

Under the cold light of the mirror, Yang Ying stared at herself in the mirror, her exquisite makeup unable to conceal the gloom between her brows.

The assistant beside him carefully packed his things, not daring to make a sound.

Having just finished a brand event, a moment that should have been glamorous, Yang Ying's mood plummeted.

There is only one reason: "Song in the Clouds".

This drama had such a stellar start! It became an instant hit upon its premiere, dominating the trending topics, with her name hovering at the top, seemingly cementing her status as the "national goddess."

The two seasons of Running Man have given her an astonishing number of fans, with titles like "Goddess of Natural Beauty" and "Most Beautiful Baby" flying around.

However, this false prosperity was like a bubble, bursting at the slightest touch.

Less than three more days to go before it airs.
The show's reputation plummeted, like a train plunging off a cliff.

The viewership ratings followed suit, plummeting precipitously.

The face in the mirror, praised by countless people as a "divine face," now seemed somewhat glaring to Yang Ying.

She swiped her phone screen irritably, her fingertips almost poking through it.

On the trending topics list, the entries related to her are no longer praising her, but rather filled with venomous mockery and blatant criticism:

#The cutout in "Song in the Clouds" is too outrageous#
Clicking on it reveals a GIF of her galloping on horseback, the background blurred like a cheap sticker, completely out of place with the figure in the foreground.

"Is this green screen technique kindergarten level? The background is more expressive than her acting!"

"Goddess of natural beauty? She truly deserves the title of Goddess of Green Screen! Did the production team spend all their money on her salary?"

The comments below were full of passersby mocking them.

#YangYingActingDisaster# The following is an even more extreme critique, a compilation of clips of her staring, pursing her lips, and stiff expressions.

"What can she do besides glare? A wooden beauty!"

"Emotions? They don't exist. Her acting is flatter than the walls of this dressing room."

"Please, please, leave ancient costume idols alone!"

"Turning a perfectly good political intrigue into a naive and sweet Mary Sue story, the screenwriter should be punished."

"The female lead has been completely altered; only her face is recognizable (and it might even be photoshopped)!"

Fans of the original work are also extremely dissatisfied.

What infuriated Yang Ying even more was that someone had deliberately pulled out screenshots of her and the maid in the drama for comparison, with the caption stating:

"Shocking! The female lead's beauty is overshadowed by the maid? Is Yang Ying serious about this?"

A chorus of agreement followed: "I must say, this maid is quite lively, much more natural than the female lead."

"Yang Ying's face... the difference between the retouched photos and her appearance in the drama is too big, she looks a bit old."

"The filter is shattered, and the girl next to her is more energetic than her!"

The more I look at it, the angrier I get.

Yang Ying slammed her phone down on the dressing table with a loud "smack," startling her assistant.

"These marketing accounts are obviously my rivals trying to smear me! They're just jealous of my good resources and popularity!"

She gritted her teeth, her chest heaving violently.

In her opinion, this is by no means a problem with the drama itself, nor is it a problem with her acting skills.

This is the blatant "anti-explosion" tactic used in the entertainment industry!
In the entertainment industry, there is virtually no friendship between same-sex celebrities, especially those with a small age gap. There may be superficial brothers (or best friends), but many will stab each other in the back.

What wouldn't they do to grab resources and traffic?
These news reports expose countless examples of on-screen couples and celebrity lovers who smile at each other on the surface but secretly slander each other.

Her precious daughter is just too popular and has become the target of everyone's criticism!

"Hmph, a bunch of scoundrels!"

Yang Ying grew angrier the more she cursed, but her voice unconsciously weakened.

Wait, did she just... insult herself too?

CP, on-screen couple...

A fleeting sense of guilt crossed her mind, but it was immediately overwhelmed by an even stronger feeling of grievance and anger.

She needs support right now, she needs someone to help her sort out these upsetting things!

Yang Ying picked up her phone and dialed that familiar number without hesitation.

"Hey, baby?" came Huang Xiaoming's voice.

"Xiaoming!" Yang Ying's voice was choked with tears, she was so aggrieved, "They're all attacking me! Have you seen those trending topics? They're saying such awful things, you have to find a way to get them removed!"

After a few seconds of silence on the other end of the phone, Huang Xiaoming's slightly embarrassed and troubled voice came through: "Baby, is it too fast to retreat now?"

Look, it's only been airing for a short time, and everyone's talking about it a lot. If we forcefully pull it off now, it will make us seem guilty, and the backlash might be even stronger.

Or... should we wait and see? Wait until this hype subsides a bit?

"Wait a little longer?!" Yang Ying's voice suddenly rose, filled with dissatisfaction and disbelief. "If we wait any longer, they'll trample my reputation into the mud!"

Look at those comments! What are they saying about me? 'Green screen goddess,' 'Acting disaster,' and some even say I'm not as pretty as a maid! How can I tolerate this?'"

"I……"

Huang Xiaoming was speechless for a moment. Of course he had seen it, and it was precisely because he had seen it that he found the situation even more troublesome.

The show is truly awful, and my own child's acting was completely overshadowed, making her the most jarring character.

But he couldn't say it directly; that would be too hurtful.

A more practical issue is that this drama is an important project for Huayi Brothers, and it features many of their own artists.

Now that the show's reputation has collapsed, is he spending money to remove Yang Ying's negative trending topics?
Not only is it a drop in the ocean, but it will also cause dissatisfaction among other partners and artists—why only protect her?

Are you going to shift the blame to other people in the company?
That won't do either; if they fight amongst themselves, Huayi will fall into chaos first.

Moreover, times have truly changed.

With popularity reigning supreme, the fees and revenue generated by those young heartthrobs for a single film far exceed those of veteran artists like him who diligently make movies.

Capital is flowing into traffic, and although Huang Xiaoming still holds a position, his voice in the "traffic monetization" are no longer what it used to be.

Not to mention his own situation.

Since the incident of forcibly breaking up the "sibling couple," his public image has plummeted.

The female fan viewed him as an enemy, calling him a "vampire" and a "manipulator"; Gu Qing's fans also relentlessly mocked him, calling him a "washed-up uncle" and a "greasy domineering CEO."

This put him in a difficult position, both internally and externally, and greatly reduced his influence.

“Baby, listen to me,” Huang Xiaoming could only try to persuade her earnestly, analyzing the pros and cons, “Removing the trending topic now is too costly, and the effect may not be good.”

"Why don't we think of other ways, such as having the production team issue a statement, or promoting more positive energy in subsequent publicity..." "Okay..." Yang Ying said stubbornly, but her expression was utterly disappointed.

What she wanted was not analysis and advice, but the ability to solve the problem immediately.

She knew the true nature of this relationship better than anyone else.

One is driven by vanity and the companionship that comes with youth and beauty.
One is greedy for the shortcuts that come from the other's power and resources within the circle.

Now, this shortcut seems to be blocked. If the other party can't even solve this little "trouble," what can we expect from them to "share weal and woe"?
She gave a perfunctory reply, then hung up the phone in annoyance, conveniently blocking the several WeChat messages that Huang Xiaoming sent afterward, which were attempts to appease and explain.

With her exquisitely manicured nails poking at her phone screen in frustration, she looked at the trending topics that hung high and were incredibly glaring, feeling a surge of anger with nowhere to vent.

Just at this moment,

A new trending topic, like a pebble thrown into stagnant water, quietly climbed to ninth place on the trending list:

Shocking! # [Is the sibling couple back together?]

When Gu Qing was asked about "Song in the Clouds" at the airport, his reaction was intriguing, and he refused to answer!

Yang Ying's heart skipped a beat, and her fingers trembled uncontrollably as she tapped the button.

A face even more handsome than I remembered came into view.
The video playback screen,
At the airport, Gu Qing was suddenly asked by a reporter, "Have you been following Baby's new drama 'Song in the Clouds'?"

Gu Qing was clearly stunned for a moment, her eyes showing a fleeting look of surprise, before she quickly left under the escort of her assistant.

This scene was successfully trending on social media again by the fans of the "Lonely Ghosts" couple.

This clip was repeatedly analyzed by "microscope girls," and with the addition of sentimental text and slow-motion effects, it successfully ignited the long-dormant fans of the "sister-brother CP."

The comment section under the trending topic instantly became a paradise for CP fans:

"Aaaaaah, I'm crying! It's 2016! And my favorite couple still has new sweet moments?!"

“My brother definitely saw it! His expression clearly showed bewilderment, like ‘Why did you suddenly ask this?’ He panicked! He felt guilty!”

"Sobbing, my family is moved to tears! The reporter is an angel! This question really touched my heart!"

Micro-expression analysis is here!

Gu Qing's pupils contracted slightly for 0.5 seconds, a typical reaction of surprise and avoidance, indicating that the question had touched upon a sensitive topic he didn't want to or dared not address! He definitely still had feelings for Baby!

Each seemingly serious analysis and each genuinely tearful expression, like magical threads, instantly entangled Yang Ying's heart.

Seeing these comments, Yang Ying couldn't help but believe them.

"Qingqing... he really has been secretly watching me?"

The thought popped into my head uncontrollably, carrying a hint of joyful anticipation.

Those memories from the two seasons of Running Man, which had been deliberately buried, surged back like a tidal wave.

In the sunlight, his youthful and handsome smile, the perfect teamwork in the game, and the occasional, slightly coquettish "Baby Sister" he calls out in private...

Every image became incredibly clear and precious.

Regret and bitterness clung tightly to Yang Yingxin like vines.

If... if back then, when Gu Qing was being attacked online, called a "vampire," and accused of "riding the coattails" of others' fame,
She was able to stand up immediately, even if it was just to offer a vague word of support.

Would their relationship have ended up like this, like strangers?

Once the thought arises, it can never be suppressed.

Yang Ying bit her lower lip lightly, and almost without hesitation, her fingers flew across the keyboard as she sent a message to her agent:
"Buy up that #BrotherBrotherCPRevival# trending topic! Get it to number one!"

The power of capital is swift.

Soon, "#SiblingCPResurrected#" strongly topped the trending search list, followed by a bright red "Explosive" word.

The heat was like boiling oil, instantly igniting the entire fandom battlefield:

Seeing this trending topic,

Gu Qing's die-hard fans are the most furious. How come he's like a piece of chewing gum that they can't shake off?
"Are you crazy?! My brother didn't even know what he was talking about! His expression was clearly one of utter confusion, like, 'What the hell? I've never heard of this!'"

"Have some shame, female fans! Stop trying to piggyback on her success! The show flopped, so you're trying to drag your former colleague down with you?"

"'Resurrect' my foot! It was completely destroyed eight hundred years ago! Can't someone just walk independently?"

The Gu family members tried their best to distance themselves from the situation.

"Hilarious! Who was the one who started out by being a CP (couple pairing)? Without the popularity of us 'siblings,' would your master be where he is today? Now that he's famous, he turns his back on us. He's the number one person who kicks away the ladder after crossing the river!"

"Who are you accusing us of piggybacking on Baby's fame? Back in the Running Man days, who was trying to get close to Baby and create a huge buzz? Now what are you pretending to be, acting all high and mighty like a white lotus!"

"Exactly! He keeps saying he won't create any on-screen couple moments, but then he's all flirting with that Liu Shishi in their new drama, isn't he? What a hypocrite!"

Yang Ying's fans responded sharply.

and,

As the battlefield expanded, the spearhead pointed directly at Liu Shishi:

"What is that Liu Shishi? She's bland-looking, has a perpetually bitter face, and her style is so tacky it's unbecoming of her to carry Baby's shoes!"

"Exactly! Look at Baby's look in 'Song in the Clouds'! She's as beautiful as an angel! Liu Shishi's candid photos and bare face can't compare at all. Baby completely outshines her in terms of looks!"

"This 'The Imperial Doctress' is definitely trying to copy the CP! Just look at Liu Shishi's appearance, she has no CP chemistry at all. She's forcing herself on Gu Qing. How can she be even one percent as compatible as our 'siblings' back then?"

In the eyes of die-hard CP fans, there is no room for any celebrity other than the main couple.

The once most powerful "sister-brother CP" fans in the Chinese entertainment industry, the now fiercely protective Gu Qingwei fans, and Yang Ying's fans who are eager to defend their idols—all these elements combine to create a powerful and dynamic fanbase.
The three parties (and even more bystanders and Liu Shishi's fans were drawn into a chaotic battle under the trending topic) engaged in a fierce fight.

Various old grievances, screenshot comparisons, personal attacks, and witty remarks are flying everywhere.

The intensity and topicality of the online feud instantly overshadowed previous criticisms of the quality of the "Song in the Clouds" series itself.

Things like "green screen effects," "bad acting," and "drastic alterations" are being used to describe the situation.
Amidst headlines such as "Top-Tier Couple Suspected of Resurrection," "Former Partners' Fans Clashing," and "Comparison of New Drama's Female Lead's Looks,"...

These topics, which are more exciting and gossipy, seem rather dull in comparison.

All eyes were drawn to this sudden, explosive, and dramatic fan war.

After a long day of filming, Liu Shishi, her back aching, returned to her room, turned on her phone, and prepared to tease Gu Qing for a while, as usual.
But without realizing it, I glanced at the trending topics.

Suddenly, I felt like the sky had fallen!

"Who did I offend?!"

Liu Shishi's fair face flushed red with anger, and her fists clenched tightly.

Upon discovering that he was being mocked by Yang Ying's fans and criticized by CP fans, he instantly flew into a rage.

A person as serene and unassuming as a chrysanthemum?

That describes my face, not my temper!
She angrily opened her blog, carefully searched through her photo library, found what she considered her best makeup-free selfie, and immediately posted it with the caption:
"I look pretty even without makeup."

I'm going to explode!

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(End of this chapter)