Top Chinese celebrity: Debuted from Running Man

Chapter 321 Reed Sister: So your name is Deng Chao? (5.1k)
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On August 5th, the film adaptation of "The Lost Tomb," starring Lu Han, premiered in theaters nationwide.

Outside the movie theater, a large crowd had already gathered.

The "Reed Sisters" demonstrated amazing organizational and purchasing power, with pre-sale tickets exceeding 100 million yuan, almost filling all the screenings on the opening day.

They weren't just there to watch the movie; it was more like they were carrying a "battle" flag, entering the theater with a fighting spirit to vindicate their idols.

A week before its release, the film's publicity campaign was already in full swing.

The editing used clips to hype up the "brotherly relationship" between Lu Han and Jing Boran in order to attract female fans of the original novel, and emphasized the luxurious lineup by raising the banner of "two top stars".

However, the most contentious event was the premiere the day before yesterday.

Reporters aimed their cameras and microphones at Lu Han, asking highly targeted questions: "Lu, what are your box office expectations for this movie?"

"As for box office revenue, the more the better," Lu Han replied with a standard, businesslike smile.

"Are you confident that you can surpass Gu Qing's 'The Left Ear' with its 9.3 million yuan box office?"

The reporter pressed on, dropping the bombshell: "Many people now believe that Gu Qing is the real number one among the four top celebrities, and that you can no longer compare to him. Do you admit that you are number two?"

"I am not the second child."

Lu Han's smile faded noticeably, and his tone took on a hint of sharpness, "As for whether the box office results can surpass 'The Left Ear,' let's wait and see."

He's been unhappy for a long time.

Ever since he joined Running Man, he's been constantly criticized and told he's not as good as Gu Qing.

Even the most good-tempered person would get angry eventually.

Not to mention, Lu Han's temper has never been considered good.

"Haha, we've got a job!"

The reporters' eyes gleamed with excitement; they loved this kind of heated, explosive competition.

Is Lu Han dissatisfied with Gu Qing's status?

Is Lu Han openly challenging Gu Qing's box office reign?
The battle for the top spot on the popularity charts has reached a fever pitch!
The headlines for the marketing accounts that night were already forming rapidly in their minds.

The other main actors were also not spared.

The reporter then turned to Ma Sichun: "Sichun, do you agree with what Lu Han said?"

Do you think he has a chance to surpass Gu Qing in this movie?

Also, do you think "The Lost Tomb" will surpass the box office of your previous film, "The Left Ear"?

When filming, did you find it easier to work with Lu Han than with Gu Qing?

A barrage of questions left Ma Sichun feeling dizzy and disoriented. For the first time, she deeply regretted taking on too many roles.

Having just extricated herself from the promotion of "July and Ansheng," she was now caught in the vortex of Gu Qing and Lu Han's affair, and she simply wanted to find a crack in the ground to crawl into.

"I...I...I don't know."

She chose to play dumb, knowing that with her aunt backing her up, she didn't need to worry about being targeted.

But deep down, she undoubtedly sided with Gu Qing.

It wasn't that I particularly liked Gu Qing, but rather that during the recent filming of Running Man, she wore pink pajamas while doing a task, and Lu Han remarked, "Only my mom would wear pajamas like that."

This made her face turn as black as the bottom of a pot on the spot. Afterwards, she went to Gu Qing and complained bitterly, scolding him for being "tasteless" and declaring, "You are the real top star in my heart!"

Of course, she would never dare to say such a thing in front of the media.

The reporter then found Jing Boran: "Hello, Xiao Jing."

With a professional smile on his face, Jing Boran was preparing to evade Gu Qing and Lu Han's questions.

The reporter then asked a surprising question: "Do you consider yourself a top influencer?"

Jing Boran: "..."

His smile froze instantly, and his brain seemed to shut down.

What the hell kind of question is that?!

Jing Boran memorized the reporter's face; he'd make sure the company blacklisted that bastard when he got back!

He took a deep breath, suppressing his surging anger, and with a touch of offended pride, said decisively, "I think I am!"

His movie "Monster Hunt" grossed 24 billion yuan!
Are all of you so-called top stars enough for me to beat?
Gu Qing? Lu Han? Chris Wu?

Li Yifeng is such a scumbag who can't even get into the film industry?
He was replaced, and now people are questioning whether he's even qualified?!
Jing Boran was burning with anger.

This highly charged premiere generated a lot of buzz.

Lu Han's team clearly wanted to take this opportunity to make a successful comeback and wash away the label that he was "not as entertaining as Gu Qing" on Running Man.

The person in question was holding their breath, and the fans were even more determined, which led to the packed theaters today.

Inside the theater, however, the atmosphere was quite peculiar.

The male audience member, who was dragged there by his girlfriend, looked bewildered at the fans holding up support signs and excitedly taking photos. He thought to himself: Is it really necessary to be this dramatic just to watch a movie? I just hope they don't scream and disrupt the viewing experience.

However, expectations were quickly dashed.

Shortly after the movie started, they were the first to swear: "Holy crap, what the hell is this?!"

The sound was particularly jarring in the quiet theater.

This immediately drew angry glares from the reed-like women: "Don't you have any manners when watching a movie? Can't you keep quiet?"

"Sorry, sorry."

The male audience member awkwardly apologized, but inwardly he was cursing: "Damn it, they started the show with an arrow?!"
They watched the plot unfold on the screen:

A down-on-his-luck writer, seeking material for his writing, visits an antique shop owner named 'Wu Xie'!

Holy crap, is this author some kind of Third Uncle?!

Wu Xie was preparing to leave the city, and before he left...
Wu Xie told the writer about his strange family history of tomb raiding and recounted the bizarre events he experienced during his first adventure with his family.

That time, their family accidentally acquired a special bronze artifact, and by tracing its origins, they found the ancient Snake Mother Kingdom buried in the Western Regions.

They recruited a group of tomb raiders to explore the ancient city ruins. They entered the Snake Mother's Tomb located beneath the ancient city and discovered the truth behind the ancient Elephant King and the Snake Mother's quest for immortality...

In Wu Xie's narration, scenes of tomb raiding from many years ago were captured on video.

Almost every theater was filled with fans of the original novel who came to see it. You can imagine how devastated they were when they saw this scene.

They thought Li Yifeng's version of Tomb Raider Chronicles was bad enough!

I never expected there to be such an expert!!
This isn't just bad, it's a complete mess of a dissertation defense!
Especially when the dark-skinned Zhang Qiling and the sallow-skinned Wu Xie appear in the same shot, and the two of them exchange a bromantic glance.

Compared to the screaming Reed Sisters around them, they just wanted to escape the scene.

Sorry, Feng Ge, you're the ultimate star!
Sorry Yang Zi, you are the chosen one, Zhang Qiling!

I hate you, Gu Qing! Why haven't you killed Lu Han yet?!
Some fans of the original work left halfway through due to physical discomfort. The remaining "warriors" persevered with a tragic mentality of "let's see how bad it can get."

The two hours of torment were comparable to the "Don't Laugh Challenge," until Lu Han, playing Wu Xie, led everyone in a square dance in the cemetery...

They finally laughed, and they cried.

The comedic effect of the entire movie is even less than that of the two blatant and glaring product placements.

As the end credits rolled, the surviving viewers rushed to the restrooms, simultaneously pulling out their phones to type out reviews: Warning! An epic disaster! Absolutely avoid this movie!

However, these negative reviews seemed to disappear without a trace, either being deleted or attacked by the "Reed Sisters":

"Were they hired by Gu Qing as online trolls?"

"Malicious attempts to stir up trouble!"

May all of Blackie's family die!

"I'm a fan of the original novel, and I think the adaptation is pretty good!"

"As a complete passerby, I think it's pretty good; the special effects are really cool."

In the first week of a top-tier new film's release, fans' fighting spirit is always at its peak, and any "rational and objective" voices will be ruthlessly drowned out.

The "Reed Sisters" (a term referring to female fans of Reeds) single-handedly boosted the box office with their formidable strength and wallets:

First four hours of preview screenings: 3863.4 million yuan
First-day total box office: 2 million yuan
Total revenue over the first three days: 4.75 million yuan
On the night of Qixi Festival (Chinese Valentine's Day), the film grossed 1.37 million yuan (breaking the record for the highest-grossing film on Qixi Festival).

Cumulative total as of August 9: 6.76 million yuan!

The industry was in an uproar, witnessing the terrifying money-making ability of popular celebrities.

Despite its terrible plot and drastically altered special effects, it still managed to rake in nearly 7 million yuan in just a few days, all thanks to a top-tier celebrity!
This stands in stark contrast to those films that invest heavily, hire veteran actors and famous directors, yet only reap two or three hundred million yuan in box office revenue.

Capital's attention instantly focused on this – the golden age of exorbitant salaries for popular celebrities has truly arrived!

The fan group was filled with jubilation:
"Sisters, give it your all! We're about to crush that bastard!"

"Six hundred million in four days! Can Gu Gou really do that? Do his poor Gu family members even have that kind of money?"

"Haha! Let me show you what a real top star is!"

The reed sisters went wild.

The company paid media outlets to broadcast daily reports stating that "Lu Han is only XX billion away from surpassing Gu Qing's 'The Left Ear' at 9.3 million yuan in box office revenue."
This gave them a huge boost of energy. They didn't care about their empty wallets and shouted: "Charge!" That's it!

Amidst the revelry, a hint of dissatisfaction began to creep in: "Why didn't those members of the Running Man cast come to support Xiao Lu's movie?" "Do they only have eyes for Gu Qing?"

"How disgusting! The show ostracized my Xiao Lu, saying he wasn't effective. How could that possibly be effective?"

"Bullying! This is bullying!"

Enraged, the Reed Sisters launched a furious attack on the comment sections of Deng Chao, Chen Chichi, and others' blogs.

The amusement generated by this operation was immense.

The Running Man fans, who already missed Gu Qing, launched an angry counterattack, but they were no match for Lu Wei.

Even if Deng Chao and his group were tied together, they couldn't withstand this terrifying torrent of fans.

On the night he was scolded,
"I got swept away?"

Late at night, Deng Chao tossed and turned in bed, tossing and turning like a pancake.

He had just irritably pulled the covers over his head when he suddenly threw them back on, staring at the ceiling and muttering to himself, "Was I washed away?"

"No, they're sick in the head!"

"Why? Tell me why?!"

Deng Chao’s voice was full of disbelief; he simply couldn’t understand why he was being scolded.

"Why are you acting crazy, staying up so late at night?"

The empress, who had been woken up by the noise, was still sleepy and annoyed. She grabbed a pillow and threw it at Deng Chao.

"I was attacked! I was scolded!" Deng Chao suddenly sat up, his voice filled with a sense of collapse and grievance, seeking comfort from the Empress.

He could even swear on his own conscience—during the entire period Lu Han participated in the recording of Running Man,
He was absolutely dedicated, acting as both father and mother, and going to great lengths to help the other party achieve the best program results.

And now?
He was actually attacked by Lu Han's fans?

And you even said he was a bully?
Old Deng is now completely sleepless.

He got up irritably, slipped on his slippers, and ran to the balcony to light a cigarette.

But he wasn't the only one suffering from insomnia.

"Drip drip..."

Just as Deng Chao picked up his phone, the screen reflecting the light of his weathered face, preparing to harass Chen Chichi—

Unexpectedly, Chen Chichi called first.

"Hello? Old Deng?"

Chen Chichi's voice, sounding equally dejected, came from the other end of the phone, "I...I was scolded by Xiao Lu's fans."

"What a coincidence,"

Deng Chao exhaled a smoke ring and gave a wry smile, "I got scolded too."

"You...?" Chen Chichi was clearly taken aback.

"Hahaha--"

The next second, the two unfortunate brothers seemed to have found common ground and started laughing nervously into the phone. Knowing that the other had also suffered, their frustration was inexplicably relieved.

The two started having a long, bitter conversation over the phone.

"Is it really necessary? I just didn't attend his movie premiere, and they're already attacking me with my fans?"

Chen Chichi's voice was filled with helplessness and confusion.

“It’s not that we don’t want to go, but the question is, can we even go?” Deng Chao frowned, tapping his fingers impatiently on the railing.

"Can't you put yourself in our shoes? If we go, what will Xiao Gu's fans think!"

"Sigh, this is too much to bear," Chen Chichi sighed. "How can these fans say such hurtful things!"

Two middle-aged men poured out their frustrations late at night, and in the end, they both sighed in unison, "It was better when Xiao Gu was around."

At 2 a.m., the balcony was filled with smoke.

After discussing it, the two decided that they couldn't be the only ones unable to sleep, so they decided to call and bother Gu Qing.

Meanwhile, on the film set.

Gu Qing, who was constantly hit hard and then studied diligently, was exhausted.

Having finally finished filming, I dragged my weary body back to my room to wash up, and as soon as my head hit the pillow, my consciousness was just beginning to drift off to sleep—

"Buzz buzz buzz..." The piercing vibration of the phone abruptly pulled him back to reality.

He struggled to reach for his phone, and groggily saw two familiar names flashing on the screen—Deng Chao & Chen Chichi.

A surge of anger welled up, but was quickly suppressed by helplessness.

He swiped to answer the call, opened the video, and his voice was heavy with sleepiness and hoarseness, utterly dejected: "Hey...why are you calling me so late? You two?"

"Can't I miss you?" Deng Chao's voice came through the receiver, grinning.

"Turn on the light quickly, it's so dark I can't even see you," Chen Chichi chimed in from the side.

"I'm not going to... I'm tired." Gu Qing buried her face in the pillow, her voice muffled and filled with weariness.

Immediately, Deng Chao and Chen Chichi recounted the incident and reasons for being scolded, one after the other.

In the dim light of the phone screen, Gu Qing listened for a few seconds, remained silent, and then spoke softly, "Brother Chao, Brother Chichi, you should pick a time to go."

After all, you've been filming almost a whole season, and you've spent a lot of time together, so don't worry about me being jealous, I won't."

He was well aware of Deng Chao and his group's concerns and difficulties.

'Sigh, Xiao Gu…'

These kind words, like a warm current, instantly soothed Deng Chao and Chen Chichi's depressed mood after being scolded.

After chatting for a few more minutes, Deng Chao and Chen Chihe felt embarrassed to disturb Gu Qing's rest any longer and quickly hung up the phone.

Before Deng Chao and the others could book tickets, their company had already arranged the itinerary in advance.

at the same time,

At the first sign of the incident, Lu Han's team was terrified and immediately asked Lu Han to apologize privately and issue a statement: "The Running Man cast are great seniors and friends. There was no exclusion. Please be rational."

However, fans caught up in the hype don't think things through calmly. Lu Han's "grievance" statement only made them feel more sorry for him and more convinced that their idol was being bullied!
In just two days, the criticism did not subside, and Deng Chao and others' blogs were completely overrun.

Faced with such pressure, "surrender" became the only option.

Huayi's top management personally intervened, proactively buying tickets and mandating that the artists attend.

Thus, during one of the promotional events for "The Grave Robbers' Chronicles," a magical scene unfolded:
Deng Chao, Yang Ying, Zheng Kai, and Chen Chichi, as artists under Huayi Brothers Media Corporation, made a collective appearance, embracing and interacting warmly with Lu Han, and smiling broadly at the camera to offer their blessings: "Wishing 'The Lost Tomb' a box office hit!"

However, Lu Han's smile during the hug was so awkward it almost cracked open.

He's completely innocent!
With the surge of interest from this "official certification" and the company's efforts to guide public opinion, public opinion has been temporarily brought back on track.

The reed sisters happily went to "apologize" again: "We misunderstood you, brothers and sisters. Thank you for taking care of Xiao Lu."

"We are a family!"

"hehe…"

For fans of the Running Man cast, this statement only feels ironic.

……

however,
The Reed Sisters' happiness was short-lived; the real "judgment" was about to begin.

The Movie Channel (Six Princesses) has made its move!

In a professional film review program, several veteran film critics were invited to criticize the film adaptation of "The Lost Tomb" without reservation, saying, "The film's drastic changes to the original novel are a disaster!"

"The plot is illogical, the special effects are cheap, and the acting is exaggerated. It's an absolute rubbish!"

"Traffic isn't everything; what audiences need are works of sincerity!"

The reed sisters were dumbfounded.

They may be reckless, but they're not stupid!

Is she aiming for the sixth princess?

They wouldn't dare even if they had a hundred lives!

Once the sixth princess raised her banner, film critics, content creators, and ordinary viewers who had long suffered for "The Lost Tomb" seemed to receive a command and all rallied together!

Terrible movie! Boycott internet traffic!
Negative reviews flooded in like a tidal wave, and could no longer be drowned out by comment control.

When bystanders realized the truth, they all stopped themselves from buying anything and clutched their wallets tightly.

The box office growth of "The Lost Tomb" plummeted as if it had been choked.

The Reed Sisters were anxious. They were about to surpass Gu Qing's record, how could they let it all fall apart at the last minute?
The fans in the group cheered again, urging them to "give it another shot!"
Some people scrimped and saved, some borrowed money from all over the place, and some even took the opportunity to advance their next month's salary... all for boosting box office revenue.

After tireless "efforts," the final results of the Tomb Raider movie are as follows:
Douban rating: 4.8
Cumulative box office: 10.03 billion!
Achievement: Set a new single-day box office record for the Qixi Festival (1.37 million yuan).
Topped the 2016 summer box office charts
It ranked ninth in the 2016 Chinese mainland film box office chart and fifth in the Chinese-language film box office chart!
Looking at this "glorious" achievement built with real money, the Reed Sisters smiled wearily but proudly.

Their "Little Lu" won!
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(End of this chapter)