Top Chinese celebrity: Debuted from Running Man

Chapter 393 The Deterrent Power of Box Office Poison (6.5k)
……

……

"Li Binbin?!"

"Zhou Xun?!"

When Li Bingbing and Zhou Xun learned from their respective artists Zhou Ye and Zhang Jingyi that they had arrived too late.

The two veteran actresses, who had been in the entertainment industry for many years, almost simultaneously cursed each other in their hearts, thinking, "Why is the other person haunting me?" and "Why are you getting involved?"

however,
On the other end of the phone, their faces instantly lit up with flawless smiles, tinged with a hint of delight, as they spoke in lighthearted tones:
“Great! I haven’t seen her in a long time either, this is a good opportunity to get together.”

"No problem, just let me know once you've booked the place, and I'll be there on time."

Their competition, within the top-tier female star circle of "Four Dan and Two Bing," is far from being a life-or-death struggle.

It's mostly a healthy (and sometimes not so healthy) competition for resources, awards, and exposure, with at most some minor frictions and undercurrents from the past.

At their level and age, they have long since mastered the art of maintaining a superficial smile and politeness when meeting someone; it is a basic professional quality.

The only female celebrity who could truly unite the "Four Dan Actresses" and Xiao Bing in public, making no attempt to hide their coldness or even disgust, and collectively target each other.

Looking at the Chinese entertainment industry, perhaps only "Da Bingbing" (Fan Bingbing), who is always surrounded by both controversy and trending topics, stands out.

After the specific time and location of the upscale restaurant were communicated and finalized by the two young artists,

"Senior Gu Qing, shall I come find you after school, and we can go together?"

Zhou Ye gave Gu Qing a sweet smile, his long eyelashes fluttering, looking both obedient and expectant.

Then, she gave Zhang Jingyi a polite nod and prepared to wave goodbye.

"Wait a minute, Zhou."

Gu Qing called out to her.

"After school, just go straight to the cafeteria. You don't need to come looking for me again. I need to go back to my dorm."

"Huh?...Okay, senior."

Zhou Ye's sweet smile froze for a moment, a hint of stiffness and embarrassment flashing across his face.

She forced a smile and nodded in agreement.

As she turned to leave, her peripheral vision was filled with disbelief as she glanced intently at Zhang Jingyi, who stood quietly beside Gu Qing.

An absurd thought popped into my head uncontrollably:
She... won over Senior Gu Qing?!
That doesn't make sense!
Why? !

Zhou Ye found it utterly absurd.

What kind of female celebrities hasn't Senior Gu Qing seen? Why would he like this type?
Pshaw, no, this one is pretty good too.

It stands to reason,
We look so alike

Senior Gu Qing likes her, so he wouldn't dislike me, would he?
Zhou Ye is quite confident in his appearance.

Even though Zhang Jingyi looks very similar to her,
But at first glance, she is more outstanding and stunning.

Upon closer inspection, the other person's features seemed to indicate a South Asian mixed heritage, especially when paired with that black school uniform, which was clearly quite unfashionable!
She left, puzzled.

"Teacher, I'm sorry to disturb you during class."

Gu Qing turned to the two posture instructors who had been waiting and sincerely apologized.

"It's nothing, Gu Qing, you're too kind! Is everything resolved?"

The two teachers smiled warmly and waved repeatedly. As for Gu Qing, who was surrounded by such a huge halo...

It's hard not to feel a great deal of goodwill towards top students who consistently maintain humility, politeness, and respect for classroom discipline.

No wonder all the teachers in the department who taught him said that they liked Gu Qing's class the most.

With such good looks, a well-behaved personality, and a serious and professional attitude, who wouldn't want to take a second look at such a child every day and feel happy all day long?
The two teachers were filled with emotion.

……

The class has officially ended, and we are now in the break.

Gu Qing looked around at her classmates who were watching her, some openly and some secretly, smiled, waved her phone, and said loudly, "I'm sorry to have disturbed your break time."

I've been meaning to treat everyone to something to drink for a while now, so here it is, I'll treat you all to milk tea.

"Oh, thank you, Brother Gu!"

"I'm so happy to be fed by Gu Dingliu again!"

"Gu Qing, I love you!!"

The classroom erupted in cheers, and an outgoing student seized the opportunity to loudly "confess" his feelings, eliciting good-natured laughter from the crowd and instantly enlivening the atmosphere.

"What are everyone's taste preferences? Or is there anything you particularly want to drink?"

As Gu Qing spoke, she found a popular milk tea shop's mini-program with high ratings and positive reviews nearby and prepared to place an order.

"Anything is fine, anything is fine, Brother Gu, we'll like everything you order!"

"We're not picky, anything we order will taste good!"

The students were quite understanding and didn't make any unreasonable demands that would cause Gu Qing any trouble.

"Okay, I'll keep an eye on things then."

Gu Qing smiled and agreed, swiping her finger across the screen to browse the milk tea shop's menu.

However, after just one glance, he was somewhat dazzled and even felt a little confused.

He felt...the names of these milk teas were...

It's even more abstract and flamboyant than his own traditional Chinese style persona!

"White mist and red dust", "fragrant osmanthus and orchid", "spring mountains at dawn", "amber shimmering light"...

Is this really milk tea?!
Are you sure it's not some kind of poetry appreciation or perfume list?
Gu Qing's knowledge of milk tea was really limited.

In his past life, he preferred simple, sugary drinks, but in this life, he has become an artist who needs to strictly manage his physique. Apart from black coffee and green tea, he basically avoids high-sugar drinks like milk tea.

When he occasionally needs to order drinks for the crew or fans, his assistant always takes care of it; he has never done it himself.

At first glance, this menu, brimming with "cultural flair," was truly astonishing.

He simply stopped getting hung up on these fancy names and went straight to the most "simple and direct" approach—just looking at the price!
Swipe your finger across the menu and click to add each item to your cart, starting with the most expensive one.

They ordered 25 drinks in a row, which covered all 23 students in the class and two posture teachers.

Just as Gu Qing was about to click to pay for delivery, she suddenly remembered that Zhang Songwen, their teacher for the next acting class, was still waiting for them. How could she forget about Teacher Zhang?
He quickly returned to the menu interface, trying to find the styles he had just selected.

However, the page had already been refreshed, and I couldn't remember what I had selected at all. Just as I was frantically searching for it, a unique name for a flower tea caught my eye.

He seemed to remember something, so he clicked to add it to his shopping cart, and then placed the order and paid with one click.

Even with the highest efficiency, it's impossible for a shop to finish and deliver 26 cups of milk tea within the 10-minute break time.

The Beijing Film Academy usually has two consecutive morning classes.

After finishing their physical training class, everyone moved on to the classroom where teacher Zhang Songwen was teaching the "Basic Acting" class.

Gu Qing's phone vibrated halfway through the second class, indicating that the food delivery had been delivered to the designated location.

Upon learning that Gu Qing had treated the whole class to milk tea, Teacher Zhang Songwen was naturally delighted.

As an experienced actor, he knows that offering drinks or snacks on set is one of the quickest ways to build rapport with staff and increase goodwill.

He was very pleased to see that Gu Qing was able to apply this "workplace tip" flexibly to the campus group.

"Gu, why don't you go get it? Should we ask a few classmates to help?" Zhang Songwen nodded kindly.

"Teacher Zhang, how can we trouble Brother Gu to do such a heavy task as carrying milk tea?"

"Exactly! I'll go!"

"Yes, yes, yes, there are so many milk teas, how can Gu Qing carry them all by herself? Let's go help!"

Before Gu Qing could answer, all the students in the class, regardless of gender, eagerly volunteered, as if it were some kind of wonderful opportunity.

Seeing this, Zhang Songwen couldn't help but feel both amused and exasperated.

It's one thing for boys to say that,

Why are you seemingly delicate girls vying to do manual labor?
In your eyes, Gu Qing has absolutely nothing to do with "Lin Daiyu".

He had a thorough understanding of Gu Qing's physical abilities.

Gu Qing exercises almost every day, and when Gu Qing occasionally catches a glimpse of him, his well-defined muscles and clearly defined abs are quite striking.
Although not large in size, he is definitely "muscular when shirtless".

He is definitely not the kind of weak and useless young male idol who can't even lift a female actress.

"Alright, alright, Zhang Jun, you four who can run fast can go, but come back quickly."

Faced with the students' unusually high enthusiasm, Zhang Songwen couldn't refuse them, so he named four boys who were usually quite lively.

As if they had received a military order, the four boys excitedly rushed out of the classroom and ran away.

Zhang Songwen shook his head and continued his lecture.

About ten minutes later,

"Teacher Zhang! We're back!!"

The four boys, like victorious generals returning home, each carrying several large paper bags printed with the milk tea shop's logo, rushed back to the classroom with shouts of pride, their faces beaming with the satisfaction of completing their mission.

"Thank you for your hard work. Please distribute these to the students," Zhang Songwen instructed with a smile.

"Wow! It's from 'Overlord Tea Princess'! Thank you, Brother Gu, for the expense!"

"Spring Banquet Jasmine? That's my favorite drink! How did Gu Qing know I like this? Has he been secretly following me?"

"Praise Gu Dingliu! You are my god!"

The students who received their milk tea expressed their gratitude to Gu Qing in a lively and cheerful atmosphere.

The milk tea was served quickly, and soon it was the turn of the last row, where Gu Qing was.

"Gu, this one should be yours, right?"

Zhang Jun, who was in charge of distributing the drinks, was very thoughtful. He handed Gu Qing a milk tea with packaging that was clearly different from the others; the material of the cup and the seal were more exquisite.

Then, he looked at the three milk teas remaining in the bag, scratched his head in surprise, and said, "Huh? How come there are two extra?"

"There are three portions."

Gu Qing took the special milk tea but didn't open it. Instead, she explained, "I personally don't like milk tea, so I didn't order my own."

One of these is for Teacher Zhang,”

He pointed towards the podium, "The other two copies are for Ms. Xu and Ms. Wang from the last physical education class. You can give them all to Ms. Zhang."
Thank you for your hard work, Zhang.

After saying thank you,

He casually placed the beautifully packaged milk tea he had just received onto Zhang Jingyi's table next to him.

"Hehe, Mr. Gu, you're too kind! I also got a free cup of milk tea, it's no trouble at all!"

Zhang Jun felt a little embarrassed by Gu Qing's "thank you for your hard work," his face turning red. He quickly turned around and delivered the remaining three cups of milk tea to Teacher Zhang Songwen's podium. "I...I got one too?"

Zhang Songwen was somewhat surprised. He took the cup of milk tea, which was still warm, and felt a wave of warmth as his cold fingers touched the warm cup.

He has been teaching for many years and has received quite a few gifts from his students.
But it is rare to find someone like Gu Qing who, while inviting all the students in the class, can also remember every teacher who taught the class, and even prepare a copy for the teacher who taught the previous class.

With that kind of emotional intelligence, it's no wonder he can get along so well in this industry.

"Now that the milk tea has arrived, and everyone is tired after almost an hour of class, let's take a break."

"Long live Teacher Zhang!!"

The students cheered and happily inserted their straws, filling the classroom with satisfied sips as they enjoyed this rare and pleasant break time.

And at this moment,
Sitting in the last row, Zhang Jingyi was in a daze and confused state ever since Gu Qing placed that unusual cup of milk tea on her table; her brain seemed to have stopped working.

She stared blankly at the exquisite label on the milk tea cup, on which the product name was clearly printed: 【Summer Dream Rose】.

There was also a small sticker next to it with a delicate line drawing of a pink rose.

"Xia Meng... Rose?"

She murmured the name unconsciously.

"Yes, I noticed you really liked that bouquet of pink roses, so I ordered you a rose-flavored milk tea."

Gu Qing, relying on his photographic memory, still remembered that when school started last week, his deskmate was holding the bouquet of pink roses that he had given him, and seemed to really like them.

I spotted a familiar milk tea shop, so I just ordered one.

In Gu Qing's view, it was just a casual matter.

however,
To Zhang Jingyi, it was like a piece of jade being thrown into a calm lake, creating ripples.

She slowly, extremely slowly turned her jade-like neck, and in her round, bright almond-shaped eyes, Gu Qing's profile was clearly reflected.

He tilted his head to the side, and the soft afternoon sunlight streamed through the window, casting a faint glow on his fair and handsome profile.

Her soft bangs slightly covered her forehead, and her eyes, which naturally carried a gentle smile, were looking at her, unintentionally exuding a heart-stirring charm.

this moment,
In Zhang Jingyi's eyes, Gu Qing's image seemed to be bathed in soft light and slow motion, every subtle expression filled with an indescribable attraction, precisely striking the softest spot in her heart.

"Do I... do I have a fever?"

Zhang Jingyi was so lost in thought that she couldn't look away. She could even clearly hear her heart pounding uncontrollably in her chest. She felt dizzy, as if she were walking on clouds.

He remembered...

How could he remember...?

What about a casual remark I made, or a trivial preference?
This might be something that was "convenient" for him.
For her, it was a unique and meticulous attention, which was as devastating as a nuclear bomb for a young girl just beginning to experience love.

In particular, the person who made this move was someone she could only look up to from afar, regardless of their looks, talent, status, or influence.

Meizu fans!

He's definitely a Meizu fan!!

Which fan could resist an idol like that?!

at the moment,

Zhang Jingyi has completely forgotten whether she actually likes roses very much or not.

do not care!
From this day forward, roses will be her destiny!
Along with this, the [Summer Dream Rose] milk tea instantly became the best drink she had ever tasted in her life!
……

After finishing the milk tea and taking a short rest, more than half of the class time had passed.

at last,

The school bell, symbolizing liberation, rang, officially ending the morning's classes.

Zhang Jingyi had already quickly stuffed the textbooks into her small backpack and neatly zipped it up.

Then she slung her backpack over her chest, gripped the straps tightly with both hands, and stared intently at Gu Qing, who was leisurely packing his things, with her round, almond-shaped eyes.

Seeing her childlike appearance, Gu Qing couldn't help but laugh. She stopped what she was doing and asked, "What... are you doing?"

"Waiting...waiting for you."

Although Zhang Jingyi's voice was soft, it seemed as if she had made up her mind. She raised her head, straightened her chest, mustered her courage, her cheeks slightly flushed, and dared to look directly at Gu Qing.

"wait for me?"

Gu Qing was slightly taken aback, then shook her head, "Didn't I say before that I need to go back to the dormitory and I won't go with you guys?"

"You go to the restaurant first, I'll have my assistant drive me there."

This is completely different from the initial exchange of favors.

Now, even when he wants to have a private conversation with someone on campus, he needs a "third party" to be present and watch.
How could he possibly walk out of the campus and get on the bus with a girl in full view of everyone?
Those reporters and paparazzi at the school gate, with their keen sense of smell like sharks smelling blood, would surely be so excited they'd explode on the spot, concocting countless versions of "confirmed relationship" stories.
"what?"

Zhang Jingyi instantly fell into the same state of confusion and bewilderment as Zhou Ye had before.

That original sentence,
It wasn't just said to Zhou Ye, but also to her...?
Feeling conflicted and uncertain, I walked out of the teaching building alone.

Zhang Jingyi subconsciously looked up at the sky.

The early autumn sky was a clear, deep blue, with a few white clouds drifting lazily by. Perhaps it was just her imagination...

She even felt that the shape of the cloud vaguely resembled the profile of Gu Qing's face...

She shook her head violently, banishing the absurd thought from her mind.

Am I... being manipulated by PUA?
Otherwise, how could such an absurd association arise?

……

—Inside the private car leading to the agreed restaurant
"Boss! Something terrible has happened!!"

Gu Qinggang opened the car door, sat in the back seat, and took off his mask.
Zhao Ya, who had been anxiously waiting inside the car, immediately felt reassured and began to pour out her grievances in a rapid-fire manner.

"Has the production team of 'Love O2O' gone mad?!"
How dare they?! They actually cast Jing Tian as the female lead!!

Her voice was shrill with emotion, and her face was filled with disbelief and indignation.

"With this 'box office poison' around, isn't our show doomed to flop before it even airs?!"

"What ability does she have to act alongside you as the female lead? She has no acting skills, no audience appeal, and her viewership ratings are negative!"
She must have used some shady methods, like bringing her own funding to get the role or using her connections!

"Boss, before the contract is officially signed, how about... we run away?"

"Any artist who has worked with her has never had a good ending."

When Zhao Ya learned that Jing Tian had joined the company, she felt like the sky was falling.

If Gu Qing hadn't sent her a message in advance informing her of the itinerary, she would have been unable to contain herself and would have rushed to the school to find him.

"Jing Tian? She's the female lead?"

Gu Qing, who was about to fasten his seatbelt, paused abruptly, looked up sharply, and a genuine surprise flashed in his eyes. He asked Zhao Ya for confirmation, "Is the news reliable? Is it an official notification from the production team?"

"It's absolutely true! It's Jing Tian, ​​the one known as the 'shame of forced promotion' and the 'resource black hole'!"

Zhao Ya nodded emphatically, saying in a panic, "I only got the definite news from the film crew this morning."
I heard she's basically finalized the contract and is just waiting to confirm the details with you on Friday.

"How could it be her... Why would she suddenly want to play Bei Weiwei?"

Gu Qing leaned back in his chair, his brows furrowed, his heart filled with doubt and confusion.

Although in her past life memories, when the original actress played Bei Weiwei, she was criticized by some book fans because her figure and image did not match the original work.

At the time, quite a few people cited Jing Tian as an example, arguing that her bright and elegant appearance, along with her theoretically superior figure, made her stand out.

She is the more fitting candidate for the role of Bei Weiwei, the "flower of wealth and beauty" in the book, and is jokingly called "the chosen one, Bei Weiwei".

But that was just netizens joking and comparing.

This young lady with a mysterious background and incredible resources, hasn't she been working hard in the film industry with the ambition of making her mark on the international stage?
Why did you suddenly change direction and condescend to the television drama track to act in a youth idol drama?
This is completely out of character for her and doesn't align with her usual "high-class" image or resource-driven approach!
Gu Qing's impression of Jing Tian mostly came from online rumors and fragmented information within the industry: she had a powerful background and was arguably the most well-connected person in the Chinese entertainment industry, without exception.

Then there's the mystical phenomenon of "no matter how much they try to promote someone, they just can't become famous," which is arguably one of the biggest unsolved mysteries in the entertainment industry.
Along with the Hong Kong entertainment circle's son, who also possesses top-tier resources but has never achieved great success, they are known as two of the most talked-about "jokes" both inside and outside the industry.

As for Zhao Ya's comment that her status is not commensurate...

Actually, this issue should be viewed from the opposite perspective.

In terms of sheer resources and status, this Miss Jing is truly formidable.

She has collaborated with all sorts of international superstars and Hollywood A-listers, has access to top-tier fashion resources, and the movies she stars in are often Sino-US co-productions with global distribution.

If this were an earlier era when information was less transparent, her team could have marketed her as an "international superstar," and laypeople probably wouldn't have found much fault with it.

after all,

Those Chinese actresses who truly made it in Hollywood through their own abilities might not have been able to secure roles or productions of the same scale and importance as Jing Tian in the early stages.

"..."

Gu Qing remained silent for a moment, her fingers unconsciously tapping lightly on her knees.

This news certainly disrupted his expectations.

"Okay, Sister Xiaoya, please contact the top person in charge and the main investors of the 'Love O2O' production team as soon as possible and arrange for them to come to the capital for a face-to-face meeting this Friday afternoon."

I need to understand the specifics myself.

Gu Qingke clearly remembered that this young lady seemed to have publicly stated that she "would not film kissing scenes".

Moreover, various versions of legends circulate within the industry regarding her unfathomable background, even those claiming high status in the entertainment circle...

Even the notoriously womanizing Jackie Chan was photographed being unusually respectful and courteous towards her during their collaboration, not even daring to touch her casually.

Will we be able to create a sense of chemistry as a couple, playing a sweet and innocent romance in school?

Will the audience buy into it?

What kind of wonderful chemistry will this drama ultimately present? It's all full of unknowns.

"Okay, boss, I'll arrange it right away!"

Seeing that even her usually composed boss was flustered, Zhao Ya breathed a sigh of relief.

This showed that the boss also realized the seriousness of the problem. She immediately took out her phone and started taking notes, "Boss, should we go straight to the restaurant now?"

"Okay, let's go to XX restaurant."

Gu Qing fastened his seatbelt, rubbed his throbbing temples, and casually said, "I have to attend the 'Hongmen Banquet' jointly set up by Sister Binbin and Young Master Zhou."

"What?!!"

Zhao Ya was so shocked that she almost dropped her phone. Her eyes widened and her voice changed.

The thought of facing two top actresses in the entertainment industry, both known for their charisma and emotional intelligence, made her feel that her professional competence was being challenged like never before.

……

……

(End of this chapter)