Top Chinese celebrity: Debuted from Running Man

Chapter 394 Accompanying for Drinks? (6k)
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Passing through a winding corridor, and pushing open a heavy solid wood door carved with retro patterns, you are greeted by an extremely luxurious yet classically elegant private room.

Soft, warm light spilled from the exquisite crystal chandelier, reflecting off the gleaming mahogany table. Deeply evocative ink paintings adorned the walls, and the air was filled with the subtle scents of sandalwood and tea. The atmosphere was so quiet that one could hear each other's breathing.

In this tranquil atmosphere,
Li Binbin and Zhou Xun, two top actresses in the entertainment industry, were sitting on either side of the main seat, having a seemingly amicable chat.

Both of them wore impeccable, mask-like smiles, but the smiles didn't actually reach their eyes.

"Binbin, it's been a long time since we've seen you on screen. Haven't you found a suitable script lately?"

Zhou Xun picked up the glass of red wine in front of her, took a small sip, and spoke in a tone that sounded like casual concern.

"you do not say,"

Li Binbin sighed, her smile unchanged, her fingertips gently tracing the rim of the glass.

"Good scripts are incredibly rare these days; most of what we get are... well, popular dramas that don't really require much acting skill. Xun, what about you?"
With your vision and status, there must be plenty of good projects waiting for you to choose from, right?

"Sigh, we're in the same boat."

Zhou Xun shook her head, her voice carrying her unique husky magnetism, "You know the current state of the industry; capital reigns supreme, and data is king."

There are too few dramas that truly focus on creating content suitable for our age group.

Sometimes I really want to take a break.

The two engaged in a dry conversation, their words filled with dissatisfaction and veiled criticism of the excessive focus on internet traffic and the superficial atmosphere in today's entertainment industry.
It was as if two talented but unappreciated artists were lamenting the decline of morality in the world.

however,
They all tacitly ignored a more cruel fact that no female star wanted to face—age.

For an actress, her golden age can be said to extend from her early teens (around sixteen or seventeen) until she is over thirty.

If one has enough fame and takes good care of themselves, they might be able to extend the market period for this "young girl" or "middle-aged woman" image to around thirty-five years old.

Even at this stage, playing the lead or second lead female role still garners widespread popularity and recognition from the audience.

But once this invisible threshold is crossed, whether it's a commercial blockbuster or an artistic sketch,

When casting lead roles, most directors and investors subconsciously exclude older actresses, as if they are labeled as "outdated" and instantly become unwanted.

Even if they have extremely high status, superb acting skills and a glorious past.

In contrast,

Male actors, on the other hand, often follow a different career path.

In the early stages, one needs to work diligently, accumulate experience and connections, and endure days of obscurity.
It's almost impossible to single-handedly carry a film or TV show in your twenties or thirties and make it a box office or ratings success.

Their golden age generally comes later; they often have to work hard until after the age of thirty before their careers in the film industry are just getting on track and truly beginning to radiate charm.

This stands in stark contrast to the actress's short but brilliant golden age.

Of course, the above describes the ecosystem of the traditional film and television industry.

In today's Chinese entertainment industry, where "traffic" reigns supreme, the rules seem to have been rewritten.

But it is precisely for this reason that these two already accomplished actresses would so "condescend" to personally intervene in private.
They were trying to "besiege" Gu Qing, a rising star, for their still relatively inexperienced artists, hoping to find them an opportunity to ride the wave of popularity and quickly gain fame.

The thought that former rivals would now have to sit down at the same negotiating table again for a new round of confrontation over their respective "little girls" is unsettling.

Even they themselves found their fate somewhat comical and ironic.

The casual conversation continued in a slightly awkward atmosphere.

Finally, there was a gentle knock on the heavy door of the private room.

"Is that Gu Qing?"

Li Binbin paused, his face instantly switching to a look of surprise, and he almost instinctively stood up to greet him.

Zhou Xun, who had been lounging lazily against the back of her chair, stopped playing with her wine glass. A playful smile curved her lips as she rested her chin on her delicate hand and looked with interest at the slowly opening door.

Her famous eyes were a unique blend of almond-shaped and fox-like features.

They possess a clear and bright innocence, with the corners of their eyes naturally upturned, carrying a subtle and alluring charm, while retaining an innocent and lively temperament.

These eyes are one of the main reasons why she is hailed as an "elf fallen to earth".

of course,

That was more of an assessment of her early, radiant period.

As I've grown older and gained more experience, that innocent, naive "elf spirit" has long been worn away by the passage of time.

now,

This literary and artistic goddess, with a rich romantic history and a consistent preference for talented men (especially musical talents),
I did feel genuinely curious about this "kid" who could stir up half of the entertainment industry with just a few photos.

She really wanted to see for herself how beautiful this face, which had been mythologized by the camera and fans, would actually be in private, once the spotlight faded.

however,
When the room door was fully opened, a pretty, slightly nervous girl walked in alone, guided by the waiter.

Li Binbin's smile froze instantly, then turned dark at a visible speed.

Zhou Xun, on the other hand, burst out laughing without any attempt to hide her schadenfreude.

"Xiao Ye, why are you alone? Where's Gu Qingren?"

Unconvinced, Li Binbin glanced behind Zhou Ye again, and after confirming that no one was there, his face darkened completely.
After the waiter closed the door and left, she immediately lowered her voice and asked with a hint of anger, "Did you throw a tantrum again and offend someone by putting on airs?"

I've told you so many times, in the entertainment industry…

She habitually wanted to start teaching her artists the survival rules and interpersonal skills of the entertainment industry.

"Sister Binbin, I'm innocent! How could I dare to put on airs with Senior Gu Qing!"

Zhou Ye pouted, feeling wronged. She quickly walked to Li Binbin's side, grabbed her arm, and shook it as she explained, "I told him I would come with him, but... but he said he had something to do and told me to come alone first."

"Little beauty,"

Zhou Xun interrupted Li Bingbing's impending "lecture" with a smile, turned her gaze to Zhou Ye, and asked gently, "What about my Jingyi? Is she with Gu Qing?"

"Zhou... Sister Zhou Xun."

When Zhou Ye was called out by Zhou Xun, her body trembled involuntarily. The aura of this leading lady made her instinctively nervous.

She answered softly, "I...I'm not quite sure either. But when I left, Junior Sister Jingyi was indeed...still by Senior Gu Qing's side."

With this remark,
Li Binbin's face darkened further, and he cursed inwardly for his artist's lack of talent.

Zhou Xun's lips curved upwards even further, and she said in a light tone, "Binbin, it seems the ancients were right, being near the water... means getting the moon first."

however,
Zhou Gongzi's happiness did not last long.

When the door to the private room was knocked on again, Zhang Jingyi, once again alone, cautiously and somewhat apprehensively walked in.

"Jingyi, where's Gu Qing? Didn't she come with you?"

The smile on Zhou Gongzi's face vanished instantly, replaced by a tone of obvious doubt and displeasure.

“He…Gu Qing said he had some personal matters to attend to and asked me…to come alone first.”

Zhang Jingyi lowered her head and explained in a voice barely audible.

In an instant,
The atmosphere inside the private room took a strange turn.

Li Binbin's originally gloomy face instantly brightened, and he even couldn't help but chuckle.

Zhou Ye, who had initially felt wronged, suddenly felt a sense of balance and even wanted to laugh.

So it turns out that Senior Gu Qing treats everyone equally, without giving face to anyone!

We're all equally bad, so let's not laugh at each other.

After all their own artists had arrived, but the person in question had not yet appeared,

Li Binbin and Zhou Xun were too lazy to maintain the pretentious formalities any longer, so they turned their attention back to their own artists and began to ask them in hushed tones about the details of their usual interactions with Gu Qing.

"What? I can't find him at all at school? He doesn't reply to my messages?"

"Who do you think you are? Doesn't he know that? Why should he reply to your messages? He has no idea of ​​his place!"

"Of course he won't be at school on weekends!"
"Don't you hang around their classroom more often after class, trying to bump into them? With my connections here, do you think he'd embarrass you in front of so many people?"

"Can't you even do the most basic things like sending some food and drinks or showing concern?"

"You've never pursued a man, but haven't you ever been pursued by one? Look at how your male classmates fawned over you, and just copy them and apply them to Gu Qing, right?"

"If you can't seize such a good opportunity now, what will you do when you officially enter this industry?"
When you have to deal with those bloated, scheming old men, you'll regret it!

Li Bingbing was "teaching" Zhou Ye with a tone of sternness mixed with a hint of urgency, expressing her disappointment.

She genuinely felt that

If their own young artist can leverage her own qualities and resources to truly win over Gu Qing, this "golden goose,"...
She'd be laughing in her sleep, the resources and connections she'd gain afterward would be immeasurable.

Zhou Xun's situation wasn't much better.

Her voice was deep and husky, tinged with a soft laugh, as she gently stroked Zhang Jingyi's smooth hair.
Her words, however, were quite different from her gentle actions: "Jingyi, listen to me, while you're still young, date more, don't always be so shy and reserved."

When I was your age, I had so many boyfriends... I can't even count them on one hand.

She leaned closer, lowered her voice, and said with a hint of seduction, "Be proactive, what are you afraid of? Find an opportunity to invite him out for a few drinks, and when the atmosphere is right... take the chance to 'do it' for him!"

"Cooking the rice into rice is better than anything else!"

Zhou Ye and Zhang Jingyi were filled with their boss's various "explosive" flirting tips, making them blush and their hearts race.

That's way too direct.

Just as the "teaching" atmosphere was getting "intense," "knock knock—"

The door to the private room was knocked on again, slowly and deliberately.

All sounds stopped abruptly.

The door was pushed open.

"Sorry, there was some traffic on the way, so I'm late."

A clear, pure voice, filled with sincere apology, rang out.

Gu Qing finally made her appearance, accompanied by her assistant Zhao Ya.

As he spoke, he raised his hand and deftly removed the black mask from his face.

In an instant,
It was as if the entire luxurious but somewhat dull private room had been infused with a fresh vitality.

Today he was wearing a simple pure white cashmere sweater, the soft material clinging to the boy's slender yet not thin figure, paired with dark blue slim-fit jeans and clean white sneakers.

The lack of elaborate decorations only accentuated his fair skin and exquisite features, making him appear like a work of art meticulously sculpted by God.

Her fluffy, slightly wavy black hair fell casually over her forehead, and her eyes were clear and bright, exuding the unique vigor of youth and a sense of innocence.

He simply stood there, and naturally became the focus of the entire space.
The overwhelming youthful energy and stunning good looks created a striking visual impact, contrasting sharply with the slightly sophisticated atmosphere inside the private room.

For Li Binbin and Zhou Xun, who are already middle-aged and have seen it all in the entertainment industry,
This pure, vibrant, and energetic youthful spirit has an irresistible charm.

"It's not too late, little brother, come in quickly! I haven't seen you in so long!"

Li Binbin's face instantly lit up with a smile. She stood up enthusiastically from her seat, opened her arms, and walked towards Gu Qing, saying, "It's only been half a year since we last met, and you've become more and more handsome, little brother!"

Standing next to you, I can't help but feel inferior.

Her tone was so intimate, as if they were long-lost siblings.

"Sister Binbin..."

Gu Qinggang gave a polite smile, preparing to respond with a perfunctory reply.

however,
Before he could finish speaking, Li Binbin had already walked up to him and gave him a firm hug without saying a word.

Her lips, painted with bright lipstick, were firm, warm, and moist, leaving a clear "cheek kiss" on his left cheek.

Zhou Ye: "..."

Zhang Jingyi: "..."

The two little girls' eyes widened instantly, their mouths slightly agape, as if they had witnessed something unbelievable.

Although they had long been mentally prepared for the possibility of facing various intimate scenes in future filming,
But witnessing Li Binbin kiss Gu Qing so naturally and directly was still more shocking than they could bear.

This is clearly blatant taking advantage!
Gu Qingwei's mouth was slightly open, and a hint of helplessness and despair flashed in her eyes.

When will the entertainment industry finally bury this damned, Western-origin cheek-kissing greeting completely?!

"Come, come, little brother, don't stand, come and sit down."

This restaurant's signature dishes are exceptionally authentic; it's a century-old establishment, you absolutely must try them.

Li Binbin was completely unaware of Gu Qing's momentary stiffness. He affectionately took Gu Qing's hand and, half-pushed and half-reluctantly, led him to the head seat.

Watching her boss being dragged away by Li Binbin like a lamb to the slaughter, Zhao Ya, standing at the door, could only sigh silently in her heart.
Then, without making a sound, I found the most inconspicuous spot near the door and sat down.

That's just the reality of the entertainment industry.

Even if your boss is now incredibly successful, you still can't avoid the social obligations of maintaining superficial relationships.

Especially since... their own boss is so "appetizing," in this circle "surrounded by wolves,"
It's incredibly difficult to avoid being taken advantage of verbally or physically...

Zhao Ya could only pray that the meal would end soon.

"Gu Qing? I've seen your 'Brotherhood of Blades,' the action scenes in it were beautiful, clean and crisp."

Zhou Xun, sitting on the other side, watched Li Binbin "escort" Gu Qing over, but didn't get up. She simply stretched out her arms lazily, a smile of appreciation on her face.
"I've listened to your song too, it's very nice, the lyrics are especially beautiful, you are a very talented young man."

"Thank you for the compliment, Sister Zhou Xun. I watched your 'Painted Skin' many times back then, and your portrayal of Xiao Wei was particularly touching."

Gu Qing braced herself, bowed slightly, and prepared to accept this unavoidable "etiquette".

really,

As he leaned forward, Zhou Xun took the opportunity to press her finger against his right cheek, which had not yet been "tainted" by Li Binbin.

at this time,

Sitting on either side of their boss, Zhang Jingyi and Zhou Ye had a clear view of everything.

“Is that right?”

A strange, bittersweet feeling began to spread through Zhang Jingyi's heart.

Who is Gu Qing?

He was the undisputed male god in the hearts of all the students in the 17 experimental class of Beijing Film Academy, someone who could only be admired from afar and not touched!
It's a beautiful sight on campus that's both desirable and unattainable!

And she,

As his deskmate, she felt a sense of distance every day, so close yet so far, and buried her admiration and crush deep in her heart.

But now,
She witnessed firsthand this unapproachable, seemingly otherworldly god-like figure.

Being so "molested" by two women old enough to be his aunts, especially in such a public setting, and seemingly powerless to resist...

This feeling is like Takumi Fujiwara in "Initial D" suddenly discovering that his pure and beautiful girlfriend, Natsuki Mogi, is actually being kept by an older man.
It was filled with disillusionment and indescribable pain!
It's so painful!!
She even had an urge to rush up and pull Gu Qing away.

She was feeling so uncomfortable she could hardly breathe, but out of the corner of her eye, she noticed that Zhou Ye, the senior student, was also surprised, but the light in her eyes seemed to be more like... envy and eagerness.

It gives the impression that they hate not being the boss.

……

"Little brother, take a look at the menu. Is there anything you particularly want to eat? I come to this restaurant often, and they have a few dishes..."

Li Binbin pushed the beautifully prepared menu in front of Gu Qing and introduced it enthusiastically.

"Sister Binbin, I'm currently on a weight loss program, so I need to control my diet."

Gu Qing felt extremely uncomfortable being sandwiched between two powerful actresses, as if she were sitting on pins and needles, with no sense of security whatsoever.

His only thought now is to get through the process as quickly as possible and end this suffocating dinner.

"Just order me some light vegetable salad or blanched dishes."

"Xiao Ye, don't just sit there like an idiot. Come on, pour your brother Gu Qing a glass of wine. This red wine is quite good, it's just the right amount of wine."

Seeing this, Li Binbin didn't insist, but instead instructed the waiter to open a bottle of expensive high-end red wine.

After opening the bottle, she didn't ask the waiter to help, but instead handed the crystal-clear bottle directly to Zhou Ye next to her, giving him instructions in a casual tone.

If she hadn't known that Zhou Ye wasn't particularly coordinated, she would have even considered having him dance to liven things up.

"Jingyi, don't just watch, learn something too."

Zhou Xun did the same, gesturing with her eyes to Zhang Jingyi, who was sitting on her other side.

Both Li Binbin and Zhou Xun felt that this was a matter of course.

It even creates opportunities for them to have close contact with Gu Qing.

In their view, compared to the various unpleasant experiences they had at dinner parties when they first entered the industry, the "service" they were receiving now was as gentle as playing house.

They even felt that they were being quite "kind," personally teaching newcomers how to "climb the ladder" in this industry.

To know,
In the entertainment industry, especially during negotiation dinners with investors, producers, and directors, it is an unspoken rule that young and beautiful artists (regardless of gender) are responsible for pouring drinks, serving food, and creating a lively atmosphere. This practice is very common.

This is seen as a sign of being "sensible" and "humble".

However, upon hearing this,

Both Zhou Ye and Zhang Jingyi felt a strong sense of shame and embarrassment.

They are still students, after all, and have not yet truly stepped into the core of this world of fame and fortune. They still retain a certain idealized image of the profession of "actor".

They always felt that celebrities, even newcomers, should be more sophisticated and dignified than the hostesses in karaoke bars.
How could you... how could you do these things like a waiter in front of so many people?

This dealt a significant blow to their self-esteem.

"Sister Binbin, I don't drink alcohol."

Gu Qing simply couldn't stand this so-called "rule" that permeated the air, which was nauseating and reeked of decay.

He felt nauseous, so much so that even the exquisite dishes in front of him lost their appeal.

He first reached out and, without saying a word, took the heavy bottle of red wine from Zhou Ye's hand, placing it steadily on the table with a soft, clear sound.

Immediately afterward, just as Zhang Jingyi was biting her lip and about to stiffly stand up to pour tea, he quickly reached out his other hand, gently but firmly pressing down on her shoulder and pushing her back into her seat.

His gaze swept over Li Binbin and Zhou Xun, his tone calm.
"Xiao Ye and Jing Yi are both my classmates, they don't need to do these things."

"I don't like these rules either."

The voice was very flat.
This caused the private room to fall silent instantly.

The smiles on Li Binbin and Zhou Xun's faces froze; they hadn't expected Gu Qing's reaction to be so strong.

……

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(End of this chapter)