Top Chinese celebrity: Debuted from Running Man

Chapter 414 of "Nirvana in Fire" is scheduled for release (6.6k)
……

……

——Tu'ao

Since 2015, Jay Chou, the king of Mandopop, has gradually entered a semi-retired state.

On the one hand, the family history of ankylosing spondylitis requires more rest.
On the other hand, after starting a family with his loved one and welcoming the birth of his daughter, he hopes to have more time to spend with his family and enjoy family life.

to this end,

Their family spends most of their time in Australia, where the environment is quiet and their life is comfortable.

Nowadays, Jay Chou is a happy "doting father" and "stay-at-home dad," spending his days with his wife and children, and occasionally writing songs when inspiration strikes. His life is slow and comfortable.

When he gets bored, he goes back to the mainland to take on variety shows and attend events, which allows him to maintain his exposure and meet up with old friends, living a carefree life.

at this time,

The atmosphere in his top-of-the-line, futuristic e-sports room was not so "comfortable".

"Damn it! Willie, you're really bad at this!"

Speaking into the microphone, Jay Chou's tone was full of exasperation: "Can you and Bullet even play the bottom lane? How can you get killed six times in less than ten minutes?"
I haven't even finished clearing the jungle monsters yet! With skills like yours, can you really manage a team?

His teammate's aggrieved explanation came through the earpiece, but it clearly couldn't quell the king's "anger".

At the end of the game, the word "Defeat" appeared on the screen again.

"I'm not playing anymore, it's no fun."

Jay Chou, somewhat annoyed, took off his expensive custom-made headphones and tossed them onto the table piled high with figurines and equipment. He leaned back in his gaming chair, stretched, and his good mood for relaxing while playing games vanished.

Even the biggest superstar can't help but feel frustrated when faced with a bunch of incompetent teammates.

He stood up, his spine hunched over from sitting for so long, intending to go to the living room to see his little darling and use her cuteness to soothe his heart, which had been "broken" by video games.

"Drip-"

at this time,

His personal cell phone, which was on the table, rang with a message notification.

"Ok?"

Jay Chou raised an eyebrow, slightly puzzled. "Who's looking for me?"

He has always maintained a somewhat detached, "semi-outsider" status in the entertainment industry, not keen on excessive social engagements.
The closest people around me are still that group of friends who have worked hard together since they were young and know each other inside and out.

He has spoken frankly in the media more than once about the hypocrisy of the entertainment industry—smiling in public but stabbing people in the back.

therefore,

His private cell phone number is a veritable "treasure trove," containing only friends he approves of, or a few juniors he finds agreeable and compatible.

however,
Perhaps because everyone knows his quiet and undisturbed personality, or perhaps out of respect for his superstar status, these friends rarely take the initiative to contact him.

This, on the contrary, made Jay Chou, who sometimes felt lonely, feel a little uneasy.

after all,

He is essentially a sentimental and emotional person. As he gets older, especially after having children, the sharp and cool demeanor he had in his early years has been replaced by gentleness and tolerance. He now craves more sincere and relaxed communication.

Curious, he picked up his phone, unlocked the screen, and when he saw the sender's name, a smile immediately appeared on his face: "Is it that kid Gu Qing?"

What a coincidence!
He had just thought of this insightful junior.

Jay Chou certainly has a lot of affection for Gu Qing.

On the one hand, Gu Qing's Chinese-style songs that incorporate traditional cultural elements are very much to his liking, allowing him to see the shadow of his own exploration of Chinese-style music when he was young;
On the other hand, Gu Qing has secured her position as a top star through her talent and hard work, wielding considerable influence and power within the industry.

Of course, these are just icing on the cake for Zhou Tianwang, who has already been deified.

What he admired most about Gu Qing was her "unique" vision!

Among the crowd of fans who only praise his musical talent, acting skills, and even his looks when they see him,
No one has ever been like Gu Qing.
Seeing through his two most prized "hidden talents" at a glance—

Exceptional gaming talent and basketball skills that were overshadowed by his music career!
Only Gu Qing!

During our first meeting, I sincerely expressed that I was a fan of his game and we even seriously discussed his jungling strategies!

He later praised his basketball skills as "comparable to professionals" on several occasions!
Soulmate!
How could Jay Chou not favor this discerning young talent? Otherwise, he wouldn't have made an exception to exchange personal contact information with him.

"Wow, not bad, you've even started playing basketball."

Jay Chou raised an eyebrow, his interest piqued, and the unpleasantness of his recent game loss was instantly forgotten.

He sat back in his comfortable gaming chair, leaning back in the most comfortable position, and opened the video sent by Gu Qing.

In the video,
Gu Qing moved nimbly across the basketball court, his dribbling fluid, his footwork sharp, and his shooting form impeccable.

His pull-up jump shot and crossover dribble were quite impressive, showing he has solid fundamentals and plays basketball regularly.

"Wow, that behind-the-back dribble is pretty cool, kind of flashy."

Jay Chou stroked his chin and commented to himself, "That crossover! It was really fast! It had the flair of my younger days!"

As he watched, he felt an itch to play and wished he could find a court and shoot a few shots right away.

"Not bad, you're starting to have my three-point shooting ability."

He chuckled and pressed the voice button, speaking in an encouraging tone with a strong personal touch, before asking curiously, "Are you on a basketball court? Celebrities seem pretty relaxed these days."

After replying to the message,

His fingertips tapped unconsciously on the table, as if he were playing an impromptu piano piece, his eyes occasionally glancing at his phone screen, waiting for a reply.

"Ding-dong—" Not long after, Gu Qing's reply came.

Open the voice message.

Gu Qingqing's clear and energetic voice came from the other end: "Brother Jay, I'm filming, and I just finished work."

When are you coming back to China? Let's go to the basketball court together and crush everyone, forming a 'Slam Dunk' duo!

Upon hearing this energetic invitation, Jay Chou couldn't help but laugh out loud and replied with a voice message: "It might not be possible in the near future. My baby is pregnant again and is expected to give birth naturally in July. I have to stay home with her to take care of her. She's a priority for protection right now."

"Wow! You're pregnant? Congratulations, Jay Chou! Is it a boy or a girl?" Gu Qing's voice was filled with sincere blessings and curiosity.

"It's a boy, and we've already thought of a name for him: Romeo."

Jay Chou's tone was filled with the happiness and tenderness of becoming a father again, "I hope it's a basketball boy, so that he can play basketball with me when he grows up and inherit his dad's skills, haha."

"Jaylen, it seems we'll have to wait until the league event in September to meet again." Gu Qing's tone carried a hint of regret.

"Alliance activities?"

Jay Chou was taken aback and replied somewhat unexpectedly, "I withdrew from that event, didn't you know? Didn't the league officials communicate with you?"

at the same time,

Back in the dormitory arranged by the film crew, Gu Qing had just finished a day of filming. He was unbuttoning his shirt with his left hand and holding his phone to his ear with his right.

As Jay Chou's voice came clearly from the receiver...

Gu Qing paused, her brows furrowing slightly: "You withdrew?!"

His tone was full of surprise, "Jaylen, I really didn't know that. The official channels didn't notify me at all. I'll ask my assistant when I get back."

He quickly composed himself and said with a smile, "Looks like we're not meant to be this time, Jay Chou. When you come back to China next time, I'll treat you to something delicious that you've never tried before."

"Haha, okay, I'll remember that. Bye-bye."

Jay Chou smiled and agreed. Although he didn't really believe there was any food that he, a "foodie," hadn't tried, he was very pleased with Gu Qing's thoughtfulness.

……

After hanging up the phone, Gu Qing walked into the bathroom. Warm water poured down from the showerhead as he washed away his fatigue while thinking about the news he had just received.

"Jay Chou withdrew from the exhibition match, but the organizers kept it from me?"

Water droplets slid down his smooth cheeks. "Are you afraid that if I find out, it will affect you and you'll quit too?"

But how could he give up so easily?

Gu Qing has a keen sense of the market.

He was well aware that the popularity and traffic of the e-sports circle only truly began to reach its peak in 2017, and would experience explosive growth in the next few years.

Being able to participate in top-level esports events is very beneficial for expanding the fan base and enhancing influence among the younger generation.

He certainly wouldn't risk losing more than he gains by withdrawing from the game.

He didn't quite understand the official's practice of "concealing" the truth.

"By the way, with Jay Chou retiring, the organizers will definitely be in a rush to find a replacement star player or team to create buzz and generate interest..."

We'll have to ask Xiaoya to find out who they contacted so we can prepare accordingly.

Gu Qing closed her eyes, letting the water wash over her, while she began to plan her next move.

……

For some time afterward,
The filming of "Love O2O" is progressing smoothly.

Jing Tian seems to have truly found a unique "secret to breaking through in acting".

Whenever she encountered a scene that required her to express intense love for Xiao Nai, and felt that her performance wasn't right, she would take advantage of breaks to...

Find a secluded corner, grab Gu Qing and, driven by a sudden surge of malice, give him a good "bite," claiming it's to "absorb real emotional energy."

Not to mention,
This "heretical" practice was extremely effective for her!
Each time she "recharges" and returns to the camera, the love, shyness, and sweetness in her eyes seem to overflow, appearing incredibly natural and vivid, greatly increasing the chances of getting it right in one take.
Even director Lin Yufen praised her for "getting the hang of it," which greatly accelerated the overall filming progress of the crew.

Gu Qing was both amused and exasperated by this, and even began to doubt his own existence. Could he really have some hidden talent?
Can a kiss really improve acting skills?

Is this scientifically sound?

Before they knew it, the modern scenes in the film were nearing their end.

These days, Gu Qing also received some good news and an unexpected "huge sum of money".

Shen Teng transferred to him the final revenue share for "Just Once," the theme song for "Goodbye Mr. Loser," which amounted to a whopping ten million RMB!
With the box office of "Goodbye Mr. Loser" finally settling at an astonishing 1.8 billion yuan, approaching the 2 billion yuan mark, it exceeded the original timeline by more than 400 million yuan.

This low-budget comedy became the biggest dark horse of the year, and its investor, Mahua FunAge, made a fortune.

"Ten million? Brother Teng, did you send five million too much? Or did you send it to the wrong person?"

When Gu Qing received the bank's confirmation text message, she was quite surprised and immediately called Shen Teng.

"Oh my brother! What's wrong or right?!"

On the other end of the phone, Shen Teng's voice was full of energy and brimming with pride, a stark contrast to his slightly apprehensive demeanor before filming began.

"Didn't I say last time that once the movie makes money, I'll definitely give you a big red envelope! This extra five million is a small token of my appreciation from you and the entire Happy Twist team!"
Must accept!

Without your song, our film wouldn't have achieved what it has today! It's the soul of the film!

Shen Teng said sincerely, "Once things calm down, I'll host another dinner for you and Teacher He to have a good get-together. You absolutely have to come and support me!"

"Alright, just for that five million yuan red envelope from you, Brother Teng, I'll crawl there even if I have to!"

Gu Qing jokingly agreed, feeling happy for Shen Teng and Happy Twist.

"Haha! That's great! It's settled then!"

After chatting for a few more minutes, the two hung up the phone.

Sitting on the bed in his hotel room, Gu Qing unusually opened his mobile banking app to check his account balance. The long string of dazzling numbers silently testified to the results of his two years of hard work in the entertainment industry.

"Isn't this money... a little too easy to come by?"

He lay in bed, thinking to himself, "Money is earned, but it's also spent."

Shouldn't we make some reasonable plans, like investing or acquiring some property? Otherwise, all this money we earn is just numbers in our accounts...

Just as he was thinking about how to "splurge" a little, his assistant Zhao Ya sent him another message.

He looked carefully.
Well, more work and income are coming in soon—

Another major drama starring him, "Nirvana in Fire," is finally scheduled to air!

The production team requested the main cast and crew to cooperate with the pre-production publicity, which meant that he had to ask the "Love O2O" production team for leave.

……

at the same time,

Several top-tier satellite TV stations launched a silent war to seize the television premiere rights to "Nirvana in Fire".

This drama series adopts the common dual-channel broadcasting model.

Kyoto Television, with its special status and platform advantages, easily secured a premiere slot.

The remaining first broadcast slot sparked fierce competition among local TV stations.

The most intense competition was between Huangguo TV and Dongfang TV.

Both of these television stations had previously acquired dramas starring Gu Qing, and without exception, every single one of them became a hit. Gu Qing's reputation as a "ratings lucky charm" had already spread among the purchasing managers.

therefore,

Both sides are determined to win the rights to "Nirvana in Fire".

Logically, the simplest solution would be for the highest bidder to win.

Dongfang TV is backed by the economically developed city of Shanghai and has abundant financial resources.

However, Huangguo TV, as the "strongest TV station" recognized by the public, has the title of "national TV station" and the largest basic audience.

If it truly wants to compete, Dongfang TV has almost no chance of winning.

Even the producers of "Nirvana in Fire" preferred to put the show on Huangguo TV's "Diamond Exclusive Theater" in order to gain maximum exposure and a large audience base.

however,
To everyone's surprise, Huangguo TV ultimately "lost" in this battle.

The reason is that there was a serious disagreement within the TV station about whether to acquire "Nirvana in Fire" at a high price, resulting in a polarized situation.

The head of the film acquisition department overruled the objections: "Does Gu Qing's dramas even need questioning? Look at him since his debut, which of his starring dramas hasn't been a hit? Hasn't it been a smash hit?"
Which of these shows, "The Journey of Flower" or "The Mystic Nine," wasn't a phenomenon?!
Let's take a look at the dramas that have been airing on our Diamond Exclusive Theater recently. Are the ratings acceptable?

If we don't produce a truly outstanding drama soon, our flagship theater's reputation will be ruined!

Opponents were equally assertive, saying, "Of course we believe in Gu Qing's appeal, and we also acknowledge his 'lucky charm' status."

However, the price tag for this show is just too high, exceeding our budget limit, and we don't think it's worth it!

"If Dongfang TV is willing to spend this money, why can't Huangguo TV? Do we lack this little bit of money?" the buyer argued.

"Of course we have plenty of money! But we still need to assess the risks! And, most importantly, the genre of this show is problematic!"

"What is the problem?"

"I've inquired from many sources, and 'Nirvana in Fire' is essentially a historical drama about political intrigue! It's a historical drama about political intrigue!"

Have we forgotten the lessons of the past? Who dares to gamble!

The opponents unleashed their trump card.

This statement was like a bucket of ice water, extinguishing most of the supporters' enthusiasm.

original,

Gu Qing once highly recommended the classic TV series "Da Ming Dynasty 1566" on his blog. Back then, Huangguo TV invested heavily in and acquired the series.

At the time, the station had high hopes for it, and broadcast it during prime time as a serious historical drama about power struggles.

The results of it?
The ratings were abysmal, falling below 0.5% at its lowest point, and the series was forced to be taken off the air before it even finished airing.

The leader who strongly advocated for the importation of the show was forced to resign as a result.

That painful failure became a deep scar in Huangguo TV's heart, directly leading to its subsequent strategic transformation, completely shifting towards youth, idol, and light-hearted TV dramas.

They have developed an almost PTSD-like fear of the phrase "historical political intrigue drama".

"Do you dare to use your position to guarantee that the ratings for 'Nirvana in Fire' will definitely be a hit?"
If possible, we'll bring it in!

The opponent's final question sealed the deal.

finally,
Due to the inability to reach a consensus internally and the deep-seated fear of historical power struggle dramas, Huangguo TV chose to give up.

Dongfang TV, with its higher bid and greater determination, successfully secured another premiere right for "Nirvana in Fire".

……

at this time,

"Knock knock—" There was a knock on Gu Qing's door.

"I'm coming."

Gu Qing thought it was her roommate, Teacher Zhang, returning home, and opened the door with a smile as she answered.

however,
The figure outside the door made his smile freeze slightly, but he quickly regained his composure: "Director Lin? Teacher Gu Man? What brings you here?"

Standing at the door were director Lin Yufen and screenwriter Gu Man.

"I came to see you and also to discuss some arrangements for your upcoming scenes."

Lin Yufen said with a smile, and subconsciously glanced up into the room, "Would it be convenient for us to come in and talk?"

"It's convenient... of course it's convenient."

Gu Qing had some doubts, but she still stepped aside to let the two "middle-aged women" in.

For safety reasons, he deliberately left the door open.

"Don't be nervous, Xiao Nai, we're not going to eat people."

Seeing his somewhat uneasy look, Lin Yufen couldn't help but tease him, "What, are you afraid that the two of us middle-aged women will take advantage of you?"

"I don't have that ability, and I haven't even thought about it."

Gu Qing chuckled twice and quickly changed the subject, "Director, Ms. Gu, what brings you here?"

"Okay, I won't tease you anymore."

Lin Yufen, knowing when to stop, said seriously, "Teacher Gu Man and I came here mainly to discuss the last few scenes with you in advance, especially the key scenes."
This is to give you some time to prepare mentally and get your emotions in order.

Screenwriter Gu Man picked up the conversation, smiling as she said, "Xiao Nai, we plan to include a scene at the end of the story where you and Bei Weiwei get married."

"marry?"

Gu Qing was taken aback, somewhat surprised. "I remember the original novel didn't seem to describe the details of the wedding in real life in detail?"

"They got married in the game in the original novel."

Gu Man explained, "Here's my idea: we can arrange two ceremonies, one in the game, grand and romantic; and one in real life, warm and sweet. What do you think?"

"Married twice in a row?"

Gu Qing subconsciously shook her head, feeling a little strange. "Wouldn't it seem a bit repetitive and deliberate? I think holding that unique wedding in the game would be more special and better reflect the theme of the story."

The sudden "marriage" in real life, even though I knew it was an act, still felt quite impactful.

He has never actually acted out a wedding scene.

"Hmm... what you said makes sense."

Gu Man nodded thoughtfully, then, as if remembering something, couldn't help but laugh.

"However, Xiao Nai, your reaction is quite similar to Weiwei's. When I first mentioned this idea to her, she also felt a little shy and didn't agree."

A familiar, knowing smile appeared on her face.

"Well, then,"

Gu Man continued brainstorming, "For the ending of the modern drama, we'll film the night before the wedding. You and Weiwei will both try on wedding attire, and then... when things get heated, perhaps we could have some more intimate interactions, like... rolling around in bed?"

She carefully chose her words, trying to make her expression more subtle.

"This might be the most daring romantic scene in our idol drama."

Xiao Nai, you need to prepare yourself mentally and in terms of your performance beforehand.

Upon hearing this, Gu Qing was completely bewildered and quickly waved her hands, saying, "No, no, no, Teacher Gu Man, please take it easy!"

This is a TV idol drama aimed at a broad audience, especially many young students, so we must be careful to maintain the right level of content.

Those overly realistic scenes should be left for the big screen.

He was really afraid of this screenwriter who always wanted to add some "juicy details," so he quickly changed the subject: "By the way, Director Lin, Teacher Gu, there's something I need to report to you."

I may need to take a day off soon.

"Oh? What's wrong?" Lin Yu asked with concern.

Gu Qing explained in detail that the release date of "Nirvana in Fire" was set, and that he needed to cooperate in participating in the promotional press conference and variety shows.

"This is a big deal, it's the right thing to do."

Director Lin Yufen was understanding and immediately agreed, "Okay, no problem, go ahead. Since you've taken a few days off, I can focus on filming the scenes of the other supporting actors, so as not to delay the overall schedule."

and……"

She gave Gu Qing a meaningful look. "You can also use these few days to calm down and find the feeling for the last few key scenes, especially... that ambiguous and exciting atmosphere."

Once the matter was settled, the two teachers got up and left.

Gu Qing breathed a sigh of relief and immediately arranged for Zhao Ya to book a hotel with good privacy.

He didn't need to travel far this time because the premiere and first round of promotion for "Nirvana in Fire" were held in the capital.

According to the arrangement,

After attending the press conference announcing the release date of the drama, he and several other lead actors from "Nirvana in Fire" will also participate in the recording of "Big Shows in the Capital," a highly influential local cultural interview program in Beijing, to promote the broadcast of the TV series.

One of the actors confirmed to be participating in this variety show with him...

It was none other than "Teacher Bai," whom I hadn't seen in a long time.

Thinking about the upcoming reunion and the intensive publicity work, Gu Qing felt inexplicably nervous.

It seems that the brief "Xiao Nai" time is coming to an end.

It's time to switch back to "Mei Changsu" mode.

……

……

(End of this chapter)