Top Chinese celebrity: Debuted from Running Man

Chapter 429 Principal Wang's Suicidal Act (7.5k)
……

……

Another week has passed in the blink of an eye.
The highly anticipated drama series "Nirvana in Fire" has finally updated.

"Quick, quick, quick! The Langya List has been updated! I want to see how my Su-gege (Brother Su) strategizes and destroys enemy ships with a laugh."

"Ahhh, my Lin Shu brother! My Princess Nihuang! Will they recognize each other today?"

"I love Gu Qing! I love Mei Changsu!!"

Faced with her roommates' incessant, almost manic, idol-worshiping shouts, she had just brought back her lunchbox from the cafeteria...

Xie Lin, who was the last to enter the dormitory, couldn't help but hold her forehead, revealing an expression of "unbearable to look at".

As the plot of "Nirvana in Fire" deepened, its reputation grew like a snowball, and its promotional efforts were fully rolled out, naturally attracting a large number of casual viewers like her roommate.

She was clearly the first person in the dorm to discover and watch the show, but her roommates are now acting ten times more enthusiastically than she did back then.

This almost uncontrollable enthusiasm was difficult for the rational Shailene to understand.

If it were just about enjoying watching dramas and discussing the plot, that would be one thing, but her roommates seem to have completely deviated from the focus on the "drama" itself.

Most of them plunged headlong into the joy of "shipping" (shipping couples), and galloped wildly down this path, never to return.

Xie Lin could understand the fact that Mei Changsu and Princess Nihuang were officially childhood sweethearts.

The story of a love that transcends life and death and involves restraint and forbearance, coupled with the premise of a "female general" and a "male lover," is indeed novel.

But ironically, most people in the dormitory have recently become obsessed with the so-called "Su-Jing CP" of Mei Changsu and Prince Jing, Xiao Jingyan.

Watching my roommates scream with excitement over Mei Changsu's calmly uttered line, "Your Highness Prince Jing, I choose you," in the drama...
When Xie Lin even imagined countless scenarios of "soulmates and rulers" and "mutual devotion," she felt a sudden darkness before her eyes, and her worldview was severely impacted.

How can this be shipped as a "wheat-bran CP" (a term used to describe a couple who ship female celebrities with gluten)?
She found it hard to resonate with this kind of fanaticism that deviated from the main theme.

"Forget it, we're not on the same page."

Xie Lin sighed silently to herself, "I'd better just focus on watching my show."

She doesn't love anyone else, she only loves the drama itself!
This is the ultimate secret to binge-watching TV series.

then,

Xie Lin skillfully put on noise-canceling earplugs, set up her phone stand, and arranged her lunchbox, deciding to create her own independent space for watching dramas and block out all external "interference."

Today's episode, episode five, continues the major suspense left from last week.

Mei Changsu made a pledge before Emperor Liang, claiming that he could defeat Bailiqi, a warrior of Northern Yan, with just a few children from the Ye You Ting.

This is a classic template for the "showing off and getting slapped in the face" plot in online literature.

If described solely in words, it might seem somewhat clichéd and uninteresting. But once it's presented through film, the suspense, pacing, and the thrill of the final twist will increase exponentially.

The explosive popularity of short dramas in the future is precisely due to this.

Undoubtedly, the vast majority of viewers are eagerly anticipating how Mei Changsu will turn this "impossible" task into reality.

Skipping the opening advertisements, the scene cuts directly to the martial arts arena in front of the palace hall.

Tingsheng and his two companions, three thin, enslaved children, had already formed a sword formation, each wielding a wooden sword that was almost disproportionate to their height.

Opposite them stood Bailiqi, a burly, muscular warrior from Northern Yan, as imposing as an iron tower.

The contrast between the short and the imposing figure is extremely striking, creating a powerful visual impact.

Princess Nihuang sat at the same table as Mei Changsu. Even though she was a seasoned female general, she couldn't help but feel uneasy and nervous at this moment, after all, this concerned her marriage.

She couldn't help but turn slightly to the composed Mei Changsu beside her and whisper, "Brother Su, the battle is about to begin. What surprises do you have in store? If not now, when?"

She could hardly believe that a sword formation consisting of only three children could defeat a powerful and experienced warrior.

"Princess, do not worry. Just watch with peace of mind."

Mei Changsu's gaze remained fixed on the scene, his tone calm and even, but attentive viewers might have caught a fleeting, extremely faint smile at the corner of his lips.

That was the tenderness that unconsciously surfaced when he saw the uneasy expression on Nihuang's face, which resembled that of the crybaby girl in his memory.

"First, Princess Nihuang protected her husband, and now Mei Changsu is protecting his wife. Can you two get any sweeter?"

"I really didn't expect that Gu Qing and Liu Tao could have such a strong sense of CP when they stood together. The tension between the mature and domineering woman and the sickly strategist was amazing."

"Are you kidding me? Do you think Gu Qing's 'versatile CP body' is just a name for nothing? He has chemistry with everyone he acts with."

"It's true, from Zhao Xiaodao to Liu Shishi, then to Gulnazar and now Tao Jie, they all look perfect together."

The barrage of comments on the streaming platform was so dense it almost completely obscured the screen.

Even someone as rational as Xie Lin secretly acknowledged the concept of "couple chemistry" at this moment.

She has watched many TV dramas and movies. Often, the male and female leads in these dramas are top-notch handsome men and beautiful women, and the plot settings are also quite novel.

However, when the two are in the same frame, there is a lack of that wonderful "spark," and their interactions are incredibly awkward, full of the "industrial saccharin" flavor of deliberately sweetening each other.

Just like the few episodes of "Fighter of the Destiny" that she barely managed to watch last week.
In the drama, Nazha and Lu Han don't seem to be playing a couple; instead, they seem to be competing to see who is more beautiful and "cuter."

Under the heavy filter,
The two actresses' performances were like those of someone behind a heavily filtered, powdered wall, devoid of any genuine emotional flow. Shailene gave up after only a minute and promptly abandoned the performance.

"Nirvana in Fire is still the most comfortable to watch. I would give it full marks just for the unfiltered picture quality."

Xie Lin rummaged through the food in her lunchbox, eagerly anticipating what would happen next in the story.

The martial arts competition officially began in the main hall.

The three children followed the sword formation, moving nimbly and thrusting with their wooden swords, engaging Baili Qi in a fierce battle, showing no signs of defeat for a time.

Everyone in the hall held their breath, watching the battle intently with serious expressions. Only Mei Changsu seemed indifferent to the fierce fight before him.

His gaze was drawn to a jade cicada pastry on the table. He picked it up and played with it over and over, his eyes distant, as if he could see the distant past through the pastry.

"Wow, these kids' fight scenes were actually filmed live? They're quite realistic, much more so than the cheap special effects in 'Fighter of the Destiny'."

Xie Lin couldn't help but compare it to the show next door again, subconsciously making a sarcastic remark.

Even children fight more seriously than some idol actors who rely on stunt doubles and special effects; the level of action scenes in the Chinese entertainment industry is truly worrying.

finally,
As expected by all the audience, the three children, with their excellent teamwork and the fearless spirit of newborn calves, actually "defeated" the powerful Bailiqi.

A gasp of surprise rippled through the hall, and Emperor Liang was overjoyed.

however,
Xie Lin, who was "obsessed with the logic of the plot," frowned slightly, and the food in her mouth suddenly became somewhat tasteless.

"This...isn't this cheat a bit too much? It doesn't make sense."

A question arose in her mind: "Why is Mei Changsu's character suddenly leaning towards the direction of 'Wang Yuyan'?"

Is it really possible to teach a few children to quickly master an unparalleled sword formation and defeat an adult warrior with just a few words of guidance?
If you really had that ability, why would you need to go to such lengths to assist Prince Jing?
Wouldn't it be easier and faster to just recruit a few thousand homeless children from the streets, train them for three months, and then build your own army to conquer the world and become emperor?

A sense of disappointment crept into my heart.

If the plot is really this farcical, then wouldn't the so-called "political intrigue" that was set up beforehand become a joke?
Fortunately,

The excellent reputation and solid plot of the first four episodes convinced Shailene to patiently continue watching.

Winning the martial arts contest not only successfully resolved Princess Nihuang's marriage crisis, but also led to another important subplot—helping Tingsheng, who had a pitiful background and was bullied, escape from the Yeyou Court and regain his freedom.

This is precisely the brilliance of the narrative in "Nirvana in Fire": the multiple plot lines do not exist in isolation, but are interwoven like an intricate spider web, advancing in a chain and serving the main storyline.

Next,
Mei Changsu and Princess Nihuang, childhood sweethearts, put on a wonderful "performance" in front of Emperor Liang.

Princess Nihuang was the first to petition Emperor Liang, hoping that His Majesty would pardon the three children's status as slaves and allow her to take them back to the Prince of Yunnan's residence.

However, before Emperor Liang could express his opinion, Mei Changsu frowned, his tone carrying just the right amount of displeasure and competitiveness:
“Princess, you are mistaken. These three children are now my apprentices. If His Majesty grants them a pardon, it is only right and proper that I take them back with me.”

The two of them started arguing back and forth in the very palace about the custody of their three children.

To an emperor in a bad mood, this might be seen as noisy and offensive, and he might wish to drag them away and behead them.

But to Emperor Liang, who was in high spirits after just defeating Northern Yan, it was like the amusing squabbles between children, which aroused a sense of "elderly affection" and interest in watching a show.

With a wave of his hand, he not only pardoned the three children from their status as slaves, but also watched with amusement as the two "fought" against each other. In the end, he went with the flow and handed Tingsheng over to Mei Changsu.

At this point, Tingsheng was successfully rescued.

In the subsequent plot,
After witnessing Mei Changsu's "divine schemes," Prince Yu and the Crown Prince became even more eager to win him over, and even went to great lengths to ask Emperor Liang for credit on his behalf.

"Hahaha, this is hilarious! What are the Crown Prince and Prince Yu arguing about? Are they vying to be Su-gege's 'second choice'?"

"He risked his life to help his rival gain merit, little did he know that Mei Changsu had already fallen for Prince Jing!"

"Prince Jing is also a 'cunning old fox... cough cough, a man of few words,' just silently watching his two older brothers fight tooth and nail, probably laughing his head off inside, right?"

The comments section was filled with humorous banter.

But because the "thorn" of logic that "a child defeats a samurai" was still stuck in her heart, Sheryl could never fully immerse herself in the joy like her roommates, and always felt a little uneasy.

until,

After the martial arts competition, Princess Nihuang invited Mei Changsu aside for a private chat.

With no one around, Nihuang stared directly at Mei Changsu with her imposing eyes. "Mr. Su, I have fought on the battlefield for many years, and I find it hard to believe that such a simple sword formation could defeat a master like Baili Qi."

His loss...it's all too suspicious. Shouldn't you give me an explanation, sir?"

"Princess! You are my mouth double!!"

Xie Lin was so excited she almost shouted it out.

She knew the plot wouldn't be that simple!
Faced with Princess Nihuang's keen insight and straightforward questioning, Mei Changsu no longer pretended to be profound and frankly told her the truth: "The explanation is actually very simple."

Bailiqi... he was originally a member of the Jiangzuo Alliance.

"Jiangzuo Alliance?!"

Xie Lin's eyes widened, and she almost choked on her food.

If she remembered correctly, wasn't Mei Changsu's revealed identity in the first episode the leader of the Jiangzuo Alliance, the largest gang in the martial arts world?!

So Bailiqi was one of your own planted agents all along!

No wonder they won so easily; all the illogical things suddenly became clear! This was a show that they directed and acted out with perfect control.

Xie Lin felt an indescribable sense of comfort throughout her body.

at the same time,

Her roommates, who were also watching the show on the upper bunk, let out a suppressed gasp, clearly shocked by the plot twist.

"In the future, if any unexpected experts appear on the marriage contest stage, and the princess is not pleased, she can send him to resolve the matter."

Mei Changsu lowered his eyes, his tone as calm as if he were discussing the weather, deliberately keeping his distance, "This can also be considered as me giving the princess a favor."

It is this seemingly cold and eager-to-disassociate dialogue that, combined with the deep-seated past and unspeakable bond between the two, is what makes it so compelling.

That kind of restrained, subtle emotion, which is far more profound than straightforward displays of affection, has a lasting impact and touches people's hearts even more.

"This is too cruel..."

Even Xie Lin couldn't help but feel sorry for Mei Changsu. "He clearly loves Nihuang deeply. Faced with the love of his life, he dares not acknowledge her because of family feuds, national hatred, and his own crippled body. He has to pretend to be indifferent and draw a line between them."

Princess Nihuang was incredibly intelligent, and she naturally noticed the deliberate distance in Mei Changsu's words.

Her bright and spirited face visibly dimmed, and her tone carried a hint of disappointment and questioning: "A favor? Is it worth Mr. Su going to such lengths and arranging this situation?"

"The favors bestowed by the Mu family are not something that just anyone can earn." Mei Changsu's tone remained calm, as if he were discussing a purely business transaction.

But this extreme forbearance, suppression, and silent protection,

Far more accurately it touches the softest spot in the hearts of rational viewers like Xie Lin than those male protagonists in fantasy dramas who disregard everything for love and readily sacrifice all living beings in the three realms.

This restrained emotion,
The aftereffects...were tremendous!

Mei Changsu's character design almost embodies all the elements of what female viewers consider the "ceiling of historical drama male leads."
It takes the three words "beautiful, strong, and tragic" to their extreme.

The sixth episode, which followed, pushed this emotional tension to its climax.

Princess Nihuang was tricked away by a palace maid, while Mei Changsu was leaving the palace with Xiao Jingrui, Yan Yujin and others.

But during the conversation, with his extraordinary insight and familiarity with court intrigues, he suddenly realized that Princess Nihuang might be in danger!

Mei Changsu, who always appeared calm and collected, seemingly in control of everything, even leading some viewers to mistakenly believe that he had no more feelings for Princess Nihuang, was a man of great talent and integrity.
The moment he realized that Nihuang might be in danger,
My heart... is completely in turmoil!
"Cough cough—cough cough cough—"

The intense emotional fluctuations triggered the deep-seated poison of fire and cold within the body.

Mei Changsu's once jade-like face instantly lost all color, turning an unnatural flush from the violent coughing.

His tall, thin figure swayed precariously, forced to lean against the cold palace wall, coughing incessantly. The heart-wrenching sound seemed to rip out his internal organs.

There was no doubt that blood would seep from between his fingers at any moment.

From the initial restraint and calm to the current state of intense internal heat and persistent coughing;
From sickly pale skin to a face flushed red with bulging veins from extreme pain...

All of this change was due to just two words—Nihuang!
Even though twelve years have passed, the country has been shattered, and appearances have changed, the woman named "Nihuang" remains his deepest love and vulnerability, buried in his heart and never forgotten.

Xie Lin's knuckles turned slightly white from gripping the chopsticks so tightly. In that instant, her heart leaped into her throat, and she felt an unprecedented sense of unease and suffocation.

In her eyes,
At this moment, Gu Qing seems to be Mei Changsu, who is suffering from the Fire and Cold Poison and is about to die.

That image of a young master, so aloof and serene like a deep pool, so bright and elegant, and often wrapped in a heavy fox fur coat due to his frail health, now appears so helpless and desperate, utterly broken.

She even felt an absurd fear—that the man on the screen would actually cough up blood and die!

"Stop the torture! Stop the torture! Please, screenwriter, have some humanity!!"

Xie Lin unconsciously clasped her hands together and prayed silently in her heart.

Her roommates reacted even more strongly; some of them, who were more emotionally involved, already had red eyes and started quietly pulling out tissues, creating a tense atmosphere in the dormitory.

Judging from their most direct reactions, it is foreseeable that after the two episodes air tonight, the ratings and online discussion of "Nirvana in Fire" will continue to soar and reach new heights.

Fortunately, the screenwriter still retained a sliver of "mercy".

At the end of the sixth episode, although Mei Changsu was in dire straits himself, he still managed to rescue Princess Nihuang, who was trapped, thanks to his extraordinary wisdom and strategic planning.

When they saw Nihuang escape safely, several sighs of relief rang out in the dormitory, and smiles finally returned to the faces of all the girls who were watching the drama.

"Thank goodness, they're safe! I was so scared!"

"If anything really happens to Nihuang, I'll immediately go to the official Weibo account and bombard the director with criticism!"

"Oh no, it's over already? Two episodes aren't enough!"

"I heard that Tencent Video is in talks with the production team of 'Nirvana in Fire' about an advanced on-demand membership model?"

"I always watch dramas for free, but if 'Nirvana in Fire' were to offer advanced on-demand viewing, I'd be the first to pay for it!"

"The younger brother is so pitiful. Why does he always get these tragic, strong, and beautiful roles? Can't he act in a sweet romance drama to cheer us up?"

In the dormitory,
The girls chattered excitedly, their words filled with enthusiasm for the plot and genuine concern for the characters' fates.

Xie Lin quickly finished her already cold food, but felt empty inside.

Oh no, another week of "spiritual nourishment" is cut off, and the anxiety of being without anything to watch is creeping in.

At this moment, she was so engrossed in the plot that she couldn't fall asleep.

"Wait, there's more! Gu Qing's younger brother actually appeared on this episode of 'Go Fighting!'!"

Suddenly, one of my roommates exclaimed in surprise while holding his phone.

"What? Qianqian, take me with you! I just got tortured by Mei Changsu and desperately need Gu Qing's true colors to heal me."

"Me too, me too! I've always been a fan of the Go Fighting! This is double the joy for fans, a dream collaboration!"

quickly,

The three female roommates squeezed onto one bed, their heads huddled together, ready to begin a new round of "electronic pickled vegetables" journey.

They also enthusiastically invited Xie Lin, who was in the lower bunk, "Linlin, come and see for yourself!"

"Uh...you see, I'm a little sleepy and want to rest early."

Xie Lin waved apologetically, politely declining the invitation.

In reality, she has never been particularly interested in variety shows. Even the phenomenally popular "Running Man," which Gu Qing participated in a few years ago, she barely watched.

When I first entered university, I watched the first season of Running Man last year and thought it was terribly bad.

In Xie Lin's opinion, most variety shows are obviously scripted and the performances are exaggerated. It would be better to spend that time watching a few episodes of a well-made TV series.

After washing up, Xie Lin climbed into bed, put on her Bluetooth headphones, played some soothing music, placed her phone on the bedside table, and then pulled the covers over her head, trying to force herself to fall asleep.

however……

"Haha, little brother's fall was so cute! How could it not be heavy carrying so many gold bars?"

"Shuai Leilei was indeed trying to steal gold bars again, but Gu Qinghao is very experienced. He turned around and caught him red-handed."

"Hehehe~ Look at the way they're staring at each other, it's so funny!"

"Oh no, I can't take it anymore, I'm dying of laughter, my stomach hurts."

The laughter of my roommates on the upper bunk rose in waves, sounding like the honking of geese, and was extremely penetrating.

Even though Shailene was wearing headphones, that mesmerizing laughter still stubbornly penetrated her eardrums.

She tossed and turned in bed, unable to fall asleep.

"Is a variety show really that funny?"

She couldn't help but mutter to herself.

Driven by curiosity, she secretly reached out from under the covers and reached for the phone that was playing music under her pillow.

Like a thief, Xie Lin hid under the covers, carefully turned off the music, opened the video app, and found the latest episode of "Go Fighting!"

"I'll just take a look and see just how funny it is..."

She told herself that.

But once you look at it, it's like opening Pandora's box.

Like her three roommates on the upper bunk, Xie Lin soon found herself laughing so hard that she was trembling all over in bed, trying to suppress her laughter.

She was first struck by the stark contrast between Gu Qing's appearance on the variety show and her character Mei Changsu in the drama.

Compared to Mei Changsu, who was deep-thinking, frail, and burdened with a blood feud,
The handsome young man in front of her, with his clean and friendly smile, clear and lively eyes, and full of youthful energy and a sense of life, seemed to be Gu Qing's true self.

This sunny, lively, and even slightly mischievous image is exactly the type that Shailene prefers.

She likes things that bring her direct happiness and positive emotions, and Gu Qing's performance brought her that pleasure.

"Haha, just as I thought. With so many initial gold bars, we can play the financial lending game."

"Getting Huang Xiaochu to act as guarantor is a sure win! He's quick-witted and has many ways to make money."

"What is Chef Huang up to? Is he deliberately saving a ticket? Could he really be an undercover agent planted by the production team?!"

"Haha, 'I also saved a ticket,' that's a great retort, I like it."

Xie Lin was completely immersed in the joyful atmosphere of the show. Covered by her blanket, her bed looked like a constantly wriggling "caterpillar cocoon" to her roommate on the upper bunk.
I have absolutely no idea what kind of "it's actually good" phenomenon my roommate on the lower bunk, who claims to be "indifferent to variety shows," is going through right now.

On one hand, there's the increasingly popular and critically acclaimed drama "Nirvana in Fire";
On one hand, there's "Go Fighting!", a show full of laughs that showcases Gu Qing's multifaceted charm.

The combined influence of these two powerful forces led Gu Qing, who had been quietly filming "Love O2O" on campus and on set for a long time,

Once again, it swept across the trending topics list of the mainland entertainment industry with unstoppable momentum.

"Gu family members (leaning back tactically) What does 'top-tier' mean?!"

"@Lu Han, come out and take your beating! See what real acting skills and audience appeal are!"

The weekly "mocking" segment arrived as scheduled, and Gu Qing's fans inevitably compared him to the male lead of "Fighter of the Destiny," which was airing at the same time.

But what no one expected was that,

This time, Gu Qing's fans unexpectedly received an "helper" with explosive "fighting power".

Wang Sicong, the nation's husband, known as the "Disciplinary Committee of the Entertainment Industry," once again showcased his signature "crazy writing" style.

A sharp commentary posted on WeChat Moments was quickly screenshotted and shared, instantly going viral and topping the trending topics list:
"Fighter of the Destiny is absolutely the only TV series I've ever watched where none of the main actors can act. It's both awkward and hilarious to watch..."

If that were all, it might not have caused such a huge public outcry.

But Principal Wang then added,
"Lu Han and Liu Yifei are quite similar in acting skills. They both used the same expression (yes, no expression) in several TV series."

This statement caused a huge stir.

It's one thing to mock Lu Han, after all, the poor reputation of "Fighter of the Destiny" is a fact, and with everyone being pushed to their limits, the Lu Han fans were powerless to resist.

But when Principal Wang deliberately dragged Liu Tianxian, who enjoys the title of "Fairy Sister" and has a huge and loyal fan base, the nature of the matter completely changed.

Enraged fans immediately rallied and launched a massive attack on Principal Wang's social media comment section.

"What right do you have to judge our celestial beauty's acting skills with that greasy pig's face?!"

"What does a spoiled brat who lives off his father's money, squandering his wealth and constantly changing internet celebrities know about art besides wasting money and corrupting social values? I've already reported him!"

"Let me ask you this: which of the TV dramas our Sissi starred in wasn't a hit? If she really only had one expression, would the audience have loved watching her for so many years?"

"At least our Qianqian is a self-reliant and excellent actress, unlike you, a good-for-nothing who can do nothing but rely on your father!"

The "Philippines fans" are a formidable force and possess astonishing fighting power.

Meanwhile, the "Reed Sisters" seemed to see a glimmer of hope for a counterattack, and seized the opportunity to join the battle, forming a temporary "united front" with the "Faye Wong fans," and launching various sarcastic remarks and memes at Principal Wang.

With the combined fan bases of two top-tier celebrities launching a joint attack, the power of their influence is self-evident.

Even Principal Wang, who is known for his "thick skin" and "carefree attitude," seems to be feeling unprecedented pressure.

Faced with a barrage of profanities and personal attacks in the comments section and private messages, this usually unruly rich kid broke down and chose to publicly retaliate:
"What acting skills! If your eyes aren't working properly, I suggest you donate them and go watch 'Nirvana in Fire' to cleanse your eyes!"
"Two people nearing 30, their acting skills completely outclassed by Gu Qing, who just turned 20. Don't they feel ashamed?!"

"Also, I remember someone also graduated from Beijing Film Academy, right?"
I just want to ask, how come the acting skills of two graduates from the Beijing Film Academy are so different, the difference is greater than the difference between a human and a dog?
They're not even as good as freshmen who've only been enrolled for a short time!

After all these years of schooling, has all that knowledge gone to waste?!

After a flurry of activity, Principal Wang probably felt refreshed and satisfied before logging off.

But at the same time,
Gu Qing: "?"

……

……

(End of this chapter)