Top Chinese celebrity: Debuted from Running Man

Chapter 430 Gu Qing, an innocent bystander (6.5k)
……

……

Principal Wang really got his fill of rant this time, single-handedly attacking two top celebrities and turning the Chinese entertainment industry upside down.

As the heir to the Dawan Group, his family owns Dawan Cinemas all over the country, practically controlling the throat of film promotion and distribution, and holding the lifeline of the film industry—screening schedules.

Even the notoriously fiery-tempered director Feng Xiaogang, known as "Little Cannon," was rendered speechless and helpless by Principal Wang's sharp retorts.

Ultimately, the film's screenings were cut, and the company had no choice but to swallow its pride and admit defeat, demonstrating its immense influence.

therefore,

Whether it's Lu Han's "Reed Sisters" or Liu Yifei's "Faye Wong Fans," after the initial surge of anger and indiscriminate attacks,

They also quickly rediscovered the internet survival rule of "bullying the weak and fearing the strong".

They knew all too well that going head-to-head with this powerful and unscrupulous rich second-generation heir would be tantamount to throwing an egg against a rock, and in the end, it would be their own master who would suffer.

then,

They all chose to turn their guns around.

Gu Qing, who was singled out by Principal Wang as an "acting benchmark" and "someone else's child," is now in deep trouble.
It became the most conspicuous "easy target" and suffered this undeserved disaster.

"Well, so your tail is finally showing, isn't it?!"

"I see it now. This spoiled brat is just trying to grovel before Gu Qing by putting one down and praising the other!"

"That's right. Wasn't there a news report before that Gu Qing and he jointly invested in some League of Legends gaming team?"

"The two of them are birds of a feather. Wang Zhutou is disgusting; he's always spouting nonsense online to stir up trouble."

Do you really think everyone can't see through your little scheme to drive traffic to your own business?!

Enraged, the two fan groups quickly targeted Gu Qing's personal blog and related online forums.

A torrent of vile and obscene language poured down, along with classic and malicious methods of spreading rumors:

"Wang Zhutou previously revealed on the show that he was into both meat and vegetables. I think Gu Qing is his male lover, otherwise why would he speak up for Gu Qing so vehemently?"

"What's with this 'national little brother' persona? How clean can someone be if they can hang out with someone like Principal Wang who indulges in a life of pleasure and debauchery?"

"Don't forget Chris Wu, who is also a 'good friend' of Principal Wang. Gu Qing may have done his fair share of dirty deeds of sleeping with fans in private, but it just hasn't been exposed yet."

"No problem, and he has such good relationships with so many female artists he has worked with, yet there has never been any concrete evidence of a scandal, which is abnormal in itself!"
Gu Qing definitely likes men; with his looks that are even more beautiful than a woman's, he'd be a huge hit in that kind of circle!

"That's right! Disgusting!!"

Faced with these buckets of foul-smelling dirty water that were suddenly poured on them, the Gu family was initially bewildered, completely unaware of how the conflict had spread to their own backyard.

But after quickly understanding the whole story, a surge of anger at being wronged and slandered instantly ignited the entire fan base.

As for whether he was used as a pawn by Principal Wang's "praise to death"... rational thinking is often a rare commodity among the emotionally charged fan base.

Since Principal Wang praised Gu Qing, they now considered him one of their own, someone who had "spoken out for justice"!
You're using foul language? I'll be even fouler than you!

"When it comes to effeminate looks, who in the entertainment industry can compare to your Lu Han? His eyeliner is even thicker than a girl's."

"They even mocked us for praising our brother as a 'beauty'? It's terrifying how uncultured we are."

Fun fact: In ancient times, the word 'beauty' was always used to describe men of high moral character and exceptional appearance! I suggest you read more books.

"Go back and listen to your brother's ancient-style songs to improve your aesthetic sense. Oh, no, with your IQ, you probably can't even recognize all the lyrics."

I suggest you go back to the drawing board and get some proper prenatal education while you're still in your mother's womb!

"Isn't it a well-known fact that Liu Yifei has no acting skills? I think the criticism of her wooden acting has never stopped since her debut, right?"

"Every movie she makes flops; she's practically cemented her reputation as box office poison! She even tried to ride on my brother's coattails to get ahead of him? Pshaw! Thank goodness she didn't succeed. They don't even deserve it!"

For a time,

The fan groups of the three top celebrities engaged in a fierce online battle, with the insults spreading to major social media platforms, creating a chaotic and turbulent scene.

The happiest people are undoubtedly the bystanders who watch the drama unfold from the sidelines.

"Haha, in the past, the Chinese entertainment industry was full of intrigue and power struggles among the four leading actresses and the two Bingbings. Although it was exciting, it still maintained a facade of harmony."

I never imagined that the fights between fans of young male and female celebrities could be so exciting, going so far as to flip tables and hurl insults! It's hilarious!

"Gu Qing's fans are really fierce. They actually managed to chase after and curse the fans of Lu Han and Liu Yifei, both top-tier celebrities. After watching so many celebrity feuds over the years, this is the first time I've seen Liu Yifei's fans get the short end of the stick."

"What level of commercial value has Gu Qing reached now? I feel that his fans are incredibly confident and have a strong fighting spirit."

"Dude, a movie with a 3 million yuan salary and profit sharing, even if you bundle together the salaries of the other top stars plus Liu Yifei, it probably wouldn't be as much as Gu Qing makes from just one 'Detective Chinatown' movie."

"This is terrifying... No wonder so many people are desperate to get into the entertainment industry, the money is just too easy to make!"

Passersby were amazed by the top celebrities' incredible earning power and the bizarre ecosystem of the fan economy.

The noisy, bustling winds on the internet, mixed with countless acts of hostility, eventually reached Gu Qing, the person on the edge of the storm.

……

About a week after successfully filming the "wedding night" scenes, the "Love O2O" crew has finished shooting on the Beijing Film Academy campus.
The filming location was moved to a large studio in the suburbs to focus on shooting the special effects parts of the drama that involve the online game world.

All the main actors then checked into the hotel arranged by the production team.

Quite "coincidentally",

Gu Qing and Jing Tian's rooms were arranged next to each other.

Moreover, the two rooms are not completely independent; there is a door in the wall between them that allows them to connect internally and can be opened at any time. It is said to be the original suite structure designed by the hotel, which the film crew "made the most of."

The consequences of this door are self-evident.

For the couple who were in the "honeymoon period," it was like the key to Pandora's box.

then,

After another night of enthusiastic "night raids" by Da Tian Tian.

The next morning,

Sunlight streamed through the gaps in the heavy curtains, casting a thin band of light on the carpet in the hotel room.

"Master... what are you looking at?"

A snow-white, smooth arm lazily wrapped around Gu Qing's neck. Jing Tian, ​​having eaten and drunk her fill, nestled her cheek intimately against Gu Qing's shoulder and neck, enjoying the close touch.

Her slightly flushed cheeks and the hint of spring in her eyes...
She exuded the happiness and security that all women feel when they fall into their dream romance, and her voice still carried the drowsiness and softness of someone just waking up.

"I'm watching people criticize me for liking men."

Gu Qing sighed and looked at the contents of her phone.

This is even worse than spreading rumors that he is "effeminate," at least the latter can be refuted by his professional skills and masculine image.

When faced with malicious speculation and rumors involving sexual orientation, there is no way to prove oneself, and the more one tries to explain, the worse it gets.

Just like Lu Han, he was called "effeminate" from the moment he debuted. The more he explained and the more he showed his masculinity, the more it became a sign of insecurity in the eyes of his haters.

It would be more effective to get drunk, go live, and give the camera the middle finger dismissively.

of course,

Gu Qing would never do such a reckless act that would kill a thousand enemies while losing ten thousand of his own.

"You like men? Hehehe~~"

Jing Tian was taken aback at first, but then she was so amused by the absurd rumor that she laughed so hard that she lost all her sleepiness.

"Who has such an imagination? Let me see!"

"You see."

Gu Qing handed her the phone and then got up to start getting dressed.

"Hey, master, are you going to work out again?"

Jing Tian was completely taken aback when Gu Qing handed her the phone so naturally. Before her excitement could even fully form...
Seeing Gu Qing about to leave, she quickly reached out her little hand and grabbed his clothes, pouting and saying, "Sleep a little longer~ It's only a few o'clock, it's too early..."

once Upon a time,

She particularly admires and aspires to a life where boys are self-disciplined and have regular schedules.

But even now,
Only then did Da Tian Tian truly understand what "sweet burden" means.

She wished she could stick to Gu Qing like a koala 24 hours a day, never wanting to be apart from him for a moment.

Those vows once made to maintain independence and have their own space have long been swept away by the hormones of infatuation.

however,
Gu Qing, however, continued to live a very regular life, just as she had initially envisioned.

When it's time to get up early for exercise, he gets up without fail; when it's time to act seriously and study a character, he can lock himself in his room for hours, not seeing anyone, completely immersed in the role.

Consequently, Jing Tian felt somewhat inferior and pressured by Gu Qing's terrifying focus and self-discipline.

"It's getting late, the gym will get crowded if we go any later."

Gu Qing gently brushed the few strands of hair that had fallen across Jing Tian's forehead and were obscuring her eyes behind her ears with her fingertips.

Jing Tian squinted her eyes with a silly grin, feeling as if a feather had gently tickled her heart, making her feel itchy yet incredibly pleasant.

……

When Gu finished washing up and returned to the bedroom, she found that Jing Tian had already sat up, her upper body leaning against the soft pillows.
He was staring intently at his phone screen, his fingers occasionally swiping, his brows slightly furrowed, his expression quite serious.

"Finished reading? Give it to me." Gu Qing smiled and held out her hand.

"Ah... Oh, here you go."

Jing Tian seemed startled, hurriedly shoving the phone into Gu Qing's hand, her eyes darting around.
Then he immediately switched to a coaxing tone, awkwardly comforting her: "Master, those are just haters or marketing accounts bought by your rivals trying to stir up trouble for you. Please don't let them affect your mood. We're not angry."

Gu Qing couldn't help but chuckle, "Don't worry, I've been criticized countless times since my debut, haven't I? I'm used to it."

He took the phone and, as usual, swiped up from the bottom of the screen to clear the apps running in the background.

But just as the interface shrank,

Gu Qing's fingers paused almost imperceptibly.
Then,

He remained calm, quickly refreshed the screen, and then casually put his phone back into his sweatpants pocket.

After doing all this,
Gu Qing raised her head, looked at Jing Tian, ​​and asked, "Weiwei, is there nothing you want to say to me?"

"what……"

Jing Tian was slightly taken aback, then quickly leaned forward and gave him a quick kiss before burying herself back under the covers, sweetly saying, "My lord, come back soon~"

Watching Gu Qing's figure disappear behind the door and hearing the soft sound of the door closing, Jing Tian finally breathed a sigh of relief.

But then,
She couldn't help but hug the blanket again, her pretty face serious and filled with anxiety, "The god is too popular, what should I do?"

the other side.

"pat-"

The door closed gently.

Gu Qing put on a black mask and a baseball cap, covering herself completely, and walked towards the elevator with her head down, pressing the button for the basement level.

While waiting for the elevator, he leaned against the metal wall, took out his phone again, looked at the familiar green app icon, and sighed almost imperceptibly.
"This idiot...peeking into people's chat history, doesn't he even know to close the last viewed page?"

It seems that girlfriends checking their boyfriends' phones has become a common occurrence.

Some people can accept it readily, seeing it as part of mutual trust and honesty.

Some people consider it a forbidden zone of privacy and cannot tolerate it.

Given his current honeymoon phase with Jing Tian in the drama, Gu Qing isn't afraid of being seen.

There was nothing shady or suggestive on his phone.

in contrast,

The chat history was mostly filled with messages of him being teased and harassed. Even when his closest friend, Sister Zhao, made suggestive invitations to have sex with him, Gu Qing never accepted.

Of course, this excludes excessive phone calls.

It's not that I'm afraid of leaving any screenshots or records that could be edited and leaked one day, turning him into a complete scumbag.

He was simply too exhausted from his demanding work schedule to spend much time chatting on his phone.

If it's a phone call, you can chat for a bit during short breaks while commuting or putting on makeup; but asking him to sit in front of a screen and type back and forth for a casual chat...

For Gu Qing now, it was far too tedious and mentally taxing.

The sheer volume of unread messages piling up in the software was enough to make his scalp tingle at just a glance.

"In the play...outside the play..."

Gu Qingzheng was lost in thought.

"Didi-di-di-di-"

My phone suddenly started vibrating wildly, with a constant barrage of notification sounds.

Gu Qing glanced at it, then closed her eyes in pain.

Well, the person who loves to "bother" him the most has come online right on time.

The message is from Yang Mi.

A photo of a tree, clearly taken casually and with a skewed composition, is followed by a series of questions:
"Little brother, isn't this tree beautiful? [Image jpg]"

"Why don't you reply to my message?"

"Respond to me, respond to me, respond to me, respond to me, respond to me..." (repeatedly spamming the screen)

The barrage of messages was so intense it was almost obsessive; Gu Qing even suspected her phone would overheat and shut down at any moment.

He deeply regretted accepting Da Mimi's friend request after playing a few games of Honor of Kings; it felt like he had been haunted by an overactive "nightmare."

This woman seems to have no need for sleep at all; she can always "bombard" him with all sorts of bizarre reasons and game links at unexpected times.

If he doesn't reply,
Yang Mi can entertain herself by spamming the screen forever.

"Stop! That's beautiful."

Gu Qingsheng replied listlessly, only wanting to end this torment as soon as possible.

I received a reply from Gu Qing.
This has clearly opened another Pandora's box.

"Am I good-looking? Are the trees good-looking? x99"

Yang Mi started a new wave of repetitive, scrolling posts.

"The tree is beautiful."

Gu Qing pressed the voice button and replied speechlessly, with the background sound of the elevator arriving at the underground gym, "Sister Mi, why are you up so early in the morning instead of sleeping? What are you doing taking pictures of trees? Are you a woodpecker?"

About a minute later,

Gu Qing was already in the hotel gym, warming up on the treadmill at a slow incline, when she received a long voice message from Yang Mi.

He used Bluetooth, turned on the play button, and Yang Mi's signature soft, slightly nasal "sheep voice" rang in his ears.

But there was a hint of resentment from being completely drained by intense work, and a sense of almost self-destructive madness in his voice:
"Hehe, little brother, I've already evolved into a fairy, why would I need to sleep? I only sleep three or four hours a day now, and I feel like I'm... terrifyingly strong!"

His tone gradually became excited and erratic.

Gu Qing: "..."

Thinking of the gambling agreement that Da Mimi signed with her company, which could be described as a "contract of servitude," Gu Qing couldn't help but feel a little sympathy for her.

Although his company was also quite inhumane and exploitative, at most it didn't provide him with resources and forced him to work hard to make money.

Compared to Yang Mi's agency, it actually seems a bit more "humane".

They're not giving you resources, forcing you to make money, and even using a hidden contract trap. They clearly want to take advantage of you and make you pay them back. Their ruthless methods are astonishing.

"Sister Honey..."

Gu Qing, unusually, put aside her teasing and sent another voice message in a sincere tone, "You still need to get some rest."

……

Inside a suite of a five-star hotel in Shanghai.

The sky outside the window was already beginning to lighten.

Yang Mi had just finished a non-stop schedule—from a magazine shoot in the early morning, to a brand event in the morning, an advertising endorsement in the afternoon, a variety show recording in the evening, and a script discussion meeting late at night…

Until this moment,

She dragged her body, which felt completely drained, back to her hotel alone.

She didn't even have time to remove her makeup before collapsing onto the soft bed like a lump of mud.

Every cell in my body is screaming for rest.
She can only sleep for a few hours at a time, and at noon she has to get up and rush to the airport to head to the next city for a new round of work.

It stands to reason,
She should force herself to fall asleep immediately and make the most of every second to replenish her energy.

But... people are not machines.

If life consists of nothing more than "work-sleep-work"

This endless, numbing rhythm—opening your eyes to announcements, closing them to exhaustion—leaves no moment of your own, no time to breathe, no time to feel truly alive.

What's the difference between that and being a walking corpse?
It was worse than death!
Therefore,
This is why Da Mimi is willing to sacrifice her already meager sleep time to hold her phone and "bother" Gu Qing whenever she has a spare moment.

Only during the time I joked around with him and saw his sometimes helpless and sometimes perfunctory replies,
Da Mimi finally felt that she was no longer a money-making machine driven by schedules and contracts, but a living person with joys and sorrows, who could joke and feel a little bit of fun in life.

The phone screen was lit up, showing the chat interface with Gu Qing.

Upon hearing the notification tone of the new voice message, Yang Mi barely managed to lift her heavy eyelids and brought the phone to her ear.

Press play,
Then I buried my face deep into the soft pillow that smelled of hotel detergent.

"Sister Honey, you still need to get some rest."

A clean, clear, boyish voice, like a mountain stream, entered my ears clearly through the receiver.

There was none of the exaggerated, cautious, or purposeful flattery and concern that I usually receive from those around me.

His tone carried a hint of awkwardness, yet it sounded exceptionally sincere concern.

This sound,
In this quiet and weary morning, it seemed so...pure and unique.

It's just a sentence that couldn't be simpler.

Yang Mi's body, buried in the pillow, stiffened almost imperceptibly.

The exhaustion, grievances, anxiety, and the sheer strength she had been forcing herself to maintain under immense pressure that had been building up over the past few days were almost crushing her...

At this moment, all the strong psychological defenses seemed to be gently knocked open by this sudden, pure concern.

Betrayal and suppression in her career, the messy state of her marriage, the confusion and uncertainty about the future...

These burdens, which she had never spoken of to anyone but silently endured through gritted teeth, were now surging like a flood breaking through a dam, crashing against her heart.

She has always presented herself as a strong figure, a "teenage mom," a "workaholic," and "Boss Yang," seemingly invincible.

Even the strongest person has moments when they are vulnerable and yearn for understanding and care.

Sometimes, what truly shatters a person's facade isn't a barrage of criticism.
And it is precisely from someone else—even a stranger—that a sudden, sincere greeting comes.

My eyes suddenly started to feel hot and sore, and my vision quickly became blurry.

Yang Mi bit her lower lip tightly, trying not to make a sound, but hot tears welled up uncontrollably, quickly soaking a small patch of her pillowcase.

She buried her face deeper into the water, and her shoulders began to tremble slightly.

at the same time,

In the hotel gym.

Gu Qing was completely unaware of this; he had no idea that his insignificant words had caused a woman to shed tears for him for half a day.

Seeing that Da Mimi had finally stopped bombarding him with messages and the chat interface had quieted down, Gu Qing felt a huge sense of relief, as if the world had finally become peaceful.

He then casually clicked on the constantly flashing red friend request notification, and without even looking at the applicant, immediately clicked "reject."

Just as Gu Qing was about to turn off her phone and focus on her morning exercise, her gaze inadvertently swept over the list of her WeChat contacts.

"Ok?"

He paused, his brow furrowing slightly. "My total number of friends... it seems like I'm one less?"

Since registering the account,

His number of friends has always been increasing, and this is the first time that it has decreased.

With Gu Qing's photographic memory and keen observation of details, he quickly went through the list of key contacts in his mind.

His finger swiped rapidly across the screen, searching alphabetically. Soon, his gaze settled on the list starting with "L".

It's obvious who's missing.

"Senior Sister Liu... blocked me?"

Gu Qing was speechless.

The person who deleted him was none other than Liu Tianxian.

Upon closer examination, it's not hard to understand.

Currently, numerous photos and video screenshots of Principal Wang chatting happily with him at a League of Legends competition are circulating online.

The two also jointly invested in the same e-sports team, which led outsiders to believe that they had a close relationship.

In Liu Tianxian's view, Principal Wang and Gu Qing were nothing more than "colluding in evil" and "a den of snakes and rats".

She was just sitting at home when trouble came out of nowhere. For no reason at all, Principal Wang singled her out as a negative example to highlight Gu Qing's "good acting skills." It was impossible for her not to feel wronged and angry.

Blocking Gu Qing, one of the "culprits," was the most direct yet gentle way for her to express her dissatisfaction.

"But I'm innocent too..."

Gu Qing sighed.

He didn't have any intention of rushing to add Liu Tianxian back or trying to explain things to her in a patient and persuasive way.

afterwards,

Just have your assistant mention it to their agent.

The more you explain, the more likely the other party will think you're being hypocritical or that you're being ungrateful for your good fortune.

The real culprit,
Only Principal Wang, whose friend request he had just ruthlessly rejected.

Before you even learned how to delete people, I had already deleted you.

Principal Wang: "Damn it, Gu Qing, why did you delete my post? Just approve it already!!"

Unwilling to give up, Principal Wang sent another friend request.

"roll!"

Gu Qing replied bluntly to the message rejecting the application, then completely blocked Principal Wang and stopped receiving messages from him.

You spoiled bastard.

……

……

(End of this chapter)