HuaYu: Starting with Photography to Navigate the Entertainment Industry

Is there anything more interesting than watching the drama unfold live?

Xu Lang slowed his breathing as he stood against the wall, listening intently, his gossipy nature fully satisfied.

Soon, a hesitant voice came:

"Brother Feng, don't be angry. You know, my skin gets allergic every time I put on makeup, it's so uncomfortable."

"Brother Feng?"

Xu Lang knew without guessing that the man's voice was Feng Ke's.

"Allergies? Is this even a problem? Don't you want to go to a bigger stage and become a singer? Which of them doesn't wear makeup? If you can't even overcome this little difficulty, what are you going to do singing? If you ask me, you should just go home and help your mother sweep the garbage. I won't bother with you anymore."

Along with the man's footsteps came Zhang Liangying's anxious sobbing.

"No, Brother Feng, don't go! Don't abandon me! I'll listen to you, I'll do anything you say, waah~~~!"

"Ugh!"

Feng Ke sighed, his voice softening.

"Liangying, I know you work very hard and have put in a lot of effort, but you also need to know that the path of a singer is not easy, especially with your poor conditions."

"Look at yourself. Honestly, I think Andy Hui from 'My Show' earlier this year was right. You're just plain unsophisticated. You don't give off any classy vibe at all. You're a total country bumpkin with no unique characteristics."

At this point, Feng Ke sighed again, his tone filled with helplessness.

"That is, I am willing to help you arrange performances and competitions, you know? I was afraid that your performances would be unpopular, so I asked my friend to cheer for you and send you flowers for every performance."

I don't want anything from you, I just feel sorry for you and want to help you.

But you have to listen to me.

If you don't listen to me, I really won't care about you anymore.

"Waaaaah~~~!"

Zhang Liangying's crying became more pronounced, and her voice became increasingly broken.

"Brother Feng, I'll be obedient. As long as you don't abandon me, I'll do anything you ask."

What the hell!

Xu Lang was truly amazed.

"I don't consider myself a good person, but I never expected to run into someone even worse today!"

This is a typical PUA master!

It's no wonder that Zhang Liangying was manipulated by this kind of person for fifteen years, leading to her low self-esteem, social isolation, nipple piercing, and the loss of her 6 million yuan fortune.

Hearing that the two were leaving, Xu Lang quickly turned around and walked out.

"Oh, Teacher Feng, wait a minute, wait a minute!"

"Um?"

The two people behind the wall were startled and looked at Xu Lang with doubt in their eyes.

Xu Lang stepped forward, grasped Feng Ke's hands with both, bowed, smiled apologetically, and said sincerely:

"Teacher Feng, my admiration for you is like a surging river, endless and unstoppable, like the Yellow River overflowing its banks. I want to become your student, you must accept me!"

Feng Ke was startled by Xu Lang's sudden appearance and even more confused by his two sentences.

But judging from his sly smile and polite words, he doesn't seem like a bad person.

"Who are you? Why do you want to become my disciple?"

"My name is Xu Lang. Three years ago, when I was watching videos, I was extremely impressed by Teacher Feng's PUA techniques. I never thought I would have the opportunity to meet you in person and learn from you. It is truly the greatest fortune of my life."

"What videos are you watching? What is PUA? What was I doing three years ago?"

Feng Ke was exasperated by Xu Lang's nonsense.

Zhang Liangying, with tears still in her eyes, said, "Young man, you've mistaken me for someone else, haven't you?"

"No, absolutely not!"

As Xu Lang spoke, he glanced at Zhang Liangying, and upon seeing her, he immediately regretted his actions, inwardly crying out:

"Holy crap, Andy Hui wasn't lying, she really is a country bumpkin!"

However, driven by the idea that "since we're already here," Xu Lang couldn't give up halfway.

"Isn't Feng Ke the beast from 1965, who studied English at Chengdu University?"

Xu Lang said something, and Feng Ke responded with a reply, completely unaware of the changes in Xu Lang's tone, while she was still pondering:

"That's right, this person knows himself quite well. Does he admire me?"

"besides..."

Xu Lang tapped his forehead, as if deep in thought.

"By the way, after graduating from university, you worked in a government department, and later you went into the internet business. Your wife is your classmate, named Wei Lei, and your daughter has already graduated from elementary school."

"Yes, yes... Ah, no!"

Due to inertia, Feng Ke almost blurted out something, and shoved Xu Lang away.

"What nonsense are you talking about? You've mistaken me for someone else."

He was vehemently denying it when Zhang Liangying, her baby face turning pale, took two steps back in fright and pointed at Feng Ke.

"Brother Feng, didn't you say you were single?"

"Hey, don't listen to his nonsense, this kid has just mistaken someone for someone else."

"It can't be wrong!"

Xu Lang patted his chest and said that he had found all of this information when he was interested in Zhang Liangying before his rebirth.

But that's not enough for Xu Lang; it doesn't fit his scumbag personality at all.

Can't remember the information? Don't know?

What does it matter? Just make it up!

Are you allowed to use psychological manipulation, but I'm not allowed to make things up?

At most, we're evenly matched, and Xu Lang felt no psychological burden whatsoever.

"Teacher Feng, I came here specifically because I heard about your deeds at Chengdu University. You haven't forgotten Li Wenwen from your English Department, who got pregnant by you and later dropped out of school, have you? And Sister Wang from the Investment Promotion Bureau, she said you were dating three people at the same time, one of whom was her cousin."

I've met my teacher's wife, Wei Lei, before. She's the one who told me you were here.

"What do you mean, a pregnant woman? And dating three people at the same time? Where did all this come from?"

Feng Ke now realized that this kid was just there to cause trouble.

Without wasting any more words with Xu Lang, he grabbed Zhang Liangying and started to leave.

"etc!"

Xu Lang's smile vanished, replaced by a smirk and a mischievous grin. He pointed at Zhang Liangying.

"I just heard you say that, what, you called her unsophisticated, a country bumpkin? That's a bit unfair, isn't it? And what are you trying to achieve by deliberately belittling her?"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Liangying stopped in her tracks before Feng Ke could even speak.

The word "earthy" has become a nightmare for her.

Not only were they criticized by the judges during the competition, but Feng Ke also criticized them every day.

If Feng Ke doesn't call her "dirty" eight times a day, he absolutely won't get through the day.

"Judging from what this person is saying, I'm not unsophisticated, am I?"

Zhang Liangying felt a stirring in her heart, a feeling akin to a drowning person grasping at a straw.

Or it could be described as a desperate attempt to find a cure, which reflects the same mentality.

"Judging from the expensive camera hanging around his neck, is he a photographer? Photographers usually have a good eye."

"Oh!"

Feng Ke snorted coldly, "I'm not the only one who says she's unsophisticated. I'm just reminding her and helping her change."

"Fine, you're good!"

Xu Lang gave Feng Ke a thumbs up.

"You keep repeating this in people's ears all the time. You really know how to use PUA. No wonder you were able to brainwash this silly girl into a little masochist. She's even willing to get nipple piercings."

The two didn't understand the words Xu Lang uttered, but judging from his expression, they certainly weren't good words.

"This guy's crazy. Liangying, she's about to go on stage. Let's ignore him and come with me."

Out of habit and dependence, Zhang Liangying turned around and was about to follow Feng Ke.

That won't do.

Xu Lang raised his camera and shouted at Zhang Liangying:

"Silly girl, don't you want to see the real you?"

"Um?"

Startled by Xu Lang's shout, Zhang Liangying couldn't help but turn around and look at him. Her gaze fell on the camera in his hand, her eyes filled with confusion.

"What does 'the real me' mean?"