Huayu: Starting from the top talent show

Chapter 432 Returning Home, Beginning a New Chapter

Although the Leviathan Era tour has ended, this great cross-regional performance will be forever remembered by the world.

More than five million people around the world attended Shen Juan's concert, and tens of millions were directly affected by the tour. Including Shen Juan's home venue, more than one billion people became aware of this historic tour and remembered the name Shen Juan for various reasons and in different ways.

Time magazine praised Shen Juan's Leviathan Era tour as the most successful collective healing ritual between the 2010s and 2020s. It greatly mobilized the emotions of the general public, accurately captured and catered to the spiritual needs of contemporary young people, and has become a spiritual utopia for Generation Z.

This billion-dollar box office record is the best proof for him to become the "world's number one" at this point in time!

At least in terms of current commercial achievements (actual sales + tours), no other singer can match him.

Moreover, because the situation was initially brought under control and the government lifted restrictions on large-scale performances, stimulating a surge in tour ticket sales, this record wouldn't be broken for several years. Meanwhile, the male singers were barely surviving, and it would take Taylor several years to revitalize her career by re-recording albums.
This means that as long as Shen Juan's subsequent works are not too disappointing, he can stay in this position for a long time, allowing him to further expand his fame and influence, achieve his previously set goals, and do what he has always wanted to do.

However, Shen Juan hadn't considered that much for the time being.

He was just reading gossip on the plane back to China.

I read gossip about myself on Weibo.

A blogger named "Ren Ru Ji" has gained millions of followers in the past six months by revealing gossip about Shen Juan.

While seemingly a humiliating pursuit, he frequently shares information about the new sister-in-law, seemingly trying to entice the female fans.

But in reality, they are truly, truly devoted fans!
He often helps alleviate the negative impact of Shen Juan's negative behavior in a lighthearted and humorous way when Shen Juan is experiencing a downturn.

So many of us, even though we sometimes get so angry at him that we want to report him, take into account the contributions he has made to Shen Juan in the past six months, and where we would go to make up for the lost "Juan Juan's Love Gossip" without him.

We, the fans of "Sister-in-Law 101" and "Sister-in-Law 202", are still waiting for him to provide us with materials!
So in the end, they didn't take any action against him, allowing him to get to where he is now and gain Shen Juan's attention.

Shen Juan's Starlink is a sole proprietorship. Many companies, including his former employer Lehua and Ali, wanted to invest, but Shen Juan refused. Firstly, joint ventures were easily swindled out of their capital; secondly, he wanted to ensure his absolute control over Starlink, as the Japanese branch was about to be established.

Fans are saying that Starlink is Shen Juan's harem.

Would Shen Juan really allow others to invest in him?

[It's said within the circle that Shen Juan possesses top-tier skills in seducing women, and many playboys want to learn from him. However, the seemingly peaceful Sanlitun Three Sisters are actually constantly embroiled in internal strife. Zhou Ye, having grown up in Chongqing, often argues and bickers with Tian Xiwei, who is also from Chongqing, using the Chongqing dialect.]

The story is indeed well-crafted and logically sound!
They do indeed often diss each other in Chongqing dialect.

Xiao Xiao would sometimes even hide in a corner and secretly call him, broadcasting their freestyle segment live.

It's safe to say that he wasn't the only one in the family who could provide amusement; Xiao Xiao, for instance, recorded their verbal battles quite a bit.

Shen Juan wasn't particularly concerned about the competition and pressure from his peers in the Chinese entertainment industry. He currently had a clear advantage over others in both achievements and popularity. More importantly, he was involved in a higher-level circle than regional circles like those in Shanghai and Beijing; he could even speak directly with government departments.

This is something that most people in the industry know.

That's why they treated Shen Juan so politely.

no way.

Things are rare.

The Chinese entertainment industry dares not touch him, for fear of being targeted by higher authorities and facing the righteous crackdown from relevant departments; the higher authorities dare not touch him, for fear that Shen Juan might suddenly spread overseas and cause a media frenzy; the US Democratic Party dares not touch him, for fear that he might use TikTok to influence them and gain votes from young people.

That's how awesome it is to be the designated representative of the state and the only channel for public opinion in this era of top-tier superstars!
Shen Juan is allergic to saliva, so he always prepares thoroughly before filming kissing scenes and disinfects himself afterward. Therefore, the behind-the-scenes footage of him secretly spitting on Yang Zi after a kissing scene wasn't because he disliked her; he was simply concerned for his own health and the filming schedule.

This is a pure wash.

After all, being allergic to saliva is just too bizarre.

Making up a story that Yang Zi likes to eat garlic and spicy snacks before filming kissing scenes is more believable than saying he has a saliva allergy and that's why he secretly spits out his saliva.

Furthermore, it needs to be clarified that...
Although Shen Juan said that filming a kissing scene with Yang Zi was a work-related injury, he never really thought that way.

He still respects every one of his film co-stars.

The reason he spat was simply because a small flying insect flew into his mouth; it had nothing to do with Yang Zi.

[Shen Juan was worried that he wouldn't be funny enough when recording variety shows, which would affect his image and fan appeal. So, before each recording, he would memorize some funny jokes that his team had collected and compiled for him. In the end, he didn't use many of them. Instead, the joke about Huang Lei making stinky tofu while he was in the bathroom became the most talked-about.]

Lei Zi has lost face in front of the whole country. I wonder if he will hold a grudge, since he is so concerned about his image.
However, Shen Juan was not afraid.

After all, he fought his way through the previous two seasons all by himself, and with Sister Tian joining him this year, he's practically a tiger with wings!
They'll start a mixed doubles match right away!
Bio-engineered monster?

They, the Chagaloo, are absolutely formidable.

Shen Juan has many women around him who want to climb the social ladder, constantly trying to surprise him in various ways. But those gold-digging, womanizing girls who clearly want to climb the social ladder are simply not worth his attention. However, Yang Mi is different from them. Yang Mi genuinely likes Shen Juan, but unfortunately, her feelings are unrequited.

To be honest, although Da Mimi was indeed a bit too enthusiastic, sending him selfies or voice messages to check on him all the time, and even gradually turning into an obsession, Shen Juan still felt that Da Mimi's rivals had also bought her a lot of articles to reinforce her stereotypes.

After all, if she could be portrayed as a "simp," it would indeed have a significant impact and cause great harm to her career.

[The recently revealed Wang Churan and her earlier cousin are both Shen Juan's new favorites. Wang Churan is a student at the Shanghai Theatre Academy, class of 17. It's said that she was confronted by Tian Xiwei on the day the "One-Day Boyfriend" event was launched. Her cousin, Shen Yujie, is a freshman at the Beijing Film Academy, class of 19. Those in the know should understand what Beijing Film Academy + Starlink means.]

Poor Chuanbao will probably be constantly mocked by fans using the incident of being blocked at the door by Sister Tian.
As for "cousin" Xiao Shen?
What this marketing account said is correct.

She transitioned from an ordinary girls' high school to an ordinary girls' college.

Starlink and Nortel are indeed a very legitimate and politically connected group!
When it comes to conquering the world, you can only rely on your own people!

When Cheng Xiao isn't working, she likes to stay home. Her recent home quarantine vlog was found to have the exact same background as Tian Xiwei's vlog, leading many to speculate that they both live in the same apartment complex, Fanyue 108, bought by Shen Juan. They also believe that Li Yitong and Gulnazar are from the same complex.

This kind of thing can't be kept secret.

After all, a celebrity's residence is always a focus of public attention, let alone Shen Juan and his "Juan Girl".

Fortunately, through years of continuous desensitization, most fans are not very resistant to this matter.

Therefore, it's best to keep the level of attention on the event within a controllable range; some things are better left unexposed.

Shen Juan has a particular fondness for ordinary female college students. While many female celebrities in the industry pursue him, he's not interested in older women; he prefers dating younger women. He feels that dating someone outside the entertainment industry with little dating experience and limited social life is more engaging and easier to control.

This is just awkward criticism.

How could you think of him in such a dark way!

This person must be a hater!

He must write me a handwritten apology letter!
[Nazha cried for a long time the day she was "poor" (referring to her character's name). Fortunately, Shen Juan, who had just returned to China, appeared in time and successfully diverted public attention with Hai Qing's "You are my god." Everyone said he loved her very much, but he didn't actually want to become a god like that. However, this incident did make Nazha love Shen Juan even more.]

Mostly correct.

Shen Juan really didn't expect to become a god so easily. After this incident, it did inadvertently make Nazha even more obsessed.

Song Zuer has a tone-deaf face, but she sings very well. She begged Shen Juan for a long time to collaborate with him and ask him to mentor her, but Shen Juan refused because he thought Song Zuer was a blabbermouth who would tell everyone everything. Many of the gossip circulating in the fandom originated from her.

The first half is true; Lao Song sings quite well.

The middle part is fake. The person has high emotional intelligence and knows what's going on; they wouldn't make such an unrealistic request.

The latter half is true. Many of the rumors, including that Shen Juan is "impressive and has good products," "a man who does it seven times a night," "likes girls with long legs, big breasts, and good figures," and "likes innocent and naive girls," were deliberately leaked by this madam to promote her products and expand her business.

She is quick-witted and has a good business sense; she knows how to present the "product" in a way that will attract potential customers.

The only problem is that after-sales service is not included.

Like those educational institutions, they only provide exam-specific materials to increase the pass rate, but they don't guarantee a pass.

So much so that even after doing this side hustle for so long, meeting so many wealthy women, and making so much money, I haven't closed a single deal.

I have a feeling that if I don't stop now, I'll suffer the consequences.
After browsing current events for a while and learning that the domestic situation was becoming increasingly severe, Shen Juan noticed out of the corner of his eye that Yangyang Jin was walking over with her tablet. She probably wanted to take advantage of the last bit of time before the plane landed in Beijing to discuss the work arrangements for the next period of time with him. So he put down his phone and waited quietly for her to take the initiative to start a conversation.

"You should know how serious the situation is right now. Anyway, the entertainment industry has completely stopped working. Most of the film crews and program crews that are currently filming have suspended recording. So for the time being, you should stay at home and not go anywhere. We will make plans after the situation improves."

"If I remember correctly, both 'Longing for Love' and 'Little Red Flower' were originally scheduled to start filming in late March, right?" Shen Juan asked.

"Yes, but given how things are developing, it might be delayed." Yangyang Jin's eyes were full of worry about the future.

Although from the outside perspective, Shen Juan has already reached this point and could relax and take a break.

But that's not what she thinks.

It's time to take a good rest and relax.

But we cannot let our guard down completely, nor can we truly believe that we are invincible and act recklessly.

Moreover, she knew that Shen Juan shared the same thoughts as her, and that Shen Juan was even more ambitious and enterprising than her.

In fact, people are never truly satisfied.

If you earn 100, you want to earn 1000. If you earn 1000, you want to earn 10,000.

With such a strong momentum of development and a clear road ahead, why should we voluntarily stop and rest?

When others reach their peak, they retire gracefully because they clearly feel that they have reached their limit.

They were forced to accept the fact that they had to go down the mountain.

But Shen Juan clearly hasn't reached his bottleneck yet.

His talent seems to have no end.

So why should we stop and give others a chance?

He's not even 22 years old yet, and he hasn't even graduated from university. He'll have plenty of time to rest later.

If we don’t fight now, when will we fight?
Creative talent is a prerequisite for global popularity.

Many singers possess this prerequisite.

But that spirit is the key factor that determines whether an artist can move to the next stage and gradually move towards greatness!
Of course, Shen Juan wasn't too worried, because he knew that the entertainment industry would resume work around mid-March, and most film crews would restart filming in late March. So, the home quarantine would only last about a month and a half, which wouldn't affect too many things or disrupt too many of his plans.

Yi Qing seems to have a serious impact on the entertainment industry.

In fact, it has accelerated the shift from offline to online, namely the transformation of the domestic entertainment traffic industry and the music streaming industry.

From now on, the domestic entertainment traffic ecosystem will undergo tremendous changes and enter a stage of data explosion.

The sales figures from various magazine endorsements are staggering! Even a random second-tier celebrity can make those veteran top stars look bad.

Then, in the music streaming industry, the surge in users and increased demand will drive industry innovation and accelerate transformation, leading to a significant increase in the size of the global streaming industry!
Shen Juan wouldn't say that this was a good thing for him.

No one wants to see natural disasters or man-made calamities occur.

But it is what it is.

After a short period of calm, the entire entertainment industry, which is linked to streaming media, will experience an even greater boom.

As the leading man of the modern era who has long held the reins of streaming media and dominated streaming platforms such as Sound of the Sky, Shen Juan is naturally able to reap the greatest benefits brought about by the overall development of the industry.

In other words, he is the biggest beneficiary of the development of streaming media, and the gap between him and others will only widen.

“Don’t worry about that for now, let’s just schedule our work according to the plan of resuming work in late March!” Shen Juan unscrewed the thermos cup that a fan gave him and took a sip of the surprisingly expensive health drink inside: “As for the release of ‘Sisyphus,’ it will remain unchanged. I will be responsible for contacting Bieber.”

Similar to AS2, AS3 will also collaborate with established partners such as Li Nacha, Ariana Grande, and Justin Bieber.

For example, "Rain On Me" released at the beginning of the month, "INDUSTRY BABY" currently in production, and "STAY," a streaming hit included on this album.

"What about the music video? One of you is in the US and the other is in China. Are you planning to shoot a music video where you're not in the same frame?"

"Whatever you want, the music video is just icing on the cake. A real hit song doesn't need a music video to reach the top. Usually, only idols whose songs aren't that great will try to make a big deal out of the music video." Shen Juan said that he absolutely did not intentionally imply anything to his good brothers.

Because he made it explicit.

My buddy always markets how much he invests in the music video every time he releases a song, and Shen Juan really doesn't understand this approach.

With that money, why not hire a top producer to help make two songs? What's the point of shooting a music video? Do you think that will show off your handsome face and attract fans to your fandom?
(Shen Juan has made it clear that he can help promote their work and drive traffic, but he will not write songs for them.)

Anyway, Shen Juan's PR team no longer deliberately exaggerates his good looks, luxury brand treatments, and haute couture.

After all, under normal circumstances, only when an artist has nothing left to boast about will they pay attention to these trivial details.

Yangyang Jin nodded to indicate that she understood, and then started a new topic that needed to be discussed: "So what are your plans for this period of time without work and staying at home?"

"I'll just rest and write songs. It's rare to have a winter or summer vacation after being in university for so long, so I'll definitely enjoy it! But doing a live stream occasionally isn't a bad idea either. I think live streaming is quite interesting, and I can chat with my fans. So, Yangyang, could you please help me communicate with Douyin and see if I can do a live stream simultaneously on both Douyin and TikTok platforms to reach fans all over the world?"

Yangyang Jin raised an eyebrow upon hearing this, agreeing with Shen Juan's idea: "Simultaneous live streaming on both platforms is indeed a good idea! Combining TikTok's overseas traffic pool with Douyin's local popularity can maintain global exposure and strengthen fan loyalty."

So her fingertips flew across the tablet as she began to outline feasible solutions. "If we can combine this with the pre-release hype for the new album, we might even be able to create a phenomenal buzz."

"Whether it's a phenomenon or not doesn't matter. What's truly important is communicating with fans. Fans are the foundation." Seeing how hard Yangyang Jin was working, Shen Juan casually put a shoulder pillow on her, his fingertips inadvertently brushing against her sensitive earlobe.

Suddenly, her neck and shoulders were enveloped by something soft, and the familiar, pleasant scent surrounded her. Yangyang Jin stood there, stunned. She forced herself to focus on the tablet screen, but her fingertips wandered uncontrollably across the keyboard.

"Why do I get the feeling that you think you're an emperor?" The older single woman turned her head away from Shen Juan's increasingly intense gaze and teased him in a seemingly casual manner, "It seems that these fans are your subjects, people who can support you but also capsize you?"

"It can only be said that there are certain similarities, but anyone with a brain would not think that they can completely surpass their fans and become a so-called superior person." Shen Juan suddenly leaned closer and looked earnestly at his manager sister, who had been with him for several years and had experienced many glorious moments and ups and downs together, with his deceptively sincere eyes.

Her sensitive ear tips were already flushed with a shy blush, her eyes widened slightly involuntarily, and a shimmering light flowed in them. Her peach-colored lips were gently bitten, and her eyes revealed a unease and panic rarely seen on ordinary days.

"What are you doing?"

Yangyang Jin broke the silence in a very soft voice.

Shen Juan did not answer immediately, but instead reached out with a serious expression and gently tucked her fallen hair behind her ear.

This sudden intimate gesture made Yangyang Jin's heart race. What she couldn't stand the most was Shen Juan looking at her with such an outrageous face and such outrageous eyes, and then making intimate gestures towards her that were more than friends but less than lovers. This made her feel anxious.

The anxiety of knowing that he is a fickle, womanizing playboy who has said the same things and done the same things to countless girls, that he is not sincere or that he has given his sincerity to many people, but still being unable to help but willingly sink into it and temporarily abandoning any plans for the future.

"I didn't do anything, I just felt you've worked hard. You've been with me all these years, I'm really grateful for your contributions." Although Shen Juan was using gratitude as a pretext to flirt with the girl, it was truly his honest opinion. He wasn't the kind of person who would take other people's extra efforts for granted.

Even with Lehua, a company that basically never provided him with any effective resources, they parted ways amicably.

Therefore, Shen Juan naturally regarded Yangyang Jin, his manager who watched him grow up, taught him many things, helped him solve many troubles, and even accompanied him on his escape, as a close family member.

Moreover, with top-notch modeling, using the most sincere and honest words to directly flirt with girls will always yield results.

At least Yangyang Jin, this seasoned young woman who tried to numb herself with work and shut her heart off love, was already finding it hard to resist Shen Juan's current offensive.

She looked away slightly flustered, avoiding direct eye contact with Shen Juan, and saw her own blushing reflection in his eyes. Then, trying to appear calm, she replied, "Could you please move a little further away before saying these things to me? Do you always stand this close when you talk to every woman?"

Seeing her flustered appearance, Shen Juan tried to suppress the smile that wanted to appear on his lips, and then sat up straight and resumed his serious demeanor: "But seriously, I'll have to ask you to contact Douyin about this live broadcast plan. With you there, I can feel much more at ease."

Shen Juan's swift withdrawal of emotion and his perpetually aloof attitude left Yangyang Jin, who was alone in this ambiguous atmosphere, feeling lost and as if something very important had been ripped from her body. Yet, the trust and reliance contained in those words made Yangyang Jin's heart tremble.

People always need to be affirmed and relied upon.

And Shen Juan just happens to meet this need of hers.

He doesn't really need her help.

Instead, he was willing to show his powerlessness so that she could find her value as a woman and as an elder.

Yangyang Jin naturally knew Shen Juan's intention in doing this, so she just took a deep breath and tried to make her voice sound steady: "Alright, I understand. You should rest well during this time and prepare your album and live broadcast content. Leave the rest to me."

"You're always so reassuring." Shen Juan looked at Yangyang Jin quietly, his eyes sparkling with a gentle light.

"There's nothing we can do, because some people haven't grown up yet."

As the plane landed, Yangyang Jin grabbed her coat and stood up, but as she passed Shen Juan's seat, he gently tugged at her sleeve.

"and many more."

"Anything else?"

“I feel like you’ll be bored at home alone these days, so…” Shen Juan’s fingers were still hooked on her sleeve, his gaze meeting her slightly startled pupils, “If you’re really bored, we can video chat with you every day to keep you company. I hope you won’t find me too noisy.”

The ambiguous atmosphere that had been frozen in the air quietly fermented and began to flow and become active again.

Yangyang Jin subconsciously took a half step back, pursed her lips, and said softly, "Take care of yourself and your three family members first!"

As I turned to walk towards the cabin door, I heard a voice behind me say, "I know, but aren't you important too?"

The moment the cabin door opened, a gust of cold wind swept in. Yangyang Jin, who was still not recovered from what he had just said, was suddenly pulled into a warm embrace. Shen Juan's coat was warm from the cabin's heating. In the instant she was stunned, he leaned down and kissed her, then quickly withdrew like a dragonfly skimming the water.

“We’ve known each other for so long and been through so much together, I feel there’s no need to spell things out so clearly.” Shen Juan’s warm breath brushed against her earlobe, his voice gentle: “I just want to say that I’ve long been used to having you by my side, I’ve long been used to your presence.”

Yangyang Jin was stunned by the kiss, standing there frozen as he watched as Da Bai took his temperature before walking down the gangway.

The lights of the terminal building in the distance were dazzling, but when he turned to look at her, they turned into a complete blur.

In front of important people, some things and some scenery do indeed seem dull and less important.

She smiled silently.

Suddenly I felt an unprecedented sense of ease and joy.

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(End of this chapter)