The battle for traffic in Chinese entertainment

Chapter 546 Xu Xing, who has matured for a long time
"Awesome! I'm so lucky I'm invincible!!!!!"

Ina Wen jumped up and down in amazement!

Xia Mo, who had been scrolling through her phone, looked up.

"What's wrong again?"

"The previous global flash mobs! So many videos of the overseas skydivers were incredibly awesome. I just saw six skydivers parachuting and unfurling the 'One Day' poster in the air, it was truly—"

"Huh? Six people pulling one in mid-air? That can't be real, um... this is wingsuit flying, you must have bought it from extreme athletes!"

"Of course I'm a true fan!"

"Okay, I am a fan, but you got so excited about a video like this that you almost rolled on the floor. I feel like you're hopeless. You've already graduated and started working, 11bao!"

"What does this have to do with work? There are a lot of people in my company who like me. One of my older sisters said she wanted to come to the movies with me today, but something came up and we couldn't go."

"They're just being polite; they don't really want to come."

"Her son got into a fight with his classmates! And luckily, I didn't have a cameo in the movie, I was just a screenwriter."

"Alright, still a lucky servant."

"..." Ina Wen finally couldn't help but lightly punch Xia Mo, "I'm increasingly feeling like you're a jinx! Making jokes about king oyster mushrooms is one thing, but Xing Baoyi is really disrespectful."

"Huh? Is there a difference?"

The end of summer was unexpected.

Inawen punched her again.

"Of course there's a difference. Do you think there's no difference between a cute girl who likes Xingbao and a servant aunt who likes Xu Xing?"

"...There's someone in my group who prefers to be called 'Xing Bao Yi' (幸包衣)."

"Aren't all the people in your jinx group just black haters?"

"How could it be Xiao Heizi? The other day I introduced you to each other in person, and we compared the bills. He spent hundreds of thousands on you, so his purity is much higher than yours."

"Ugh, I hate those rich bastards! They only know how to bully people with money! Does having money mean you're all that great? Well, they are indeed amazing! Especially since they returned all the money to me, Xing. But Xing Bao Yi is such an awful name! All of our fan sites have strictly forbidden using Xing Bao Yi to make fun of ourselves. What was she thinking?"

"A coating is something that can be completely wrapped up and put inside. Just think about it, isn't that awesome?"

Xia Mo gestured with his hands.

"..."

Ina rolled her eyes.

"That's her main source of pleasure, and the fact that you, Xing Sheng, enjoy gossip about older women makes her happier and happier. Besides, bondservants are considered more noble than ordinary servants; the haters coined that term to mock you fans of Xing Sheng for thinking you're superior—"

"No self-awareness!"

"Okay, no, but you still puffed out your chest when you mentioned Xing Sheng! Kuroko certified that Xing Sheng's skin is purer and stronger than King Oyster Mushroom. Just you wait, you guys are still splitting up Xing Sheng's skin right now, and you'll soon be vying to become Xing Sheng's skin. It's already differentiated."

"Impossible! King Oyster Mushroom sounds really good, but Lucky Coat sounds awful!"

"What's so nice about it? King oyster mushroom originally referred to your Xing... and you guys just got used to it."

"That wasn't what I meant at first... But I'm just so fed up! I'm such a clean person, and they think this way about me every day!"

"Oh……"

"Um... what's wrong? Don't laugh."

Okay, I won't laugh~ Hahaha~

The end of summer is truly unbearable.

Ina rolled her eyes at her several more times, deciding that she still couldn't follow this dirty-minded friend's rhetoric.

Let's change the topic!

"I'm so glad we've finally confirmed the world tour plans! We're all going together!"

"I do want to go, but given the current situation, who knows when it will be? And tickets will be in high demand by then. After starting work, I finally understand how hard it is to make money. I might not be able to afford scalpers, and we won't be able to sit together."

"...Does that mean you're not going?"

"I'll definitely go in my lifetime. You're so popular, please understand me, 11bao."

Summer's end was pitiful.

Ina sighed.

"Hey, Momo, I didn't expect you to be the most internet-savvy before graduation, but now you're the most like a corporate slave. Lili and Beibei have both said they'll definitely go, so don't worry, the three of us will pool our money to invite you too. With the album sales so explosive this time, I've already saved a lot of money."

"No, how could I let you exchange money?" Xia Mo was also exasperated. "At most, I'll buy the house two months later. I just feel it's too much trouble."

"Wow! Momo's husband! You're buying a house! You're the real rich woman!" Ina Wen excitedly hugged Xia Mo. "It's no trouble, it'll just be a little expensive. Bei Bei is so resourceful, she even managed to get tickets to the 'Bad Genius' movie festival."

"A ten-year home-buying plan, thank you, two months later in ten years."

"Okay, that's still pretty impressive."

Ina glanced at the time on her phone.

"We're about to enter the theater! Seriously, I'm so lucky! I was mocked for so long because of the delay, but now that 'Sheep Without a Shepherd 2' is finally released, it's immediately amazed everyone!"

"Keep your voice down, everyone around you is watching."

Xia Mo touched her arm.

Ina quickly shrank her neck.

"Uh... okay. Sigh, it's mainly because I'm lucky I didn't make a cameo appearance, otherwise the hall would be full of stars right now!"

"Actually, I feel that many of them are just fans. Xu Xing has been popular for so long, and the fans in real life are relatively ordinary. Only the fans on the internet are still shouting and clamoring every day. And then there are the overseas fans, who still find Xu Xing interesting."

"is it?"

"Yeah, your online antics won't last long. Right now, 99% of what happens in the fandom has nothing to do with you guys—"

"How can it be unrelated?"

"The wording isn't precise, but it conveys the same idea. 'King Oyster Mushroom' has become the backdrop of the fandom. Apart from Tao Mei two years ago, there weren't actually many BTS fans in China last year. After your comeback, who would want to fight with you? Those two fandoms were forced into it. You're just entertaining yourselves every day. Didn't it get revealed a couple of months ago that over 80% of your King Oyster Mushroom fandoms were working part-time for other fandoms? And most of them were mainly busy with other fandoms' affairs."

"Don't be fooled by the fact that Xu Xing seems to have many achievements to unlock. He's already so famous that even celebrity fans find it boring. Now, his fans are either slowly and naturally unfollowing him or gradually becoming long-term, calm, and devoted followers. Xu Xing has become an ordinary part of their lives. Who would go crazy over eating breakfast?"
"If Xu Xing suddenly announces her marriage and the birth of her child one day, they'll just be stunned for a moment, maybe even a little teary-eyed. There might be some uproar, but it'll only happen once every few years. Being a die-hard fan is harder than staying 18 forever. Except for a very few oddballs, fangirls eventually mature, especially after their idols mature. Xu Xing is still young, but 18 years have catalyzed his maturity. The Xu Xing of today has been mature for a long time."

"……Yeah?"

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

[“…I don’t know how we should introduce, describe, or praise such an outstanding young artist! He has hundreds of millions of fans worldwide, and in their eyes, he is like a god. Every time he appears, it triggers a massive pilgrimage! Yes, today, he has come here, he…”]
The TV presenter was speaking incessantly with exaggerated gestures.

Son Ye-jin, who was focused on the TV screen, snapped out of her daze and found herself being pulled into an embrace. She instinctively tilted her head back and kissed him.

She chuckled softly after they parted ways.

"You're back."

“Yes,” Xu Xing smiled, “Promotional schedules are the most boring thing. Once you finish them step by step, you don’t want to stay for another second.”

“For creators, that’s how it is,” Son Ye-jin laughed. “Anything outside of creating is a waste of life.”

“No, that’s not it,” Xu Xing shook his head. “In fact, far more time than I spend creating is spent searching for inspiration.”

Xu Xing wasn't just talking nonsense; he was speaking from personal experience.

After copying so much, I sometimes feel an urge to create something myself, but after so many years of this urge, I still haven't been able to bring myself to do it.

Those were all times spent searching for inspiration; Xu Xing didn't know how many years it would be before she truly began creating her own works. Son Ye-jin, however, seemed to agree wholeheartedly, her eyes crinkling with laughter.

"That's true, but I think the process of finding inspiration is also part of the creative process, as is all the preparation for creation. In fact, I don't think creation ends at the moment the work is completed."

"Oh? When will it end?"

"The creation process only ends after receiving feedback from the outside world, either inspiring improvement or ultimately determining that there is nothing to improve. Unless all creators produce 100% perfect works, which is actually imperfect and has room for improvement, they just don't know how to improve them. Is that right?"

Son Ye-jin's eyes were smiling, but seeing that Xu Xing was listening attentively, she became a little embarrassed.

"These are just some random thoughts of mine. After all, I'm not a creator and I've never created any works."

"Doesn't Nuna realize that actors are also creators?" Xu Xing asked in surprise. "Nuna portrayed those characters so profoundly; wasn't she creating them with all her heart and soul? Actors are the most easily overlooked, but also the creators who deserve the most recognition!"

Son Ye-jin was somewhat embarrassed, and also felt a surge of emotion.

"I do have that kind of conviction when I'm acting, but... I find it hard to boast about myself, after all, the director and screenwriter..."

"Mediocre actors are the puppets of directors and screenwriters; Nuna has never been one. I—"

Xu Xing couldn't continue speaking because Son Ye-jin, with a beaming smile, took the initiative to kiss her.

This kiss lasted even longer, and when it ended, Son Ye-jin bit her lip and sat in Heo Hae-jin's lap.

Three days have passed, and as long as Xu Xing is at the villa, the two are almost always together, but she still feels a little uncomfortable.

However, compared to the embarrassment of the first night that she still can't bring herself to think about, she feels she has made some progress; at least she doesn't cry so quickly anymore.

But as soon as this thought popped into my head... my eyes welled up with tears.

But, also because, ever since Xu Xing came back and put his arm around her, he'd been talking seriously while... expressing his appreciation for her—

This was the question she asked Xu Xing in return after he had pressed her with countless embarrassing questions, and this was the answer Xu Xing gave her.

It would be incredibly shameless and rude for others to say it, and Xu Xing... would probably be shameless and rude too. But she could also sense Xu Xing's genuine appreciation and affection.

It wasn't just the passion Xu Xing unleashed over these three days that seemed endless, instantly overwhelming her and burying her deeper and deeper; it was also the...frankness Xu Xing displayed during their interactions.
I don't know how to describe it, but being with Xu Xing is a really wonderful feeling.

Son Ye-jin had expected this to be a very awkward time, and in fact, the level of awkwardness far exceeded her expectations. However, she did not expect that Heo Haeng would give her more than just awkwardness.

A hunter could have enjoyed his captive's prey to his heart's content, and he did so in a humiliating manner, but he always preferred to have heart-to-heart talks with his prey.

At first, Son Ye-jin thought it was just humiliation, but gradually she felt that Heo Haeng seemed to have some kind of unresolved issue in her heart, which was why she especially wanted to vent and confide in him.

Anyone who has taken the initiative to learn about Xu Xing knows that he lost his parents at a young age and was forced to live in three different places. He grew up resiliently in a loveless environment and became a world-renowned superstar.

His only relative is his distant cousin.

This experience can explain all the problems beneath Xu Xing's dazzling brilliance, overflowing talent, gentle and refined demeanor.

Actually, he didn't have any major problems; he didn't have any bad habits—which surprised Son Ye-jin the most. It was just that he lacked love.

On the first day, Son Ye-jin suspected that Heo Haeng was faking it, and on the second day she still struggled to maintain her suspicions. But when she woke up this afternoon, her thoughts wandered freely and without restraint... and she finally became almost certain.

Yoona once said that Xu Xing was the person she felt most sorry for because Xu Xing had the ability to be a near-perfect person, but his childhood experiences had an indelible impact on him. It was as if Xu Xing was looking for some breathing room and added flaws to himself.

At the time, Son Ye-jin felt that Im Yoon-a was blinded by love and was saying things that were too cheesy.

But Xu Xing did give her that feeling.

Of course, Son Ye-jin also suspected that it was because Heo Haeng gave her an incredibly sinful yet unprecedented, rebirth-like joyful experience that made her view Heo Haeng through a very heavy lens.

After all, when she sees Xu Xing's smile now, she feels an unusual gentleness and composure, even when he is teasing and humiliating her... But three days ago, before anything happened, Xu Xing gave her the same feeling.

The ultimate gentleness and attentiveness after a landslide and tsunami; the guitar and soft singing that just happened to be playing in my ears when I woke up; the novel and interesting topics and insights during our conversations; the sudden cuteness from one second to the next; the joy of being so understanding that it's almost as if our souls are in sync; yet, the fondness for deliberately being childishly willful...

slap~
"Why is Nunna even less capable than the first time?"

Xu Xing smiled with great satisfaction.

"When I came back just now and saw Nuna wearing this dress, I thought Nuna was finally going to fight back and challenge me."

Xu Xing refers to the same floral dress worn by the female lead and male lead when they hugged in the movie "Crash Landing on You".

Last night, Xu Xingyun brought a whole wardrobe full of items from "Crash Landing on You," but unfortunately Son Ye-jin didn't want to wear them. After Son Ye-jin begged and pleaded, she even chose to take on other challenges, so Xu Xingyun didn't force her anymore.

Unexpectedly, she put it on after returning home today.

Perhaps they figured that given Xu Xing's shamelessness, she would eventually have to wear it?
Son Ye-jin noona really makes Heo Hae-seo feel very interesting.

What stands out most is her willingness to communicate, which exceeds that of everyone else.

Perhaps to demonstrate her seniority or to prove that she can face everything with composure, Son Ye-jin almost never avoids any of Heo Haeng's questions.

The experiences involved comparison, confronting one's inner self, and delving deeper into the darker side... The responses were quite honest, and those who lied were clearly exposed.

There are also cases that are difficult to judge.

For example, Son Ye-jin explained that when she was convincing herself to accept the current situation, she said that she had seriously considered dating younger men before, but in the end she felt that the younger men were really not mature enough, while Heo Haeng was the most mature one she had ever met.

Hsu Hsing pressed further, asking if there was any possibility of the two developing a romantic relationship, excluding other factors.

After hesitating, she said yes.

To add further, it might only be for a very short period of time, or even just one night.

["Emmm...it's hard to describe what my fans mean to me. Without them, I wouldn't be who I am today. They also push me to become better—"]
"This show is pretty boring. 'Crash Landing on You' is much better."

As Xu Xing spoke, she picked up the remote control, changed the program, and found "Crash Landing on You," which they had watched together last night.

The male and female protagonists are embracing tightly while paragliding.

"Hurry up."

"This is the only thing I can do."

"I was angry and sad just now, that's why I acted that way."

"I know."]
"I felt really sorry for Noona when I saw that she hadn't acted in any movies and had only been filming TV dramas like this. After hearing the news of their relationship announcement, I even thought it would be great if Noona and I acted together. However, I heard that they actually filmed this drama after they confirmed their relationship. Is that true?"

"Woo~"

Son Ye-jin almost bit her lip until it bled.

Therefore, Xu Xingming is essentially a despicable and shameless bastard!

How could I have been so out of my mind to glorify him so much?
Xu Xing had promised that he would not ruin her relationship, and he took the initiative to explain how meticulously he had prepared for their secret meetings during this period.

He also confessed that he wanted to help her maintain the best image in the outside world, a perfect love, a happy marriage, and a perfect family... Xu Xing also talked about the criticism of her real estate speculation in South Korea and took the initiative to take her to do overseas investment together - this was not to cheat her out of money, because Xu Xing brought up this topic after she refused the expensive gifts and suggested that she put those gifts at a discounted price with him for investment.

When Xu Xing held online meetings with those investment bank partners and financial advisors, although Son Ye-jin was in a very difficult situation, she still heard clearly what kind of amazing returns the investment projects they talked about had, and saw how exaggerated Xu Xing's wealth was, which may still be just the tip of the iceberg.

...No, I don't know why my thoughts kept drifting further and further away...
In short, Xu Xing's current behavior—

"Is that right?"

Snapped!
Xu Xing repeated the question and expressed her dissatisfaction with her silence.

"Oh, right~"

"I'm both happy and disappointed. Noona isn't the kind of woman who wants to get married just because we filmed a drama together. But this public display of affection really makes me want to punish Noona on behalf of the fans!"

"Good~"

"Where does the slave choose the method of punishment?"

"So, so I wore this dress..."

(End of this chapter)