Huayu: Traffic is king

Chapter 191 In the car
Bathed in the love of his fans, Gu Jingyi walked slowly into the venue towards his seat.

Bazaar arranged a great seat for him; all the most popular guests tonight were gathered together.

Gu Jingyi, Yang Mi, Liu Shishi, Dilraba Dilmurat, Victoria Song, Cai Xukun, Jackson Yee, and Karry Wang.

In fact, Cai Xukun is not qualified to be on the table, ever since he lost to Gu Jingyi for the first time in "Idol Producer".

Poor Kun Kun, all his luck was drained by Gu Jingyi.

Now, he has become nothing more than a shadow trampled under Gu Jingyi's feet.

Their paths crossed starting with "The Clay Doll," and from then on, Cai Xukun's nightmare began.

Although he had a relatively solid training foundation among mainland trainees, he also spent half a year as a trainee in South Korea.

However, he only learned the basics and was far from having the profound skills of Gu Jingyi.

Even in South Korea, Cai Xukun's talent might not be enough to debut with a major entertainment company...

Before helping Yuan Ge "substitute" for Berkeley, Kun Kun's most frequent criticism on stage was his "unstable breathing".

This is a fatal weakness for a singer-dancer.

Especially with Gu Jingyi's perfect answer, Cai Xukun's last fig leaf was shaken off.

He found himself in an awkward position, and after his debut, he was even jokingly referred to by netizens with sharp tongues as "Emperor Gu's bodyguard with a sword".

Cai Xukun became the person who would be mentioned every time the "Jingfei" (a fan group) had a conflict with another group:

"Sisters, the other person is a minor idol. He's not even as popular as Cai Xukun, so let's just forget about it. Don't bring trouble to Jingyi, and don't elevate the other person's status."

Cai Xukun, who became the new unit of measurement in the domestic entertainment industry, "Yi Kun," quickly accepted this fact; he was a "sharpening stone."

Only those whose popularity surpasses Cai Xukun are qualified to argue with Gu Jingyi.

As for why Cai Xukun was allowed to sit at the table, it's all because of that man: Chris!

After announcing his relationship, Lu Han's popularity declined significantly, and he couldn't even beat Chris anymore.

Having experienced running away from the red carpet, Chris felt too ashamed to be seen in the same frame as Gu Jingyi again.

As soon as Gu Jingyi sat down, Yang Mi went up to him enthusiastically and started chatting: "Is this Jingyi? I knew it was you when I heard all the cheers outside."

"Hello, Sister Mi, it's an honor to meet you."

Gu Jingyi gave Yang Mi a professional smile and greeted her.

Yang Mi looked stunning today; her fitted dress accentuated her beautiful figure. Her two adorable children were as lively as rabbits.

If it weren't for her advanced age, Gu Jingyi would feel that he would be at a disadvantage if he tried to develop feelings for her.

It's not impossible to fulfill your childhood dream...

"Haha, you're just as funny as the rumors say. Jingyi, how's your movie filming going? The cast of 'Better Days' is great. Working with director Derek Tsang guarantees you'll be next year's Best Newcomer."

"Filming is already halfway done, and the script is indeed excellent. Director Zeng is great, and Sister Mi, the team behind your 'A Writer's Odyssey' is also quite good."

"A Writer's Odyssey" is an offshoot, somewhat related to Huace.

So Gu Jingyi did know about Yang Mi's new movie. Huace had initially asked Gu Jingyi if he wanted to play the second male lead.

At that time, "Take My Brother Away" hadn't been released yet, except for Gu Jingyi himself. The industry's expected box office for "Take My Brother Away" was just over 4 million yuan, which was indeed quite good for a youth film.

However, it didn't break the record. Huace came up with this idea in order to help Gu Jingyi win the Best Newcomer award in the film department.

The original box office for this movie was 10.35 billion yuan, which is indeed a 10 billion yuan movie. However, the male lead was Lei Jiayin, so outsiders would only attribute the high box office success to Yang Mi.

Gu Jingyi sacrificed his popularity to boost the movie, only to land a supporting role?
It's a huge loss, what's the point if you can't even win a prize?

He naturally refused and instead chose "Better Days".

HuaCe had no objection to this; after all, it's another new work from the director of "Soulmate." With Zhou Dongyu, a post-90s film star, also contributing, Gu Jingyi getting the male lead role in this movie isn't a bad deal.

Even if the box office results are a little disappointing, it should still easily bring Gu Jingyi several Best Actor nominations next year.

A nomination is an affirmation, and coupled with some press releases, it will solidify Gu Jingyi's status as the top achiever among the younger generation, placing him at the top of the popularity charts.

But we can still try to improve our image and win awards.

How should a top idol transform themselves? Yi Yangqianxi has already provided a perfect answer to this question.

Gu Jingyi only needs to steal Yi Yangqianxi's luck and film some patriotic songs to easily become the number one of the new generation.

If they really wanted to, CTI could even get him a Best Actor award.

So what if the gold content is a little less? It's still a breakthrough for the first generation of talents!

Lost in her thoughts, Yang Mi started touching him inappropriately again.

She patted Gu Jingyi on the shoulder, laughing heartily, "Jingyi, what are you saying? Even with such a great team behind 'A Writer's Odyssey,' you still turned it down, didn't you..."

As she spoke, Yang Mi's eyes revealed a deep resentment that she could no longer conceal.

She had already heard Dilraba Dilmurat say that Gu Jingyi was her little fan.

With fans' biases, wouldn't they want to grab this to add to the excitement?
Yang Mi is already 32 years old, and she still retains her charm. Her graceful figure and naturally sweet voice make her irresistible to any younger man in the entertainment circle.

In her view, Gu Jingyi was also within her grasp.

At her age, how could she possibly care about how to get along in the future?

A handsome younger man is the best tonic for a woman, especially one as exceptionally popular as Gu Jingyi. His immense popularity and striking good looks alone gave her too many fantasies…

Gu Jingyi shrugged, sensing that something was getting increasingly wrong.

Isn't his idol a "virtuous and talented veteran artist"? Why is he looking at me with such a confident gaze in front of so many people?

Dilraba, who was several steps away from Gu Jingyi, never took her eyes off him. After noticing this scene, her face darkened.

She stood up, interrupting Sister Mi's flirting with the man.

"Sister Mi, that piece of jewelry you told me about before..."

She casually changed the subject, then glared fiercely at Gu Jingyi.

This man is definitely a ladies' man; he should be thoroughly humiliated in the waiting room...

Gu Jingyi's outfit today was indeed very expensive, featuring ultra-haute couture, high-end jewelry, and unique accessories. This entire ensemble alone must have cost at least 6000 million.

Compared to before, he also has a Chopard 52-carat ruby ​​earring.

Clothes make the man, and Gu Jingyi's outfit perfectly accentuated his good looks. At that moment, he was like a moving sun, attracting attention wherever he sat.

Any awards ceremony or gathering of celebrities is a time when they openly or secretly compete to outshine each other.

Tonight, Gu Jingyi's table is filled with the biggest stars of the evening, and the female celebrities around him are all beautiful in their own way. They are all equally stunning, with no clear winner. Their styles are distinct, making for a fierce competition where no one truly outshines the other.

But among male celebrities, Gu Jingyi is definitely in a league of his own in the Chinese entertainment industry.

Among male stars, no one can compare to him.

Whether it's his face, features, physique, shoulder width, or body proportions, Gu Jingyi has top-tier attributes—a wolf-dog physique and a face that can be both cute and fierce.

This configuration is practically a "male version of Fan Bingbing," destined to shine on the red carpet.

Gu Jingyi's reputation is his foundation, even his rivals and haters won't criticize his looks when they try to discredit him. It's because they've looked him over with a magnifying glass countless times and still can't find any mistake the original creator made when creating this body.

Knowing his girlfriend was jealous, what were Gu Jingyi's thoughts about the group of 85-born actresses sitting at his desk?

Of course, it's impossible to strike up a conversation at this time, lest it send the wrong signal to the female star.

Among the male celebrities at the same table, only Yi Yangqianxi and Wang Junkai could barely manage to strike up a conversation with Gu Jingyi.

However, Gu Jingyi was also well aware that they could not become friends, as they were similar in age and their career paths were also similar.

Don't assume that Wang Junkai lacks ambition; if he really wasn't, he wouldn't have chosen to make patriotic films.

It was Wang Junkai's baby face that limited his acting roles, which led to his unsuccessful acting career.

As for Yi Yangqianxi, Gu Jingyi and he are actually the same type of person. They are both well-known career-driven individuals with strong self-control.

People who are too similar are destined not to become friends.

Not to mention anything far away, Yi Yangqianxi has been eagerly awaiting a role in "Better Days" for so long, but we still haven't gotten it.

The fact that the film company preferred to wait for Gu Jingyi's availability rather than settle for something less has already made Gu Jingyi his enemy...

Bazaar loves to stir things up, as evidenced by the infamous chaotic scene at its 2021 edition.

For example, Dilraba Dilmurat was rumored to have had a relationship with Gu Jingyi, while Yang Mi was Gu Jingyi's "childhood idol" as revealed by his classmates after he became famous.

Fans of Yi Yangqianxi, Wang Junkai, and Cai Xukun have all clashed with fans of Gu Jingyi...

How could celebrities not know about fan wars?

The team keeps a close eye on the situation every day, and if anything seems amiss, they will inform the artist and report it to the company.

Although this won't affect the relationship between the two, it might make it a little awkward when they meet.

Of course, it's the losing side that feels awkward...

The Bazaar Charity Night hadn't officially started yet, and Gu Jingyi sat there upright, directly deterring Cai Xukun, who wanted to strike up a conversation with him, and Xiao Kai, who wanted to establish a rapport.

Wang Junkai's title at Dior is merely that of Brand Ambassador for the China region, while his teammate Yi Yangqianxi holds the title of Brand Ambassador for Bottega Veneta Asia Pacific, which surpasses his own.

Knowing that Yi Yangqianxi had released numerous press releases to discredit him, Wang Junkai had long disliked him.

Yi Yangqianxi was originally an "outsider," and his relationship with Wang Junkai and Wang Yuan was not particularly good in the early stages.

They may have had a few years of camaraderie, but as they get older, they all face career transitions.

With highly overlapping resources, competitors are also rivals.

Their meager friendship was nothing more than "fake brotherhood."

Especially in October of this year, Yi Yangqianxi kept releasing press releases praising Rimowa suitcases.

The team has been communicating with fans in various ways, hinting that they will secure the endorsement deal.

"Sister Lu" criticized Wang Junkai, and "Sister Lu" joined the fray.

The conflict began.

In the end, "Sister Lu" won the bet. Who knows how unnatural Wang Junkai's expression was when he saw Yi Yangqianxi?

People can often accept that a genius surpasses them, but they cannot accept that a newcomer becomes more popular.

Therefore, Wang Junkai has always only envied Gu Jingyi.

But it's a different story when it comes to Yi Yangqianxi...

While Yi Yangqianxi's fans were celebrating his appointment as the brand ambassador for Rimowa luggage in China, Gu Jingyi directly announced him as the "global brand ambassador" without any trial period.

Gu Jingyi, who never issued any press releases to promote her upcoming luxury brand endorsement, won the highest title, "Global Brand Ambassador," while Gu Jingyi, who was constantly involved in marketing, won the lowest title, "China Regional Brand Ambassador."

It's clear who won and who lost.

This kind of indifference is often the most heartless. Because they don't care at all, there's no need for marketing.

This directly made the "Prince" look like a "nouveau riche," especially after "Sister Lu" exposed that the Prince's fans were exaggerating his status as a "brand ambassador for the China region" into a "global ambassador" with no regional title.

Wang Junkai sang "QQ Love" all night long, and his "Sister Lu" was going crazy with joy. They might not be able to beat "Sister Lu," but they could use Gu Jingyi to put down Yi Yangqianxi.

"Consort Jing" is no pushover!
Gu Jingyi did nothing, yet he became "Sister Lu's" spiritual totem.

Whenever any conflict arises, Gu Jingyi is brought up to belittle and criticize others.

Wang Junkai finally got to see Gu Jingyi again, and he really wanted to curry favor with "Emperor Jing".

Gu Jingyi only went to South Korea once, and Kim Jisoo was added to Dior's South Korean brand ambassador network.

Who doesn't know how valuable Gu Jingyi's position is at Dior?
Wang Junkai has been with Dior for over a year since September 2017, and he really feels it's time to elevate his status.

Gu Jingyi will soon become a global brand ambassador, in August 2019.

Then the "slot" for the Asia-Pacific brand ambassador position is cleared, isn't it?
Wang Junkai genuinely believed he had the ability to compete. If Gu Jingyi were willing to put in a good word for him, his chances of success would be even higher.

"Jingyi, are you still busy lately? I heard your endorsement fee has stabilized at tens of millions, that's really amazing."

Wang Junkai tilted his head and chatted with Gu Jingyi across several people.

Upon hearing this, everyone's expressions changed.

Who asks about income right away, especially in front of so many people?

He's really brave; no wonder he's from Singapore.

Despite this, everyone was eagerly awaiting Gu Jingyi's answer.

"Yes, it has been stable at this number since the release of 'Idol Producer'."

Gu Jingyi nodded calmly; there was no point in denying such a question.

Celebrity endorsements are reflected in the brand's public financial reports the following year.

If he denies it, people can easily find out by checking.

It's really unnecessary.

Seeing that Gu Jingyi had admitted it, the way the actresses born in the 85s looked at him changed completely. They were practically glued to him, ready to throw themselves into his arms.

The opening performance was by my good teammate Cai Xukun, who sang "Wait Wait Wait".

To be honest, it's pretty average.

The song is so-so, and so is the person.

However, since it's a singing and dancing stage and it's in the domestic entertainment industry, it's barely enough to achieve this level.

Nobody considers Gu Jingyi an idol anymore. Can a world-class idol still be considered an idol? To borrow "our mom's" words, he's a young Chinese artist!

Bazaar initially invited Gu Jingyi to the opening event, but Gu Jingyi wasn't interested.

A top-tier celebrity should have the arrogance of a top-tier celebrity; a mere Bazaar magazine wouldn't be qualified to have Gu Jingyi sing and dance on stage.

It has to be a gala or a New Year's Eve concert.

Bazaar with Su Mang and Bazaar without Su Mang are two different concepts.

Gu Jingyi would give them some face and take the initiative to establish diplomatic relations with Bazaar.

As for the latter, it was Bazaar who took the initiative to strike up a conversation with Gu Jingyi.

As soon as the camera focused on him, Gu Jingyi clapped with a reserved smile.

Despite being just teammates, Gu Jingyi acted like a mentor, saying, "My disciple Xu Kun has the potential to become an emperor."

Cai Xukun, seizing the opportunity, picked up a leftover from behind Gu Jingyi and completed the performance.

The process proceeded step by step, and soon we arrived at tonight's main event, the "battle for the center position."

Because last year's controversy over the center position was so widespread, many celebrities attending this year's Bazaar Charity Night were unwilling to go on stage for photos.

After all, nobody wants to be yelled at by their editor to "squat down".

Anyway, Gu Jingyi didn't go on stage, and no matter how much the Bazaar staff pleaded, it was all in vain.

She's not a female celebrity, so she doesn't need to market her beauty to get the "center position" in group photos.

Male celebrities usually stay in the background and get involved in the mess, and none of the male stars at the same table went on stage.

Why did Gu Jingyi go up there? Following the crowd is the inevitable trend.

He doesn't lack the buzz from "photos together," and Gu Jingyi's status in the fashion world is now on par with Chris.

Moreover, Gu Jingyi also has a body of work to his name, making him truly popular.

He doesn't need to attend the Bazaar Charity Night to increase his popularity, nor does he lack that kind of exposure.

He simply wanted to date Dilraba on public funds and also give Bazaar some face.

Every year, the Bazaar Charity Night generates several trending topics after it ends, and this year is no exception.

#BazaarStarsDim#, #BazaarBoring#, #BazaarGroupPhotos#
This year's Bazaar group photo was immediately criticized by netizens as "boring" as soon as it was leaked.

Many people are mentioning Gu Jingyi, asking why he wasn't allowed to go up.

The staff at Bazaar were speechless; how could they not call him up?

It's this guy, he won't listen...

Gu Jingyi didn't care about any of that; he was already having a date in the car.

What time are you going home tonight?

Gu Jingyi was somewhat displeased; being too famous did have its downsides.

I have too many commitments and simply don't have time to spend with him.

Even after attending the Bazaar Charity Night and having a date, she still had to go back to the hotel that night to catch the earliest flight to attend her schedule.

Dilraba noticed Gu Jingyi's expression turn cold and smiled as she put her arm around his neck. Sitting on his lap, she replied, "My flight is at six in the morning tomorrow, and I need to be back at the hotel around two or three tonight. It's a brand event, and a private car will pick me up. Why are you suddenly asking this? Are you reluctant to leave...?"

"You're really busy. Let's just grab some fast food later."

Gu Jingyi turned the steering wheel and increased the speed slightly.

He planned to go directly to a drive-thru KFC, the kind located near gas stations. Customers there always grab their food and leave in a hurry, never actually sitting down to eat.

This also reduces the risk of being recognized, and there's no need to worry about being exposed.

"You didn't just come right away... that must have been really tough on you."

Dilraba's smile never faded; she knew, of course, how precious this was.

"It's because the Bazaar Charity Night was so long, I bet you didn't eat much."

Gu Jingyi smiled. Luckily, he had eaten a sandwich beforehand to fill his stomach.

"Yeah, I wouldn't dare eat so much before walking the red carpet. After a few bites, my waistline wasn't as defined..."

Dilraba said, reaching out to touch Gu Jingyi's haute couture again, "You male celebrities have it so good, you all wear suits. Even when it's cold, they're in spring/autumn styles. Unlike us, we're literally shivering from the cold but still gritting our teeth and enduring it..."

"Yes, yes, Teacher Reba's mini-class is in session again."

It happened to be a red light, and Gu Jingyi propped his head up and glanced at Dilraba again.

"Teacher Dilraba looks beautiful tonight."

That was indeed what he thought. Dilraba was wearing a gold, form-fitting dress today. The fitted design perfectly showcased her exquisite figure. She looked charming and beautiful.

Moreover, the dress is made of a material similar to a starry sky, with tiny sequins. It sparkles under the lights, and the skirt has a gradient color.

Combined with Dilraba's radiant and elegant face, she truly stands out.

"There's no need to state these facts that everyone already knows, Teacher Gu."

Dilraba's smile never faded; being with someone she likes is always fun.

There weren't many cars in the suburbs, and Gu Jingyi, fully disguised, quickly brought over some KFC.

It's definitely fried chicken, a typical calorie bomb.

But Dilraba ate with great relish, and the two quickly finished their food and snuggled together.

Gu Jingyi turned to look at her face and saw the weariness evident in her pursed lips and brows. He asked with concern, "Teacher Reba, have you been very tired lately? Both physically and mentally exhausted."

Although he had already guessed from the frequency of their chats that Dilraba's recent condition was not right.

But only by meeting her in person could he realize that Dilraba's condition was more serious than he had imagined.

"Well... after winning that award, the public opinion was more severe than expected. Apart from 'Eternal Love of Dream,' which we signed a contract with a film and television company long ago, we are now keeping a low profile with the others."

After Dilraba finished speaking slowly, she glanced cautiously at Gu Jingyi's expression.

Seeing that he had been listening attentively, she began to speak softly, "I've been feeling quite tired lately, and time seems to be flying by. It feels like so much time has passed since I entered this industry..."

"In the blink of an eye, I'm already 26. I feel like I'm still stuck in the situation where I'm famous but the show isn't, and I don't have any works that can guarantee high viewership ratings."

“There’s been a lot of drama lately. Every time I see someone say that I have no representative works and that the only role I can be proud of is Gao Wen, I feel… panicked.”

"Popularity is just a temporary glory; in the end, it's the work that keeps people interested. Gu Jingyi, do you think I'll stay popular forever?"

Her words were clearly unprepared, and they came out somewhat disorganized. She even paused after a few sentences, as if searching for the right words to express her feelings.

"So, you feel a lot of pressure right now. The pressure doesn't come from the 'water queen' trend, but from the worry that you won't be able to maintain your success without good works?"

"She glanced at him, and Dilraba, whose thoughts had been exposed, pursed her lips and nodded."

It seems that ever since I met her, this woman has always had a distinct sense of unease and anxiety.

Her face, though beautiful as a peach blossom, now seemed tinged with a sense of heartbreak due to her deep worry.

It's quite contradictory and contrasting, yet very appealing.

"Don't worry, with me involved in the film and television projects, what are you worried about? Let's focus on filming the upcoming scripts first. Didn't you keep telling me you wanted to make a modern romance drama together? I've agreed now, it's fine."

Gu Jingyi's words were straightforward and decisive, directly dispelling Dilraba's concerns.

But she was still a little unsure, "Teacher Gu, will these changes affect my career? The rating of 'Li Huizhen' on Douban has dropped all the way down to 2.7, and it has been rated as a bad movie."

"Fewer and fewer scripts are coming to me now, everyone is worried about the pace. My assistant told me after I left Bazaar. When I had a red carpet event, someone kept posting negative reviews."

Dilraba's eyes suddenly reddened. "I want to go home. The last time I went home was three years ago."

“Since my debut, I have been separated from my family by thousands of miles. I feel like a weary traveler, missing home ever since I left.”

Gu Jingyi suddenly wiped away the crumbs of fried chicken from the corner of her lips with his fingertip.

"Teacher Reba, how do you say 'thousands of miles' in Uyghur?"

Dilraba was stunned; the city lights outside the car window were reflected in her pupils in a hazy way.

Just when Gu Jingyi thought she wouldn't say anything, she suddenly spoke up.

As the last note faded, Gu Jingyi lifted the back of her neck where the Mimoto wood necklace was hanging.

This is Gao Zhu's sponsorship today, worth over ten million.

"Did you hear that? Your friends and family, thousands of miles away, are all speaking up for you and cursing those who are throwing mud at you."

The cold clasp of the necklace dug into his palm.

The van quickly pulled into the shadows of an abandoned alley, and Dilraba's gold dress was edged with silver by the moonlight.

Gu Jingyi exerted force, and the chain of his dress snapped open. A large expanse of snow-covered back was exposed under the dim yellow car lights, a beautiful sight.

"help me…"

"Jingyi, I miss you so much..."

Dilraba suddenly started humming a nursery rhyme in Uyghur.

He asked with a possessive glint in his eyes, "What are you singing?"

"The shepherdess cursed the wolf who stole her sheep."

Tears fell from her eyelashes.

White fog gradually rose from the car window, vaguely revealing the overlapping silhouettes of two bodies.

Gu Jingyi supported her lower back with his palm.

"I must take you back to Xijiang sometime; it's full of...fresh fruits and vegetables."

The last half of the sentence was swallowed.

(End of this chapter)