Chinese Entertainment King: Starting as a Fat Boy and Becoming a Singing King

On this day, Liu Yifei reposted Xu Yao's single MV.

The caption was just one sentence: "Everyone says the song is good, but doesn't anyone compliment my brother's good looks?"

It was followed by a smug emoji.

I found Xu Yao on the tour bus.

He was taking a nap while leaning back in his seat when his phone screen lit up.

Zhou Shen was humming "Loneliness is not good" next to him, but Xu Yao slapped him to stop when he was humming it for the third time.

Xu Yao kept his eyes closed the whole time, not even bothering to look at Zhou Shen's pitiful expression.

Xu Yao thought to himself, "The trigger for terminating my contract with the company started with my performance of the fainting scene."

Terminating a contract is not something that can be accomplished with just a few words; it requires back-and-forth negotiations and maneuvering, while also avoiding making a scene online and damaging one's reputation.

Until Xu Yao saw that repost.

"Holy crap, Liu Yifei reposted Xu Yao's MV???"

"Wait, Liu Yifei calls Xu Yao 'little brother'? What's their relationship?"

"How long has the internet been down in the village upstairs? Liu Yifei posted on Weibo the night of Xu Yao's finals, confirming their sibling relationship."

"No, the point is that Xu Yao is so handsome in this MV, right? I wanted to say something about him before, but everyone was talking about his abs back then. But in this MV, the way he sits on the floor singing in a dark gray T-shirt, his jawline is so sharp it could cut me."

"Upstairs +1. After he lost weight, his facial features fully developed. He has high brow bones, a straight nose, and a well-defined jawline, but he also has a sunny and roguish charm. He's not the kind of delicate, effeminate Korean heartthrob."

"I watched the scene in the music video where his eyes were red but no tears fell when he sang 'I'm just a fool who loves you.' I watched it at least ten times. His acting was so convincing and full of heartbreak."

"If those tears really do spin, I strongly suggest that Fatty Xu should debut as an actor right now. It's a textbook example of crying. Unlike some new actors who just shake their bodies and cover their eyes when they cry."

Then people started discussing the female lead in the music video.

"Isn't anyone praising the female lead??? This girl is so pretty! She doesn't have that typical Weibo influencer face; she has a very comfortable and pleasing appearance. She has two cute little tiger teeth when she smiles, so adorable!"

"Her eye acting and inner monologues are so good. That scene where she's packing her things, such a long scene, was filmed in one continuous take, wasn't it?"

"Who is this girl? I've never seen her before. Is she a contestant from The Voice of China?"

"No, the cast list says Bai Lu, so she should be a newcomer."

"I did a search, and this Bai Lu is a Taobao model whose real name is Bai Mengyan. She has done some print ads. Xu Yao's music video is her first serious work."

"A Taobao model can act like this??? She must be a natural talent."

The more comments I post, the more comments I get.

Thanks to Liu Yifei's popularity, her ranking on the new song chart has started to climb rapidly, and she has a chance to enter the top 50 new songs and officially break into the mainstream.

Some people have edited Bai Lu's scenes in the music video into a nine-grid layout, showing her looking down at her phone, pushing a milk tea cup, untying a red rope, standing at the door looking at a sticky note, and finally pushing the door open and walking out.

Under each screenshot, someone commented: "This one is so beautiful." "The eyes in this one are amazing." "I want the original image."

Bai Lu saved the nine-square grid and forwarded it to Xu Yao.

"Did you see that?! Someone saw me!!! Xu Yao, did you see that?! Someone's praising me!!!"

In this voice message, her voice was trembling, exactly the same as when she heard the title of "go-to leading lady" in the studio that day, the excitement bursting from her throat.

Xu Yao typed a few words: "Keep going, little deer who's always been strong. You'll be seen by more people."

Bai Lu did not reply immediately.

About five minutes later, she sent a screenshot.

This is her Weibo homepage.

The profile picture has been changed to a still from the music video shoot.

She stood at the entrance of the bubble tea shop, backlit, turned around and smiled, her tiger teeth shining brightly.

My Weibo nickname has also been changed to six characters: "A Little Deer Keeping Going."

Xu Yao looked at the nickname and typed with a smile: "This name is good."

"I think so too!!!" Bai Lu replied instantly, "From now on, I'll be a cheering little deer!!! Xu Yao, when I become famous, come find me to shoot a music video, I'll give you a discount!!!"

"What discount?"

"99% off".

"That's still the original price, since the company will pay for it anyway."

"Hehehehe... Hahahaha..."

An apartment in Shanghai.

Wu Qian sat on the sofa with her knees bent and her chin resting on them.

The phone was placed beside my lap, the screen lit up, playing the same song on a loop.

"When exactly can I go on a date with you, hold your hand, and spend Valentine's Day with you? Why did you say you had to leave first...?"

Xu Yao's voice came from the phone speaker, echoing in the empty living room.

She's been listening to it all day.

From waking up in the morning, to the afternoon, to the time when it gets dark.

The light in the room gradually dimmed.

She didn't turn on the light.

The lyrics are like a dull knife, yet they can inflict wounds that are somehow sharp.

Wu Qian recalled that winter during her sophomore year, when the two of them had only been together for a short time.

At that time, Xu Yao had not yet become a fat man; he was a young student, full of vigor and vitality.

Xu Yao said he wanted to take a photo with her, but she said no, what if her classmates saw it?

Xu Yao suggested posting it on WeChat Moments, but she said no, what if her classmates misunderstand and think they're dating?

Xu Yao was silent for a while, then said, "Then we won't film it."

Later, on her birthday, Xu Yao gave her a bracelet. She wore it for two days and then took it off, saying it was inconvenient during rehearsals and that if people saw it, they would guess she had a boyfriend.

Xu Yao said, "Okay, then you can keep it."

She recalled that during her junior year of college, the two of them made a promise to go to East Lake to see the cherry blossoms. They had to keep a distance from each other at all times, and they couldn't whisper to each other when there were many people around.

The cherry blossoms were beautiful, and while other couples were embracing, they looked like strangers.

She remembered that the two of them took the bus to the city library.

Xu Yao stood at the bus stop, holding a bag of her favorite egg tarts, and smiled when he saw her walking over.

The two people were not holding hands, and stood at opposite ends of the bus.

People came and went at the bus stop, and no one knew they were a couple.

"Don't lock me up, don't abandon me, I'm working hard to give you a gift..."

She recalled a time when she was in a bad mood and called Xu Yao in the middle of the night.

Xu Yao said I was there, and she said, "Then you should come out right now and comfort me."

Xu Yao left his rented apartment, took two night buses, and arrived at the gate of her school.

She saw him standing under the streetlight, holding a bag of hot milk tea.

She walked over, took the milk tea, and said, "You can go back now."

Then he really left.

At that time, Wu Qian forgot that the buses had stopped running, and Xu Yao had devoted all his living expenses to love. If he couldn't bear to take a taxi, how would he get home?

"I'm desperately trying to make my presence felt, all for love, hoping that one day I can show off my affection..."

She remembered Xu Yao saying that once they went public with their relationship, he would post pictures of her on Weibo every day.

She said, "You're a songwriter, just focus on writing songs, why are you showing off?"

"Chocolate candy, as long as you love it, I'll empty my pockets, for love..."

When tears fell, Wu Qian didn't even realize she was crying.

The first drop landed on the phone screen, right on the three words "showing off affection" in the lyrics.

Then the second drop, the third drop...

Wu Qian picked up her phone and dialed He Xuanlin's number.

"Where are you?"

He Xuanlin's voice came from the other end of the phone, with a tone that said, "I knew you would call: Now you know how to cry? Where's your toughness? Where's your superiority? You've ruined all our chances of getting back together."

"Stop talking," Wu Qian's voice trembled. "Where are you?"

He Xuanlin paused for a moment, then sighed.

"I knew you were in a bad mood. Open the door."

Doorbell rang.

Wu Qian stood up from the sofa, her legs were numb, and she staggered.

She walked to the door and opened it.

He Xuanlin stood outside the door, carrying two cups of milk tea and a bag of egg tarts.

She glanced at Wu Qian's face, said nothing, and simply opened her arms.

Wu Qian hugged He Xuanlin, buried her face in her shoulder, and cried.

Just like Yang Kun's lyrics: That day, that day, I lost you. Like a child who lost their beloved toy. That day, that day, is etched in my heart, forever indelible.

"It's good that you're here with me." Wu Qian's voice was muffled inside He Xuanlin's clothes.

He Xuanlin pushed her into the door and closed it with her foot.

She placed the milk tea and egg tarts on the coffee table, pressed Wu Qian back onto the sofa, and then sat down next to her.

"Do you want to get back together?" He Xuanlin's voice softened. "If you do, apologize properly. Xu Yao isn't petty. He likes you so much. I can just beg him a little more. After all, I slipped him money when he was eating steamed buns."

"You gave him money? How come I didn't know?" Wu Qian was stunned.

He Xuanlin sighed inwardly, "Didn't you notice when your boyfriend couldn't even afford to eat?" Finally, she spoke up: "Xixi, this isn't the time to discuss this. We should be discussing how to help you two get back together."

"I've never even given him a single photo together. He won't come back. I can tell. I understand it perfectly well."

"Why can he write such beautiful songs after leaving me? Why can't he write such beautiful songs when I've been by his side for so long, year after year? Why do men only strive after suffering setbacks? Why do men change so much towards their girlfriends when they get angry?"

Wu Qian muttered to herself, curling her knees up and resting her chin on them.

He Xuanlin opened her mouth as if to say something, but in the end she didn't, and could only sigh deeply.

The phone screen was still lit, and "Loneliness Is Not Good" started playing again from the beginning.

He Xuanlin turned it off immediately.

(P.S.: Wu Qian's scenes are basically finished at this point. According to the actress's future real-life storyline, Wu Qian will meet a man with some cunning, become love-struck, get married, have children, and then experience divorce. Unexpectedly, He Xuanlin even appeared on Sisters Who Make Waves this year. Spoiler alert: Sister Qianqian is about to appear!)