Before An Ruifeng could even approach Ling Xi to compliment him on his incredible makeup, the staff came out and asked An Ruifeng to put on makeup in the dressing room.
An Ruifeng and Ling Xi were separated by more than a ten-meter gap. One stood in the midst of the throngs at the door, while the other stood in the spotlight in front of the camera.
An Ruifeng had no choice but to mouth "very handsome" to Ling Xi and then point to the staff beside him. With his left hand raised, he made a small figure walking gesture with his index and middle fingers pointed downwards.
His exaggerated gestures amused Ling Xi. He gave an OK signal, paused for a moment, and then mouthed the phrase "You are also very handsome," returning the compliment.
Behind him, Mother Wu reached out angrily and pressed down his dog tail.
Ling Xi turned his head, only to see Wu Youpeng holding his tail with both hands, and asked him curiously, "Does this tail feel so good? Isn’t just touching it enough for you? Why are you holding it so tightly?"
"I’m afraid if I don’t hold it tightly, you’ll inadvertently take off because it's wagging so fast," Wu Youpeng said, deadpan.
"..." Ling Xi’s ears turned red with embarrassment: "I'm not a helicopter."
"Do you think you'd takeoff straight? You’ve almost turned into a bent flying ji!" [机 = ji, machine]
"...Which ji?" [基 = ji, base, gay in slang]
"Which ji do you think it is?" [机 = machine]
For a long time, the two people argued quietly. The little dog in Ling Xi's arms kept looking up at their squabbling and even barked twice as if to express his opinion. The scene looked exceptionally harmonious. When the photographer's assistant arrived to help Ling Xi in tidying up the clothes, he complimented them on their good feelings. The assistant stated that he had photographed many celebrities, but he had never seen a celebrity and an agent who had a relationship as strong as a family.
Wu Youpeng was furious: "The reason I care so much about him is because I'm always afraid that this fool will be duped one day."
Ling Xi was incensed: "What has caused your mood to become so agitated? Are you getting ready to give a speech as the best man at my wedding?"
Ling Xi's words were very rude, but the tail behind him had drooped. Even when he posed for the promotional photos, his tail did not wag as energetically as it had previously.
※※※
An Ruifeng appeared to have lost his soul while applying makeup. Although he was not a talkative person, he always chatted and joked with the makeup artist when he put on makeup. They even teased each other with the friendlier staff. But today he was completely silent from start to finish, like a beautiful and obedient doll. It was clear that he was lost in his thoughts.
As soon as he closed his eyes, he seemed to be able to see the man dressed in green smiling at him. The twitching dog ears on his tilted head, as well as the fluffy tail swinging rhythmically from side to side, made him look very inviting. He hadn't expected that lively smile to have such an impact on him. If he was just dithering around the pool's edge before, it was as if he had suddenly slipped and fallen into it, completely unable to extricate himself.
With such a motionless and stunning model, the make-up artist and stylist worked quickly and finished dressing An Ruifeng. A tall full-length mirror was specially pushed over by the staff to allow An Ruifeng and his agent to see the entire look clearly.
An Ruifeng's character, shifu, was a hundred years old, but his face was not. Only his hair was as white as the first snow. In the drama, he wore a cyan robe all year, with silver embroidery on the corners of his robes that was extremely delicate, displaying his elegance and calm. An Ruifeng fanned his sleeves, causing them to spread out like clouds. His face was calm, and his expression was cold, looking aloof and remote. He truly looked like an out of reach immortal cultivator.
Xu Zhiqiang was overjoyed with An Ruifeng's appearance. He immediately took a picture of An Ruifeng's back with his phone and decided to ask the director if he could post the photo on Weibo first. He was certain that once this photo was posted, it would be among the TOP3 most popular photos of the day.
Despite having styled him with their own hands, they felt like kneeling at this beautiful man's feet after the stylist assisted him in putting on his accessories and arranging his hairstyle and clothes. Several staff members rushed to take photos with him, and the small fitting room became extremely lively for a while.
An Ruifeng's charm was so strong that many young girls wanted to take more photos with him to show off to their friends. An Ruifeng refused with a smile, not waiting for Xu Zhiqiang to come forward and stop them: "I'm sorry, but I can't wait any longer. I need to see my apprentice."
Everyone laughed and praised him for his close friendship with his fellow junior, Bao Hui, saying that he never forgot his apprentice even when they were not filming. An Ruifeng did not explain, allowing everyone to misinterpret what he meant.
But Xu Zhiqiang knew him. Xu Zhiqiang blew his top and stared at him when he mentioned his apprentice.
An Ruifeng glanced at him and joked: "I remember the first day I entered this industry, you told me that even if I don't like a person, I can't show it on my face."
Xu Zhiqiang shot back: "I only despise myself. I should have said one less word at the time. Even if you like someone, you can't show it on your face."
An Ruifeng knew he was in the wrong and remained silent.
But his non-rebuttal enraged Xu Zhiqiang even more.
"When did it happen? You’ve only met him three times, and today is the fourth!" And Xu Zhiqiang had always accompanied him through the entire process, keeping step all the way. An Ruifeng, he assumed, was only interested in Ling Xi. He was surprised to find that An Ruifeng had already tacitly used the word "like" to describe this relationship.
An Ruifeng admitted frankly: "Right now."
Xu Zhiqiang recalled that when An Ruifeng walked in, a certain fool was holding a dog and smiling silly. He, too, had no choice but to admit that Ling Xi looked seductive.
But this... but this was really too fast, right?
Xu Zhiqiang desperately wanted to lash out, but with so many staff members surrounding them, it was difficult for him to do so. Finally, Xu Zhiqiang could only curse with a sentence to vent his very, very, very [1]extreme anger: "You and your brother truly deserve to be called a family. Each of you is a cause for worry!"
An Ruifeng spent a lot of time in the dressing room because of the group photos with the staff. Ling Xi and the dog's photoshoot had ended when he returned to the studio.
Ling Xi had mastered the art of posing for pictures. Previously, he had shot promo photos mostly during the album promotion period, and had appeared on the inside pages of magazines on several occasions under Wu Youpeng's operation. The difference between magazine photography and promotional photoshoots was minimal. Ling Xi's personality was very similar to his character in the play. He winked and made a few exaggerated facial expressions in front of the camera. He held the dog in his arms for a while, then posed while hugging the dog, as directed by the photographer. He had formed a strong bond with the dog, and their photoshoot went off without a hitch. The photographer took several photos in quick succession, complimenting them on their good camera sense.
After the filming was finished, he was about to remove his makeup when the director approached him with two men in professional suits.
The director introduced them as employees of the company that provided Ling Xi with the black technology artificial ears and tail. Their company had paid a hefty amount for product placement. When the show aired, the sponsor’s LOGO would be displayed before and after the telecast. In addition, they had also negotiated to record a five-minute trial video as an important part of product promotion.
When Ling Xi took the promotional photos, they had already recorded some of his body movements. They hoped to include a few more close-ups.
After a few moments of thought, Wu Youpeng concluded that, while there was no money involved in this errand, it could be viewed as mutually beneficial. Yangtian Media, Ling Xi's agency, was too stingy to spend any money promoting Ling Xi. He had no choice but to rely on Wu Youpeng to find some free resources to help him gain popularity. The black technology company placed a high value on the product placement effect and would gladly take the initiative to spread this trial video. Ling Xi's appearance was very appealing, and he may have excellent promotion results.
As a result, Wu Youpeng agreed. When it came to work, Ling Xi always listened to Wu Youpeng. He carried out Wu Youpeng's instructions.
The other party was very pleased with Wu Youpeng's candor and straightforwardness. They were the first to say: "We've also brought our own photographer with us. If you want, you can invite Ling Xi's girlfriend over to take pictures with him. You can think of it as creating buzz on your behalf." He pointed to the side where Zhu Linlin was resting while saying this.
Zhu Linlin had bribed the screenwriter for a million yuan and added half a role for herself - half because she played the female side of the third apprentice who was bigender. Another actor played the male part. Today was the day for the cast to pose for publicity photos. Zhu Linlin arrived at the studio early to put on makeup and take photos, but she and Ling Xi didn't get along and didn't even greet each other when they met.
They were both little-known stars, but the "Boom Couple" label on their heads was loud enough. The employees of the black technology company were extremely nice. They thought Ling Xi and Zhu Linlin were a real couple in private, so they decided to do them a favor and film their interaction. Wouldn't it be great for the company's publicity if Ling Xi wagged his tail more happily in front of his girlfriend?
"No, no, no, I'm better off alone," Ling Xi was so scared that his tail stood on end.
Zhu Linlin was not far away and could clearly hear them. "You should cherish your great aunt!" she sneered, fists clenched.
Although the two parties disagreed, Wu Youpeng and Zhu Linlin's agent thought the proposal was excellent. They huddled together for a long time, whispering and debating. Who knows what agreement they eventually reached, but they agreed to collaborate.
Despite Ling Xi’s and Zhu Linlin's mile long faces, they had to smile happily in front of the camera. The photographer continued to yell, "Closer! Come closer!", but the gap between them was as wide as the sky.….
It was unsurprising that the final photo had a terrible effect. The two were dressed in the same light green sect robes, and the photos should have been full of CP, but there was an atmosphere of enmity that could not be ignored. The employees at the black technology firm were dissatisfied and desired a reshoot. Ling Xi remained silent and nodded.
...It appeared that everything could only be left to the great post production.
After the photos were taken, a close-up video of Ling Xi was recorded. Ling Xi was willing to do anything as long as it wasn't by Zhu Linlin's side. He tried to recall happy memories as requested, but he wasn't in a good mood, possibly because he had been scared by Zhu Linlin. His tail remained drooped and dejected no matter how hard he tried.
Ling Xi's tail wagged lower and lower in the video, until it barely moved.
Ling Xi had no idea "happiness" could be so exhausting.
Wu Youpeng was anxious and eager to help him in wagging his tail: "Weren’t you very happy just now?"
Ling Xi said, "You have to know that if you make me remember happy things a hundred times, then it's no longer happy ah!"
As soon as his voice faded, he heard the studio photographer on the other side, who was preparing to shoot the promotional photos, yell: "An Ruifeng has emerged! We're going to shoot him next. Everyone, get ready!"
Wu Youpeng turned around subconsciously to take a look and watched as An Ruifeng walked slowly into the studio, surrounded by the crowd, like an immortal who despised all sentient beings. He wore a cyan robe that was both graceful and luxurious, his white hair was tied behind his head with a simple mahogany hairpin, and his expression was icy.
Wu Youpeng was certain he heard people suck in breadth around him...
When An Ruifeng's gaze swept the corner where Ling Xi stood, his frozen expression thawed, as if green buds had sprouted in the middle of winter and the light snow had turned to drizzle overnight. When no one reacted, the corners of his lips curled up in a gentle smile, the corners of his eyes and brows glowing with warmth.
Wu Youpeng was certain he heard Ling Xi drool behind him...
After An Ruifeng passed by, Wu Youpeng turned back with a black face - sure enough, the small motor on Ling Xi's tail had been repaired.
Ling Xi hurriedly wiped his saliva: "You know, if you let me see a good-looking person a hundred times, then he is still good-looking..."
Later, this stupid shot of Ling Xi made it past the editing stage and into the black technology company's promotional video. At the same time as the promotional photos were released, the black technology company's official Weibo released a five-minute trial installation video. Everyone's attention was drawn to Ling Xi's smart wearable device in the video, which could detect human emotions and make corresponding actions.
Ling Xi's appearance in the promotional photos and videos was adorable. The light green sect uniform made him look like a little tree, fresh and tender, and the fluffy tail gained him many young mama fans. "I really want to reach out and touch it," they all said. Many peripheral fans who had only heard of his name before followed suit, bringing his Weibo fan base to a staggering 1.5 million.
At the same time, because An Ruifeng appeared in the video and Ling Xi's assessment of him was perceived as very "pertinent," this video quickly triggered a frenzy of forwarding by An Ruifeng's fans. This video, which was later regarded as a token of love by fans, received over 50,000 reposts in just a few days.
What about the "Boom Couple" CP photos?... Oh, no one forwarded them after they were released.
Footnotes:
[1] Important things have to be said thrice, you know. hahaha
Before An Ruifeng could even approach Ling Xi to compliment him on his incredible makeup, the staff came out and asked An Ruifeng to put on makeup in the dressing room.
An Ruifeng and Ling Xi were separated by more than a ten-meter gap. One stood in the midst of the throngs at the door, while the other stood in the spotlight in front of the camera.
An Ruifeng had no choice but to mouth "very handsome" to Ling Xi and then point to the staff beside him. With his left hand raised, he made a small figure walking gesture with his index and middle fingers pointed downwards.
His exaggerated gestures amused Ling Xi. He gave an OK signal, paused for a moment, and then mouthed the phrase "You are also very handsome," returning the compliment.
Behind him, Mother Wu reached out angrily and pressed down his dog tail.
Ling Xi turned his head, only to see Wu Youpeng holding his tail with both hands, and asked him curiously, "Does this tail feel so good? Isn’t just touching it enough for you? Why are you holding it so tightly?"
"I’m afraid if I don’t hold it tightly, you’ll inadvertently take off because it's wagging so fast," Wu Youpeng said, deadpan.
"..." Ling Xi’s ears turned red with embarrassment: "I'm not a helicopter."
"Do you think you'd takeoff straight? You’ve almost turned into a bent flying ji!" [机 = ji, machine]
"...Which ji?" [基 = ji, base, gay in slang]
"Which ji do you think it is?" [机 = machine]
For a long time, the two people argued quietly. The little dog in Ling Xi's arms kept looking up at their squabbling and even barked twice as if to express his opinion. The scene looked exceptionally harmonious. When the photographer's assistant arrived to help Ling Xi in tidying up the clothes, he complimented them on their good feelings. The assistant stated that he had photographed many celebrities, but he had never seen a celebrity and an agent who had a relationship as strong as a family.
Wu Youpeng was furious: "The reason I care so much about him is because I'm always afraid that this fool will be duped one day."
Ling Xi was incensed: "What has caused your mood to become so agitated? Are you getting ready to give a speech as the best man at my wedding?"
Ling Xi's words were very rude, but the tail behind him had drooped. Even when he posed for the promotional photos, his tail did not wag as energetically as it had previously.
※※※
An Ruifeng appeared to have lost his soul while applying makeup. Although he was not a talkative person, he always chatted and joked with the makeup artist when he put on makeup. They even teased each other with the friendlier staff. But today he was completely silent from start to finish, like a beautiful and obedient doll. It was clear that he was lost in his thoughts.
As soon as he closed his eyes, he seemed to be able to see the man dressed in green smiling at him. The twitching dog ears on his tilted head, as well as the fluffy tail swinging rhythmically from side to side, made him look very inviting. He hadn't expected that lively smile to have such an impact on him. If he was just dithering around the pool's edge before, it was as if he had suddenly slipped and fallen into it, completely unable to extricate himself.
With such a motionless and stunning model, the make-up artist and stylist worked quickly and finished dressing An Ruifeng. A tall full-length mirror was specially pushed over by the staff to allow An Ruifeng and his agent to see the entire look clearly.
An Ruifeng's character, shifu, was a hundred years old, but his face was not. Only his hair was as white as the first snow. In the drama, he wore a cyan robe all year, with silver embroidery on the corners of his robes that was extremely delicate, displaying his elegance and calm. An Ruifeng fanned his sleeves, causing them to spread out like clouds. His face was calm, and his expression was cold, looking aloof and remote. He truly looked like an out of reach immortal cultivator.
Xu Zhiqiang was overjoyed with An Ruifeng's appearance. He immediately took a picture of An Ruifeng's back with his phone and decided to ask the director if he could post the photo on Weibo first. He was certain that once this photo was posted, it would be among the TOP3 most popular photos of the day.
Despite having styled him with their own hands, they felt like kneeling at this beautiful man's feet after the stylist assisted him in putting on his accessories and arranging his hairstyle and clothes. Several staff members rushed to take photos with him, and the small fitting room became extremely lively for a while.
An Ruifeng's charm was so strong that many young girls wanted to take more photos with him to show off to their friends. An Ruifeng refused with a smile, not waiting for Xu Zhiqiang to come forward and stop them: "I'm sorry, but I can't wait any longer. I need to see my apprentice."
Everyone laughed and praised him for his close friendship with his fellow junior, Bao Hui, saying that he never forgot his apprentice even when they were not filming. An Ruifeng did not explain, allowing everyone to misinterpret what he meant.
But Xu Zhiqiang knew him. Xu Zhiqiang blew his top and stared at him when he mentioned his apprentice.
An Ruifeng glanced at him and joked: "I remember the first day I entered this industry, you told me that even if I don't like a person, I can't show it on my face."
Xu Zhiqiang shot back: "I only despise myself. I should have said one less word at the time. Even if you like someone, you can't show it on your face."
An Ruifeng knew he was in the wrong and remained silent.
But his non-rebuttal enraged Xu Zhiqiang even more.
"When did it happen? You’ve only met him three times, and today is the fourth!" And Xu Zhiqiang had always accompanied him through the entire process, keeping step all the way. An Ruifeng, he assumed, was only interested in Ling Xi. He was surprised to find that An Ruifeng had already tacitly used the word "like" to describe this relationship.
An Ruifeng admitted frankly: "Right now."
Xu Zhiqiang recalled that when An Ruifeng walked in, a certain fool was holding a dog and smiling silly. He, too, had no choice but to admit that Ling Xi looked seductive.
But this... but this was really too fast, right?
Xu Zhiqiang desperately wanted to lash out, but with so many staff members surrounding them, it was difficult for him to do so. Finally, Xu Zhiqiang could only curse with a sentence to vent his very, very, very [1]extreme anger: "You and your brother truly deserve to be called a family. Each of you is a cause for worry!"
An Ruifeng spent a lot of time in the dressing room because of the group photos with the staff. Ling Xi and the dog's photoshoot had ended when he returned to the studio.
Ling Xi had mastered the art of posing for pictures. Previously, he had shot promo photos mostly during the album promotion period, and had appeared on the inside pages of magazines on several occasions under Wu Youpeng's operation. The difference between magazine photography and promotional photoshoots was minimal. Ling Xi's personality was very similar to his character in the play. He winked and made a few exaggerated facial expressions in front of the camera. He held the dog in his arms for a while, then posed while hugging the dog, as directed by the photographer. He had formed a strong bond with the dog, and their photoshoot went off without a hitch. The photographer took several photos in quick succession, complimenting them on their good camera sense.
After the filming was finished, he was about to remove his makeup when the director approached him with two men in professional suits.
The director introduced them as employees of the company that provided Ling Xi with the black technology artificial ears and tail. Their company had paid a hefty amount for product placement. When the show aired, the sponsor’s LOGO would be displayed before and after the telecast. In addition, they had also negotiated to record a five-minute trial video as an important part of product promotion.
When Ling Xi took the promotional photos, they had already recorded some of his body movements. They hoped to include a few more close-ups.
After a few moments of thought, Wu Youpeng concluded that, while there was no money involved in this errand, it could be viewed as mutually beneficial. Yangtian Media, Ling Xi's agency, was too stingy to spend any money promoting Ling Xi. He had no choice but to rely on Wu Youpeng to find some free resources to help him gain popularity. The black technology company placed a high value on the product placement effect and would gladly take the initiative to spread this trial video. Ling Xi's appearance was very appealing, and he may have excellent promotion results.
As a result, Wu Youpeng agreed. When it came to work, Ling Xi always listened to Wu Youpeng. He carried out Wu Youpeng's instructions.
The other party was very pleased with Wu Youpeng's candor and straightforwardness. They were the first to say: "We've also brought our own photographer with us. If you want, you can invite Ling Xi's girlfriend over to take pictures with him. You can think of it as creating buzz on your behalf." He pointed to the side where Zhu Linlin was resting while saying this.
Zhu Linlin had bribed the screenwriter for a million yuan and added half a role for herself - half because she played the female side of the third apprentice who was bigender. Another actor played the male part. Today was the day for the cast to pose for publicity photos. Zhu Linlin arrived at the studio early to put on makeup and take photos, but she and Ling Xi didn't get along and didn't even greet each other when they met.
They were both little-known stars, but the "Boom Couple" label on their heads was loud enough. The employees of the black technology company were extremely nice. They thought Ling Xi and Zhu Linlin were a real couple in private, so they decided to do them a favor and film their interaction. Wouldn't it be great for the company's publicity if Ling Xi wagged his tail more happily in front of his girlfriend?
"No, no, no, I'm better off alone," Ling Xi was so scared that his tail stood on end.
Zhu Linlin was not far away and could clearly hear them. "You should cherish your great aunt!" she sneered, fists clenched.
Although the two parties disagreed, Wu Youpeng and Zhu Linlin's agent thought the proposal was excellent. They huddled together for a long time, whispering and debating. Who knows what agreement they eventually reached, but they agreed to collaborate.
Despite Ling Xi’s and Zhu Linlin's mile long faces, they had to smile happily in front of the camera. The photographer continued to yell, "Closer! Come closer!", but the gap between them was as wide as the sky.….
It was unsurprising that the final photo had a terrible effect. The two were dressed in the same light green sect robes, and the photos should have been full of CP, but there was an atmosphere of enmity that could not be ignored. The employees at the black technology firm were dissatisfied and desired a reshoot. Ling Xi remained silent and nodded.
...It appeared that everything could only be left to the great post production.
After the photos were taken, a close-up video of Ling Xi was recorded. Ling Xi was willing to do anything as long as it wasn't by Zhu Linlin's side. He tried to recall happy memories as requested, but he wasn't in a good mood, possibly because he had been scared by Zhu Linlin. His tail remained drooped and dejected no matter how hard he tried.
Ling Xi's tail wagged lower and lower in the video, until it barely moved.
Ling Xi had no idea "happiness" could be so exhausting.
Wu Youpeng was anxious and eager to help him in wagging his tail: "Weren’t you very happy just now?"
Ling Xi said, "You have to know that if you make me remember happy things a hundred times, then it's no longer happy ah!"
As soon as his voice faded, he heard the studio photographer on the other side, who was preparing to shoot the promotional photos, yell: "An Ruifeng has emerged! We're going to shoot him next. Everyone, get ready!"
Wu Youpeng turned around subconsciously to take a look and watched as An Ruifeng walked slowly into the studio, surrounded by the crowd, like an immortal who despised all sentient beings. He wore a cyan robe that was both graceful and luxurious, his white hair was tied behind his head with a simple mahogany hairpin, and his expression was icy.
Wu Youpeng was certain he heard people suck in breadth around him...
When An Ruifeng's gaze swept the corner where Ling Xi stood, his frozen expression thawed, as if green buds had sprouted in the middle of winter and the light snow had turned to drizzle overnight. When no one reacted, the corners of his lips curled up in a gentle smile, the corners of his eyes and brows glowing with warmth.
Wu Youpeng was certain he heard Ling Xi drool behind him...
After An Ruifeng passed by, Wu Youpeng turned back with a black face - sure enough, the small motor on Ling Xi's tail had been repaired.
Ling Xi hurriedly wiped his saliva: "You know, if you let me see a good-looking person a hundred times, then he is still good-looking..."
Later, this stupid shot of Ling Xi made it past the editing stage and into the black technology company's promotional video. At the same time as the promotional photos were released, the black technology company's official Weibo released a five-minute trial installation video. Everyone's attention was drawn to Ling Xi's smart wearable device in the video, which could detect human emotions and make corresponding actions.
Ling Xi's appearance in the promotional photos and videos was adorable. The light green sect uniform made him look like a little tree, fresh and tender, and the fluffy tail gained him many young mama fans. "I really want to reach out and touch it," they all said. Many peripheral fans who had only heard of his name before followed suit, bringing his Weibo fan base to a staggering 1.5 million.
At the same time, because An Ruifeng appeared in the video and Ling Xi's assessment of him was perceived as very "pertinent," this video quickly triggered a frenzy of forwarding by An Ruifeng's fans. This video, which was later regarded as a token of love by fans, received over 50,000 reposts in just a few days.
What about the "Boom Couple" CP photos?... Oh, no one forwarded them after they were released.
Footnotes:
[1] Important things have to be said thrice, you know. hahaha
