Chapter 46: The New Advertisement
In C City, at the Lin Ge Entertainment building:
“Z Brand didn’t work out?” Xie Qingyang’s brows furrowed deeply. “Who got it?”
The agent hesitated, not speaking, but Xie Qingyang had a guess. “Gu Sinian? Or Meng Qin?”
The agent subtly shook their head. “It was Lu Xu.”
Xie Qingyang’s frown deepened even further.
Over the past six months, his endorsement deals had dropped significantly. On the surface, everything appeared glamorous, but in reality, most of his contracts were short-term—those that cycled through new spokespeople every three months.
Endorsements weren’t just about money; they represented a star’s true popularity.
In the industry, it was common for a new male star to rise to fame every six months. With each new sensation, Xie Qingyang’s endorsements had to be shared or reduced.
While shampoo brand endorsements might seem unremarkable—so much so that fans often didn’t even count them when comparing deals—luxury collaborations were the real indicators of a celebrity’s popularity and prestige.
Still, Z Brand, as a well-known shampoo label, signified broad public appeal.
Personal care endorsements might seem easy to land, but a closer look revealed that only major stars secured them. The longer the brand’s history, the more likely it was to collaborate with veteran celebrities.
“How did it go to Lu Xu?” Xie Qingyang muttered but immediately realized he’d misspoken.
Over the past year, Lu Xu’s career had skyrocketed.
With My Baby Prince, Son of Heaven, and Supreme, all three dramas had generated massive buzz. Among the new generation, except for a few actors heavily backed by their companies, no one was shining brighter than Lu Xu.
Lu Xu had signed with Feiyang Entertainment not long ago. Before that, he had always been fighting on his own, but this didn’t stop him from becoming popular.
The popularity hierarchy established before Verse disbanded had already been broken. Lu Xu’s current popularity had surpassed Gu Sinian’s.
And even… it had eclipsed that of him and Meng Qin.
Xie Qingyang didn’t want to think too much about it. In the career blueprint he had mapped out for himself, Lu Xu was supposed to always be the timid and submissive “backup” in terms of popularity, forever lingering in the shadows created by the three of them, with no chance of turning the tables.
But now, Lu Xu had firmly established his footing in the entertainment industry.
The Z brand was one Xie Qingyang had always wanted to collaborate with. Brands in the daily goods category weren’t as demanding as luxury brands, offering generous pay without the lengthy evaluation periods luxury brands often required—sometimes lasting years—only to award a superficial title in the end.
According to previous information released by the Z brand, once this collaboration was finalized, the brand was willing to sign a three-year contract with the spokesperson.
“Lu Xu doesn’t have any business deals right now, does he?” Xie Qingyang asked.
“Right, ever since he left our Lin Ge Entertainment, he’s had nothing,” the manager recalled after a moment. “Back then, your positions overlapped.”
Shortly after Verse disbanded, Lu Xu’s commercial endorsements had been divided among Xie Qingyang and the others. Brands saw no hope in him and naturally preferred to bet on Xie Qingyang’s group.
Xie Qingyang had been immensely pleased with himself over that.
“Overlapping positions…” Xie Qingyang repeatedly mulled over the phrase.
Overlapping positions—back then, they had replaced Lu Xu. But now… though it hadn’t yet come to pass, Xie Qingyang felt as though he could see a future where they were replaced by Lu Xu.
…
Lu Xu was still unaware that the Z brand had considered Xie Qingyang and his group. If he had known, he would have thought the Z brand made the absolutely correct decision in choosing him.
The only thing that puzzled him was this: the deal was supposed to be for a shampoo commercial, so why had he taken so many frontal shots?
When signing the contract, the brand had indeed mentioned wanting him to shoot a few posters for promotional purposes, as well as some exclusive photos for the product line.
Lu Xu naturally agreed.
But he hadn’t expected the brand’s photographer to be so unstoppable once they started shooting. One pose after another, Lu Xu contorted himself so much that his neck nearly went stiff, yet the photographer’s enthusiasm remained unrelenting.
“Next, let’s do a set of upper-body shots,” the photographer said, pausing briefly before calling out to Lu Xu again, brimming with energy.
“…The ones just now only count as one set?” Lu Xu asked.
“Yes,” the photographer answered with firm conviction, so much so that Lu Xu felt the need to confirm whether the other party misunderstood the term “one set.”
However, just as Lu Xu was about to argue, the photographer’s demeanor turned serious again, exuding an aura of professional authority.
At that moment, Lu Xu felt the photographer’s imposing presence could easily be six feet tall, radiating an untouchable air that made him swallow his objections about what “one set” actually meant.
He didn’t dare to argue.
After another incredibly long “set” of photos, the shoot finally concluded, and the photographer appeared thoroughly satisfied.
From the side, Lu Xu overheard the brand’s business manager muttering, “It’s a pity we didn’t go for shirtless… it might attract more consumers, don’t you think?”
The business manager hadn’t finished the sentence before the photographer sternly interrupted, “You don’t understand at all. The allure of wearing clothes is far greater than not wearing them. That subtle, ambiguous beauty creates an irresistible primal drive deep within human nature!”
At that moment, Lu Xu was absolutely certain—the photographer had completely subdued the business manager.
Because he himself had been subdued as well.
It felt as if the photographer’s thoughts had transcended the universe and reached realms known only to renowned human biologists.
Although Lu Xu couldn’t help but wonder—combining words like “ambiguous,” “allure,” “clothed,” and “primal”—was this really a legitimate brand advertisement he was shooting?
He glanced down at himself. For this shoot, he was dressed in a white shirt—a very proper look. How on earth had the photographer and the business manager managed to spiral so far off?
Especially the former—Lu Xu felt as though the photographer was performing some kind of mysterious ritual.
Once the shoot wrapped up, Lu Xu didn’t dare linger for even a minute longer. He bolted from the set at lightning speed.
…
“It’s not my fault—Lu Xu is just too photogenic,” the photographer said while meticulously reviewing each shot. “Whether it’s the intentional poses or the casual candid moments, there isn’t a single bad angle.”
“Why did you take so long to bring him in?”
The brand’s business manager remained silent.
There wasn’t much to argue against.
After all… the photographer wasn’t wrong.
In the photos, Lu Xu’s hair appeared jet-black and soft, while the white shirt accentuated his warm and gentle demeanor. He looked incredibly fresh and clean.
Whether it was Lu Xu’s inherent photogenic qualities or something else entirely, the photographer—despite having collaborated with the Z brand on multiple occasions and having worked with numerous celebrities—seemed to be in a state of unparalleled performance while shooting Lu Xu. The results were astonishing. Every shot captured Lu Xu in such an ideal state, the images were breathtaking.
The photos were so stunning that even someone uninterested in shampoo might feel compelled to take this set of photos home.
The photos were undeniably gorgeous, but the photographer’s muse-struck obsession was almost unbearable.
“Do you think people will buy it?” the business manager asked quietly.
“Don’t worry, it’ll sell like crazy!”
…
The Z brand moved with remarkable speed. Shortly after the advertisements and posters were completed, the brand officially announced Lu Xu as the spokesperson for their new product line.
Products featuring Lu Xu’s promotional materials were quickly distributed to major supermarkets and stores.
[Endorsement! A new endorsement!]
[A new poster! Fluffy-haired, soft Lu Puppy—what a magnificent face.]
[Magnificent face +1. Wahhh, finally a brand has recognized Lu Xu!]
[I’ve been saying this all along—with Lu Xu’s popularity and recognition this year, he was bound to get a brand deal soon.]
[Lu Xu had both group and individual endorsements during his Verse days, but for some reason, I feel like this poster shoot aligns more with his vibe now that he’s an actor.]
[+1 +1. That fluffy, soft puppy energy feels even stronger now.]
To fans, the Lu Xu on the poster was like a freshly baked, soft bread puppy, while the moving advertisement was—
[Ahhhhhh! Can’t they shoot more of this?]
[What we want is—spiciness! And this is what you give us?]
In the ad, Lu Xu appeared to have just finished a shower. His hair was damp, with water droplets faintly visible on the ends and along his neck. The collar of his shirt was slightly open, revealing a hint of his Adam’s apple. The glass reflected his hazy silhouette as he slowly buttoned his shirt from top to bottom. The deliberate pace of the movements sparked endless imagination.
In the next shot, his collar still only revealed a sliver of skin, but his hair had been blow-dried. It was soft and fluffy, not sleek, but it invited the viewer to imagine the sensation of running their fingers through it—a cloud-like, gentle texture.
[Can we have more sexy scenes? But after blow-drying his hair, he looks like a fluffy black chow chow. It’s hard to decide.]
[So cute! His hair looks so puffy! But why is this a men’s shampoo? Couldn’t they release a unisex version?]
[Protest! But I secretly placed an order already. I heard the set comes with posters and photos, and it’s even slightly cheaper.]
[From today on, I’m going to be a filial daughter—I bought my dad a whole set of shampoo.]
[One word—buy!]
The shampoo ad had only been online for a short time, but the views quickly surpassed ten thousand at record speed.
Back when Qin Zhao briefly gained traction in the industry, fans speculated that Lu Xu would land a new endorsement soon. However, they hadn’t expected it to take so long. Supreme had already finished airing, and even the new drama The Path of the Bones had wrapped filming.
Still, fans felt that Lu Xu’s decision to accept a brand deal now was wise. Right after Son of Heaven finished airing, despite Lu Xu’s rising popularity, he probably wouldn’t have been able to secure a new product endorsement from the Z brand.
Most importantly, the posters were stunning!
The wet-hair shots exuded sexy manly charm, with his figure teasingly visible beneath the shirt. Meanwhile, the blow-dried shots captured a soft puppy-like gentleness—he looked both warm and refreshing!
To align with the character Yu Yi, Lu Xu’s physique appeared slightly more muscular than before filming The Path of the Bones. His build now suited dress shirts perfectly—not too thin, yet not overly bulky like a double-door refrigerator.
…
Though Z brand had brought on Lu Xu as their new spokesperson, they didn’t expect sales for the new product to skyrocket immediately.
After all, it was a new release with limited market share. Z brand’s bestsellers remained their classic haircare lines, which had an established consumer base.
Men’s shampoo was only a niche category, and Z brand’s expansion in this sector lagged behind competitors.
Moreover, this product was Lu Xu’s first endorsement since transitioning to acting.
Lu Xu had yet to prove his commercial appeal.
Although he was once a member of Verse, most of Lu Xu’s current fanbase was built after his transition to acting. Before that, he was the kind of celebrity often “returned” by the commercial market.
Whether this new product would become an instant hit or inexplicably flop was anyone’s guess.
Not long after Z brand officially announced Lu Xu as their spokesperson, a marketing account mysteriously hinted one morning that Z brand had initially approached Verse members Xie Qingyang and Meng Qin before ultimately choosing Lu Xu.
[???]
[? Why not compare their popularity? Lu Xu only has a little over 10 million followers on Weibo, while Xie Qingyang has 90 million.]
[It’s obvious Xie Qingyang would have been a better fit. What kind of commercial appeal does Lu Xu even have?]
[Xie Qingyang already has plenty of endorsements and doesn’t need this one. Lu Xu is different—his agent probably begged for this deal for who knows how long, poor thing.]
[…Aren’t Lu Xu’s fans always bragging about his popularity? Let’s see how they react when the shampoo doesn’t sell.]
I’ve caught the last chapter 🥺🥺 its so fun. Thanks for translating 😍