Chapter 53.1: Trailer
Lu Xu was not surprised by this result.
This awards season, he was never the hot favorite. Although the media and promotional accounts had hyped his name to widespread recognition, that was only because of his age.
From the very beginning, Lu Xu believed that Guo Yining had a higher chance of winning.
Guo Yining’s seat was to the right of Lu Xu. Before going on stage, Guo Yining stood up and lightly patted Lu Xu on the shoulder.
Lu Xu returned a smile.
His expression remained calm, showing no hint of disappointment at not winning. When the camera swept over him, Lu Xu’s demeanor was incredibly composed.
In the eyes of his fans, despite wearing a suit, Lu Xu at that moment resembled Qin Zhao, the young crown prince when he first appeared in Son of Heaven. He exuded an air of noble restraint.
[Not winning is a bit of a pity.]
[Just being nominated is amazing! Honestly, given Qin Zhao’s screen time in Son of Heaven, Lu Xu being shortlisted for Best Supporting Actor already proves how phenomenal his performance was!]
[+1. Qin Zhao stood out mainly because Lu Xu fully embodied the character, plus the role spanned a significant age range. But if we’re talking about richness and depth, Guo Yining’s portrayal still had the edge.]
[He was fantastic! Haha, honestly, I spent the entire time staring at Lu Xu’s face. It was so striking, and the cameraman totally got me, giving him so many close-ups.]
[Good job!]
The Son of Heaven had been highly anticipated at this year’s Stellar Awards. In addition to the acting categories, the production was nominated for several technical awards. Whenever Son of Heaven was mentioned, the cameras inevitably focused on the entire cast and crew. Among them, Lu Xu received the most camera attention.
[G brand might as well be a sponsor—╰_╯ Pay up!]
[They absolutely nailed it with this ambassador. Just one Stellar Awards ceremony, and they’ve already gotten their money’s worth.]
[But I still have to say, Lu Xu is truly stunning. Back when I was following Verse, I was obsessed with Xie Qingyang and Gu Sinian without fully appreciating the charm of Lu Puppy.]
[Saved the GIF of Lu Xu looking at the camera + watched it countless times. Both the red carpet and the awards ceremony were goldmines for perfect shots.]
[Divine content upstairs!]
…
Although Lu Xu didn’t win an award, GIFs of him looking at the camera was shared by countless promotional accounts on their front pages. Perhaps it was the glow of rising stardom, but Lu Xu had become far more poised than when he first debuted. Without flashy, colorful outfits, he donned a simple black suit and white shirt that only accentuated his pure and refined aura.
At this year’s Stellar Awards, Guo Yining won Best Supporting Actor, and Cheng Yun won Best Leading Actor—these were the two most prestigious awards claimed by Son of Heaven production team.
However, the team missed out on the awards for Best Long-Form Drama and Best Director. Instead, those honors went to Living in Ordinary Times, a series starring Zhang Yuguang.
This drama did not focus on emperors and generals but rather stayed close to the lives of everyday people, vividly portraying the joys and sorrows of ordinary life.
Losing to Ordinary Times didn’t leave Son of Heaven team feeling disheartened.
In terms of cast strength, Son of Heaven was weaker than this drama.
The storyline of Ordinary Times resonated more with the audience, and the story itself was no less compelling than Son of Heaven.
After receiving his award, Cheng Yun broke into tears. At nearly 60 years old, standing under the spotlight with the cameras rolling, his tears flowed uncontrollably.
He had waited decades for this trophy, from his youth to now.
Perhaps what he had truly waited for wasn’t the trophy itself but the day he, as a lead actor, would be recognized by the audience.
The Son of Heaven gave him everything he had ever hoped for—both in terms of viewership and accolades.
When Son of Heaven surpassed 10,000 in popularity score, Cheng Yun had been overjoyed. Now, holding the trophy in his hands, he felt an even stronger sense of fulfillment, as though a long-held dream had finally come true.
Cheng Yun gave Guo Yining a firm hug, startling him so much that he hurriedly exclaimed, “Don’t wipe your snot on me!”
As for Lu Xu, Cheng Yun patted his shoulder just as he had with Guo Yining and said, “Keep it up.”
He knew that his behavior in front of the younger generation might seem embarrassing, but he no longer cared.
However, Lu Xu’s gaze held no surprise, no envy. The young man before him merely gave him a gentle smile.
It was the same as when they first worked together—Lu Xu’s maturity had always amazed him.
Perhaps it was Cheng Yun who had been too emotional.
And yet, for some reason, after acting for so many years, this rare moment felt incredibly freeing to him.
It was as if… everyone truly understood him.
Lu Xu’s loss at the awards didn’t faze his fans in the slightest. Everyone in the entertainment industry knew how challenging the Stellar Awards were to win; they weren’t something one could easily claim.
It was actually fans of other actors who leapt at the chance to mock him, sneering that despite all the hype, Lu Xu failed to win and was now back at the same starting line as others.
But Lu Xu’s fans were completely unbothered. They could practically smell the sourness from the other side of the screen as these detractors claimed not to care while making jabs.
[Not interested in winning? How would you even know what it’s like without a single nomination?]
[If you want to mock our puppy, get a nomination first, okay?]
[+1, try getting a nomination before you talk.]
For Lu Xu’s fans, just receiving new pictures of him was enough to make them happy.
It was all because a certain Actor Lu wasn’t fond of being in the spotlight.
But fans also admitted that precisely because Lu Xu rarely appeared in public, every time he did, it was an unforgettable surprise!
[Today’s activity: a red carpet appearance, an award ceremony, and the trailer for The Path of Bones!]
[Who’s over the moon? Not saying it’s me~]
Fans, while keeping an eye on the Stellar Awards live stream, were also quietly refreshing the official account of The Path of Bones.
The production had wrapped up some time ago, but unfortunately, the team had released very little promotional material. Yu Yi, a character with immense popularity, had already gained a strong following. Even fans unfamiliar with Kong Le’s original novel had some understanding of Yu Yi’s image.
Worries were inevitable—classic characters were always challenging to portray.
Yu Yi’s personality was entirely different from the previous roles Lu Xu had played, such as Qin Zhao and Ji Xiuya.
[It’s out!]
Tan Qi swiped her phone, and sure enough, the official The Path of Bones account had been updated.
The first thing to appear was a pitch-black night, as dark as ink. Amidst the darkness, the faint warmth of a campfire flickered. In front of the fire, the members of “Team 01” sat on the ground, their faces lit with smiles as they talked about their dreams.
Their dreams were so beautiful that they seemed to bring warmth even to the chilling night.
The camera zoomed in. Sitting silently by the fire, fiddling with a piece of wood, was a gentle-looking young man with a soft smile that radiated warmth.
[It’s Yu Yi!]
[Our warmest captain!]
Fans were already familiar with The Path of Bones’ storyline—sure enough, the campfire’s warmth lasted only a moment. In the next instant, the night turned as dark as if drenched in ink, erasing every trace of light.
The people who had been laughing around the fire moments ago were now scattered lifelessly, their bodies dism*mbered, and pools of blood stained the ground, gradually congealing from bright red to dark brown.
Suddenly, a faint light appeared in a corner—dim, yet enough to reveal a pair of unyielding eyes staring defiantly out of the shadows.
The gentle young man who had been quietly listening just moments ago was still alive, but the warmth in his eyes had vanished, replaced by a coldness as unyielding as eternal ice.
He was drenched in a pool of blood, with blood smeared across his temple and half his face. At a glance, one might mistake him for a vengeful spirit that had just crawled out of hell.
And how different was he from a vengeful spirit?
His eyes no longer held any light, seemingly soaked in blood. When they swept over, the searing hatred within them made it impossible to meet his gaze.
It was chilling.
When the young man reappeared on screen, he had assumed a completely new face.
The gentle and warm demeanor was gone. The captain’s original face had not been particularly sharp or striking, but after the transformation, his entire aura had changed drastically.
If fans hadn’t known in advance that Yu Yi was being portrayed by Lu Xu, they would never have realized that these two vastly different personas were the same character.
[Could the first one not have been played by Lu Xu?]
[It’s so clearly both Lu Xu!]
The first version of Yu Yi had a more understated appearance, with a rougher edge, likely due to his life in the military or under employment. His outward look was far less refined than the second Yu Yi.
The trailer’s pace quickened here—
The first thing the transformed youth did was k*ll.
Under the glimmer of neon lights, in a dim, enclosed room, the youth raised a sharp blade without hesitation and sl*shed it fiercely at his enemy’s throat.
Blood splattered across the walls, almost reaching the corner of his eye. In the mirror, his face reflected a ghostly visage, both vivid and menacing.
As the urgent “thump-thump-thump” of drums echoed, the youth’s figure disappeared into the darkness.
For Yu Yi, the death of his teammates was an unsolved mystery.
Although he was eager to avenge his fallen comrades, after enduring such a cruel night, hatred and patience had become intertwined within his being.
He could endure with utmost restraint, and then, once his target was identified, strike with deadly precision.
What followed was his unique brand of torment and execution.
The final scene of the trailer focused intently on Yu Yi’s expression—on his journey of vengeance, he encountered a sweet girl, kind-hearted and genuinely caring toward him, not because of his appearance.
But sadly, the man he had become could no longer smile gently.
Even when he tried his best to replicate his old expressions and recall the muscle memory of his past self, his gaze remained cold as ice—a deep, bottomless abyss.
He could force a smile, but offering true warmth was beyond him.
He said:
“Yu Yi means someone who is left all alone.”
“Sorry, in my world, there will never be a second person.”
[I hate it! Aaaaahhh!]
[The villains must die, the villains must die! Yu Yi deserved a warm and happy life, but everything was taken from him!]
[The final scene had me sobbing uncontrollably!]
[Lu Xu is an incredible actor—this was just a trailer, and it already made me cry!]
[I can’t believe the person in the first and last scenes is the same character. It’s unbearably heartbreaking.]
[Even the music is devastating—why does everything have to hurt so much?]
Tan Qi had known from the start that The Path of Bones was a tragic story. She had braced herself before playing the trailer, thinking she was ready.
She expected Lu Xu to go all out, with yelling, breakdowns, or furious condemnation of his enemies for the suffering they caused.
But he didn’t.
Instead, his restraint was far more haunting.
The trailer was almost entirely driven by expressions, with very few lines of dialogue. Yet, strangely, just through the character’s gaze, Tan Qi could understand everything Yu Yi was enduring.
Yu Yi had turned himself into an impenetrable wall, behind which only vengeance remained.
His handsome face was merely his camouflage, a tool he used.
On his path of revenge, Yu Yi often smiled—a smile that only made his face look brighter. Yet, no matter how Tan Qi looked, she couldn’t feel the warmth reaching his eyes.
The most beautiful moment for Yu Yi was still by the campfire, tilting his head as he listened shyly to his teammates chatting. His smile was faint and bashful, his expression resembling a timid kitten.
[I’ve only watched it five times,] Tan Qi messaged her friends. [It’s too heartbreaking. I can’t bear to watch more.]
[Same here… three times.]
[He’s too good at acting!!!!] one friend replied, adding multiple exclamation marks. [I became a fan of his because of Qin Zhao, but now, I can’t see a trace of Qin Zhao in him.]
The blood-soaked eyes glistening with tears in the dark were especially unforgettable.
From Yu Yi, Tan Qi couldn’t see any trace of Lu Xu himself, nor any similarities with his other roles like Qin Zhao or Ji Xiuya.
Lu Xu had deconstructed this character and left his own unique mark on him.
Tan Qi knew she was a fan of Lu Xu and might be watching with rose-colored glasses.
Yet, the shock she felt the moment she played the The Path of Bones trailer was something only her racing heart could attest to.
In this trailer, Lu Xu was the sole focus, and every highlight moment was carried entirely by his performance.
Not a single second of screen time was wasted by Lu Xu.
**TN
This chapter is too long. _(:3」∠)_
Thank you for the update. Merry/Happy [Insert Holiday you observe here]