Famous! Ch.61

Chapter 61: You Should Already Know

“Bang—”

The quiet room echoed with the sound of shattering glass. On the television screen, the host enthusiastically reviewed the many records broken by The Path of Bones.

“Teacher Kong Le can finally rest easy now. The bad reputation of Undercover has been redeemed by The Path of Bones.”

“Grape Film can also breathe a sigh of relief. Although their previous bets on The Watchers and Rising Sun failed, they’ve managed to turn things around with The Path of Bones.”

Gu Sinian pressed his lips tightly together, his face filled with resentment.

There was some noise outside. His manager noticed his expression, hesitated for a while, then closed the door and walked in slowly.

Gu Sinian fixed his gaze on him, his eyes sharp enough to swallow him whole.

The manager thought Gu Sinian’s state had been off recently, but he didn’t dare provoke him in such a mood. Instead, he simply shook his head lightly.

“Didn’t go well?”

The manager nodded softly.

Hearing this, Gu Sinian’s expression turned even darker.

After Rising Sun flopped, it had become difficult for him to land roles. Finally, a production team was willing to cast him, but when the drama was finished, no platform was willing to pick it up.

Lin Ge Entertainment’s involvement in the film and television industry was still relatively new, and its foothold in the industry was weaker than other companies. It also had fewer partner platforms, with Grape Film being one of them.

Previously, Grape Film had maintained a decent relationship with Lin Ge Entertainment. However, after acquiring The Path of Bones, Grape Film had shown a completely different attitude, refusing outright to buy the new drama in which Gu Sinian starred.

It was said that Grape Film had been scared off by the losses from The Watchers and Rising Sun.

For an actor, not getting roles was a disaster, but having a drama go unsold was equally catastrophic.

Gu Sinian was already at a dead end.

He had started following in the footsteps of Xie Qingyang and Meng Qin, making brief appearances on various variety shows, occasionally mingling in fashion events, and taking photos with internet celebrities. But this path was far from what a serious actor should take.

During the Verse era, he had nothing but disdain for so-called variety show regulars and internet influencers.

The proper path was the one Lu Xu was on—starring in hit dramas, attending award ceremonies, and being a coveted guest of luxury brands.

After the explosive success of The Path of Bones, Lu Xu’s few public appearances were enough to make waves. The outfits dissected by fashion bloggers spoke volumes about the treatment he was receiving—his wardrobe was fully sponsored by G-brand, his watches had jumped from six-figure to seven-figure price tags, and even the seemingly unremarkable ring on his index finger was a newly launched piece from a high-end jewelry brand, one that only a handful in the entertainment industry had the privilege to wear.

For reasons he couldn’t explain, Gu Sinian had become accustomed to stalking Lu Xu. Though he avoided Lu Xu-related news outwardly, in private, he kept a close eye on him.

It was as if he couldn’t feel at ease unless he witnessed Lu Xu’s downfall.

The success of The Path of Bones made him gnash his teeth in frustration. Every time Lu Xu signed a significant endorsement deal, Gu Sinian couldn’t resist comparing it to his own situation.

Without a doubt, Lu Xu’s commercial value had surpassed the other members of Verse.

Whether it was him, Xie Qingyang, or Meng Qin, the business collaborations they managed to secure reeked of desperation. Their bottom line had dropped lower and lower, and they were happy to accept even mediocre brands.

Once, it had been the brands chasing them; now, it was the three of them reaching out to brands for partnerships.

“The company suggests that you try reaching out to Lu Xu and see if you can mend your relationship with him. That way, public opinion might be more favorable toward you,” the manager relayed the advice from the higher-ups at Lin Ge Entertainment.

“Us? Take the initiative?” Gu Sinian raised his eyebrows in disbelief. “When Lu Xu was kicked out of Verse, wasn’t the company involved in the decision?”

The decisions had been made by the company, yet somehow, they were the ones bearing the blame!

The manager stayed silent for a moment before finally saying, “Whether the company apologizes or not, you all will still have to bow to Lu Xu.”

“Impossible.” Gu Sinian rejected the idea outright. “My Weibo still has traces of me supporting The Empress. That alone makes it impossible.”

To convince Wei Fangfei, Gu Sinian had invested a large sum of money, which had now gone to waste.

His entire focus had been on bringing Lu Xu down, and to ask him to submit to Lu Xu? Not in this lifetime.

“Lu Xu isn’t stupid. Anyone trying to sabotage The Path of Bones—does he really not know who’s behind it?”

*

In reality, it didn’t matter to Lu Xu who bore malice toward The Path of Bones.

It was irrelevant. After all, the show’s popularity score had surpassed 14,000. There was absolutely no need for him to concern himself with the opinions of defeated rivals.

If anyone had grievances with him, it was probably the team behind The Empress.

Still, Xu Wen responsibly explained the convoluted backstory behind The Empress moving up its premiere date to Lu Xu.

For instance, both Zhai Yiyun and Xu Qingtian were signed under Ningshi Entertainment. While their fanbases had fiercely clashed during the airing of The Empress, their main target had been Bai Yuyi—a rival signed to a different talent agency.

Zhang Che’s management company had also played a part. Qiao Mengyao’s manager, once the top talent at Zhang Che’s company, Ye Hai Entertainment, had left to start a studio with Qiao Mengyao but still retained shares in Ye Hai.

As for Lin Ge Entertainment—it had played a major role in creating the overwhelming buzz surrounding The Empress’s marketing campaign.

In Xu Wen’s opinion, Lu Xu might not care about the intricacies, but he needed to understand the basic context.

“I see,” Lu Xu said as he closed his book and suddenly stood up.

Being taller than his manager by a head and positioned slightly higher, his serious expression made him appear particularly imposing.

The manager asked in confusion, “What do you see?”

“They want to mess with me.” Lu Xu looked directly at his manager, speaking with utter seriousness. “Being on the defensive won’t work. Let’s take the initiative and fight back!”

Xu Wen: “?”

Lu Xu pointed at one of the scripts. “Director Ou’s new project—there must be a lot of actors vying for it, right? I heard the Stellar Awards have always favored his work?”

Recently, Lu Xu had been reviewing scripts, and the one he pointed at was the very project Xu Wen had mentioned a few days ago. It was highly sought after by many young male actors, including Zhang Che, whose name had come up in Xu Wen’s earlier conversations.

Lu Xu could brush off the things Zhang Che had said after the Stellar Awards nominations were announced since he hadn’t been personally affected. However, Lu Xu was no saint—he would never remain indifferent to covert attacks.

If someone tried to disgust him, he’d gladly disgust everyone in return!

Xu Wen: “…You are so immature.”

“What’s so immature about it?”

In any case, Lu Xu had decided to compete for the role.

The director, Ou Qingchun, had previously crossed paths with Lu Xu at the Stellar Awards. Ou’s Living in Ordinary Times had triumphed over Son of Heaven, winning both Best Long-Form Drama and Best Director.

Ou Qingchun’s new script similarly told the story of ordinary people—a boy from the mountains, a kindergarten teacher pushed to the brink by unruly children, a cook, and an unemployed man. All of them lived in a crowded urban village, striving day by day to achieve their dreams.

The boy from the mountains dreamed of becoming a writer, but in the face of such a lofty aspiration, he encountered obstacle after obstacle.

Ou Qingchun’s strength lay in his ability to take even the most ordinary stories and make them engaging and vivid.

For actors, landing a role in one of his productions often felt like stepping onto the fast track in their careers.

“Can you handle such a down-to-earth role?”

“Probably,” Lu Xu replied calmly. “It’s just an audition. Let’s secure it first and figure out the rest later.”

*

Zhang Che had just signed a contract when his manager rushed in hurriedly. Normally composed, the manager rarely displayed such urgency. Zhang Che put down his pen, signaling for the manager to speak directly.

“Director Ou’s new drama has lined up another round of auditions.”

“Who?”

From his manager’s expression, Zhang Che could already tell that the actor auditioning must be someone capable of threatening his chances.

He had been pursuing this role for a long time, but Ou Qingchun had remained noncommittal. Zhang Che had assumed that persistence would eventually secure the part for him. Yet now, Ou Qingchun was considering other candidates.

The manager hesitated before finally uttering a name, slowly and deliberately: “Lu Xu.”

Zhang Che’s brows furrowed immediately.

That was a name he particularly disliked.

Before the manager could finish, he added, “And I’ve heard he’s also expressed interest in Tears Remain and Snowy Night Diary. He’s considering those scripts as well.”

Zhang Che’s lips tightened. “Is he doing this on purpose?”

Director Ou’s new drama, Tears Remain, and Snowy Night Diary happened to be the three projects Zhang Che had been closely monitoring.

The manager shared the same suspicion, but the bigger problem was that if Lu Xu truly decided to compete for Ou Qingchun’s new drama, he might actually win the role.

Tears Remain and Snowy Night Diary followed a similar pattern.

If Lu Xu was deliberately targeting Zhang Che—it wasn’t out of the question.

Zhang Che had played a role in advancing the release date of The Empress.

Even the smear campaigns against The Path of Bones, though not directly orchestrated by Ye Hai Entertainment, had been subtly fanned by their actions.

The manager said, “I’ll reach out to Feiyang Entertainment and see what Lu Xu’s intentions are.”

“Alright.”

Zhang Che’s expression darkened. He knew full well that neither Ou Qingchun’s drama nor the other two projects could be secured by leveraging Ye Hai Entertainment’s resources alone. The directors involved were famously impartial.

But if it came down to a competition of acting skills…

Recalling the snippets of The Path of Bones he had accidentally watched, Zhang Che felt his heart sink.

If Lu Xu was determined to compete for these roles, he feared… he wouldn’t stand a chance.

Lu Xu’s portrayal of Yu Yi had been so effortlessly natural that the word “acting” had occupied Zhang Che’s mind completely.

This was precisely why Zhang Che had tried to undermine The Path of Bones—Lu Xu couldn’t be allowed to advance any further.

Not only had Lu Xu already secured a spot as a Stellar Award nominee, but his meteoric rise was genuinely alarming.

Lu Xu had become a full-fledged threat.

Zhang Che realized that every young actor in the industry was probably watching Lu Xu warily. This was someone who had both tangible achievements and undeniable acting talent. And as for his appearance? In an entertainment industry filled with stunning faces, Lu Xu still managed to stand out.

Unfortunately, The Path of Bones had exploded in popularity.

Zhang Che sighed, lamenting The Empress’s inadequacy.

With such an excellent cast and such a massive budget, how had they failed to take down The Path of Bones?

The manager returned after the call, his expression dark.

Zhang Che immediately noticed the change in his demeanor.

“I checked with Feiyang Entertainment,” the manager said, his breathing slowed as if to suppress his emotions. “They confirmed it—Lu Xu is absolutely going after the same roles as you.”

“He’s interested in every role you want and plans to compete for them all.”

“As for why,” the manager hesitated before adding, “they said you should already know the reason.”

Zhang Che’s face turned ashen in an instant.

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