Chapter 70.1: Fashion Event

The day Voice of the Dead wrapped filming, the crew arranged a cast dinner. The chosen venue? A familiar restaurant Shao Yao often brought Lu Xu to—they were already regulars there.

The director, aware of this, gave the two a knowing glance but chose not to comment.

Once the food was served, the director, after a few extra drinks, clapped Lu Xu on the shoulder, his face lighting up with joy. “This is the smoothest shoot I’ve had in years.”

Zhao Jincheng initially wanted to nudge him to say less, but their table only consisted of a few key team members—trusted colleagues and friends. Even if the words slipped out, there was no fear of offending anyone.

Lu Xu and Shao Yao performed even better than they had expected.

With dependable leads, the atmosphere on set naturally stayed positive.

In today’s entertainment industry, finding actors who were this low-maintenance wasn’t easy. Even in the most harmonious crews Xu Yan had worked with, there would always be one or two sources of trouble.

The smooth and efficient production of Voice of the Dead was largely thanks to Lu Xu and Shao Yao.

Lu Xu, currently at the height of his popularity, was also known for clapping back at people online. Xu Yan initially thought he might be difficult to work with. But after several months of filming, Xu Yan realized that aside from being overly meticulous about his craft, Lu Xu was remarkably easygoing in other respects.

Privately, Xu Yan jokingly referred to Lu Xu as the “treasure of the crew.”

Not only could Lu Xu guide Shao Yao, but he also had a way of handling the more difficult personalities in the cast. In terms of acting, Lu Xu was on par with older and more experienced actors, had a higher profile, and his undefeated track record in online arguments made him a positive force both on and off set.

One Lu Xu equaled ten Lu Xus.

“Do you think Lu Xu will win the Stellar Awards next year?”

After dinner, the director and screenwriter whispered about it.

“With just our production? Tough call,” Zhao Jincheng replied. “But based on his performance in The Path of Bones, he should at least get a nomination.”

“I’ll vote for him,” Xu Yan said, turning to Zhao Jincheng. “Who will you vote for?”

“Of course, I’ll vote for him too,” Zhao Jincheng said after a moment’s thought. “Assuming none of the actors from Voice of the Dead get nominated.”

The director gave him a silent look. “You’re overthinking it.”

He could tell Zhao Jincheng was in a good mood too.

As a director, he had poured his heart and soul into the production. And as the screenwriter, Zhao Jincheng naturally wanted his writing to be respected by the actors.

In the entertainment industry, what had happened to Rising Sun was far from an isolated case.

“This time we got lucky. Next time…” Zhao Jincheng’s words were cut off as Xu Yan quickly covered his mouth. “Don’t jinx it!”

“We’re done filming, but has a platform been decided yet?” Zhao Jincheng asked.

Xu Yan, already in high spirits at the dinner table, couldn’t help but grin at the question. The director flashed a smug expression and held up five fingers. “Five platforms are competing.”

“Really? That impressive?”

“Have you even looked at who the lead actor is?” Xu Yan began counting on his fingers. “My Baby Prince, Son of Heaven, Supreme, and The Path of Bones. Tell me, has Lu Xu ever flopped? The Path of Bones even broke 14 million viewers. Even if it’s just to catch some of his luck, platforms are eager to buy Lu Xu’s shows.”

In fact, long before Voice of the Dead finished filming, and less than a month after Lu Xu joined the cast, several platforms had already extended offers to Xu Yan.

In all his years as a director, Xu Yan had never seen platforms be so accommodating.

Especially Grape Film, which came in with a sky-high offer no one could refuse.

Xu Yan couldn’t help but wonder, “How much did they actually make from The Path of Bones?”

“Traffic conversion, VIP subscriptions, ad revenue, sponsorship deals… I heard they even got new sponsors after the finale because it stayed in the top five trending shows for so long.”

“Did they recover the losses from The Watchers?”

“Most likely,” Zhao Jincheng remarked. “Grape Film really does seem to have incredible luck.”

Xu Yan was thankful he hadn’t been swayed by Grape Film’s initial offer and had taken some time to consider. During that period, a few more platforms had entered the fray, and Grape Film had even increased their bid.

Xu Yan: “…”

The comparison was brutal.

His last project hadn’t seen Grape Film being nearly this generous.

Well, he thought with a smirk, now he had Lu Xu as his ace to leverage against the platforms.

Shao Yao felt quite reluctant about Voice of the Dead wrapping up so quickly, looking as though he was ready to collaborate with Lu Xu on ten more projects.

By this point, his manager’s gaze toward Lu Xu was no longer as friendly as before. Lu Xu suspected that the manager might think he was planning to lure Shao Yao over to Feiyang Entertainment.

For someone like Shao Yao, Feiyang Entertainment would indeed be a good fit.

“Do I look like that kind of person?” Lu Xu asked doubtfully.

“You kind of do.”

Lu Xu silently glanced at Xu Wen. He wasn’t too fond of the manager’s remark.

“Shao Yao is the only promising talent left at Mingniao Entertainment. If you really poached him for Feiyang, Jiang Song would come after you with a vengeance—or no, he’d probably come after me first.”

Jiang Song was the boss of Mingniao Entertainment. In the early days, he had worked as a manager himself before striking out on his own to establish Mingniao.

Xu Wen wasn’t particularly close with Jiang Song, but they weren’t complete strangers either.

Even though Voice of the Dead had wrapped up, Shao Yao and Lu Xu’s interactions only grew more frequent. Since both of them lived in City C, they could easily meet up for a meal or go for a bike ride. Both were the type of people with fairly uneventful social lives, so they made good companions for casual outings.

“Put cycling on hold for now. You’ve got a pile of work waiting for you.”

During the time Lu Xu had been filming with Voice of the Dead crew, Xu Wen had never disturbed him. This was a condition agreed upon when Lu Xu signed his contract: during filming, no matter how high the endorsement fees offered by brands, Lu Xu would not leave the set mid-project.

As for those brands with long evaluation periods and exceedingly strict conditions, Lu Xu wouldn’t even consider them.

He always believed that partnerships were a two-way street. Since the other party could set high and complicated thresholds, he also had the right to say no.

“What is it?”

“The brand event for G-brand and an invitation to attend a fashion show for C-brand,” Xu Wen said. “C-brand wants to sign you. To sweeten the deal, they’re offering the company two subsidiary ambassador positions. The higher-ups hope you’ll attend.”

G-brand had already been collaborating with Lu Xu for over six months. The brand treated him quite well, giving him the title of “spokesperson” without any unnecessary or convoluted designations. The signing fee and contract duration were also terms Lu Xu was very satisfied with.

However, in comparison, Lu Xu didn’t seem fully qualified for the spokesperson role.

After signing the contract, the Stellar Awards ceremony took place, followed by the release of The Path of Bones, and then Lu Xu joined the cast of Voice of the Dead. Up to now, he hadn’t participated in many events organized by G-brand.

He couldn’t help but feel a little guilty about the money he’d received.

Fortunately, the brand seemed quite satisfied with him.

First, there was the extensive exposure at the Stellar Awards. From the red carpet to the main event, Lu Xu was one of the most photographed celebrities of the night.

G-brand’s official social media account posted so many pictures that their hands must have been sore.

Although Lu Xu didn’t win any awards, his presence was never absent from the high-definition photos released by the Stellar Awards organizers. Both of his outfits that night were provided by G-brand, and in the men’s fashion category, G-brand emerged as the biggest winner of the evening.

The explosive success of The Path of Bones further amplified G-brand’s visibility in the following month.

Lu Xu’s endorsement philosophy was “few but exceptional.” After the breakout success of The Path of Bones, brands eager to collaborate with him lined up one after another. As the first luxury brand to secure Lu Xu, G-brand acted quickly and decisively. Whenever fashion bloggers discussed Lu Xu’s appearances, G-brand was inevitably mentioned.

When G-brand initially signed Lu Xu, there had been skeptics who sarcastically suggested he wasn’t worthy of such a prestigious title or high signing fee. After all, G-brand’s contract price for him exceeded the market standard. However, when The Path of Bones crushed The Empress in popularity, everyone realized G-brand had made an exceptionally shrewd investment.

After the broadcast of The Path of Bones, Lu Xu’s market value was no longer what it used to be.

Because of this, even if Lu Xu missed brand events, it hardly mattered.

While Lu Xu himself didn’t show up, his legend lingered—just having his large poster displayed in G-brand’s storefront windows was enough to draw the attention of passing consumers.

C-brand, specializing in watches and jewelry, wasn’t a competitor to G-brand. Typically, male celebrities had fewer collaborations in this field, but in recent years, such partnerships had been increasing.

Feiyang Entertainment, which previously had limited resources in the fashion industry, saw improvements after signing Lu Xu. As long as brands were willing to collaborate, Feiyang worked hard to secure opportunities and retain these valuable resources.

Voice of the Dead production wrapped up quietly. If it weren’t for leaks from marketing accounts, fans probably wouldn’t have known.

Lu Xu himself rarely shared updates on Weibo.

Tan Qi, meanwhile, eagerly awaited the release of Voice of the Dead while searching Lu Xu’s name to learn about his recent activities. Knowing how rarely he participated in events, her expectations weren’t high.

Yet, after refreshing the page just a few times, she stumbled upon a teaser from G-brand’s official account on her homepage.

[Yay! Lu Puppy is attending a fashion event!]

[Getting ready to save some pictures!]

[LOL, G-brand’s teaser is so grand, but also, props to them for their persistence—this photo is from months ago, right?]

[They’ve been recycling the same photo. The brand really knows how to make do.]

As a fan, Tan Qi had a dedicated folder on her computer for all of Lu Xu’s photos. Unfortunately, since the Stellar Awards, there hadn’t been any new high-profile event photos to add to it.

Thankfully, Lu Xu’s outstanding looks were more than enough to carry him—even stills from his projects were worth collecting.

Tan Qi waited a full two days, and she had to admit that G-brand was quite considerate; the event could be watched live on Weibo.

As soon as she clicked in, she saw the comments section buzzing with [So many people!]

G-brand’s event naturally attracted numerous celebrities. Tan Qi, however, only had eyes for Lu Xu. While she paid some attention to the other stars, she skimmed over them quickly.

Shortly after the red carpet segment began, Tan Qi noticed a familiar figure—it was Meng Qin from Verse.

After Verse disbanded, Meng Qin had shifted his focus to the fashion industry, forming excellent relationships with various brands. Tan Qi had assumed he wouldn’t attend an event featuring Lu Xu, but surprisingly, he showed up.

[OMG, it’s Meng Qin!]

[Front row at Paris Fashion Week, the fashion muse shines at G-brand’s event night!]

[Surely no one thought G-brand would only invite Lu Xu, right? Meng Qin’s fashion influence and selling power are unmatched in the industry. His invitation says it all—my guy’s fashion instincts are peerless!]

[+1. Lu Xu may have luck with roles, but when it comes to fashion, it’s Meng Qin all the way.]

[Meng Qin’s sense of style? Lu Xu can’t even compete, okay?]

Tan Qi: “…”

Is unbuttoning a shirt to the extreme and showing off pecs supposed to be fashion?

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