Chapter 90: Two Miraculous Events

The set for Deception had not been built yet, but since Lu Xu had already agreed with Yue Hui, he naturally wouldn’t suddenly switch to another project halfway through.

Xu Wen didn’t assign him any extra work. As his agent, he didn’t approve of Lu Xu being overly exposed to the public. As an actor, maintaining a certain level of mystery was necessary.

Lu Xu found himself suddenly idle.

Luckily, there were others in this world just as idle as he was.

When Zheng Xiao and Shao Yao showed up on bicycles below his apartment building, Lu Xu thought the three of them looked like secret agents meeting in disguise.

An old lady who had come downstairs to throw out the trash glanced at them several times, clearly unable to process how ridiculous they looked, bundled up like unattractive rice dumplings.

Lu Xu asked, “…Didn’t you say you came to pick me up?”

Zheng Xiao casually patted the back seat of his bicycle and said, “This is the ride.”

Lu Xu declined without hesitation.

As far as he knew, Zheng Xiao had recently fallen into a stinky water ditch because of his obsession with riding bicycles. Luckily, no paparazzi had caught it on camera; otherwise, his reputation would have been ruined.

For safety’s sake, Lu Xu refused to ride Zheng Xiao’s bicycle.

He had no choice but to bring out his own bicycle.

The three of them were utterly bored. With no films to shoot and no events to attend, they decided to take advantage of the rare sunny weather and go out for some exercise.

After riding around a park, they went to a mall, watched a movie, and had a meal together. However, their supposedly perfect disguises were instantly ruined by a loud shout of “Lu Xu!”

Zheng Xiao couldn’t help but complain, “It’s all your fault for being too famous.”

Among the three, Lu Xu was clearly the most popular at the moment.

Lu Xu countered, “…Isn’t it because I’m too handsome?”

Hearing this, Zheng Xiao’s expression became indescribable, and even the usually quiet Shao Yao showed a look of disapproval.

Zheng Xiao and Shao Yao had only met because of Lu Xu. The three of them were around the same age, and while there was some competition between them, they got along remarkably well.

Lu Xu wasn’t into gaming, but Zheng Xiao and Shao Yao would occasionally team up for a match.

Of course, both of them had picked up the art of speaking from Lu Xu.

Shao Yao’s progress was especially impressive, to the point where every time his manager ran into Lu Xu, Lu Xu could read the unspoken message on his face: ‘You’ve corrupted my kid.’

Sorry, sorry.

After Voice of the Dead ended, Shao Yao returned to his forte: serious dramas. With his talent and the unjust controversy from Song of Southern Country finally behind him, his reputation only grew stronger by the day.

Fans gradually discovered his goofy nature. While he was serious about acting, in private he was a complete airhead. Because of this, whenever new scandals about him surfaced, his fans stopped taking them seriously.

Zheng Xiao, on the other hand, gained a wave of popularity through Supreme. Although his acting range wasn’t particularly broad, and his audience appeal wasn’t as strong as Lu Xu’s or Shao Yao’s, he built a solid reputation in the industry with steady performances.

This rare outing was supposed to be a fun day for the trio, but it was ruined by Lu Xu’s fame. Zheng Xiao shot him a dramatic eye-roll and demanded, “How are you going to make it up to us?”

Even Shao Yao chimed in from behind, encouraging Lu Xu to treat them to KFC.

Lu Xu and Zheng Xiao exchanged a look: “…Could your expectations be any lower?”

Shao Yao insisted that since Lu Xu was treating, any guilt about eating fast food would rest solely on him. If their managers gave them a scolding, they could just shift all the blame to Lu Xu.

Zheng Xiao gave him a thumbs-up.

Lu Xu could only sigh and lament, “You’ve really changed. It breaks my heart.”

In the end, they had the fast food. Lu Xu resigned himself to bearing this “sin” alone.

Unfortunately, the fast-food restaurant was even more crowded, increasing their chances of being recognized. As the surrounding stares grew more blatant, the three of them had no choice but to grab a box of fried chicken and flee in embarrassment.

[Entertainment Companies Are Sweatshops: Famous Actors Still Find Time for Fried Chicken!]

[Get the Same Fried Chicken as the Stars!]

The moment they saw these headlines, Lu Xu, Zheng Xiao, and Shao Yao couldn’t help but grimace.

To preempt Shao Yao from pinning the blame on him, Lu Xu had already sent a text to Shao Yao’s manager: “Shao Yao ate the most, couldn’t stop him!”

Shao Yao: “?”

What happened to the camaraderie forged on the set of Voice of the Dead?

Lu Xu shrugged. “Gone.”

As they left the mall, they encountered yet another incident—Zheng Xiao’s bicycle had been stolen.

The three bikes had been parked side by side, but only Zheng Xiao’s was taken. To make matters worse, the thief had just completed the theft and was casually riding Zheng Xiao’s bike toward the right-hand corner.

Furious, Zheng Xiao jumped on Lu Xu’s bike and began a wild pursuit.

Lu Xu: “?”

Since Shao Yao’s bike didn’t have a back seat, the situation now looked like this: Zheng Xiao and Shao Yao were speeding ahead on their bikes, while Lu Xu, like an idiot, was running madly behind them on foot.

Lu Xu thought Zheng Xiao should’ve taken Shao Yao’s bike instead—given Shao Yao’s physique, he clearly looked like a long-distance running champion.

Unfortunately, Zheng Xiao didn’t catch the thief, nor did Shao Yao. However, their chaotic chase was captured on video and posted online.

[Wait… is this the kind of treatment A-list actors get?]

[How dare someone do this to Lu Xu, the youngest nominee for the Stellar Awards / drama with 16,000+ popularity score / Hellhound extraordinaire / rap-and-dance double threat?]

[So, uh, does Lu Xu need to bring multiple IDs when booking hotels now?]

[I’m dying of laughter. Are you kidding me? Running with fried chicken wasn’t the peak of their chaotic energy?]

[I’m crying, I’m weeping, I can’t sleep at night! Why… why is it only the puppy running? Fainting, crawling…]

[Pure comedy gold! Hahaha! Seriously, Lu Xu is the only one running, Zheng Xiao riding the bike looks like a bull, and Shao Yao wants to chase but doesn’t dare to—probably scared Lu Xu would disappear if he left him behind! Hahaha!]

This video’s views even surpassed the finale of Voice of the Dead.

Notably, Zheng Xiao landed a mountain bike sponsorship because of it. Lu Xu, however, did not. Netizens joked that it was his fault for running instead of riding.

Lu Xu: “…Heh.”

He swore never to go out with Zheng Xiao and Shao Yao again.

Of course, he quickly broke his vow and invited them to the movies not long after.

After securing the sponsorship deal, Zheng Xiao gifted both Lu Xu and Shao Yao brand-new mountain bikes. These were upgraded versions of the model Lu Xu previously owned, significantly pricier.

The first time they went to the cinema, there was no trailer for The Swordsman. By their second visit, however, the massive theater screen was already showcasing it.

It had to be said: Zhang Zhizhen really knew how to capture stunning scenery. The mist shrouding the screen made it feel like stepping into a fairyland. Remote mountains, seas of bamboo, and reclusive masters appeared, accompanied by ethereal bamboo flute music. A mysterious martial arts world unfolded before the audience.

“Is The Swordsman already finished filming? That was fast.”

“And the release date is so soon,” Zheng Xiao calculated. “If it’s coming out in September, it means they went from filming to release in just one year?”

It was normal for TV dramas to air quickly. Platforms had mature processes for pushing series, and compared to films, TV drama productions were faster and rougher. In contrast, even the most minor details in films were meticulously polished, leaving audiences with boundless room for imagination.

Lu Xu thought back to The Swordsman’s script. “It should be… decent, I guess?”

With his limited understanding, Lu Xu couldn’t fathom how The Swordsman could stretch its content into a two-hour runtime.

In fact, he suspected that the material presented in the script could be shot in about half a month—ten days, even.

Of course, he had heard from Xu Wen that Zhang Zhizhen was a perfectionist director. It was possible that Director Zhang had a unique vision for The Swordsman that Lu Xu couldn’t yet see.

Noticing Lu Xu’s indifferent tone, Zheng Xiao asked curiously, “You’ve read the script?”

When Lu Xu nodded, Zheng Xiao didn’t press further.

In private conversations with Shao Yao, Zheng Xiao often mentioned Lu Xu’s sharp eye for scripts. In this regard, Lu Xu was far ahead of them.

That said, Lu Xu was the type of actor who could turn the mundane into something extraordinary. Even if a script was subpar, he could still deliver an outstanding performance.

But for The Swordsman… Lu Xu had rejected it outright from the very beginning.

This hinted at just how unusual the script for The Swordsman must have been.

While Lu Xu held low expectations for The Swordsman, fans of Zhang Che, who starred in the film, were thrilled after seeing the trailer. Zhang Che looked absolutely stunning on screen.

With his flowing robes and black hair billowing in the wind, he exuded a mesmerizing blend of strength and softness, a beauty that transcended gender, akin to a spirit haunting the mountains.

Though Zhang Che had acted in many projects, the fleeting shots of him in The Swordsman trailer were the most breathtaking yet.

[A top-tier director’s visual storytelling—absolutely incredible!]

[Looking forward to The Swordsman hitting theaters in September and seeing Zhang Che’s debut as a film actor!]

[Ahhhhh! Brother Che is just amazing! My ideal god of beauty!!!]

[The Swordsman is going to be a massive hit!!!]

Fans’ enthusiasm for The Swordsman was overwhelming, and Zhang Che had already shared the trailer on his social media.

Although he had endured many hardships during the filming of The Swordsman, the moment Zhang Che saw the trailer, he knew all his efforts had been worth it.

He might not fully grasp what Zhang Zhizhen intended to convey with The Swordsman, but as long as the audience understood, that would suffice.

Zhang Che had also heard about Lu Xu’s upcoming collaboration with Yue Hui on a new film. In the entertainment industry, secrets were scarce. Besides, Zhang Che paid special attention to Lu Xu, so he naturally kept track of everything related to him.

After turning down The Swordsman, Lu Xu had taken on When I Was 18, a series featuring the duo Mu Qian and Jin Mu. Objectively speaking, this cast was rather mediocre, and Zhang Che wouldn’t have chosen to collaborate with them.

He suspected Lu Xu’s streak of success had made him overconfident, leading him to believe he could single-handedly win over audiences.

But reality wasn’t as simple as Lu Xu seemed to think.

Lu Xu had yet to experience a true failure, but once he did—and if he experienced flop after flop—he would inevitably come to understand.

As for Deception, the film Lu Xu and Yue Hui were collaborating on, Zhang Che admitted Yue Hui was a decent choice as a partner. However, Yue Hui had chosen a completely unknown director to helm the project.

There were so many established directors in the industry to work with, yet Yue Hui insisted on picking someone unsuitable.

“Could it be that he’s been influenced by Lu Xu?”

Initially, Zhang Che had felt uneasy. He was well aware that if Lu Xu were serious about making movies, it wouldn’t be difficult for him to collaborate with a top-tier director. In such a scenario, even if Zhang Che starred in The Swordsman, the buzz around him wouldn’t surpass Lu Xu’s by much.

But now, Lu Xu seemed to be digging his own grave.

It was arrogance—treating the rules of the film industry as though they didn’t apply to him.

If this continued, Lu Xu was bound to take a significant fall.

The release date for The Swordsman wasn’t far off. By the time Lu Xu joined the set of Deception and When I Was 18 premiered in August, The Swordsman, which had been in the works for months, finally hit major theaters.

September wasn’t a particularly competitive release window, especially early in the month. With the holiday season approaching, box office activity tended to be especially sluggish.

Among the films releasing during this period, The Swordsman undoubtedly had the highest name recognition.

A film critic predicted that The Swordsman would dominate its release period, much like Voice of the Dead, which had drained the drama market dry when it premiered last October.

However, no one could have anticipated that people would skip going to theaters just to catch the finale of a television drama.

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One thought on “Famous! Ch.90

  1. “However, no one could have anticipated that people would skip going to theaters just to catch the finale of a television drama.”

    Ahahaha 😂😂😂

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