Chapter 131: Narrow-Necked Bottle (50% Forum Format)
While Xie Xizhao was meticulously reviewing the drafts with Xuan Yang, the outside world did not stop moving.
After TP’s comeback, Xie Xizhao’s idol status briefly saw a resurgence.
For most idols transitioning into acting, their idol identity served as a fallback—a safety net.
But for Xie Xizhao, the two identities complemented each other, attracting fans from both sides.
Drama enthusiasts experienced for the first time the raw vitality of idol-stage performances, while fans who had only followed singing and dancing found themselves gripped by the weekly anticipation of a new drama episode—something they had never expected.
Some jokingly said that following Xie Xizhao might seem like supporting just one person, but in reality, you never knew what kind of “Xie Xizhao surprise box” you would open each day.
During the peak of his popularity, a fan artist even created a fan illustration of Jing Yin x Idol Zhao, which briefly made his self-shipping (narcissistic CP) trend as well.
And just like that, a new CP was born.
Xie Xizhao had truly become an “all-round” idol in every sense.
For a time, his popularity surged once more.
But this wasn’t some overnight explosion of fame.
Ever since Jing Yin’s character had skyrocketed to success, no one in the entertainment industry could compete with him in terms of sheer popularity. Everything that followed was merely him breaking through his own ceiling.
However…
No matter how well he balanced being an idol and an actor, or how successful his CP dynamics were, it didn’t change the fact that Seeking Immortality had finished airing, and TP’s comeback had ended.
On a late night, after who-knew-how-many days of not seeing Xie Xizhao, a quiet thread popped up on the forum.
[Missing Cat Notice—Has anyone seen my little kitty?]
[[Image] My kitty looks like this.
Very beautiful and adorable, 24 months old this year. Not too clingy, but not aloof either. Most importantly, I love him very much.
My kitty used to be quite thoughtful—whenever he went out to play, he’d regularly send me postcards. But in the past couple of days, he’s completely disappeared.
So… has anyone seen him? :)]
1L: I thought this was about a real lost cat before clicking in.
Checked in on the mental state of the RNG Sisters at random, and as expected… they’ve all gone insane.
2L: Ahhh! I ran into the missing cat!
Zhaozhao baby, what are you even doing right now? I miss you so much, sob sob.
3L: I’ve said it a million times—NO! CAT! IMAGERY!
And the picture is even a ragdoll cat… I’m losing it… Our Zhao is clearly a peerless alpha…
But fine, I’ll let it slide today. Whatever form you take, just show yourself. I came online to see you, not to hang myself.
4L: Honestly, it hasn’t been that long, has it? His schedule has always been packed.
Filming and comebacks back to back—when his drama airing overlaps with his music activities, it’s either feast or famine.
I actually think he’s way too overworked. I just want him to rest more.
5L: Sigh, we’re just venting at this point.
Ever since he looked visibly unwell at the airport that one time, every time he posts on Weibo, all we ever say is “please get some rest.”
I never used to care this much about idols, but Zhao is the first one who’s worked so hard that I actually want to tell him to slow down. He’s too dedicated, too exhausted.
6L: How is he supposed to rest with so many eyes on him?
Other young actors’ fans are constantly making threads speculating about his next project. Marketing accounts are dropping a new casting rumor every day. The moment his next drama flops, just watch how many people will come mocking him.
Not taking new roles isn’t an option either. He’s only been quiet for a few days, and people are already saying he’s gotten arrogant—or that he’s going to live off a single role for the rest of his career.
sigh I just want to say… don’t love him too much…
7L: So is he really filming something new?
Passerby here, just curious.
I really liked his Jing Yin, so I’m looking forward to his next drama. Any fans got some inside info?
8L: Most likely, but no official announcement yet, so no one’s going to say anything prematurely.
The fan club probably knows something—there was a budget allocation for a support project a while ago, which looked like a production start-up event.
Not sure what kind of drama it is, but if he’s not the male lead, the haters are definitely going to have a field day…
9L: Ah… I don’t really care about lead status.
I don’t even care what genre it is—I just want to see a strong, distinctive character, like Jing Yin. T^T
10L: That’s tough. Good roles are rare and hard to come by.
Speaking of which, I’m really curious about what kind of career path Zhao wants to take. How would you even categorize Seeking Immortality? It’s technically a serious drama—solid male lead storyline and all—but it’s also kind of a power fantasy, and the character’s style is very trendy, so it’s pretty commercial too.
But at the same time, it’s not just some cash-grab commercial flick—it actually has a bit of depth in its storytelling.
I think Lu Yong did a great job balancing that.
Honestly, I was surprised Zhao even took on a project like this at first. His face is practically made for idol dramas—if he had gone the mainstream popular-actor route, he would’ve had it easy. But it doesn’t seem like that’s what he wants. I can’t quite figure him out.
11L: There’s no way he’d take the mainstream popularity route.
Just look at his songwriting—he barely ever makes generic pop songs. I think he’s the kind of idol who still follows the traditional “art first” mindset. He wouldn’t tolerate a half-baked stage performance or a carelessly shot drama.
That’s why I actually trust his choices. He seems to have a clear plan and goals.
Also, I don’t know why, but I have this gut feeling that his next drama is going to be something totally unexpected.
12L: Same…
A lot of people are predicting he’ll take on a male lead role in a historical romance drama.
Sure, historical romance dramas tend to explode in popularity, but I honestly don’t find that career path very interesting. You can only star in idol dramas for a few years, and if you want to win serious awards later, you have to transition.
Who knows, maybe sticking to idol dramas for too long will drain all the uniqueness out of him. That’d be such a waste.
13L: …What I’m really worried about is if the reveal turns out to be that he’s not the male lead, or if it’s a super niche drama. Some fans might not be able to take it.
The forum crowd here is mostly made up of career-focused fans, so even if the data isn’t impressive, as long as the quality is good, people will understand—it could even help lay the groundwork for future award recognition.
But the backlash is inevitable.
I’m so scared the supertopic is going to break down.
14L: Help, this is so real.
15L: Honestly, it’s not that bad. The overall vibe of Zhao’s fanbase feels more mature now.
But yeah, I think we should mentally prepare ourselves. If there’s still no news at this point, then if it were a famous director’s project, there’d already be rumors everywhere. Chances are, it’s from a lesser-known director.
Even if that’s the case, I trust that Zhao has his reasons for choosing it.
What we can do is be patient, and when the time comes, be ready to spread the word and promote the drama properly.
16L: ! That actually makes sense.
I’m OP, haha—I was feeling a little empty before, but not anymore.
Heading to the supertopic now!
—
Xie Xizhao had no idea that in his absence, his fans had already gone through a full cycle of self-consolation—completely on their own—and had, by sheer coincidence, almost perfectly guessed the content of the drama he was about to film.
He had been incredibly busy these past few days.
With the script finally polished, Tao Yan’s Summer had officially entered the filming stage.
And compared to the previous phase, this one was proving to be even more challenging.
From the very first time Xie Xizhao watched a drama directed by Xuan Yang, he had noticed the filmmaker’s striking personal style.
First and foremost, Xuan Yang had an exquisite grasp of visual storytelling.
Xie Xizhao had seen many films and dramas with strong artistic sensibilities, and he knew that a truly great director left an unmistakable mark on their work. Their cinematography, the atmosphere, and the overall aesthetic of their films were like a personal watermark—a signature unique to them.
This was what he had once described to Fang Qingqing as “talent.”
Commercial films didn’t necessarily require innate talent. Their stories and pacing could be refined through experience and technical learning.
But the cinematographic language and atmospheric depth required for an art film—Xie Xizhao believed that was something far more elusive, something almost mystical.
It came from the brain a person was born with, from the vivid and chaotic experiences of their life, from the flashes of inspiration that struck in the dead of night or at the break of dawn.
Some directors went their entire careers without ever creating one film like that.
Others managed to capture it once, only to find themselves unable to replicate it. The Muse of inspiration was both generous and cruel—when she abandoned someone, she never gave a warning.
Xuan Yang, however, was not the second kind.
Xie Xizhao had seen this breathtaking sense of artistry in both of the director’s previous dramas.
And that same brilliance was evident in the chaotic, scattered pages of his script.
Though subtle, Xie Xizhao still managed to read between the lines.
At that moment, he felt an immense gratitude toward his past self—the one who had acted in countless projects, read through all sorts of strange and eclectic scripts.
Of course, the flaws in the script were just as evident.
The result of a weak emotional foundation was that Xuan Yang’s inspiration felt like a wide-bellied, narrow-necked bottle with its opening blocked.
Countless brilliant ideas and breathtaking stories were trapped inside, wedged in place by pebbles of chaos.
No matter how much he tilted the bottle, the audience could only catch a glimpse of what managed to leak out.
The rest was nothing but air.
By restructuring the story and refining the script, Xie Xizhao had managed to pry the cork halfway out.
The other half—would have to be resolved during filming.
**TN
I wanna share this cover of Always by JAY of ENHYPEN. AAAHH~! <3
