Chapter 86 Reunion with Xiao Lin

The drama filmed by Yu Shuling and Jiang Yu was officially launched during the summer prime time.

Actually, for dramas like this that primarily focus on romance, as long as the leads are popular, the female lead is beautiful, the male lead is handsome, there's good chemistry between them, and the script and acting are above average, the viewership ratings are basically guaranteed. Not to mention that Yu Shuling and Jiang Yu are currently considered top-tier celebrities.

The new drama premiered and its popularity soared in the first three days. Thanks to a good script and few flaws or clichéd plot points, it received positive reviews. During the period of stable viewership, many friends and acquaintances promoted it. Initially, some worried that Yu Shuling, as a singer and dancer with no acting experience, might falter, but it's clear she delivered a perfect performance in this crossover project.

Her demeanor and expressions suggested extensive training; the radiant and vibrant person she is on stage perfectly portrayed the anxiety and unwavering determination following amnesia on screen. The female lead has her own growth arc, rather than being anyone's appendage; she possesses both a broad perspective and the touching charm of a young girl, making her very endearing.

Yu Shuling hasn't deliberately cultivated a persona in front of her fans, but she can always showcase her lost dance skills, and she's been steadily improving over the years, which has long established a reliable and powerful image in Yinhe's mind. As the plot unfolds and the female lead and male lead develop a subtle, ambiguous relationship, the female lead's quirky and mischievous teasing of her crush makes many Yinhe viewers who are following the drama live start to feel "afraid."

In the drama, Yu Shuling is the lead actress, and Jiang Yu is the second lead. Yu Shuling's qualifications are not as good as Jiang Yu's, so the reason for the ranking is definitely because the female lead has more screen time. Sure enough, the first few episodes are basically the female lead's solo show, and it's not until the tenth episode that the interactions between the male and female leads really start to be sweet.

Unlike the previous tug-of-war, the female lead has realized that she has fallen for the male lead. As a semi-TV drama enthusiast, Yu Shuling certainly knows what the audience is afraid of.

That evening, Yu Shuling went online to interact with fans, spending several hours replying to over 300 fans. She practically lived in the Weibo comment section, deliberately teasing them with ambiguous remarks, making them anxious and flustered.

Even marketing accounts have already come up with their own excuses.

However, the series did not disappoint when it aired.

After the female lead regains her memories, she learns of her family's feud, and every clue is inextricably linked to the male lead. There are two slightly angsty episodes, but the misunderstandings are quickly resolved. Both sides are quick-witted and articulate, and there are no instances of "refusing to listen to explanations" or forced betrayal. The two see through the enemy's scheme and turn the tables on them, and soon a new storm is brewing.

The promotional period for the drama was a pre-arranged schedule, and as the female lead, participating in promotional events and building visits was a given. As the drama's popularity rose, the two actors were dubbed a "Pisces" couple.

The name "Pisces CP" is not only a play on the similarity between the two people's names, but also because Jiang Yu and Yu Shuling happen to be both Pisces.

Jiang Yufang had openly and subtly expressed his desire to maintain the popularity of the CP during the drama's promotional period, creating some hype, and then disentangle themselves when the time was right. Coincidentally, their schedules for this period had already been agreed upon. During the recording of a variety show, Lyra had a day off, and Sister Qian came with Yu Shuling. Lyra directly tried to negotiate with Sister Qian, but she gave vague answers.

Back in the hotel room, Sister Qian didn't leave. Instead, she followed Yu Shuling in, casually opened a bottle of water, and asked her seemingly unintentionally:

"What do you think about creating a CP (couple pairing)? Jiang Yu's popularity in the film and television industry is more stable than yours. If he is interested, you can actually benefit from it."

As the manager, Sister Qian has been with Lyra for a long time. They are not a new group, and she doesn't have to make all the decisions herself. As long as it's not a matter of principle, she will ask the members for their opinions more often.

Yu Shuling brewed herself tea using her own small teapot. She didn't like tea bags, so she used a small plastic container to hold Junshan Yinzhen tea. As the water boiled, the leaves slowly unfurled, releasing a refreshing and invigorating aroma. Amidst the fragrant tea, Yu Shuling went to the restroom to remove her makeup, answering decisively in a clear voice:

“It’s meaningless. Putting aside everything else, the final purification process will only make things ugly, harming fans without benefiting oneself. People who can truly let their work speak for itself don’t need to be greedy for such petty gains.” She slowly removed her eyeliner with a cotton pad. “Besides, my main profession is not acting, so there’s no need for me to follow that superficial approach now, and I’m not on that path.”

Sister Qian smiled and didn't say much, but her expression was full of satisfaction with her.

After her agent left, Yu Shuling took a shower and then saw the message Jiang Yu had sent her. On set, Jiang Yu, as a senior actor, had spent a considerable amount of time explaining scenes to her, and even after the production ended, they hadn't completely lost contact, maintaining a friendly relationship.

It was somewhat like her and You Jingzhou's past; besides work, they would sometimes chat about life. Jiang Yu didn't say anything else, and Yu Shuling wouldn't be so narcissistic as to think in that direction. However, after her manager mentioned it today, Jiang Yu did send her a few messages of advice, saying that he wouldn't do anything unethical like manipulating fans or purifying their online community, and that she shouldn't worry.

Yu Shuling did not reply.

Since everyone was a respectable adult, Jiang Yu wisely refrained from mentioning the matter again.

As publicly known friends in the industry, Yu Shuling's new drama had just premiered when You Jingzhou, like most celebrities, booked a virtual screening, giving away free tickets every day. Opening Weibo, it's clear the drama is quite popular; I keep seeing posts about it, including clips of the male and female leads playfully bickering, full of ambiguous undertones.

Although he didn't really want to admit it, You Jingzhou was indeed a little scared that one day when he went online, he would see an intimate scene in front of him.

He was hesitant to imagine how he felt.

Yu Shuling is a very decisive person. After giving him an explanation and rejecting him that day, she maintained a complete friendship with him, without engaging in any ambiguous relationships or secret romances.

People who are successful in their careers, regardless of gender, always shine. Even though You Jingzhou was a little depressed, he had to admit that watching the girl he liked work hard on her career path only made him feel sad but also made her more and more charming.

Yu Shuling is an idol, so it's inevitable that she won't have the freedom to date during the peak of her career. But for a singer-songwriter, it's naturally a different story.

You Jingzhou made little attempt to hide his one-sided admiration, but he didn't show it to the public, as that would have caused Yu Shuling, who was innocent, to still be caught in a media storm.

At social gatherings within the entertainment industry, men would quietly step forward to drink on her behalf. In reality, Yu Shuling had a high alcohol tolerance and could withstand several rounds of drinking, even if it was a barrage of red and white wine. However, she would not refuse You Jingzhou's kindness.

Whether it's a year-end red carpet event or other large-scale events, there are always some unavoidable social drinking parties and people you can't avoid behind the scenes.

Xiao Lin was one of them.

However, having learned from his previous setbacks, he didn't continue to cling to the problem like a persistent leech.

As before, Xiao Lin was born with a handsome appearance and came from a well-off family. Of course, he had no shortage of girlfriends, and his private life was no cleaner than before.

As Yu Shuling said, he didn't have deep feelings for anyone, and his anger at Yu Shuling's departure stemmed more from the loss of his "possessions." That day, Yu Shuling saw him; he was embracing a beautiful woman, who at first glance resembled a concubine he had previously been at odds with. However, upon closer inspection, the resemblance was merely superficial.

Xiao Lin's gaze was deep and he looked at her with a profound look, as if emphasizing how "devoted" he was.

Yu Shuling thought she was completely unconcerned, but she was still disgusted by it.

But it's not her fault; it's that this bastard's disgusting methods are just too endless.

The autumn rain came suddenly, and the temperature dropped unexpectedly after the drinking party ended. The mansion was located in the suburbs, a place full of bright lights and bustling activity, but it was not easy to get a taxi. The sudden drop in temperature of ten degrees made the cold wind chill the faces of those who came out.

You Jingzhou drove there. While Yu Shuling went back to get her bag, he drove up to the front, parked in the perfect spot, and rolled down the window to wait for her.

Yu Shuling was wearing a dress today, and even in the warm, spring-like indoor environment, she couldn't help but feel cold. When You Jingzhou saw this, he simply parked the car, grabbed a small blanket from the car, and hurried over. Coincidentally, there were some young male celebrities nearby, and they seemed intent on striking up a conversation.

There was even a male idol who debuted in a talent show last year. He was said to be a young master from an extremely wealthy family, and he was also good-looking. He was standing there looking quite respectable, eager to put his coat on Yu Shuling.

Before he could make a move, You Jingzhou had already taken three steps at a time and walked up to him. The young master's expression changed slightly, but after a moment he still maintained his polite smile and did not pursue the matter further.

The wind continued to howl, ruffling the hair on his forehead, but You Jingzhou was in a good mood. After opening the car door for Yu Shuling, he even joked:

Did I cut off someone's chance to find love?

In the past, Yu Shuling would definitely have exchanged a few jokes with him, but today, as soon as he finished speaking, she heard Yu Shuling say:

"Stop being cheeky, I'm leaving now."

As their relationship deepened, Yu Shuling would occasionally speak to him in a similarly blunt manner, but without malice. Now, You Jingzhou could clearly sense that she wasn't in a good mood, but he didn't know why, and felt he shouldn't ask.

He hesitated for a moment, then replied gently:

"good."

That was all.