The air pressure inside felt like it was about to drop to freezing.
The assistant felt that the aura emanating from Actor Fu was extremely heavy, almost as if it could crush a person. Actor Fu was always smiling, but he was imposing even without anger, which already made people very careful. But what they didn't expect was that Fu Jinxiao was even more terrifying when he got angry.
Just as the assistant was carefully considering what to say, Fu Jinxiao put down the tablet and said, "Call Meican."
broker.
Generally, Actor Fu doesn't need his agent to accompany him on his schedule. Having been in the industry for so many years, the actor is extremely capable and can usually complete his schedule smoothly with his assistant without any unexpected issues. Therefore, Actor Fu rarely contacts his agent; if he does, it's usually because something has come up.
As soon as Wang Meican answered the phone, she preemptively said, "Hello, is this Jin Xiao? I've seen the Weibo post."
Professional agents always possess exceptional insight and observation skills, allowing them to anticipate trends and potential risks associated with an artist.
"This 'Star Show' is really something. Anyone in the industry can tell at a glance that they're intentionally promoting someone." Wang Meican couldn't stand it anymore: "Moreover, the script they edited this time deliberately created conflict, promoting one person while putting down another, and they cleverly targeted the contestants with high popularity. It's really underhanded. But judging from the current situation, it's obvious that Jian Anran is a typical 'royal' (pro-King) and must have capital backing her, and she might even be very capable."
Fu Jinxiao curled her lips and sneered, "Strong? How strong?"
Wang Meican finally sensed the chill in Fu Jinxiao's words.
"So powerful that you've become arrogant enough to use me as a stepping stone?" Fu Jinxiao's words were full of sarcasm: "Then I'd really like to see for myself."
Wang Meican thought he was disgusted by this behavior, so she quickly dissuaded him, saying, "Don't be angry. Although the malicious editing did exist, the production team wouldn't dare to use these methods on you or edit out your negative aspects even if they had a hundred lives."
Fu Jinxiao: "Nonsense, of course I know."
Wang Meican was taken aback: "Then what are you angry about?"
"Trending topic." Fu Jinxiao pointed to her succinctly: "During the competition, the person I praised was Jian Xingsui."
Wang Meican quickly checked Weibo and finally understood what her artist meant. At the same time, her disgust for "Star Show" deepened: "What grudge do they have against Jian Xingsui that they don't want the audience to see this kid doing well? Or did this kid offend someone and they want to get rid of him?"
Fu Jinxiao rested his hand on the chair, tapping it lightly and absently, his face stern: "Whether he has offended anyone or not is none of my business, and I'm too lazy to care."
"but……"
That drawn-out syllable almost sent the agent away.
She heard Fu Jinxiao say in a cold voice, "The atmosphere in the Chinese entertainment industry has been getting worse and worse in recent years. Malicious vote control and capital exploitation are things I'm used to and too lazy to care about. But to dare to target me and use my fans and popularity to suppress contestants, what, have I been too nice to them all these years and given them too much face?"
After these words, the hypocritical face that Fu Yingdi usually wore in public was finally torn off, and what remained was a domineering man with a somewhat arrogant and roguish air.
Perhaps he used to give everyone the impression of being very refined and proper in his dealings with people and having a very good reputation. But that was only because he had a good reputation and a kind face, which made it easier for him to do some things. This does not mean that Fu Jinxiao is really easy to bully. If you pay attention, you will find that anyone who offended him in the past has not had a good ending.
Even after years of getting to know each other, Wang Meican's heart still skipped a beat at this moment.
"Don't be angry. You're getting upset over a small talent show and a nobody who hasn't even debuted yet? Do they even deserve it?" She knew this matter was unlikely to be resolved peacefully, so she immediately said, "Put it down. I'll contact the production team right now to handle it."
Fu Jinxiao's anger subsided slightly, and he said, "Okay, you handle it, and call me back later."
Wang Meican quickly replied, "Okay, okay, give the phone to your assistant, I'll say a few words to her."
She had to have a serious talk with her assistant to make sure they kept a close eye on this "master." In recent years, Fu Jinxiao's status had risen dramatically, and everyone in the entertainment industry fawned over him. Few dared to offend him, so nothing had ever happened to him. Not to mention the production team, she had almost forgotten about this guy's temper. This was the kind of guy that even the arrogant young master Shen Xingchen was afraid of. So Wang Meican was really worried that Fu Jinxiao, having been holding back for years, might suddenly get the urge to personally cause trouble for the production team.
The assistant quickly agreed.
However, when he returned, he found that Fu Yingdi, who had just calmed down, was watching his tablet again.
Fu Jinxiao was scrolling through the recent trending topics. This time, it definitely seemed like a well-organized and disciplined campaign of smear campaigns by marketing accounts. The next moment, he even saw a netizen commenting on the official Weibo account:
"Brother Fu likes Ranran very much, which shows that this child is really good-natured."
"I'm also a fan of Brother Fu. Brother Fu's judgment is never wrong. I'm voting for An Ran."
"They're actually a really good couple."
Then, someone actually released some maliciously pieced-together GIFs edited from these episodes. One of the GIFs showed An Ran holding a thermos and asking him if he wanted something to eat. Fu Yingdi has naturally a pair of amorous peach blossom eyes, and he seems to look at everyone with emotion. This GIF was also specially added with pink bubbles, which naturally added a lot of ambiguous atmosphere.
Many mindless netizens have started again:
"A fairytale romance~"
"Actor Fu really likes An Ran."
"Jian Xingsui is really annoying. I don't know what she has to compare with Ranran on."
Even more damagingly, one of the comments supporting this couple was actually liked by an official staff member of the Star Show Weibo account, which directly led to this comment being seen by more people and even becoming a top comment, misleading even more people.
like?
Fu Jinxiao's lips curled into a cold smile. "Program crew, I like your whole family."
...
The assistant, who had just returned after receiving a call from the agent, was about to speak when she saw Fu Jinxiao, who was sitting on the sofa, throw the tablet aside, stand up, and exude an unyielding aura of hostility. The man's tall stature made him incredibly imposing.
The assistant asked somewhat nervously, "Brother, where are you going?"
Fu Jinxiao picked up his coat from the sofa, lifted his eyelids to look at her, his dark eyes deep and unfathomable. Without turning his head, he left with a single sentence: "Sports Center."
That's where "Star Show" was filmed.
Wang Meican pleaded with her assistant, almost to the point of exhaustion, to make sure the grandfather didn't go to the event. But what she didn't expect was that he was fine just a moment ago, and now he suddenly decided to go so late at night? What triggered him? Sigh!
...
night
As dusk deepened, someone entered through the main entrance of the sports stadium, seemingly carrying a chill of the night.
Fu Jinxiao walked in and first went through the second floor, which happened to pass by the students' cafeteria. At this time, all the students had just finished eating, and some of the students who had finished eating were walking out in twos and threes. Just then, Fu Jinxiao, who was about to turn the corner, saw Jian Xingsui coming out after finishing her meal.
Their eyes met, and silence fell.
Fu Jinxiao's previously suppressed emotions suddenly lifted when he saw the boy's simple and honest face. For some reason, a faint smile appeared on his lips, and his mood lightened considerably. He beckoned to him, "Come here."
Jian Xingsui was initially a little stunned, unsure if the person calling her was calling her.
Fu Jinxiao remained patient, then bent his hand and beckoned to Jian Xingsui as if calling a puppy, and Jian Xingsui indeed came running over happily.
"Brother Fu." Jian Xingsui, slightly out of breath, looked up at Fu Jinxiao with bright eyes, as if they were shining: "Why are you here?"
Fu Jinxiao raised an eyebrow: "Can't I come?"
Jian Xingsui shook her head: "But this isn't your recording time. They all say you have a gig and you've gone to catch up on it."
Fu Jinxiao hummed in response, half-jokingly asking, "You're quite well-informed, asking about me?"
"No!" Jian Xingsui subconsciously wanted to refute, but it seemed that the movie star was right. She lowered her head somewhat awkwardly, her earlobes unconsciously turning red, and explained in a low voice, "I heard what they were saying when they were chatting earlier."
Seeing his adorable, somewhat silly, explanation, Fu Jinxiao's mood improved more and more.
The assistant, who had rushed over, originally came to mediate the fight, but unexpectedly saw the movie star talking to a student with his head down, a smile on his lips, and a gentle gaze down at the person. Unlike those insincere and polite gazes, his gaze was one of overflowing tenderness, a kind of doting warmth that the assistant hadn't seen in a long time while working with the movie star.
However, the assistant then heard Fu Jinxiao speak: "You're training here, do you know about the release of the edited version today?"
Jian Xingsui, who was speaking to him, paused for a moment, and finally nodded slightly: "We don't have cell phones, but some people do, and they probably told me some things."
Fu Jinxiao raised an eyebrow in surprise: "Not sad?"
Jian Xingsui usually seems simple-minded, but to Fu Jinxiao's surprise, he remained relatively calm in the face of such a huge injustice. In fact, compared to the night with Mi Gao, it seemed that the blow was even greater. It was precisely for this reason that Fu Jinxiao's curiosity was suddenly aroused.
Jian Xingsui honestly replied, "It's alright."
Fu Jinxiao looked down at him: "Regarding the part about the competition, my evaluation of you..."
Jian Xingsui obviously knew about this. If it were someone else, they would be very angry that the praise they deserved was taken away. However, he pondered for a while, then looked up and gently smiled: "Yes, I know. Actually, I'm a little relieved."
Fu Jinxiao frowned, displeased: "Hopeful?"
“Yes.” Jian Xingsui’s voice was soft: “The things the production team edited out earlier are enough to make a lot of people hate me. If Brother Fu praises me now, some people might take their anger out on you.”
Jian Xingsui looked into his clear and innocent eyes. At this moment, he actually swallowed all his grievances and said with some relief, "Luckily, you weren't implicated."
"..."
There was a brief moment of silence in the air.
Fu Jinxiao's dark eyes looked at Jian Xingsui, and within them seemed to surge a turbulent sea that no one dared to look directly at.
Then, he gave a cold laugh.
Fu Jinxiao, who had always been all smiles in front of Jian Xingsui, seemed to reveal a dark side, like the tip of an iceberg. He reached out and pinched Jian Xingsui's cheek, applying a little force.
Jian Xingsui immediately let out a "Ugh" and took a step back to escape the torment. He cried out softly, "It hurts."
Fu Jinxiao raised an eyebrow: "You still know pain? I thought you were heartless."
You heartless little thing.
I was angry for ages, and you're here making sarcastic remarks.
Jian Xingsui looked up at him, her eyes filled with tears. It was hard to tell if it was because her cheek had been pinched or because of what happened with the production team. She looked aggrieved and remained silent.
Fu Jinxiao lowered her body slightly, her tone softening unconsciously: "Does it really hurt that much? I clearly didn't use much force."
Jian Xingsui shook her head: "No, it doesn't hurt."
It would be fine if he took the opportunity to act silly, but he's being so obedient. Fu Jinxiao looked at the person in front of him and sighed inwardly. He said, "Little kid, that's pretty arrogant of you. That was my praise for you. How can you just give it to someone else like that? You don't respect me at all?"
Jian Xingsui was shocked, not expecting to be misunderstood like this, so she quickly said, "No, Brother Fu, that's not what I meant."
Fu Jinxiao waved his hand and said, "Alright, I know. I doubt you have the guts. Aren't you supposed to gather in your dorm on time for dance practice? Go back now."
Jian Xingsui had also thought of this. He hesitated for a moment, then reached out his hand and said, "Then, I'll be going."
Fu Jinxiao: "Mm."
He stood there, watching Jian Xingsui walk away with small steps. Over the years, as his status had risen, it was almost always others who saw him off. He rarely had the chance to see someone's back off. But now, standing in the corridor watching Jian Xingsui's departing figure, even though he was only in his early twenties, for some reason, his back looked so lonely.
The assistant called out softly, "Brother..."
Fu Jinxiao opened her mouth and asked, "What do you think of him?"
"Me?" The assistant followed the gaze, smiled gently, and said, "At first glance, this child seems a bit awkward and unapproachable, but actually he seems to have a very kind heart and is quite well-behaved. No wonder you praised him."
Fu Jinxiao nodded lightly: "Mm."
During that competition, his praise wasn't just a passing fancy; on the contrary, it was intentional.
For some reason, this child always had a strong sense of inferiority and timidity. No matter how hard he tried to hide it, Fu Jinxiao still noticed it. He didn't know what Jian Xingsui had been through, but he began to pay more attention to the child and give him encouragement when appropriate.
The latter was that he wanted to help Jian Xingsui.
Yes, he had his own selfish motives. Fu Yingdi has been in the entertainment industry for many years, with a huge number of fans, and the title of "top star" is well-deserved. He certainly understands that his favoritism towards a contestant on the show will greatly influence his fans' psychology and help the contestant's ranking.
The production team was aware of this, so they gave this key shot to An Ran. It seemed like just malicious editing, but in reality, it cut off a lot of resources that should have been given to Jian Xingsui. This is why Fu Jinxiao was angry. He was giving Jian Xingsui candy, but it became someone else's stepping stone.
...
"Mr. Fu, what brings you here so late?"
A clear and gentle voice suddenly rang out behind him. Fu Jinxiao turned around and saw An Ran.
An Ran must have just returned from the cafeteria. He was wearing a white training uniform and looked like a vibrant young man, exuding the cleanliness and beauty of his age. There's a reason why he's the most popular. It has to be said that An Ran's appearance is a great advantage. As his assistant said, some people seem dull and unapproachable at first glance, while others are instantly pleasing.
Fu Jinxiao said calmly, "I came to see the production team about something."
"What is it?" An Ran asked subconsciously, then covered her lips and said apologetically, "I'm sorry, brother, I didn't mean to pry into your privacy."
"You came here...is it because of the Weibo thing today?" It was obvious that An Ran was one of the people in this group who had a cell phone, and she was also a very smart one. Standing in front of Actor Fu, she looked weak and anxious as she said, "I also saw a bit of it. I don't know why the production team edited it like that. It doesn't seem good for other people."
A sarcastic smile flashed across Fu Jinxiao's eyes.
An Ran thought he was praising her, so she bit her lip and said softly, "I really didn't expect it to be like this. Actually, I wanted to talk to the director, but the program has already been edited and it's not something I can decide. I felt so guilty and worried when I saw that Xing Sui looked unwell today. When the recording and live broadcast resume in a while, I will definitely find an opportunity to clarify things for him in front of the audience."
Listen to how beautifully you put it.
It demonstrated both her kindness and goodness, while also clarifying her relationship with others.
Even Fu Jinxiao, who has been in the entertainment industry for many years, had to admit that An Ran was quite capable. If it were someone else, they would probably applaud his thoughtfulness, but unfortunately, he was the one who encountered him.
Actor Fu smiled and slowly said, "Is that so?"
An Ran nodded vigorously.
"Then I'll give you that chance," Fu Jinxiao said slowly. "You can go and say those words to the director again in a bit, okay?"
An Ran's expression changed instantly. He definitely hadn't expected Fu Jinxiao to pull this stunt. He stammered, "Well, the show has already aired, and there's no way I can change it immediately now. Besides, I'm just a trainee..."
Fu Jinxiao gave a cold laugh.
An Ran looked up and met the man's amorous and handsome phoenix eyes. But those eyes, which were usually so nonchalant, seemed to be filled with coldness at this moment, which startled An Ran. It was as if her petty thoughts had nowhere to hide in front of him.
Fu Jinxiao took a step forward and said calmly, "Xiaoxiao, I'm leaving."
The assistant quickly followed, glancing at An Ran a few more times before catching up with his movie star.
A moment later, the director's office door was kicked open. The director, who was still on the phone inside, turned around in shock and saw the man standing at the door, leaning against the door, looking at him with his usual faint smile. Even though Fu Jinxiao was smiling, the director felt a chill down his spine for no reason, as if the King of Hell had come to take his life.
"Director," Fu Jinxiao said slowly, "Good evening."
The director quickly put down the phone, stood up and said earnestly, "Teacher Fu, what brings you here? You didn't even say anything. I'll go to the door to meet you."
"I wouldn't dare." Fu Jinxiao pulled out a chair and sat down, crossing her long legs, exuding a powerful aura: "I am but a nobody, how could I trouble you, Director, to accept this?"
This sarcastic remark made the director break out in a cold sweat. He quickly smiled apologetically and said, "Teacher Fu, what are you saying? Your presence here is a great honor for us. How could you be so insignificant?"
"Really?" Fu Jinxiao lifted her eyelids to look at him: "Then it seems that the editing of this episode of 'Star Show' was not done by the director."
The director knew this guy was up to no good, so he forced a smile and said, "There are some issues with the editing this episode; we're considering improvements for next time..."
"Let's do it this time, not next time." Fu Jinxiao smiled, looking all refined and reasonable. "I'm not a difficult person to talk to. Take this episode down and replace it with a better edit."
...
This isn't what you call not being difficult to talk to?!
Everyone in the room was shocked. "You're practically a bandit now!"
The director was indeed in a dilemma, and hesitantly said, "Brother Fu, it's not that I'm unwilling. Actually, Jian Xingsui is a really good kid. We all know that he has had a tough time and works very hard. But this time, this time... do you know that the biggest investor in our program is the Jian family? They came over a long time ago to sign the contract and even made a request to promote An Ran and give her a debut spot. A few days ago, they even made their only request."
Fu Jinxiao opened her lips: "What are your requirements?"
"We need to eliminate Jian Xingsui in the first round." The director was now going all out. Offending Fu Jinxiao was worse than offending the Jian family; it might even ruin the show. He had long heard of the actor's abilities and madness, so he could only tell the truth: "We're in a dilemma. We originally thought that we could just secretly suppress the votes or give less screen time to a contestant without any backing, it would be simple, but we didn't expect..."
The assistant director also came over and said, "Unexpectedly, the young master of the Shen family has somehow become friends with Jian Xingsui!"
The director was also worried: "You know the Shen family, right? The Shen Group has already signed a contract with us. How can we afford to offend them? Shen Xingchen is definitely going to debut. In order to promote him, we need to give him more screen time. Who knew that young master would have such a good relationship with Jian Xingsui for some reason, and he kept giving him screen time."
As a result, everything spiraled out of control like a wild horse. Jian Xingsui's popularity soared, even reaching its peak this week, making him a top-rated contestant!
How can we eliminate the weak and explain ourselves after this public competition?
The production team had no choice but to start with the edited version, hoping to see if they could pull off some underhanded manipulations.
Just when the Jian family's problem was about to be resolved, they've now offended another big shot. The director is really suffering; his legs are even a little weak.
Fu Jinxiao listened quietly, her slender fingers tapping absently on the armrest of her chair, a slight smile playing on her lips: "Can't afford to offend the Jian family?"
The director nodded slightly.
"So you think you can afford to offend me?" Fu Jinxiao raised an eyebrow. His expression was gentle, but his words made everyone's hearts skip a beat: "Is that so?"
The director quickly said, "Teacher Fu, I'm so sorry. I apologize for this. How about this: we release a separate version, the complete version of the competition segment? How about that?"
This is the biggest concession the production team has made.
In the past, Fu Jinxiao might have agreed, but now, for some reason, he thought of the child in the corridor who, suppressing his sadness, said, "It's a good thing you weren't involved."
He seemed to vaguely understand that perhaps Jian Xingsui wasn't really playing passively from the beginning, but rather had already foreseen that he wouldn't go far? That's why he could calmly face even the malicious editing, as if he already knew his fate.
...
For some reason, thinking about this made the great actor Fu feel uneasy.
If he's unhappy, no one else can be happy either.
Under the eager gazes of the entire production team, Fu Jinxiao calmly said, "No."
The director was driven to the brink of despair by this troublemaker. After hearing what she said, he felt as if struck by lightning, and was on the verge of tears.
Just as Fu Jinxiao was about to speak again, the assistant director's phone rang again. After listening for a few minutes, he quickly handed the phone to the director and said, "Director, it's President Shen on the phone."
The director asked in surprise, "Why is President Shen calling?"
The assistant director secretly glanced at Fu Yingdi, feeling a bit overwhelmed, but still had to bite the bullet and say, "President Shen said that as an investor in the program, he is very dissatisfied with the content of the edited version of 'Star Show' that was released this time. He thinks that An Ran has too much screen time and is too much of a focus, making his younger brother seem to have very little presence, and the money he invested in our program seems to have little meaning."
The director, internally devastated, spoke tremblingly into the phone, "Mr. Shen, what do you mean?"
"Hmm." As if he didn't mind watching the drama unfold, the shrewd and profit-driven CEO Shen issued an ultimatum: "What I mean is that you should immediately re-edit and release a new version, otherwise, I may have to reconsider the investment amount for the next round."
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