Chapter 38: A True Queen of Controversy
Zhao Feiyan hasn't been to Song Sao Fish Restaurant these past few days. She's contacted the agency recommended by Lu Xiaoqi and is currently looking around for practice rooms.
There aren't many dedicated dance studios in Qinghe City; most are run by private dance groups and training institutions, and a few are set up by schools with art students. After searching around, the agency finally found her a children's dance training institution.
The training at this institution is usually concentrated in the afternoon after school and in the evening; it's closed in the morning. They were willing to rent out the practice room to her for the entire morning.
Zhao Feiyan readily agreed. Half a day of practice each day was enough for her.
She fell in love with the practice room the moment she saw it.
It was spacious and bright, with white wooden floors and a large mirror on one wall. The walls were also covered with photos of children dancing and their childish notes.
"Practicing dance is so tiring, I want to eat steamed buns."
"I want to wear a ballet dress that's all bling-bling and covered in rhinestones."
"I want to become a beautiful woman like Teacher Lin in the future."
Zhao Feiyan looked at each one one by one, and a smile had already appeared on her lips.
She spent her entire childhood and adolescence in the dance studio. To be honest, the dance studio was not a pleasant memory for her; it was filled with sweat, pain, scolding, and even whipping, along with the accompanying anxiety and fear.
But now, her emotions seem to have been soothed by these childlike and innocent words.
This is clearly a very happy and loving practice room.
The place also boasts ample bright lighting, creating a soft filter effect—a perfect spot for shooting videos. It showcases her beauty flawlessly from every angle. At the very beginning of the video, she even moved closer to the camera to adjust the phone's angle.
Fans screamed upon seeing this:
I declare that true beauty lies in those who aren't afraid of this unflattering angle!
[Did you see that? Did you see that? This is what it takes to be called a great beauty. Those who rely on specific angles, atmospheres, and makeup to create a certain "atmosphere" shouldn't be messing things up in this competition, okay?]
Where are those haters who said taking off their masks would make them look ugly? Why are they silent now?
[Slap in the face!]
Looking like that, life must be pretty carefree, right?
Life is as easy as turning your hand.
Zhao Feiyan didn't actually say much in the video, just a short sentence:
"Thank you all for your support, and thank you to all my friends who have been supporting me online. Here, I'd like to clarify two things. First, am I the cashier at Song Sao Fish Restaurant?"
"It is indeed me. That's a fish restaurant owned by my relative. I helped out there for a while, but I won't be going back. Please don't bother my relative with their business. Of course, you're welcome to come for a meal. They have the best fish I've ever had, and the taste will definitely not disappoint you."
"Secondly, am I a dancer?"
"Yes, I've been learning to dance since I was little, and I'll be recording more dance videos on this account for everyone to see. Also, that move was actually quite dangerous, especially for people who haven't learned to dance before, so please don't try to take on the challenge."
Her satin-like long hair shimmered under the light, her skin was almost flawless, and she sat casually on the floor with her back straight, her demeanor elegant and classic, making people unable to resist keeping their eyes on her but never daring to be presumptuous.
After saying that, she smiled sweetly and said, "Then, see you next time."
The entire video was unremarkable in terms of content, but it sparked a huge storm online by riding the wave of the topic's popularity. In just one night, Zhao Feiyan's stunning face was all over the internet.
Those who were attacking the mask and her appearance have shut up—although everyone's aesthetic is different, Zhao Feiyan's beauty is objective, and no one can honestly say that she is not a beauty; at most, they can only say, "I don't like this style."
Those who had previously spoken up for her felt triumphant, and some even became her die-hard fans immediately because of the sense of accomplishment and satisfaction they felt.
【My sister Zhao is the woman who has unified aesthetic standards!】
Where's the hater? Come out and say something!
Of course, some people suspect that it's just a matter of adding a filter, since everyone knows how powerful filters are these days. Such comments were quickly refuted:
[After using filters for so long, do you think I don't know which ones have filters applied and which ones don't?]
If you could look this beautiful with filters, you could become famous too. Why don't you go use them?
[Let the haters try a different angle to criticize us.]
In just one or two days, Zhao Feiyan's video account gained millions of followers, easily becoming a top internet celebrity and even being hailed by many self-media outlets as the most phenomenal online figure of the year so far.
But in the apartment on Wuliu Road, all was calm and peaceful.
Holding her phone, she leisurely read a comment: "I can't believe how happy I would be if such a face appeared in front of me."
A row of question marks appeared above Zhao Feiyan's head: ???
Lu Xiaoqi laughed and explained to her, "Actually, many people who like to follow celebrities are girls. Only if there are many female fans can a person have commercial value. If all the fans are male, then she's finished and won't be able to get any advertisements."
Girls are willing to pay for things they like, whether it's money or time.
As for men, pshaw~~~
Zhao Feiyan smiled and said, "No wonder most of my fans are girls."
This discovery actually made her feel more at ease.
Su Jun brought the dishes out of the kitchen; they were still steaming hot.
He explained, "My fifth sister-in-law said this is water boiled tofu, and all we need to do next is stir-fry some greens."
After saying that, he went back to the kitchen to help, which made Lu Xiaoqi nod repeatedly, her eyes full of admiration. Su Jun was truly a good comrade; not only did he lack the spoiled habits of a rich young master, but he was also extremely perceptive.
As the saying goes, it means having a keen eye for things.
She picked up where Zhao Feiyan left off, asking if girls had never been willing to watch them dance before.
“Of course there are. Princess Yang’a loved watching dances, so she kept the most dancers in her household, and they were famous throughout Chang’an.” Zhao Feiyan fell into reminiscence. “Many young ladies also loved watching dances, but it was different… Besides, back then it was mostly men who watched.”
Even if a young lady were to give generous rewards, it was merely a reward for a servant, just like teasing a cat or dog.
In comparison, Zhao Feiyan preferred her current fans, even though she didn't quite understand the fervor of a small portion of them. Their sincerity made her feel as if their entire hearts had been laid bare before her, leaving her deeply flattered.
"The vegetables are here!" As they were chatting, Sister-in-law Song smiled and brought out the last bowl of vegetables, and everyone sat down.
The dinner party was suggested by Lu Xiaoqi, who called Yuwen Kai back from Qinghe Ancient Town under the pretext of celebrating Zhao Feiyan's career take-off. People from Xiangjia Village couldn't come to the city yet, otherwise she would have invited them all.
Sister-in-law Song closed the fish restaurant and rushed back in the evening to cook.
Lu Xiaoqi knew without even opening her phone that the long-time customer group was filled with lamentations. The Zhao Feiyan incident had also brought a huge influx of customers to Song Sao Fish Restaurant, and the current long-time customer group was already full, so they had to start a second group.
Recently, Sister-in-law Song has gradually expanded her ingredients to include seafood. The braised tofu with eel and the salt-baked yellow croaker on the table are popular dishes at the fish restaurant these days, and they are in high demand.
"Come on, let's drink tea instead of wine to celebrate Sister Zhao's new chapter in her career!" Lu Xiaoqi raised her small teacup with a smile.
Everyone was very supportive.
Several small teacups clinked together, making a crisp sound.
Zhao Feiyan smiled, naturally pleased as well.
Yuwen Kai had dined with them before and remained calm and composed. Su Jun, however, was attending such a gathering for the first time and found it both strange and interesting. The people at this table had different identities in their original timelines, making it entirely impossible for them to sit together for a meal.
But now it just happened so naturally.
The apartment was also very basic.
But for some reason, Su Jun felt very harmonious and at ease, much more comfortable than the gatherings and banquets he had attended in famous gardens in the past.
He and Yuwen Kai even drank two cups together.
"This wine is excellent!" Yuwen Kai squinted, quite pleased with himself. "It has a mellow and fragrant taste."
Even the tribute wines of the past weren't as good as this.
Lu Xiaoqi: How could it not be mellow and fragrant? This is Moutai!
This Moutai was a gift that Foreman Liu brought to Yuwen Kai when he visited Qinghe Ancient Town a few days ago. Yuwen Kai liked it very much and reportedly had a small drink every night before bed. Now that he'd finally found someone to drink with, he was naturally going to indulge himself.
Sister-in-law Song joked, "Look at Teacher Yuwen, you must be in a very good mood these days."
Yuwen Kai nodded reservedly, then couldn't hide the smile in his eyes: "Indeed."
Although Lu Xiaoqi had been keeping a close eye on Zhao Feiyan's matter for over a week, she hadn't neglected Qinghe Ancient Town either, and had even spent more time there. She naturally knew what Yuwen Kai was happy about.
A few days ago, the hydropower engineering company she had signed an agreement with started working in Qinghe Ancient Town for a two-month construction period. Naturally, her weekly tasks were now complete.
Yuwen Kai had finally waited for this day. He stood there for almost the entire day watching how the engineers and workers worked—he had finally succeeded in seeing the underground pipe network in a modern city.
They are the invisible veins of the city, bearing the important responsibility of ensuring the city's operation.
Qinghe Ancient Town is a modernly built imitation ancient town, so naturally all these things are complete.
Lu Xiaoqi put Yuwen Kai in charge of the overall planning of Qinghe Ancient Town. But he was also well aware of his shortcomings; for example, he didn't understand electrical wiring or networks, so he didn't get involved. But he was an expert on drainage.
Originally, the construction team members had some complaints about this arrangement.
Yuwen Kai overheard several workers complaining:
"I always end up with such an unreliable client."
"Exactly, it's the most uncomfortable when an outsider leads an expert."
"Alright, that's enough. No matter what, they are the client, and the old gentleman hasn't said anything yet, so maybe he's not the kind of person you think he is."
Yuwen Kai wasn't angry after hearing this. He remembered what Foreman Liu had told him: nowadays, workers all have their own personalities, but as long as you have real skills, they will be convinced and respect you from then on.
Sure enough, by chance, after he showed off his skills, the construction team's attitude towards him quickly changed.
The problem arose because a young man on the construction team found the original pipeline data and then used a computer to create a 3D model of the entire water and electricity network of Qinghe Ancient Town. They would mark on this model which sections needed repair and which sections needed to have their wires or pipes completely replaced, making it very clear at a glance.
Yuwen Kai was completely absorbed in watching, and would occasionally ask questions that seemed absurd to modern people.
The young man had a good temper and wasn't annoyed by him; on the contrary, he was happy to answer all his questions. The two even got along very well later on.
Upon learning that his name was Yuwen Kai, he said with great interest, "Did you know that your name is the same as that of a great architect in history? He was the one who built Chang'an during the Sui and Tang dynasties."
Yuwen Kai remained calm: "Oh? You know a lot about ancient architecture?"
The young man nodded excitedly: "Of course. The city-building technology in ancient China was incredibly advanced. For example, Yuwen Kai, oh, I'm not talking about you, when he built Chang'an, the drainage pipes and canals he designed between the various wards and markets were amazing."
Yuwen Kai smiled leisurely, his eyes filled with a hint of reminiscence: "But, despite this, the flooding is still severe every rainy season."
During the most severe rainstorm and flooding, all five hundred households in Xingdao Ward were submerged. Of course, this happened during the Tang Dynasty, and Yuwen Kai did not witness it firsthand; he only learned about it while researching records of Chang'an in the archives.
“There’s nothing we can do about it.” The young man scratched his head. “Even in modern times, it’s hard to avoid. Sometimes the rain is unexpectedly heavy, or the terrain is low-lying, so no matter how well the pipes are installed, it’s difficult.”
Yuwen Kai shook his head, his tone wistful: "It could have been avoided."
When the city of Daxing was being built, the emperor was pressuring him to finish as soon as possible, so some pipes were not properly connected, and the functionality for future maintenance and dredging was not considered, which bothered him greatly. Later, when he was planning the eastern capital Luoyang, the situation was much better.
The young man glanced at him and muttered, "How can I avoid it? People who don't know better would think you really built it..."
Yuwen Kai chuckled, "I can't control what happened in the past, but I can prevent this problem now." He pointed to a spot on the model, "I suggest widening the pipe here. The terrain is low-lying, which will inevitably cause water accumulation..."
He spoke with great conviction, but the young man remained skeptical.
"And here, we need to add another pipe..."
Yuwen Kai pointed out a few more places that needed to be modified, and the young man frowned: "The workers have already checked these, and there are no problems. Old man, you don't know anything about pipes, so you can't just point things out randomly."
“Who says I don’t understand? If you don’t believe me, let’s find someone to take a look and make a bet.” He said calmly, taking out a few red bills from his pocket. “Let’s find a professor from Qinghe University, how about it? If what I say is correct, you can listen to me. If he also thinks what you say is right, then this five hundred is yours.”
The young man looked at the five hundred and chuckled: "No need for that, I can simulate it!"
He's sure to win those five hundred dollars!
He marked these locations on the computer and then simulated the rainfall beforehand. After the rainfall reached a certain threshold, he found that the results were exactly as Yuwen Kai had pointed out. The locations he had indicated all experienced water accumulation and pipe leaks.
The young man was stunned: "Sir, you're amazing!"
He was confused. Was it possible that everyone named Yuwen Kai was so talented?
Yuwen Kai smiled slightly, concealing his merits and fame.
From then on, he gained a voice in the construction team. Later, when Lao Lin came to him and asked him about ancient architecture in a very polite manner, everyone suddenly realized that this man was actually an expert in ancient architecture. As a result, they trusted him even more and would take the initiative to ask him any questions they had.
Through his own efforts, Yuwen Kai truly imbued the title that Lu Xiaoqi had given him with real power.
......
"This is the skill of our Teacher Yuwen!" Lu Xiaoqi raised her small teacup, very happy. "Come on, let's celebrate Teacher Yuwen's achievement again."
The little teacups met again.
"So what are your tasks this week?" Sister-in-law Song asked with concern.
Lu Xiaoqi chuckled: "It's for making a reservation app for the fish restaurant. Don't worry, Su Jun has already found several tech companies. We're rich now, so we're not afraid. We'll do it right away!"
Of course, she still chose the one with the best cost performance.
The weekly tasks issued by the system, especially those during the beginner period, are not difficult. In fact, as long as you work diligently, you can complete them. This is already her eighth weekly task; once she completes three more, she will obtain the basic maintenance function for the ancient town.
Upon hearing his name called, Su Jun downed the entire glass of wine in front of him in one gulp.
That's what he finally found after burying himself in various materials for the past few days.
He even learned how to create spreadsheets on a computer because of this!
When Lu Xiaoqi saw this, she could only silently give him a thumbs up. No wonder he's the system's chosen working-class genius!
Su Jun has been quite busy lately. He's mainly staying in Qinghe Ancient Town, and has even moved into Liu Chan's dormitory. First, he helped Lu Xiaoqi find a water and electricity engineering company. Later, after the project started, he took charge of communication between the two sides. He also contacted previous material suppliers, and these next few days he'll be looking for a technology company...
He started spinning like a top.
But thanks to these jobs, he integrated into society at an unprecedented speed, and no longer had the mind to lament the Jingnan Campaign and the tragic end of the Song Dynasty.
"Everyone, let's toast Su Jun! Su Jun, you've worked hard!" Lu Xiaoqi smiled and raised her small teacup to Su Jun.
"Xiao Su has worked hard." Sister-in-law Song nodded. "Look, she's lost weight."
Su Jun smiled and drank it all in one gulp.
He actually didn't mind being so busy.
Because he knew Lu Xiaoqi was busier.
Since the bank loan came through, Lu Xiaoqi's previously leisurely days have been over. Several projects are running simultaneously, requiring her to oversee both online and offline operations.
As the boss, she actually bears the greatest pressure. Many unresolved matters eventually come to her for decision-making. Su Jun once saw her so busy with interviews that she didn't eat lunch until three or four in the afternoon.
This young woman was busier than any of the Ministry of Works officials he had ever met before.
Although this era is prosperous and stable, everyone has their own things to do. He had also heard terms like "lying down" or "giving up," but these seemed to stem more from a sense of helplessness at being unable to change the status quo.
If hard work pays off, everyone will give it their all. Even Liu Chan, who always talks about these two words, is actually very serious about his work.
The entire Qinghe Ancient Town has entered a vibrant and positive cycle.
Su Jun liked this atmosphere.
Sister-in-law Song looked at Lu Xiaoqi with some heartache: "Look, Xiao Lu has lost weight. Here, have a fish."
When it was her turn to be the center of attention, Lu Xiaoqi felt a little embarrassed.
She raised her small teacup: "Come on, let's toast everyone!"
The people at the table exchanged smiles and, without pressuring her, readily raised their small glasses.
......
Zhao Feiyan became a household name.
Lu Xiaoqi added her work email to her homepage, and within just a few days, she received countless emails seeking collaborations. She entrusted Liu Chan with handling everything—once the Empress was free from the anxiety of making money, she no longer wanted to deal with these trivial matters.
Some wanted her to advertise for them, some wanted to recruit her into their dance studios, some wanted her to be their photography model, and some even invited her to be a guest on small variety shows... it was a real mixed bag.
It's heartbreaking to think about, but although Lu Xiaoqi and Liu Chan came from a background in self-media, this was the first time they had experienced how easy it was for internet celebrities to make money.
There are also MCN agencies that want to sign Zhao Feiyan.
Liu Chan then suggested that Lu Xiaoqi register another MCN company to specifically manage the existing personal IPs within the ancient town.
Lu Xiaoqi agreed without much thought. She could summon many more people later, all of whom would likely possess unique skills; she needed to plan this area in advance.
After discussing it, Liu Chan and Zhao Feiyan decided to temporarily refrain from accepting advertisements and appearing on variety shows, rejecting all commercial offers for the time being.
“Although Sister Zhao’s temperament is clearly extraordinary, she became famous through grassroots internet celebrity methods. If she immediately takes on these kinds of things after becoming famous, it will give people a bad impression,” Liu Chan explained. “It would be better to spend a month or two polishing her content. There will definitely be better opportunities in the future.”
Lu Xiaoqi looked at him with newfound respect: "I never expected you to think that way."
Liu Chan chuckled: "If it were anyone else, I would advise her to take advantage of her current popularity to do more advertising and earn more money. Who knows, she might not be popular anymore in a few months? There are plenty of examples like that."
But Zhao Feiyan was different.
Liu Chan now has a certain understanding of her and knows how amazing she is in dancing.
He firmly believed that Zhao Feiyan would remain popular for a long time, so he couldn't be impatient for quick success.
It has to be said that Liu Chan earned himself good points in this matter, and Lu Xiaoqi decided to entrust him with the management of the newly established MCN agency. He may not be able to become an internet celebrity himself, but he will be a good operator.
Liu Chan planned Zhao Feiyan's first proper dance video.
Zhao Feiyan did not listen to Liu Chan's choice of the currently popular dances, nor did she choose her most famous palm dance. Instead, she chose the renowned "Treading Song".
The art of singing and dancing has existed since ancient times, and it has been a popular form of folk entertainment since the Han Dynasty, so Zhao Feiyan was naturally familiar with it. However, the version she chose was a dance created in the 1990s by a choreographer who drew inspiration from ancient traditional culture, and it won many gold awards.
Liu Chan initially had some reservations about her choice, but after seeing her performance, he kept quiet about it.
In the video, Zhao Feiyan dances to the rhythm by stomping her feet on the ground.
This dance doesn't have any particularly difficult moves, but with just simple waist twists, spins, and arm swings, it evokes the feeling of a graceful Han Dynasty girl singing and dancing as she walks by, transporting everyone to that time and space.
She didn't wear heavy makeup, nor did she choose a flowing, elegant dress that would accentuate her graceful figure. Instead, she opted for her usual plain-colored robe. This made the dance less lively and more solemn and elegant, imbuing it with a sense of antiquity.
During the shoot, everyone's eyes were glued to her.
When the photos were taken with a mobile phone and the lighting effects were enhanced, Zhao Feiyan appeared like a goddess, captivating everyone with her every move.
This is a very high-quality video. It garnered 100,000 likes in just one or two days after its release, which is already the treatment of a major internet celebrity.
The fans' enthusiasm almost transcends the limitations of a mobile phone screen, becoming tangible:
[Stunning! This is so beautiful!]
[It's strange, to be honest, I didn't find the previous kick beautiful; it just seemed too soft. This one, although the overall movements seem very calm, I felt a sense of beauty in it.]
[Upstairs, this is Tage! It can be considered an iconic work of classical dance!]
[I must say, Sister Zhao's performance was truly excellent. Her grace and poise are on par with the top dancers in China.]
[Just kidding, but I even think it could be a tiny bit better...]
Of course, those who inexplicably disliked Zhao Feiyan from the beginning still stubbornly felt that the dance was mediocre, and that it was simply a poor imitation compared to the original, especially the Han Dynasty court dance movements that Zhao Feiyan added, which they considered superfluous.
They even left comments on the original creators' Weibo accounts:
[Isn't anyone going to do anything about this? They're making such random changes.]
[Aren't you going to do anything about people putting you down?]
Who does she think she is? Changing the movements so randomly!
[The old version is clearly the best. Teacher, please say something! What kind of scoundrel dares to act so arrogantly here!]
Among these people were Zhao Feiyan's haters who deliberately sowed discord; there were also fans of the original version who were dissatisfied, feeling that Zhao Feiyan's fans were too arrogant and were praising one while belittling another; and there were also die-hard fans of other dancers who were happy to watch the show.
It quickly became quite a stir on Weibo, with the topic climbing into the top 20 of the entertainment section.
"You really are a queen of gossip." Lu Xiaoqi said, both amused and exasperated.
Every time, there's bound to be some bloodshed.
Zhao Feiyan also said helplessly, "I only danced a short dance."
Liu Chan beamed: "This is a good thing. What the internet fears most is nothing special. If no one pays attention to what you do, then you're truly doomed."
However, he couldn't predict how the original creators would react, so he nervously made contingency plans and kept staring at his phone even while shooting footage, afraid of missing anything.
That day, while he was filming Li the Carpenter, the newly hired social media specialist suddenly shouted, "Brother, the creators of Tage have really posted on Weibo!"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
