Chapter 12: Overturned
The drama in which Li Ji played a supporting role was a hit.
...but it doesn't seem to be a direct explosion.
Although he only plays a small supporting role in it, it seems that it is due to the director's values that the tone of the whole drama is a bit weird.
For example, the protagonist seems to know who is good and who is bad innately, and starts targeting them before anyone else does anything villainous, which makes it seem out of place and more like bullying.
Director Li has been flattered for many years in the entertainment industry and has been praised to the point of being overwhelmed. He has been trying his best to portray the hero and heroine as noble people, but the gradually distorted plot seems to have turned the hero and heroine into people who stand on the moral high ground and constantly accuse others and think they are superior.
The reputation of the entire drama took a sharp turn, and Bai Xingxing, a popular young actress, was also accused of accepting such a script, so that the reputation of the actors who played positive roles in the drama also declined.
Director Li was confused. She had always been proud of this drama. When it was finished, she even drunkenly boasted that it was another big hit. How could it... receive such evaluation?
She really didn't think there was anything wrong with her protagonist. On the contrary, in her opinion, the heroine was romantic and passionate, making people love and hate her. She was a truly worthy adult woman. If she were a male audience, she would definitely fall in love with the heroine. The hero was noble and elegant, and was also a person of noble character.
How on earth did this turn over?!
Director Li was in a state of panic, but Li Ji raised his eyebrows slightly when looking at the online comments, as if he was somewhat pleased and gloating, not caring at all that he also played a role in it.
"The director must be really worried now."
He smiled slightly, then looked up at Sheng Zhao, "It was weird when we were filming...it's not surprising that it turned out badly."
Sheng Zhao watched him carelessly playing with his fingertips, paused slightly, and asked him softly, "But you also played a role in it. Aren't you worried that you will fail and get bad reviews?"
Li Ji chuckled nonchalantly, the corners of his lips rising slightly, "I'm just a minor supporting role. There are many people who hate me, so why bother about whether others will hate me even more? Anyway, the experience on the crew was not a pleasant one. A few scenes were wasted... What, I got slapped several times, tsk——"
He smiled maliciously and made a "tsk" sound.
Li Ji only filmed that few scenes. Although he played an arrogant and domineering evil king who brought disaster to the country, every time he acted arrogantly, the male lead would slap him in the face the next second.
Although it was just acting and not real fighting, and was usually misplaced, Bai Xingxing was also used to using some tricks. Every time she deliberately beat someone, she would apologize pitifully, saying that she did it accidentally and would not do it again next time, and then she would continue like this.
He didn't go too far and controlled the force so that it didn't hurt. He didn't go to the point of getting angry, and he could also vaguely accept it as a convenient explanation. Li Ji's words were aggressive.
But Li Ji is not a fool.
He had felt the malice of many people, and Bai Xingxing's was the most shameful.
But he had suffered much more than this before, and he just wanted to finish filming and leave as soon as possible, so he didn't bother to care.
Sheng Zhao paused, his eyes slightly filled with some inexplicable emotions, and then he smiled softly, his expression seemed to be deliberately regretful, and he sighed softly but the ending tone rose -
"You're not worried at all, nor do you blame me for taking on this catastrophic drama for you, even though I wanted to explain it to you."
Li Ji pursed his lips, his voice slightly unnatural, "Why should I blame you? I clearly..."
He stopped abruptly.
Li Ji looked at her calmly, and seeing that Sheng Zhao still had the same expression, he paused, as if he had no choice but to compromise, lowered his eyes, and stretched out the ending of his tone in a nonchalant manner.
"Please, Miss, tell me why you chose me to take this role, or I will hate you to death."
After saying this, he made a "tsk" sound, as if mocking Sheng Zhao's childishness.
Sheng Zhao burst out laughing, narrowed his eyes in amusement, and suddenly took out his tablet, pointing at the comments on it -
"Doesn't anyone feel sorry for that evil king who brought the hero back even though the emperor had promised him that he loved him the most? He brought the hero back, and the hero acted like he was reluctant to accept the emperor's offer, and then deliberately claimed that they were innocent in front of the evil king. Who wouldn't be angry?"
"If I were the Demon King, I would beat the male protagonist, this hypocritical and noble guy, to death with sticks. How can he be so high and mighty and say that the Demon King is too jealous after stealing someone else's woman?"
"I'm so angry, I'm so angry, this is the first time I hate the male lead so much."
"Both the male and female protagonists are so disgusting! Everyone else has become a part of their play. Have pity on the demon king for a second."
'Oh my god, I really think he is so handsome and beautiful, my eyes are fixed on him, he is so handsome, a handsome brother who is both delicate and arrogant (drooling)'
"He's really good-looking... But is he going to die soon? I saw the preview for the next episode and it looks like he's going to be killed by the disgusting male and female protagonists. Can we please not do that..."
'The Demon King you edited is my only motivation for watching this drama. I feel like he has always been determined in his love. Why did he appear so late? I almost vomited when I saw the male and female protagonists in the beginning!'
…
Li Ji read the comments one by one, his expression obviously a little stunned.
He seemed to have never expected that anyone would like the arrogant and domineering supporting role he played.
Then he saw Sheng Zhao's beautiful eyes lighting up, and was stunned for a moment before suppressing his emotions.
"Look, even though the show is terrible, this supporting character unexpectedly gained popularity under the protagonist's judgment."
She smiled, revealing the tips of her white teeth slightly.
"Actually, generally speaking, this drama won't make such a big mistake..." It will only make a small mistake, and then leave a few complaints in the torrent of the entertainment industry and get away with it.
She frowned slightly in annoyance. "It took a lot of effort to draw everyone's attention to the show's... shortcomings."
Her voice stopped abruptly. Although she was smiling, her eyes dimmed slightly, hiding a slightly playful joy. In an instant, she hid it and turned into a harmless look, smiling at Li Ji.
"Anyway, when I was reading the script, I noticed that this drama would fail, but this supporting role is really outstanding. If you play it, it will definitely be even more outstanding."
The drama was so easy to translate because she had chosen that role for Li Ji. Although the drama was not invested by Huayun Entertainment, they had to show some sincerity when inserting people into it.
Sheng Zhao readily agreed to help with the promotion and gave Li Ji a supporting role.
Director Li thought it was a double blessing, as he not only received publicity from Huayun Entertainment but also found an actor who was naturally suitable for the role of the Demon King.
But who knows what she might promote?
They praised the highlights to the hilt, and when others saw the highlights filled with moral blackmail between the male and female protagonists and made slightly negative comments, they added fuel to the fire - leading to the current situation.
It was simply sacrificed.
He was sacrificed in a way that was subtle yet very natural in boosting Li Jilu's popularity.
I don't buy hot searches for Li Ji, nor do I post boring press releases to gain popularity. I go to so much trouble just to let Li Ji gain the most natural love.
She could use the publicity money to buy press releases for him, invest in movies, or even become the leading actor...but she didn't do any of that. She was just carefully sculpting a perfect work.
She didn't want the rumors that he had gained such fame so easily because he was kept by someone.
She didn't want him to be deliberately promoted as a celebrity - that would just be like a low-level work, as inferior as Chen Shuoxing.
She didn't want him to have it all simply—that would bore her to death.
She only wants every detail to be perfect. In the eyes of others, the birth of perfection is like a wild and wanton rose, blooming naturally and perfectly.
——It's like the contrast between perfection and manipulation.
He was under her control, step by step, appearing perfect to others.
Sheng Zhao looked at Li Ji with increasingly gentle and joyful eyes, and Li Ji even felt that small blooming flowers like those in games and anime were growing on her head to express her mood.
Li Ji raised the corners of his lips slightly.
She assured me over and over again, "You will be loved by many people, the most passionate and natural love."
Li Ji paused, his smile faded, and he seemed to be slowly becoming confused under Sheng Zhao's gaze. He paused, lowered his head, and whispered, "...I don't need it."
Okay, Sheng Zhao blinked.
...I don’t care whether you want it or not, I just want it.
So she didn't answer, but just changed the subject, smiling and saying softly, "I want to eat braised fish tonight."
"Hmm?" Li Ji raised his eyebrows and leaned lazily on the chair. "Please, my dear lady, eat salad with me."
Sheng Zhao didn't say anything else, but just looked at him with a smile, without saying "No." or "I just want to eat braised fish."
She just knew happily and appropriately that he would do it, just like he always did, saying one thing and thinking another.
Li Ji looked at her seemingly determined silence, stretched his body, slightly revealing his slim and beautiful waist and abdomen, and said in a hoarse voice,
"It seems that you not only grasped the script, but also my personality - but who knows if there will be braised fish today."
He looked at Sheng Zhao with a playful smile on his lips and spoke while tying his apron.
Sheng Zhao still had a smile on his face.
But when her favorite braised fish and other favorite dishes were on the table, her smile became even wider.
Li Ji bit the fork with salad on it nonchalantly and glanced slightly, "...You guessed it right."
His sharp canine teeth bit the fork, making a slight crisp clinking sound. Then he looked at Sheng Zhao who was eating happily and paused, "...next time, eat salad with me."
"No." Sheng Zhao swallowed the food in his mouth and decisively refused. He stretched out his fingertips and shook them slightly, saying with a smile, "I said I won't let you down, but I won't let myself down either."
“Tsk.”
Li Ji felt that the salad in his mouth was even harder to swallow. He glanced away, leaned back in his chair as if unhappy, and didn't eat a single bite.
"Of course, if it's a snack, I might eat it."
She muttered to herself while eating.
"Hmm?" Li Ji responded with an ambiguous sound, a hint of sarcasm in his voice, "You can even eat my salad, it will make me lose weight faster."
"Ah..." Sheng Zhao's gaze slowly shifted to the bowl of salad in front of Li Ji, and he murmured, "Can I eat it now?"
"……Can't."
Li Ji didn't know why he wanted to laugh, but he still wordlessly took his bowl, blocking Sheng Zhao's view of the salad in his bowl.
"I really hate you."
He murmured softly, but the corners of his lips curled up slightly.
Maybe it was because Sheng Zhao would always finish all the food he cooked, and even eat it with great pleasure. No matter what she stared at, her eyes would always look affectionate.
So sometimes when Li Ji eats salad, he doesn't find it that difficult to swallow.
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