The injured Zhang Ming hurriedly left, but the paparazzi Li Chaoyang, responsible for filming and editing, was quite satisfied as he packed up with the video in hand.
Although there had been a minor mishap and the person in the video hadn’t caused a major scene, the shot of the injured crew member at the end could easily be edited to look like he had been beaten by Qi Yuqiu—simply perfect. Moreover, Sheng Yuke was also in the frame, with both targets appearing together, saving a lot of trouble.
The kind of job he had taken this time required a gradual approach. Each piece of gossip had to be released bit by bit, waiting for the final explosion. Once the earlier Black Material was detonated, the effect would be at its best.
They had a set process for this kind of work. For the initial minor gossip, paparazzi would release it through their own accounts, while the final major revelations would be handled by the Big V accounts cultivated by the studio, coordinated with the Water Army. This was guaranteed to ruin an artist’s reputation in a short time.
Having done this kind of work many times, Li Chaoyang skillfully edited the photos and captions, saving them in several of his accounts with average follower counts, waiting to post them during the evening when Traffic was high.
After finishing the edits, Li Chaoyang snapped his fingers. Once he gathered a few more pieces of gossip, he would make another big profit.
Upon receiving the news, Han Chen expressed great satisfaction. Unlike pulling others into publicity stunts, this kind of gossip was most likely to provoke public disgust. Moreover, with Qi Yuqiu’s poor reputation, no one in the crew would likely step forward to clarify things for him. In fact, some might even take the opportunity to kick him while he was down.
Public Favor was gradually eroded by such news.
In high spirits, Han Chen completely changed from his earlier uncooperative attitude during filming in the morning. He threw himself into several consecutive shots, finally salvaging a bit of his image in Chang Yan’s eyes.
Around three o’clock, Liu Rui arrived, but his expression was far from good. It was only after Chang Yan comforted him a few times that he managed to pull himself together. After applying his makeup, he picked up the script and began discussing the upcoming scenes with Qi Yuqiu.
Qi Yuqiu, noticing the lingering black and red aura swirling around Liu Rui’s forehead and the area representing children in his face, closed the script and said, “Mr. Liu, has something happened to your son?”
Liu Rui, who had been familiarizing himself with his lines, looked up at Qi Yuqiu, his eyes clearly displeased. Although he himself thrived in the entertainment industry, he never wanted his family to be dragged into it. While the public knew he had children, details like their gender and age remained unclear.
This Qi Yuqiu must have gotten his information from somewhere.
“My child is fine, thank you for your concern,” Liu Rui replied stiffly.
The atmosphere between the two visibly tensed. Sheng Yuke, standing nearby, glanced awkwardly at Qi Yuqiu, wanting to say something to ease the tension, but noticed that Qi Yuqiu seemed completely unfazed.
Finding no common ground, Liu Rui headed straight to the makeup room. Others nearby sensed the awkwardness between them, and Chang Yan quietly reassured Qi Yuqiu, telling him not to take it to heart. Liu Rui might be in a bad mood, but he would never let personal feelings affect his performance.
Han Chen almost couldn’t hold back a laugh of delight at the scene. Qi Yuqiu really knew how to hand over gossip on a silver platter—disrespecting a senior on set and angering the Film Emperor with a single sentence. Once this got out, he’d be torn apart by the Film Emperor’s fans.
The paparazzo Zhang Chaoyang was even more perceptive than Han Chen. He immediately drafted a caption and saved it in his drafts folder.
Qi Yuqiu rested his chin on his hand, watching the paparazzo. When the man looked up, Qi Yuqiu beckoned him over. Zhang Chaoyang, too afraid to approach, pretended not to see and quickly moved to another spot to continue lurking.
Qi Yuqiu said to Sheng Yuke, “Look, when you do too many bad things, you don’t even dare to reach for a lifeline. What a poor sod.”
“What bad things did he do?” Sheng Yuke asked curiously.
“Distorting facts and fabricating lies.”
Sheng Yuke understood. That person was a paparazzo who had sneaked into the crew, relying on posting out-of-context content to attract attention. Most of them belonged to Water Armies or specialized paparazzi studios.
“These paparazzi are everywhere like flies. You can get surrounded just by going out for a meal,” Sheng Yuke said with disgust.
Qi Yuqiu shook his head. “These people, they commit sins without realizing it. No, maybe they do know but don’t care. Perhaps they think they can keep getting away with it.”
Liu Rui came out after changing his clothes and applying makeup. He walked over and discussed a few details with Qi Yuqiu and Chang Yan, as if the earlier unpleasantness had never happened. He even gently comforted Qi Yuqiu, telling him not to be nervous.
This scene was about the male lead being publicly tried by righteous cultivators when an old demon lord, whom the male lead had once released, came to cause trouble. The Grandmaster Uncle happened to emerge from seclusion and casually intervened to stop him.
The old demon lord was played by Liu Rui in a guest role. Dressed in a black robe with his hair loose over his shoulders, Liu Rui’s makeup was ordinary, but once he stood on set, his entire aura became sinister and sharp.
Qi Yuqiu had to act opposite the Film Emperor at his full intensity. Although he had performed well in the morning, no one thought he could hold his own against Liu Rui. Many people gathered off-set, eager to watch the drama unfold.
Han Chen was even more excited. Facing the Film Emperor at his full intensity, Qi Yuqiu would probably stumble over his lines. He just hoped the Film Emperor would be forceful enough to make Qi Yuqiu NG multiple times, letting him experience the feeling of being so suppressed that he couldn’t get into character.
As the clapperboard snapped, all the actors on set got into character.
The male lead, Shen Ruilin, lay prostrate on the ground. Qi Yuqiu stood facing Shen Ruilin, one in black and the other in white, one righteous and the other evil.
Shen Ruilin, who had just been wearing a gentle smile, instantly switched expressions, becoming a wanton demon lord.
“Junior, step aside,” Liu Rui delivered his line with a sinister glare and a hoarse voice.
The extras standing closer to Liu Rui couldn’t help but take a few steps back. Qi Yuqiu, facing Liu Rui directly, truly understood what acting skill meant.
The ability to transform into another person in an instant was truly remarkable.
Though inwardly shocked, his expression remained unchanged. He raised his sword and slashed straight at the demon lord, his movements fluid and without hesitation.
“How dare you,” Qi Yuqiu spoke, his eyes devoid of any emotion. Whether righteous or evil, whether senior or junior, anyone who disrupted order had only one identity—a ghost beneath his sword.
Liu Rui, standing opposite him, was surprised. In Qi Yuqiu’s eyes, he sensed a cold, murderous intent. With just a glance, Qi Yuqiu had perfectly captured the character’s lofty, detached demeanor. Was this really the zero-talent newcomer people talked about?
Off-camera, Chang Yan suppressed his excitement. He had seen Qi Yuqiu’s previous works, and they were truly nothing special. Yet, the moment he joined his crew, he suddenly improved?
The Grandmaster Uncle repelled the demon lord with a single sword strike, left a parting remark, and calmly departed with his disciple.
From start to finish, Qi Yuqiu maintained an aloof expression. Despite his youthful appearance and makeup, he exuded the weariness and authority of someone who had lived for centuries. He completed the scene with composure, without any sense of incongruity.
Everyone present was momentarily stunned. Qi Yuqiu, acting opposite the Film Emperor, performed even closer to the character than he had in the morning, as if he were the Grandmaster Uncle stepping right out of the pages of the book.
A scene was shot without a single hiccup, and Chang Yan, who had been prepared for countless retakes, exclaimed joyfully, “Great! Xiao Qi performed wonderfully.”
Liu Rui also praised, “Xiao Qi is quite talented.”
His impression of Qi Yuqiu had shifted from a troublesome little Traffic star to a promising talent. Now, when he looked at Qi Yuqiu, his eyes practically gleamed.
Those watching from off-set also buzzed with discussion. They hadn’t expected Qi Yuqiu to hold his own so well against the Film Emperor without being overshadowed.
“Didn’t they say online that his acting was terrible? This doesn’t seem bad at all.”
“It really was terrible—otherwise, he wouldn’t have been voted the most cringe-worthy second male lead. Maybe this is what they call a sudden breakthrough.”
“This Qi Yuqiu has some real skill. If he focuses on acting, he won’t have to worry about his career. Why does he keep stirring up trouble?”
Though thick-skinned, Qi Yuqiu felt he didn’t deserve such praise. He had simply recalled the feeling of chasing rice-stealing goblins all over the mountains in his youth—it was just him being himself, nothing compared to someone like Liu Rui, who truly had talent.
After Qi Yuqiu and Liu Rui’s scene, it was time for the male lead’s scene: arguing his case, debating the elders, and ultimately clearing his name.
This scene featured several veteran actors, each fully immersed in their roles, with rich emotions and precise expressions. People who usually seemed unremarkable transformed completely once the camera rolled, becoming their characters—bold or cold, with no trace of their usual selves.
Qi Yuqiu sat to the side and watched the entire scene, thinking that these people, like Sheng Jun, probably treated acting as a lifelong calling.
“How did it feel?” Liu Rui sat down beside him with a gentle smile. He had always valued talent, and encountering someone so gifted had dispelled his earlier displeasure.
Qi Yuqiu replied with admiration, “They were all amazing, and they clearly love their work.”
Liu Rui glanced at the veterans on set and said, “Yes, compared to them, I still have a long way to go. But you’re also very talented. Keep working hard, and your future is limitless.”
He gave Qi Yuqiu a thumbs-up.
Qi Yuqiu shook his head. “I’m not being modest. Today, I just got lucky and managed to pull it off. That’s the truth.”
He couldn’t compare a stroke of luck to decades of hard work from others. Cutting corners was never the right path.
Liu Rui smiled. Humility was a good trait in a young person, and it only made him think more highly of Qi Yuqiu.
Noticing the Black Qi around Liu Rui growing increasingly dense, Qi Yuqiu hesitated for a moment before speaking up again. “I think you should call home and check if your child is alright.”
Liu Rui’s smile froze, then slowly faded. He looked into Qi Yuqiu’s eyes and asked, “What did you see?”
“Your child is in trouble,” Qi Yuqiu said seriously.
Liu Rui shook his head. “You’re mistaken. Something did happen at home, but it has nothing to do with a child.”
Yesterday morning, his mother had received a phone call and suddenly fainted. After she was taken to the hospital and regained consciousness, he learned that his older brother had accidentally injured someone, and the victim was still in the intensive care unit.
He had been busy all day and couldn’t go himself, so he had asked his agent to arrange for someone to handle the matter.
Qi Yuqiu smiled and said, “I never make mistakes. Seeing isn’t always believing—the truth of a matter may be hidden where you cannot see.”
As soon as he finished speaking, Liu Rui’s assistant approached with a phone. Liu Rui took the call, and Qi Yuqiu faintly heard a woman crying on the other end.
“Don’t be afraid, I’ll come back right away.” Worry clouded Liu Rui’s brow. After hanging up, he looked at Qi Yuqiu and said, “Could I trouble you to come to my home?”