This time, the online backlash wasn’t particularly harsh. Although her inexplicable shift to a “blackened popularity” route had made her an easy target for ridicule, most casual observers remained indifferent to her taking on endorsements.
Once she made her comeback, her fans were overjoyed. Social media platforms were flooded with celebratory cheers. To those who adored her, everything she did was right, her earlier withdrawal from the spotlight was seen as a wise retreat at the height of her fame, and her return now was viewed as a well-timed move to strive for greater heights.
Lin Chenghuan scrolled through Weibo for a while before her WeChat notifications started pouring in one after another. She decided to simply post a moment on her social feed.
[Back in the game! It’s better to return quickly, or else people online will either say I’m dead or that I’m terminally ill.]
In no time, her post was flooded with likes and comments, many of which were filled with laughter. Replies like, “Even if you’re not in the spotlight, the spotlight will always have your legend,” quickly piled up. Soon, Lu Zhiwei also left a comment and sent her a private message.
Lu Zhiwei: [The ad was well-shot. Very cute.]
“…” Lin Chenghuan was rendered speechless by that last word. After a moment’s thought, she replied, [Thank you. President Lu, you’re quite adorable too.]
Lu Zhiwei fell silent. Lin Chenghuan chuckled to herself, only magic could defeat magic.
Still, as she stared at the chat interface, a strange feeling crept over her. After three months apart, Lin Chenghuan began to wonder whether Lu Zhiwei’s earlier reactions had been real or just a figment of her imagination.
Whether it was an illusion or not, there would be plenty of opportunities to find out in the future. She could observe him closely then.
Online, discussions about Lin Chenghuan’s endorsement deals and her return to Fang Yuan’s agency remained highly popular, attracting significant attention. The success of her first post-comeback endorsement left both the brand and her agency thoroughly satisfied.
“How about an interview with an entertainment magazine next month?” Fang Yuan asked her.
“No problem,” Lin Chenghuan agreed readily. From now on, her agency would do everything possible to increase her public exposure.
After all, once industry insiders learned she was signed under Fang Yuan’s agency, any projects, be it acting roles, endorsements, or other promotional activities, would inevitably go through Zhuo Yi. Anyone wanting to collaborate with her would contact Fang Yuan directly. Even with a 20% commission, the earnings would be substantial.
In the entertainment industry, there’s a saying: success is 30% talent and 70% marketing. An artist’s status is directly tied to their paycheck. To maximize earnings, Zhuo Yi would spare no effort in strategizing how to maintain her relevance.
If the publicity and hype stopped, the public would gradually forget about her. As her popularity waned, so would her status and pay, leading to even less visibility, a vicious cycle.
So, netizens weren’t wrong to say she loved self-promotion. Yet, the entire industry thrived on hype, and no one could stay entirely above it. Perhaps one day, if she won a Fengshang Award and became an officially recognized, critically acclaimed actress, she could break free from this whirlpool.
Thus, after her return to the spotlight, Lin Chenghuan embarked on a busy and fulfilling routine. Before she knew it, another two months had passed.
By September, when the weather finally began to cool, news broke that Xia Yao had invested in and would participate in the production of Joy Before the Monarch. The director and screenwriter were officially announced as well.
At this point, the screenwriter’s first draft of the script was nearly complete. With a few revisions based on the director and producer’s suggestions, filming could begin. However, the script might still undergo changes during the shooting process, continuing until the screenwriter was practically driven to the hospital.
When Lin Chenghuan saw that Xia Yao was indeed collaborating with Spark Media on Joy Before the Monarch, she immediately dropped all pretense and directly expressed her interest in participating to Fang Yuan.
“Sister Fang, are there any audition events for Joy Before the Monarch recently? I find one of the characters quite intriguing,” Lin Chenghuan said over the phone.
“So, you’re interested in this drama! There’s no need for auditions. These days, palace intrigue dramas are no longer in vogue, so why go through the trouble of holding auditions for major roles? The production company will send the script directly for us to choose from. All you have to do is accept the role.”
“That’s great. I thought it would be another grand spectacle of capital, making a huge fuss.”
“Capital has changed its ways now. They’ve learned that the louder the hype upfront, the more likely it is to flop,” Fang Yuan said with a laugh, clearly pleased and relieved that Lin Chenghuan had decided to take on the role.
“Haha, indeed.”
“By the way, which role are you interested in?”
“Personally, I quite like Wei Shihuan. Of course, if the production company thinks I’m better suited for another role, that’s fine too.”
“Alright, understood.”
After hanging up, Lin Chenghuan sprawled unceremoniously on the sofa again, sighing at how reassuring and effortless it felt to have the backing of a company. Moreover, Zhuo Yi had a small team, so she didn’t have to deal with messy interpersonal relationships.
Now, all she had to do was wait for Fang Yuan’s news. Fang Yuan had come from Xia Yao and had maintained good relations with various production companies without burning bridges with her former employer. As a harem ensemble drama, Joy Before the Monarch would feature several lead roles. Apart from the slots reserved for artists the production company wanted to promote, there should still be some decent roles available.
In the novel Joy Before the Monarch, Wei Shihuan, having lost both parents at a young age, was raised by her maternal grandmother. She and her cousin Jiang Shiwan, who grew up together, made a pact to fail the imperial selection.
Although the two succeeded in being sent home after the selection, a twist of fate led Wei Shihuan to encounter the emperor while he was enjoying himself by the Luo River. As a result, she was taken into the palace as a consort.
Due to a series of coincidences, Jiang Shiwan believed her sister had deliberately orchestrated the encounter with the emperor to secure a place by his side and ascend to power, while also blocking her own path to the palace. Enraged, Jiang Shiwan severed ties with her sister and, during a visit to the palace, seduced the emperor, successfully becoming a consort.
Thereafter, the two engaged in a series of love-hate power struggles, though most of the provocations were initiated by Jiang Shiwan. Wei Shihuan, at first, continued trying to resolve the misunderstandings between them.
Finally, after a life-and-death crisis, Jiang Shiwan realized she didn’t actually want her sister to die and stepped in to help. The two eventually reconciled.
This complex, emotionally charged relationship, filled with unspoken feelings and intertwined love and hatred, naturally attracted a large fanbase, making the sisters one of the most popular pairings in the novel.
Of course, as a harem ensemble story, other pairings were equally captivating. For instance, the seemingly gentle and composed but inwardly unhinged Empress vs. the arrogant and domineering Noble Consort, the Empress vs. her ally Consort Liu, and Consort Liu vs. Wei Shihuan…
Lin Chenghuan’s fondness for the character Wei Shihuan wasn’t due to any captivating romantic pairing, but rather the multifaceted nature of her personality. She could be gentle and tolerant, silently protecting those she cared about, yet she wasn’t without her own temper.
Moreover, Wei Shihuan could be both graceful and serene, as well as radiant and captivating. Portraying such a role was both challenging and intriguing.
During these past few days, with nothing much to do, Lin Chenghuan had started revisiting the original novel of the drama. Not long after, Fang Yuan returned with news.
“Here’s the electronic version of the ‘Joy Before the Monarch’ script and the contract. The production side has already confirmed you for the role of Wei Shihuan. You can sign the contract online.”
“With Sister Fang handling it, success comes swiftly!” Lin Chenghuan received the files and couldn’t help but exclaim.
“Not at all, it’s all thanks to our Huanhuan’s hard work,” Fang Yuan replied.
And so, Lin Chenghuan resumed her routine of memorizing lines with the script in hand, ready at any moment to head to Hengdian. Fortunately, the peak of summer had passed, and the crisp, refreshing autumn season was approaching. Her first project after making a comeback wouldn’t require enduring the sweltering heat.
On the day of the opening ceremony, the production team would definitely be present, but it was uncertain whether the bosses of the two companies would attend in person. Lu Zhiwei had occasionally shown up for such events in the past, and based on previous patterns, there was a fifty-fifty chance she would be there.
Come to think of it, should she call Lu Zhiwei now and inform her that she had taken on the role in ‘Joy Before the Monarch’? After all, Lu Zhiwei had recommended the drama to her initially. However, as one of the producers, she would likely find out about the casting soon anyway.
The main company responsible for producing this drama was Spark. Fang Yuan had probably secured the role by coordinating with Spark, but the decision for the role of Wei Shihuan might not have been made by Spark alone, they might have consulted the director and Xia Yao’s team as well.
Still, even if Lu Zhiwei already knew about her casting, it would be better to reach out proactively. After some thought, Lin Chenghuan decided to send her a WeChat message. If the other party was busy, she could reply later.
[President Lu, I’ve taken on the role in ‘Joy Before the Monarch.’ The drama is quite interesting. Thank you for recommending it to me back then.] Lin Chenghuan quickly typed and sent the message.
For a moment, there was silence on the other end. Three minutes later, Lu Zhiwei replied.
[I saw. You’re a good fit for Wei Shihuan, even your names match. The drama is expected to start filming next month. See you then.]
[So soon! Will you be attending the opening ceremony, President Lu?] Lin Chenghuan asked.
[Yes. I might even stay in Hengdian for a while after you start filming.]
Lin Chenghuan, who had been leisurely sipping her iced drink, nearly choked when she read this. Wasn’t Lu Zhiwei the type who disliked lingering in chaotic places like film sets? It seemed she had changed her ways this time.
After a moment of subconscious tension, Lin Chenghuan found herself feeling somewhat excited and immediately replied, [With Sister Wei supervising, everyone will surely work diligently to create a hit drama!]
“…”
Lu Zhiwei responded with an ellipsis and then fell silent. Lin Chenghuan raised an eyebrow with interest, sipping her drink as she typed.
[Is something wrong? Please enlighten me, Sister Wei.]
[I thought we’d grown quite relaxed chatting over the past few months, but it seems we’re back to this,] Lu Zhiwei replied after a moment.
[Back to what? We’re discussing work, so it’s only natural to be a bit formal. Even if I call you President Lu, my affection for you remains unstoppable, heartfelt, and endless.]
[…Alright.]
Lin Chenghuan couldn’t help but chuckle as she read Lu Zhiwei’s replies. It was a pity the other woman wasn’t standing before her, she wondered what expression Lu Zhiwei might be wearing right now.
Managing to fluster Lu Zhiwei, even just slightly, felt remarkably amusing. In the past, she had never shown such subtle shifts in emotion. It seemed two years apart had helped bring some clarity.
Though Lin Chenghuan had repeatedly reminded herself not to be narcissistic, the memory of Lu Zhiwei’s utterly devastated expression back then still stirred something in her. The upcoming trip to Hengdian next month was filling her with immense anticipation.