FLME Ch39

After watching it once, Xi Su was silent; after the second viewing, he tried hard to come up with some criticism but swallowed his words when he realized he was even worse; after the third viewing, and the fourth…

After watching it countless times, Xi Su thought angrily: Damn it, why does it seem like it’s actually pretty good?!

Isn’t this Yu Wen’s first time acting?!

Isn’t a first-time actor supposed to be awkward, stiff, and terrible?! ——Well, he is like that.

But how come Yu Wen’s acting has a strange sense of flair?!

Xi Su went online to check, and sure enough, aside from discussions about the show, Yu Wen was the most talked about topic.

「Oh oh oh, I just love this kind of goofy style. Keep it coming!」

「Is my internet comedian son about to be discovered? Jian Heng, come out and let mama give you a kiss.」

「Love it, love it, can’t do without you!」

「Who’s the handsome guy standing on the tree in the first scene?」

「I’m dying of laughter, thought I was the only one who noticed. That high ponytail flicked right into my heart.」

「So full of youthful energy, I will always prefer kids with a youthful vibe.」

「And that sword-flying spellcasting, that relaxed vibe…」

「Feels like he really could be a cultivator (confirmed)」

Yu Wen’s fan base grew quickly. After all, he was a long-time figure active in the gossip scene, but regarding this new drama, his fans seemed even more bewildered than the netizens discussing it.

「What? A new drama?」

「Let me see, let me see… Oh my God, sisters! It’s so good! Yu Bao looks like that spirited young junior disciple in xianxia dramas (nonsense)…」

「What?! Melon King took on a role behind our backs?!」

「You bunch of crazy people, can you stop losing it here? Yu Bao filmed this drama months ago, and yes, it’s a xianxia drama, and yes, he’s playing the junior disciple.」

「Oh my god, oh my god, he winked at me! He has a crush on me! He’s trying to get my attention! Fine, I’m willing to marry him. (blissful)」

「If only I had a peanut…」

Onlookers were cracking up at the fans’ reactions. Some kind-hearted fangirls even privately messaged them, offering their experience in the form of detailed spreadsheets, generously sharing everything they knew.

Xi Su scrolled through his phone for half an hour, confirming that all the reviews online were positive, with no criticism at all.

He was devastated, refusing to believe it, convinced that the trailer had just cut together Yu Wen’s best two scenes. The rest must be full of flaws, or at least something to criticize!

Three days later, when the full episode airs, he’ll see Yu Wen exposed with nowhere to hide!

Just wait, revenge is a dish best served cold, even if it takes ten years!

Yu Wen was reminded of the trailer release by Xie Heyu.

As a manager, Xie Heyu was much more reliable than Xie Jiamao. Not only did he keep track of every new release Yu Wen had, but he also monitored online sentiment in real time, summarizing it and giving feedback to Yu Wen.

One piece of feedback stood out: [Public opinion is favorable; you have received a lot of praise.]

Yu Wen didn’t know why, but something about that line struck him as funny.

After chatting with Xie Heyu, Yu Wen found himself in a new dilemma—three days from now, “Legend of the Immortal Sect” would premiere, and the first episode of “Battle Royale” would release its trailer on the same day.

Normally, an actor would need to promote any ongoing or upcoming projects, but with two projects releasing at the same time, and only one Weibo account…

Jian Heng was in the same boat.

Teacher Jian was the male lead in “Legend of the Immortal Sect” and a guest in the first episode of “Battle Royale.” Like Yu Wen, he was torn, wishing he could split his account in half, one half for each project.

In the end, the two decided to balance things out.

On the day “Legend of the Immortal Sect” premiered, audiences witnessed a rare sight in the entertainment industry: both the male lead and the male supporting actor split their profile pictures in half—one half in traditional costume and the other in dark, Western fantasy style.

Yu Wen’s was even funnier. Both sides of the image had one hand each cropped out, so he Photoshopped a bowl of water right in the middle, fully embodying the idea of “balancing both sides.”

Jian Heng praised him: “You’re a genius.”

Yi Ming and the others in the group chat went wild with laughter.

The two projects also aired close together—”Legend of the Immortal Sect” at 9 PM with the first four episodes online, a total of 24 episodes expected to air in a month; “Battle Royale’s” trailer half an hour later, at the prime 9:30 PM slot, with the first episode tentatively set for the week after next, in a shoot-as-you-go format.

Yu Wen calculated that these two projects would overlap for at least half a month and immediately wanted to die.

He worried that the two directors might have an issue with this, so he subtly probed. Fortunately, both directors were kind people; not only did they have no problem with it, but they also reassured him to take it easy.

But Yu Wen found it hard to be at ease, knowing he’d have to keep balancing for another half month.

After reposting both Weibo posts, he hesitated between the two projects but decided to watch the “Battle Royale” trailer first.

Trailers are shorter than four episodes, after all.

The trailer was a full seven minutes long, the longest he’d ever seen, and the progress bar was in countdown format.

Instead of the usual time format, the progress bar displayed: Countdown: XX:XX.

At the mention of a countdown, Yu Wen immediately thought of the seven-day time limit and the countdown days in the Brave’s Notes, realizing it was a clever touch from the production team.

But without seeing the actual episode, the viewers clearly didn’t understand.

「What’s with the countdown? Is it a clue?」

「Weird progress bar…」

「What happens when the countdown ends? Why is the countdown number seven?」

「Never mind, based on what I know about ‘Battle Royale,’ we’ll probably have to rewatch the trailer after the full episode to figure it out. For now, just enjoy the eye candy.」

The comments debated the progress bar for a while, but without a conclusion, they quickly became absorbed in the upcoming scenes.

The trailer opened with a strange piano piece Yu Wen had heard before. The original tune was light and soothing, but the production team had altered it, stretching the gentle notes into a slow, ethereal melody that created a chilling, eerie atmosphere.

The scene transitioned to a long, empty corridor, flanked by smirking portraits, the ticking of a sink’s faucet, and the creaking door reflected in the mirror above the sink… along with the crimson-eyed brass fixtures on either side of the handrails.

With two flapping bird sound effects, the screen went black, then lit up again—the brass birds on the handrails were gone.

The piano abruptly stopped.

Each guest awoke in their respective positions, scanning their surroundings warily.

A broken, hoarse voice crackled over the broadcast: “Welcome to the dragon’s castle, dear guests, we are pleased to have you here…”

Under the strange broadcast, the guests each reacted differently.

The program provided several close-ups, and then the pace suddenly accelerated.

‘The ghost is everywhere… Brave one, draw your sword once again…”

“He wanted me to play ‘Greensleeves’ for him, a song from his homeland…”

“I think I have to kill it.”

“I’m a cowardly elf, but this time, I stood in front of them.”

“You are hope…”

“I must forge it, and this time, I must succeed—”

Fragmented phrases came together, the camera quickly switched between the guests, and finally, they all uttered the same line in unison:

“I can’t get out.”

The focus of the first episode’s preview was on the storyline, with only a few solo long shots of the guests, but Yu Wen still had a few impressive close-ups.

One was of him walking out of a room, leisurely strolling down a gloomy corridor with a sword in hand, casually twirling it twice.

He was so influenced by the “Legend of the Immortal Sect” crew that his hands automatically moved when touching anything long and cylindrical, and he didn’t even realize it. If it weren’t for the close-up in the preview, he wouldn’t have known how itchy his hands were.

Another shot was when he pierced through the cursed magic with his sword and, before kneeling down, casually twirled the sword again. The cross-shaped holy sword, now unsheathed, wasn’t heavy, and it spun nimbly in his pale fingers.

Yu Wen carefully rewound the progress bar and felt that this action didn’t seem too out of place, so he breathed a slight sigh of relief.

But then again, if it had been out of place, the director wouldn’t have kept it in, let alone made it a close-up in the preview.

The simultaneous airing of two productions stirred up a bigger splash than expected.

“Battle Royale” was a highly anticipated national variety show with considerable attention and a loyal fan base. On the day the third season’s regular cast was announced, a new super topic was established, waiting for the first episode’s core plot to come out and start shipping the characters.

Yu Wen’s performance in the preview, while not dazzling, was enough to catch the eye, converting some variety show fans into casual fans.

Coincidentally, “Legend of the Immortal Sect” was also airing, so many people quietly checked it out.

And “Legend of the Immortal Sect” was a light-hearted comedy aimed at young people who are into fast surfing. The plot was smooth and slightly absurd, making it perfect for relaxing and eating while watching.

The two productions had overlapping audiences and unique styles, influencing each other and creating an unexpected level of buzz.

「Came from Teacher Lei Zhi’s Weibo, “Battle Royale” fans here to support the teacher’s new drama.」

「Immortal romance? Okay, let me check it out.」

「It’s not immortal romance, it’s Xianxia, it’s written in the tags.」

「What does that mean?」

「Unified explanation: Immortal romance is beautiful love set in a Xianxia background. The core theme of Xianxia is heroism—heroes of great character serve the country and the people.」

「What kind of heroism can a silly show like this have? The director must have tagged it wrong.」

「Hahaha, Xianxia dramas always have people dying, I don’t believe this one will.」

「Count me in as not believing.」

The first four episodes were neither too long nor too short, but they set the tone for the entire show.

The audience who checked it out with nothing better to do found themselves unable to stop after watching the first episode.

「Damn, the plot isn’t even that exaggerated, but why is it so funny!」

「It’s not that kind of wacky comedy, it’s just… how do I put it…」

「Contrast! Every character is so serious, the more serious, the funnier!」

「Hahaha, yes, the contrast!」

「I’m dying, Second Senior Brother looked so cool and serious when he first appeared. I thought he was a steady guy, but then he goes to bed hugging a chicken at night. I’m losing it.」

「Can’t blame Second Senior Brother, if he doesn’t hug the chicken to sleep, Jiang Qiuyue might steal it at night.」

「Why steal a chicken!」

「Senior Sister goes out at night looking for food; she’ll cook anything she sees.」

「This show is crazy; I’m losing my mind.」

Yu Wen had a lot of screen time in the first four episodes since he’s the third male lead. The main character enters Yunxiao Mountain, his identity unknown. No one trusts him or pays him much attention, except for Chu Zhiyao, who firmly believes he’s a good person.

When the main character’s cultivation is noticed by the Second Senior Brother, forcing him to lie about having internal injuries and making up a tragic backstory, only Chu Zhiyao believes his every word.

When asked why, he just smiles and raises an eyebrow, “I’m lucky; anyone I meet must be a good person.”

What follows was a series of chaotic attempts by Chu Zhiyao to heal the main character’s “injuries.”

「I’m dying, he’s a half-baked healer making potions for Pu Yangxi. What’s he even making?」

「Every time he makes a potion, the main character loses half his life.」

「Old Six, please let him go, he really looks like he’s going to die.」

「He even drinks it himself to prove it’s not poisoned. Do you even know what your own constitution is?」

「Thanks to Old Six’s relentless efforts, the Demon King of the Demon Tribe has lost all his cultivation. No need to say more (cyber prayer).」

「Blessed by a koi, defies logic.」

「Hahaha, I always wondered why the third male lead calls him Little Koi.」

The cheerful, enthusiastic, but unconventional koi successfully drives Pu Yangxi to the brink of collapse, leading to the classic line he sends to his left and right protectors:

“The information was wrong! This place is strange! I’ve lost all my cultivation, come rescue me immediately!”

You can tell he was in a hurry.

The female lead had little screen time in the first four episodes, mostly existing in conversations, but the characters’ descriptions make her interesting. It was as if she was a boss in a game who hadn’t appeared yet but can wipe out everything in one move, making the audience extremely curious and eager for her to show up.

Recently, the spicy teachers compiled a “God-Tier Acting Moments in the Entertainment Industry” for Yu Wen, and he binge-watched it three times. Before, in the training class, he could only learn the basics like positioning and camera sense. After watching these videos, his horizons broadened, and he felt his performance in his debut lacked polish.

But with his unique blind confidence (netizens call this a sense of ease), he managed not to show any nervousness and even contributed many iconic, spirited moments.

For example, that wink.

The “Battle Royale” preview topped the trending list, followed by a “Boom!” and “Legend of the Immortal Sect”’s plot trended at number four. Clicking on it, you see the wink filling up the screen.

When they shot that scene, the director only asked Yu Wen to act slyly, with a little wink or something. Yu Wen, being lazy, only moved one eye.

His eyelashes are long, his skin is fair, and there was still a lingering smile on his face. Before the wink, he licked his canine tooth with the tip of his tongue, like a cat with a naughty idea brewing.

Handsome, yes. Beautiful, yes. Two completely different qualities, blending together in a contradictory harmony.

There were all kinds of people shouting on the trending list, calling out “husband” and “wife” in a frenzy.

「Oh oh oh, Chu Zhiyao, my new husband!」

「I have a good eye for people. I knew right away that this is my boyfriend.」

「Let’s congratulate the Melon King on getting a new skin!」

「Share this Melon King, and you will be protected by koi luck for a month.」

「Waaah, my wife, my teardrop mole wife…」

「Let me copy, let me copy.」

「Dame! Don’t touch Chu Zhiyao’s butt!」

Yu Wen watched as his followers increased by over a hundred thousand, and this was just the beginning. Adding what he had accumulated before, he was close to four million.

He looked at that number, still feeling a bit amused.

That’s a lot of people.

After scrolling through Weibo for a while, he went downstairs to get some water. Xi Su was sitting on the sofa, holding his phone, browsing something, laughing intermittently like he was having a fit.

Yu Wen, with his sharp eyes, noticed him picking up a banana peel from the floor. Forgetting about going downstairs, he shouted, “Xi Su! Don’t eat stuff off the floor!”

Xi Su shot up like a spring, his phone flying in a graceful arc before landing on the stairs.

Yu Wen quickly ran down, picking up the phone as he passed. He didn’t know what brand Xi Su used, but the screen hadn’t shattered despite the fall.

Yu Wen stood in front of him, his face serious. “Roommate rule number ten, recite it.”

Xi Su glanced at the still-lit screen in Yu Wen’s hand, curling up in embarrassment. “No leaving food scraps on the floor. If something falls, it must be cleaned up immediately…”

Yu Wen: “Do you admit your mistake?”

Xi Su, feeling unjustly wronged, retorted, “I did clean it up!”

Yu Wen: “You’re not supposed to pick up garbage off the floor to eat!”

Xi Su: “My grandma says if you pick it up within three seconds, it’s still good to eat!”

Yu Wen: “When I saw it, it was already on the floor for at least half a minute!”

Xi Su: “…”

Who actually times this stuff?

“Don’t do it again,” Yu Wen sternly reminded, handing back the phone. As he turned it over, he caught a glimpse of the screen and fell silent.

The screen showed the paused fourth episode of “Legend of the Immortal Sect.”

Xi Su had half a sentence typed in the chat box, not yet sent.

[Brothers! Did you all notice that little move Chu Zhiyao just did?! That was handled so skillfully!]

Yu Wen: “…”

Xi Su: “…”

Silence lingered for what felt like half a century before Xi Su awkwardly spoke up, “We’re all colleagues at the company. I’m just cheering you on…”

Please believe me, man. Seriously, give me a break.

Yu Wen looked at the chat box content and suddenly realized he had found the perfect way to deal with Xi Su.

He said, “Can you immediately go and mop the living room floor?”

Xi Su: “Huh? Why—”

Yu Wen: “If you don’t, something very scary will happen.”

“…Tch.”

Seeing that Xi Su remained unmoved, Yu Wen figured he wouldn’t budge without a little push.

Yu Wen flashed a bright smile at him.

“Do you like Chu Zhiyao? He dies at the end.”

“…”

Xi Su froze like a robot that had been forcefully rebooted, stuck in place for four or five minutes.

Once rebooted, Yu Wen’s words ran through his mind.

The villa echoed with a sharp, piercing scream.

“Ah—”