“Luo Ding!!!!——”
Duan Xiubo turned off the TV, and the noise from the sound system instantly ceased. He tossed the remote onto the coffee table and sank into the sofa, checking the time on his phone.
This was the highest-rated awards ceremony in history, and the TV station, which usually only broadcasted live, had even arranged a special rebroadcast slot for the program. Although some parts were edited out for the rebroadcast, what remained was more than enough to satisfy most of the audience.
Not a single second of Luo Ding’s appearance on stage was cut.
His hot dance performance during the awards ceremony was even edited into a promotional clip for the rebroadcast, indicating just how popular Luo Ding was after the event.
In the end, Luo Ding took home the Best Popular Song Award, the Best Composition Award for his EP, and the Best Lyricist Award. Additionally, he had appeared in the music video for Pan Yiming’s album, which won Best MV. Undoubtedly, he was the biggest winner of the night.
News of him was everywhere in China. The day after the awards ceremony, Luo Ding gave interviews to nearly ten major media outlets. Some were for fashion magazines, while others were for widely circulated local media.
With the high viewership ratings, his real-life popularity had increased significantly compared to before. The extensive media coverage came at the perfect time, helping casual viewers who didn’t know him well to deepen their impression of him.
Duan Xiubo scrolled through Weibo’s homepage, and Luo Ding’s news was everywhere. Even some well-known directors and top actors in his circle were reposting information related to Luo Ding. Duan Xiubo’s finger hovered over the “like” button for a long time, and only after gritting his teeth did he manage to stop himself from pressing it.
He retweeted a Weibo post congratulating Luo Ding on winning three awards, then switched from his main account to his alt account. Sure enough, the atmosphere there was completely different from earlier.
The entire homepage was filled with fans swooning.
Among the lucky fans who attended the event, the majority brought professional photography equipment. In fan circles, those who could instantly upload high-quality content were referred to as “frontline” fans—those battling on the front lines. Being a frontline fan wasn’t easy. Professional cameras were expensive, and to take good photos, special lenses were essential. Without considerable financial means to prepare these tools, becoming a qualified frontline fan was out of the question. Not to mention the cost of traveling across the country following their idol, plus accommodation, food, and tickets for events.
In this aspect, Luo Ding’s fanbase clearly outshone those of many other actors. His fans tended to be older, with many already financially independent. So, for his debut performance, almost all the attendees were hardcore frontline fans. The ticket prices had been resold for as much as 5,000 yuan, and even so, his fans occupied the largest section of the audience.
As a result, after the event ended, there was a flood of fan-shot photos and videos.
Dance clips, solo portraits… in different photographers’ lenses, Luo Ding sometimes appeared calm and gentle, while at other times, his aura varied with the angle. But his charismatic presence always remained.
The homepage was full of excited exclamations—
“Luo Ding, the bond we shared as mother and son ends today! Marry me already!!!”
“Oh my god, if you haven’t seen him in person, you wouldn’t know how handsome he is! He’s so slim!!! So tall!!! His legs are insanely long!! His skin is white like milk!!! His eyes are huge!!!!!!”
“When we met him at the airport, he answered all our questions so nicely!!!!!!”
“He looks even better in person than on camera!!!!!!”
Pfft. What’s the big deal? Duan Xiubo sees Luo Ding all the time too.
Duan Xiubo smirked as he liked a few posts, then glanced at the time and shouted, “Mi Rui, what time are we leaving?!”
Mi Rui, who had hurriedly finished his work preparations, was so dazed that he almost wanted to strangle Duan Xiubo on the spot. But he couldn’t. After all, he still had to drive Duan Xiubo to the airport to pick up Luo Ding.
The production team had already offered to send a car to pick up Luo Ding, but Duan Xiubo insisted on going himself, saying that the airport would be too crowded, and it wouldn’t be safe for Luo Ding to travel alone. Safe, my foot! What, do the fans carry grenades in their bags? Do you really need four bodyguards?
Knowing they were about to leave, Duan Xiubo’s mood immediately lifted.
It had been a long time since he’d seen Luo Ding, and the brief daily phone calls weren’t enough to fill the void of his longing. The awards had been a killer. At first, he had only missed Luo Ding a little, but after watching him dance, it ceremonywas like his entire body was being tortured, with thoughts of “Luo Ding,” “Luo Ding” pouring out from his pores, and nothing could satisfy his yearning.
How could someone be so alluring?!
That face, those hands, every move he made, his skin shimmering under the camera, the slightly hoarse and breathy tone of his voice, the intensity of his gaze after the makeup accentuated his eyes…
Duan Xiubo’s hands started trembling. He felt as though he had overdosed on sugar, his body’s subtle reactions multiplying by the second. He quickly tried to distract himself by browsing the latest entertainment news in China.
Aside from Luo Ding’s stunning success as the biggest winner of the night, there was another piece of news that had unexpectedly gained momentum.
That was about Su Shengbai.
The media had begun digging deeper into the reasons behind Su Shengbai’s departure from Yaxing Studio. Previously, there had only been minor rumors, but now they seemed insignificant in comparison. The back-and-forth confrontation between Gu Yaxing and Su Shengbai on the red carpet laid bare their grievances and personal conflicts for all to see. The spectators were thoroughly intrigued, especially the news outlets, who had found a juicy scoop and wasted no time capitalizing on it.
All of a sudden, Su Shengbai’s entire life—his background, personality, and even his close social circle—was laid bare. He came from a modest family and had always been good at interpersonal relationships. Shortly after joining Yaxing Studio, he debuted and became close with Luo Ding, eventually becoming the group’s leader due to his networking abilities.
The more the reports delved into Su Shengbai’s past, the harder it became to overlook how close he had once been to Luo Ding. They had taken care of each other, Su Shengbai handling the social side of things, while Luo Ding tended to more practical, day-to-day matters. Despite this seemingly strong bond, Su Shengbai left without a trace of attachment. After joining Universal Entertainment, he never mentioned Luo Ding again, as if that chapter of his life was buried deep in the ground, and anyone who tried to dig it up would receive no cooperation from him.
At first, people speculated that maybe something unpleasant had happened between them before the group disbanded, or that perhaps Luo Ding had done something to wrong Su Shengbai.
But judging by the red carpet interaction, that clearly wasn’t the case. Gu Yaxing’s open hostility and Su Shengbai’s submissive demeanor said it all—when it came to moral integrity, one party was clearly in the wrong.
In fact, the series of negative reports about Su Shengbai in recent days had already shattered his once wholesome and down-to-earth image in the eyes of the public. These new revelations only further solidified people’s belief that Su Shengbai wasn’t a good person. However, what truly piqued everyone’s interest was his relationship with Cao Dingkun.
Cao Dingkun was known in the industry for being a relatively low-profile figure. He didn’t make enemies, didn’t act arrogant, and was always polite, hardworking, and kept a professional distance. When he appeared in public, it was always for work, and his films were consistently of high quality. This diligent approach had enhanced his already positive public image.
So what was his connection to Su Shengbai? Why would someone like Cao Dingkun suddenly take an interest in mentoring a relatively unknown and inexperienced young actor? Industry insiders couldn’t help but speculate about a hidden agenda, though before these rumors could gain much traction, an even deeper secret was uncovered.
It turned out that Cao Dingkun’s relationship with famed director Xu Zhen was not as straightforward as it appeared to the public.
Cao Dingkun had been working relentlessly, taking on endorsements and starring in film after film, earning him a spot on Forbes’ list of highest-earning celebrities. Fans were curious: how much did he make, where did he live, did he own private jets? However, as the media dug into Su Shengbai and Cao Dingkun’s personal relationship, they uncovered a very different image of the superstar.
He drove a company car, lived in a suburban villa built over ten years ago, and didn’t even have a pool—forget about private jets! Where had all his money gone? Why was he living so frugally?
The answer was simple.
It was all invested in Xu Zhen’s films over the past ten-plus years.
Shortly after transitioning into acting, Cao Dingkun had invested a million yuan into one of Xu Zhen’s low-budget art films. Although that film never made it to theaters and ended up being a financial disaster, Cao Dingkun didn’t seem to care. From that point on, he appeared as an investor in several of Xu Zhen’s films, as if no amount of financial loss could dampen his enthusiasm for funding movies. He kept pouring money in, without a second thought.
As the investments grew larger, the films improved, and Xu Zhen’s reputation began to rise. It wasn’t until years later, after several losses, that the films finally started turning a profit.
In fact, right before his death, Cao Dingkun had invested in Xu Zhen’s latest project, *Assassin*. This information had never been publicly disclosed, or perhaps it wasn’t meant to be. But secrets are hard to keep, and eventually, this one got out.
When you listed out all the films Cao Dingkun had invested in over the years, it was downright shocking.
Even parents wouldn’t throw money at their children like that! It turned out that Cao Dingkun had known Xu Zhen for ages, and their relationship was so close that he was willing to endure repeated financial losses just to support him. Yet, in front of the public, they often portrayed their connection as purely professional…
What’s more, the contrast between all the resources Cao Dingkun had given to Xu Zhen and how Xu Zhen acted after his death was jarring, to say the least!
Aside from Xu Zhen being briefly hospitalized for “grieving too much” after Cao Dingkun’s passing, he had done virtually nothing to honor his memory. No memorial, no funeral, no investigation into the car accident that killed him—nothing. Now Xu Zhen was only busy hosting auditions for his next film, supposedly to “fulfill Cao Dingkun’s last wishes,” but it was clear to any discerning observer where his real priorities lay.
The intricate and entangled relationships between Xu Zhen, Cao Dingkun, and Su Shengbai were enough to keep the public hooked, wanting to dig deeper but unsure where to start.
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