Before Luo Ding’s works were released, many media outlets maintained a wait-and-see attitude.
Luo Ding’s rise to fame was rapid—his popularity soared quickly, and he gained fans at an unmatched rate. However, to others in the industry, this kind of meteoric success naturally rubbed them the wrong way. While most people had to wait years for an opportunity to advance their careers, Luo Ding seemed to sprint ahead, covering more ground in a short time than others could in years. Watching him pull further away, those left behind couldn’t help but grind their teeth in frustration.
He had long surpassed his peers who debuted around the same time, and even many senior artists couldn’t compare to him anymore. His existence was bound to stir up resentment.
Since his debut, Luo Ding had tried his hand at singing, acting in both television and films, and even made a foray into Hollywood. With his involvement in various fields, he naturally accumulated a lot of rivals across different circles.
Even his good friends, Wu Yuan and Pan Yiming, would occasionally feel a twinge of envy when they reflected on how smoothly Luo Ding’s career had progressed. If friends felt this way, how could strangers be any different?
At least in the industry, there were far more people waiting to see Luo Ding fail than there were anticipating his next work.
One of the more recent examples was the fanbase of Mellen, a singing group that had competed with Luo Ding for awards at a music festival. Mellen’s fans were primarily teenagers—idol-crazed, obsessed with looks, and often immature in their worldview. Despite a few level-headed fans calling for restraint, the majority of Mellen’s youthful fanbase rarely bothered to consider right from wrong in their frenzy. When Mellen didn’t win an award, their fans lashed out, cursing all the artists who had won awards at the festival. They blamed everything from rigged judging to the country’s corruption. In their eyes, Mellen’s energetic and explosive performance had far more merit than Luo Ding’s piano piece, which they deemed unremarkable. Why did Luo Ding deserve the award? Even a tie would have been more acceptable to them.
They conveniently ignored the fact that the award winners had been decided before the performances even took place. Filled with a sense of injustice, they hurled accusations, with some even infiltrating Luo Ding’s fanbase, pretending to be haters to stir up trouble. Although this tactic was quickly exposed, it caused a considerable uproar at the time.
The two fanbases essentially became enemies.
Luo Ding found the situation frustrating. He was well aware of the drama within his fanbase, but as a public figure, he couldn’t address such matters directly. Anything he said would eventually be used against him. The best course of action was for his company to step in and coordinate with his diehard fans to formulate a response. In the end, the best strategy they could come up with was to ignore it.
Of course, this official stance of ignoring the conflict was passed on to the fanbase, but privately, Gu Yaxing didn’t let it slide and took a few retaliatory measures behind the scenes. However, it was best to keep such things away from the fans.
This time, when Luo Ding went to Fashion Week, the rumors that he was sitting on the sidelines were partly stirred up by other celebrities, and partly fueled by people back in China.
Mellen’s fans played no small part in spreading these rumors. But when the news broke that Luo Ding had actually walked the runway, they collectively fell silent.
After the video of the final runway show was released, they had nothing left to say. Out of fear of being ridiculed, Mellen’s fanbase began frantically deleting their earlier defamatory Weibo posts.
Up until then, Luo Ding’s fans had heeded the company’s advice and remained calm, avoiding direct confrontations. No matter how outrageous the insults and provocations from Mellen’s fans, most of them bit their tongues and swallowed their grievances. Even when a few impulsive young fans wanted to roll up their sleeves and fight back, the more experienced “auntie” fans quickly talked them down, ensuring that the negative rumors spread as little as possible.
Now that the other side had begun deleting posts, Luo Ding’s fans finally felt vindicated. There was nothing more satisfying than using an outstanding work to slap your enemies in the face. Being a fan of a talented idol meant riding a constant rollercoaster between crises and triumphs. The older fans, who had been following Luo Ding since the early days, had already been through several crises with him. Watching him defeat his detractors time and time again and rise to the top undefeated filled them with a pride that outsiders couldn’t possibly understand.
However, the impact of the fashion show turned out to be much larger than they had initially thought.
Fan circles always received news faster than the general public, but often, it wasn’t until after they had finished celebrating that the wider public even became aware of the event.
The domestic branch of D&S took a clip of Luo Ding and Sophia’s runway performance and played it on a continuous loop in their stores. Many passersby were captivated by the short video, which led to a surge in sales, particularly in the men’s collection—an area that traditionally lagged behind women’s fashion at D&S. Many customers came in asking where they could buy the riding outfit that Luo Ding had worn on the runway. Even the steep price didn’t deter the eager buyers.
Gu Yaxing sensed that there was something extraordinary about D&S’s actions, but he wasn’t ready to make any conclusions just yet.
Then, Luo Ding posted on Weibo.
Since posting photos on the day he arrived in Milan, Luo Ding had not updated his Weibo in real-time. Now, once again, his account sprang to life. He uploaded several high-quality photos taken by the runway photographers and added a cheerful message about how happy he was to have finished his work, announcing that he would soon be returning to China.
The photos included shots of both his solo and paired runway walks, but most notably, they captured his final appearance in the closing show. Although these were described as “candids,” the photographers’ skills and choice of angles were extraordinary. One shot, taken from below, showcased his slightly raised head and long, pale neck. The arrogance in his eyes was so natural that many people felt a sense of awe as they looked at the pictures.
But no one knew better than Luo Ding’s fans just how soft and adorable he really was! Such an image couldn’t fool them.
After Luo Ding posted, within thirty seconds, the comments section was flooded with “Ahhh!” screams, nearly drowning him in the noise.
The number of shares skyrocketed past 1,000 in the blink of an eye, and within five minutes, it exceeded 10,000. Many fans hadn’t even had time to look at the pictures yet—they were simply celebrating his appearance. About half an hour later, when the comments finally started catching up, people began discussing the photos in detail.
Luo Ding recognized the IDs of many longtime fans. As soon as his fan club appeared in the comments, it caught his attention. He recalled Gu Yaxing mentioning that this fan club had now become one of the most devoted fan groups, essentially running a personal fan site for him. The person behind it managed all of Luo Ding’s fan resources with dedication and had even organized several fan groups. During the recent incident with Mellen’s fans, it was thanks to them that things didn’t escalate too far, as they helped calm the newer fans.
Luo Ding felt a deep sense of gratitude for the fan’s contributions.
However, upon reading the fan’s comment, he couldn’t help but feel a bit speechless.
Luo Ding Fan Club: “Ahhhhhhhhhh!!! I’m breaking up with my boyfriend!!! Luo Xiaoding, marry me!!!”
Perhaps due to the fan’s influence, her comment quickly rose to the top. Luo Ding clicked on her ID and found that her retweets and comments were also receiving a lot of attention. He scrolled through and noticed a very different atmosphere there.
I Pout Higher Than the Sky: “You’re wrong, you should be going after Duan Ge.”
Xiaodingding I’m Your Real Mom Fan: “Are you serious? Let’s form a group. I know where Duan Ge’s company is, maybe we can sneak in through the back door.”
Luo Ding Fan Club: “Ahhhhh, stop messing with me! I’m drooling here! Damn it, I’ve already broken two screens this month, and I still need to save up to buy gifts for Luo Xiaoding!”
Everyone immediately burst into laughter, mocking the fan who had been lucky enough to have Luo Ding respond to her comment once.
Only then did Luo Ding realize that the handkerchief he had been using for so long had been a gift from this fan. After thinking for a moment, he decided to add this fan account as the only secret follow on his main account.
In various forums, people had grown accustomed to seeing Luo Ding-related posts dominate the discussion. Whenever there was any update about him, it was guaranteed to flood the forums. Over time, people even began to map out the different types of Luo Ding fans across various platforms. Most of the “mom fans” gathered on Weibo and the Haijiao Forum. Meanwhile, the “stepmom fans” lurked on the HuPu Forum, while the girlfriend fans ruled Tieba. As for the fanbase in QQ Space… well, no one really kept track of that.
The boundaries between these fan groups were clear, and they rarely interacted with each other. However, their distinct styles were easy to recognize.
Mom fans supported every decision Luo Ding made. They were experts at buying his albums, and since the company didn’t ask them to spend much, they often pooled their money to organize events to raise Luo Ding’s profile. They were also very tolerant of artists who had been linked to Luo Ding in CP rumors. Girlfriend fans, on the other hand, never shared any news related to CP pairings. They mostly stayed in their own circles, writing love letters or poems and posting them on forums. Some even did romantic things like sending thick notebooks filled with love confessions to the company. Though they were quiet, they were steadfast in their devotion. The stepmom fans on HuPu, however, were truly unique. Every time there was news about Luo Ding, they were the first to find something to criticize. They would curse the company, the manager, the event organizers, and even the fans who followed Luo Ding at the airport. They’d rant about how terrible Luo Ding’s outfits were and complain that the company should buy him new clothes. Yet, once a new work was released, these same fans would instantly transform into giddy fools, scrambling to catch up with the mom fans.
As Duan Xiubo scrolled through Weibo, he chuckled. “Four out of the top ten trending topics are related to you. You’re more popular than me now.” Luo Ding’s fame had initially been built online, and as he grew more successful, his influence on the internet grew alongside his real-world impact. In comparison, Duan Xiubo didn’t appear online as frequently. He usually made appearances only when he had a new project or a classic work to promote. Though his Weibo repost count was less than half of Luo Ding’s, his actual influence far surpassed Luo Ding’s.
After all, the nickname “Walking Headline” wasn’t given to him for nothing.
Luo Ding didn’t bother responding, so Duan Xiubo quietly took his phone away. As he scrolled through the comments, his expression turned a bit peculiar.
“Ahhhhhhhh, male god, come home with meeeee!!!”
“Ahhhhhhhh, male god, I want to have your babies!!!”
Could Luo Ding see all of this?
Duan Xiubo glanced at Luo Ding, who remained completely calm, not the least bit embarrassed. It was clear he didn’t take such comments seriously, but Duan Xiubo still felt a twinge of jealousy.
“Luo Xiaoding, someone’s offering to have your baby here,” he called out loudly. “You sure are lucky—people are lining up to have kids with you.”
Luo Ding, while tying his tie, cast a glance at Duan Xiubo. Seeing the half-joking, half-serious look on his face, Luo Ding was left speechless.
This man could get jealous over anything.
“Should I check your page?” Luo Ding retorted. After all, his own page was mostly filled with “mom fans,” but Duan Xiubo’s was full of “girlfriend fans.” If they were going to dig up dirt, it was hard to say who would come out on top.
“…,” Duan Xiubo chuckled sheepishly. “Never mind, I was just teasing.”
Looking at the comments below the post, many of which challenged him to fight, he smirked with a mixture of pride and indifference. Who would want to fight with them? He wasn’t stupid.
Putting down the phone, Duan Xiubo’s gaze trailed along Luo Ding’s back, lingering from his shoulders down to his waist and lower, until his eyes rested on his ankles. Slowly, like a snake, his eyes slid up again. Over and over, a single thought repeated in his mind.
Luo Ding is so good-looking, so good-looking, so good-looking, so good-looking, so good-looking, so good-looking…
The sweetness he felt when he thought about how this man had woken up in his arms this morning made him want to burst with happiness.
Although they were deep into their “honeymoon phase,” Duan Xiubo still managed to gain the upper hand at times, despite Luo Ding’s gradual shift toward an “old married couple” mode.
As Luo Ding finished adjusting his tie, he felt someone press up against his back. Looking in the mirror, he saw Duan Xiubo staring at him with burning eyes. Luo Ding smiled slightly. “What is it?”
“Can we hold hands when we go out today?”
“…,” Luo Ding paused for a moment, then resumed what he was doing. “No.”
The taller man’s expression immediately turned despondent. “Not many people will recognize us abroad.”
“It’s Fashion Week, and there are plenty of Chinese people in Milan right now. Just yesterday, I ran into two people backstage at the show who asked for autographs and photos. If we get photographed, the news will definitely spread back home.” Luo Ding explained briefly, but seeing Duan Xiubo’s still-disappointed expression, he felt a bit guilty. He turned around and gently ruffled Duan Xiubo’s hair. “Don’t be upset. Let’s keep the bigger picture in mind.”
Duan Xiubo raised his arm to cover Luo Ding’s hand, enclosing Luo Ding’s slender hand in his palm. His fingertips lightly brushed over the scar on Luo Ding’s wrist, and he bowed his head, saying nothing.
Luo Ding watched him.
Suddenly, Duan Xiubo looked up. “Why don’t we come out?” He couldn’t stand this anymore. He wanted to hold Luo Ding’s hand openly in public, without worrying about being seen. He wanted to be with Luo Ding everywhere, without having to hide their relationship or avoid public displays of affection.
Luo Ding raised an eyebrow, catching the seriousness in Duan Xiubo’s eyes. Was he serious?
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