Recording an album was something that came up quickly and unexpectedly. Though Luo Ding was still filming, the demand for his new album in the music world, where his popularity was soaring, kept growing. If he dropped the ball now, it would be like cutting off one of his own limbs. Before the situation worsened, Luo Ding had to keep up his routine of releasing an album every year.
From 10:30 AM to 12:30 PM, he practiced dancing. Two hours didn’t seem long, but with the high intensity of the physical exertion, it became quite grueling. Luo Ding was drenched in sweat and casually wiped his face with a towel. The weather was warming up, and with the air conditioning inside, it wasn’t cold at all.
The door creaked open, and he instinctively looked over. Wu Fangyuan, with his golden hair, walked in holding an iPad. When he saw Luo Ding, he froze for a moment and quickly prepared to turn around and leave.
“Stop,” Luo Ding called out. “Don’t hide it. Bring it over and let me see.”
It wasn’t the first time this had happened. Ever since Luo Ding had taken over this body, whenever there were unpleasant rumors circulating, Wu Fangyuan would get more anxious than him. It was touching to have someone care so much, but that didn’t mean Luo Ding was willing to be kept in the dark. When it came to news about himself, Luo Ding preferred to know as much as possible, even if it was bad.
Wu Fangyuan felt like slapping himself. Why did he come back to the office? He thought Luo Ding would still be dancing in the practice room. Now, all his efforts to hide things had been ruined by his own actions.
“I was just looking for Mr. Gu, not hiding anything…”
Luo Ding didn’t argue. He just gestured with his hand, his tone light but firm. “Come here.”
After a brief standoff, Wu Fangyuan sulkily walked over.
On the iPad were several saved links to websites—Hupu, Haijiao—various major forums where discussions about the Golden Lion Film Festival were taking place. Once the topic came up, people couldn’t help but start debating the actors likely to be nominated. And, as always, arguments erupted, and Luo Ding got dragged into the fray midway through.
Several PR companies had already been warned. YaXing Studio had paid them off, and Triumph Entertainment had applied pressure, so no one with common sense would dare to blacken Luo Ding’s name anymore. The few remaining critics were mostly fans of rival artists.
Luo Ding and his fanbase were usually quite cautious, but once others found a rare weak spot, they went all out in their slander. Some used slang and expressions that sounded dirty and exaggerated, accusing Luo Ding’s fans of shamelessly propping up their idol.
Luo Ding chuckled lightly and handed the iPad back to Wu Fangyuan. “You’re worried about this?”
Wu Fangyuan had gotten so thin that his collarbone was visible. Ever since Luo Ding’s rise to fame, he had been shedding weight nonstop. His most drastic weight loss was during their time in Los Angeles filming *Blade Warrior III*, when he dropped nearly twenty pounds in one go.
Now, his double chin was gone, his collarbone was prominent, and his jawline was no longer as round as it used to be. His facial features, previously obscured by fat, were becoming clearer. And to be honest, Wu Fangyuan looked quite handsome.
His nose was high, his eyes were large, with a round shape, and his face had a slightly rounded appearance. His chin was naturally sharp, and his cheeks always had a bit of flesh on them. When he was fat, his features weren’t obvious, but now that he’d slimmed down, he looked much more youthful, like someone in his early twenties. Plus, he was pale and had smooth skin, which made him look like a fresh college graduate, and it even helped them get some special treatment at events.
Though his bleached-blonde hair still gave off a bit of a rebellious vibe.
Wu Fangyuan looked frustrated. “How could I not worry? It’s obvious someone’s trying to stir up trouble. I don’t know who you’ve offended, but they’ve been persistently attacking you for a long time. If we don’t figure out who’s behind it, I won’t feel at ease.”
Luo Ding ruffled his hair. “It’s not necessarily the same person from before. No need to investigate. Take a few days off and rest. You’ll need to accompany me on tour after the album is recorded.” Wu Fangyuan had a sensitive nature and often overthought things. Luo Ding, on the other hand, knew the realities of the industry well. He was the public enemy now because of his success, and too many people wanted to knock him down. Investigating one or two cases of trolling was manageable, but when everyone was joining in, what good would it do to find out the culprits?
Was YaXing Studio going to publicly announce the results of the investigation? That would only make more enemies. The mindset of those attacking was simple: “I can bully you, but you’re not allowed to fight back.”
Commonly known as a “toxic mentality.”
****
Luo Ding was now focused entirely on his album. For a new artist like him, releasing one album per year wasn’t a particularly high output. The calls for him to hold a concert were growing louder among his fans, but Luo Ding’s body of work was only just enough to fill a concert. While his popularity seemed to be skyrocketing, a concert would never be just one or two shows. Singing the same songs over and over would be disrespectful to both himself and his fans.
Gu Yaxing had already begun carefully planning for this. Several songs on the new album were straightforward and perfect for live performances. Luo Ding occasionally discussed this with him, and Gu had mentioned that the first tour would definitely include international shows. While Europe and America were uncertain, Japan and South Korea were definite stops.
Duan Xiubo came out of the recording studio and praised, “All the teachers said the post-production won’t need much editing, just adjusting the accompaniment. I listened to it too, and it sounds great.” He hummed a few bars of the title track from Luo Ding’s previous album and nodded, “This one’s even better than the last.”
After a few overseas activities, he seemed to have some free time on his hands. According to Mi Rui, he would be taking on a domestic project in the middle of the year, while Luo Ding hadn’t made any solid plans yet. If a concert were to happen, he would have to pick a film with a shorter schedule.
He had released a good number of films last year and this year, and regular moviegoers now recognized him. Taking a break during this early phase of his career wouldn’t be a bad idea. You couldn’t keep the strings too taut.
Luo Ding rested his voice while drinking water. He’d even tried drinking raw eggs in the past to protect his vocal cords but found it didn’t really help.
Duan Xiubo sat down next to him casually, taking the cup from Luo Ding’s hand and taking a sip himself.
Sitting behind them, Wu Fangyuan occasionally looked up to check on their movements. Seeing this, he laughed and said to Mi Rui, “I wouldn’t have guessed—Duan is actually pretty laid-back. I thought someone of his status would definitely have a cleanliness issue.”
Mi Rui had long since given up explaining. If Wu Fangyuan was still this oblivious after all this time, that was a skill in itself. Living life without paying attention was its own kind of talent.
He replied, “You haven’t seen him when his cleanliness habit kicks in. Duan’s a lot better than the typical fussy celebrities, but he still has his quirks. Like this—drinking from someone else’s cup? I’ve only ever seen him do that with Luo Ding.”
There was a bit of chill in Mi Rui’s tone, and Wu Fangyuan caught on. Their relationship had never been particularly close, and deep down, Wu Fangyuan didn’t see himself as being in the same league as Mi Rui. If he didn’t still want to learn from him, his usual temperament would have meant he’d never bother with someone so arrogant. But by now, he’d gotten used to being snubbed and didn’t even feel angry anymore, just smiled indifferently.
Mi Rui took a quick glance at Wu Fangyuan and was a bit surprised. Was it because he’d been around Luo Ding for so long? Now that Wu Fangyuan had slimmed down, the young blonde actually had some charm. He used to be just a chubby, pale blob, but now, at a glance, he looked like he was in his early twenties. Mi Rui wasn’t surprised when fans would post photos from their chance encounters with Luo Ding, and many would comment on how cute his assistant was. Mi Rui even found himself wondering if, when he had kids one day, he should bring them around Luo Ding to learn a thing or two. In today’s society, looking like that definitely gave boys an advantage.
Come to think of it, what had Wu Fangyuan been thinking back then, letting himself get so fat?
YaXing Studio had recently moved to a new office space. The old place had become too cramped, but the company wasn’t quite at the level of moving to somewhere like Mountain and Sea Tower, so they found a new building nearby and took several nice floors. Now, the recording studio was fully professional, with top-notch equipment, and there was a clear distinction between the trainee training areas and the regular office spaces for staff. Luo Ding and Duan Xiubo were walking around on the floor reserved for already-debuted artists.
Luo Ding was undoubtedly the company’s number one star, as solid as Duan Xiubo at Triumph. As they walked through, people politely stopped to greet him. Seeing Duan Xiubo, some of their eyes lit up, but no one was desperate enough to approach and strike up a conversation.
The atmosphere at YaXing Studio seemed to be pretty good.
Insiders knew that Gu Yaxing had been burned badly in the past by unprofessional, unethical newcomers. Now that the company had found its footing, they put just as much emphasis on character as they did on talent. The company’s rules were somewhat similar to the entertainment companies in Korea, though not as extreme. They placed a lot of importance on etiquette, and juniors were expected to show clear respect for seniors. As their careers progressed, the younger artists would naturally receive more attention, but in such an environment, arrogance and thoughtlessness became rare.
This culture gave YaXing’s new artists a clear advantage after debut. Who wouldn’t prefer a polite, respectful junior?
Duan Xiubo wasn’t too keen on chatting with people he didn’t know, so he just nodded casually and didn’t smile at everyone like Luo Ding. Instead, he turned and said, “All the *Blade Warrior* films have already been submitted. After the Golden Lion Awards, it’ll be time for the Film Festival and the European International Film Festival, all within a month.”
Luo Ding knew Duan was trying to comfort him about all the online trolls saying he’d never get into the Golden Lion Festival, so he smiled. “Any news about *Assassin*?”
“It’s been submitted. Triumph is handling production and distribution, and they’ve submitted almost all their potential films for awards.”
Keep me fueled with caffeine! Support me on Ko-fi! It helps a lot ! Thank you so much ♡(´･ω･)(･ω･`)♡
