Superstar's Development Diary
Chapter 266 - 267: Fire Before Broadcasting

Chapter 266: Chapter 267: Fire Before Broadcasting

Cheng Xiaohua was paying close attention to the development of the situation the whole time, feeling anxious, and kept communicating with Luo You.

She looked up and saw Jinxia seriously filming on set, thought for a moment, and decided not to disturb her. Brother Luo had already started to handle the public relations, lest Jinxia hear the news and get upset.

Obviously, He Jinxia was being exploited by the production team.

The negative impact of Gu Runfei and Luo Sifang was significant, and Gu Qiao had finally managed to stabilize the online and television broadcast. She dared not let "Small Bridge, Flowing Water, People" face any more risks, fearing that it might actually come crashing down.

So she bribed the Internet water army to release the information about He Jinxia and Luo Dingxin, diverting the public’s attention.

People say that a melon forced off its vine is not sweet, and a couple forced together is even more awkward, but it must be admitted, Gu Qiao’s method was successful; the public did indeed shift their attention from Gu Runfei’s cheating scandal to the publicity manufactured by the production team.

But...

Today might be an extraordinary day.

Perhaps it was because Gu Qiao had constantly been suppressed by Tangna, or perhaps because "Small Bridge, Flowing Water, People" had gone through many trials and tribulations and was on the verge of being cut, Heaven took pity on them and gave them a chance.

A chance to catch fire before it even aired.

Two hours after "He Jinxia and Luo Dingxin’s real and fake romance" was leaked, suddenly, netizens discovered that the rock star—Zhang You—liked a Weibo post.

A celebrity liking a Weibo post is not unusual, but why did Zhang You’s like cause such an uproar?

Because the post he liked listed all the male celebrities He Jinxia had worked with and, by combining factors such as each party’s personality, horoscope, and age, concluded: Zhang You and He Jinxia are more compatible!

The netizens were bewildered by Zhang You’s move, as if they were witnessing the slow unveiling of an intense, tangled drama of love and hate for the year.

Three people, what a soap opera!!

"...So that’s what happened, Jinxia. Now the whole internet is discussing who you’re more compatible with. ’Small Bridge, Flowing Water, People’ has also made it to the trending searches, just not as popular as you are."

Around noon, right after He Jinxia finished filming and was sitting on a chair waiting for her takeout, Cheng Xiaohua walked over and told her hesitantly and stammeringly that she had hit the Weibo hot search and the topic discussion had made it into the top ten.

When she first found out she was on the hot search, He Jinxia felt like this—

Σ(っ°Д°;)っ Shocked!

Mixed with a surprised joy: \(^o^)/~

However, after knowing the whole story, her feelings went like this—

(╯‵□′)╯︵┻━┻ Flip the table, what the heck is all this?!

Following that was only deep resignation, best described with an emoticon: QAQ!

An unexpected disaster, a bolt from the blue.

She was just filming on set, minding her own business, and suddenly, due to Gu Qiao’s scheming, she became a star involved in fake romance speculation.

Then, with Zhang You’s like, it turned into a love triangle!

He Jinxia tugged at the corners of her mouth, not knowing what to say.

Cheng Xiaohua gave a stiff smile and offered a few words of comfort, "As long as you don’t admit to anything, the netizens can’t do anything to you; they can only yearn wistfully in secret."

He Jinxia looked at her somberly.

Cheng Xiaohua coughed lightly, feeling a bit guilty under her gaze, and averted her head slightly as she said,

"Although trending for a romantic history isn’t ideal, but, but it means the masses hold you in high esteem! Yes, they do value you a lot!"

He Jinxia still gazed at her somberly.

Cheng Xiaohua swallowed, unable to sustain the bravado for more than three seconds before it was deflated.

"This, this... I just heard someone calling me, it seems the takeout has arrived, so I’m going to grab it, haha!"

Without waiting for He Jinxia to respond, Cheng Xiaohua immediately dashed out.

He Jinxia watched her retreating back, shook her head, and sighed softly, oh, the anxiety!

Trending was one thing; she and Luo Dingxin were perfectly innocent, having never met in private. Even their interactions in the drama crew were strictly professional, related to acting. No matter how sensationalized the rumors got, none would come true.

As for Zhang You, had it not been for Cheng Xiaohua mentioning the ’rock prince,’ she would have forgotten him altogether.

Her worry lay in how to explain things to Sheng Yan...

He Jinxia took out her phone to check it. The indicator light on the edge of the phone was blinking on and off. When she swiped open the screen, there were exactly thirty messages from Sheng Yan.

"Ding-dong!" In just that moment of distraction, the bright red "30" leaped upwards, changing to "31".

He Jinxia wiped away the nonexistent sweat on her forehead, her anxieties growing...

After considering for a moment, she decided to dodge the issue for now, calling Luo You to get updated on the situation and how to deal with the aftermath.

Luo You had anticipated He Jinxia’s call, and before she could initiate the conversation, he spoke first, "Don’t worry, this isn’t a big deal. I have already reached out to Luo Dingxin’s team, and we will handle the public relations together."

"Gu Qiao, not caring about his artist’s image in order to clear Gu Runfei and their names, has dragged us down with them, but let’s see if we are willing. If we’re not, no amount of coercion will make a difference!"

As he said this, Luo You’s voice took on a somber tone filled with a chilling sternness.

He Jinxia thought it over, even if they cleared things up quickly, Gu Qiao’s move was clever, timing it just a few days before the TV drama’s release. They couldn’t publicly clash with the crew regarding malicious hype, as it would affect the drama.

After all, they were significant characters in the drama. If the show had good ratings, it could add a milestone to their acting careers.

Moreover, the industry often saw such rumor-mongering, and it was normal for everyone to think they were doing the same. Who would know they, too, were victims of manipulation?

Realizing this, He Jinxia’s furrowed brows relaxed, and her mood brightened.

Since the hype was inevitable, as long as it didn’t affect her image and reputation, she should just let it pass. It’s not like she could actually have a showdown with the production team, could she?

In the end, it’s "Small Bridge, Flowing Water, People" that’s had the hardest time getting released...

Having come to terms with the situation, He Jinxia turned around and comforted Luo You, "We’ll be more careful in the future. Don’t be too upset. To an outsider, Director Gu’s move is clever; he has muddied the waters and in turn, saved ’Small Bridge.’ It’s a remarkable piece of public relations."

With an ironic laugh, she said, "I’ve just been unwittingly paired up, and rumors are just that—rumors, the fake can’t become real. And if anyone is to blame, most of it lies with Gu Runfei and Luo Sifang. If not for them, Director Gu wouldn’t have staged this play."

In the end, she added mischievously, "Actually, it’s quite a good deal. To create a top ten trending topic costs a fortune. I’ve traded a bit of my reputation for one. Looking at it that way, I’ve come out ahead."

Luo You fell silent for a moment, his voice regaining its calm, "You’re quite magnanimous. Gu Qiao is the biggest winner behind this trending topic, after all."

"With the main and supporting actors of ’Small Bridge, Flowing Water, People’ taking turns dominating the trending chart, the discussion around this drama has even eclipsed several other major summer releases. The buzz is there; it’s just a matter of the quality of the drama."

If it falls flat, then all this momentum would have been wasted.