Chapter 256: Chapter 256: The Young Master is the Father of the Production Team
While the dinner party was ongoing, the second episode of "Who’s the Real Actor" was also being aired.
The show’s favoritism towards Qingyue was blatantly obvious. Throughout the entire episode, even the scenes featuring Ming Emperor Lu Ye couldn’t compete with the amount of screen time Qingyue received. Yet, most viewers didn’t notice this issue.
Qingyue’s performance wasn’t a complete flop—if you’re really intent on praising him, there were still a few points worth mentioning.
Before the episode even finished airing, the capital behind Qingyue had already shelled out to buy him a trending topic spot.
#QingyueCrazyCharmingJiuqiansuiSuperCaptivating#
A horde of Water Army flooded the tag with over-the-top rainbow praise for Qingyue.
Qingyue’s styling was the most meticulous among the trainees, and he had decent natural looks to begin with. Paired with his heavily retouched photos, he managed to captivate a portion of casual viewers.
The moment Wen Jiu lost her temper on the spot was maliciously edited into the final cut of the episode by the production team.
Connecting this with the trending topic from a few days ago, some netizens speculated that Wen Jiu’s anger was sparked by the production team assigning Qingyue to play Jiuqiansui.
She had strongly recommended Sang Ning for the role of Jiuqiansui, but the production team insisted on opposing her, clearly slapping her in the face. Naturally, she had no reason to hold back anymore.
Wen Jiu had always been praised within the industry, but now, following this so-called controversy, there were plenty of critical voices targeting her online.
[u1s1, I think Wen Jiu’s acting skills are overhyped. It’s not nearly as good as people claim, and I have no idea how she even got that Best Actress title.]
[Sure, she has acting skills, but ever since she transitioned to behind-the-scenes work, her judgment has gone out the window. If she really wanted to recommend her favorite actor, shouldn’t she at least consider how well the actor fits the role? Sang Ning playing a eunuch—honestly, what was she even thinking?]
Apart from Qingyue and Wen Jiu’s hot searches, the buzz around Sang Ning skyrocketed as well, even showing signs of surpassing Qingyue’s paid trending topic.
#SangNingLockThatMenswearOnForever#
#YourHusbandIsCurrentlyLeapingTowardYouInMonkeyStyle#
#SangNingArrowPiercedJiuqiansuiAndMyHeart#
Before these trending tags emerged, the internet was flooded with pro trolls attacking Sang Ning, calling her especially opportunistic, always sucking up to whoever was popular.
They claimed she was trying to befriend Shen Yi and Wen Jiu because they were bigger names than her.
As for a nonentity like Qingyue, who wasn’t all that famous in the entertainment circle anymore, he wasn’t worth Sang Ning’s attention.
These trolls painted Sang Ning as malicious, claiming she not only teamed up with Shen Yi to bully Qingyue but also clung to Wen Jiu in an attempt to snatch Qingyue’s role.
Even Director Qin, who had praised Sang Ning, ended up dragged into the mud by these trolls.
[It’s obvious now, isn’t it? Director Qin has been corrupted by capital. Sang Ning’s acting is so abysmal, yet he keeps pushing her—he’s definitely just pocketing bribes.]
[According to insider gossip, Director Qin’s mention of inviting Sang Ning to his film project as a female lead was for real. The contract has already been signed; she’s just waiting to join the training camp.]
[If that’s really the case, I’m honestly at a loss for words about the entertainment circle. How many truly talented actors have been buried in this dog-eat-dog world?]
The hateful remarks about Sang Ning were plenty, but as the episode concluded and Sang Ning received more and more positive feedback from online viewers, these statements began to lose ground.
[Anybody claiming Sang Ning has no acting talent clearly didn’t watch the show properly. I won’t deny that her acting used to be pretty cringe-worthy, but her performance now feels natural and easy to watch. What, people aren’t allowed to improve anymore?]
[Clearly you anti-fans need to improve your gossip skills. Director Qin already revealed in an interview that his new movie is an action flick with a strong female protagonist. In the entertainment circle, name one other actress besides Sang Ning who’s skilled in action scenes. Not even your girly boy idol could pull it off, okay?]
[I’m truly fed up with this double standard. Since when do the weak deserve sympathy? Qingyue’s performance during the show wasn’t anything special. He got the best-written character and still managed to turn it into a mess. Sang Ning’s minor role is the only one that really stood out!]
[After seeing Sang Ning’s clip as the General, I finally understand the meaning of being both dazzlingly handsome and breathtakingly beautiful. With a face like hers, why wouldn’t she be perfect to play Jiuqiansui—an androgynous character?]
[Now that you mention it, I find it bizarre too. Sure, Qingyue’s face is pretty, but in comparison with Sang Ning, isn’t he completely eclipsed? I’d love to know how Qingyue’s fans decided Sang Ning isn’t suited for Jiuqiansui.]
As the discussion carried on, everyone started noticing the real problem.
[Wait a minute, I think Sang Ning’s performance could easily rank top three within their group. So how did she end up eliminated?]
[Is this world messed up or what? People keep saying Sang Ning has capital backing her, but if she really did, there’s no way she’d be eliminated from this episode.]
[Qingyue’s fans are seriously rabid, but I’ll keep my complaints low-key here. Honestly, Qingyue and Lu Ye should’ve been the ones eliminated; every other contestant in their group performed better than them. Even the girl eliminated along with Sang Ning delivered a more compelling performance than Qingyue.]
The development of events had completely caught Qingyue off guard. He never expected Sang Ning to overshadow him.
In an effort to divert the netizens’ attention, he personally posted a passive-aggressive Weibo update.
Qingyue: [I deeply cherish this hard-earned opportunity to play Jiuqiansui, such a charismatic character. As a rookie actor, my skills are still lacking, so I kindly ask for everyone’s understanding. Any critique or guidance is welcomed in my comment section—I will seriously read and reflect on everyone’s feedback to become a better Qingyue who lives up to your expectations.]
Sincerity often works as the ultimate skill. Qingyue’s humble post won over a good chunk of casual viewers.
People often feel sympathetic toward the underdog, reasoning that, since Qingyue had been out of the spotlight for years, his ability to still maintain this level of performance is commendable.
A segment of users who found Qingyue’s plight pitiable flocked to comfort him under his Weibo post.
[For someone who transitioned from idol stardom and almost quit the industry, I was genuinely surprised by your acting. Keep it up, Qingyue—you’ve got a promising future ahead!]
[I adore humble and self-aware handsome guys. But hey, you’ve already done great—have a little more confidence in yourself!]
[I truly feel for you. Being surrounded by resource hogs like them must be tough. Hang in there!]
Meanwhile...
After the dinner party ended, Li Juezhou drove Sang Ning home.
In the car, Sang Ning, bored out of her mind, started scrolling idly through Weibo.
It didn’t take long for her to stumble upon the black trending topics about her and Wen Jiu, as well as Qingyue’s passive-aggressive Weibo post.
Qingyue practically stopped short of outright saying that he’d been subjected to unfair competition—that the role of Jiuqiansui, which was rightfully his, had only returned to him after a grueling battle.
Sang Ning’s fiery temper instantly flared up. The negative trending topics about her had just started cooling off when Qingyue deliberately stirred up trouble again.
Unable to hold back, she directly reposted Qingyue’s Weibo with a biting comment.
"Green tea types are everywhere, but this year, they’re especially rampant. Young master, you’re clearly the production team’s golden boy—what role would they not hand to you if you wanted it?"