I have a persona specifically for acting.

An analysis post suddenly appeared on a forum, and within half an hour, it became a hot topic.

Two hours later, the moderator highlighted it, showing just how exciting it was.

The poster was a new media writer who usually earned a living writing articles about mother-in-law and daughter-in-law conflicts, bizarre matchmaking stories, workplace troubles, and similar topics. Occasionally, they would also post fabricated stories on various forums to drive traffic to their public account—essentially using sensational content to “entice” netizens to follow the thread, and when they couldn’t get enough, they would end with a tease: “To know more, please follow xxxxxx.”

There’s expertise in every field, and regardless of quality, writers of this kind know how to grab attention right from the start.

Moreover, this time, the information being revealed was genuine.

The poster first provided a brief summary of the background.

The gist of this story was straightforward, even for netizens who didn’t follow the entertainment industry.

It involved the fans of the female lead and the original male lead of the upcoming film ‘ Heartless Tribulation’, set to release next month, getting into a heated argument.

[Huh? Why are the male and female leads’ fans fighting? Is it over their roles?]

[What do you mean by “original male lead”?]

[It means that in ‘The Heartless Tribulation’, Tong Zhao kicked Chen Zhuzhi out of the main lead position.]

Thanks to the enthusiastic explanations from fans of instinctive films, bystanders quickly understood the situation.

Fair competition.

It was entirely normal for the subconscious not to perform well and to be outdone by others.

Since he signed a gambling contract, he should accept the outcome.

The poster then shared an edited clip from Chen Zhuzhi’s promotional program, which heavily implied his desperation. If The female lead politely accepted the situation, even without explicitly reciprocating any feelings, she would likely end up being marketed as a sugar couple (CP) by the marketing team behind Chen Zhuzhi. He would effectively ride on the female lead’s popularity.

However, Tong Zhao almost carved the word “disdain” on her forehead.

The effort to create a CP (couple) turned into a one-sided attachment.

Chen Zhuzhi’s fans were not having it, and they began to act sarcastic across various forums and Weibo, staging a virtual Three Kingdoms battle—

Chen Fans (Loyal): “Brother is just kindly taking care of the junior, worried that Tong Zhao wouldn’t get enough screen time, so he mentioned her more. Who would have thought she would turn around and bite him? How about a little politeness from the junior?”

Chen Fans (Neutral): “Just two sides of fans enjoying the show, they didn’t see the male lead’s desperation, only that Tong Zhao’s emotional intelligence is quite low.”

Chen Fans (Opposition): “Chen is only fit to be our Zhao Zhao goddess’s lapdog/laughs / laughs.”

Loyalty masquerading as opposition, counter-fans, and fake bystanders…

A variety of advanced tactics that would leave even seasoned players in the Three Kingdoms game in awe kept emerging. Combined with their aggressive tactics in the forums, they had previously managed to provoke Tong Zhao’s generally passive fans to the point where they had no temper left to fight back—

Since she wasn’t following the typical idol path, her management focused more energy and marketing budget on securing mid to high-end endorsements for her. As long as there weren’t any major issues, they basically ignored the data; as long as she was doing well, it was fine. After all, among her peers, Tong Zhao was already far ahead, and the general audience showed interest in her name in film and television works.

Netizens following the posts at the top floor marveled at the spectacle.

Chen Zhuzhi was definitely not a top-tier actor among male actors.

He had been in the industry for a while, benefiting from the large population in China, where a smaller base was easier to manipulate. Moreover—

‘If I can’t beat the fans of other male stars, how could I possibly lose to the fans of a female actor?’

This current state of affairs left netizens feeling a mix of pity and amusement.

[Why can’t he win? Tong Zhao’s recent works have been quite popular.]

Poster: “The law of the internet is that the more brainless you are, the more advantageous it becomes.”

Poster: “Actually, it’s not just the fan community or the internet. Throughout history, countless civilizations have been trampled and destroyed by barbaric forces because barbarism often gives rise to greater military capabilities (of course, this has become rare since the nuclear era), but this phenomenon still occurs frequently online.”

[66666]

[The poster is quite the cultured person. If you don’t have your big work at the next book fair, I’m not going.]

[It’s not that fans are born brainless; it’s that the toxic teams behind the stars find ways to nurture these mindless behaviors. Essentially, they are just legal large-scale multi-level marketing teams, which is unsolvable.]

Compared to smart people, it’s much easier to make money off foolish ones.

Cutting leeks (a term for profiting off fans) from fans is just making money; there’s nothing shameful about it.

Poster: “Chen Zhuzhi’s fans had a good strategy; at first, Tong Zhao’s fans indeed couldn’t compete.”

Poster: “But they overlooked one point—”

Immediately after, the poster shared several screenshots.

Han Zhi’s fans were also pretty laid-back since there was no ranking to fight for.

Not long after ‘Sea King Kill’ aired, the perfume endorsement ad came out, and fans were just enjoying the visuals and boosting sales as their daily task. However, the fans of Chen Zhuzhi were running into trouble.

This official fan account was purely grassroots, and the head was a hot-tempered rich girl.

Ever since she started following Han Zhi, she put down her keyboard and was forced to adopt a more laid-back approach to fan culture, searching daily for her brother’s name and chatting with her friends.

As a result, she stumbled upon the insults from Chen Zhuzhi’s fans.

The head of the fan group understood the origin of the situation and, confirming it wasn’t Tong Zhao’s fault, immediately jumped in.

First screenshot:

@Han Zhi’s Fan Club: “Are you still cursing?”

[Han Zhi’s Plaza Screenshot.JPG]

The second screenshot showed that Chen Zhuzhi’s fans had been counter-attacked for two days; no matter where they appeared in related trending news, they were immediately ridiculed to the point of being unrecognizable. The previous tactics of pretending to be neutral and incognito had all been exposed by Han Zhi’s girlfriend fans, with a clear chain of evidence and straightforward posters, making it easy to understand and direct, swiftly confusing the originally dominant male fans.

The attitudes of Han Zhi’s fans could be categorized into two types.

1:

Don’t think that Tong Zhao has no one; they’re all supporting her.

2:

Your brother’s desperate attempts to ride the wave of popularity are all too obvious. My side refuses to be tied down; for every time he tries to cling on, we’ll strike back.

The fan community has evidently developed into its own distinct system, with its own ecology and rules.

Onlookers were baffled, not understanding why Chen Zhuzhi’s fans were silenced so quickly.

The leader of Han Zhi’s fan group was a seasoned fangirl, aware that when engaging in battles, you have to hit the opponent where it hurts. Essentially, this was a display of force that inadvertently intimidated potential competitors.

After the poster provided some commentary, they concluded with a theatrical phrase:

[Perhaps the best way to maintain peace is for everyone to be armed.]

[Only magic can defeat magic. Through this example, we get a glimpse of a fan community rivalry. It’s worth pondering: what would happen if any non-idol actor were in the same situation?]

After being shared, netizens humorously referred to this as a perfect essay.

Not only did it pinpoint the central theme, but it also elevated the content.

……

“Reflecting on fan culture: Counting Chen Zhuzhi’s seven deadly sins.”

“The truth behind the Tong Zhao and Chen Zhuzhi fan war— the desperate struggle of a washed-up celebrity.”

“In an era of instinctive filmmaking where skill cannot be enhanced through effort, has the dominance of the subconscious effectively stifled this industry…? Wow, this article seems quite favorable to Chen Zhuzhi but has a rather unique angle. However, the topic of instinctive filmmaking being unrelated to acting has been thoroughly discussed. Times change like this; we cannot alter the era, only adapt to it.”

Manager Chu loudly read three pieces of news.

What is Tong Zhao doing?

She’s intensely replying to messages on WeChat.

Perhaps due to having traversed many worlds, Tong Zhao is quite resilient to loneliness. Compared to her peers, she is a rare breed that doesn’t easily bow down. However, every time she finishes a gig or wraps up a film, her WeChat contacts grow longer…

She can ignore the guys, but she must reply to the girls to some extent.

Seeing Tong Zhao engrossed in her phone, Manager Chu, feeling a bit lonely, asked her, “We just won a brilliant victory. Aren’t you going to go over the details?”

“You handle it,” Tong Zhao replied, looking up and giving her a smile with her stunningly attractive face, “I trust you.”

…

Manager Chu thought to herself, “Trust you, my foot!”

She’s just too carefree. In the first couple of days, she was mercilessly attacked by Chen Zhuzhi’s fans, and her private messages were filled with bloody, disgusting images. Yet she didn’t waver even slightly and seemed to be having fun, casually downloading two particularly horrifying images to send to Wei Zekai. In the end, her manager dealt with everything.

Of course, the company wasn’t just idly sitting by.

That post was crafted by a skilled professional that manager Chu hired, along with a series of paid articles.

Even if Chen Zhuzhi’s fans didn’t confront Han Zhi’s fans directly, the company had long been prepared to fight back and debunk rumors. This time, the counterattack was executed perfectly, and Tong Zhao’s manager shifted from being the main attacker to providing support. Not only did they play their cards well, but when the other side misplayed, they struck back and declared, “I heard Zanchao Entertainment has already given up on Chen Zhuzhi and left him to fend for himself.”

“Sounds good.”

Tong Zhao nodded in appreciation.

How could she maintain a lofty attitude while being in the industry?

At the very least, she needed to know how to protect herself. She wouldn’t actively suppress others through underhanded tactics, but she didn’t want anyone to provoke her either.

Honestly, being protected by her female fans felt quite nice.

The issue with Chen Zhuzhi’s fans came to a conclusion, and there was no possibility of the two collaborating again.

“Let’s not talk about this unfortunate matter anymore,” manager Chu perked up. “How are you considering the invitation to the Litchi TV New Year’s Gala?”

Tong Zhao had already been looking into the arrangements for the Litchi TV New Year’s Gala.

They had invited her to perform on stage.

Litchi TV is a major platform. Although Tong Zhao was popular, she was still a rising star, and it was unlikely they would give her a solo performance at such an important event. They had invited Song Wanzhuo as well, thinking of creating some buzz with a couple’s act, singing a traditional duet. The specific song hadn’t been finalized yet, but the male side had no objections; they were just waiting for her input. Tong Zhao chatted with Song Wanzhuo on WeChat for a while and felt quite comfortable about it, seeing it as a chance to give a little treat to the ancient couple’s fans.

What she said was: “It’s a pity we don’t have couple vibes.”

Song Wanzhuo replied: “That’s hard to say; sometimes I feel a strong connection, and other times I think of you as my buddy.”

Tong Zhao thought about it and figured that Song Wanzhuo probably only liked her portrayal as Concubine Chen.

This was normal.

“Liking all sides of you” is a type of filter; in reality, most people’s affection for someone usually stems from a specific trait, which then expands to a broader understanding—like how Song Wanzhuo was captivated by Concubine Chen’s multifaceted charm, leaving a lasting impression that was hard to forget. Ordinary people often grapple with thoughts like “Does he really like me, or just the version of me that’s XXX?” So, it was even more complicated for someone as multifaceted as Tong Zhao.

Both Tong Zhao and her manager didn’t want to miss this opportunity to appear.

Singing alongside Song Wanzhuo was considered a strong collaboration, so they tentatively agreed.

Manager Chu asked, “Do you want me to find you a teacher?”

She was worried that Tong Zhao might not know how to sing.

Tong Zhao replied that it wasn’t necessary; she could sing.

She didn’t sing much herself, but she had sung a lot out of boredom in ancient times.

After all, she had to serve others with her talents, and she was skilled in singing, dancing, and playing musical instruments: “I can play the piece; I can also handle the accompaniment.”

Manager Chu glanced at her.

She understood her competitive nature too well; once she stepped on stage, she aimed to do her best. Though she acted nonchalant, in reality, she was determined to steal the show and wouldn’t miss any opportunity to shine. Such an artist was just…

So easy to manage!

“Okay, I’ll communicate with the director.”

Manager Chu was satisfied.

The music director of Litchi TV approved the request, and the final song was set to be a duet of “A Smile Captivates the Heart,” with her playing the accompaniment. Song Wanzhuo’s manager initially had some concerns, feeling it would overshadow the male lead, and that it would be fairer if they all sang together. However, Song Wanzhuo had a strong opinion and influence in the company; he wanted to see his goddess play the guzheng. What was wrong with letting her take some of the spotlight? Men shouldn’t be so petty.

Once this was settled, the news was released.

Originally, the hottest news surrounding Tong Zhao was the completion of “Heartless Tribulation” and her feud with Chen Zhuzhi, but when the public saw the guest list for Litchi TV’s New Year’s Gala, they thought, “Oh wow, Tong Zhao is going to be there, and she’ll be singing with Song Wanzhuo!”

Song Wanzhuo’s reputation and accomplishments far surpassed those of Chen Zhuzhi.

The latter’s fans didn’t dare to provoke him.

Song Wanzhuo posted a very formal Weibo thanking for the collaboration opportunity and tagged the official account of “The Legend of Ming Emperor.” Fans recalled that this was one of his important works, and many new fans had come from that drama. They were simply happy for him to see the Ming Emperor and his concubine on stage together for New Year’s.

[Supporting the joint performance, will you wear formal wear that day? Why not just wear the costumes from the drama?]

[Thanks to Litchi TV for the invitation; we’ll see you on New Year’s, big brother!]

[Seeing through my brother’s restrained joy/dog emoji]

[What? The Song-Zhao couple is resurrecting and giving us sweetness?]

The fourth comment was relatively discordant.

The super topic for this ancient couple had long been neglected; no one managed it anymore, and only drama fans occasionally mentioned it.

When “Sea King Kill” premiered, Song Wanzhuo made sure his fans knew about his admiration for Tong Zhao. His direct and playful way of fandom brought some outside heat and goodwill from bystanders. Fans politely clarified things, and after realizing there were no further ambiguous signs between the two, they felt reassured.

Chen Zhuzhi’s fans were incredibly frustrated.

After being mocked a few times and not seeing any chance for a comeback, they scattered like monkeys when the tree fell, all jumping ship.

This series of discussions brought some heat to “Heartless Tribulation,” allowing this big female lead fantasy film to enter the public’s view, ranking first in the most anticipated releases list by a significant margin.

In the era of instinctive cinema, films are made quickly and released even faster.

Bad movies can result in huge losses, while the winners take it all.

#Movie “Heartless Tribulation” Premiere#

#Tong Zhao#

#Shi Qianqiu#

How high are the audience’s expectations for this movie?

From the day “Heartless Tribulation” was released, the number of visitors to the holographic mall clearly reflected this.

Although it was a weekend holiday, the data flow from netizens clearly indicated one thing — they were going to watch the movie, and it was Tong Zhao’s “Heartless Tribulation.”

The advantage of holographic viewing is that you can still get tickets even when the crowd is huge.

However, the rooms set up by streamers to chat with fans during the viewing do have a limit on the number of participants. Even small streamers can attract a lot of netizens when they tag “Heartless Tribulation,” which is a clear indication of how popular this movie is.

Chen Zhuzhi has been relegated to a supporting role.

It’s obvious who attracts the public and who carries the box office.

At the offline premiere of “Heartless Tribulation,” Tong Zhao wore a pearl-white evening gown, the skirt adorned with layers of scattered diamonds. Her manager repeatedly reminded her that the team had invested heavily in this dress, and her presence had to live up to their efforts:

“We don’t intend to give Chen Zhuzhi any face; tonight, you are the absolute star.”

“I know you have a good relationship with the other two female supporting roles, but you must outshine everyone tonight.”

Tong Zhao fully understood.

She initially planned to attend alone, but after hearing that the character Concubine Chen could steal the show, she eagerly requested to take the lead role for a while. Tong Zhao readily agreed, as they shared success and would face challenges together.

A female reporter teased her: “A movie starring Lu Xianzhang lets you steal the spotlight?”

Concubine Chen replied: “I work the fields while the horse eats grain; if the other side makes money, I enjoy the benefits. There’s no shame in that.”

Since recovering her memories from “Heartless Tribulation,” Lu Xianzhang seemed to have new insights and had been secluded, so she naturally did not come out to confront concubine Chen at this moment.

To withstand the grandeur of the event, Tong Zhao’s makeup and hairstyle today were particularly elaborate.

The dress was tightly fitted at the waist, accentuating her graceful curves.

The makeup artist applied highlighter to her body, making her a luxury item that was expensive, beautiful, and of high taste —

Stepping out of the car with the aura of “outshining the crowd,” she descended from the ceremonial vehicle.

Countless flashbulbs lit up concubine Chen, as if she had been washed by a rain of light. Long cameras and short ones aimed at her face, wanting to capture her most authentic side. Unscrupulous media outlets aimed to photograph her less flattering angles, knowing that flawed photos are often more eye-catching.

However, there was nothing to capture.

Even in rapid-fire snapshots, no flaws could be detected.

In this crowded and scrutinized occasion, concubine Chen recalled the grand ceremony where she was conferred as a noble consort, with countless ladies bowing deeply to her. She lazily swept her gaze over their bowed heads, feeling a swell of power and a hint of bored indifference…

This surplus of confidence elevated concubine Chen’s radiant makeup, making all the precious jewels adorning her simply embellishments to her beauty; no matter how large or dazzling the gems, they could not overshadow her brilliance.

Concubine Chen had only one thought —

Why didn’t these people kneel down while taking her picture?

……

The aura of the noble consort was overwhelming; whether it was the front-line stand-ins, media reporters, or simply the lucky audience members who received premiere invitations, every candid shot that circulated online was stunning.

[So beautiful, wow! Let me appreciate the empress’s beauty.]

[Tong Zhao’s looks are truly exceptional. I actually think Chen Zhuzhi might not just be trying to ride on her fame; he genuinely likes her. Who can resist a beautiful woman?]

[Demon monsters, please leave! Can we stop mentioning that person?]

While anxiously waiting for the “Confirm Viewing” button to change from gray to green, netizens could only refresh various news related to the premiere, resulting in wave after wave of Tong Zhao’s event photos.

Of course, she was undeniably the first female lead.

But “Heartless Tribulation” didn’t just have her in it; they had to give others some screen time too, right?

Just as netizens were calling for more photos of others, pictures of Tong Zhao alongside her co-stars were released.

Uh…

[Is this a photo of a big star with a regular beauty?]

[What happened to Jiao Jiao? Ugh, the stylist should be punished!]

[Tong Zhao’s dress can’t be cheap; her team is really impressive.]

It’s not just about the evening gown.

If it were Tong Zhao, she might consider letting her girlfriends shine together and look beautiful in group photos, but who is concubine Chen? She’s not anti-female nor targeting the same sex; she equally looks down on everyone. She wants to outshine the crowd and make sure the emperor sees only her!

Concubine Chen never threatens the other consorts to appear barefaced.

Nor does she fear them sending the emperor secret glances.

Because with her present, it’s useless for the other consorts to dress up like golden statues.

The aura effect that the system can extract is beyond comparison.

In short, the outcome of that group photo was nothing short of disastrous.

In modern society, there are no emperors, and at the premiere, there isn’t a very important domineering CEO that concubine Chen needs to flatter and please. The concubine doesn’t know what it means to know when to back off. Her presence was felt throughout the event, and every male guest attending the premiere was captivated by her charm.

Wasn’t the agent telling Tong Zhao to perform well and outshine everyone?

Well, what she did was a perfect score. No thanks needed; just kneel in admiration.

Before the screening began, concubine Chen, satisfied, went to rest, while Tong Zhao sat down in her pre-arranged seat and rubbed her forehead.

Brother Duan: “Zhao Zhao, were you asleep just now? I suggest you check your WeChat.”

Tong Zhao: “Yeah, let the concubine handle the socializing for me. What’s up?”

Brother Duan: “Uh… you’ll know when you see it.”

Tong Zhao glanced at the big screen.

She realized the movie hadn’t started yet, so she took out her phone from her handbag and opened WeChat.

She discovered that there was a new category added in her contacts—

Fish Pond:

– Director of Litchi Entertainment
– Music Director of North China
– Executive of Yunsanglong Culture
– …

The list was astonishingly long.

It was hard to imagine how so many people could be added in such a short time.

Tong Zhao: “Concubine, let’s talk.”

Concubine Chen: “They’re all fools who would give up their entire fortune just to see me smile a couple of times. I’ll keep them around; they’re useful. Don’t worry, I’m very good at managing personal space. No one will try to pull any hidden rules on you; their admiration will only stay at the level of appreciation and adoration. They all wanted to add me themselves.”

Hearing this, it was clear she was an old pro at this game.

Tong Zhao: “Hiss.”

If her life were a stock trading novel, readers would probably have no idea whose stocks to buy.

She could only indulge her own personality and flirt blindly.

Tong Zhao wasn’t angry; she just took it as a chance to show her face.

The seats for the male and female leads were initially arranged together, but manager Chu directly discussed with Shi Qianqiu, explaining that her artist didn’t want to sit next to Chen Zhuzhi. Could they make some adjustments? Shi Qianqiu readily agreed, so the seating was changed to Tong Zhao sitting between Fu Xiaoheng and him.

Fu Xiaoheng was overjoyed and whispered, “Master, Master!”

“…”

Tong Zhao thought she had broken character.

If it were a male actor like Song Wanzhuo, Tong Zhao would have snapped him out of it right then and there. But she had a bit more patience with girls. She wanted to ask Lu Xianzhang to come out and socialize with her apprentice, but since Lu Xianzhang was in a silent retreat, she gave up that thought and silently noted that Fu Xiaoheng was out of luck: “I’m here. What’s up?”

“I’m really happy to see you. Ever since I regained my memories, I’ve wanted to call you Master.”

Fu Xiaoheng was actually a generation older than Tong Zhao, and when she smiled, there were fine lines at the corners of her eyes.

However, influenced by the memories from “Heartless Tribulation,” she looked at Tong Zhao with adoring eyes, like a complete little fan.

This is one of the downsides of modern filmmaking!

Tong Zhao: “Yeah, go ahead and call me that.”

Fu Xiaoheng wanted to reminisce further.

But at that moment, the lights dimmed around them, and the screen slowly lit up…