Chapter 25#

Chapter 25: The Storm#

Sure enough, the headlines of all major media outlets the next day were about M Company’s new product launch, with the signing photo of Lu Yan and the others placed in a very prominent position.

Most of the reports were very positive, and one fashion-themed newspaper even went so far as to praise Lu Yan’s taste, from his attire to his hairstyle.

Of course, there were always some dissenting voices, proving that Lu Yan’s concerns were not unfounded. Several media outlets also had Lu Yan on their front pages, but the photos were not from the signing ceremony at the press conference; instead, they were of him helping the female star surnamed Shao on the red carpet. Most of these were from third-rate tabloids, which specialized in reporting all kinds of gossip and digging up celebrities’ private affairs to grab attention. Their forte was taking things out of context and distorting the truth. However, among them was one with greater influence, One Week Entertainment, whose destructive power was far beyond that of those third-rate rags.

At first, a single photo was nothing serious. Although the two of them looked a bit intimate, it would have only sparked some ambiguous speculation and wouldn’t have been a big problem.

But just as Qin Feng had feared, perhaps Lu Yan had been too much in the spotlight recently, stepping on someone’s toes. Since Lu Yan usually kept himself clean and had no scandals, this rare opportunity was seized upon and exploited to the fullest.

The reason for this suspicion was precisely that One Week Entertainment had also gotten involved. Unlike those third-rate tabloids, this publication, while also focusing on gossip and privacy, generally had some basis in fact, attracting a larger and more trusting audience. Most importantly, One Week Entertainment had intricate ties with Xing Kong’s old rival, Hua Shi. The new artist group that Hua Shi had recently launched had been performing well, but lately, they had been completely overshadowed by Lu Yan. Especially after Lu Yan signed the endorsement contract with M Company, his value had skyrocketed, leaving the competition in the dust.

If they had just released a misleading photo, it might have been tolerable. But One Week Entertainment’s accompanying report insinuated, both explicitly and implicitly, that Lu Yan had taken advantage of the female star, stopping just short of outright calling him a “groper.” They neither mentioned that Lu Yan was merely helping her out of kindness nor that he let go immediately afterward. Worse still, on the same page, they listed several well-known “gropers” from the entertainment industry over the years. Although they didn’t directly link Lu Yan to them, the implication was crystal clear.

To make matters worse, when someone interviewed Miss Shao about the incident, she didn’t say much, only posting a pitiful, tear-streaked photo on Weibo with the caption, “I don’t know why this happened. I can only count my losses.” It practically invited the most malicious speculation.

If this allegation were to be substantiated, it would no longer be just a romantic affair but a matter of character. From then on, any similar incident would inevitably drag Lu Yan’s name through the mud again.

The rival camp’s move was truly ruthless.

Lu Yan saw the reports immediately. Being framed with fabricated stories nearly made him laugh in exasperation. How could people be so shameless? But he wasn’t panicked; he trusted that Qin Feng had already prepared a response.

In fact, the bigger the uproar, the better. If they had treated it as just a romantic gossip piece, spreading a minor rumor, it would have been difficult for Lu Yan and his team to clarify, because such things are hard to explain. The more you deny, the more people think you’re covering something up. Minor, harmless rumors like that are often met with knowing smiles and a desire for gossip.

But if it involved a character issue, they could refute it loudly and decisively, even suing for defamation as a minimum. Besides, to amplify its impact, One Week Entertainment had dragged in several other celebrities. Those implicated were unlikely to let it slide. It was an incredibly foolish move.

To Lu Yan’s surprise and gratitude, some friends he had made in the industry during this time called to console him as soon as they heard the news, expressing their absolute belief in his innocence. Even Zhao Tian’er and director Guan Minzhi, whom he had only been filming with for a few days, reached out. Gu Yang and Shan Chuyu even specifically asked if he needed help.

Lu Yan thanked them all and declined their offers, not because he was overconfident, but because he believed Qin Feng could handle it. If Qin Feng couldn’t manage such a minor issue, he wouldn’t deserve the title of “gold medal agent.” And those trying to frame Lu Yan seemed to have forgotten that while he might be a newcomer, he had a formidable agent behind him.

Soon, One Week Entertainment received a lawyer’s letter from Xing Kong’s legal team, accusing them of defamation and demanding substantial compensation for reputational damages.

Meanwhile, several other influential print and online media outlets quickly released special editions detailing the events as they happened, leaving out no detail, even including the reporter’s question and Lu Yan’s response. Such timely, swift, and well-founded reports were clearly not written on the fly.

On the other side, the female star surnamed Shao quickly posted another Weibo, stating that her earlier “counting my losses” comment referred to her accidental fall on the red carpet. She claimed she never expected certain malicious media to twist it that way. Finally, she expressed immense gratitude and thanks to Lu Yan for helping her at the time.

The stark contrast between her two attitudes naturally drew netizen ’s dissatisfaction and ridicule. In no time, her Weibo was flooded with thousands of comments quoting Lu Yan’s earlier response to the reporter: “I only knew that these days you can’t help an old lady who falls, but I didn’t know you can’t help a beautiful woman either.”

The female star wasn’t bothered by such ridicule, though. After all, someone willing to grab attention in such a way wouldn’t care about a few harmless jabs with little real impact. More importantly, she had successfully used this opportunity to boost her own publicity and raise her profile. As for what kind of reputation she gained, what did that matter? If a big chance came along later, she could always rebrand herself.

As for why the female star changed her tune so quickly, Lu Yan only learned much later the role Su Mo had played in it. But at that time, when their relationship was still shrouded in ambiguity, Su Mo didn’t take credit for it, not even mentioning it.

This incident played out not only in real life but also caused a huge stir online.

Almost as soon as One Week Entertainment’s report came out, a post appeared in the entertainment section of a certain online forum, echoing the same tone. Subsequent replies exaggerated the claims further, and several so-called “insiders” and “industry sources” jumped in to smear Lu Yan from head to toe, either subtly or directly, with tones ranging from aggrieved and melodramatic to righteous and indignant. They practically painted Lu Yan as the biggest villain of all time.

At first, a few curious onlookers who didn’t know the truth were half-convinced, but after reading further, they realized it was just a bunch of haters and naturally dismissed the claims. Later, when Lu Yan’s fans found the post, they were furious. They cited facts and clarified the truth for everyone while also listing all the kind and friendly things Lu Yan had done since his debut. In no time, the hate turned into love, and Lu Yan’s online popularity soared. Remarkably, his reputation was overwhelmingly positive.

After that, any negative posts about Lu Yan on that forum were immediately dismissed as trolling.

In the end, the storm subsided with One Week Entertainment publicly issuing an apology statement.

After the incident was resolved, Lu Yan returned to the film set to continue shooting the domestic scenes of Wind Rises.

As soon as he arrived, he received more words of comfort. Guan Minzhi patted him on the shoulder and said, “When you’re popular, there’s bound to be trouble. If someone’s attacking you, it means you’ve made it. Don’t let it get to you.”

Lu Yan smiled. “Don’t worry, Director Guan. It was just a minor thing. I didn’t pay it any mind, and I certainly won’t let it affect my performance.”

Guan Minzhi let out a chuckle, looking impressed. “Now that’s what I like to hear. I’m really relieved.”

The usually stern director rarely showed such a playful side, making everyone laugh. Zhao Tian’er chimed in, exposing him: “Lu Yan, you know, Director Guan was really worried about you. He thought you might be too young to handle it and was even brainstorming ways to cheer you up.”

Guan Minzhi spat at her playfully and put on a stern face. “You little chatterbox, too nosy!”

Everyone laughed again, this time with goodwill.

Lu Yan sincerely said, “Thank you, Director Guan. Thank you all for your concern.”

Once work began, everyone set aside their lightheartedness and got serious.

The domestic scenes, unlike the earlier romantic ones, took on a more realistic tone, and the filming atmosphere became somewhat oppressive. At the start of the marriage, the couple was still happy, but as life’s trivialities piled up and work went sour, Zhao Tian’er’s fashionista character was worn down beyond recognition. Meanwhile, Lu Yan’s painter character remained stuck at a low point in his career, at the beginning stages. Life was no longer perfect but filled with helplessness. As temptations kept appearing, their relationship began to crack, ultimately heading toward irreparable destruction.

The final scene was their reunion years later. Memories come flooding back at the moment they meet again, and the initial spark still lingers in both their hearts, but there’s no turning back. Regret remains just that. It was a poignant scene, leaving viewers with a sense of melancholy. The story ended there. In life, there aren’t that many happy reunions.

TV dramas usually follow a fast-paced route, and even though Guan Minzhi’s style was always meticulous, the filming was completed in a month and a half, thanks to the efficiency of the cast and crew.

During the filming breaks over that month and a half, Lu Yan had to record several shows, give a few exclusive interviews, and deal with on-set interviews and visits. He was no longer as relaxed as during his previous two films. But he never relaxed his efforts to hone his acting skills, because he believed that all success comes from a combination of luck and hard work. Before the opportunity for a meteoric rise came, he had to be as prepared as possible.