Chapter 22: Stunning Comeback!

He loved his life and hated his death. Li Xu was a person who loves and hates very strongly, but he was very good at hiding it.

Every time Shen Jintai read the script, he falls in love with the character a little bit more.

It’s hard to land the male lead. Generally, the roles after usually aren’t that great. However, if acted well, they can outshine the male lead.

The drama <The East Palace is Coming> adopted the model of filming while broadcasting. This was Shen Jintai’s first time trying such a model. Looking at the schedule, the broadcast would be one month after the start of filming, making the time very tight.

The disadvantage of this kind of model is that if the TV series being filmed and broadcast has a low rating, it could be cut off. The advantages are that the plot and characters can be adjusted through audience’s feedback. If there are too many negative reviews, the characters that drag down the ratings too much can be remove. There are also situations where if the character becomes popular, a support role can replace the main protagonist.

The first 20 episodes have been finalized. Both Yang Lizhi and Bai Qingquan have requirements in their contracts. Major changes are not allowed to affect their scenes in these 20 episodes. According to screenwriter, Meng Xiaosheng, the drama is estimated to be 40 episodes.

If the ratings are strong, it is not impossible to extend it later. In fact, he remembered that this TV series was indeed extended, and it ended up with 46 episodes.

The 46 episode TV series was broadcast twice a week. This not only made it popular but gave it a lot of staying power. It will almost certainly be surrounded by heat for at least a year.

The next 26 episodes will really depend on fate. Of course, the main male and female protagonist are still the hero and heroine. The biggest change would be the fate of the supporting roles.

Shen Jintai was ambitious, and his ambitions did not just extend to TV series. He must not waste this chance. Whether he can turn over a new leaf or not is completely dependent on this drama that’s about to set the world on fire.

—

The press conference was coming up, but Shen Jintai didn’t have the appropriate outfit to wear. His reputation was so bad, no brand was willing to lend him one and out for fear of tarnishing their brand. He decided he’ll rent an outfit from a small studio instead.

This studio specializes in serving artistes. They carried many high-end apparel in the store, but the possibility of renting something that would fit perfectly was 0%. Shen Jintai wasn’t able to find a suitable outfit. There were very few men’s clothing and most of them were previously worn by stars from the 18-tier. Still, he thought they were passable and felt that as long as no one was specifically out to blacken him, no one would notice.

Li Meilan didn’t think it would work.

Li Meilan: “How do you know no one will blacken you? You’re being a bit too nonchalant about this. You have more moonlight powder than your own family. Their power alone is enough to stab you from head to toe. In any case, you used to endorse a top luxury brand. If you wear anything that’s not high-end, you’ll definitely be ridiculed. This is your comeback. We can’t make do with just anything.”

Following her intuition as an agent, Li Meilan felt that special attention should be given to his comeback. If they’re not careful, this comeback debut could become a mockery of the entire network. She felt that on the night of Shen Jintai’s comeback, no matter personal status, clothes, or shoes, she had to make sure there’ll be no mistakes.

Shen Jintai also agreed. He can’t give people a feeling of exasperation, otherwise the internet public opinion will shame him to death. He decided to ask Mrs. Yan for help.

Mrs. Yan had been eagerly waiting to assist: “Next time if you don’t speak up, I’ll drag you to go try on clothes.” Although she didn’t mix in the entertainment industry, she understood all the twists and turns of Vanity Fair. If Shen Jintai wanted to make a comeback, she will let him shine in all directions!

Mrs. Yan immediately ordered the driver to take them shopping. With her status as Fang Fengmei, no brand would dare neglect her! In most cases, these big brand stores would have items for the season that haven’t been displayed yet. These items were usually reserved for high end clientele, such as Mrs. Yan.

Mrs. Yan sat on the sofa drinking coffee and watched the staff help Shen Jintai get dressed. Horses rely on saddles, people rely on clothes, and top-notch men’s clothing are meant to be put on men’s body.

Shen Jintai felt he had become a phoenix. He didn’t really have a good frame for formal wear, but thanks to his height it was adequate. Although he was a bit thin, he was in relatively good shape and had a straight waist and back. Besides these qualities, he really had nothing else going for him. As such and to maintain his professionalism as a star, whenever he goes out, he would pay special attention to his form, and avoided ever hunching his back.

“This is Qiuchi’s favorite brand.” Mrs. Yan whispered: “He’s also attending your press conference. Show it off to him. As long as you you’re not reckless, you will not look worse than others!”

With the clothes ordered, the next thing is to prepare for the press conference.

The investment scale of <The East Palace is Coming> was massive. Sunshine Media heavily promoted this drama so everyone had been paying close attention to it. The press conference was scheduled for Friday night at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel.

Many gold powder already knew about it and Li Meiland had invited a few representatives to come show support.

The news of Shen Jintai’s planned returned had been overwhelming. His recent activities gave away too many hints. Public opinion had been fermenting for a while and was about to explode. It wasn’t only just Shen Jintai’s side that was excited and worried but the crew themselves felt the same way.

Finding Shen Jintai as the second male second was a surprise that fell from the sky. The crew and Sunshine Media were waiting with high anticipation. Their drama was certainly going to take the top publicity spot. With an ex-top idol and a current top idol who were rivals, plus the hua dan*, Yang Lizhi, they were wondering how many hot searches could they make.

*Reminder: hua dan = a term that is rooted in Chinese opera describing a vivacious and unmarried young woman, now referring to Chinese film actresses. Hua Dans tend to drive good attention either from fans or the general public. Besides that, they should at least have good appearances, certain acting skills, commercial values, and qualifications to contribute to the success of their works.

With the combination of individual celebrities and several companies buying hype, this drama will dominate the hot searches tonight!

—

Bai Qingquan who was wearing a custom-made suit was admiring himself in front of a mirror.

The staff beside him couldn’t help but praise: “Really handsome, so handsome.”

Amidst a pile of rainbow farts, Bai Qingquan smiled slightly. He was good-looking. He had been on a diet and worked out, so his figure was in peek condition. He was born to wear clothes. Whether it was casual or formal, he can HOLD* it.

*Original was in English. Not sure was HOLD is referring to.

“Tell my fans to bring more light signs to the scene today. I’m afraid Shen Jintai won’t be able to see it!” He said to Wei Ge. He wanted to flaunt his current popularity in front of Shen Jintai. The moonlight shines everywhere.

Even without his instructions, as the number one fan group that no one can contend with in terms of scale or energy, moonlight powder had already organized and prepare for the launch of the press conference half a month in advance. From controlling public opinions, countering black fans, ect. All these things have been arranged and there was absolutely no shortcomings. They even set up a special “gold extinction action team”. No way in hell were they letting Shen Jintai make a comeback! It was no longer a secret that Shen Jintai was going to be participating in <The East Palace is Coming>.

“Do you know what clothes Shen Jintai will wear?” He asked Wei Ge.

Wei Ge said: “Don’t worry about him. How could he compare with you now?”

It’s not just about appearance. Beauty* can nourish people as well. Bai Qingquan had been blessed with the spring breeze in the past two years. His body was full of top-notch aura. His self-confidence radiated from his bones. This is the starlight cultivated from pampering and love that can only be found in popular* people.

*Red [hóng] (红) = the same word is being used here but it can mean different things depending on context. Hong translated directly means red but can be referred as beauty (like the former) or to being favored, famous, lucky, or prosperous (like the latter).

“He has always liked to show off in fancy clothes,” Bai Qingquan said: “Although he has been very low-key these days, I believe that it’s easier to change mountains and river than to change a person’s nature*. This time it’s his comeback. It’s impossible for him to not take it seriously.”

*It’s easier to change mountains and river than to change a person’s nature = idiom that should be self-explanatory. Summarized, people don’t easily change.

According to his understanding of Shen Jintai, Shen Jintai must have been repressing himself all this time and was about to explode tonight. Maybe the recent change in his looks, from the low eyebrows to the smooth ears, were all fake so that he put on a show for tonight. Hehe!

Bai Qingquan glanced in the mirror again. He usually didn’t wear makeup. However, for today’s event, he specifically invited a top makeup artist to paint him. His already beautiful face was decorated with meticulous makeup that made his beauty shined even brighter. His body seemed to be radiating.

Tonight, let him use this flourishing beauty to completely defeat Shen Jintai!

Ho, ho, ho!

—

“Report! Shen Touhua really is coming back. He’s in DGLL. It’s set!”

“I saw it! I saw it! Someone posted a photo of the backstage and saw Shen Touhua!”

“Fuck me. I’m a little excited about what’s going on. Does anyone have the source of the pictures? I want to see!”

“I want to see how wonderful Shen Touhua would be this time! Arrange the red-haired flower skirt!”

“The picture is here!”

Someone immediately posted a picture of the backstage. The picture wasn’t very clear. It was a group of people surrounding a dressing room. There were several familiar faces from the entertainment industry. Shen Jintai was standing in the upper right corner of the picture but there were many people in front of him blocking the view. It didn’t show his attire, only traces of his black hair could be seen.

“Wow!”

“Wow, Shen Touhua really had a change of face!”

“Pull it down*. The hair may be normal, but the clothes must still be blinding! Just wait and see!”

*Pull it down (拉倒吧) = northeastern dialect that has the same meaning as “forget it” but it’s a bit deeper. The meaning is a bit more contemptuous.

“It seems like these days the hype was true about him preparing for his comeback. I just didn’t expect that he would participate in <The East Palace is Coming>!”

“He’s actually in the same drama with Bai Qingquan? Is he crazy, or Bai Qingquan is crazy? Aren’t they rivals?!”

“I don’t know which of them is crazy, but their fans certainly are already crazy. ”

“I’m so excited! I’m so excited! I want to see them tear each other up. It’s been so quiet in my district lately.”

“I think that it’ll be on the hot search soon. I think eight groups have already swiped the screen. ”

“Bai Qingquan’s acting only depends on whether the script is good or bad. It is not up to him to decide which actors he cooperates with. Please don’t tie him to Shen Touhua, thank you!”

“Shen Jintai’s comeback was really painstaking. He made small moves behind the scene to replace the second male lead. All I can say is hehe! I don’t want to tie Bai Qingquan to this bloodsucker!”

“Please Shen Touhua, let my brother go!”

“Shen Touhua flower Shen Touhua.” Attached were GIFs of ghosts and animals twisting around with scarlet flowers on their heads.

“Moonlight powder arrived at the scene so quickly, hahaha!”

“Hurry up and tear it up! Tear Shen Jintai apart!”

“I’m not doing anything tonight. I want to watch the live broadcast!”

“Post the live broadcast address, and I want to watch too!”

“I have posted a live broadcast, so cuckoos are welcome to go in and chat together! ”

The red carpet was already in progress. The venue was a large auditorium. Their group of actors have already arrived backstage, waiting to walk it one by one.

In addition to the actors who participated in the show, there are also representatives of the producers and investors of the show. Yan Qiuchi, as the producer, also attended the press conference and had already taken a seat on the stage.

Shen Jintai put a hand in his pocket and lowered his head slightly.

Li Meilan passed through the crowd and asked in a low voice: “Are you nervous?”

Shen Jintai raised his head and looked at Li Meilan with a smile, his eyes were a little moist: “A little bit.”

“Don’t be nervous, you were born to belong on the stage. Everything will be fine.” Li Meilan was also very emotional. She was nervous, tensed, and excited inside.

Shen Jintai nodded. Yang Lizhi and Bai Qingquan took the lead, followed by Song Wei and other veteran celebrities. He lined up in the middle, and everyone was separated by a distance and obeyed the dispatching arrangements.

“Shen Jintai, follow me.” The dispatcher said.

Shen Jintai breathed a sigh of relief and followed the dispatcher to the entrance of the red carpet. Someone was already taking pictures of him with his mobile phone. He stood in the shadow and looked out and saw Yan Qiuchi sitting in the first row on the stage.

He could only hear the deafening shouts of moonlight powder all calling “Bai Qingquan, Bai Qingquan!” Their shouts were fanatical and passionate. The sparkling lights of cameras kept flashing, but Bai Qingquan, Yang Lizhi and others had already mastered the art of not blinking from the flashes. The men looked handsome and gentle, while the women were bright and domineering. This kind of reverse temperament from traditional gender roles had a kind of CP charm to it.

Shen Jintai’s heart was beating fast. He suddenly saw a girl next to him holding a bunch of bright red roses.

He walked over and asked in a low voice, “Can you give me one?”

The girl was a little taken aback and nodded.

Shen Jintai: “Thank you.”

“Shen Jintai, you’re up!” the dispatcher shouted.

Shen Jintai put the rose in his chest pocket, slowly exhaled, straightened his lower back, and walked into the light.

“Shen Jintai!” He heard someone shout.

The cameras all turned to him at once, flashing non-stop. Shen Jintai felt little dizzy, but he calmed down, smiled and waved as he walked along the red carpet.

These long and short guns* all seem to be focusing on him.

*Long and short guns = describing the cameras in the hands of photographers.

Bai Qingquan who was walking ahead suddenly found all the flashing lights had moved away from him. He was flabbergasted. I rely on me!

His heart started aching. History was about to repeat itself again. Where there is Shen Jintai, there is no light from him!

He looked back and saw that Shen Jintai was dressed in a formal suit with normal black and white colors. A single red rose stretched out of his breast pocket seems to accentuate his entire figure. The flashing lights around him was dazzling like stars. He walked with firm steps. Under the night sky, he was like a flower bathe in light.

The author has something to say:

Happy National Day, sprinkle flowers to wish the motherland peace and prosperity, rub off the heat of the motherland, and officially enter the V* tomorrow. I wish to be with you forever!

*Not sure what it’s referring to. Was originally in English.

Coming up next we have: double-beauty drama, beauty upgrades, sexy upgrades, love rivals, and lovers that are stupidly confused. The fragrance* is coming, and the vinegar jar* is ready! Brothers and friends are rivals in the Shura field*. The desperate pursuit of the wife in the crematorium*. The face-slapping will be satisfying. The whole staff is really fragrant, but they are getting more and more flowers from Gaoling*, and what they’re known for is distributing regret pills*!

*Reminder: Really Fragrant/fragrence (真香) – Slang that means a situation where a person originally made up his mind not to do something or did something, but in the end, he took the initiative to act in the opposite direction.
*Vinegar jar = being jealous.
*Shura Field = tragic battlefield. Could also mean a person who is fighting to the death in a difficult situation.
*Wife chasing crematorium = genre in novels where one character hurts their lover, realize their mistake, and do their best to seek their forgiveness.
*Gaoling = I think this is referring to a place in ancient China known for ceramic culture and natural ecology… and a guess medicine (see clarity)
*Clarity: I think the reference the author is making here is that the staff (who’s looking down on Shen Jintai now) is going to have a reverse 180 (really fragrant) and will regret their decision on looking down on him (pills from Gaoling). Not sure of this if someone can check: 全员真香，偏偏小受越来越高岭之花，最擅长的就是派发后悔药!

Thank you all for your thunder, comments, and thank you all for following my novel.

The follow-up novel “After Reverse Transmigration, I Became the Four Arch-Enemies’ White Moonlight”, is a novel of a reverse transmigration in the entertainment circle.

Introduction*:

*I just took the summary from Novel Updates (it’s the same summary as what the author has written), which was translated pretty well.

Jin Yanliu, the man with divine facial features, mega-rich, is viral at the age of twenty.

One day, he finds out that he is actually living in a book called “Taking Turns to Dote on.” In the book, his body is the one that someone else’s soul will transmigrate into.

According to the plot, the soul will spend his money, enjoy his fame, and use his beauty—to seduce the four big shots within the story.

Ha!

It wouldn’t matter if he didn’t know, but he’s got to fight back since he knows already!

As a result, Jin Yanliu set his eyes on the four big shots from the text.

The first big shot: His brother who looks mellow and calm on the outside but is actually sick and dark with paranoid and fanatical deviations.

The second big shot: his well-known archrival in the showbiz world.

The third big shot: The cautious leader of his anti-fans and has extreme fighting strength.

The fourth big shot: The tyrannical, cold blooded disabled bigshot who never experienced any warmth.

Jin Yanliu personally groomed them all to be his worst enemies.

After doing so, he set free his inner self, became unbridled with arrogance and squandered money. Soon, he went from the legend of the entertainment industry to the joke. Finally, he jumped into the river, just as the novel had foretold.

Transmigrate! Transmigrate! Better transmigrate fast so that you could receive this mess and be oppressed by these big shots!

But…

Why isn’t he transmigrating?! Why?!

Befuddled, Jin Yanliu was quickly surrounded by the big shots.

They stared at him with red eyes filled with hatred, yet they couldn’t help but yearn for him.

Fuck. A bit too exciting, this is.

1 vs 1, a reverse-transmigration book and entertainment circle novel. A su* and cruel beauty was attacked by a group of psychopaths. He wanted revenge but couldn’t bear it. A series of love-hate scenes intertwined with dog blood*.

*Reminder: Su/su sense (苏感) = specifically refers to the actor’s natural charm in the interpretation of the role, which makes the audience feel “heartbeat”. There is no set standard as it’s completely arbitrary (based off people’s own personal opinion).
*Reminder: Dog-blood = melodramatic.

There are still wonderful dramas. Tentatively scheduled to open on March 9.