Chapter 272: Soaring Popularity
The drama club, Happy Fries, was originally just a small one, performing daily to make a living. Later, it grew larger, appeared on the Spring Festival Gala, and even toured the country. Yu Linna was once introduced to act in a play there, but was later kicked out for her terrible acting. But the fame of this drama club was indeed not small.
Now, this drama club had become independent, registered as a company, and had even written a script, preparing to make a movie.
As the number one sister of Happy Fries, Shen Wenwen applied to participate in a program to promote their new film. Although filming hadn’t started yet, she knew very well that as an actress in the entertainment industry, having enough exposure was the foundation for getting people’s attention. If the exposure was not enough, the heat would quickly drop, thus affecting her popularity. After all, not everyone could live a low-key life in the entertainment industry. Most people gradually faded from public view due to a lack of exposure.
“Hello, Shen Wenwen. Welcome to ‘Shining Stars.’ Perhaps many viewers don’t know you very well yet. But I have often watched the skits and plays you’ve starred in.”
“Thank you, host. Hello everyone, I am Shen Wenwen.”
Shen Wenwen smiled demurely in front of the camera, her demeanor proper, her posture elegant.
Huang Jinglin, after all, was a professional host. Hosting a one-on-one talk show with a star like this was a piece of cake for her. Thinking that her future work might involve facing all sorts of celebrities from the entertainment industry, she felt that her future was bright. Before her career reached its peak, talking with Shen Wenwen was also good practice.
Shen Wenwen’s fame was indeed not great. She had graduated from the Beijing Film Academy, but had no acting roles and could only make a living by acting in plays. Although she was now preparing to make a movie, she had no fame at all, and many viewers didn’t even know who she was. She also knew that her fame was not enough to gain a foothold in the entertainment industry, and making a movie was a difficult step. If this movie didn’t do well, they would truly have nothing and would declare bankruptcy. So they could only succeed.
“So, Miss Shen Wenwen, could you tell us your story?”
“Of course. Do you have any wine?”
“What do you need wine for?”
“I have a story.”
The program recording went very smoothly. Shen Wenwen had a background in drama, so she was very good at creating laughs. And Huang Jinglin also had many years of hosting experience, so she was well-prepared for this kind of situation and quickly picked up the conversation.
Ye Zhiyun was relieved to see that the program recording was going so smoothly. When she invested in this industry, her mother had asked her if she was being too hasty, but she felt it was necessary. Although she was a little worried, fortunately, it was going smoothly. If it continued to develop, this program had the potential to become big. As long as she worked a little harder, her wealth would become higher and higher. As long as her wealth and status were high enough, she would no longer have to be bullied by others, nor would she have to listen to others. Her future would be in her own hands.
For this day, she had to work hard.
…
And Yu Linna had also been busy with interviews and magazine interviews these days. Although there were no photos of her in the newspapers and magazines because she didn’t show her face, her popularity was still strong. The name “Shion,” along with the hit web series, was remembered by many people.
Xiao Yanhan had also specially paid for a membership to watch The Smile of the Rose. It was hard to believe that such a youth film, filled with the atmosphere of first love, could attract so much attention. The main actors were all newcomers, and there wasn’t a single big-name star. The only famous person was the credited screenwriter, Shion.
But it was this story about an online romance that was favored by young people. Many people promoted it in their Moments, and this word-of-mouth publicity made the drama’s popularity higher and higher. Because this drama was a web series, only 2 episodes were updated a week, and a season only had 13 episodes, which meant it would be over in a little over a month. So on Weibo, many people were urging for the filming of the second season. They couldn’t wait to see the next season.
But the official side was awkward. They felt troubled because they hadn’t expected this drama to become a hit. They had thought that just having Shion-sensei’s name to attract some popularity would be enough, and they didn’t expect much else. But who knew that this web series would become a hit, and people would be urging for the next season before it was even finished updating? The problem was, Shion-sensei hadn’t signed a contract for the second season’s script. Whether she was willing to write the second season was still an unknown.
And Shion-sensei’s popularity rose again, once again occupying the top spot on Weibo. Some called her the “Star of the Era,” the “Star of Culture and Entertainment.” In a Weibo poll, she actually surpassed dozens of popular celebrities in the entertainment industry, ranking 52nd among the most popular celebrities of the year on Weibo, and was also the only novelist to be selected in the top 100. Although Qidian also had a supreme god author, with the pen name Lan Shao, an author with an annual income of over a hundred million, whose works were also adapted into animation and TV series, and was a great author at the height of his fame, he was actually only ranked 102nd, which was a huge surprise.
In terms of seniority and status, Shion was inferior to Lan Shao, but the one thing she dared to do was that she was not limited to writing novels, but boldly went to write a TV series script. The spread of novels was limited, after all, but film and television works were different. If the script she wrote became a hit, then her exposure would also rise accordingly. This was a key point in Shion-sensei’s victory.
At this point, no one would doubt that Shion-sensei’s status was higher than Air-sensei’s. People were even surprised. This was truly a terrifying newcomer. In just one year, she had surpassed Air-sensei, who was hailed as a super-rookie last year. The new waves of the Yangtze River push the old waves forward.
For Yu Linna, these were all what she deserved, and she was also happy to have achieved such success. She had really succeeded, had become the person she wanted to be.
“I say, if I let the famous Shion-sensei come on my live stream, will I become the number one popular uploader on Bilibili?” Fang Jiangning said with a smile.
She and Yu Linna were sitting in the school’s milk tea shop. Yu Linna was even carrying her laptop, drinking milk tea and chatting with Fang Jiangning while typing in a document. Fang Jiangning was wearing sunglasses and a hat when she went out, clearly wanting to avoid people’s eyes and ears.
In the past, Fang Jiangning didn’t have this kind of concern. Ever since her identity as the Bilibili uploader Little Angel was exposed online, she had to keep a low profile. She didn’t even dare to wear makeup when she went out and had to wear sunglasses. There was no helping it; with fame comes trouble.
People all said that Guangnan University was full of hidden dragons and crouching tigers. An Air-sensei was one thing, but there was also a Little Angel. Was this school trying to create a celebrity training institute?
“You’d better not think about that. I’m not going to do a live stream.”
Yu Linna replied faintly and continued to type on her keyboard.
Fang Jiangning rested her chin on her hand, sucking on the pearls in her milk tea, her eyes looking at her pitifully.
“Little Nana hasn’t appeared in my stream room for a long time. Your fans all say that since I’m willing to turn on the camera, why don’t I let Little Nana take off her mask and come on stream?”
“First, I have to clarify one thing. Those are your fans, not my fans. And also, my profession is not a streamer, but a novelist.”
“Don’t be so cold. If you’re like this, you won’t have a boyfriend.”
“I don’t need that.”
“But seriously, Linna. Why don’t you show your face? You have fame now, you have wealth. Why don’t you appear in public? You’re not ugly, and you’ve already proven to others that you’re not a ‘vase.’ Since that’s the case, why won’t you show your face?”
Yu Linna’s hands, which were typing on the keyboard, stopped.
Unconsciously, another year had passed. When she stopped, she would also wonder, what on earth was she doing? If it was simply to prove to people that she, Yu Linna, was not a “vase,” that she could make a living without relying on her looks, then she had already done it. Why did she have to continue to hide from the media, to hide from the readers? What else was there for her to hide?
“Now that you mention it, I also realize that there seems to be no need for me to do this.”
“Right?”
Fang Jiangning patted her head and said with a smile.
Her meaning was, it was time for you to show your face.
However, Yu Linna shook her head, indicating that she would not be appearing in public for the time being to reveal her private identity to the readers.
“Why? You don’t need to hide anymore.”
“It won’t do me much good to go public. Isn’t it fine to maintain the status quo?”
Yu Linna said faintly, drinking her milk tea.
Maintaining the status quo is fine. At least, she won’t have to meet Nangong Ying on some large-scale live television program after her fame grows. She doesn’t want to stand in front of the camera with her.
“Linna!”
“Hmm?”
Suddenly hearing someone call her, Yu Linna subconsciously looked up, only to see Xiao Yanhan at the entrance of the milk tea shop. After discovering her, Xiao Yanhan walked in with a grin and sat down next to Fang Jiangning.
“You two came out for milk tea without calling me. I caught you.”
“Haha, what do you want to drink? Go ahead and order.”
Fang Jiangning gave her the menu and let her choose. After ordering her own milk tea, Xiao Yanhan turned to stare at Yu Linna with sparkling eyes, as if she wanted to eat her.
“What’s wrong, Yanhan?”
“My dear Linna baby, can you do me a favor? Teach me how to write an outline.”
Being subjected to Xiao Yanhan’s malicious moe act, Yu Linna felt a little creeped out. This person, when she acted cute, was a bit hard to resist. Damn this world where looks were justice..
“Why are you suddenly looking for me?”
“I know my outlines are terrible, and my stories aren’t well-written, but I have a heart that wants to improve. I want to learn how to write an outline, to write my stories well, to draw the best stories.”
“Having confidence is a good thing…”
“Thank you, sensei!”
“…”
Damn it, I haven’t even agreed yet.
Yu Linna was very helpless about this.
Xiao Yanhan’s manga indeed had many flaws, the most fatal one being the story plot. She would always stuff in some strange things, cliché, forced comedy, melodrama, bugs, everything.
If she learned how to handle an outline, it might be a good thing.
“Alright then. But I’m very busy. I can only find time to guide you.”
“Thank you so much!”
Xiao Yanhan was very excited. The thought of having the famous Shion-sensei teach her how to write an outline made her feel that her stories would become more and more beautiful, and one day she would become a great manga artist.
To make that day come sooner, she had to work twice as hard and learn more. First, she had to improve her stories.
“By the way, Yanhan, are you free this week? I want to do a live stream. Will you join me?”
Fang Jiangning interrupted Xiao Yanhan’s excitement.
“Live stream?”
“Yes, my live stream. It’s very interesting. Come along. I guarantee you’ll be satisfied.”
Yu Linna silently drank her milk tea, pretending not to see.
