Wen Ying’s guess was correct. The swarm of reporters at the airport wasn’t due to a leak from Tianjiao’s side; they were there to stake out Xu Mei.
Since getting engaged to Cao Bo, Xu Mei had become a darling of the entertainment pages. Her saga with her future in-laws was more gripping than prime-time soap operas. Audiences loved it, so reporters eagerly followed her. Xu Mei and the reporters had a tacit understanding; most of her news was self-leaked.
To this day, Xu Mei still lacked a defining work, but that didn’t matter. Black-and-red fame was still fame, and with fame came opportunities.
Today, Xu Mei appeared with a producer from Baodao.
Reporters had heard that Xu Mei was confirmed to star in the new drama by the queen of romance. Her wedding to her fiancé was also approaching. Rumour had it her future mother-in-law adored the romance queen, being a loyal fan of her books and dramas. Xu Mei’s casting in the new drama finally earned her mother-in-law’s approval. These tidbits, too, were leaked by Xu Mei herself. Compared to her casting confirmation, reporters were more interested in the latter scoop.
The kind of melodramatic mother-in-law conflicts seen in soap operas played out daily in real life, and reporters chased the story with relish.
Xu Mei landed the role thanks to her unique value: wherever she went, reporters followed, bringing attention to the romance queen’s new drama. Of course, Xu Mei’s “darkened” persona also suited the role perfectly.
When the plane landed, it carried Xu Mei, the producer, and Cao Bo.
Xu Mei was particularly chummy with the producer, “Sister Yang, would you like to take the VIP通道 to avoid the noise? I’m worried there’ll be too many reporters.”
Producer Yang, a relative of the Baodao romance queen and her media spokesperson, had seen countless big scenes. She smiled, “I’m not afraid of noise. I’m more afraid of silence.”
In the entertainment industry, being photographed by reporters was better than being ignored. Celebrities often clashed with paparazzi, complaining about invasions of privacy, but if the paparazzi stopped chasing them, it meant they’d faded from relevance.
No one wanted to fade, but no one could stay popular forever. Even the ratings legend, the Baodao romance queen, had to plan for the future. Choosing Xu Mei for a key role in her new drama and collaborating with Hunan Satellite TV to select a female lead through a talent show were all part of the hype.
As the romance queen’s spokesperson, Producer Yang wanted to gauge Xu Mei’s popularity firsthand and see if she was truly as hot as claimed.
After disembarking and exiting the gate, the expected frenzy didn’t materialise. The exit was quiet.
Not exactly quiet—there were plenty of passengers, just none of the reporters who should’ve been waiting.
Producer Yang was puzzled.
So much hype, and this was it?
Could the newspaper stories be bought by Xu Mei herself?
Doubt crept into Producer Yang’s eyes. Xu Mei remained calm but shot a fierce glare at Cao Bo.
*What kind of planning is this?*
Cao Bo was clueless.
The reporters should’ve been there!
Why they weren’t, Cao Bo didn’t know. He and Xu Mei were on the same flight, so he had no answers.
Xu Mei grew more irritated with Cao Bo, bypassing him to give her assistant a few instructions. After the Pan Li incident, Xu Mei trusted no one else. Her assistant, personally hired and paid by her, not the company, was loyal to her.
The assistant was capable and soon returned, “The previous flight had Tianjiao’s people. Li Mengjiao and Yun Chen showed up with a ton of bodyguards, and the reporters chased them to the parking lot.”
Tianjiao deliberately stealing her thunder?
In the past, Xu Mei might’ve thought so.
Now, she quickly dismissed the idea.
Tianjiao had no reason to target her; there was no conflict of interest, and picking a fight wouldn’t benefit them.
In fact, on some matters, she could even collaborate with Yuan Fenghui!
Xu Mei’s thinking was increasingly attuned to the entertainment industry. She didn’t hide the assistant’s findings from Producer Yang, “Mengjiao, Yangning, and I came from the same talent show. We were close during the competition, but after signing with different companies, we don’t talk as much. Among us, Mengjiao’s the luckiest, becoming the show’s ambassador, singing hit songs, and starring in popular dramas. She’s at her peak now; my popularity doesn’t match hers. It’s a pity Tianjiao keeps a tight leash on Mengjiao, or I could’ve introduced you, Sister Yang. Mengjiao only acts in Tianjiao’s in-house dramas. They have their own actors and screenwriters, a self-contained system outsiders can’t penetrate. Mengjiao’s here in Hunan for Tianjiao’s new drama, *Galaxy and You*, starring the Chinese pop diva Hu Man. You’ve surely heard of her, Sister Yang.”
Hearing Li Mengjiao’s name, Producer Yang was briefly tempted, but Xu Mei’s words cooled her interest.
Li Mengjiao was too big.
The drama Xu Mei wanted might not interest Li Mengjiao.
Besides, Li Mengjiao was Yuan Fenghui’s artist, and Yuan Fenghui’s domineering reputation was well-known in Baodao’s entertainment circle. Producer Yang had no desire to challenge her.
Hearing that Tianjiao used its own actors and screenwriters, forming a closed system, reminded Producer Yang of her own company’s model. She grew wary but reassured herself that Tianjiao, a new company, couldn’t compare. Their screenwriter, Zhang Guangzhen, wasn’t even top-tier in Baodao, while the romance queen had decades of work and dozens of titles—her company’s most valuable assets. With those, they could promote as many stars as they wanted.
As for Wen Ying, the young screenwriter, Producer Yang didn’t take her seriously.
Her thoughts raced, but she put on a smile, “You three debuted from the same talent show. She’s done so well as the runner-up; as the champion, you won’t fall behind. You just need a defining role.”
A memorable character.
A hit drama.
What Xu Mei lacked, Producer Yang could provide.
Xu Mei was about to speak when the reporters returned.
Xu Mei now carried herself with flair. As reporters surrounded her with cameras, and passersby joined the spectacle, she exuded the aura of a major star.
Seeing the reporters’ enthusiasm, Producer Yang was fully reassured and, when pressed, confirmed publicly for the first time that Xu Mei would join the romance queen’s new drama.
“We’re very much looking forward to working with Miss Xu.”
Xu Mei was really starring in the romance queen’s new drama!
Last year, reporters might’ve called it luck. Now, they felt it was deserved; Xu Mei’s popularity matched the role.
As for how her popularity was hyped, the reporters knew well and even felt a bit proud.
Beyond releasing albums, acting, or joining talent shows, entertainment journalists like them could also create stars. They were the true uncrowned kings!
The reporters pressed Xu Mei and Cao Bo about their wedding. Xu Mei linked arms with Cao Bo, her eyes sparkling, “Though I’d love to marry him soon, a woman needs her own career. What if I’m looked down on after marriage? For now, I’m focusing on my career, which wouldn’t be possible without my fiancé’s respect and support.”
Xu Mei quickly kissed Cao Bo’s cheek. Reporters snapped photos and cheered.
Everyone was thrilled, except the tool, Cao Bo, who wasn’t.
Predictably, tomorrow’s headlines would read, “Xu Mei Lands Major Drama but Wedding Date Uncertain, Fears In-Laws’ Disapproval.” Not just Cao Bo, the entire Cao family was Xu Mei’s tool, trotted out when needed. Cao Bo didn’t dare break up; Xu Mei had crafted him a devoted persona. If he called off the engagement, the reporters would tear him apart.
Cao Bo, who’d had countless girlfriends, never imagined being outplayed by Xu Mei.
When Xu Mei kissed him, his smile was stiff. Her grip on his arm tightened, pinching him hard, making him even angrier.
After answering questions and posing for photos, Xu Mei’s group left the airport.
Once in the car, her assistant handed her the phone, “Sis, your phone’s been buzzing.”
Xu Mei checked it: several missed calls.
Some from Pan Li, and, surprisingly, one from Fang Ping.
