Chapter 26: Rival? No! This Is a Lucky Star Sent to Assist!

Lin Yubai had been in the industry for many years, and the number of crises he had weathered was countless. Yet his reputation within the circle remained remarkably good. He had never resorted to underhanded tactics or burned bridges with others. Coupled with past grievances and alliances, it was only natural that, when faced with two options, Spring and Autumn Entertainment would prefer to believe the latter.

Now, the “unspoken rules” scandal had finally begun to die down. Starlight Company had dismissed a group of people and laid out some new plans, using explosive news involving other celebrities and several company achievements to paint over the turmoil. So, they were largely free of trouble themselves; it was not impossible they might turn around and seek revenge for the previous blow. Of course, their methods were rather crude. Even if they resorted to impersonation and stirring up conflict between Lin Yubai’s and Bai Ling’s fans to manipulate public opinion and label Bai Ling as a “resources darling,” it would ultimately be of little use—Spring and Autumn was an old, established entertainment company. How could they not have seen such tricks before?

In no time, with both sides intervening, the discussion about Bai Ling in costume dramas soared to new heights. Several times it nearly broke into the trending topics. If the attention comes knocking at your door, you’d be a fool not to take it. Starlight, too, soon realized something was off; they’d suffered a silent loss. But it was too late to pull back. All they could do was watch as Bai Ling’s fame rose higher and higher.

However, such blind popularity was not necessarily a good thing. As the saying goes, the higher the pedestal, the harder the fall.

Starlight knew Bai Ling well. Though they couldn’t fathom how she had suddenly composed such a remarkable song and drawn widespread attention, they nevertheless invited several renowned musicians to analyze her performance. They concluded that, while Bai Ling’s stage presence was compelling, her technical skills were still sorely lacking. The emotional impact could have come from the particular circumstances, but technique does not improve overnight because of excitement.

In short, Starlight’s internal consensus was that Bai Ling remained a pretty face with little substance. This show would be the mirror that reveals the truth! Her real talent—or lack thereof—would be laid bare for all to see. In that case, every word from her devoted fans, every piece of praise, would become the very bricks that would shatter her reputation.

Having settled on this plan, Starlight shifted its strategy, using sabotage and manufactured conflict to stoke the flames of public anxiety and hype. As for Spring and Autumn Entertainment, there was little they could do about it.

No, in fact, Spring and Autumn was delighted. Watching Starlight’s antics, the entire team could hardly contain their laughter. What they’d thought was a formidable opponent turned out to be a lucky star instead!

At last, Sunday evening at eight o’clock arrived. The program aired right on schedule. Aside from those glued to their televisions, the vast majority of viewers flocked to the online live broadcast as soon as it began. The barrage of comments came thick and fast.

“First!”
“When you see this, you’re no longer first.”
“Second!”
“Sis, I’m here!”
“Bai Ling Bai Ling Bai Ling Bai Ling!”
“Bai Ling’s fans, please line up in order and don’t embarrass our idol.”
“Whoa, why are there so many people? This show was never this popular before.”
“Exactly!”
“Welcome, everyone, but remember, Bai Ling is just a guest—don’t go overboard.”
“All right, all right, the show’s starting.”
“Too bad we can’t skip ahead on the premiere…”
“Yeah!”
“I used to watch this show, but it’s pretty ordinary. Sure, the girls are pretty, but with so many clumped together, it gets boring.”
“What’s there to be excited about? Bai Ling isn’t singing this time. No one really believes she has any other talents, right?”
“No way, right? No one actually thinks Bai Ling’s a music prodigy?”
“Finally, time to see Bai Ling embarrass herself.”

Among the viewers were Bai Ling’s fans, the program’s original audience, and a few anonymous instigators stirring the pot. In short, the live comments during the premiere were as lively as they could get. While not so overwhelming as to flood the entire screen, they were proof enough of the fervor Bai Ling had generated lately.

When the four judges and the three guest stars made their appearance, the fans of each mentor and guest arrived in force. Among them, Shen Wenjun’s fans were fewer and less rabid; they were quickly overshadowed by Lin Yubai’s supporters. The title of youngest Best Actor was truly impressive, and his ability to rally fans was evident to all.

Even Bai Ling, watching the show herself, couldn’t help but exclaim in awe. Not even her own fans could rival Lin Yubai’s presence—the two groups weren’t even in the same league.

But Bai Ling understood. This guy had been acting since his teens, active in the industry for nearly a decade. Many even called themselves his “mom fans”! Add in the girlfriend fans, and their numbers were unimaginable. How could Bai Ling, with just one recent surge in popularity, hope to compete? She might as well give up and get some sleep.

Still, even so, her fans went wild seeing her appear in a vibrant red gown. Some of the comments made even Bai Ling blush.

“Sizzle!”
“If I were still a man, I think I’d be smitten with myself.”
“Maybe I should just develop a split personality and date myself?”

Since there was no one else in the room, Bai Ling allowed herself this little tease. Once the show officially began, the content quickly became tedious, and as usual, Bai Ling started to doze off. Even the live comments turned to complaints about the performances and disappointment with the “girl group” concept.

Beneath the glossy hype, most people knew that “Girl Group Assembly” was a second-tier show at best. The content was just barely watchable, scraping the bottom of the acceptable range. No one really expected anything brilliant—it wasn’t worth making things difficult for the producers.

Soon, it was finally Wen Yan’s turn to take the stage. Whether it was the aura of a destined heroine at work or the backing of powerful connections, the barrage of comments now shifted to discussions about Wen Yan.

From these comments, Bai Ling could tell that viewers had a pretty favorable impression of this gentle, soft-spoken “little green tea.”

“Hmm, once this show is over, Wen Yan will probably make her official debut.”
“If I remember the plot right, after debuting, Wen Yan should stay with the group, but she’ll also appear on other variety shows and even act.”
“During that time, she’ll meet several stars from the industry—what, the second male lead? The third? The fourth? More than four, surely. Tsk tsk!”
“I don’t remember all the details, but she’s about to soar.”
“I’d better recall the names of those lovelorn supporting male characters so I can avoid them in the future and save myself the trouble.”

Holding firm to the principle that trouble only comes if you go looking for it, Bai Ling began racking her brains to remember.