🦊 : I have to apologise in advance for the large number of footnotes. I think I got a bit carried away this time! 😅 ...
🦊 : I have to apologise in advance for the large number of footnotes. I think I got a bit carried away this time! 😅
At Beijiao No. 1, the corridor was flooded with light.
It was only when Xue Jing grabbed the young girl's hand that he could feel the faint softness of her skin through the fabric.
The tip of his nose was filled with a slightly sweet, maidenly fragrance, reminiscent of marshmallows with a hint of ginger.
While Bao Ruanruan felt a wave of heat wash over her forearm as he held her hand.
Even her cheeks grew somewhat hot.
But following Xue Jing's gaze, she lowered her head and only then did she discover the redness and swelling around her wrist!
!!
Ying1, she had actually gotten injured.
I've got a workplace injury... sob.
Bao Ruanruan's little face instantly turned pale, and her scalp went numb2.
"Do I need to go to the hospital for a tetanus shot...?"
"Could the rope the production team used to tie me up cause a bacterial infection?"
She had been tied up with the rope for a while.
It was only after half an hour that she washed her hands.
When she got home, she washed her hands again and found nothing unusual with them.
No wonder. She was just making tea when her wrist started to hurt... she thought the pain was just from working too hard on set that day.
Bao Ruanruan was about to cry.
Her six spirits suddenly had no master3.
In the game, she was once very good at eating bitterness4.
A tiny cut or a scrape—she hadn't cared at all; she'd just endured it casually and never let it bother her.
But at one point, she contracted tetanus📹.
The incubation period lasted about 12 days, from the time the skin broke until the onset of the illness. At first, she thought nothing was wrong, but from the twelfth day onwards, she slowly began to experience localised muscle spasms.
Initially, she did not consider this to be serious, but it gradually worsened, resulting in breathing difficulties, suffocation and heart failure.
It was only then that she realised how terrifying tetanus could be once complications had been triggered.
She... had been badly frightened by it.
In an instant, those terrifying memories of weakness and pain surged over and drowned her.
It was like mountains toppling and seas overturning on her.
Even her breathing became somewhat uncomfortable, and her heartbeat sped up.
Xue Jing held the girl's hand and felt her tremble lightly; her entire slender body seemed to soften.
When he raised his eyes again, he saw her paper-white little face and lips that had lost all colour.
Her usually fawn-like eyes reddened with panic.
In an instant, they were brimming with tears.
He sensed that something was wrong with her, and his brows tightened at that moment.
He lowered his dark eyes, and his voice deepened, growing urgent.
"Calm down. Your skin isn't broken."
"There's no way bacteria can enter your body and multiply."
"Nothing will happen."
His voice was neither hurried nor slow, nor did it have the carefree ease she loved most.
However, the amount of information he gave her was both substantial and precise.
In an instant, Bao Ruanruan grasped the key words amid her panic.
I'm safe?
Gathering her courage, she lowered her head to look at her wrist, her gaze trembling. Still afraid to look at it directly, she carefully opened a tiny slit in her watery eyes and peeked.
Taking a deep breath, she asked weakly, "Is it really not broken?"
It was as if she looked too closely or spoke too loudly, the unbroken skin could transform into an open wound.
Xue Jing wanted to laugh, but he vaguely felt a tightness in his chest.
He could not laugh after all.
Seizing the opportunity, he pulled her limp, slightly cool forearm and drew her through the doorway.
"Chen Feng will come right away."
"Come in and use the first-aid kit to treat it."
He said the first sentence to reassure her, as he was afraid she would feel uneasy being alone with him.
But clearly, Bao Ruanruan was not thinking about such a minor issue.
As soon as she heard that her injury was going to be treated, she looked at him eagerly and pitifully, wishing she could teleport to the first-aid kit in Xue Jing's living room right away.
She had completely forgotten that there was also a regular first-aid kit in her own living room.
The moment she heard his deep voice, which had an immediate calming and relaxing effect on her, she felt reassured.
She was like a chick before an eagle5, instinctively seeking shelter from the mother hen6.
Even though it could already spread its wings and fly7.
"It should be a soft-tissue contusion."
Xue Jing lowered his peach-blossom eyes, cupped the girl's forearm in his palm, and gently turned over her delicate wrist.
Right beside her slender wrist bone was a patch of redness and swelling.
The rest of her skin looked as though it had been shrouded in a snow-white mist; it was so fair that it dazzled the eye.
"Let's spray some Yunnan Baiyao📹 on it."
Xue Jing glanced at the young girl's pitifully scrunched-up brows and eyes as he said this.
His voice was low.
He also noticed that her slightly bitten lips still carried a trace of vivid redness.
He closed his eyes briefly.
With a taut expression on his handsome face, he opened the first-aid kit.
Xue Jing, you really should be a decent human being.
Trying to make a move on his own little artist was truly despicable.
Bao Ruanruan pitifully raised both wrists.
Two bursts of spray, smelling of Chinese medicine, finally came to them.
That one chilly moment was all it took for her anxious brow to finally relax.
Ah, the smell of safety~
But when the cool spray landed on her wrist, it made the broad palm, separated by the dark green sleeve, seem especially warm, almost burning hot.
This temperature difference made Bao Ruanruan's heart skip a beat.
The quiet living room.
A three-seat sofa.
She sat in the middle of the sofa and lifted her little face. Up close, she could see the narrow, slightly upturned corners of Xue Jing's eyes, and his gaze fixed on her wrist, as though he were studying an ancient riddle.
Her face flushed slightly on the spot.
Then her gaze moved down a little and landed on the peak of his tightly pressed lips, pressed together in concentration.
Looking at it... uh, they're pretty good for longevity, honestly.
The words from the Love Manual jumped out in her mind again, beyond her control.
A kiss that lasts 20 seconds can burn 12 calories, boost metabolism, and stimulate blood circulation.
Kissing three times a day can reduce the appearance of wrinkles around the mouth, provided the movements are performed correctly...
Adrenal cortex hormones gradually increase during kissing, which can also reduce stress...
Line after line of these texts had been made to look like key points by being bolded and underlined.
In her mind, a little movie started playing.
Then, with her little face burning, she looked at Xue Jing's pressed lips and found herself swallowing.
This kid is feeling a little hungry for something tasty.
Bao Ruanruan was controlled by the devilish voice in her mind.
She forcefully shook her little head.
Bao Ruanruan, you really should be a decent human being!
She still wanted to make a move on the kind person who had given her such a wonderful house to live in.
Treating him as a substitute and discarding him once she was done with him was already bad enough, but even wanting to eat him up and wipe her mouth clean afterwards? That was truly deranged!
Bao Ruanruan fiercely condemned herself.
Yet she did not notice that her face had gradually regained its colour.
A flush of red spread across her soft, pink cheeks.
Xue Jing's jaw tightened slightly.
"Ah, I'll go back to my room first."
Bao Ruanruan stood up guiltily, feeling that her wrist was already much better.
The restless beating of her heart had most likely released endorphins, making all her pain disappear.
Xue Jing remained silent for a moment, then gave a low 'mm' from the back of his throat.
But the moment her delicate figure reached the doorknob, he couldn't help but get to his feet.
"You... Did you like Lu Wenyao before?"
Recently, Xue Jing had found himself wondering what Lu Wenyao had that he didn't.
Aside from being worse, probably nothing.
"Lu... yue8!"
Bao Ruanruan held the door handle and pulled a disgusted face, showing no politeness whatsoever.
It was as if she had just thought of some super virus and wished she could flee a thousand kilometres away.
"I don't like him."
Xue Jing froze for a moment.
But a second later, the corners of his mouth curled into a smile.
His mood turned comfortable and relaxed.
Bao Ruanruan couldn't help looking back at him.
I only ever liked the person you're acting as a substitute for.
Although I have never seen him.
I just feel... I would definitely like him.
"I like people who are very good at playing games. That Lu so-and-so, hmph, is far from it."
"?"
Xue Jing's just-now delighted expression froze instantly.
Half an hour later, Bao Ruanruan got into bed on time for her beauty sleep.
Before going to sleep, she even listened to Xue Jing's recording of the story about the hero saving the beauty once more, feeling sweetly delighted and especially at ease.
Before closing her eyes, she looked at her wrist again.
She gently sniffed the faint scent of the Baiyao medicine.
The corners of her mouth rose.
And at ten that evening, a post appeared online.
#How can I let a girl know that I'm really good at playing games?#
[Just take her to play a game with you.]
[Simple! Take a screenshot of your own ranking and send it to her!]
[Reply: What if I told her before this that I never play games?]
[...Bro, are you stupid or something?]
[Good heavens! It looks like you were pretending to be pure and innocent before!]
[Then there's no other way. Create a new account and start rushing up the rankings from now on!]
Xue Jing: "......"
Wasn't that because he had to maintain a serious boss image in front of his little artist before?
Then, should he register a new account?
But she had only just said today that she liked people who played games, and the very next day he would start climbing the rankings.
Well, that just showed he pretty much didn't want his own face9.
[Face can't be eaten10 anyway.]
[Can face let you hug it?]
[Can face watch movies with you? Oh, it can? Then grow old together with face~]
Xue Jing: "......"
The next day, Xue Jing, having discarded his own face, was playing a game in a company meeting.
Chen Feng: "Bro, you've changed. You actually no longer seek progress! Do you still remember our original dream?"
Xue Jing: "....…….."
He raised his eyes and swept them toward the large screen in the meeting room.
"You people need to get the numbers in the report straight first. Is it 196 million or 194 million?"
"!"
Chen Feng was speechless.
Sorry, please continue playing.
Even when using his one heart for two purposes11, Xue Jing could still instantly kill ordinary humans.
As December approached, every company's idols began preparing for the New Year stage performances.
Meanwhile, all the actors stopped filming movies and dramas to save their few holidays for commercial activities at New Year's Eve galas.
They had all stopped coming out to do business12!
As a result, fans from every fandom felt that the days were somewhat boring.
Apart from some older brothers and sisters who appeared regularly on variety shows, other interesting leaked on-location13 content and daily updates became fewer and fewer.
Fans could only knock on their bowls14, sitting and waiting for the end of the year to arrive.
However, an airborne-dropped15 drama suddenly appeared into the mainland drama lovers' sight16.
The 32-episode historical drama Kunning, which was filmed and produced in the first half of the year, has finally been released online. Starring the esteemed Han Mo as the young Emperor of the Great Liang dynasty, the series tells the story of love, hate and intrigue among the women of the harem.
Although the female lead, Dong Qian, was a second-tier 'little flower'17, she had a dignified and gentle appearance, as well as a strong affinity with her audience.
[D@mn, I finally waited until it came out!]
[This child was almost starving to death18, and finally waited until the food-food19 arrived.]
[Good thing Brother Han doesn't have a queue hairstyle📹, hahaha, he's handsome~]
[With Brother Han in it, I definitely have to watch it.]
The production team did not do any advance promotion. On the day of broadcast, they simply posted a poster of the male and female leads, and airdropped it.
Starting on Thursday, non-members got access to two episodes, while members could binge 10 episodes in one go.
On Friday and Saturday, two episodes would be released per day.
[What? It only releases three days a week? No!]
[There are still four more days. How am I supposed to live?]
[Little Sister Dong Qian, go for it~ I like your looks; they're very pleasing~ I wonder whether the ending will be a HE ending20.]
[Eh, Bao Ruanruan is also in this drama? Oh, I remember now, she plays the villain.]
[I'm laughing so hard I can't breathe! Where are the Ruan fans? The drama has already been aired, so why haven't I seen any of her fans making a call21 on it? Is her acting too awful to watch? Maybe she should just be a variety-show celeb22 in future. She hasn't even been second-billed23 in a single drama this year. Isn't that embarrassing?]
[Ruan fans: "Thanks for the invitation, we're watching the drama, no time to reply to you."]
[……]
The arrogance of Bao Ruanruan's fans was on full display.
Of course, they truly had no time.
Ten episodes were released on Thursday night.
Each episode was forty minutes long, not including the opening and ending credits. Even if they started watching at six in the evening, they would still have to boil through the night24 to finish watching them all.
Not many people were sending messages in the Bao Ruanruan fan group chats anymore either.
Everyone was sitting in front of their screens, having prepared pot after pot of barley tea and Pu'er tea, accompanied by little snacks and pastries.
They began binge-watching the drama.
From the first episode onwards, they stared at the screen without turning their eyes, for fear of missing even a single shot.
Who asked Kiddo Ruan to play a supporting role outside the fifth billing25?
The fans were truly afraid that she would have too few scenes, not enough for them to watch.
"Fake Mom, I'm getting a little nervous."
"Me too. Our kiddo is a good child; this is her first time acting as a bad person, so I don't know if she can do it."
The mom fans had opened up a group voice chat.
This way, they could team-build while watching the drama, and also share their thoughts as they did so.
Everyone had agreed beforehand to start watching the first episode right at six, so they would all be at the same point in the drama.
Taking advantage during the scenes featuring the female lead and Teacher Han, they seized the moment to chat briefly.
Tang Xi took a deep breath.
She was nervous, too.
She had entered the pit26 after watching Bao Ruanruan play the role of a female university student in a war-resistance drama.
Back then, she had been won over by her plain yet natural and delicate acting.
Later, she developed an interest in exploring Bao Ruanruan, and was gradually hammered to the bottom of the pit27 by her delicate aura, her cute contrast charm, and her variety-show sense28 that could make the audience laugh to death.
Compared with other mom fans, Tang Xi was even more timid when close to home29.
She was afraid that Bao Ruanruan's performance would not be as excellent and brilliant as it was in the war-resistance film this time.
She was also afraid she would not be able to stop herself from feeling disappointed.
However, beneath the essence of a mom fan, she was still a career fan30.
Who asked Bao Ruanruan to have such acting talent? As a mother, she would be heartbroken if it were buried and went to waste.
"Don't worry."
Tang Xi took a deep breath. She was scared, all right.
But she still had to stabilise the army's morale31, comfort the other mom fans, and strengthen her own gallbladder32.
"The child has grown up. We have to believe in her."
The acting styles of costume dramas and modern urban dramas were completely different.
Compared with war-resistance dramas, the difference was even one hundred and eight thousand li away33.
This time, Bao Ruanruan played a demonic consort, a villainous role that was completely different from the sacrificed female university student's whole body of righteous spirit34.
Even if she didn't act that brilliantly, that should still be okay, right?
Bao Ruanruan was still young and could still learn.
"Coming into contact with different directors, production teams, and roles is the best thing for her acting career."
Tang Xi comforted them.
"She will grow very quickly. Even if she fails this year, she will definitely rise next year!"
Having said this, Tang Xi paused.
She suddenly thought of her true favourite celebrity, Tang Yuxin.
It seemed that Teacher Yuxin had always played strong, career-driven female leads.
Had she ever played a villain?
Hiss.
Why hadn't Teacher Yuxin tried new roles and achieved breakthroughs with them?
A strange feeling flashed quickly in Tang Xi's mind.
She had never thought about it before.
Now, for a moment, she even lost her spirit35.
[One of your big fans has been shaken.]
[She has developed doubts about your career development and acting ability.]
[Please take note: if you cannot take your acting career go up another floor36 within ninety days, you will lose this fan's support.]
Tang Yuxin, who had just returned to the film crew: "!"
However, once she looked at the screening schedule her manager had just sent her, she let out a breath of relief.
After the New Year celebration film37 at the start of this year, she had not had another film released for over 9 months.
With such a long empty-window period38, it was normal for fans to waver.
Fortunately, though, the film Spring Red, in which she played the lead female role, would begin showing its trailer in cinemas tomorrow.
It was due to premiere on New Year's Day!
"Yuxin, the production team has prepared several potential search terms. Take a look." The manager handed over the iPad.
Tang Yuxin took it.
[Please choose carefully. If the name does not match reality, it will cause your fan support rate to decrease.]
“……”
Only after the variety-show trending topic turned into a complete Waterloo39 did this stupid system finally issue a warning.
What use are you?
Tang Yuxin looked seriously at the few topic options.
1 .#Tang Yuxin's New Film Showcases Her Beauty Reaching New Heights#
2. #Tang Yuxin Displays Blood-weeping Acting Once Again#
3. #Her Consecrated Acting Makes People Shed Tears Uncontrollably From The Trailer Alone#
4. #Teacher Tang, I Really Want To Jump Into The Screen To Save You#
Tang Yuxin narrowed her eyes.
If her choice did not match reality, she would be punished.
The first option, which praised her appearance, was unsuitable because she had never been someone who relied on face value to eat.
Both the second and third options praised her acting, but there would always be people picking thorns out of an egg40.
Tang Yuxin took a deep breath.
She could no longer bear another drop in her support rate.
After Spring Red was released this year, she had no other works scheduled for release in the near future.
To save her big fans, attract new fans, and prevent old fans from being disappointed, Spring Red was her last chance to make an impact this year.
"The fourth one," said Tang Yuxin with a smile, pointing. "The hot search shouldn't praise me. Whether I'm beautiful or not, and how my acting is, aren't important. I hope the audience can focus their attention on the character I play."
Just one sentence made the manager and assistant visibly move.
"Sis Yuxin, you're truly modest."
"Yuxin, I'm really happy that you've always been able to stay clear-headed. Exactly. This time, your character dies at the end. It's a tearjerker of an ending, the kind that producers can market as making viewers want to jump into the screen and save you. It's an unusual but fresh direction, and it fits the theme well. Great!"
[Your manager and assistant's support rate towards you has increased by 0.8%.]
Tang Yuxin smiled faintly.
"You've all worked hard."
The Ruan mom fans, who had worked hard all day, were all nervously looking at their computers and phones.
Just as they were considering switching to 2x speed, the first episode reached the thirty-fifth minute, and a woman in a red floor-length dress finally appeared.
Her lips were red without rouge, her eyebrows were dark without drawing, and her eyes were like watery apricots.
Her skin was as clear as snow, and her features were both bewitching and beautiful as she appeared gracefully on screen.
"Awoo!"
One mom fan lost her voice during the voice call.
It was that kind of half-restrained sound, as if she wanted to scream but was covering her mouth at the same time.
“……”
Hundreds of kilometres away, Tang Xi almost thought the sound had come from her.
She awkwardly lowered her hand from the corner of her mouth.
But when she looked at the stunningly beautiful woman on the screen, dressed in a palace gown, with eyebrows and eyes like a painting and a slender figure, she covered her mouth again the next second.
Awoo.
Kiddo looked this good in costume-drama clothing, too—who understands?
The demonic consort on the screen took a step forward, then covered her chest and coughed lightly.
Her slender appearance, as if she could not withstand the wind, made Tang Xi roar inwardly.
————Too suitable!
————Bao Ruanruan was perfect for this role. Her delicate, downcast look, as if a gust of wind could knock her over, matched her refined, fragile air exactly.
Her previous worries instantly disappeared by more than half.
But just as she was wondering why the demonic consort was so physically weak, she saw Bao Ruanruan's following actions on the screen. With a peach-blossom forehead ornament between her brows, she raised one beautiful arm, covered with light gauze, and waved it weakly.
Her apricot-like lips rose slightly.
Her voice was so soft that it seemed as if water could be squeezed out of it.
It even carried a trace of sympathetic sighing.
"Reward her with One-Zhang Red41."
Tang Xi: "!"
It was she who had little experience and knowledge.
Frail as she was, she was still a poisonous woman!
Her frail, soft, delicate voice sounded as if she were sympathising with the palace maid who had made a mistake. In reality, she was speaking the most heartless and ruthless words to her and even taking the little palace maid's life lightly.
"Gan42!"
Tang Xi blurted out.
She was so excited that she wanted to swear. Both her hands were tightly clasped together and trembling slightly.
Exciting.
With one sentence, one look, and one posture, she had established the demonic consort's cruel heart and ruthless nature!
Even the most beautiful rose has thorns43.
She had truly achieved this character creation effortlessly, as easily as lifting something light.
Bao Ruanruan was simply a pearl left behind in the vast sea44 among actresses!
Tang Xi could feel her blood surging rapidly through her body.
"Who was scolding my kiddo?"
A burst of discussion suddenly came from the mom fans' voice chat.
It just so happened to be during the end credits.
"I was watching so excitedly just now—who was talking?"
Tang Xi: "......"
First of all, 'gan42' is an interjection.
Secondly, 'gan42', in this case, was praise.
She couldn't wait and clicked open the second episode. "Continue, continue."
The other mom fans also echoed her one after another.
"Okay, yes—heavens, did the first episode really end just like that? That final line made my hair and bones shiver45, and I didn't even notice the progress bar."
"I didn't expect our family's daughter, Judge Bao, to really be this bad this time!"
"Aiya, she's so bad, I love her so much."
"That final careless and indifferent One-Zhang Red, wuwuwu, I'm excited."
Wasn't that exactly right?
For this kind of badness, please give us more, the better.
Her stunning beauty and fragile appearance hid the malice in her bones, creating an odd contrast with the compassion for life shown in her expression.
It was truly not enough to watch.
The second episode was quickly opened.
The mom fans fell silent again.
After watching all the free episodes back-to-back, the next one was the third episode, which was only available to members.
Do I look like I can't afford a membership fee?
Without a second thought, Tang Xi claimed a red packet from the streaming app and used it on Taobao to buy a 50%-off 7-day membership, which included an extra 3 days free.
"One week is enough. She's a villain, so she'll most likely go offline46 somewhere around the middle, after twenty-something episodes."
Tang Xi had experience.
This made too much sense.
A villain would inevitably be defeated.
One by one, all the mom fans in the group followed suit. Those without memberships bought a one-week VIP pass, as buying an extra month felt unnecessary.
Once they had done so, they could not wait to watch the third and fourth episodes.
The thought of being able to watch ten episodes in one go today made them extremely satisfied!
But unexpectedly, after watching up to episode eight in one go, just when everyone was debating whether to prioritise their health like Kiddo Ruan by sleeping first before continuing tomorrow——————
Bao Ruanruan suddenly went offline46.
The title of episode eight was eye-catching: #The Demonic Consort's Crimes Are Exposed, And She Enters The Cold Palace#
Tang Xi: "......"
She suspected that her mouth had been blessed47.
But she had thought Bao Ruanruan would last at least a week?
"No way?"
"Ah, does that mean she won't appear in the later episodes?"
"Heavens! I still haven't watched to my satisfaction yet."
The group of mom fans all reluctantly clicked open episode eight.
As soon as the episode started, they saw that the demonic consort, played by Bao Ruanruan, was more beautiful than ever.
She wore a gold-threaded palace dress adorned with a hundred butterflies and had exquisite, bewitching make-up.
However, the female lead slaughtered all four directions48, and in front of the Emperor, she finally exposed the demonic consort's true face.
Then the Emperor questioned the demonic consort about her crimes.
On screen, Bao Ruanruan's bewitching mask seemed to break apart.
In an instant, her fragile, sickly face and weak, ugly soul were exposed.
Her legs gave way, causing her to collapse to the ground. Her beautiful face trembled, her red lips quivering and her eyelashes shaking.
Even her hands were trembling.
But she clutched the Emperor's robes tightly, and when she lifted her small face, it was filled with an unbearable ugliness, bone-deep resentment, and fear.
"She harmed me!"
"I didn't do it!"
A despairing scream burst from her trembling, contorted red lips, as though she had shouted herself hoarse.
It was as if she had used up every bit of her strength.
A scream of despair burst from her trembling, contorted red lips, as though she had shouted herself hoarse.
The final cry was like weeping blood.
Together with her tears, it flowed out softly and continuously.
Although her beautiful eyes were still brimming with tears, they held such intense emotions — terror and regret over death and punishment, and a deep hatred for the heroine. They seemed capable of tearing through the screen.
Only when the Emperor waved his hand did the eunuchs drag her away.
She wailed and struggled the whole way… until she disappeared from the view. It was only then that Tang Xi suddenly gasped for breath!
She had almost forgotten to breathe.
What kind of acting was this?
The fearless sacrifice of the female university student and the deathly fear of this evil consort villain are two entirely different character types, yet she managed to portray them both convincingly.
She handled the emotional climax, the crying and shouting and all, very well.
Not only were her facial expressions spot-on, but she also wasn't afraid to make herself look ugly for the role. Her line delivery was incredibly strong, too. That scream just now almost pierced Tang Xi's eardrums, making her breathe more heavily.
By the time the eighth episode ended, with the demonic consort imprisoned in the cold palace and written out completely, the mom fans' audio chat rooms were all met with total silence.
It was only after a long while that a faint voice could finally be heard from a mom fan.
"I didn't even dare speak just now."
Only then was the silence broken.
"Yes, yes. Just now, it felt like there was a hand gripping my heart."
Tang Xi nodded.
Excellent actors were exactly like this.
Whether they played good people or bad people, they could tug at people's heartstrings and hold the audience's breath.
Amazing!
Tang Xi was incredibly satisfied.
Her previous worries had been completely unnecessary.
Her own child was even more perfect than she had imagined. She was happy!
"Everyone can go to Weibo and share their thoughts after watching."
As Tang Xi spoke, she also opened Weibo herself.
"But be careful. No matter how much you like Kiddo Ruan, don't defend her character in the drama. After all, she's a villain who has done every bad thing possible."
"Understood. We still need to have proper three views49."
"Alas, evil people should receive retribution."
"Then I'll remind everyone in the group too~"
Bao Ruanruan's mom fans were all sensible people with a strong sense of justice.
Tang Xi felt very relieved.
However, not even a minute had passed before several of the mom fans started crying repeatedly during the call.
"Fake Mom, bad news! There are so many comments online saying they want to throw revival coins50 to Kiddo Ruan!"
Tang Xi: "?"
"Aiya, they aren't our mom fans. They seem to be Teacher Han Mo's fans."
"There also seem to be passerby viewers."
Tang Xi: "???"
The drama's Weibo super topic sparked heated discussion.
Once the first few episodes were released, some people praised the Emperor played by Han Mo as handsome and the female lead as pretty.
When the demonic consort appeared, the praise intensified.
[Earlier, I watched a short video of her make-up test and line reading. I never would have guessed that the hysterical demon consort would be this stunning in real life... She's a beauty~]
[Love the empire, but love the beauty even more51—I think the existence of this demonic consort is very reasonable. If I were Teacher Han Mo, I would spoil her too. Being blinded in both eyes52 by this beauty is too normal.]
And when she killed without hesitation, while still appearing soft and weak———————
[It's been so long since I saw such an exciting villain in a domestic drama!]
[I really understand the female lead dropping the chain53 in front of this kind of villain! This demonic consort hides herself too well.]
[A charming villain can also make me hate her until my teeth itch54~ Mm, I watched six episodes in a row!]
[+1 I started watching this drama because of Brother Han, but I got completely sucked in by the mesmerising face of that demonic concubine and can't stop watching! She's gorgeous, wild, twisted, and just so d@mn striking!]
[I can't stop. I've already started episode seven, and I still have to work overtime tomorrow, wuwuwu.]
But after watching episode eight, the style of the comments changed greatly.
[Ah! My great demonic consort went offline46!?]
[What! She only appears until episode eight? Screenwriter, you're going to let her come out again later, right?]
[Such a powerful boss, I don't believe this is the end! In which episode will she leave the Cold Palace? Internal staff who have watched the episodes in advance, quickly tell me secretly.]
[She must have first gone to the Cold Palace, then found a way to raise money to buy revival armour, right?]
[How could Brother Han, the Emperor, bear to lock up the number-one beauty of the harem? I bet he'll let her out again within two episodes, right?]
Everyone completely refused to believe that the demonic consort had just gone offline46 like this.
How could that be?
She was a villainess whose performance was even more captivating than the female lead's. She had personality, was mad, and was visually stunning. How could she disappear in episode eight of a thirty-two-episode drama?
It was impossible!
This was far too much of a waste of an actress!
Not letting a female artist with this kind of stunning beauty and acting skill perform for 17 or 18 episodes to keep viewership up—was the production team stupid!?
On Weibo, experienced fans of domestic dramas were certain that she would rise again from the Eastern Mountain55.
They were so convincing that even Bao Ruanruan's mom and career fans almost believed it.
But a real industry insider very quickly put a stop to that.
[BaoRuanruan V: Entering the Cold Palace. From now on, it's coarse tea and plain rice for me. I'll face the wall to reflect on my mistakes and become a new person. @All the teachers of Kunning, I look forward to our next collaboration.]
The drama fans who had been vowing with certainty: "?"
[No, I don't believe it. Is this really the actress's farewell after leaving the story?]
[Mm... The great beauty is gone, the interesting villain is gone, and an actress with acting skills went offline46 so quickly... I feel like half of this drama's appeal has gone.]
[Online begging for a sequel about the demonic consort. Can I hope for a second season where the demonic consort becomes the female lead? @Kunningscreenwriter, look, she herself said she would become a new person. Doesn't that deserve a second season where she leaves the cold palace and rises all the way to empress?]
[If they made a Kunning sequel centred on the bewitching consort as the female lead, I would absolutely pay for a year of VIP access to support it!]
Online, there were piles of comments unwilling to let Bao Ruanruan go offline46 just like this.
That night, the hashtag #Netizens Want To Buy Bao Ruanruan Revival Armour# rushed onto the trending topics list.
10 minutes later, the hashtag #Teacher Tang, I Really Want to Jump Into the Screen to Save You#, which had been bought in advance by Tang Yuxin's team, finally made it onto the trending list.
The two trending topics magically collided again.
Since ancient times, when people bumped shirts56, whoever looked worse would be embarrassed.
Curious people clicked on the two trending topics in turn.
Very quickly, they all began leaving comments.
[Teacher Tang is once again playing the perfectly righteous, self-sacrificing female lead, huh? Oh, this time she's doing it for science. Haiz. Honestly, the three views are very correct57, but it's still a bit old-fashioned.]
[Before clicking in, I already guessed it would be the female lead sacrificing herself, and sure enough. Sigh, I've been under a lot of pressure lately and don't really want to watch this kind of tragic movie. What should I do?]
[+1. This corporate livestock58 wants to watch something happy.]
But over on Bao Ruanruan's side, the painting style59 was completely different.
[Good heavens, I thought a positive character had died and that everyone wanted to crowdfund to buy revival armour! Turns out it's for a big demonic consort villain! Aiya, what a surprise!]
[I can't bear to kill you, but I have no choice but to kill you... This villainous consort is so evil that she drives me mad, and so deranged that she stands out.]
[She has so much personality. On the one hand, she coughs up blood while pitying everyone, but when she turns around, she casually kills people. Wuwuwu, I want to watch the drama now.]
[What a character! One moment, she was coughing up blood and pitying all living beings; the next, she casually turned around and k!lled someone. Wuwuwu, I want to watch the show now.]
[Just because this twisted character is so rare, I don't even want her to receive a boxed meal58 this early.]
[+1]
[Count me in for crowdfunding the revival armour.]
Tang Yuxin, who was checking Weibo trends: "??"
Meanwhile, when Tang Xi scrolled to Tang Yuxin's hot search, she glanced at it and sighed.
It was just another big female lead60, much the same as last year.
It lacked a little surprise.
Should she go to the cinema or not?
She became conflicted.
[Two of your big fans are wavering. They feel that you are the same as last year: your film choices haven't changed, and your acting hasn't improved much.]
[Please focus on improving your professional skills.]
Tang Yuxin: "!"
"Ah, they want me to film the second season?"
At Beijao No. 1.
Bao Ruanruan, who was at home eating melon61, looked toward her manager, Xue Jing.
She was so surprised that she even put down the melon rind she was holding.
She then wiped her damp little mouth.
Xue Jing glanced over at her with his dark eyes, then handed her a tissue.
"Mm."
Bao Ruanruan casually took the tissue and wiped her little hands.
Then she took out a disinfectant wipe, wiped her fingertips and finger joints, and pushed the remaining honeydew towards Xue Jing.
"But I'm a bad woman. How can I be the main character?"
Xue Jing nodded and accepted the fruit from the young girl.
Then he took a bite.
It was very sweet.
He narrowed his eyes slightly.
"In the second season, the screenwriter plans to k!ll off your character in the final episode."
"!"
"The second season won't be too long, probably twenty-four episodes. It mainly tells the story of how this character comes out of the mountain again62 again for the sake of revenge, but in the end she is still punished, and nine generations of her clan are executed."
"......"
There are always unruly subjects who want to harm Us, the Emperor.63
Bao Ruanruan no longer felt the melon was sweet.
Her little face was full of resistance.
Xue Jing slowly and methodically finished eating his piece of honeydew, then stood up to wash his hands.
When he returned, he saw the young girl's serious little face, as if she were walking on thin ice64.
He could not help laughing.
She rejected all roles involving death.
"Then I'll reject the producer for you."
The production team's producer was also under a lot of pressure.
However, the producer thought very highly of Bao Ruanruan, feeling that the character she played was delicate and realistic. The fact that a supporting character had sparked heated discussion among netizens after only a few episodes showed just how outstanding her acting ability was.
Scrolling comments: ???
The live drama feed cut straight to a stunning close-up of the demon consort, who was revealed to be none other than Bao Ruanruan herself, dressed in an ancient costume.
However, Bao Ruanruan shook her head repeatedly.
"Yo, you're still leisurely wandering around under the sunlight? You really have no self-awareness!"
The scrolling comments fell silent for a moment.
Many people even thought there was something wrong with their own internet connection.
[Bao, are you talking about the female lead?]
[Demonic consort, are you scolding the empress?]
"No, of course I'm talking about this bad consort who, at every turn, wants to give One-Zhang Red to a little palace maid, and push a little eunuch into a well to fall to his death!"
"Yes, exactly, the demonic consort you all are talking about."
"She's simply not human at all!"
Bao Ruanruan's bright, white little face was full of contempt.
[!]
[! Heavens, this is the first time I've heard a celebrity scold herself.]
[I'm laughing so hard I can't breathe! Then, Kiddo Ruan, why did you accept this role back then?]
Wasn't it because there was nothing else to choose from back then?
Between a little palace maid who got stabbed to death and a consort who acted like a demon but could live until she entered the Cold Palace... if she chose the former, wouldn't she be stupid?
Bao Ruanruan sighed. "If I could choose, I'd want to play this vegetarian, Buddha-chanting, kind-hearted character too…"
[The Empress? Good heavens, you want to play the second female lead?]
[Poor thing, back then you still weren't popular, so you didn't have much of a say, did you?]
But Bao Ruanruan dragged the video progress bar backwards a little, to a shot of a white-haired... elderly person in full formal dress, with kind brows and benevolent eyes.
[?]
"Mm, I wanted to play this Old Buddha Lady."
"Unfortunately, the casting director didn't take a liking to me."
How good it was to be the Old Buddha Lady: peaceful, and nobody dared to provoke her.
She didn't need to manage affairs either.
No matter how the palace concubines fought and schemed for the Emperor's favour, it had absolutely nothing to do with her grand retirement plan.
She looked so happy!
Bao Ruanruan watched the Old Buddha Lady on the screen slowly and leisurely blow on her hot tea.
A trace of longing appeared on Bao Ruanruan's face.
Wasn't this exactly the life she had always dreamed of?
[! You really... have made something of yourself.]
[Then why don't you act in a second season? The demonic consort counterattacks, slaughtering all in her path and taking out the Emperor, while supporting the little prince and ruling from behind the curtain, just like the Old Buddha Lady!]
"!"
Netizens certainly had bold imaginations.
Even Bao Ruanruan trembled.
A second season was something that absolutely, *absolutely could not exist.
The broadcasting authorities had regulations, after all: the higher a villain rose, the more miserably they had to die in the end.
Still wanting to become the Old Buddha Lady after being the villain throughout the drama? It would be faster to wait until the next life, ha.
"This big villain still wants to counterattack?"
Bao Ruanruan raised her brows sternly.
[?]
She turned her face away and sprayed out a rant!
"She has done every bad thing possible, and still wants to become a female Emperor? Pei! As if she deserves it!?"
[!]
[!!]
As Bao Ruanruan spoke, she pounded her chest with her little fist.
Her face was full of regret for what she had done back then.
"Heaven has eyes65, and the Heavenly Dao is good reincarnation66, so don't let her out at all. Just let her spend this lifetime in the Cold Palace, washing her face with tears every night and reflecting on her actions for one hundred years!"
"Just let her stay gloomy like this... and grow old!"
I only want to say to her — hetui67!
[......]
The whole livestream room froze in shock.
They had never seen a celebrity with such a sense of justice, so unmerciful, even towards her own character.
Before the livestream had even ended, posts began appearing online one after another.
#Bao Ruanruan Really Has Awareness#
#Bao Ruanruan Harshly Denounces Her Own Demonic Consort Role#
#Rather Than Counterattack, Bao Ruanruan Chooses To Take Her Own Life#
People across the entire internet who saw these hashtag topics: "!"
Across from the livestream table, Xue Jing, who was silently watching his own little artist perform: "....."
He was so shocked that he even dropped the melon he was holding.
Author's note:
Ruanruan: Currently reflecting in the Cold Palace, don't cue me68~
Footnotes Full List
- 嘤 (yīng) — literally an onomatopoeic 'ying' whimpering sound; often used cutely or comically online to express pitiful crying or distress.
- 头皮一阵发麻 (tóupí yīzhèn fāmá) — to feel frightened, alarmed, or deeply uneasy.
- 六神无主 (liù shén wú zhǔ) — panicked, flustered, unsure what to do
- 吃苦 (chī kǔ) — to endure hardship
- 在老鹰面前的小鸡 (zài lǎoyīng miànqián de xiǎojī) — a metaphor for someone who is weak and frightened in the face of danger.
- 母鸡的庇护 (mǔjī de bìhù) — literally 'the mother hen's shelter'; protection from someone trusted.
- 振翅飞翔 (zhèn chì fēixiáng) — to become capable or independent.
- yue (yuē) — internet slang imitating the sound of retching; expressing disgust.
- 不要face (bù yào face) — This is a code-switching phrase. The standard Chinese idiom is 不要脸 (bù yào liǎn), which literally means 'doesn't want face' and is used to describe someone as shameless, brazen, thick-skinned or having no sense of shame. By replacing the Chinese character 脸 (liǎn) with the English word 'face', the speaker adds a humorous, cheeky, internet-casual, or sarcastic tone. It softens the harshness of the insult, making it sound more like playful ridicule rather than a serious accusation.
- face又不能吃 (face yòu bù néng chī) — literally "face cannot be eaten"; means pride is useless compared with practical gain.
- 一心二用 (yī xīn èr yòng) — literally 'one heart, two uses'; means multitasking.
- 营业 (yíngyè) — literally "to operate a business"; in fandom slang, it means celebrities appearing publicly, posting content, or interacting with fans.
- 路透 (lùtòu) — literally 'road leak'; fandom slang for unofficial leaked photos, videos, or sightings from filming locations or public appearances.
- 敲着碗 (qiāo zhe wǎn) — humorously means begging for content like hungry people begging for food.
- 空降 (kōngjiàng) — literally 'airdrop'; in entertainment slang, means a show or celebrity appears suddenly with little or no advance notice.
- 走入……视线 (zǒu rù... shìxiàn) — literally 'walk into someone's line of sight'; means to attract attention or come into view.
- 二线小花 (èrxiàn xiǎohuā) — entertainment slang for a young actress who is popular but not yet top-tier.
- 孩子快饿shi了 (háizi kuài è shǐ le) — literally '*the child is almost hungry to death', with shi standing in for 死 (sǐ, '*die'); means fans have been starving for content.
- 饭饭 (fànfan) — literally "food-food"; cute fandom slang for content, updates, or works that fans consume.
- HE结尾 (HE jiéwěi) — HE stands for '*Happy Ending'; means a happy ending.
- 打call (dǎ call) — literally '*make a call'; fandom slang meaning to cheer for, support, or hype someone.
- 综艺咖 (zōngyì kā) — literally "variety-show person"; a celebrity mainly known for variety shows rather than serious acting/singing.
- 二番剧 (èr fān jù) — literally '*second-billing drama'; a drama where the actor is billed second in importance
- 熬夜 (áo yè) — to stay up late.
- 五番 (wǔ fān) — refers to being fifth in cast ranking or lower.
- 入坑 (rù kēng) — fandom slang meaning to become a fan or get hooked on something.
- 锤在坑底 (chuí zài kēng dǐ) — fandom slang meaning someone became deeply, firmly trapped as a fan.
- 综艺感 (zōngyì gǎn) — literally 'variety-show sense'; a celebrity's natural ability to be entertaining on variety shows.
- 近乡情怯 (jìn xiāng qíng qiè) — literally 'near the hometown, feelings become timid'; meaning feeling nervous precisely because something long-awaited or deeply cared about is close at hand.
- 事业粉 (shìyè fěn) — a fan who especially cares about a celebrity's professional growth and career achievements.
- 稳定军心 (wěndìng jūnxīn) — to calm and reassure a group.
- 壮胆 (zhuàng dǎn) — to bolster courage.
- 十万八千里 (shíwàn bāqiān lǐ) — extremely far apart or vastly different.
- 一身正气 (yī shēn zhèngqì) — full of integrity and righteousness.
- 失神 (shī shén) — to become distracted, dazed, or absent-minded.
- 更上一层楼 (gèng shàng yī céng lóu) — to reach a higher level or improve further.
- 贺岁片 (hèsuì piàn) — a film released around the New Year season
- 空窗期 (kōngchuāng qī) — a gap period with no new work, activity, or releases.
- 滑铁卢 (Huátiělú) — metaphor for a major defeat or failure.
- 鸡蛋里挑刺 (jīdàn lǐ tiāo cì) — to nitpick or find fault where there is little to criticise.
- 一丈红 (yī zhàng hóng) — In palace dramas, this refers to a cruel punishment involving beating someone until they bleed. The punishment involved beating the female offender below the waist with a two-inch-thick, five-foot-long board, without counting the number of blows until the bones were broken and the flesh was mangled and bloody. From a distance, it appeared as a bright red mass, hence the name 'One-Zhang Red'. This punishment was usually reserved for the Emperor, Empress Dowager, Empress, and consorts of the second rank or higher. Those subjected to this punishment often suffered permanent disability and were banished to a secluded palace, which caused psychological harm and humiliation to the women subjected to it. 丈 (zhàng) is a traditional Chinese unit of length equal to approximately 3.3 metres or 10.9 feet.
- 淦 (gàn) — a homophonic substitute for the extremely common Chinese swear word 干 (gàn). 干 (gàn) literally means 'to do' or 'to fxck', but when used as an exclamation, it is the direct equivalent of 'Fxck!' or 'D@mn it!' in English. Because 干 is frequently censored by Chinese internet platforms (social media, gaming chats, forums), netizens replace it with 淦 – which has the exact same pronunciation but is an obscure, non-offensive character that bypasses censorship filters.
- 最美的玫瑰,带着刺 (zuì měi de méiguī, dàizhe cì) — literally 'the most beautiful rose carries thorns'; means something beautiful can also be dangerous.
- 沧海遗珠 (cānghǎi yí zhū) — an overlooked or undiscovered talent.
- 毛骨悚然 (máogǔ sǒngrán) — literally 'hair and bones shudder'; means creepy, chilling, or spine-tingling.
- 下线 (xiàxiàn) — a character exits the story, often by dying or disappearing.
- 嘴巴开了光 (zuǐba kāi le guāng) — literally 'the mouth has been blessed/consecrated'; meaning that something one said casually came true, as if the words were magically effective
- 大杀四方 (dà shā sì fāng) — literally 'kill greatly in all four directions'; means to dominate, defeat everyone, or perform overwhelmingly well.
- 三观 (sānguān) — literally 'three views'; refers to one's worldview, values, and outlook on life.
- 复活币 (fùhuó bì) — game/arcade term for a coin or item used to revive a character, here meaning viewers want her character brought back.
- 爱江山更爱美人 (ài jiāngshān gèng ài měirén) — valuing a beautiful woman even over power or the throne.
- 蒙蔽双眼 (méngbì shuāngyǎn) — literally '*cover and blind both eyes'; means to be blinded or deceived by something.
- 掉链子 (diào liànzi) — to mess up or fail at a crucial moment.
- 牙痒痒 (yá yǎngyang) — to hate someone so much one wants to bite or punish them.
- 东山再起 (dōngshān zài qǐ) — to make a comeback.
- 撞衫 (zhuàngshān) — two people wear the same outfit and are compared; here, it is used metaphorically to mean that two similar trending topics are compared
- 三观很正 (sānguān hěn zhèng) — the values are morally proper.
- 领盒饭 (lǐng héfàn) — film/TV slang meaning a character dies or exits the story.
- 领盒饭 (lǐng héfàn) — film/TV slang meaning a character dies or exits the story.
- 大女主 (dà nǚ zhǔ) — a female-centred story where the heroine dominates the plot.
- 吃瓜 (chī guā) — internet slang meaning to watch gossip or drama as an uninvolved bystander. Here it also fits literally, because she is actually eating melon.
- 重新出山 (chóngxīn chūshān) — to return to action after withdrawing or lying low.
- 总有刁民想害朕 (zǒng yǒu diāomín xiǎng hài zhèn) — a humorous internet meme used when someone feels targeted or victimised.
- 如履薄冰 (rú lǚ bó bīng) — extremely cautious, tense, or anxious.
- 老天有眼 (lǎotiān yǒu yǎn) — justice will be seen and served.
- 天道好轮回 (tiāndào hǎo lúnhuí) — karma comes around.
- hetui — romanised spitting sound, used online to express disgust or contempt, like 'ptui!'
- 勿cue (wù cue) — Chinese-English internet slang, literally "do not cue"; means "don't mention me / don't call on me / don't drag me into this."
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