Chapter 155

"Wow~ so many people!"

Hearing Bai Liang's exclamation, Dilireba's first reaction was to find it slightly amusing, she always felt his tone was kind of adorable.

But when she looked up outside, hmm—there really were that many people!

How did so many suddenly show up?!

"The last time there were more fans outside the set was during the basketball scene, right?" Bai Liang recalled precisely.

"Yeah~"

Dilireba also remembered clearly—after that episode aired, it trended immediately.

Not just Bai Liang, but even Jiang Jinfu got dragged along.

After all, those two actually played basketball in the drama~

To show they truly knew how to play, Lin Yufen used long takes, minimizing cuts as much as possible.

Just so viewers could clearly see—no stand-ins! It was really them!

The response after airing was naturally huge, even drawing attention from the basketball community, with endless analyses of Bai Liang and Jiang Jinfu's skills and physical fitness.

Basketball guys were quite gracious, saying that while these two were nowhere near professional athletes, they were still capable of commanding lightning on a street court.

Especially the vertical leap shown in the dunks, plus the visibly intense physical confrontations—absolute explosive physical conditioning~

Female fans didn't really understand any of that—they just thought the bro was so hot!

Seeing so-called "authoritative experts" spouting detailed analysis, their thoughts shifted from "Bro is so hot" to "Bro is hot AND awesome."

It seemed to live up to the opening theme song, making viewers start "hunting for treasures."

Is this really how you ramp up basketball scenes in a youth idol drama?

If you added some editing and special effects, this would almost be "Basketball Fire."

More accurately, you've started ramping up the pressure on other "top idols" in the inner circle!

Before Bai Liang went viral, his popularity and traffic were still vastly behind those of the top idols—they weren't even on the same table.

Naturally, they had no reason to feel threatened—you're good? Fine. No matter how talented or versatile, you're still at best a second-tier.

But now things are gradually changing.

There are very few top idol positions, and they can't accommodate so many simultaneously, because entertainment resources are limited.

Everyone is competing on every track.

Before Bai Liang got a seat at the table, he was just a small fry; now that he's seated, his special talents might equally crush every other contestant who shares the same "hobby."

Like that Canadian guy who recently hyped up his basketball skills—the future sewing machine contender.

Although there's been no direct conflict yet, someone has already started setting the narrative.

Some fans are outright showing off their superiority: "My bro is number one in the world~"

If you're going to shout that kind of slogan, you better really be that strong.

Otherwise, the result is mass mockery.

In short, people have already started researching and hunting for Bai Liang's dirt!

When Jiang Jinfu saw that trending topic, he was completely baffled—and even weirder, after riding Bai Liang's wave of popularity, he suddenly didn't need to stay home anymore—offers started knocking on his door.

He'd been posting about working out and playing basketball on Weibo all along—why did just filming a basketball scene with Bai Liang shoot him to #1 trending?

Back then, he was confused and couldn't figure it out, so he actually called Bai Liang for a video chat to ask why.

But Bai Liang just tilted his head and stared at him for a long time on video, then asked only one thing: "Why is your head so pointy?"

That's when Jiang Jinfu understood!

Fuck—get a new hairstylist! This haircut has been ugly for too long.

So~ last time, the basketball scene went trending, causing more fans to come to the set.

This time, it's because

"Oh! They've reached our pool scene!" Dilireba checked the trending list, surprised and slightly embarrassed, as if recalling some intimate moments.

That pool scene held special meaning for her—her first intimate contact~

"No wonder—what position is it on trending?"

"#1 again, with tons of screen-licking comments—some of the things people say, I'm too embarrassed to even read aloud."

Dilireba wasn't jealous of the female fans—because she was one of them too.

Now, if you clicked into #1 trending, the screen was filled with photos of her sitting on Bai Liang's shoulders in a swimsuit.

The swimsuit wasn't revealing, but the hormonal impact of a handsome man and beautiful woman together remained undiminished.

After all, certain things—even when covered—still invite commentary and imagination through shape and outline.

Besides her, there was Bai Liang

Dilireba glanced a few times and even saw comments like "They must've gone at it crazy hard during that scene."

How could she possibly handle that?

She couldn't even control her own imagination

Oh right—in the photo, her butt was slightly pressing against Bai Liang's neck~ She was sitting on his shoulders, so some squishing was normal.

Even though many praised her figure, even a small portion of teasing made her feel… what do you mean "riding him face-down"?!!

That phrase was way too vivid.

Seeing Dilireba's suddenly flushed ears, Bai Liang was puzzled—what's wrong?

He hadn't checked trending; instead, he opened his Weibo, where everyone was praising his boyfriend energy.

Abs really weren't for show~

But perhaps because he'd been so open about "showing off his body" in the drama, today's fans had some rather odd glances!

Since most were female fans, Dilireba was fine—girls complimenting her figure didn't seem embarrassing.

But Bai Liang couldn't help feeling that some girls' hands weren't being very well-behaved!

Fortunately, he reacted quickly enough—if he hadn't, some bold ones might've pressed their hands right against him.

If they just wanted to press against his abs, fine—but some of them were clearly aiming straight for the ancestral hall.

That wouldn't do!

That comes at an extra price~

"Are you two together?"

"Of course Xiao Nai and Bei Weiwei are together—they even got married! That's not spoilers, right?"

While signing autographs and answering fans' questions, Bai Liang accidentally spilled the ending.

Actually, this thing has an original novel, and the TV adaptation didn't overhaul it too drastically, so not just the ending—even the plot points were already known to many viewers.

But that didn't dampen viewers' enthusiasm; instead, it gave them a uniquely different experience.

However, Bai Liang seemed to have misunderstood.

The girl wasn't asking about Xiao Nai and Bei Weiwei at all.

"Are you and Reba together?"

The girl's voice was loud—after she shouted, everyone heard it, and chaos erupted instantly.

At that moment, Reba was just a few meters away from Bai Liang.

When they locked eyes, the fans went even wilder.

How should he answer this?

If Bai Liang said no, it would be inappropriate—they were still in a CP relationship; he couldn't make fans feel betrayed like that.

Besides, girls are naturally sensitive.

Not to mention, earlier today, the two of them had secretly stolen a kiss in the RV.

Even if Reba didn't show it now, she'd surely be hurt inside.

"In the parallel universe of 'Weiwei,' we got married," Bai Liang said with a smile.

"What about the real world?!"

CP fans weren't buying it—they were desperate for something real, as if they wanted the two to kiss right on the spot.

How could that be allowed~

"In the real world… I'll try my best."

"Aaaahhhhh!"

A wave of screams erupted—the girls couldn't help bouncing in place!

The production crew had to rush over to maintain order, lest someone fall or get trampled.

Oh, by the way—that line "I'll try my best" wasn't said by Bai Liang.

It was said by Reba.

But her words were actually brilliant.

They ignited the fans' passion and sent them into a frenzy.

But upon closer thought, didn't that essentially deny they were currently a couple?

Trying doesn't guarantee success, after all~

At the same time, she subtly revealed her feelings, showing boldness and initiative, while leaving room for CP fans to imagine.

This bold, well-executed move earned her a lot of new fans.

The two were immediately hailed as the sweetest TV CP of recent years, showering fans with sugar online and off.

Honestly, the male and female leads of 'Weiwei' made many other TV producers envious. Damn, you can really operate like this?

Don't you even care about your image?

But seeing the endless trending topics and online views surpassing ten billion, they were drooling with envy.

Publicly operating as a CP sounds simple—not hard at all, just requires the two leads to cooperate.

But if it were really that easy to cooperate!

Some have partners, some need to maintain a single persona to attract fans, some can't stand each other, and some simply lack any chemistry.

Even Reba's move of taking the initiative isn't something most female artists would dare to do.

This time, she didn't mess up—her CP operation was widely praised.

But one misstep, and she'd be labeled "desperate" or "cheap."

That would be a devastating blow to her personal image—she'd never be able to build a strong, independent female lead persona again.

Do you really think "love-struck" or "tiny wife" are positive terms in the fan circle?

All one can say is: she truly had guts—and Bai Liang showed no resistance, willing to meet her gaze with a smile, leaving fans plenty of room to imagine.

If Bai Liang hadn't cooperated, Reba would've been ruined.

Jiaxing's people told her that afterward—though a bit too late, they hadn't expected this girl to be so bold.

"Reba, Reba, you have no experience in this—you really need to be more careful. If Bai Liang had just avoided eye contact or given a vague answer…"

"I trust him~" Reba said instinctively.

This novel's latest update is ##!! Updated!

"Huh?"

"I mean, we've discussed it."

"Discussed it? I saw on trending that you two whispered to each other after signing autographs—was that about this? Is there more?"

"Uh… no."

"Then what were you talking about?"

Dilireba's expression instantly turned awkward. "Let's talk about what we're eating for lunch tomorrow."

It was a perfectly honest statement! But none of the people at her company believed it at all.

—

"Dou Xiao Bai-ge!!!"

Sister Yanzi, travel-worn and weary-faced, was nevertheless bursting with energy.

Bai Liang noted that Sister Yanzi had been far busier than him these past few days.

One business meeting after another, plus a pile of variety show invitations and scripts that had come knocking and needed to be screened.

Oh right, fortunately the studio now had more than just her and Old Zhou on staff — the two of them had also recruited some "workhorses" under them, so they didn't have to personally handle every little thing.

For instance, Old Zhou still had to rush out in the middle of the night to buy Bai Liang some contraceptives.

Going forward, it would probably still be him buying that sort of thing.

After all, with people who had just been hired, how could you so easily entrust these private matters to them?

"Looks like you've got some good news to share with me~"

Watching Sister Yanzi's excited face, Bai Liang said he had already straightened his posture and was ready to share in the joy.

Even though she knew he was doing it on purpose, every time Sister Yanzi saw her own Dou Xiao Bai-ge sitting so primly and properly, striking a pose exactly like an elementary schooler waiting to receive a little red flower, she felt a warm, sweet glow inside!

The emotional value he gives is just so strange! How fun~

"Ahem, first off, there's a pile of interview requests. Some can be turned down, some really aren't easy to turn down, but I told them Dou Xiao Bai-ge, you're still filming, so a lot of them can come over to interview us — just squeeze these in when you have time."

As she spoke, Sister Yanzi glanced at Bai Liang's face, and after confirming there was no irritated expression, breathed a sigh of relief.

Going viral certainly brought a sudden surge in workload, and her own Dou Xiao Bai-ge had long been used to a leisurely pace. Sister Yanzi was genuinely afraid he'd go days without time to play games and throw a tantrum like a little kid.

Boys are like that sometimes — they say the psychology of men is equivalent to the psychology of children.

Interviews and the like had actually been ongoing all along, and would basically continue until *Eternal Love* wrapped.

Squeezing them in on set didn't really affect things too much.

"Old Zhou has good news too — *Harper's Bazaar* and *GQ* both sent cover invitations, and they're booking the September main issue!"

As she said this, Sister Yanzi couldn't help getting excited too.

These two were respectively the top-tier mainstream women's fashion magazine and men's fashion magazine. The old Bai Liang truly couldn't have made it onto their covers — even when Old Zhou pulled out all his connections to try and reach that level, he ultimately failed.

But now they were coming to him of their own accord.

It might also be because after *Wei Wei* exploded, the second-tier fashion magazine issue Bai Liang had previously shot got bought up in a frenzy.

A lot of fangirls really love buying merchandise and that sort of thing.

But Bai Liang happened to have none of that kind of stuff for them to buy.

After searching high and low, there was only that little bit of magazine. Their consumer desire was completely unsatisfied!

As for the September issue, the magazine's tier matters, and so does the month.

Fashion magazines have several important time points: the January opener, the March season opener, Golden Nine Silver Ten, the anniversary issue, and the year-end issue.

The order of importance is roughly: anniversary month > September Fall/Winter Fashion Week > March Spring/Summer Fashion Week > January opener > October > December year-ender.

September is called "Golden Nine" mainly because it's the period with the largest ad-spending volume.

Bai Liang: Ah~ back to the modeling career again.

When acting, he's an actor; but the moment fashion magazines come up, he feels he's still a male model~

"Then there are some variety show invitations. The shows you and Sister Reba appeared on — after the previews aired, they all refreshed the highest viewership ratings of the past two years, and online clicks also hit new highs. They were all drama fans who hadn't had enough going to check in. Some shows still want to invite Dou Xiao Bai-ge as a regular guest."

Sister Yanzi was just about to mention the price, because a few variety shows had offered truly jaw-dropping fees!

Put it this way: casually taking on one variety show, the pay for a single season could be higher than the total of all his pay since his debut combined!

And not just by a little bit!

Yet this time, Bai Liang immediately gave his refusal.

"Let's pass on being a regular on variety shows — those dumb little games aren't something you can play all the time."

"Mm-hm, I think so too. Dou Xiao Bai-ge, your acting is so good — your lane is way broader than those so-called top-tier stars!"

Though it was a bit of a pity, Sister Yanzi wouldn't oppose such a decision.

Her ambitions had already swelled along with everything else.

Top-tier? Just being top-tier — what's the fun in that!

The most important thing right now was actually picking next year's dramas for Bai Liang.

The reason it was next year was mainly because this year's schedule was already completely packed.

Originally, the gap between *Eternal Love* and *Ride the Wind* had been snatched away by that Wu Jing fellow with his "empty-handed, white-wolf" scheme.

Even now, thinking about it, Sister Yanzi still held a grudge! That stinky rogue!

This meant that from then on, shooting magazines, filming ads, and everything else for Bai Liang all had to be squeezed into whatever time was left.

Oh right, ad endorsements! That was the big money-making item. Sister Yanzi had specifically saved it for last, wanting to let Bai Liang be "shocked" by his current money-making power.

But just then, Bai Liang suddenly interrupted: "Oh right, for the shows that have recently invited me as a guest — do you have a record of those on your end?"

"Of course!"

Sister Yanzi nimbly pulled out the notebook she always carried, with everything recorded clearly inside.

She had originally assumed Bai Liang wanted to pick a couple of shows to boost his recent exposure, but it seemed he had a very specific target in mind.

"This one — let's take it."

"Huh?"

Sister Yanzi looked at the show called *Grade One* and didn't quite understand.

It wasn't some hot show like *Running Man*, and because of his age, it was somewhat awkward.

Bai Liang was too young — some of the students on that show were about the same age as him.

In the past, directing others in acting made you easy to get criticized.

Why go there at all?

Even as a guest star, it's hardly necessary—the Mango TV production team probably didn't expect much anyway.

Sister Yanzi had been too busy lately to fully grasp it at first.

But after she briefly looked into the show's personnel structure, she immediately understood.

She slapped her own head—hey, Meng Jie was so clueless, she'd almost forgotten her. I wonder how she's doing on that show~

Thinking of her odd mindset and quick tongue, it probably wasn't going well.

When she asked someone about the recording situation, sure enough—Meng Jie had already cried on that show.

Now Sister Yanzi understood instantly!

Her own Brother Xiao Bai was heading over to back her up.

Though doing this was a bit irrational, she didn't try to stop Bai Liang.

Irrational, but honestly… kind of cool~ No wonder it's him!

——

Two base chapters totaling ten thousand characters completed; additional updates remain.

(End of chapter)