Chapter 237: Wine and Dine, Behead, Take Them In as Dogs

After "Wolf Warrior 2" pulled off that terrifying box-office figure of 6.6 billion, the onlooking melon-eating masses outside the circle were mainly just shocked.

At this phenomenon of single-handedly raising the box-office ceiling by three billion in one go, they could only gasp in awe.

Any topic that had even the slightest connection to "Wolf Warrior 2" could spark massive discussion.

Even the female lead who ran off wasn't spared — dragged out over and over to be "whipped on the corpse."

But the attitude inside the circle was a lot more ambiguous.

The first to take the brunt was naturally Wu Jing — the guy was always outspoken, and before the film even premiered he'd already offended plenty of people.

As for after the film premiered, his mouth became even more restless.

Besides hyping up Bai Liang's loyalty and Na Zha's timely rescue and so on, he also loved sharing his views on various industry matters.

Of course part of that was the influence of getting famous and starting to act cocky.

But normally speaking, anyone that badass basically finds it hard to resist playing the role of pointing fingers and commanding the nation.

He's a pretty typical case of male chauvinism, and bragging isn't exactly a crime.

So here's the question — just how many people did he offend?

A whole bunch!

Besides the people Wu Jing directly roasted, a whole pile of people in the film and TV circle can be said to have suffered major negative impact.

The most direct were the films scheduled in these two months — same-period films basically all suffered heavy losses, almost none of them recouped costs.

Regarding this point, Wu Jing himself found it a bit strange — his film shouldn't have crushed all his peers to death... drained them dry?

Bai Liang yawned, indicating he didn't know anything~

But his existence was at most just adding a little weight to that situation.

And the impact wasn't limited to same-period films either — many subsequent films would probably also have bad luck to some degree.

To put it more harshly, it's about inventing some bizarre new playstyles in the film and TV circle, ones that "don't need" audiences beforehand.

One "Wolf Warrior 2" directly turned a bunch of projects that could've made money into total busts.

How could they not hate him?

Likewise, Bai Liang — who made such a big move together with Wu Jing and helped him shout and create buzz — couldn't escape either.

He was already top-tier, and now he was showing the makings of the number-one top-tier.

If he made more waves later, Bai Liang might even become incompatible with his top-tier peers, and might end up going solo.

So his target was big, second only to Wu Jing.

As for Na Zha, who clearly looked like a love-brained follower tagging along behind, nobody really held a grudge against her — at most they thought she had really good luck.

Wu Jing's treatment naturally needs no further mention — he was already feeling pressure from all sides, and had inexplicably gained a lot of people who hated him.

And on Bai Liang's side, plenty of olive branches — good and bad — were waiting to be extended to him.

Wu Jing had discussed this kind of thing with Bai Liang, and so had Sister Yanzi.

Put bluntly, it's just those few things:

Wine and dine, behead, take them in as dogs.

Wu Jing expressed utter disdain at this — screw it, come at me if you've got the guts, hit me head-on.

Anyway he told Bai Liang: the two of us brothers carry it together, what the hell is there to be afraid of.

Bai Liang: I probably don't need to carry it... you go for it~

Sister Yanzi was worried sick, yet at the same time always felt... all this messy stuff probably couldn't affect her own Little Brother Bai.

No real reason, just an instinctive feeling.

What had her Little Brother Bai relied on to get where he is today? Acting skills?

Plenty of people have good acting — Bai Liang's good acting is at most a bonus point, not the key condition that put him in his current position.

To put it harshly, even if his acting were just average, he'd most likely still be standing in this position right now.

As for being very handsome — that condition might be a bit more important than acting, but it didn't feel like it alone could make him rise this fast.

Sister Yanzi's final conclusion: it's freaking metaphysics!

Every time it seemed like he was about to hit some obstacle, it would pass in some very strange or unimaginable way.

Sometimes bad things could even turn into good things.

Resources that others exhausted themselves trying to get were inexplicably shoved desperately into Bai Liang's mouth — as if afraid he wouldn't eat his fill.

Even now he hadn't attended many dinner gatherings, and even when there were dinners, he was the one drinking happily on his own terms.

No groveling, humble drinking accompaniment to speak of.

Having followed Bai Liang for over two years and seen plenty of this kind of situation, Sister Yanzi really couldn't get nervous about it.

Unless someone suddenly jumped out at this moment and slapped a stack of bed photos of Bai Liang with young ladies in front of her — that would truly be the sky falling.

And this time, it still seemed to be pretty much the same feeling.

The strange attitude of those three from the He family made quite a few people instinctively raise their guard against Bai Liang by a few notches.

After all, those were people from the Macau He family — their brand was rock solid.

If one were to speculate based on this — for example, that Bai Liang had someone backing him...

Pretty reasonable, right? A young guy who hasn't even signed with a company, making it all the way to today, all on his own?

Sounds like freaking bullshit.

This kid definitely has a background! And a pretty extraordinary one at that! The kind you can't dig out no matter how hard you try.

Miss Jing Tian: Wow! There's such a thing? How rare~

She actually hadn't paid much attention to the oddness of those three from the He family — hadn't even been following it.

Her eyes had been fixed on Bai Liang the whole time.

Seeing him be so gentle with others yet "bully" herself, she felt very unbalanced inside.

She doesn't even call me sis, and she keeps giving her all sorts of weird stuff~

Right now her mind is already thinking about how to deal with Bai Liang once she joins the cast of *Great Ming: Wind and Glory*!

That brat baited her into a pouty-lipped stupor—she almost really couldn't hold back. This grudge, she's noted it down!

Tonight's grand finale, the big group photo, also the entertainment circle's staple program: the "C-position battle" has arrived.

Bai Liang, though, was quite self-aware—when people called him over to take photos, he habitually started walking toward the middle.

Halfway there, he suddenly got yanked.

He turned his head to look—oh~—a furious glare from Little Sis Zhao.

The other even mouthed at him: Are you trying to die?!

Bai Liang: understood.

This is the battlefield of the female stars!

But before he could think about slipping off to the side, Fan Fan Bingbing popped out from god knows where and grabbed his arm.

The other winked at him, as if to say: little bro, my family's Niuniu can't handle this scene, give sis a hand.

This freaking feels just like dragging someone into a makeshift marriage~

Bai Liang: Let's be clear first—some kinds of help I really shouldn't recklessly offer.

The next second, a Li Bingbing suddenly refreshed out of nowhere on his left.

The two of them, separated by Bai Liang, started "chatting warmly"—the expressions on both their faces were quite rich, as if discussing some very happy topics.

But Bai Liang, sandwiched right between them, heard it most clearly—it was pure aimless, random bullshit.

From weather to cosmetics, then complimenting each other's skin and today's makeup look.

While chatting, they kept squeezing Bai Liang toward the middle~

Who would've thought—the two Bingbings, who seemed at each other's throats for years, today tacitly teamed up.

A bit further over, Zhang Zhang Ziyi was shoving back and forth with Liu Jia Ling, putting on a face of politely yielding the C-position.

But their efficiency was clearly not as smooth as the Bingbing duo's.

Just as Bai Liang was about to be squeezed into C-position by those two, Yang Mi from the front row reached out and pulled him over. "Come here, I just happen to have something to tell you."

Hearing the call, Bai Liang very naturally stepped down, then curiously looked at Yang Mi: "What is it?"

The other pinched his arm and shot him a look: "Dummy, nothing~"

Little Sis Zhao, not far away, breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing this, then helplessly glanced at the little pufferfish Miss Jing Tian beside her.

What's wrong with you? What got you so angry?

Miss Jing Tian: He baited me into a pouty-lipped stupor!

She and Zhao Liying did have some acquaintance—back when *See You Tomorrow* was being put together, everyone had even eaten together.

Originally she did want to stand with Bai Liang for the photo, but Miss Jing Tian's movements were a bit too slow. One step slow, every step slow.

She watched helplessly as he got sandwiched away by those two Bingbings.

Now he's been "poached" by Yang Mi again—wonder what she's chatting about with that "fox spirit."

Miss Jing Tian suddenly realized that Bai Liang was quite popular with fox spirits—Fan Fan Bingbing was that warm toward him, and Yang Mi was about the same.

Yang Mi: Chat about what? Chat about a hammer! After she yanked Bai Liang out, she led this guy off to the side—over to Zhao Liying.

Then, just like freaking "entrusting an orphan," she shot Zhao Liying a look: He's yours now, keep an eye on him, don't let this kid run around.

Zhao Liying returned a look, indicating message received.

The two of them definitely weren't close friends, but at this moment they were unusually in sync.

At this point, under Bai Liang's dumbfounded expression, Yang Mi threw him a flirtatious wink, then turned and squeezed toward the very center.

You stay here properly, sis is off to "do battle"!

Bai Liang: Good, good, good! So the best show tonight is right here!

The scene was as chaotic as chaotic could be—host Hua Shao looked completely dumbfounded, Su Mang was still adding to the chaos over there, yelling loudly about everything.

A perfectly classy charity gala turned into something like a vegetable market.

Bai Liang couldn't help but look at Little Sis Zhao. "Sis, aren't you going?"

The other pouted. "Can't squeeze in, forget it~"

No errors in any chapter—read on one site!

"What about Sister Tian Tian?"

Miss Jing Tian scratched her head, then suddenly seized on the "key point," her tone a bit mournfully indignant: "You have to call me sis too!"

Unfair!

Calling Zhao Liying sis every other word, but calling her sis once is like it would kill him.

They've known each other so long—how many times has he even called her that?

"Isn't Sister Tian Tian going?" Bai Liang had experience with kids, knew to give the little one some face in front of others, so he immediately satisfied Miss Jing Tian's small little wish.

Comfortable now~

Although it wasn't the kind of pure, youthful "sis" she most wanted to hear, Miss Jing Tian was still quite satisfied.

As for Bai Liang's question, this one was easy to answer: "I don't have that ability, and I'm a bit embarrassed."

"Do you want to stand at C-position?" Bai Liang coaxed gently.

His meaning was also very clear: snatching C-position is such fun—as long as our Sister Tian Tian gives the word, through fire and water~

Let's just all go snatch it together, today we help Princess Tian Tian ascend the throne!

Hmm?!

Little Sis Zhao immediately sensed something was off, hurriedly glared at Bai Liang: You brat, don't cause trouble!

And Miss Jing Tian actually did want to—who wouldn't want to stand at the very center, sparkling, at an occasion like this~

But still~

"Standing next to you isn't bad either." she murmured softly.

Hearing this, Bai Liang smiled at her and said, "That works too."

Sister Xiao Zhao: Should I make room for you two so you can have a little romance?

Damn it, you're not treating her like a person now, are you?

Still, she already knew Bai Liang, this guy, pretty well by now. One more, one less, she was used to it.

But the next second, another Song Qian popped up from god-knows-where behind them.

The other party enthusiastically greeted Bai Liang, and said the medicine he'd sent her in Thailand for her back injury had been really useful, blah blah blah blah.

Just the intimacy in that tone was enough to make listeners physically uncomfortable.

Sister Xiao Zhao: End it all! Can a lightning bolt come down and strike this kid dead?

Online right now there were still fans of Dilireba and Gulnazar tearing each other apart; the two new-generation top beauties had fought until the main road was about to be worn away, and still hadn't produced a clear winner.

And then at just one Bazaar Charity Gala, one after another female artists who'd previously had basically no news suddenly popped up on the spot, yet somehow looked like they had something going on.

This messy, chaotic, intriguing battle for position finally drew to a close.

It had to end, they couldn't all just keep dawdling until tomorrow's breakfast, after all.

Amid the big flowers shoving each other, it was unclear exactly what changes had taken place.

In the end, the one standing in the C-position turned out to be Zhang Shaohan.

Earlier Bai Liang still remembered her seeming to be standing at the very edge~ He didn't know whether she'd been pushed over by someone, or had secured the spot through her own efforts.

Anyway, there she was, standing right there.

Sure enough, this big sister was probably going to get roasted for months.

One second before the group photo, the many female stars launched their final "scheming battle."

Expressions either cold and stern, or sweet and charming—in short, one by one they all started working hard on their poses.

Zhang Ziyi was still the most impressive; she directly took off her shawl, baring one shoulder~

But when the photo came out and was posted online, the melon-eating netizens went through them one by one, and actually discovered a dazed fellow

Everyone likes fighting for the C-position, but for some people, wherever they stand is the C-position.

The center-position big flowers' contest of beauty was certainly worth discussing and entertaining.

But the strange vortex around Bai Liang was equally eye-catching.

Because the few around him hadn't looked at the camera at all—they were all staring at him

While he himself wore a spaced-out, dazed-and-cute expression.

"Tsk tsk, several female stars staring with such 'deep affection'—Immortal, are you moved?"

"Our Immortal suffers so. That gif killed me, at first sandwiched between Fan Bingbing and Li Bingbing, looking completely lost."

"When has our Immortal ever suffered this kind of grievance? He dares to slap even a lion, dares to scare even an elephant, faces 7.62 without turning a color—and yet he was actually reduced to a look of questioning his whole existence by these female stars."

"Questioning his existence? Why do I feel like he was just spacing out? Capybara limited-time return."

"This year's Bazaar Gala was way too dramatic, laughing myself to death."

"Wait, why do I feel like Miss Jing Tian's gaze at Bai Liang also looks a little not-so-innocent. Kind of similar to Nazha's back then~"

"Pre-booking the next CP contestant? Bai Liang really does know how to sprinkle sugar when it comes to fan service, but with Nazha and Reba being so absurdly over the top, I reckon any future CP is going to have a hard time making any breakthrough."

"Nazha and Reba aren't even in the CP discussion range—those two are obviously trying to snatch the real person; fan-circle CP wars aren't played the way they play it."

"."

Every year's Bazaar Charity Gala could actually stir up all kinds of different storms.

For example, the donation segment, the showing-off segment, and the final group photo was the top priority.

Few events had arrangements as chaotic as Bazaar's.

But to say Su Mang was incompetent—that wasn't entirely fair either.

And few events could gather so many female stars in one frame like Bazaar could.

To be able to get all these people together, Su Mang, this woman, definitely had some real skills.

Every time the group photo ended up so messy, it really was hard to say whether she did it on purpose.

If she actually arranged it nicely—she'd offend people!

Better to let them do their thing, each relying on her own ability and tricks.

As for those "well-behaved kids"? Since they didn't have the determination to face the C-position fight head-on, they could just stand at the edge.

This year's only "weirdo" contestant was Bai Liang.

His position was pretty average, but the discussion he sparked was actually even more than those big flowers in the center.

There was just too much to talk about with him!

Including the matter of Yang Mi and Miss Jing Tian competing for that Bvlgari jewelry, which was being analyzed by all sorts of people, debating how real the so-called "proxy war" actually was.

Did Miss Jing Tian help Nazha "fight" a round, or did she purely want to "join the battle" herself?

If it's a worldly rich flower, would the two new-generation young ladies feel pressure?

And after bidding farewell to the big sisters and young ladies, Bai Liang, who had returned to "The Wandering Earth" crew, learned from Sister Yanzi that he had received a very interesting gift.

Two contracts.

One yin, one yang.

——

Three updates, fourteen thousand words, stayed up until 5:30 AM, I still wrote it out.

Begging for monthly tickets.

(End of chapter)