Chapter 388: Foxes Can

This kid really knows how to put on a show!

Kids these days, if not now, when? Wait, Jing, you used to be just as bad—I saw a video of you showing up on a helicopter yesterday, and netizens said you were showing off like a peacock.

Cough, cough. Back then I was young~

The live camera cut to the other nominees present.

Ah~ This is when you see the difference between Best Actor and Best Actress.

When the Best Actress was announced, someone actually showed a sour face—clearly resenting Yao Dazui.

But as soon as the Best Actor appeared, everyone smiled and clapped, even teasing Bai Liang for getting better at showing off.

What do you call popular acclaim?

Even funnier—Deng Chao had already pulled out his phone and started working, congratulating Bai Liang on his second Weibo Best Actor win while adding, "I wholeheartedly admit defeat!"

He lost the Best Actor race, but in terms of entertainment value, Jiu'er never loses.

Not only did he do it himself, he goaded others to follow suit.

In terms of pulling stunts, Deng Chao says even the Immortals have something to learn!

Wu Jing, Xu Zheng, and the others naturally wouldn't refuse this face—their seats were already close, and everyone at the Weibo Movie Night had their phones out.

They could jump on it right away.

Even those who didn't show up today, seeing everyone start this trend, wouldn't miss out—they eagerly joined in.

Thus, a "spectacle" emerged.

Of the ten nominees, the other nine were all telling Bai Liang, "I wholeheartedly admit defeat!"

The entertainment value exploded.

Only the Weibo Best Actor could pull this off—it's the most traffic-heavy way to play.

So here's the question!

Is the Weibo Best Actor even a real Best Actor?

Previously, it definitely wasn't. But now… so many top-tier film actors are right there giving "official validation."

Hmm. Why not?

"Haha, the mute groom—the Immortal got on stage and said nothing, then started pulling stunts again, right? Capybara is like this!"

So showy! I love it!

Okay okay, playing like this, huh? Jia Zong must be laughing himself unconscious—I bet the Immortal could win three major awards in a row next year.

He probably won't make it for next year's Weibo Best Actor—he only voiced the lead in an animated film.

Wait, isn't a voice actor a lead actor?

Voice acting doesn't qualify for Best Actor contention, but the Immortal has another movie coming out this year—can you win Best Actor for a film that hasn't been released yet?

It should be possible. Even if not… couldn't Movie Night just wait until the Immortal's film comes out? Couldn't they push it back two or three months for him?

Genius up there! Has Weibo even offered you a job yet?!

Before Movie Night had even ended, related trending topics had already shot straight to the top.

Bai Liang's year-long muttering about the Weibo Best Actor had now turned into a flood of traffic.

All kinds of people jumped in to meme and joke—screenshots of other nominees captured during livestreams were dug up and turned into countless emoji packs.

If Bai Liang had won something like a Golden Rooster, the scene wouldn't have been this harmonious—but even his haters could only sneer, "Well, he can only get this thing."

At first glance, it seems pitiful. But the thing is, Bai Liang actively embraces this "pitifulness."

The Weibo Best Actor doesn't look down on him for being young and inexperienced, and he doesn't look down on it for lacking prestige.

What do you call mutual attraction?

Bai Liang says he never complains about the big environment—if he can't win a real Best Actor award, fine.

He just figures out ways to lift up the award he already has.

If he really can't lift it higher, that's fine too.

After all, the beauty of the Weibo Best Actor is that it truly has no prestige.

Fans hype it up mostly for fun, not to seriously brag.

It doesn't provoke backlash from outsiders.

It won't be mocked like Big Mi Mi's Houston Best Actress award~

The reason Bai Liang could amplify the Weibo Best Actor's influence and make it "famous" is fundamentally because many people genuinely believe he deserves a real Best Actor award.

As the saying goes: if virtue doesn't match position, disaster follows.

But what if the opposite is true?

What if position doesn't match virtue?

The answer is already here: it's exactly how Bai Liang is now.

A top idol who should be stuck in the idol traffic zone has somehow broken into the ranks of serious actors—and become today's most box-office-drawing actor.

These especially contradictory, seemingly incompatible traits appearing in one person are what created this spectacle.

The title "Weibo Best Actor" has grown more "prestigious" precisely because Bai Liang has turned it into art.

The real reason is… everyone tacitly agrees he shouldn't be limited to just this.

And Bai Liang's Capybara personality makes him utterly uninterested in complaining or craving more prestigious awards—he thinks the Weibo Best Actor is still a Best Actor, and it's enough.

That's how it ended up like this.

It's absurd and ridiculous, yet strangely reasonable.

Honestly, there are plenty of other "fake" awards that want to give Bai Liang Best Actor—but the problem is, he just doesn't have the time to attend them.

It can't be that no one else goes, yet you force the award on him just to ride the hype?

Many awards lack influence and real value, yet they still cling to a shred of prestige.

—

"Wanna grab a drink tonight?"

As the Movie Night was ending and people were dispersing, Bai Liang was invited for a drink for the third time.

Of course, more than just these groups wanted to chat or eat with him—this third time refers to those he was on fairly good terms with.

"Sure, but I've already made plans with a friend. This Weibo event dragged on too long—I don't think I'll make it in time."

After briefly explaining, Bai Liang cheerfully declined Wu Jing and the others' drink invitation.

He said he had other plans tonight and didn't want to drink.

The real reason was that the young lady didn't want to attend a drinking party so late—he respected her wishes.

So he chose to stand up Wu Jing and the others.

At this point, Li Yitong had already slipped out ahead of time; she needed to change her dress and wait for Bai Liang at the hotel.

Bai Liang had only declined the others after asking her first.

For drinking parties, she naturally rejected them instinctively, feeling the timing was inappropriate.

But her agent, Sister Yan, who had come with her today, suddenly asked, "Where is he taking you?"

"Probably just some friends from inside getting together," Li Yitong replied casually. "What's the point of going out to drink with a bunch of guys? It's better if it's just the two of us, sipping a little together~"

"Li Yitong, Li Yitong, what can I even say about you? Did a zombie eat your brain?" Sister Yan, after thinking it over, suddenly spoke with exasperation.

"Huh? What did I do?"

"His insider friends—think about who was sitting with him tonight? You're turning down this kind of gathering?"

Who was sitting with Bai Liang?

Li Yitong thought hard. Wu Jing, Guo Fan, Xu Zheng, Deng Chao. Sssss!

Embarrassment and regret instantly flashed across her face.

Seeing her agent's expression, she instinctively shrank her neck. "Well… it's not necessarily like that."

"Not necessarily? Pfft! Do you think he'd take you to drink with kids like Chen Feiyu and the rest?"

"Maybe he's going with Hearing Hearing Lu Han," Li Yitong muttered weakly.

"Even if it's Hearing Hearing Lu Han, Deng Chao and the others will be there too—this is a perfect chance to expand your network!" Sister Yan glared at her. "Are you just thinking about sneaking snacks?! Are you crazy for men?"

"No."

"No?! Do you think I don't know what you secretly stuffed in your suitcase? Tell me the truth—are you addicted to something?"

"I really am not! Sister Yan, how do you know everything?!"

The word "addicted" had too broad a scope. Li Yitong figured she was just being lured by that sly fox.

She never used to be like this before!

Sister Yan wore an expression of utter exasperation—she had naturally known the whole little story between Li Yitong and Bai Liang.

If an agent didn't know something like this, she might as well quit.

Naturally, she didn't oppose it—in fact, she wholeheartedly approved.

After all, Bai Liang's reputation in this regard was excellent!

He genuinely lets others ride his traffic, fully cooperates with marketing, and never forgets to include Li Yitong when there's a benefit—how could she possibly disagree?

It was far better for her own artist to have a private relationship with someone like Bai Liang than to date some entertainment industry "young punk."

She didn't even need to worry about real dating rumors—after all, any scandal would have to get past the Two Beauties of Xingjiang first.

But the problem was, Li Yitong herself had no sense of proportion.

Had she really started enjoying this?

"You're an artist—wake up a little! He's willing to take you to expand your network, meet powerful people—how can you miss this chance?"

"He probably just mentioned it offhand," Li Yitong muttered.

"That just proves what a good guy he is! If it were anyone else, you'd see them avoiding even the appearance of impropriety—then you'd truly be the third wheel, do you understand?"

From the agent's standpoint, an artist's romantic affairs could sometimes directly tie into profit.

And that's precisely why Bai Liang was a six-sided warrior—he excelled in this area too.

Agent Sister Yan: This guy is an absolute legendary man!

True, even if Bai Liang had "good little sister, good big sister" numbers that were a bit high, from a profit perspective, he was still an absolute legendary man.

Though it didn't fit universal values, it perfectly matched the entertainment industry's profit-driven values.

At this moment, Li Yitong admitted she was too scolded to reply.

She could only smile awkwardly.

She actually knew why Sister Yan reacted so strongly this time.

Because "The Longest Day in Chang'an" was still airing!

As the drama of the year, even tonight's Movie Night hadn't fully stolen its spotlight.

Although Li Yitong didn't land the female lead this time, the benefits she gained were far greater than from all her previous leading roles—she was soaking up the traffic and bonuses.

Because "The Longest Day in Chang'an" was a full-table feast! That's the power of a drama king!

The male lead didn't need mentioning.

Every other character, one by one, became popular!

Among the female roles, Li Yitong, through her portrayal of Fan Ruoruo—the perfect little sister—had even surpassed Li Xin, the female lead, in traffic.

Of course, this drama was mostly a male ensemble.

The female characters only became popular when their scenes came up.

First to appear was Li Xin, the Chicken Leg Miss, who instantly drew a flood of traffic, then it was Li Yitong's turn.

The fact that the future wife and sister looked alike was wildly exploited by both teams in tandem, generating countless topics.

Next up was Meng Jie's Si Si Lili, whose main selling point now is beauty.

The criticism she once faced in "The Legend of the Condor Heroes" for being "too sexy" and out of character had now become her greatest strength.

Her portrayal of the courtesan was genuinely accepted by audiences—nothing else needed, just one word: beautiful!

The upcoming plotlines haven't aired yet, but once they do, she'll storm into the "Beautiful, Strong, Tragic" category.

By then, Xin Xin Zhilei's character, Hai Tang Duoduo, will also emerge to fight for attention.

But right now, the main battle is still between the female lead and the female second lead.

Li Xin and Li Yitong have gradually shifted from cooperative promotion to competing for each other's spotlight.

Both sides want to consume more traffic.

One side has firmly held the position of lead female lead, using it as an unshakable foundation, as if standing invincible.

The other side's tactics are extremely familiar.

The second female lead overwhelms the lead!

"Sexually overpowering" press releases are hard to publish—both look alike; what's the point of "sexually overpowering"?

But press releases claiming "Fan Ruoruo is more like the true heroine" not only dare to be published—they're boldly done~

Because the character Fan Ruoruo is more three-dimensional and more likable.

The "Silly Chicken" sisters aren't fully broken up, but a rift has definitely formed.

Recently, neither of them has spoken in the group chat, silently competing.

But if word spreads that Li Yitong and Bai Liang appear together at a dinner party with a group of big-name film actors, she could even challenge the "Two Beauties of Xinjiang"!

Yan Jie: Now do you understand why I'm angry?

Li Yitong nodded obediently: I know, I know, I'm wrong, I'm wrong~ I won't do it again.

Yan Jie: It'd be nice if there were a next time.

"Ding dong~"

"Oh no, Yan Jie, you scolded me for too long—he's already here."

"Let him come, I'll just say hello."

Yan Jie stood up immediately and went to open the door.

"Huh? Did I get the wrong room?"

Seeing a relatively unfamiliar face open the door, Bai Liang wasn't flustered—just stepped back to check the room number.

"No, no, Teacher Bai, come right in."

In fact, Li Yitong's agent is only thirty-five this year, a graduate of Shanghai Theatre Academy, and was once an actress herself.

Hmm. She's not bad-looking.

She even starred with Big Mi Mi in "Palace."

Facing her warmth, Bai Liang scratched his head but wasn't startled: "Did you need something?"

"Ah? No, no, I just happened to drop off Tongtong—I'm leaving now."

Experienced agents always read the room—she immediately grabbed her bag and prepared to leave.

But before leaving, she "sneakily" slipped something to Li Yitong.

It was called "sneaky," but she did it right in front of Bai Liang—as if making a statement.

After the door closed, Bai Liang asked curiously: "What did she give you?"

Li Yitong picked it up, glanced at it, and burst out laughing: "My agent sold me to you… I'm done for."

Hmm. The "Spirit Intercept Plus" edition!

Awesome!

She did her homework!

But Bai Liang was curious—how did she know? He looked at Li Yitong with a questioning gaze~

His eyes seemed to say: Did you blab again?

The girl protested she wouldn't take the blame—she'd never say something like that, and immediately said: "Not just her—your fans know too."

"What? I never did any porn—how could they possibly know?"

"You're a top streamer—people stare at you with magnifying glasses. Details like this are no different. Even wearing slightly tight pants can be noticed."

Li Yitong immediately Googled for "evidence" for Bai Liang—and sure enough, she even found marketing accounts that had compiled this stuff.

What's this "Inner Entertainment Eagle King" nonsense.

Although Bai Liang never did underwear ads, he wore swim trunks during filming~

Early footage even dates back to "Weird."

Of course, the TV drama tried hard to avoid such shots—maybe just a fleeting glimpse.

But brilliant netizens, like "crotch-detecting cats," no matter how fleeting the shot, couldn't escape their frame-by-frame search for highlights!

Add to that some media's obsession with zooming in on these exact details—so it's no surprise the "clues" got found.

After looking, Bai Liang didn't dwell on it much.

After all, being called "Eagle King" is better than being called "Toothpick."

And men, let alone just a silhouette—even if someone actually saw it—it's not that serious.

Then why don't nude loan schemes ever open to male college students?

You dare open it, the guys will actually film it.

What? Post it?

Just post it, but don't forget to add a "Hot Guy" tag.

As for the Plus Edition Blocking Spirit that the agent gave Li Yitong? She did her homework, but some homework isn't something even the person involved clearly knows.

Li Yitong casually tossed the thing away.

What can you do? That bastard never uses it anyway!

She threw it away with flair, but her secret move of snatching it back from the trash bin made her look like a thief.

But this thing wasn't meant for anyone else—it was that Li Yitong suddenly realized: although the real Bai Liang never wears this "clothing," the fake Bai Liang needs to wear it!

Saves her from having to buy it herself.

That evil little kitten is quite good at managing her budget—after all, acting fees are all slashed prices, so she might as well cut costs elsewhere.

After her bath, a series of meows later, she transformed into a greedy little kitten with crescent eyes, scratching circles on Bai Liang's body.

Then she feigned casualness and asked: "Li Xin and I have been bashing each other online lately—what do you think, you male fox?"

"I'm not Yuan Fang. What can I think?"

"So you're just ignoring it?" Li Yitong asked curiously.

"Why should I meddle in your lives?"

"True, but those two new rivals are already tearing each other apart, and you didn't stop them. You guys, are you really enjoying this scene where girls fight until their heads bleed for you? You must be thrilled, right~"

"Girls fighting is definitely pretty to watch, but only in person. Online fights are actually boring," Bai Liang said bluntly.

In person, girls fighting besides scratching faces and pulling hair, they also love tearing off each other's clothes.

It's so thrilling!

Yet he felt something was off and added: "Your fighting with each other has nothing to do with me—you're doing this to promote yourselves."

"Oh no, you caught me!" Li Yitong stuck out her little tongue, looking like a thief caught red-handed switching concepts.

"Well then, good luck to you both."

"What can I do? Even though we're sisters, some things I can't give up—I have to be responsible for my team and company."

"Alright, no need to explain so much—just keep learning kitten sounds~"

"Unfair! Why are only girls making the sounds?"

That punch left Bai Liang speechless.

Meanwhile, Li Yitong came up with a brilliant idea: "I know how kittens meow, and I've imitated them for you so many times—so how does a fox cry? Can you, you male fox?"

"Everyone who went to school knows," Bai Liang replied casually while regaining his strength.

"Really? I went to school too, and I didn't know. Show me one!"

"That's not appropriate—foxes can't just cry out randomly."

"Cry it! Please, please!"

Since she put it that way, Bai Liang didn't want to disappoint the young lady.

As for how a fox cries—

He took a deep breath and intoned dramatically: "Da Chu shall rise! Chen Sheng shall be king!"

Li Yitong:???

(End of Chapter)