Chapter 220: The Heavenly Queen and the Top-Tier Male Star

The Heavenly Queen has been a bit insomniac these past few days.

As mentioned before, since the entire production team of *Cat Demon* was new to the film industry, they weren't particularly confident and thus didn't hold any "advance screenings" to build up early word-of-mouth for the film.

But other films released in the same period did hold screenings.

Among the films released during the same period, two new ones held screenings in various pilot locations across major cities.

Among them, a comedy called *Cheap Dog Agent* had disastrous word-of-mouth.

The production team perhaps thought their comedy was exceptionally funny, but the audience felt it was a bit too self-indulgent, completely devoid of logic, and incredibly awkward throughout.

Those who had seen it were Shouting on the internet, advising everyone not to waste money at the cinema and pay to suffer.

"It's too trashy, friends, it's just too trashy!"

"If you leave halfway, you feel like you've wasted money, but if you don't leave, it's very painful."

"It's so bad it makes me want to sleep, but the movie is full of jump scares and is super noisy, so I can't even fucking sleep!"

"If you have too much money and no brains, go watch it; a production of this level deserves to lose money!"

"I don't feel any effort put into it; I even suspect this movie is for money laundering!"

This *Cheap Dog Agent* can be considered to have dug its own grave; it might have been able to rake in some opening-day box office, but now, it's likely to collapse.

Major cinema chains are already actively reducing the screening schedule for this film.

Logically speaking, this is undoubtedly a good thing for other films.

As the film with the highest current attention, *Cat Demon* should have had those screenings added to its own schedule.

However, the development of the situation was not so.

Because... the other film that also held screenings had explosive word-of-mouth!

This film is called *Late Marriage*, a film that quite fits the current social phenomenon.

The topic of marriage has always been highly discussed on the internet, especially in this era where many young people love to say online that they don't want to get married, or even suffer from fear of marriage.

This film is quite clever in its subject matter, and the male and female leads are also solid, skilled Actors.

The film's budget isn't large, a few tens of millions, mainly spent on the Actors' salaries.

This type of film doesn't have any special effects or big scenes; the main filming locations are all at home, in a Coffee shop, in a dessert shop... it doesn't cost much.

The initial screening rate given by major cinema chains was only 12.4%, and that was only because the male lead had previously won a Best Actor award at an international film festival.

The male lead of this *Late Marriage* is named Song Ge, an Actor who has mostly performed in art-house films.

Most of his films are critically acclaimed but not commercially successful, and he himself gives off a somewhat pretentious vibe.

The film industry is a place that truly speaks based on box office, and cinema chains are also in it to make money; it's impossible to say that just because you won Best Actor abroad, but your film has no viewers, I'll increase your screening schedule.

Giving you a token amount is already generous enough.

But Song Ge's acting is definitely still on point, and he has a melancholic temperament.

In reality, films that win awards abroad often don't necessarily align with domestic mainstream aesthetics and the market, and box office flops are common.

Usually at such times, some netizens will start attacking the aesthetics of the Chinese people, feeling that the Chinese people don't know how to appreciate art.

Who is right and who is wrong here is not important.

But Song Ge's fans are truly too happy recently, feeling that he has finally stood up!

They even came up with a slogan: "Ten years as Best Actor with no one asking, one *Late Marriage* and the world knows!"

*Late Marriage* currently has very high ratings on major platforms and strong momentum; it seems to have a great chance of making a comeback based on word-of-mouth.

This caused the screening rate reduced from *Cheap Dog Agent* to be mainly added to *Late Marriage*, and *Cat Demon* didn't get much of a share.

Due to the subject matter of *Late Marriage*, it is certain that the heated discussion about it on the internet will not be low.

And under the deep digging of netizens and the media, some old stories were dug up.

When the male lead of *Late Marriage*, Song Ge, won Best Actor abroad, he once high-profilely expressed his love for Xu Chujing in front of the media, and the words he said were incredibly cheesy.

This video once made it to the WeChat Hot Search, and now, in the early stages of the film's premiere, it has made it to the Hot Search again.

Back then, Xu Chujing was invited to make a cameo in that film, performing for a total of less than 20 seconds of screen time.

Song Ge, who served as the male lead, claimed to have fallen in love with her at first sight.

After receiving the Best Actor crown, he high-profilely confessed in front of the foreign media's cameras and was praised by foreigners as: "A romantic Huaxia person."

But after Xu Chujing learned of this news, facing questions from domestic media, this woman with a powerful aura only replied with four words: "Mentally ill."

The media immediately started writing articles, and many people were stirring the pot, saying that the domestic Heavenly Queen looks down on the foreign Best Actor.

Or that Song Ge, this Best Actor, only has a few hundred million in total box office, lacks Box Office Appeal, doesn't earn much money in a year, and isn't worthy of the Heavenly Queen.

Song Ge's fans were even more furious: "Just because you earn more money and have higher popularity, you can look down on our Best Actor?"

In the end, because that film was truly incomprehensible and contained many plots meant to pander to foreigners, it flopped both in domestic box office and word-of-mouth, causing this farce to end there.

Now, that video of Song Ge's high-profile confession has topped the Hot Search again, making Xu Chujing somewhat annoyed.

If she could do it all over again, she would absolutely not agree to a friend's request to make a cameo in that film.

You can imagine, you once had a fleeting encounter with someone in the school library, didn't even speak a word, and didn't have contact information.

A few days later, he filled the school gate with candles, held flowers in his hands in front of countless alumni, and used a loudspeaker to high-profilely confess to you.

At the same time, the onlookers joined in the fun, shouting together: "Get together! Get together!"

"Say yes to him! Say yes to him!"

This feeling is not pleasant.

What's worse is that recently, some people have started making a big fuss, mobilizing everyone's attention and focusing eyes on the final box office of the two films.

They even said this might be Best Actor Song Ge's battle for redemption...

Seeing these articles and public opinion, Xu Chujing only felt a headache.

For some reason, in this state of agitation, she took out her phone, opened WeChat, and then opened the chat box with Luo Mo.

But for a moment, she didn't know what to talk about.

About ten seconds later, the result was that Luo Mo sent a WeChat message over.

"The premiere is tomorrow, how about we go in the same car?" Luo Mo took the initiative to suggest.

Xu Chujing looked at the WeChat message sent by this man, and she was stunned.

After being stunned for a few seconds, she replied: "Okay."

……..

……..

For a movie premiere, one naturally has to dress up for the occasion.

Luo Mo changed into a handsome suit, while Xu Chujing wore a black evening gown.

A driver came to the residential complex to pick the two of them up, and they sat together in the back row of the luxury car.

Outside the premiere, it was certain to already be surrounded by reporters and fans who had heard the news.

In other words, if they arrived in the same car, they would be seen and watched by countless people.

Reporters would take pictures of this scene and post them online.

This was also why the Heavenly Queen Xu was a bit stunned when she saw Luo Mo's WeChat message.

For a moment, she also couldn't quite figure out what this man was thinking.

But in that instant, her truly troubled mood instantly improved.

It was a very strange feeling, a feeling she had never had before.

At this time, the two of them sat together in the back seat of the luxury car, and she also had a very steady, very at-ease feeling.

Along the way, Luo Mo did not bring up the matter regarding Song Ge, nor did he bring up the movie "Late Marriage".

But Xu Chujing knew very well that since the matter had blown up so big, and Luo Mo was coming to attend the premiere today, it was impossible for him not to know.

Luo Mo did indeed know about this matter; he had even watched that video of Song Ge online.

After finishing it, the same four words popped out of his mouth: "Brain is sick."

Song Ge had indeed always been an eccentric person in the circle, especially in terms of emotions; sometimes he would fall in love with someone after acting in a movie, and fans even said he was too deep into his roles, obsessed with acting.

——Thinking that this was very high-class!

At this very moment, outside the venue where the "Cat Demon" premiere was being held, it was already surrounded by reporters.

They had been camping out here early, just to fight for a relatively front-row position.

Taking photos and recording videos also required angles and a field of view; at the same time, standing in the front row, there might even be a chance to interview the Actor.

"I really hope Xu Chujing says it again this time: 'Brain is sick'!"

"I guess she won't respond again."

"If she could respond, then these photos and videos would be valuable."

"Yeah, it's already winter now, so it's worth us camping out in the cold wind for so long."

"So, am I the only one who came to photograph Luo Mo?"

"That's not it, Luo Mo is so popular now, we definitely have to photograph him too. Top Traffic, you think that's a joke?"

"Exactly, any random event photo of him, if you post it online, it'll get at least one or two thousand likes!"

"Alright, alright, it's almost time, it's almost time."

The crowd of reporters immediately perked up.

Soon, a stretched black sedan drove up to the entrance of the venue.

The security personnel in charge of the surroundings immediately surrounded it to prevent any unnecessary accidents or incidents.

"This is the car from Xu Chujing Studio, they always use this one when attending events, I recognize the license plate!" one reporter whispered.

"Remember to give Jing a few close-ups of her eyes when the time comes," one person instructed the cameraman Boss beside him.

Whether her eyes looked tired or indifferent, it could all be used to make a big deal out of it.

But when the car door was opened, the first thing to land on the red carpet from inside was a black leather shoe.

A man wearing a suit exited the back seat of the car, and then he buttoned one of the buttons on his suit.

As soon as this unexpected man appeared from Xu Chujing's car, the surrounding reporters and the watching fans were all stunned!

In an instant, screams and gasps erupted one after another.

"Luo Mo! It's Luo Mo!"

"My god, why is it Luo Mo!"

They saw this handsome man in a crisp suit standing outside the car door, extending his arm.

The next scene made them open their mouths wide.

They saw a fair palm gently resting on his arm, and Xu Chujing, wearing a black evening gown and stepping in a pair of high heels, leaned on Luo Mo like this and slowly got out of the car.

The two of them got out of the car in such an intimate posture, instantly making everyone throw that Song Ge person to the back of their minds.

This was a top-tier Heavenly Queen and a Top Traffic male star!

"I'm crazy, I'm crazy! I'm going crazy!" Many of the onlookers were already screaming like marmots in their hearts.

(PS: The second update, thanks to "You'eryuan Amay" for the 10 million Qidian coin tip, I have a Golden Alliance now too. Everyone can draw prizes through the Golden Alliance treasure chest as long as you have cast a monthly ticket.

Thanks to "Yu Yang0711" for the 100,000 Qidian coin tip, Alliance Leader +1.

By the way, I just found out there was a quadruple tip monthly ticket event tonight, I lost out on over ten thousand tickets, hahahaha, please double monthly tickets!)

(End of this chapter)