Top Dupe CH 057 A Promise Is A Promise Part 1

"Tomorrow's games are mostly physical. Mick and I are relatively young and have trained in dance, so our core strength and explosive power aren’t bad. Winning shouldn't be an issue. But Brother Liu, even though your image has always been a salted fish, you'll still need to put in some effort tomorrow. We can't lose to Jiang Muxing, right?" He Mu was clearly the leader of their team.

Liu Songtao, a comedian in his early forties, was quite tall and had been the comic relief on this show, with 80% of his blunders becoming running gags.

In his mind, Liu Songtao rolled his eyes. He might be He Mu's senior, but He Mu's words, though polite, had a hint of command that made Liu Songtao feel a bit uncomfortable.

He only made those blunders for the sake of the show's effect, okay?

But he was aware of He Mu's fan power. The last time there was a water-based game and He Mu fell into the water, Liu Songtao, who was closest, didn't manage to catch him, and he got flamed online from that episode to the next.

"I'll definitely give it my all tomorrow!" Liu Songtao made an OK gesture.

Whatever, he's eaten more salt than this kid has eaten rice. With such a self-centered personality, if you try to give him advice, he'd think you're jealous of him.

Some things are better left to life to teach him.

At that moment, Mick spoke up, "I remember you mentioned that Luo Yu's recent buzz was because he's riding on Gu Xiaowei's coattails?"

Hearing this, He Mu impatiently said, "Of course. Why else would Gu Xiaowei always be protecting Luo Yu?"

Mick asked again, "But there are so many people in the industry who want to ride on Gu Xiaowei's coattails, so why did Luo Yu succeed?"

He Mu didn't show his anger but tried to suppress his impatience. He knew that at this moment, he had to ensure his teammates stood by him rather than angering them.

Otherwise, if they didn't give their best or didn't support him during tomorrow's games, it would be very unfavorable for him.

After all, Li Shengyu is in Luo Yu's team. After losing to Luo Yu in the "Storm" crew's acting PK, instead of reflecting on his impulsiveness, Li Shengyu blamed He Mu for making him misunderstand Luo Yu, leaving He Mu speechless. Later, Li Shengyu even became Weibo friends with Luo Yu, occasionally sharing each other's posts. Is this some kind of mutual appreciation society between a B-list actor and a struggling one?

Since then, Li Shengyu has been cold towards He Mu on the show, always choosing to oppose him in every game. Unfortunately, he has decent physical fitness and often beats He Mu in games, with the production team purposely highlighting their rivalry. Now that Luo Yu has joined, these two who dislike him are teaming up, and even with Jiang Muxing dragging them down, He Mu can foresee tomorrow not going well for him.

He must keep his teammates united against a common enemy.

"Mick, what's wrong with you? Isn't this obvious? Gu Xiaowei has been in the industry for so many years; have you ever seen him share someone's post five or six times in half a year? Even for Cheng Fei, that doesn't even happen more than three times a year! Gu Xiaowei is practically becoming Luo Yu's promotional account."

Hearing this, comedian Liu Songtao couldn't help but feel a bit envious. Whenever he released a comedy movie, he had to beg people in the industry to help with the promotion. But Luo Yu had Gu Xiaowei's favor. How could anyone not be jealous?

Mick, however, shared some surprising news: "Did you know that Luo Yu was driven to the set today by Gu Xiaowei?"

"Huh?" He Mu was stunned.

He had heard staff talking about Gu Xiaowei being around, but he thought it was just a rumor. After all, Gu Xiaowei had never participated in a variety show in all his years in the industry.

"And Gu Xiaowei is staying in Luo Yu's room. The director offered him another room, but he refused."

Mick's tone was calm, but his words hit He Mu like a bomb.

Mick hadn't intended to provoke He Mu or become his enemy; it was just that He Mu always talked about Luo Yu like he was Gu Xiaowei's sycophant. But there were so many people who wanted to cling to Gu Xiaowei; why did Gu Xiaowei show such favoritism towards Luo Yu? And after Li Shengyu returned from the "Storm" crew, he fell out with He Mu, though they hadn't openly stated it. Mick felt it was because of the acting PK between Li Shengyu and Luo Yu.

If Li Shengyu really resented Luo Yu, he wouldn't have volunteered to team up with Luo Yu during the discussion about dividing teams with the director.

Mick, though hovering between A- and B-list, was no stranger to the cliques and power plays in the industry.

He didn't want to be used by He Mu; he wanted to see clearly where He Mu stood on Luo Yu.

As expected, He Mu's face looked a bit unpleasant.

"Oh, and Luo Yu's introductory VCR for the show is recorded by Cheng Fei, Xie Chang, and Gu Xiaowei."

Before He Mu could be shocked, Liu Songtao was already dumbfounded.

"Wow, I didn't expect that! This young man must have some connections! Cheng Fei is known for his straightforwardness in the industry; if he likes someone, he'll praise them to the skies. If he doesn't, even if you kneel at his door for three days and nights, he won't care. And Xie Chang is the top actress at Honghe Film and Television; they control her so strictly that even when she’s filming with male leads, they minimize interaction to avoid rumors."

Liu Songtao leaned closer to Mick, "Are you sure? Gu Xiaowei really came? And recorded the VCR?"

"Yes, really. Luo Yu hadn't even sent out the invitation when Gu Xiaowei agreed on the phone. Director Xu confirmed it in person."

Mick noticed He Mu trying to appear nonchalant, but the occasional clenching of his teeth showed how hard he was trying to suppress his emotions.

Liu Songtao clapped his hands, "This is great news! With Gu Xiaowei's presence, his fans will definitely tune in for this episode! The ratings will surely go up!"

He Mu looked at Liu Songtao, his eyes full of "What nonsense are you talking about?"

Liu Songtao, a seasoned veteran, knew how to play the game. He didn't want to offend He Mu, as He Mu was backed by Dijun Media, but he also didn't want to go against Luo Yu, who was now supported by Yinchuan Culture and had a close relationship with Gu Xiaowei.

Liu Songtao patted He Mu on the shoulder, speaking earnestly, "When we record variety shows, the focus should be on the show's ratings. If you get too caught up in personal grievances and are perceived as aggressive, it could backfire and damage your reputation. It's better to win gracefully when you can, and when you can't, concede graciously; it makes you look magnanimous and endears you to your fans."

He Mu opened his mouth but couldn't find the words to respond.

Mick chimed in, "Brother Tao makes a good point. The show loves to play up personal grudges for drama. If there's already talk of bad blood between you and Luo Yu, and tomorrow's show gets too intense, your haters might accuse you of using the games to suppress Luo Yu, and that could sound really bad. Most people join variety shows to show they have a big heart. Tomorrow, you’ll need to be especially nice to Luo Yu to dispel those rumors that you’re using your fans against him."

He Mu was stunned. What was happening? He had called these two over for a pre-battle pep talk.

How did it turn into them advising him to be magnanimous? Were they teaming up to vex him to death?

"Look at the time; it's dinner now. I'm heading out." Liu Songtao, as if nothing had happened, left He Mu's room.

"I’ll be off too. Tomorrow's recording will follow the planned schedule, so let's just stick to the director's instructions."

Mick also turned and left.

After closing the door, Mick let out a cold laugh. Sure enough, in a normal situation, if you run into your rival on a variety show, the smart move is to clear the air, maybe even put on a pretense of getting along. But He Mu had gathered them to talk about beating Luo Yu tomorrow—wasn't that clearly personal?

Come to think of it, with Xie Liao's current status, he probably wouldn’t get much screen time on the show anyway. Plus, he’d have to endure He Mu’s commands, and Xie Liao’s physical fitness wasn’t great. How could he handle He Mu’s demands?

And after seeing Luo Yu today, Mick realized that the relationship between Luo Yu and Gu Xiaowei wasn't what He Mu had described as clinging or being a sycophant. Instead, Gu Xiaowei treated Luo Yu like a good friend, which made Mick wary.

After probing a bit today, Mick knew it was best not to get involved in the feud between He Mu and Luo Yu. Why be a pawn for He Mu and ruin his relationship with Director Xu? It would just make it harder to get opportunities for his good friend Xie Liao in the future.

At this moment, Luo Yu and Gu Xiaowei had already entered the restaurant. As soon as the manager saw Gu Xiaowei, he quickly led them into a small private room that had been prepared in advance. They walked quickly, leaving only tall, imagination-stirring silhouettes for the other customers to see.

"Those two who just walked in are really tall and well-built. Could they be celebrities?"

"That's possible! The production team for ‘Burn, Little Cosmos’ is just across the street!"

"But who were they? Could it be He Mu?"

"You’re overthinking it! If He Mu came to a small place like this to eat chicken stuffed with pork tripe, the fans would flatten the place!"

"Could it be Mick?"

"Doesn't seem like it... but those two had a really special vibe."

No matter where he went, Gu Xiaowei always ignored the stares of others, carrying himself as if he was an island to himself.

The two of them sat down at the table, and the manager brought out the pre-prepared food. It just needed to be heated up a bit before it was ready to eat.

"Wow, it smells so good," Luo Yu leaned in to take a sniff.

His brows and eyes were misted with a bit of steam, and the tip of his nose had a slight sheen. Gu Xiaowei looked at him, and the expression on his face softened.

Soon, the food began to boil.

Gu Xiaowei picked up a soup spoon and served a bowl of soup for Luo Yu, reminding him, "Blow on it before you eat."

"I wasn't really hungry before, but now that I smell this, I'm suddenly starving," Luo Yu said, holding the white porcelain bowl, blowing on the soup, and then taking a sip. "It's really fresh."

"En."

"By the way, when you told Director Xu today that I might act in the movie with you, he could misunderstand that I've already been chosen for the role of Wen Yuchi. If he edits that into the show, but then the ‘Beast and Rose’ production team casts someone else, that would be awkward."

Gu Xiaowei looked at Luo Yu and slowly said, "Senior Brother, you've already acted in two dramas by famous directors, but haven't you built up any confidence yet?"

Luo Yu picked up a piece of chicken, but hesitated before eating it. "Sometimes... skill doesn't guarantee success."

"Then let me tell you some inside information to boost your confidence."

"Inside information? That sounds more like an official announcement coming from you."

"The audition just ended, and Ou Juntao offered to treat the producer, the director, and the executives from Xinghan Pictures in charge of the project to dinner. But Director Sheng refused, saying he'd already chosen the actor, so the dinner was unnecessary. The producer, worried about the tension, suggested having dinner just to talk things over with Ou Juntao, not to offend him."

"Did Director Sheng agree to go to dinner?" Luo Yu asked.

Gu Xiaowei shook his head. "No. Director Sheng felt that if they went to dinner, the producer and investors might end up being 'forced into a corner.' After a few drinks, they might use the role as a bargaining chip."

"No wonder he has such a good reputation as a director—he has his own principles and integrity."

"Yes, Director Sheng said he had already found the perfect match for my Lu Pingfeng's Wen Yuchi. If Wen Yuchi had to be replaced, I would have to be replaced too.

He said, 'Gu Xiaowei has already seen Xi Shi, and now you want to force him to marry Dong Shi? How can this marriage be happy?'" (TN: Xi Shi and Dong Shi are references to Chinese historical figures. Xi Shi is considered one of the Four Beauties of ancient China, while Dong Shi, in some stories, is portrayed as a less attractive woman who tries to imitate Xi Shi's beauty but ends up being less appealing.)

Luo Yu was amused by the metaphor and laughed. "But Director Sheng might have been talking about another actor. I remember Liang Shengqiu has pretty good acting skills."

Gu Xiaowei replied, "He lacks the feel. And out of all the auditionees, Director Sheng only applauded you."

The small private room suddenly became quiet, with only the bubbling sound of the soup being boiled.

After a while, Luo Yu spoke, "You might not believe it, but I've never had so many opportunities before... Actually, it's more accurate to say I had opportunities, but I gave up on every single one of them."

"Because you cared too much about what others thought of you."

"What about you? It always seems like you’ve been at the top of your game since you debuted. But someone like you, who insists on staying true to himself and never placates others, should have faced even more slander than I have." Luo Yu looked at Gu Xiaowei.

There's little mention of Gu Xiaowei's past online. The public only sees his glamorous side, but Luo Yu guessed that his journey couldn't have been smooth.

Gu Xiaowei asked, "Do you think I'm good-looking?"

"Of course, you're good-looking," Luo Yu smiled. "I'm not blind, and my aesthetics are perfectly normal."

"This face is too attractive, but without a tactful personality, it naturally causes trouble."

Hearing this, Luo Yu's fingers twitched slightly.

If anyone else in the entertainment industry said, "This face is too attractive," they’d be laughed at for being arrogant. But when Gu Xiaowei said it, it was just a statement of fact with a hint of humility.