"Tang Shu, I've got you a spot on a variety show; it starts filming this afternoon!"
"A variety show?"
"Yes, this is a great opportunity. The TV series you're acting in is currently a hit, and it's generating a lot of buzz. Inviting the cast to variety shows is partly for promotion and partly to boost the actors' fame."
"What do I need to prepare?"
"Let me tell you, this time you must shake off the label of the 'white lotus' supporting actress... Eh? Prepare? Just make yourself look beautiful, since there's no time for makeup on set, I'll pick you up later to head to the recording."
"Okay."
After hanging up the call, Tang Shu's cool eyes briefly swept over the unfamiliar room before her; she pondered for a moment and then turned to open the closet.
An hour later, Sister Luo's Volkswagen was parked downstairs in a residential building complex.
It was located in the center of the capital city, an area filled with buildings that seemed quite old, none higher than six stories, and the ground floors were bustling with old men chatting in Beijing dialect and walking their birds.
When Tang Shu came down, Sister Luo was still excitedly talking on the phone with the program team. Looking up and seeing her walking toward the car backlit by the sun, Sister Luo froze in surprise.
"...Tang Shu?"
"Sister Luo."
The cold and low voice sounded faintly, the girl in front was only seventeen or eighteen years old, her skin fair, features delicate, and her beautiful eyes carried a hint of indifference. She exuded an aura that seemed to declare her untouchable.
Is this really my agency's talent?
The face remained the impeccable one as before, but somehow her aura had changed.
"Aren't we in a hurry?"
"Oh right, get in the car, and I'll explain the details on the way."
Tang Shu's reminder snapped Sister Luo back to reality, and once they got in the car, with a press on the gas pedal, they headed toward the TV station.
It was only during the ride that she explained why they were in such a rush.
As the TV series had become a huge hit, "Happy Together," the hottest variety show at the moment, had invited the main actors of the series. Originally, Tang Shu, as the third leading lady and pure newcomer, lacking any kind of backing, would not have even had enough influence to compete with other supporting roles for screen time.
But there was a small accident before the recording; the lead actress of the series received an invitation for a movie script and ditched the director, leaving the program team with no choice but to urgently find a replacement. After contacting several supporting actors who all had schedules conflicts, the opportunity finally fell on Tang Shu's head.
In short, she had picked up a lucky break.
"I begged and pleaded to get this for you, and if it weren't for my connections with the assistant director, it really wouldn't have fallen into our lap. You have to perform well; your public image hasn't been good lately, so this time, make sure to speak less and do more, got it?"
"I got it."
"Seek advice from the hosts or seniors whenever you can, and make sure not to offend anyone. All the other guests are top-tier celebrities, so you need to show some respect."
"Alright."
Sister Luo went on and on out of concern, feeling that there was still something she hadn't quite addressed, and when she was done, she realized that Tang Shu had been speaking less than usual today.
"Tang Shu?"
"I'm here."
Her voice was light and cool, steady and calm, the usually reserved voice, for some reason, felt incredibly reassuring to Luo Lin holding the steering wheel, who suddenly felt an odd sense of comfort.
Comfort? What the hell is that about!
"...As long as you know your limits. The program team has already announced the guest lineup on Weibo, so you'll retweet it in a bit."
"Mhm."
The car became quiet again, and Tang Shu casually retweeted the Weibo post from the program team that mentioned her, looking out the window at the high-rise buildings whizzing past, her mind swirled with perplexity.
As the Young Sect Master of Tang Sect, eighteen-year-old Tang Shu was called a prodigy for her mastery in poison techniques and hidden weapons. Her martial arts were the most outstanding among the younger generation of her family, and with an iron fist, she earned great respect and influence among the five elders of Tang Sect.
Who would have thought that one day, after consuming a bottle of homemade Concentrated Heart Jade Dew Pills, she would wake up to find herself in the body of a modern-day entertainer with the same name, Tang Shu, who bore an eight-point resemblance to her?
The same name, the same age, and an almost indistinguishably similar appearance, the whole situation was eerie.
Her phone kept pinging with message notifications; Tang Shu glanced at the screen to find that the Weibo post she had just shared was already covered in dozens of comment threads.
"Holy crap! 'Happy Together' actually invited Tang Shu? How did such a small-time celebrity manage to get in there?!"
"How else could she have gotten in? By crying, what else—no other way ~~~"
"They're hoping to flip their fortunes with a hit variety show? Count us out!"
...
Within minutes, there were hundreds of comments, and not one person offered congratulations.
The TV series that Tang Shu had been filming saw its ratings soar after half a month of broadcast, and, inevitably, she became famous.
However... it was a notorious kind of fame, genuine and unfiltered.
Gaining half a million followers on Weibo in just half a month would be a meteoric rise for a newcomer, but if these followers were only there to hurl insults and vent, that's a different story altogether.
As the Young Sect Master of Tang Sect and The Spoiled Girl of Heaven, when had she ever had to put up with such insults? The corners of Tang Shu's mouth curved into a mocking smile, but her eyes were cold and hard.
Her slender and fair fingers swiftly typed, and soon enough, she had composed a new Weibo post and sent it out.
[Tang Shu: The internet is not a lawless place, speak nicely. Stop adding drama for yourselves—is it you who's the drama queen, or is it me? @BeautifulKindPerson: "How else could she have gotten in? By crying, what else—no other way ~~~"]
***
TV station, "Happy Together" program team.
There were still two hours before shooting began, and Director Zhang took a casual drag from his cigarette, "Who's the replacement guest?"
"Her name is Tang Shu, she plays the third female lead in a TV drama, and she's a newcomer."
A newcomer?
"Which company is she with?"
Even if they were inviting her as a last-minute fill-in, to have gotten here she must have connections; there was certainly capital operating behind her. Director Zhang thought about the funds behind celebrities and, unusually, refrained from making disparaging remarks.
Money talks, after all.
The assistant director said with caution, "Starshine Media."
"...Is there such a company?"
"Uh, it's a small company, but this newcomer has created quite a buzz—"
"Enough, she's both unknown and unfunded. Where did you dig up this bottom-tier nobody to bluff me after I left it to you?"
Director Zhang stubbed out his cigarette and his previously nonchalant demeanor was replaced with irritation filling his face.
The assistant director wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, "Director Zhang, listen to me, she's playing the white lotus third female lead in a TV drama, and you could say she's blown up, she really has created a buzz."
As he explained, he hurriedly took out his phone, opened Weibo, and respectfully placed it in front of Director Zhang. The top message on the phone screen was from Tang Shu clapping back at her fans.
Director Zhang looked at Weibo with suspicion, his gaze lingering on Tang Shu's delicate face, thinking to himself that she indeed had the makings of a beauty.
As his eyes fell on the countless comments below on Weibo, the frown on his brow gradually smoothed out, and he chuckled.
"She's the one!"
This girl, she really knew how to create a scene!
What's the most important thing for a variety show with skyrocketing ratings?
Of course, it's the buzz.
Inviting main male and female leads from TV dramas is meant to sustain the lineup, to draw in fans to watch. The requirements for the other minor characters aren't as high. In a nutshell—
Either be capable, or be dramatic.
Clearly, in Director Zhang's eyes, Tang Shu belonged to the latter category.
"Later, when you get a chance, tell the attending photographer, the moment she causes a scene, give her the camera."
"...Okay."
The assistant director's old face creased like a bitter melon. He had initially intended to do a favor for a friend by giving a new artist a chance to appear on the show. He managed to secure the opportunity, but he never expected that Director Zhang was actually excited about her knack for stirring up trouble.
Was it because her collagen-filled face wasn't pretty, or was it because her popularity as the white lotus third female lead wasn't appealing?
***
Sister Luo was relieved after bringing people into the program team and joining other agents and assistants.
Fortunately, this variety show was secured; from now on, it was up to Tang Shu herself.
Out of sheer boredom she took out her phone to surf the net, only to receive a call from the company's assistant, "Sister Luo, how could you not keep an eye on Tang Shu? Her Weibo has blown up again!"
"What Weibo, what happened?" Sister Luo was totally clueless.
However, when she saw her artist's rigidly confrontational message, she almost pulled her hair out in frustration.
"Sorry, I wasn't careful enough."
Her tone couldn't have been more despondent.
Who would have thought that in the short time it took to travel here, the woman could have caused such a mess?
At that moment, the assistant director came over in a hurry, his expression tinged with resignation, "Sister Luo, when you get a chance, can you remind your artist to speak less and do less... to not be hasty. She's a newcomer and naturally doesn't get much camera time. Changing the audience's perceptions isn't something that happens overnight; don't be anxious."
Even if she's just a background presence and doesn't speak, please don't make a spectacle of yourself!
If she really starts getting more camera time following Director Zhang's wishes, the image she'll leave with the audience might be indelible. This is a variety show, after all, a kind of reality TV in a sense!
For the first time, Sister Luo wholeheartedly agreed with her friend, "Okay, I got it. I'll find an opportunity to talk to her later."
"Let's settle on that then. I'm doing this for her own good. I'm off; I've got too much to handle!"
As Sister Luo watched the assistant director leave, she sighed again, the phone in her hand ringing once more, which she immediately answered.
"Xiao Li, don't bother, I'll do everything in my powers to keep her in check."
"No, Sister Luo, I think you should check out the comments on Weibo. It seems like even without any intervention... it's not too bad?"
"What?"
Sister Luo opened Weibo, glanced at it, and noticed that the top comment with the most likes had changed.
[You're a drama queen, you are! Who can compete with that?]
[This is the queen of drama herself; even the female lead bows down. What more do we have to say?]
[hhhhh~~~ Can white lotus characters be this tough? So exciting, come on, keep it up, don't stop!]
She: "...???"