I Became the Koi Actor After Entering the Book

**Chapter 65: The Upheaval**

Translator: Namizaki

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The first episode of <Invisible Crime> garnered a viewership rating of 0.81, followed by 0.87 for the second episode. As the series progressed, the ratings steadily climbed, stabilizing within the 0.98-1 range.

Simultaneously, the buzz around the standout characters steadily increased. The divine performances of the male and female leads, coupled with their subtle yet palpable chemistry, left viewers utterly captivated.

However, the drama’s overall tone remained heavy. Each case was marked by death and endless weeping. Against this backdrop, Shang Tang and Shang Lin’s presence became particularly crucial. Shang Tang’s warmth softened the intense conflicts and tempered the bleak atmosphere with his every appearance.

If Du Yusheng hadn’t known the true nature of Chi Zhongqiao’s role, he might have been completely fooled by Shang Tang’s early portrayal. Though subtle hints of the character’s abnormality occasionally surfaced in minute details, these were only discernible to viewers with an omniscient perspective. Even so, many viewers quickly fell for Shang Tang’s carefully crafted facade.

Chi Zhongqiao’s performance was seamless, perfectly capturing the character’s duality while avoiding any sense of fragmentation.

Du Yusheng scrolled through the online comments. Most viewers had been completely fooled by Shang Tang’s early performance, genuinely believing him to be a comic relief character.

While some netizens expressed disappointment at the cliché of the devoted second male lead, they eventually warmed up to Shang Tang’s character. His interactions with his daughter, Shang Lin, were particularly heartwarming, prompting many fans to rush off and write fanfiction.

[ Yuge: Waaah, Shang Tang is my only comfort! ]

[ Nangua Hua: Not every crime drama needs a conspiracy behind every supporting character. A devoted second male lead is perfectly fine. ]

Devoted Second Male Lead. Du Yusheng scoffed. Let’s see if these naive fools will still be smiling when they see Shang Tang in a few days.

As <Invisible Crime> gained popularity, Chi Zhongqiao, as the supporting lead, received increasing attention. His fan base surged, and eager new fans even unearthed and rewatched his previous drama, <Empress of the World>. The rights to <Campus Prince and Campus Belle> had already been sold to Pea Video Platform, so after finishing <Empress of the World>, fans flocked to watch that as well.

To promote the show, the main cast members participated in an evening program on Green River Television.

Yan Qingbo was nearing her due date and had pre-recorded a short video message, making it impossible for her to attend in person.

Chi Zhongqiao arrived early as usual. Guided by a staff member, he entered a two-person dressing room and had barely settled into his seat when Ge Fangyu walked in.

“Brother Fang?” Chi Zhongqiao asked, surprised. “Don’t you have your own dressing room?”

Ge Fangyu plopped down next to him. “I asked where you were and came over. Getting ready alone is so boring.”

Chi Zhongqiao stared at him. “You chat while getting your makeup done?”

Ge Fangyu chuckled.

Chi Zhongqiao rolled his eyes, finding the sight almost painful.

With only one assistant each, the dressing room felt spacious. Chi Zhongqiao finished his makeup first and sat on the sofa, reviewing the script. The show was a relaxed interview format. Besides him and Ge Fangyu, the other guests included Zheng Longpei, who played the Police Chief; Shu Wen, the Deputy Captain of the Criminal Investigation Group; and Hong Cheng, the actor portraying the protagonist in the currently airing case.

Zheng Longpei was a veteran actor in the industry. Even Yan Qingbo, let alone Ge Fangyu, would address him respectfully as “Teacher Zheng.” Shu Wen, on the other hand, was a newcomer, but his acting skills were already impressive.

Chi Zhongqiao had never participated in a Green River Television program before, so he studied the script with particular care.

Green River Television’s interview show typically avoided overly intrusive questions. In recent years, they had actively improved the format by adding brief interactions with fans and incorporating trending internet slang and hashtag-based questions. With a total runtime of around forty minutes, it was a popular interview show among many artists.

However, the lack of inflammatory questions didn’t necessarily make them easy to answer.

Moreover, the script provided to the artists was merely a recording outline, lacking any specific questions. This meant the artists had no preparation for any particular question and had to rely entirely on their impromptu reactions, eliminating the need for rehearsals.

Chi Zhongqiao put down the script. By then, Ge Fangyu, fully made up, had taken a seat beside him. The two strolled backstage together, where Zheng Longpei was already waiting.

“Teacher Zheng,” Chi Zhongqiao greeted.

Ge Fangyu quickly added his own greeting.

Zheng Longpei chuckled warmly, “Have a seat, both of you.”

Shortly after, Shu Wen and Hong Cheng arrived backstage right on time. After exchanging a few brief words, the group took to the stage.

Li Jing, one of Green River Television’s star hosts, sat to the left of the studio, while five seats to the right were reserved for the guests.

The five armchairs were arranged in an intriguing circular formation. The group instinctively left the central seat for Zheng Longpei. Ge Fangyu sat down beside him, and Chi Zhongqiao chose the armchair next to Ge Fangyu.

Shu Wen had originally intended to sit beside Ge Fangyu, but as the last to enter the studio, he had to settle for the remaining seat.

After taking their places, the five guests greeted the host and waved to the live audience.

Li Jing waved the hard card in her hand. “Are you all ready?”

The guests nodded, none of them knowing what questions she held. Chi Zhongqiao clasped his hands in front of his abdomen, waiting quietly for Li Jing to begin.

Li Jing leaned back comfortably in her armchair. “As everyone knows, <Invisible Crime> is currently airing to great acclaim. And I’m not just saying this—it’s truly a masterpiece. From the acting to the costumes, makeup, props, editing, and soundtrack, there’s hardly a flaw to be found. So today…”

The show’s format was divided into two parts. The first segment focused on the cast and crew, with the guests answering questions and engaging in lighthearted banter, creating a harmonious atmosphere.

The second part, the audience’s favorite, was the interactive segment. The production team selected questions submitted by viewers online, which the celebrities then answered.

Many celebrities who appeared on the show had a love-hate relationship with this segment. They loved it because it could earn them goodwill, but hated it because some questions were notoriously difficult to answer.

Li Jing announced, “Alright, let’s begin! We’ll start with Teacher Zheng.”

Zheng Longpei nodded. “Okay, I’ll go first.”

Zheng Longpei was a veteran actor, once a handsome young leading man. Most of his longtime fans were around his age, so the questions submitted for him tended to be gentle and respectful.

After finishing with Zheng Longpei, Li Jing’s gaze swept across the remaining guests. “Next… Teacher Ge! Your first question!”

Ge Fangyu startled. “Huh?”

Li Jing suppressed a smile. “Do you agree with those online who call you a ‘straight man’?”

Ge Fangyu froze, while Chi Zhongqiao couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

“There are others?” Ge Fangyu exclaimed in shock. “I thought it was just Zhongqiao who kept calling me a straight man!”

Chi Zhongqiao: “Ha ha ha ha ha!”

Ge Fangyu’s face turned green. “You have the nerve to laugh? You’re the one who keeps shouting it! How else would they call me a straight man?”

Chi Zhongqiao: “Ha ha ha ha ha! Sorry, I can’t help it!”

Ge Fangyu: “……”

Li Jing, amused by their banter, smiled and turned to Chi Zhongqiao after questioning Ge Fangyu. “Alright, Zhongqiao, stop laughing. Your first question: Do you know what CP fans are? Which pairings do you have?”

Chi Zhongqiao grinned. “Of course I know! As for pairings… there are so many ‘evil cults’ online, I can’t even remember them all. Does Brother Fang count?”

Ge Fangyu panicked. “There’s such a thing?!”

Chi Zhongqiao said nonchalantly, “I’m just teasing you, Brother Fang.”

Ge Fangyu: “……” I’ll strangle you, you little brat!

Li Jing smiled sweetly and flipped to the next card. “Then, Zhongqiao, which pairing do you most wish for?”

Chi Zhongqiao cleverly dodged the question with a sly grin: “Of course, it’s the female lead! After all, the second male lead’s greatest desire is always to kick out the male lead and take his place, right?”

As soon as he finished answering, he sighed inwardly. Great, the audience is satisfied, but my little vinegar pot at home is going to throw a fit.

“Third and final question,” Li Jing said, raising an eyebrow as she read the card. This one was a bit sharp. “Chi Zhongqiao, you’ve played two deeply devoted second male leads since your debut. Have you ever considered breaking out of that mold?”

Ge Fangyu couldn’t help but sweat nervously for Chi Zhongqiao.

Chi Zhongqiao gently rested his hand on his chin. “Every actor wants to break free from the constraints of their roles, and I’m no different. As for playing two devoted second male leads, only Shang Tang counts, right?”

He turned to face the camera, his eyes dark and his voice dropping to a low, intense register. “What do you think, Officer? Am I a good guy or a bad guy?”

This line was from Shang Tang’s dialogue in the episode airing tonight. Unlike Shang Tang’s usual gentle and refined demeanor, this line was full of provocation.

After filming the show, Chi Zhongqiao parted ways with the other actors and rushed back to watch the drama. As soon as he settled into the car, he urged, “Let’s hurry.”

Lu Yuzhou turned the steering wheel. “Safety first, Brother Qiao. Buckle up.”

Chi Zhongqiao replied listlessly, “Okay.”

Lu Yuzhou chuckled. “Why are you in such a rush to get back, Brother Qiao? Something urgent?”

Chi Zhongqiao shook his head. “No, I just want to watch TV.”

Lu Yuzhou paused. “…Alright, hold on tight.”

Tonight’s three episodes marked a turning point in <Invisible Crime>. Shang Tang’s true nature was revealed to the audience through the omniscient perspective, and the plot would soon shift to investigating Shang Tang, though the male and female leads remained unaware that their target was him.

Chi Zhongqiao was curious to see how many viewers would have their moral compass shattered by this revelation. After all, many had genuinely admired Shang Tang for so long, sincerely believing him to be a pure, untainted white flower blooming from the mud.

But this seemingly delicate white flower was actually a man-eating rafflesia. For Chi Zhongqiao, the actor behind the role, this 180-degree reversal was fascinating.

The audience, however, clearly didn’t share his sentiment. After the three episodes aired, viewers who had favored Shang Tang’s character were left in a dazed, disoriented state.

Who am I? Where am I? What the hell is going on with this plot?

These three episodes completely overturned the characterizations established in the first ten episodes. The plot took a sharp, vertical turn, sliding headfirst into an abyss without looking back.

Many viewers struggled to accept this, some even accusing the official team of ruining the characters. However, another group of logically minded fans shed their “gentle second male lead” filter, re-examined the first ten episodes, and pieced together scattered clues from the margins. When these fragmented threads were connected, they pointed squarely at Shang Tang.

So it wasn’t a character derailment after all? This was the plan from the beginning? And it was actually logical and well-supported?

These fans posted their deductions online. Some readers were left confused, but they understood the final line: “While we mocked the cliché character tropes, we had already stepped into the trap set by the script. In the very end, I must still shout with my decaying voice—’Chi Zhongqiao’s acting is goddamn brilliant!'”

The top-rated comment beneath the article read:

[ Walnut Milk Tastes Bad: “Exactly! At first, I thought Teacher Chi was just a pretty face with no acting skills. Then the show aired, and bam! ]

[ I thought he was the devoted second male lead, and now, bam! ]

[ I’m applauding (and facepalming) you, Teacher Chi! Congratulations on fooling all the viewers with your acting! Daddy Chi is a legend!” ]

Zaki~ English is not my first language, but I’ll try to get the translations as close as possible to the Author’s work. If you see any grammatical errors or mistakes in the translation, please feel free to drop them in the comments section so I can correct them immediately. Thank you and Happy Reading 🙂