Read Novel Full Chapter 70 - Actors
**Chapter 70: Actors**
Translator: Namizaki
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1L: Second male lead in <Empress of the World>, second male lead in <Invisible Crime>, and even just the third male lead in the unreleased <April in the Human World>. Only <Campus Prince and Campus Belle> had him as the male lead. Does this resume qualify him as one of the Four Young Male Stars?
2L: Does being a male lead necessarily correlate with acting skill? How many of the current Four Young Male Stars actually have substantial work to show for it?
3L: To the second floor, you’re right. To put it bluntly, none of the Four Young Male Stars can hold a candle to Chi Zhongqiao in terms of acting ability. But the criteria for the Four Young Male Stars include not just works but also the quantity and quality of endorsements. Does your Qiao have any high-end endorsements? Besides the Best Supporting Actor award, what other accolades does your Qiao have? No shade intended—your Qiao is undeniably talented, but his resume simply lacks the necessary weight.
4L: The <Secret Scroll: 108 Sets of Mock Exams> has its dignity too! Exported to three countries, they’re the aristocrats of test papers, officially certified by high school students nationwide! (Stubborn)
5L: Hahahaha, what silly kid wrote that last comment?
36L: This is hilarious! Now that I think about it, that “little fresh meat” doesn’t even have any endorsements! How can he be considered a top-tier star?
The initial comments, though harsh, at least avoided personal attacks. But as the thread grew longer, all sorts of trolls and monsters crawled out of the woodwork. One comment even nicknamed Chi Zhongqiao “Mr. Second Lead,” which his antis eagerly seized upon.
The Qiao Family girls, sleeves rolled up and ready for battle, tried to argue rationally while worrying about attracting more hate for Chi Zhongqiao. Of course, they were no match for the trolls and ended up retreating to their own territory, tearfully seeking comfort.
Whether the thread was started by a casual bystander or a fan of one of the Four Young Male Stars no longer mattered. What mattered was that the arguments were well-reasoned, even if the language was harsh and mocked Chi Zhongqiao for not landing leading roles. The Qiao Family fans had no counterarguments.
Only one male lead role and no high-end endorsements… How could our Qiao be so unlucky?
The more these foolish girls thought about it, the more wronged they felt. Grief welled up in their hearts as they imagined their precious Qiao Bao, a pearl buried in the dust. They retreated home for a good cry.
Poor Chi Zhongqiao never imagined a trending topic could cause such a commotion. Fresh out of the shower, his hair still damp and messy, he rushed to various group chats to soothe the ruffled feathers of the agitated young women.
Lu Yuzhou, with his arm around Chi Zhongqiao, noticed he showed no signs of wanting to sleep. He asked helplessly, “Qiao-ge1zaki~~ from here one I’ll be using Ge or Gege for the word ‘Brother’ when the two are alone as it’s a sweeter form of endearment, calling him ‘Brother Qiao’ seems platonic LOL, are you even going to sleep tonight?”
Chi Zhongqiao, propping his forehead with his hand, jerked his head up at the question. “Are you tired? I’ll go to the study.”
Lu Yuzhou grabbed him. “Qiao-ge, are you still going to sleep in a separate room?”
How did things suddenly escalate like this?
Chi Zhongqiao lay on the bed, stunned, then chuckled and ruffled Lu Yuzhou’s hair. “Alright, alright, just one more group chat. I’ll be done soon.”
He quickly sent a few voice messages, ensuring the girls in the group chat had calmed down, before snuggling under the covers and leaning in to kiss Lu Yuzhou’s cheek. “Getting jealous over a bunch of girls?”
Lu Yuzhou’s voice softened. “If I’m this jealous, all I get is a kiss?”
If you’re this sweet, I deserve at least two kisses.
After a moment of tender intimacy, Lu Yuzhou murmured, “Qiao-ge, spend more time with me next year.” He was too busy; these fleeting moments of affection were far too rare.
Chi Zhongqiao’s heart melted. He nodded to everything Lu Yuzhou said. “Next year isn’t enough. I’ll spend my whole life with you.”
It’s no wonder Lu Yuzhou missed him. He had been away for days promoting his work, and next month, when filming for <The Patriot> began, he would be gone for another half-month on location.
Even Chi Zhongqiao felt their time together was too short.
Curled up under the covers, he listened to their heartbeats gradually synchronize in the quiet stillness, his eyes slowly closing.
While Chi Zhongqiao slept soundly, Du Yusheng tossed and turned all night. Chi Zhongqiao’s troublesome fans, having suffered grievances outside, dared not retaliate for fear of bringing negative attention to their idol. Unwilling to attack Chi Zhongqiao himself, they turned their fury on Du Yusheng.
Du Yusheng watched helplessly as the fans swiftly swarmed his latest post, the comments quickly surpassing a hundred. Most demanded to know why he kept casting their innocent and fragile “Qiao Bao” in supporting roles.
Du Yusheng nearly choked on his own rage. You living ancestors! Those roles were Chi Zhongqiao’s own choice!
Furious, he rolled his eyes and tried calling Chi Zhongqiao, only to find him already asleep. After pacing the room twice, he suppressed his initial impulse and decided to let the controversy simmer, waiting for the official announcement in a few days.
Didn’t they say he has only one male lead work?
Du Yusheng chuckled darkly. Let the haters enjoy their moment. Keep barking, you foolish girls. We’ll see how smug you are after the announcement.
What truly irked Du Yusheng was that with the premiere of <April in the Human World>, Chi Zhongqiao’s scenes had been reduced to mere background filler. This was like injecting pure adrenaline into the veins of his detractors.
[ Seriously? His role doesn’t even qualify as the third male lead? ]
[ And they call him one of the Four Young Male Stars? ]
[ Give it up already. Go wash up and go to bed. ]
Yet, amidst the online storm, Chi Zhongqiao remained unmoved. He posted no updates, nor did he respond to any articles or videos. Then, on the third day of the trending topics, he suddenly retweeted two posts and added one of his own.
The moment these three updates went live, they immediately drew massive attention.
Before even clicking, some speculated they might be the legendary “cease and desist letter” or a clarification statement. But upon opening them, they were stunned—Chi Zhongqiao had no intention of addressing the online uproar. All three posts were strictly work-related.
The first retweet was from the official account of <Invisible Crime>:
[ Chi Zhongqiao V: Invisible Crime Official V: We’ve reached an agreement with XX Corporation in the United States. <Invisible Crime> will premiere in the US next February. Stay tuned! ]
The second retweet was from the official account of <Campus Prince and Campus Belle>:
[ Chi Zhongqiao V: Campus Prince and Campus Belle Official V: Following successful negotiations, the Japanese and Korean versions of <Campus Prince and Campus Belle> are currently in production and will air soon. Stay tuned! ]
Third Post:
[ Chi Zhongqiao V: Guess what this is? ]
[ </Image/> ]
Fans clicked on the image to see a thick script with the title <The Patriot> printed in the center.
[ Is our Qiao Bao starring in a new drama?! ]
Fans flooded the comments, begging: [ Qiao Bao, are you playing the male lead this time? ]
Chi Zhongqiao replied: [ Yes. ]
The comment section exploded.
Chi Zhongqiao’s three posts stirred up a massive online frenzy. The most-replied-to thread resurfaced, with fans relentlessly spamming the official <Campus Prince and Campus Belle> post link.
[ Yes, our Qiao Bao only has one male lead role, but that one role is worth more than several male leads played by others! ]
[ Is an actor judged by the quantity of roles they take? Countless characters flood our screens like carp crossing a river, but how many truly leave a lasting impression? Should actors prioritize quantity over quality? ]
Amidst the online debate, a prominent entertainment Big V released a video featuring a short interview with three of the main cast members from <Invisible Crime>.
Chi Zhongqiao was among them.
The interview maintained the Big V’s usual humorous style, focusing on trending topics online while also allowing the actors to share their interpretations of their characters.
Finally, the three actors sat together, and the Big V posed a question: “Since the premiere of <Invisible Crime>, all three of you have received widespread acclaim for your performances. Could you please evaluate each other’s acting?”
Ge Fangyu surprisingly spoke first. After a moment of silence, he slowly began, “First and foremost, we are actors. For an actor, portraying a character is our fundamental duty.”
“Teacher Yan needs no further praise. She’s a true treasure in this industry, and I have nothing to add to the accolades she already receives. What truly surprised me was Zhongqiao. During the filming of <Invisible Crime>, I was frequently moved by his performance. His acting wasn’t formulaic; he genuinely understood the character and brought him to life.”
“To be honest, I felt immense pressure during the filming of <Invisible Crime>. I had such high expectations for this project, or rather, I desperately wanted to deliver a breakthrough performance. As everyone knows, I’ve been a perennial nominee for the Flying Hope Award for years, and it had become almost an obsession. But as we worked together on <Invisible Crime>, that obsession gradually faded.”
“Awards are given to actors, but before chasing accolades, one must first become a good actor. I’m fortunate to have worked with such talented individuals.”
“For actors, awards are merely icing on the cake. Our true foundation lies in our work.”
“And we are actors.”
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 🙂
