Read Novel Full Chapter 77 - Come Here
**Chapter 77: Come Here**
Translator: Namizaki
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After the awards ceremony, Chi Zhongqiao returned to the film set to resume shooting.
He also told Du Yusheng that he could spare time for magazine shoots, as maintaining public visibility was crucial. Since he began filming, he had practically vanished from the public eye, leading fans to joke that aliens might have abducted him during production. For a social media addict who used to post updates every few days, his sudden silence was indeed suspicious.
Going off the radar wasn’t ideal, especially since some media outlets kept dragging Chi Zhongqiao into articles about other young actors.
The calligraphy video Chi Zhongqiao had recorded was edited and released on Tuitui. Both Du Yusheng and Chi Zhongqiao viewed it as a small gesture to appease fans. They didn’t even bother posting it domestically, since <Campus Prince and Campus Belle> was primarily released in Japan, and Chi Zhongqiao had only recently retweeted the film’s official post on Weibo.
To balance his efforts between his Chinese and Japanese fanbases, Chi Zhongqiao shared a video for his Japanese fans and two selfies for his Chinese followers.
After posting the video, neither of them paid it any further attention. Du Yusheng was busy negotiating the details of the magazine cover shoot with the editorial team.
Chi Zhongqiao continued filming his drama. This perpetually worried young man had formed a “Temporary Study Group for <The Patriot>” with a group of veteran actors. Every day after filming, he would rehearse scenes with newcomers and popular idols, keeping himself utterly swamped.
Neither of them could have anticipated that across the sea in Japan, that brief calligraphy video would ignite an unprecedented frenzy.
Japan has always held arts like qin, chess, calligraphy, and painting—considered refined pursuits for self-cultivation—in particularly high regard. The video garnered attention from the moment it was released. But when the media began linking the so-called “once-in-a-millennium beautiful boy” with a “calligraphy master,” the video went viral.
Chi Zhongqiao’s gentle, youthful appearance seemed at odds with the image of a calligrapher. Yet the video revealed a composure utterly contrasting with his looks, a stark contrast that only deepened the astonishment.
His hand was remarkably steady, his brushstrokes penetrating the paper with forceful precision. The elegant, refined style of Liu Gongquan’s1Liu Gongquan, courtesy name Chengxuan, was a Chinese calligrapher, essayist, and politician who lived during the late Tang dynasty. Liu Gongquan was especially famous for regular script (楷書) and was one of the 4 calligraphic masters of regular script in China. The other three were Yan Zhenqing, Ouyang Xun and Zhao Mengfu. calligraphy was evident in every stroke, imbued with both strength and grace. As <Campus Prince and Campus Belle> continued its box office success, his calligraphy, written as a blessing, expanded into bold, sweeping strokes, radiating an awe-inspiring grandeur.
The contrast between the man and his calligraphy was striking.
The video, tagged with “Chinese Traditional Culture” and “Handsome Youth,” quickly amassed over twenty million views in just three weeks. It was also reposted on an international video platform, where its popularity soared.
The comments section erupted into chaos as foreigners across the oceans clamored:
[ Dear Waffle: Oh my god, why does he look younger than eighteen? Is he really an adult? Is he Chinese or Japanese? He’s so adorable! That smile is so warm! ]
[ Emily’s Jack: Oh my lord, is this calligraphy? I love Chinese culture! I love the expression on his face when he writes—he looks so relaxed. What’s that Chinese saying… “Bamboo in the chest”? ]
[ Call me Qiao: To the commenter above, yes, this is calligraphy. But the saying isn’t “bamboo in the chest,” it’s “bamboo in one’s heart.”2“To have bamboo in one’s heart” (胸有成竹, xiōng yǒu chéng zhú)” is a Chinese idiom that conveys the idea of having a well-thought-out plan or being confident and assured in one’s approach.]
[California Hotpot: Before he looked up, I never would have imagined he could have such a gentle face. ]
***
Half of the comments on the website were in awe of Chi Zhongqiao himself, while the other half focused on his calligraphy. Many expressed their admiration for this traditional art form and hoped to see more such videos. Some Chinese language learners even struggled to translate the characters:
“Wishing <Campus Prince and Campus Belle> a blockbuster success!”
“Ooh, ooh, ooh! Look what they’ve found! Is this a movie?”
Overseas fans squeezed in to explain: “He’s an actor named Chi Zhongqiao. This calligraphy is for his movie ‘Campus Prince and Campus Belle.'”
“Oh, he’s an actor?”
“Wait, isn’t he a calligraphy master?”
The fans replied in unison: “Nope, dear! He’s an actor, dear! Follow him on Tuitui (Japanese Twitter) or Weibo (Chinese Twitter)!”
“An actor who’s also a calligraphy master? Wow, how fascinating!”
Excited foreigners eagerly clicked “follow” and grew curious about <Campus Prince and Campus Belle>. Some, simply drawn to Chi Zhongqiao’s looks, searched for him online and stumbled upon <Empress of the World>. They were instantly hooked by the historical drama’s rich Chinese atmosphere.
This sparked a mini-China craze in niche circles. The exquisite traditional costumes left foreigners in awe, prompting endless exclamations. Some beauty influencers even created tutorials for classic Chinese makeup looks, donning elaborate historical attire. For a more playful twist, some even draped bedsheets and duvet covers as makeshift robes, instantly evoking a sense of familiarity among overseas Chinese—who hadn’t once used bedsheets as capes and cloaks?
***
By the time Chi Zhongqiao realized he had inexplicably become a viral sensation overseas, he had already dominated the trending topics on various websites for an entire night. On one platform, he even single-handedly occupied three top spots:
[ #Chi Zhongqiao’s SoundNet Video Surpasses 100 Million Views!# ]
[ #《Empress of the World》Revives Its Popularity?# ]
[ #Breaking News—《Campus Prince and Princess》Shatters Box Office Records Overseas!# ]
Chi Zhongqiao himself was utterly bewildered. “Huh?” he thought. “What happened while I was asleep?”
Lu Yuzhou asked, “What’s wrong?”
Chi Zhongqiao, his composure unshaken, tossed aside his phone and replied, “Nothing, just trending topics.”
Lu Yuzhou chuckled and kissed Chi Zhongqiao’s cheek. “Qiao-ge’s nonchalant attitude toward fame is truly endearing.”
The unflappable Chi Zhongqiao arrived at the film set with his usual calm. Yan Yiyun, as if riding on fiery wheels, rushed toward him, followed closely by Ye Hang and Jing Xi. The trio wore identical expressions—as if they had just seen a ghost.
Chi Zhongqiao glanced at his outfit, puzzled. “What’s wrong?”
Yan Yiyun stammered, “Q-Q-Q-Brother Qiao…”
Chi Zhongqiao thoughtfully offered his large thermos. “Are you cold from drinking iced water?”
Jing Xi quickly pressed a hand over Yan Yiyun’s garbled words and carefully took the thermos. “What’s stewed today?” he asked, beaming. “I didn’t eat much this morning. Just a little to settle my stomach…”
Ye Hang shoved Jing Xi aside. “Everyone move! I’ll explain!”
Chi Zhongqiao was startled by the commotion. “…Go ahead.”
Ye Hang took a deep breath, planted his feet wide apart, and said, “Qiao, brace yourself.”
Chi Zhongqiao slowly raised an eyebrow in confusion.
Ye Hang pulled out his phone. “The Public Daily is praising you.”
He tapped open an app, navigating to the Public Daily’s homepage. The latest article prominently featured Chi Zhongqiao and was quite lengthy.
Chi Zhongqiao took the phone and skimmed the article. The roughly 500-word piece was concise and to the point. The first half recounted the viral video of Chi Zhongqiao “gaining international fame,” praising him for promoting traditional Chinese culture. The second half urged young people to inherit and further develop ancient crafts.
The entire article radiated positive energy.
Chi Zhongqiao exited the page and checked the trending topics. Sure enough, his three trending topics had become four. With a prestigious media outlet like Public Daily covering the story, the comments were overwhelmingly positive, and any overly aggressive remarks were swiftly removed.
There was simply nothing to criticize about this— Hey, you’re even attacking your own culture? Are you colorblind? Does your palette only have black?
Chi Zhongqiao handed the phone back to Ye Hang, admitting he was genuinely surprised. He never expected a short video to create such a stir—not only had it garnered over a hundred million views on SoundNet, but it had even caught the attention of Public Daily.
He had practiced calligraphy for nearly a decade, occasionally using it for celebrations or keeping well-written pieces as mementos. He never imagined this skill would bring him any recognition, so his reaction was mostly surprise, with little emotional impact beyond that.
The surprise was like the ripple from a pebble dropped into a pond, quickly fading away.
Jing Xi poured a small amount of congee from his thermos into a cup and sighed, “Public Daily, Qiao! Your market value is about to skyrocket!”
Chi Zhongqiao simply smiled. “Maybe. Who knows?”
He waved goodbye to the trio. “I’m going to get my makeup done now. Yi Yun, remember to memorize your lines—you have a lot of dialogue in our scene together.”
Distracted, Yan Yiyun immediately ran off to memorize her lines.
Jing Xi and Ye Hang exchanged bewildered glances. “Is that all? Can’t he be a little more excited?”
Chi Zhongqiao sat in the dressing room waiting for his makeup to be done, preparing to share the Public Daily article. Just as he opened the app, Du Yusheng called.
Chi Zhongqiao answered. Du Yusheng’s voice came through the line, “Hey Zhongqiao, I’ve got something to tell you.”
Chi Zhongqiao pulled out his other phone to continue sharing the article while replying, “Is the magazine cover finalized?”
“No, no, no,” Du Yusheng said, his breathing hurried. “Are you standing or sitting? If you’re standing, brace yourself!”
Chi Zhongqiao: “……”
Du Yusheng: “Public Daily praised you!”
Chi Zhongqiao: “I know.”
Du Yusheng: “……”
Is that all the reaction I’m getting?
Undeterred, he pressed on, “Wait, have you checked the trending topics?”
Chi Zhongqiao glanced down at his phone. “I’m looking at them now.”
He had just opened the trending topics when he immediately grasped the full impact of Public Daily’s praise. Four trending topics, all marked as “hot,” filled the screen. The comments section was overwhelmingly positive, and Chi Zhongqiao’s account gained a massive surge in followers.
Casually clicking on a trending topic, Chi Zhongqiao scrolled through the comments. Even casual observers who weren’t fans couldn’t resist leaving a thumbs-up emoji, let alone the fans who already adored him.
The original video, first posted on Tuitui, had gone through a convoluted journey, being reposted back to domestic platforms. Despite the multiple watermarks, it retained a stubbornly clear resolution.
Comments:
[ Click-Clack: Seriously, every time Qiao writes, this old mama can’t help but turn into a girlfriend fan for a moment. He looks so alpha when he’s focused on writing! ]
[ Watermelon Frost: And when he’s acting too! Young General, Campus Prince, and Shang Tang—they’re all so alpha! Brother Qiao is also so considerate during livestreams with the company… I’m a girlfriend fan through and through! He’s just too handsome! Why does Qiao have so many mama fans?! *sobs* ]
[ Du Yun: AAAAAH! They called me Mr. Qiao Chi! *screams*]
[ Wild Ferry, No One Around: Qiaoqiao’s aura when he writes is palpable even through the screen! Whenever he’s focused, he’s no longer my silly son, but the love of my life! *screams* ]
For casual viewers who clicked on the trending topic, entering the thread felt like stepping into a marmot farm—screams echoed everywhere, and they were already tired of seeing the phrase “I can.”
However, the top comments were surprisingly serious, especially the first one, which translated numerous fan comments. This filled many readers with a sense of pride.
How could anyone not feel proud watching people from other countries praise their nation’s culture, marveling at it like wide-eyed dumplings? Some even secretly resolved to learn calligraphy.
Chi Zhongqiao watched helplessly as his fans, with their impeccable memories, dug up the calligraphy practice sheets he had written for the orphanage children. They vehemently demanded he write another set, offering to pay for it. This comment alone garnered over a thousand likes and hundreds of replies.
Recalling the time he had spent creating those practice sheets, Chi Zhongqiao silently pretended not to see.
Du Yusheng’s voice reached his ears, filled with awe: “When I first learned you knew calligraphy, I considered doing some marketing around it, but I dropped the idea after you advised against it. Even when I asked you to record that video, I had no ulterior motives. Who would have thought that a casual act would yield such incredible results? This is far more effective than any paid trending topic! You know, it’s not just this platform—you’re trending on multiple websites now. Even casual viewers know you’re skilled in calligraphy. And with the Public Daily’s praise, your public image now stands apart from other celebrities.”
Was it just luck? Chi Zhongqiao certainly had a stroke of good fortune; the casual video he posted happened to strike a chord with the Japanese public.
But was it all luck? Without his exquisite calligraphy skills, would the video have gone viral?
Without his exceptional acting skills, <Campus Prince and Campus Belle> wouldn’t have become a surprise hit domestically, let alone sold its international rights.
Chi Zhongqiao put down his phone and leisurely flipped through his script. Hearing Du Yusheng’s words, he simply smiled and said, “Yeah, things are definitely different now.”
Du Yusheng replied, “Keep it up, Zhongqiao. Your future is limitless.” He noted Chi Zhongqiao’s calm, gentle tone—still that infuriating little rascal he knew so well.
Indeed, this was the only little rascal in the world who could set half the world ablaze and still remain so composed.
Chi Zhongqiao said calmly, “I understand.”
He hung up and casually sent a few texts to Lu Yuzhou, reminding him to bring the documents from the lounge to his dinner meeting at 9 PM.
After sending the messages, Chi Zhongqiao sat down in his chair and smiled at the makeup artist, as he always did.
Chi Zhongqiao only had one scene to film that morning—a grand, elaborate sequence. His costume was the most expensive in his wardrobe, difficult to put on, and heavy, weighing him down with its substantial weight.
The outermost black cloak, in particular, was the final touch of the entire ensemble, meticulously crafted. Even on Chi Zhongqiao’s tall frame, it brushed the ground. Such a garment was unforgiving of stature; on a shorter person, it would either appear overwhelming or, worse, make them look stunted.
Director Yu was waiting at the door for Chi Zhongqiao to emerge. Today, he personally oversaw the costumes of the key actors, ready to send them back to the makeup room for retouches if necessary.
A director who demanded both acting prowess and striking looks, Director Yu allowed actors to make ugly faces during performances, but insisted on flawless swagger in grand scenes. For Chi Zhongqiao, the lead, any opportunity to look cool had to be earth-shattering and awe-inspiring!
Li Xi, the screenwriter, was also waiting at the door. Though part of the production team, he had missed the location shoots due to illness.
Zhong Yin spotted Chi Zhongqiao exiting the makeup room and gasped.
The black cloak framed him like a flawless jade, his presence radiating overwhelming power. Standing on the steps, Chi Zhongqiao lowered his gaze, his sweeping glance carrying the oppressive weight of an army besieging a city.
Li Xi stared blankly for a moment, then murmured, “It’s definitely He Yu.”
Chi Zhongqiao suddenly grunted, “Director Yu, this cloak is so heavy.”
Director Yu chuckled, “Weight gives it texture! The heavier, the better. Young men with strong shoulders should be able to handle it.”
Chi Zhongqiao: “…Alright.”
Hearing a phone ring, he walked over to Zhong Yin. Zhong Yin, as if waking from a dream, handed him the phone.
Chi Zhongqiao answered, “Yuzhou?”
Lu Yuzhou: “Qiao-ge, are you on set? I’ll be there soon with Fu Jingshen.”
Chi Zhongqiao: “What’s wrong?”
Lu Yuzhou: “It’s hard to explain quickly. Is Li Xi there?”
Chi Zhongqiao glanced at Li Xi, who was standing beside him. “He’s right here.”
Lu Yuzhou: “Just wait for me, Qiao-ge.” He hung up.
Chi Zhongqiao felt a sudden surge of anxiety. His brow furrowed slightly, and his expression darkened.
Zhong Yin, overwhelmed by Chi Zhongqiao’s imposing aura, dared not speak, his mind racing with confusion. Normally, Brother Qiao would review the script after makeup. Why isn’t he moving this time?
Moments later, Lu Yuzhou’s figure appeared in Chi Zhongqiao’s line of sight. Chi Zhongqiao visibly relaxed, his features softening.
As Lu Yuzhou approached, he gasped softly, still reeling from Chi Zhongqiao’s overwhelmingly imposing appearance. Before he could fully recover, Chi Zhongqiao had already reached out a hand, smiling warmly. “Come here quickly.”
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 🙂
