Read Novel Full Chapter 79 - Magazine
**Chapter 79: Magazine**
Translator: Namizaki
*********************
After several days of negotiations, Du Yusheng finally secured a magazine cover shoot for Chi Zhongqiao. He turned down an offer from a rising Japanese magazine, opting instead for Night Capital Magazine, a classic publication known for its sincere approach.
Night Capital Magazine had been in circulation for many years, establishing itself as a leading fashion magazine. With consistently strong sales and a reputation for understated elegance, it was highly regarded among its readership and enjoyed considerable international recognition. The magazine also had distribution points in Japan, making it an ideal choice for Chi Zhongqiao, who had recently gained significant popularity there.
Du Yusheng personally visited the film set to request a day off for Chi Zhongqiao to complete the shoot.
Director Yu waved his hand dismissively, granting permission without hesitation.
“I’m sorry for the trouble,” Chi Zhongqiao said. “I already took a day off recently, and now I’m switching scenes with another actor.”
Director Yu brushed off his concerns. “You didn’t have many scenes scheduled for today anyway. It’s normal for actors to be busy. Just go.” Though strict, he wasn’t unreasonable. Besides, every successful actor juggled multiple commitments during filming; Chi Zhongqiao’s schedule was relatively light compared to most.
Du Yusheng thanked him profusely and hurried Chi Zhongqiao to the magazine’s photoshoot location.
“You’ve already reviewed the photoshoot theme I sent you, right?”
Chi Zhongqiao nodded.
Night Capital’s theme for this shoot was “Ink Charm,” a signature style of the magazine—a modern take on traditional Chinese aesthetics. This blend of classic elegance and innovative styling never failed to impress. Loyal fans had even compiled the magazine’s covers into a series, and any cover pulled at random was guaranteed to be a “bestseller” that had sold out during its release period.
Du Yusheng handed Chi Zhongqiao a stack of Night Capital magazines. “They’re always friendly and professional. Just focus on the shoot, and there’ll be a short interview afterward. The questions are straightforward.”
Chi Zhongqiao didn’t flip through the magazines. He had already skimmed the covers of recent issues, familiarizing himself with Night Capital’s style. “En, I know.”
At the Night Capital photoshoot location, a young receptionist received the notification and nudged her colleague awake. “Wake up! He’s here!”
Her colleague startled. “So early? I wonder how many assistants he brought.”
The receptionist’s face twisted in a grimace. “Last time we had Xiao Hua here for a shoot, her assistant chewed me out for serving cold water. Xiao Hua herself had to step in and calm her down.”
It’s easier to deal with the king of hell than his little demons, she thought. Their job involved interacting mostly with assistants and entourages, and they dreaded encountering those who acted more high-maintenance than the celebrities themselves, making their lives miserable.
As she spoke, Chi Zhongqiao’s group appeared at the entrance. The two receptionists hurried forward to push open the heavy glass door.
The door’s weight proved too much for the female receptionist. It dragged her back two steps before Chi Zhongqiao braced against it, took hold of the handle, and pushed it open.
The receptionist’s face paled with fright. “I-I’m so sorry! I…”
Chi Zhongqiao held the door open until both assistants had entered, then slowly released it to close. “It’s fine,” he said casually. “This door is quite heavy.”
The receptionist, relieved, forgot about her embarrassment. “Thank you, Teacher Chi. The stylist is already inside. Please follow me.”
Chi Zhongqiao nodded.
He had brought only two assistants, making a total of four people including Du Yusheng and himself. Without a large entourage, they entered the dressing room efficiently.
Chi Zhongqiao greeted everyone upon entering the room, but the stylist immediately pulled him aside to try on outfit after outfit. Du Yusheng naturally gravitated toward the Editor-in-Chief to strike up a conversation.
The stylist was one of Night Capital Magazine’s star talents, renowned for his ability to bring out a man’s inherent charm. He pulled every garment from the racks, held them up against Chi Zhongqiao, and tossed them aside in dissatisfaction.
The pile of expensive, custom-made clothes grew, but the stylist didn’t give them a second glance. He simply stared at Chi Zhongqiao and sighed, “Teacher Chi, I had several concepts in mind before you arrived, but the moment I saw you, I knew they wouldn’t work.”
Chi Zhongqiao looked bewildered. “Are the sizes wrong?”
In truth, the outfits the stylist had pulled out were meticulously coordinated and eye-catching, clearly showing the stylist’s careful preparation and dedication.
The stylist gestured vaguely. “Someone like you… how do I put it? The moment I saw you, I knew these wouldn’t do. How about you try this one first?” After a moment’s thought, he retrieved a pear blossom white long robe and opened the wardrobe to pull out a semi-transparent black outer cloak.
This outfit seemed to draw inspiration from calligraphy. When worn, the patterns on the black outer robe stood out clearly against the white inner robe—revealing themselves to be ancient, ornate traditional Chinese characters.
Chi Zhongqiao exclaimed in surprise, “What’s this?”
The stylist carefully adjusted the robe. “This is the <Dao De Jing>, hand-embroidered.”
Chi Zhongqiao suddenly felt the light, gauzy layer on his body weigh more than a thousand pounds. A hand-embroidered <Dao De Jing>? This robe must be worth a fortune—practically made of pink banknotes.
The outfit transformed Chi Zhongqiao into an elegant scholar.
He glanced in the mirror. Though not flashy, the ensemble was pleasing to the eye, perfectly capturing the theme of “Ink Charm.”
The stylist studied him for a moment, then, as if struck by inspiration, opened a jewelry cabinet and retrieved a pair of red earrings. “Try these on.”
He stepped forward to fasten the earrings. Two red beads dangled above matching tassels, their swaying motion echoing the dark ink-like robe. In an instant, the scholar was transformed into a bewitching demon.
The stylist beamed with satisfaction. “Yes, exactly! Imagine you’re a fox spirit.”
Chi Zhongqiao: “……”
He pondered for a moment, realizing he had already played the role of a “seductive concubine” in front of Lu Yuzhou. What was one more fox spirit? With a shrug, he fully embraced his role as “Chi Daji.”1Daji (Chinese: 妲己; pinyin: Dájǐ; Wade–Giles: Ta-chi) was the favourite consort of King Zhou of Shang, the last king of the Shang dynasty in ancient China. In legends and fictions, she is portrayed as a malevolent fox spirit who kills and impersonates the real Daji. Her identification as a fox spirit seems to have originated from at least the Tang dynasty.These accounts have been popularized in works such as the Wu Wang Fa Zhou Pinghua (武王伐紂平話), the Fengshen Yanyi, and the Lieguo Zhi. She is considered a classic example of how a beautiful femme fatale can cause the downfall of a dynasty in Chinese culture.
During makeup, the stylist kept repeating, “We need to make you look a bit more bewitching. Imagine yourself as that… Fox Immortal Lord…”
“You need to be both righteous and alluring.”
Unbeknownst to “Chi Daji”, Du Yusheng and the magazine Editor were watching him with eyes full of tender affection—the kind of satisfaction one feels when a fattened piglet is finally ready for slaughter.
The Editor: “I’ve always admired Mr. Chi, especially his calligraphy. But Teacher Chi’s works rarely circulate outside. I’ve always regretted not owning one of his pieces, and I’m sure many of his fans feel the same.”
Du Yusheng immediately understood: “Exactly! Zhongqiao keeps giving fans random prizes in giveaways. If you ask me, handwritten autographs would be much more meaningful.”
They exchanged knowing smiles, sealing their unspoken agreement.
*****
When fans learned that Chi Zhongqiao had been invited to shoot the cover of Night Capital Magazine, they felt like the New Year had come early.
“My Qiao Bao finally got a magazine cover!”
“Night Capital! Night Capital, darlings! And it’s a cover shoot! A cover! Buy it all up!”
“Ahhhh! Qiao Bao’s theme this time is Ink Charm! Don’t you think it’s perfect for Night Capital’s signature modern Chinese style? They’ve only done a few issues like that in all these years. Will our Qiaoqiao be one of them? Will he?!”
“Buy it all up! I’m buying it all up! Qiao’s first magazine cover! The solo cover’s aesthetic is absolutely stunning! And there are inserts too! Amazing!”
“I’m so excited, but we have to wait so long to buy it… When do you think Qiao Bao will get an endorsement deal? Why isn’t his Manager getting him any?”
“First, Brother Qiao is super busy. Second, it’s probably about prestige. This year, a lot of year-end lists have included Brother Qiao in the ‘Four Young Male Stars.’ Maybe he’ll finally get some better endorsements now.”
“I’m willing to empty my wallet for Brother Qiao! His magazine needs to sell like crazy!”
“I’m already worried I won’t be able to get a copy. My friends in Japan keep asking me to bring one back.”
“My friends are asking me to bring one back too! I seriously doubt I’ll be able to get one!”
*****
To the fans’ surprise, a post from Night Capital Magazine added exponentially more competition:
Night Capital Magazine V: [I’m truly smitten! Teacher Chi personally wrote these bookmarks, which will be randomly included with magazine purchases. There are only ten, and each one is unique! I almost want to keep them all for myself!]
[<#Image#>]
[<#Image#>]
The images showed ten exquisite bookmarks, their texture appearing remarkably refined. Each bore a different poetic verse, written in a script instantly recognizable to fans—Brother Qiao’s signature Willow Script!
[A bookmark with magazine purchase?]
[Personally written by Brother Qiao?!]
[Is this for real?!]
[Wait… only ten? And random? Seriously, Night Capital Magazine, you’re playing dirty!]
The fans went wild, while casual readers who had long admired Chi Zhongqiao’s calligraphy but weren’t fans of the man himself were equally stunned.
**Fans:**
[How many copies are in the first print run? And only ten bookmarks?!]
[You’d have to be the luckiest of the lucky to get one! My hopes are crushed QAQ.]
[Night Capital Magazine, you bastards!]
[I wish I could drag Brother Qiao into a dark room and force him to write bookmarks all day!]
**Casual Readers:**
[Just for that bookmark… I might… buy it.]
[The odds are slim… but that calligraphy is just too captivating!]
[I’m going to try anyway. What if I get lucky?]
*****
The magazine’s release coincided with the third day of <Campus Prince and Campus Belle>’s public showing in Japan.
From the moment the magazine went on sale, Du Yusheng kept a close eye on the sales figures. This launch would demonstrate the purchasing power of Chi Zhongqiao’s fanbase, and he knew he wasn’t the only one watching the numbers. Several businesses interested in offering endorsement deals were also monitoring the sales. If the magazine’s sales soared, even high-end brands would rush to secure Chi Zhongqiao as their spokesperson.
After all, businesses hire spokespeople precisely for their star power.
Du Yusheng felt his palms sweating. This launch was crucial!
Day 1: 6,000 copies sold.
Day 2: 7,500 copies sold.
Day 3: Sales surged to 10,000 copies.
Day 4: Sales dipped slightly.
Day 5: Sales remained at an astonishingly high level.
Meanwhile, overseas fans were going frantic. Although Night Capital Magazine had international distribution points, the supply was far smaller than in China. The magazines sold out almost immediately on the first day. Japanese fans desperately asked friends in China to buy copies for them, but even domestic fans were struggling to get their hands on the magazine. How could they possibly help their overseas friends?
The magazine’s release coincided perfectly with the Japanese public release of “Campus Prince and Princess,” effortlessly attracting another wave of Japanese fans.
One magazine couldn’t satisfy the hunger of three2Fans of the Magazine, Chinese Fans of CZQ and Japanese Fans of CZQ ravenous fanbases, and sales skyrocketed.
Yet despite these staggering sales figures, the official Night Capital Magazine account was flooded with complaints:
“Can you please restock promptly? I’ve checked multiple newsstands and libraries, and they’re all sold out!”
“Aaaah! Small towns are dying—I can’t find it anywhere!”
“I bought out the entire stock at the newsstand, and still didn’t get one with a bookmark (I’m dead).”
“?? You upstairs hoarder! No wonder several outlets near me are sold out—it’s because of people like you! I’m furious!”
Meanwhile, those who managed to snag a copy immediately flaunted their prize online.
They posted high-resolution photos of the magazine cover, the exquisite images making those who missed out green with envy.
On the cover, Chi Zhongqiao wore a long white robe, its outer layer embroidered with intricate patterns. Upon closer inspection, however, the black designs weren’t mere ornamentation but rather ancient, complex traditional Chinese characters. A crimson tassel earring dangled from his left ear, its vibrant strands resembling a flickering flame poised to leap into life.
He stood in the vast expanse of white, holding a dark paper umbrella.
The black characters on his body seemed poised to flow at any moment. Someone recognized them as passages from the <Dao De Jing>. The photoshoot’s theme was “Ink Charm,” yet he resembled a genderless phantom, the <Dao De Jing> acting as his seal. Yet his pure white robes gave him the air of an Immortal Lord, untouched by worldly concerns.
Comments:
“I’m so tired of saying ‘I can’!”
“awsl”
“I’m dead.”
“This aura is both demonic and ethereal… Waaah, what kind of treasure is Brother Qiao? How can he pull off this look without a hint of femininity? He’s still so alpha!”
“If a fox spirit ascended to immortality, this is exactly the vibe they’d give off!”
Even people who never followed celebrities bought the magazine specifically for the cover. But after checking every newsstand in the area, they were told it was already sold out!
Online, they discovered they weren’t alone in their frustration. Joining the chorus of “beauty hounds,” they lamented, “I never thought the day would come when I couldn’t spend my money even if I wanted to!”
This breathtaking cover added another stroke of brilliance to Night Capital Magazine’s acclaimed modern Chinese style series.
***
At Zhaohui Entertainment.
Chi Zhongqiao watched Du Yusheng lean heavily back in his chair, as if sighing in relief.
In just nine days, sales of Night Capital Magazine had surpassed 90,000 copies both domestically and internationally.
He picked up his cup and took a sip of warm milk, glancing at the sales figures on his phone. “Brother Du, did you guys buy some of these copies to boost the numbers?”
The magazine had been on sale for about ten days, and the sales trend was already clear. For a single-issue, non-digital magazine to achieve such sales figures was truly astonishing.
Du Yusheng took a sip of hot water. “Those ten bookmarks really contributed a lot to the sales. Some people bought hundreds of copies just to get one. And these past few days, people have been bidding high prices online for the bookmarks, trying to complete a set. You know how much one person offered? Ten thousand yuan—ten thousand for a single bookmark! Even a famous calligrapher wouldn’t charge that much for writing a few characters.”
Du Yusheng paused, then added, “Though we did buy a few copies on the first day, just to avoid the final sales figures looking too embarrassing. But then the numbers started climbing so fast that buying more would have looked suspicious, so we stopped. Instead of asking me, you should ask your President Lu.”
At the mention of Lu Yuzhou, Chi Zhongqiao’s eyes softened instantly. He rested his chin in his hand and said, “Maybe.”
Du Yusheng couldn’t stand seeing him like this, his face darkening. “What’s with that expression… Why did you come to the office today?”
Chi Zhongqiao replied, “Yuzhou is here today.”
I knew it.
Du Yusheng wished he could rewind the past minute and swallow his words. Why had he reached out to eat dog food of his own volition?
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 🙂
