I Became the Koi Actor After Entering the Book

**Chapter 95: You Have to Take Responsibility**

Translator: Namizaki

*********************

Speculation and debate raged online, reaching a fever pitch. As Du Yusheng had predicted, the most popular theory pointed to Lu Yuzhou and Chi Zhongqiao.

The two men had too many connections. Some even dug up evidence showing that when Chi Zhongqiao was in the United States, President Lu happened to be visiting the American branch office of Lu Corporation. Keen-eyed fans noticed that many of Lu Yuzhou’s accessories in photos and videos looked suspiciously familiar.

Chi Zhongqiao and Lu Yuzhou owned too many identical items. Sometimes, a tie Lu Yuzhou wore one day would appear on Chi Zhongqiao the day after. They had matching coats, watches…

This went far beyond the realm of “brotherly” affection.

“Oh my god, I knew something was up! Their relationship is way too close.”

“This is undeniable proof. I wonder how Chi Zhongqiao will handle this. If I’m not mistaken, <The Patriot> was submitted for the Peony Awards, right? He’ll probably deny it.”

“Of course he’ll deny it. How else will he attract new fans?”

“No wonder Chi Zhongqiao rose to fame so quickly. He’s the Boss’s boyfriend—of course he’d be promoted!”

“Thinking about it, Chi Zhongqiao has always had access to top-tier resources. Now it all makes sense.”

“Uh… to be fair, he’s famous because of his acting skills, right? You can’t just dismiss his talent because his family has connections.”

Du Yusheng scrolled through the online comments, wondering how Chi Zhongqiao must feel reading them.

For an actor widely respected in the industry for his acting prowess and professional competence, the online skepticism targeting his background and questioning his abilities felt like… a humiliation.

What Du Yusheng found strange, however, was the silence of the LuChi CP fans. Despite the overwhelming evidence suggesting a real relationship between the two, they had retreated into their shells, trembling with anxiety. Ninety-nine percent of them were Chi Zhongqiao’s fans, and while they shipped the couple, their primary loyalty remained with him. They understood all too well the potential consequences for Chi Zhongqiao if the relationship became official.

As the situation intensified, their silence only deepened.

Yet they couldn’t control the rampant online speculation, forced to watch helplessly as the rumors gained momentum.

Just as Chi Zhongqiao had predicted, the truth couldn’t be concealed. Even without media intervention, netizens had already unearthed overwhelming evidence.

It was clear that President Lu had been blinded by concern, forgetting how reckless he had been in the past.

Du Yusheng sighed.

He barked orders into his phone, sending his apprentices scrambling: “Hey, get me the contact information for every director Zhongqiao has worked with. By any means necessary, I need those numbers on my phone by 5:30 PM.”

As time ticked by, Chi Zhongqiao’s official account and Zhaohui Company remained silent. Just when everyone assumed he wouldn’t respond, Chi Zhongqiao’s account posted a single photo.

Chi Zhongqiao: @Lu Yuzhou

[#Image#]

The photo showed two hands clasped together, both wearing identical rings.

Key point: @Lu Yuzhou.

Netizens: ??

Netizens: !!

The post sent shockwaves through the internet. The melon-eating masses nearly dropped their metaphorical snacks in disbelief.

“They’re going public?! He actually admitted it!”

“Has Chi Zhongqiao’s account been hacked?”

“666, I’m actually kind of impressed. He actually dared to own up to it.”

“He’s got some guts, not backing down. Suddenly I’m starting to like him. I’m supporting him just for this attitude.”

“My Darling, are you crazy? Why would you… You’re driving me insane!”

Chi Zhongqiao’s fans, who had been playing dead until now, suddenly panicked at his post. They flooded the comments section, demanding to know what he was thinking.

Chi Zhongqiao pinned one fan’s question and replied beneath it:

[Jiangnan Xiaoqiao’er: Wait, Qiao Bao, are you out of your mind? My Darling, going public will do you far more harm than good! Look at these people—they’re questioning whether you got where you are through connections, even though you earned it through your own talent!]

[Chi Zhongqiao: Thank you for your love and concern. But denying this would be unfair to my partner and a betrayal of my fans.]

After replying to that comment, Chi Zhongqiao scrolled through the comments section and chuckled at the second-highest-rated comment.

Lu Yuzhou leaned closer. “What’s so funny, Qiao-ge?”

Chi Zhongqiao handed him the phone. “Look at this.”

Lu Yuzhou lowered his head and saw a highly upvoted comment on the screen.

[Hatsune My Wife: I’m supporting them just for this attitude. I can’t stand celebrities who hide their relationships. It’s fine if you want to protect your partner’s privacy, but being too cowardly to even admit you’re dating? That’s pathetic. So what if they’re gay? They wouldn’t be interested in you anyway. (rolls eyes) Wishing you two a hundred years of happiness! And while you’re at it, hand over the girl to us!]

Lu Yuzhou scrolled through the comments with Chi Zhongqiao’s hand guiding him. The screen was flooded with blessings, concerns, and well-wishes. Negative comments were rare, and the few that existed were quickly buried in the sea of positive replies.

Though Lu Yuzhou knew there must be some moderation at play, he was still slightly surprised by the overwhelmingly positive response.

Resting his chin on Chi Zhongqiao’s shoulder, Lu Yuzhou lowered his gaze, a hint of amusement in his voice. “The girls who like Qiao Gege are all so cute.”

Chi Zhongqiao pinched Lu Yuzhou’s chin with a smile and kissed him. “The boys who like me are especially adorable too.”

Lu Yuzhou threw his phone aside in exasperation, his voice husky. “Qiao-ge is teasing me.”

Chi Zhongqiao chuckled, his eyes sparkling.

Lu Yuzhou pressed kisses against him, one after another. “You have to take responsibility.”

Chi Zhongqiao closed his eyes, letting Lu Yuzhou’s warm breath brush against his face. “Alright,” he murmured, smiling. “I’ll take responsibility.”

*****

The primary voices online remained the younger generation, whose attitudes were already quite open-minded. “They’re just dating; it’s not hurting anyone. Same-sex marriage is legal now—why are people still making a fuss about this?”

Even the haters knew better than to attack someone’s sexual orientation.

However, Lu Yuzhou’s status inevitably raised significant questions. Online, people began questioning how Chi Zhongqiao had risen to his current position.

“We always thought Chi Zhongqiao was just lucky, but it turns out it’s all about money.”

“He’s had a smooth ride all the way to the top. No wonder he’s more famous than everyone else in the industry—the entire Lu Clan is backing him.”

“See? There are no inspirational success stories in this world. It’s all just capital manipulation.”

“So… all those awards Chi Zhongqiao won… could they have been influenced by the Lu Clan too?”

It seemed that Lu Yuzhou’s mere existence was enough to completely discredit Chi Zhongqiao’s talent.

At 10:30 PM, Zhaohui Company suddenly released a video.

Initially, few people noticed it. But then Yan Qingbo retweeted the video, followed by Ge Fangyu, Chen Jiu, Yan Yiyun, Ye Hang, Jing Xi, Yan Cheng…

The video spread with astonishing speed, drawing more and more viewers.

It was a compilation of directors.

The opening segment featured Guo Ancheng, director of <Empress of the World>. He sat before the camera, scratching his head and turning to someone beside him. “How did Yuzhou manage to snatch Zhongqiao away? Zhongqiao is such a good kid…”

A voice off-camera whispered, “Director Guo, we’re recording.”

“Oh, right!” Guo Ancheng straightened up and faced the camera. “I’m Guo Ancheng, Director of <Empress of the World>. Zhongqiao played the role of Mu Yan. You know, I couldn’t find a suitable actor for this part even as we were about to start filming. Fans of the original novel will remember that we held open auditions, but no one met the criteria. I almost gave up on the character entirely because it’s rare to find someone who matches the novel’s physical description and can also project the aura of a general. Just when I was about to give up, an old friend recommended Zhongqiao to me.”

Guo Ancheng took a sip of water and sighed. “The moment I saw him, I knew he was perfect. He’s breathtakingly beautiful—his appearance alone perfectly matched the novel’s description. As for his acting… well, you’ve seen it. He nailed every scene in a single take. Oh, except for the scenes he was dragged down by others, of course.”

“I believe that for both drama fans and original novel readers, he is the perfect Young General.”

The screen went black, then reappeared with Fu Jingshen.

He was much more relaxed than Guo Ancheng, one long leg propped casually on a small table. He tilted his chin slightly toward the camera. “Yuzhou and I have known each other for a long time. He’s always going on about ‘Brother Qiao, Brother Qiao.’ After a while, I got curious. Given his personality, it’s hard to imagine him being so devoted to anyone. I’d also seen <Empress of the World> and was confident in Zhongqiao’s acting skills, so I simply gave him the role.”

Fu Jingshen’s smile was tinged with mockery. “It seems some people have forgotten how many Shang Tang deceived. Before the plot twist, everyone was clamoring that I was forcing in a melodramatic male lead. If his acting wasn’t top-notch, how could he have fooled you all? And all this talk about Zhongqiao climbing the ladder through connections—give me an example. Among actors of the right age in the industry, who else could have portrayed such a vivid Shang Tang?”

The screen went black again, this time showing Ji Shan, the director of <Campus Prince and Campus Belle>.

He looked slightly awkward facing the camera, but he straightened his posture with effort. “Hello everyone, I’m the Director of <Campus Prince and Campus Belle>. It’s been an honor to work with Zhongqiao. This film was initially met with skepticism because its style and everything else deviated so far from the mainstream. At one point, I almost gave up on it.”

He pushed up his glasses, his voice suddenly gaining strength. “Then the Lu Clan bought the film. Just when I was about to lose hope, I heard someone had taken on the male lead and even praised my film for its unconventional approach. That person was Zhongqiao. On set, he always acted like a teacher. Everyone knew most of the actors were newcomers, and Zhongqiao spent countless hours rehearsing with them during filming. You could say his dedication rivaled even mine as the Director.”

“I still remember the sheer brilliance in Zhongqiao’s eyes when we shot the final scene.”

By this point, some fans had already begun to sob quietly, covering the lower halves of their faces as they choked back tears in front of their computers or phones. The person they admired truly deserved all the praise.

The final segment of the video featured director Yu Shuo.

The veteran Director, a respected figure in the industry, held his cup and spoke in a measured tone: “The creation of <The Patriot> wasn’t quite what everyone imagines. It wasn’t that I first fell in love with the script; rather, Zhongqiao and the screenwriter of <The Patriot> approached me with the script, hoping I would direct it. The screenwriter told me they often discussed revisions with Zhongqiao, so I believe Zhongqiao must have a very special connection to this project.”

“Throughout filming, he never disappointed me. He could fully immerse himself in a character, becoming the role itself rather than simply playing himself in every part. His portrayal of He Yu was distinct from Shang Tang, and Shang Tang was distinct from Mu Yan. What truly amazed me was his equally brilliant performance in the film. Even after playing such a complex character as Shang Tang, he still managed to capture the soul of his film role.”

“Literary works are meant for the public. Some will love them, others will dislike them—there’s no definitive line. But I believe there is a standard for judging an actor’s quality. A good actor allows you to receive the emotions they’re trying to convey, making you feel as if you’re experiencing them yourself.”

“Everyone knows in their heart whether an actor is truly good or not.”

“Ask yourself honestly: Did his performance fail to move you? Isn’t he a good actor?”

The video ended there, and the noisy comment section gradually fell silent.

The two questions struck at the hearts of the viewers like hammer blows.

The hecklers weren’t necessarily all anti-fans or rivals; many were just clueless bystanders caught up in the mob mentality, their comments fueled by the heat of the moment and the relentless pressure from fans arguing or angrily cursing.

But Director Yu’s two sentences poured cold water on the frenzy.

Most of the dramas starring Chi Zhongqiao had been massive hits that year, and most people had seen at least one or two of them. If they carefully recalled their feelings while watching, they couldn’t deny they had been moved.

In the wildly popular drama <The Patriot>, how many viewers had both loved and pitied He Yu? He had the most exquisitely moving character design and the most breathtakingly beautiful appearance. But when viewers watched the drama, did they think of Chi Zhongqiao?

No, they didn’t. They only spoke of He Yu.

“He Yu” is so handsome, he’s a god.

“He Yu” is so pitiful, sniff.

“He Yu…”

The fans’ screams of “Teacher Chi’s acting is divine!” weren’t just empty praise, and the media’s accolades weren’t mere flattery.

The crowd gradually quieted down, then suddenly snapped awake with a collective realization:

“Holy shit, what the hell? It’s this late already? I haven’t even watched <The Patriot> yet! Fuck!”

“Damn it, I got caught up in the hype! Now I have to stay up all night to finish <The Patriot>.”

“I… I feel ashamed… Uh, if you guys get married, I’ll send a wedding gift. Gotta go now…”

Some were too embarrassed to apologize directly on Chi Zhongqiao’s page, so they quietly slipped into Lu Yuzhou’s account instead.

“Uh, congratulations… May you have a long and happy marriage. He’s really a great actor. Sorry about the misunderstanding earlier.”

Lu Yuzhou, who had been monitoring the online situation closely, saw the private message immediately. He glanced down at Chi Zhongqiao, who was sleeping soundly beside him, and replied: “Thank you.”

Scrolling through his comments section, he noticed his follower count had multiplied several times in just a few hours. Some people were also wondering why he hadn’t spoken out at all during the controversy.

While online chatter reached a fever pitch, Lu Yuzhou was busy fooling around with Chi Zhongqiao. After several hours of playful antics and a shower, it was already this late. He had just coaxed the exhausted Chi Zhongqiao to sleep before finally picking up his phone, leaving him no time to craft a proper social media post.

Lu Yuzhou rubbed his temples. He’d forgotten to post anything too.

After a moment’s thought, he tapped out a quick message on his phone.

Two minutes later, a new post appeared at the top of Lu Yuzhou’s feed:

[Lu Yuzhou: To personally present the laurel crown would be the greatest honor of my life.]

The accompanying image showed the Gardenia Awards’ Most Popular Male Actor trophy, with two hands making a V-sign on either side of it.

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 🙂