Chapter 35.1

Zhu Xinyue’s idea of stability referred to her career stability.

She knew well that without establishing her own career, it wouldn’t be good for anyone.

As for “Zhu Xinyue”, the Zhu family was able to control her because they knew that she could only rely on her family financially, so they always wanted her to quit the entertainment industry and return to Qingyang to get married.

As for Ji Linyu, their strength and social status are too different. If they were to go public, she would just be seen as a vase by others by his side. In business partnerships, partners also need to be included in risk assessments. She could pretend to be a vase, but she couldn’t let others be engulfed in public opinion storms because of her.

So Zhu Xinyue is focused on building her career.

She relies on information gaps to invest in future popular variety shows and dramas, while also acting herself to accumulate capital. In addition, she has identified many promising industries early on, establishing companies in those sectors with hired professionals managing them.

All of this requires a lot of initial capital, so she has invested all her money, resulting in minimal spending on attire and appearance.

After gaining fame, Zhu Xinyue is often recognized by fans on the street. Her dressing style is very simple, to the point where fans sometimes doubt if they’ve recognized the wrong person because she dresses so simply.

At the same time, her down-to-earth fashion sense has inspired many people to imitate her style, reportedly giving her a unique relaxed vibe.

Brother Hu helped her secure an endorsement deal with a fashion brand.

Although Zhu Xinyue hasn’t publicly confirmed her relationship with Ji Linyu, she has never hidden her non-single status from anyone. Even when fans speculated about her and someone else, she updated her social media status to “not single.”

Whether it’s fans who became fond of Zhu Xinyue through the variety show “One Moment, One Scene” or those who liked her from other dramas, they all know she wasn’t single before her debut.

Fans and passers-by are always more tolerant of actors who are talented and low-key.

Zhu Xinyue’s first released drama wasn’t “Peach Blossom Spring” but a low-budget suspense supernatural web drama called ” The Wall.” It tells the story of the protagonist’s best friend suddenly disappearing. The protagonist follows clues left by her friend to uncover the truth behind her disappearance and eventually finds her friend’s ashes. According to her friend’s wishes, she mixes the ashes into the wall of the perpetrator’s home, causing the perpetrator to go crazy in prison.

Zhu Xinyue played the role of the protagonist’s best friend, a character who appeared sunny and warm on the surface but was actually extremely dark and complex.

In the early stages, she appeared in the protagonist’s memories as an overwhelmingly beautiful figure under warm lighting and clean styling, creating an atmosphere that endeared her character to the audience.

In the middle stages, as the suspense unfolded, her character appeared in colder tones. As the clues pieced together, the true and tragic life of her friend was revealed. When appearing in the protagonist’s imagined scenes again, the friend became a pitiful figure, evoking immense sympathy.

By the later stages, when the protagonist found the friend’s real farewell letter, the audience saw another side of her friend calmly going mad, creating a character with great charm through these contrasting shifts.

Some fans compiled all the scenes Zhu Xinyue appeared in from the twenty-episode web drama. Although her total screen time was less than an hour, she left a deep impression due to her acting skills.

A popular blogger in the film and drama area made a video recommending this web drama and analyzed Zhu Xinyue’s performance in it.

[Her face fits this role as if it were tailor-made for her. I initially thought she could just be a lively vase in the early stages, occasionally appearing in the protagonist’s memories, but I didn’t expect her to surprise me later on.

Even when she’s in pain, she smiles. It’s more heartbreaking to see her smile while crying than to hear her cry out. Especially in this part, when the protagonist happily shares that they can go to college together, unaware that her friend now knows the scumbag wants to ruin them.

Look at her smile. When the protagonist sees her, her eyes are smiling. After the protagonist turns away, she lowers her eyes. When she looks up again, there’s no smile in her eyes, just the same curve of her lips. Zhu Xinyue’s micro-expressions are perfectly handled. I guess at this point, she had already decided to take away the scumbag and protect the protagonist.]

This blogger has millions of fans and rarely praises the acting skills of new actors, often criticizing those in the entertainment industry who act like wooden dolls.

Some skeptics wondered if she was paid to advertise Zhu Xinyue, but they were quickly rebuked by bystanders and fans.

[We have eyes. Whether the drama is good or not, whether the acting is good or not, we can all see it.]

[It is rare to find actors who take acting seriously and don’t just do it for the audience. I hope she can keep up this momentum and continue to develop.]

[Sister Xinyue, don’t stick to gender norms too much. That final glance really got me. Sister is so cool! I love it!]

[Wuwuwu! Who stole my dear wife in the end!]

When Zhu Xinyue has free time, she will search for herself. When she sees these praising comments, she will like them, feeling immensely grateful to the audience for their love. 

If she sees any negative or unfriendly comments, she will evaluate their criticisms herself, correcting where necessary and striving to improve.

However, she often sees her fans fighting fiercely with those haters. Zhu Xinyue is amazed at the fighting power of her fans, wishing she could pay the other side! Xiao Zhu’s fans are amazing!

This year’s Spring Festival comes a little later.

“Peach Blossom Spring” will not be released in time for this year’s Spring Festival and will probably be released during the May Day Golden Week.

Zhu Xinyue promised to spend the New Year with Ji Linyu, so she didn’t return to Qingyang.

Ji Qingyuan is performing on the Spring Festival Gala this year and is busy at the end of the year, so he didn’t even return to Tianze City, not knowing they were already together.

[Ji Qingyuan: Where are you celebrating New Year this year? I may not be able to accompany you. I have to perform at the Spring Festival Gala. Grinning.jpg]

This guy must be doing it on purpose! Versailles! Come and show off to her! Hmph! So what if you can perform at the Spring Festival Gala? One day, she will too!

Zhu Xinyue clenched her fists, gritting her teeth as she replied to the message.

[Zhu Xinyue: No need, I have a boyfriend.]

[Ji Qingyuan: Really? Are you serious? Does my brother know you have a boyfriend?]

Ji Qingyuan always thought she changed her status to break free from her CP fan with Liang Yuyu. Jiang Rui asked him several times, misunderstanding that he and Zhu Xinyue were in a relationship.

[Zhu Xinyue: Of course, he knows! (Arms crossed)]

Ji Qingyuan had a vague guess and tentatively addressed her.

[Ji Qingyuan: …Sister-in-law?]

[Zhu Xinyue: Good boy~]

It’s really not surprising at all. Ji Qingyuan had a feeling of “just as expected,” but apart from that, there was also a subtle sense of bitterness in his heart.

It felt like catching a fan sneaking around, somewhat displeasing, especially since it was his number one fan.

Ji Qingyuan stared at the wavy line she sent over, knowing exactly how happy she must be at that endearment.

He recalled what Zhu Xinyue had once said to him, “If you’re willing to let those who like you suffer, then are you willing to let those you like suffer too?”

For Ji Qingyuan, his fans came first, followed by his brother Ji Linyu. 

Others might suspect that he returned to the Ji family because he coveted their wealth, but he knew in his heart that he and his brother were family, brothers, and he would never turn against his elder brother for profit.

Even Zhu Xinyue didn’t know that Ji Qingyuan’s biggest obstacle in entering the entertainment industry wasn’t anyone else, but his mother.

His mother was afraid of losing him. Whenever she couldn’t find him, she would panic as if someone might steal him away or he might accidentally die.

At that time, he wanted to pass the art exam to study acting in a university in another city. In order to make him stay in South City, his mother used both soft and hard tactics, and even threatened to commit suicide to force him to stay. She also forbade him to contact the art exam teachers, and refused to pay for his art exam training tuition.

Ji Qingyuan was used to performing his sunny and cheerful self in front of his classmates, so no one knew how painful that period of his life was. All his negative emotions would only be expressed on his secret Weibo account.

He was a natural actor, a born idol. Everyone who liked him became his fan and he only showed them his positive side. He was willing to perform this way and had gotten used to it.

Shortly after he created this secret Weibo account, there was already a fan with a name made up of gibberish characters. Ji Qingyuan had always thought the other party was an inactive zombie fan since their homepage had no activity and the avatar was the default one.

It wasn’t until he posted a Weibo saying he would give up his dreams and stay in Nancheng City forever with his mother that the secret account sent him a private message.

[Secret Account: What happened?]

All the thoughts Ji Qingyuan couldn’t share with familiar people poured out to this stranger instead, and this stranger happened to be the first and only follower of his secret account.

Perhaps because he was accustomed to pleasing his fans, he confessed to this secret account about the difficulties he faced during that time, his lack of understanding towards his mother, his confusion over his dreams and lack of support from his family.

[Secret Account: Do you really want to be an actor?]

Ji Qingyuan pondered the question all night and didn’t respond until the next day.

[Ji Qingyuan: Rather than saying I want to be an actor, it’s more accurate to say I’m suited to be one. I want to earn the love of my fans, but I also want the support of my family. I come from a single-parent household, and my mother only has me. If I’m not by her side, she’ll be very sad. So, if I had to choose between my dream and my loved ones, I would choose to give up my dream.]

Whether the person had just woken up or hadn’t slept at all, they quickly replied.

The secret account sent him contact information.

[Secret Account: This is Teacher Chen’s phone number from the acting training class. The address is XX District, Nancheng City. Go attend the classes, leave the rest to me.]

Ji Qingyuan checked the address and found it was indeed a legitimate training institution that had produced many entertainers and actors.

With a try-it-out attitude, he contacted Teacher Chen. The teacher said someone had already paid his tuition fees for him. The next day, his mother calmly told him she wouldn’t stop him anymore.

When Ji Qingyuan went to contact the secret account again, he found that the account had been deleted.

It was like a fairy descending to help this poor kid, solving his problem without saying a word and returning to heaven.

Ji Qingyuan wasn’t foolish.

He guessed that the secret account was most likely someone who knew him or his mother. Otherwise, his mother’s attitude wouldn’t have changed so quickly.