Chapter 24: Promoting the Lead

“Brother Qu, what’s your Weibo account? The promotion team mentioned they’ll be releasing some behind-the-scenes footage soon,” a member of the publicity department asked Tang Qu while they were chatting.

“Sorry, he hasn’t set one up yet. We’ll send you the details later,” Du Yan replied.

The person smiled. “No problem. It’s just some BTS stuff for now. Just send it over when you’re ready.”

“Got it.”

“Alright, Brother Qu, Brother Yu, I’ll take my leave now.”

After the person left, Du Yan immediately glared at Tang Qu. “Brother Qu! I told you to set up a Weibo account ages ago. Why haven’t you done it yet?”

Tang Qu chuckled awkwardly. “My bad, my bad.”

Yu Ting burst into laughter beside him. “I thought I was the only one who got the cold shoulder from Sister Du. Turns out you’re in the same boat! Hahaha, this is hilarious!”

Du Yan glanced at the gleeful Yu Ting. “Brother Yu, there’s a reporter over there.”

Yu Ting instantly stopped laughing.

Guess the idol image is still important.

“Why are they releasing BTS footage when we’ve only filmed a small portion?” Tang Qu asked, puzzled.

“I know this one. Director Chen originally planned to promote after filming was complete, but now that the production is moving faster than expected, he decided to release footage as we go,” Du Yan explained.

Tang Qu nodded.

“Brother Yu, you’ve got another schedule coming up,” the neglected assistant said, holding clothes and looking resentful as he approached.

“Alright, no more joking around. I’ve got an ad shoot later, so I’ll head out now. Let me know when you set up your Weibo account, and I’ll give you a follow,” Yu Ting said, taking the clothes from his assistant and bidding Tang Qu farewell before leaving.

After Yu Ting left, Du Yan approached Tang Qu with some items. “Brother Qu, Director Chen’s decision to release footage as we film is a great opportunity for you. It’ll help you gain traction quickly. While people value skilled actors these days, popularity is still a factor that can’t be ignored.”

“Got it. Let’s get this sorted out once we’re back.”

From a nobody to a top star and then to an award-winning actor—this wasn’t Tang Qu’s first rodeo. He was confident and well-versed in the intricacies of the industry. He knew how to avoid unnecessary detours. A well-managed Weibo account could be a powerful tool for building a public image, but a poorly managed one could be the first step to self-destruction.

On the way back, Zhang Yong picked them up, and Du Yan filled him in on the situation.

“Don’t worry. Director Chen already discussed this with me. We’re in no rush. I’ve got it all planned out. Once the first wave of promotions hits, it’ll be Tang Qu’s time to step into the spotlight.”

Du Yan was a bit confused. After all, her experience was mostly in training, and she lacked practical experience in this area.

But Tang Qu wasn’t a clueless newcomer. Zhang Yong’s words were clear—the first wave of promotions for this drama would likely focus on him as the lead.

The key to understanding this is quite simple. The male and female leads are the ongoing selling points of the drama, and extending their storyline can pique the audience’s curiosity. As for himself, being a complete newcomer and landing the role of the third male lead in this drama, even sharing many scenes with Yu Ting, serves as an excellent stepping stone. On the other hand, it’s likely due to Old Zhang. After all, there are many selling points, and it wasn’t necessary to choose him. This is probably out of Director Chen’s respect for Old Zhang.

Seeing Tang Qu’s expression, Zhang Yong knew he had guessed the reason. This kid was too perceptive; he understood with just a hint.

“Actually, there’s one more thing I want to tell you.”

Tang Qu looked at Zhang Yong: “Brother Yong, go ahead.”

Looking into Tang Qu’s clear eyes, Zhang Yong suddenly found it hard to speak. It felt like that matter was a dividing line, disrupting Tang Qu’s original life and forcing him onto a path full of thorns.

“You’ll be the focus of the first wave of promotion, but the internet has a memory. When the time comes, the fact that you once imitated Guan Yan will likely resurface. We thought about this during the discussions, but we still approved Director Chen’s idea.”

Tang Qu gazed ahead, his fingers rubbing the scar on his wrist, a pale pink mark that was the catalyst for his arrival here.

“It’s fine. Overall, the benefits outweigh the drawbacks. I can accept it.”

Zhang Yong breathed a sigh of relief: “Although you might face some criticism when the promotional clips come out, once the actual drama airs, it’ll be your moment to silence the critics. Your acting will surely surprise everyone.”

This was also Zhang Yong’s confidence. He had been following Tang Qu closely recently and was well aware of his acting skills. Once the drama aired, such doubts would naturally dissipate.

Du Yan had also heard about Tang Qu’s past. That short film did indeed resemble Movie Emperor Guan’s style, but from her recent observations, Brother Qu’s acting leaned more towards a gentle approach, soft yet powerful, while Movie Emperor Guan’s was highly aggressive and intense. It wasn’t a matter of which style was better; they each had their merits.

“Alright, Tang Qu, get ready to welcome the first peak of your career.” Zhang Yong had never seen someone so fortunate. His first role was in Director Chen’s drama, and now he had landed an advertisement for a top luxury brand. Calling him royalty wouldn’t be an exaggeration.

The production team moved quickly. In less than two days, a storm suddenly erupted online, with several photos going viral.

The first photo was Tang Qu’s initial costume shot, dressed in white, facing the camera sideways. His gaze alone made people feel insignificant, compelling them to submit. Another photo showed Tang Qu standing in the grand hall, smiling into the distance. That smile instantly transformed him from the cold immortal. This photo was a candid shot from their first scene.

These two photos exploded online, and many people, after searching, discovered that he was the third male lead in Director Chen’s new drama. Many were clamoring to watch the drama and follow this Master.

【That cold look from the Master! Oh my! I’m already kneeling in admiration!】

【Say no more, you can keep the male and female leads. I’m taking this Master. His looks, his gaze—it’s just too captivating!】

[“Is no one talking about that smiling picture?!”]

“Ahhhh! That pure and beautiful smile, I can’t handle it! I can’t!”

“What kind of person is worthy of Master’s gentle smile?”

But there were also negative voices.

“I thought it was someone else, turns out it’s that person who was riding on the coattails of fame before. I didn’t expect they’d actually have the nerve to step into the entertainment industry.”

“Truly, shamelessness knows no bounds.”

“Agree with the above, how can a scumbag like this have so many people chasing after their performances?”

The two sides started arguing over these comments, and although it didn’t make it to the trending list, it was still quite lively.

Just as the situation reached its peak, the official Weibo account of the production team suddenly released a promotional video titled “This is What Master is Like~”