172: The 172nd day of being popular
After several rounds of negotiations, in the end, Luo Shuai reluctantly agreed to stay in the apartment. However, he had a lot of conditions, such as the need to replace all the furniture, and demanded a dedicated chef to cook for him.
When he finally moved in, Luo Shuai still couldn't suppress his grievances. "If it weren't for the high pay offered by this crew, who would be willing to stay in this shabby place?" He threw the things he was holding onto the sofa, feeling frustrated.
His manager frowned, "Alright, stop being so picky. Just focus on performing well in this drama. The director has high demands, and she won't tolerate it if you can't remember your lines."
Luo Shuai shrugged indifferently, "What's the big deal if I can't remember my lines? They can always dub it in post-production."
To him, in such a run-down place, memorizing lines was a waste of effort. He thought, "Besides, most of my scenes are intimate scenes, and I remember those lines very clearly."
The manager was dumbfounded. "What do you need lines for in intimate scenes? Don't you just close the curtain, and then the lights go out directly?"
One of Luo Shuai's assistants said with a suggestive smile, "Luo Ge, I heard the female lead of this drama, Yao Bianliang, is quite attractive. Hehe, you might be in luck this time."
He said while winking at Luo Shuai.
"Yao Bianliang, huh?" Luo Shuai narrowed his eyes, a smirk appearing on his lips. "I've seen her photos, and she does look quite decent."
Her face was fair and delicate, with a well-proportioned figure and a perky butt.
"Unfortunately, her chest is a bit small," he couldn't help but click his tongue.
The assistant beside him smirked, "Maybe she just needs a boyfriend to help her with that?"
When the words were out, they all showed a knowing expression, and Luo Shuai's smile became more pronounced.
The manager knew exactly what was going on in their minds and frowned in exasperation. "Enough, tone it down a bit during this period! Don't think about getting involved with Yao Bianliang again."
He scolded the troublesome artist, "If it weren't for the fuss you caused recently, we wouldn't have almost crashed. Be more restrained."
A while ago, there was a commotion about Luo Shuai's affairs with fans, but with the company's efforts to "refute" the rumors, the heat had died down. Nevertheless, they couldn't afford any more trouble, so Luo Shuai had to restrain himself.
"Alright, alright, I got it," Luo Shuai grumbled, feeling somewhat dissatisfied. "I'm not going to force myself on Yao Bianliang. At most, I'll just joke around with her."
In Luo Shuai's view, this kind of thing was already an established rule in the entertainment circle. It's only those newcomers who don't understand the hidden rules of the industry that would be shocked and almost cause him trouble.
The manager's tone became more serious, "Last time, Lu Shao helped suppress the heat for you, but this time, Lu Shao himself is retiring from the industry. If you still refuse to restrain yourself, no one will be able to help you."
"Even if my cousin is retiring, he's still the heir of the Lu Group," Luo Shuai said, "He originally entered the entertainment circle just to have some fun. It's not like he's risking his life and limb."
He paused, not wanting to continue the topic with his manager, so he asked, "Has my cousin announced his retirement? What does the Lu Group say about it?"
The manager sighed and had to temporarily let go of the topic. He opened his phone and looked at the latest content.
"Yeah, Lu Shao has already made a statement," he sighed, "They instructed you and a few other artists to post on Weibo to show understanding and guide public opinion."
The Lu Group had a wide range of businesses and held a significant stake in the entertainment industry. Even big players like Ansheng Entertainment had Lu Group as one of their shareholders. So, as long as these influential stars made statements, they could to some extent, suppress public opinion.
Luo Shuai frowned, "You want me to speak up? But my cousin's reputation now..."
Since Lu Yanchen had been forced to retire, his reputation must be quite bad. If Luo Shuai now posted on Weibo to support him, it wouldn't be beneficial for him at all.
The manager glanced at him, "Lu Shao is the future heir of the Lu Group, and the company naturally hopes for his reputation to improve."
By speaking up for Lu Yanchen, Luo Shuai and the other stars would undoubtedly be affected to some extent. But for the Lu Group, Lu Yanchen's reputation was more important than anything.
Luo Shuai finally understood and scratched his head irritably.
In the end, he could only wave his hand and say, "Fine, let the PR department handle the statement."
*****
The term "Lu Yanchen apologizes and retires" quickly climbed up the hot search list.
Netizens enjoyed being spectators, and the topic gained momentum rapidly, finally pushing Yao Bianliang's related topic to the back.
"Lu Yanchen actually surrendered so quickly?"
When Yao Bianliang learned about this news, she felt a mixture of joy and a faint regret, various emotions intertwined, making her mood very complicated.
Lu Yanchen's topic pushed her down, which was a happy thing for her.
But at the same time, Lu Yanchen's actions also meant that he temporarily gave up targeting her, which was indeed regrettable.
"I thought Lu Yanchen could hold on a little longer," Yao Bianliang looked through the messages on her phone and sighed softly.
Yan Xiaoli chuckled, "What else could he do? The public opinion is already overwhelming, now he can only apologize and back down to avoid the spotlight."
Lu Yanchen's apology was lengthy, and it was evident that it was written by the PR team. Yao Bianliang estimated that if he had written it himself, this young master with the imposing aura of "The Coldest King" would not have written it smoothly.
【Lu Yanchen:
Regarding recent public opinion, I offer no defense and sincerely apologize. As a public figure, I failed to control my actions and showed many wrong examples of disrespect towards other staff members in front of the public and fans.
At this point, I fully accept all criticism and accusations.
However, the issue with the voting in the "Good Drama PK Competition" was due to my rash actions, and Miss Yao Xinxin was unaware and not involved in this event.
Starting today, I officially retire from the industry and will not appear on the screen or participate in any other activities. I will take a long period of reflection and self-contemplation. I will also donate 50 million to charity to establish Hope Primary Schools in remote areas…】
Yao Bianliang briefly scanned the apology, filled with numerous words and heartfelt expressions. To resolve the situation, the Lu Group made a significant donation of 50 million, which was quite a generous move.
"I didn't expect Lu Yanchen and Yao Xinxin's relationship to be so good," Yan Xiaoli couldn't help but comment, "He took the initiative to take responsibility."
Yao Bianliang couldn't help but smile.
More than just having a good relationship, according to the novel's plot, these two will eventually get to know and love each other, entering the realm of marriage.
However, Lu Yanchen's actions were quite helpful to Yao Bianliang.
At least this way, some negative rumors surrounding Yao Xinxin were "whitewashed," allowing her to bounce back for a few more days.
This was the only good news she had received in the past few days.
Yao Bianliang and her assistant had a simple meal together before returning to the apartment.
By this time, more than two hours had passed since Lu Yanchen's apology. Several artists posted messages one after another to show their support.
Zhang Jingwen's post.
Luo Shuai's post.
Ouyang Xiaoqing's post.
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