It’s Ge Chen again. That guy’s fierce lately! He just got into the whole entertainment thing last year and he’s already gotten the Best Newcomer award. This year, he’s even been awarded Best Male Supporting Character. Tsk tsk, there’re more and more new faces, each better than the last.” Flipping through the newspaper, the broadcasting channel’s employee chatted leisurely with his coworkers.
“I really like Ge Chen!” A female assistant promptly joined the conversation with great fervor once she heard him.
“He’s young and handsome, and there’s just a unique charisma to his person. His neat appearance makes you happy just looking at him. He’s loved by both the audience and the industry’s people, and he even has the managing company’s support. I bet he’s going to become a big star in the future. Anyways, though there are tons of newcomers in the entertainment industry every year, someone like him is as rare as a phoenix or a unicorn.” The female assistant praised him unreservedly.
“That’s true. Even my daughter’s so head over heels for this guy that I’m kind of jealous. But to get a stable footing in this industry’s not easy. It’s not like there weren’t actors as good as Ge Chen before; but a lot of them quietly disappeared because they couldn’t adjust or lost fame for some other reasons.” The employee laughed as he said the harsh truth.
That was the reality of the entertainment industry. It didn’t matter if one stood at the top before; if oneweren’t careful… one would fall down to the very pits.
Once fallen, it would be very difficult to climb up again.
There were too many newcomers, all climbing furiously up the ladder at every moment. The ones the public saw on screen was only a small chunk. Behind the shadow of the famous ones were tens of thousands of small and forgotten starlets fighting in a silent struggle.
With the recording finished, Tang Feng overheard the employees’ discussion as he packed his belongings. He smiled lightly. This line of work was truly cruel.
♦
“Riiinnng—“ Once out of the studio, his cellphone rang.
The man pressed the answer key, “Hello?”
“Hi, my love. Are you done recording?” A deep, mellow voice sounded. Charles recently got hooked on talking to him in a cockney accent.
“Yeah, just finished.” Tang Feng paused in his steps, and also responded in a cockney accent. Is this what people call spicing up one’s love life?
“I’ll be waiting for you downstairs. You know which car is mine.”
“Alright.” Tang Feng hung up. Only two weeks until he and that stupid bear could part ways, wonderful.
Although Charles was a master in bed, there was no hope of topping him. Tang Feng didn’t mind being on the bottom, but he occasionally wanted to top too.
“Tang Feng.” Someone called out his name from behind.
Tang Feng turned around. The young man walking toward him wasn’t particularly handsome or beautiful, but he had a neat and delicate appearance. He could be considered as pleasing to the eyes.
“I heard you came out of the hospital just recently. I’ve long told you that you’re not fit for this industry with your personality.” Chen Ming Xu didn’t look friendly, judging from his expression.
Xiao Yu had mentioned to Tang Feng that he was a permanent guest in some kind of variety show. He was here to do a recording today. Though Tang Feng was a guest, the host rarely chose him to speak. Even when the host did choose him, it was to make fun of him.
However, these embarrassing events only happened in the past. Today, Tang Feng responded to the jabs with a good humor. It didn’t change anyone’s opinion of him, but at least he wouldn’t be used as a clown to play tricks on anymore.
An actor needed to take care of his reputation. It was fine to act like one normally did, but one still needed to uphold the necessary image.
“I think you’re right, thanks.” Tang Feng smiled.
Chen Ming Xu stared at the man for a moment, and spoke half a beat later, “I hope you’ve really thought it through.”
Tang Feng walked over and gave the young man a friendly pat on the shoulder. Xiao Yu said that the host disliked him. Chen Ming Xu did seem to pick on him, but Tang Feng didn’t find the young man to be a bad person.
It was better to have one more friend than one more enemy.
Chen Ming Xu glanced suspiciously at the man walking away. He couldn’t quite put his finger on what was off about the other.