This translation is originally posted on https://love4baihe.blogspot.com please read it there. and check out other stories too.
Microphones gathered, camera flashes flickered, and underneath was a sea of journalists. In front of her, it seemed like shimmering lights were surging.
Ruan Yesheng sat upright in her seat, looking around, and suddenly realized she couldn't remember how long it had been since she last appeared in public, receiving the overwhelming adoration from major media outlets and countless fans.
But they were adoring Xi Mo.
Even though she had once basked in the fleeting glamor of this world, now she was nothing more than a stand-in.
In her opinion, a stand-in should also possess the self-cultivation of a stand-in actor.
So she made a slight adjustment to her hand posture, facing the camera with grace and composure. With a gentle smile, she said, "Thank you, everyone. I'm doing well, and I sincerely appreciate your continued concern and support."
Even though she wasn't physically with Xi Mo, Ruan Yesheng had a deep understanding of her. That's why she was able to accurately portray Xi Mo's character in front of the camera.
In the past, in front of the public media, Xi Mo wasn't like her private self - cold, aloof, and picky. Instead, she always maintained a perfect balance of elegance and nobility, poised and gentle, and occasionally even showcased a touch of adorable charm. In the entertainment industry, being arrogant to the point of disregarding others is a display of negative emotional intelligence. It only leads to a drastic decline in one's image. Some celebrities, after achieving fame, sometimes become complacent, arrogant, and sarcastic in their words. They may even speak ill of reporters, fans, and internet users, resorting to physical confrontations. Once such incidents are reported, their previously accumulated popularity crumbles, and fans cry out, shouting their allegiance turning to black*.
*black fans: haters
This translation is originally posted on https://love4baihe.blogspot.com please read it there. and check out other stories too.
Xi Mo has always had a touch of ethereal coldness that enhances her elegant and noble appearance. However, her words and actions are appropriately pleasing and affable, capturing the hearts of countless fans. This is her personal characteristic, but it's challenging to strike the right balance. If she becomes too aloof, like a high and cold flower, she may scare away a large group of people and be criticized by a wave of detractors for being cold and pretentious. On the other hand, if she is too gentle and warm, she deviates too far from the path she has taken. Xi Mo walks a delicate line between these extremes, gracefully navigating her way to where she is today.
... and that split-personality reached this day.
The reporter asked, "There was a major incident recently, and rumors were spreading everywhere that you were disfigured in a fire. Xi Mo, what are your thoughts after seeing these rumors? Are you angry about these baseless reports?"
Ruan Yesheng thought hehe weren't they written by you? and said with a smile on her face: "These are just normal speculations, nothing to worry about. After experiencing such a disaster, I am grateful to be sitting here right now. As long as I'm doing well at this moment, that's all that matters."
Xi Mo stared intently at the live video, showing no emotion on her face, thinking, She can still speak well, not embarrassing me.
She scrolled through the comments, and the comments kept pouring in. A bunch of fans were shouting: "Goddess has a good temperament! Goddess has good manners! Goddess muah muah!'"
The reporters continued to ask one question after another, moving on to the topic of her future projects. Ruan Yesheng responded: "I'm currently preparing for a new TV drama. Once the final preparations are completed, we will start filming. You will soon be able to see more information about it."
One reporter asked: "You used to primarily work in films, but now you've suddenly taken on a TV drama. What was the reason behind this decision?"
Ruan Yesheng replied: "I wanted to explore new directions and make a change. Whether it's a TV drama or a film, I hope to strive to satisfy myself and I also hope that everyone will enjoy it."
"So, does that mean we'll be seeing more of Xi Mo's works in the future? Whether it's on the big screen or on TV?"
Ruan Yesheng smiled, lowering her gaze. "I suppose so."
The news of her involvement in a TV drama had been kept under wraps, known only internally without any leaks. But now that it was revealed, the internet exploded with excitement. Most of her fans were pleasantly surprised and expressed their dedication to watching whatever she appears in, eagerly speculating about the genre of the TV drama, ranging from period dramas to urban dramas and even spy thrillers.
Countless fans were shouting ecstatically, "No matter what our goddess acts in, we'll watch it!"
"I hope the production team does a good job and doesn't ruin my goddess. They should live up to my goddess's acting skills and beauty!"
"Is it a drama about hand-tearing devils*?! Nowadays, there's a proliferation of such dramas, and the regulatory authorities have expressed their concerns. I hope my goddess won't be involved in such a genre, as it may affect her image and career, ah ah ah ah!"
*手撕鬼子 (shǒu sī guǐzi) - a derogatory term referring to Japanese invaders during wartime
Sunspots* took the opportunity to dance around like a group of devils: "Hehe, is our queen unable to make it in the film industry and now resorting to the TV industry? Her style suddenly hit rock bottom."
*黑子们 (hēizi men), another term for haters
"Weird, did your queen ever have any style to begin with?"
In the industry, there is such a phenomenon where it seems that filming movies is several levels higher than filming television dramas, with a completely different level of sophistication.
In the realm of pink and black* comments, they encounter each other, their eyes burning with envy. It's like a journey from one's grandmother's house to one's grandmother's mother's house, where they passionately greet each other's ancestors for eighteen generations and generously offer luxurious sets of ginseng and rooster.
*fans and anti-fans, 'passionately greeting, generously offer luxurious sets of ginseng and rooster' sarcastically implies that these commenters are engaging in excessive displays of generosity or insults
Xi Mo watched the video for a while, then refreshed the comments and went back to watching the video.
As Xi Mo continued to watch, she noticed Ruan Yesheng in front of the camera, disregarding her own appearance, and every movement and gesture she made was dazzling, like a diamond that had been bathed in countless flashes of light. Moreover, her every expression, every smile, and every action closely resembled her past habits.
What was I like in front of the media before?"
Ruan Yesheng is now portraying herself without any flaws. It's as if she has carefully studied all her video materials, as if she has been watching herself from behind for a long time, otherwise she wouldn't have achieved such a level.
Xi Mo was startled by her own thought.
And just as she had this thought, the questioning segment also temporarily ended, and now it was Lu Qingming's turn to answer some questions, while Ruan Yesheng sat aside to rest.
The camera followed until it reached Ruan Yesheng, who had temporarily shed the tension of answering the journalists' questions. Now, she revealed a hint of her inner charm and elegance.
Under the influence of her seductive soul, Xi Mo's eyes, like shimmering water, glistened as they moved. While resting, Ruan Yesheng opened a bottle of water, her moistened lips lightly moving, her slender neck lifting gracefully. The beautiful curve of her throat slid slightly with each sip.
Especially in one moment, her gaze glanced to the side, with a touch of soft allure and a hint of boredom, truly enchanting without a defined destination.
Xi Mo happened to witness this scene: "..."
She's about to die.
Having lived for so many years, even when acting, she had never dared to act coquettishly.
Perhaps this particular moment was too captivating, as some intentional netizens captured it and turned it into a full-length GIF, which they posted on Weibo.
The caption on the GIF read: "Caught by accident, the goddess of the press conference drinks water like this today, my heart is drunk. [Bye bye]"
The GIF of Ruan Yesheng drinking water quickly went viral online. The GIF was adjusted with frame rates and underwent light and shadow retouching, enhancing the beauty of Ruan Yesheng's already heavenly appearance. With the slow-motion effect and post-processing, her facial beauty reached new heights.
What's even more significant is her captivating gaze and the desire to speak yet remain silent. This drove her fans into a frenzy, howling like crazy.
"Is this my goddess? Oh my god! Just drinking water, and she's this alluring!"
"You seductive little enchantress! Come into my arms!"
"This is how she looked in 'City of Allure'! I thought it was just for the movie, but I didn't expect our goddess to be like this in real life too!"
"Hello everyone! I'm the water that the goddess drank!"
"Hello everyone! I'm the bottle cap!"
"Let's go downstairs and buy water immediately, a whole case of it!"
As Xi Mo scrolled through Weibo, she almost lost her breath. In an instant, it felt like her years of chastity were shattered into pieces by Ruan Yesheng.
It's really easy to stop public disturbances, but hard to prevent hidden disturbances.
As Xi Mo was still wearing a stern expression, the photographer Matt suddenly leaned in and exclaimed, "Miss Ruan, are you also a fan of Goddess Xi?"
On Xi Mo's phone screen, her alternate Weibo account name was displayed.
Xi Mo: "..."
Who said it was okay to invade someone's privacy and peek at their phone? Isn't it unethical to snoop around? What happened to the principles of the Three Obediences and Four Virtues, the Five Talks, and the Four Good Qualities*?
*these are all Chinese moral principles
The makeup artist also chimed in with a laugh, "Miss Ruan, you're also watching the goddess's press conference. We are too! Did you see that GIF of the goddess? I wish I could marry her!"
Xi Mo: "..."
I don't want you!
Xi Mo casually moved her phone and gently curved her lips, giving a cute smile. She said, "Yes, I am a fan of Xi Mo. A super-duper fan, actually. I really like her."
Fan? More like a fan blade! I could use it to blow Ruan Yesheng away!
The photographer and makeup artist grew even more fond of her and approached, saying, "Fellow enthusiast! Oh, fellow enthusiast! Miss Ruan, let's follow each other on Weibo."
Xi Mo took a quick look and saw that the photographer's Weibo name was "Xi Mo Blessings and Peace," while the makeup artist's Weibo name was "Xi Mo, Feed Me Soup."
Xi Mo: "..."
There must be crane top red* in that soup!
*ancient term for red arsenic or impure arsenic trioxide; a poisonous substance. Arsenic trioxide is a compound that has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for various purposes
this combo is hilarious