"He has such a heavy accent—I only understood those two sentences," Matthias said, still troubled. "I spoke English, but he still couldn't understand."
Zhan Yan was even more curious about what debt he had incurred in his previous life that had haunted him like a ghost for so long, to the point where he even started learning English just to collect it.
He patted Matthias on the shoulder and said, "I'll find a way to translate for you."
Matthias thought he was joking with himself, so he smiled broadly and said, "Alright, then I'll try to dream about you next time."
After wrapping up the dream discussion, Zhan Yan took Matthias out for a stroll. At noon, he treated him to a meal at a restaurant that had earned rave reviews from Hungry Ghost. Matthias couldn't help but admire the restaurant's taste.
Jian Yan casually replied in the class group, asking where Duan Hong was in the study room, and said he'd check when he got back to school tomorrow.
Another message popped up on my phone—it was from his sister Zhan Suiyu, with a sun-drenched profile picture of her wearing sunglasses and a casually laid-back hairstyle, sitting on a beach chair.
Zhan Nairu reposted several Weibo posts for him. Their chat history was mostly filled with such sharing of gossip.
Zhan Yan opened it and took a look.
The first piece of content consists of several leaked photos posted by a high-profile yellow V account with a massive following.
Ling Tengyu said:
Appreciate the beauty of Tengteng
[Image][Image][Image]
The moment I checked this person's Weibo, it was all about Ling Yuteng-clearly the account of a die-hard fan.
In these photos, Ling Yuteng wears theatrical costumes in various styles, yet all share a consistent red-and-gold color scheme that radiates youthful vigor and a spirited demeanor.
The comments below are flooded with 'lick, lick, lick' replies, with some even asking if it's Ling Yuteng's new drama and when it will premiere.
Ling Tengyu began her performance with an inner response below.
Ling Tengyu said, "Yeah! I think Tengteng's look is really cool too!"
Ling Tengyu said, "I love it too!"
Ling Tengyu thought, "What a pity—I can only savor the image."
Ling Tengyu said, "These are the only pictures we have. Please cherish and enjoy them."
The crowd below got hooked by her vague remarks and started asking, 'What's going on? What's this drama about? Has it ended yet?'
Ling Tengyu said, "No, the drama is still being filmed. It's the one we promoted earlier."
Ling Tengyu thought, 'But Tengteng probably won't be performing anymore.'
Ling Tengyu thought, 'This role should be played by someone else now.'
Ling Tengyu said, "I don't know the details. Don't ask."
Another major influencer's fan account has also surfaced.
Qiao Linglingling: "It's just a different actor—the big boss from the production company personally brought him to the set."
Qiao Linglingling: "What a letdown! Yuteng was so busy and had prepared for this drama for ages, only to be replaced right after joining the crew."
The comments are raging, with everyone demanding answers about who's behind it.
Ling Tengyu said, "I don't know. But he seems to be quite old."
The fans were furious. They quickly identified the drama and flooded the Weibo posts of the production team, director, investors, and other involved parties with scathing criticism.
They tricked us Yuteng into helping with the promotion, and now they've kicked us out. How could such a good deal go to waste?
Didn't we help with the promotion a few months ago? If you wanted to switch, you should've said so earlier. What a move!
Xs, is Mingtang Pictures trying to hide behind their so-called 'quality drama' reputation? This character is clearly a heroic young man—how could they possibly cast an old, ugly man who's just a figurehead?
...
They were frantically trying to uncover who had replaced Ling Yuteng. But after Zhan Yun joined the production team, Xia Yuexian took over the management herself, and no one else ever leaked any information. So the group spent ages digging but couldn't find out who it was.
Zhan Yan let out a sigh. These two courtesans were truly skilled in the art of language. Had her brother really spent months preparing for the role before joining the crew? The production schedule had been deliberately adjusted to accommodate his schedule.
When Boss Xia took his dad to the film set, wasn't it because his brother refused to add more scenes, forcing the production to cancel? His dad was clearly there to salvage the situation, yet they portrayed it as if he were trying to snatch the role.
Zhan Yanjin searched the gossip system.
These are all of Ling Yuteng's costume photos. He only wore them during his recent costume fitting at the filming set, so the people who took these pictures must be crew members.
After some digging, it turned out two of Ling Yuteng's fans had infiltrated the crew as extras, and these photos were secretly taken by them.
No need for him to remind—Boss Xia had already fired the guy on the spot. Well done!
The two were dismissed on the spot and thus missed Zhan Yun's entrance from behind. When he arrived, the dim lighting made it hard to see clearly, so they only recognized him as an older man.
It's infuriating how these people are stirring up trouble now. They even bought those photos of Ling Yuteng to dominate the trending topics, spewing insults everywhere that his dad is an old, ugly man with shady connections.
Meanwhile, there's another person who's clearly annoyed by Yan Ya's viral trend.
Ling Yuteng: "Who bought Yan's trending topic? Take it down now!"
He glared at his assistant almost in fury.
If others don't know, how could he not know who's the one who's been taking his place? He saw them right on set! And he was even struck by their looks and presence.
Zhan Yunkai's hairstyle is so unconventional that it's impossible to copy. Now, if we flood the drama's official Weibo account with photos of him in the same look, the stark contrast will make his trending status skyrocket. But when the backlash hits, he'll be the one to be mocked the most.
Other actors might have been fine, but Ling Yuteng knew full well that he was the one who relied on his looks to make a living! This was a devastating blow to him!
The assistant's voice, weary from her overtime as a corporate slave, quipped: "We didn't buy trending topics—maybe your fans did."
This whole mess was a real headache. When they first spotted Xia Yuexian's fiery streak and hastily replaced her, the investors behind them tried to threaten to pull out their money. But Xia Yuexian just kicked them out in one go.
This character's role was never meant to be prominent, and now it's been pushed to the end. If we don't fix this quickly, the crew will have to wrap up filming in just a couple of days!
By then, chasing trending topics was futile. Meanwhile, a photo from Reuters circulated rapidly, showing Ling Yuteng being expelled by Zhan Yun's harsh words during his break-in at the film set. The side-angle shot clearly captured both men's faces.
Jian Yunkai stood half a head taller than Ling Yuteng, his fitted theatrical costume and waist-restrained golden armor accentuating his well-proportioned frame. When he turned his head, his expression remained calm yet exuded an overwhelming presence.
Ling Yuteng's previously well-crafted costume photos now look like a child slipping into adult clothes when compared to Zhan Yun's. The deliberate attempt to appear cool, amplified by the Demon King's commanding presence, makes the originally subtle pretense of acting all the more laughable.
In this photo of the two together, even without looking at their faces, he's completely overshadowed by the other person's physique and presence.
Ling Yuteng looked at the photo and his hand was shaking.
Who?! Who leaked those secretly taken photos?!
It's not something Xia Yuexian would do. While it's exhilarating to crush the opponent with the Demon King's stunning looks and commanding presence, it's like forcing Zhan Yunkai to face Ling Yuteng's rabid fanbase. That's not how Xia Yuexian would handle it.
Just look at Zhan Yun, who can still hang out in the lower-tier circles year after year with such a face. It's clear how' relentless' the Demon King is in this regard.
Yet sometimes, when the heat of desire comes, it's impossible to resist.
After this Reuters photo spread, the comments below were either mocking Ling Yuteng or asking for Zhan Yunkai's contact details.
Get all the details about this hot guy within ten minutes!!!
Xs, how dare Ling Yuteng's fans call him old and ugly? If that's what they mean, what's his brother's name? Is he some kind of alien?
Is this handsome guy a new amateur? Why hasn't there been any news about him at all?
Wait, I think I've seen this before...
With the photos, Zhan Yunkai's information was swiftly exposed, and soon a flood of people flooded into his Weibo.
Then I saw the latest Weibo post:
Good morning! Today's breakfast features century eggs and lean meat congee, shrimp dumplings, and pickled cucumber.
[Image][Image][Image]
cheechako :???
Continue scrolling down.
A series of appetizing options, all for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
No, did they go to the wrong place? Is this a food blogger?
Though a minor figure in the industry, Zhan Yunkai has managed to win over some fans with his occasional standout performances as a glamorous figurehead.
The powder didn't know what was happening until both sides confronted each other and understood the situation.
Zhan Yun-kai's fans introduced them to:
Right. The fan we like is someone who never goes public—just posts food pics.
Yeah, he doesn't even post his own stills. You can't find resources he doesn't have.
Need resources? Here's a link to Zhan Yunkai's compilation of film clips.
Anything beyond just movie clips? Not a thing. Not even a single photo. Lao Zhan never posts daily snapshots or stills.
He's actually managed to stay in the lower ranks despite his looks, and it's all down to his real skills.
Calling for resources? Hahaha, who are you talking about? Are you trying to act like the famous foodie videographer Lao Zhan?
The quick-witted ones had already skimmed through Zhan Yunkai's Weibo and shut down one by one. After all, he'd been acting for over a decade—his posts were mostly daily food logs, with only promotional ones from his own shows. This was like forcing people to go hungry.
Oh, and of course, on wedding anniversaries and children's birthdays, we post food photos and cake pictures, but never single-person shots—just a bare hand at most.
The handsome guy is now a dapper uncle, married with three kids!
Meanwhile, Zhan Yunkai remained oblivious to the turbulent online world. With another abnormality emerging, both the Demon Alliance and the Abnormal Affairs Bureau urgently needed to coordinate. Currently, Zhan Yunkai was using his Chongming Demon King account to remotely contact the Abnormal Affairs Bureau.
The Foreign Affairs Department of the Non-Standard Transaction Management Bureau dispatched a full exchange team to negotiate with him, only to be decisively defeated by Zhan Yun.
What's the big deal about that anomaly showing up on your turf? If it's yours, why didn't you catch it when it showed up? What were you doing back then? Were you thanking nature for the gift?
Even three-year-old young demons know that, apart from their parents, they cannot ask other demons for the prey they have caught, since those demons have no obligation to feed them.
The negotiators are on the verge of tears.
Damn! Chongming Demon King is so venomous!