Chapter Ninety-Eight: The Broadcast Begins—Is That Really Lin Xing?

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Understood.

After hearing Kong Tian out, Lin Xing suddenly understood. As expected, Kong Tian had once again let his stubborn streak get the better of him.

He had gone to Harbin to film *That Winter Encounter*, an idol drama, while Kong Tian played a wealthy, domineering company president. To be honest, there was very little room for such a role to display any real acting ability.

Basically, it was the sort of part played by a lovesick doormat, similar to Du Fei.

Even so, Kong Tian had taken his duties as acting coach seriously and done everything within his power to help the cast perform well. Both the male and female leads were high-traffic stars from the entertainment industry: Guo Qi and Xia Jingjing.

As a result, once Kong Tian had finished filming his own scenes, he was kicked off the production.

“Brother Kong, I told you before. If everyone is just muddling through their work, then you only need to do your own part well.”

Lin Xing shook his head. “People are different.”

“The drama matters more than anything. How can anyone muddle through filming? Besides, you don’t know what Xia Jingjing is like. No matter what emotion she’s supposed to be feeling, she wears the same expression. She’s beautiful, but whenever she acts, her eyes are completely empty…”

As he spoke, Kong Tian shook his head and laughed bitterly. “I even thought about just going through the motions, but I couldn’t stand it.”

“Mm. If you could stand it, you wouldn’t be yourself anymore.”

Lin Xing was not surprised. All he could do was try to comfort him. “Still, I believe that sooner or later, Brother Kong, you’ll find a role that truly suits you.”

“I’ve thought it through these past few days.”

Kong Tian smiled wryly. “I’ll just work as an acting coach and consultant for film crews. Every now and then, I can appear as a guest. Director Zu invited me here today to watch some footage.”

So that was it.

Lin Xing had been wondering why Kong Tian was there.

The two walked along chatting, then, guided by a studio employee, arrived at the screening room.

“A-Xing is here.”

“A-Xing, when did you get back?”

“A-Xing, wait a little longer. We’ll watch it after Ren Yi arrives.”

…

As soon as he entered the screening room, Lin Xing saw Zu Ming, Feng Wei, Situ Hui, and several others already there.

Oh, and Feng Qing too.

Clearly, Feng Qing had been brought along by his parents to broaden his horizons.

For some reason, however, the way Feng Qing was looking at Lin Xing was hard to describe. It seemed almost as though he were taking pleasure in someone else’s misfortune.

What was this idiot thinking?

“I got back this morning.”

Lin Xing smiled. “The *Portraits of Murder* production is rushing to finish filming too, so I wrapped up the night shoot last night and flew back first thing this morning.”

“Look at A-Xing. He’s been rushing back and forth and still looks full of energy. Now look at you. You stay cooped up at home every day and still complain that you’re tired.”

Feng Wei turned toward Feng Qing and spoke irritably.

Feng Qing: “???”

Why was he getting dragged into this too?

“What are you doing? Qing has been working hard enough these past few days.”

Situ Hui was annoyed that her husband had criticized their son in front of so many people, and hurriedly defended him. “Qing has been auditioning for roles and practicing his acting at the company these past few days. How can you say he’s been sitting around at home every day?”

Feng Wei said, “I… Heh-heh. I was only speaking out of anger.”

“Young people need to be taught gradually. There’s no need to rush…”

As Zu Ming spoke, he even used his own daughter as an example, saying that children needed time to make mistakes and learn from them.

While they were talking, Ren Yi arrived as well.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry. The traffic was absolutely terrible. In the end, I had to unlock a shared electric bike and ride here.”

Ren Yi apologized the moment he entered. He had thought he would arrive just in time.

Instead, he had miscalculated badly.

Since Wang Fei and Song Wen could not make it, these were the only people in the screening room today.

Situ Hui and Kong Wen were not official members of the production team.

There were Ren Yi, Feng Wei, and Lin Xing, as well as Feng Qing, who was off to the side playing with his phone. Of course, neither Zu Ming nor any of the publicity staff counted him among the participants.

“All right. Since everyone is here, let’s begin.”

Zu Ming nodded lightly and spoke to the publicity staff.

“Of course, Director Zu.”

The staff turned off the lights, and everyone watched several preview clips.

A few trailers had already been released online, but at tomorrow’s premiere press conference, they would certainly have to show at least two more.

The premiere press conference was primarily for publicity. Its purpose was to tell viewers what the drama’s main selling points were.

At present, the main attraction of *Black Tide Sweep* was exactly what its title suggested: the campaign against organized crime and corruption. The fates of its characters were at once tragic and intensely dramatic.

In the end, everyone decided to edit two trailers.

One would be the inspirational “Eradicate Crime and Corruption” version, focusing mainly on the inspection team’s storyline while also revealing the hypocrisy within officialdom.

The other would be the “Character Fates” version, centered on the tangled destinies of Shen Ming, Yu Feng, Zhou Bo, and the others. This trailer would be bloodier and bolder.

That evening, everyone had dinner together in a private room at a restaurant near Zu Ming’s studio, discussing the premiere press conference scheduled for the following day.

Since the press conference was so important, Zu Ming, as the director, asked everyone to drink sparingly.

The gathering ended at around nine o’clock.

On the way home, Lin Xing called Sister Blade.

“I’m on my way back. You can get a good night’s sleep tonight.”

“All right.”

Sister Blade gave him a few brief reminders before hanging up.

“Everyone, let’s work a little harder tonight.”

But Sister Blade did not sleep. Instead, she sent a message in the work group.

Not only that, she also sent five enormous red packets.

“Thank you, Sister Blade. It’s no trouble at all.”

“Thank you, Sister Blade. You’re incredible.”

…

Everyone was immediately filled with renewed enthusiasm.

The best way to ignite an employee’s fighting spirit was simple:

Money.

That night, it was not only Sister Blade’s team that stayed up late. Some people were also waiting to celebrate the arrival of the New Year.

The annual sense of ceremony had to be observed.

As for Lin Xing, he went home, took a shower, switched his phone to silent mode, and went to sleep.

He was afraid people would send him New Year’s greetings.

The next day, *Black Tide Sweep* once again climbed onto the trending list. Of course, another major production, *School Dad, School Mom*, appeared there as well.

*School Dad, School Mom* was scheduled to premiere on January 5, airing exclusively on Tan Province Television, with online distribution through Little Deer Video and EasyView Video.

The slogan of its scheduling trailer was:

“In 2024, say goodbye to anxiety. Say goodbye to pushing children into endless competition.”

There was no denying that raising children had become extraordinarily expensive. That was precisely why so many people were afraid to have children. And *School Dad, School Mom* struck directly at the anxieties of countless parents.

Everyone else was competing. Everyone else was enrolling their children in training courses.

So what about you?

As a result, both *Black Tide Sweep* and *School Dad, School Mom* appeared on the day’s trending list.

Naturally, the other major television networks were also preparing their New Year flagship dramas, so the trending list became a contest in which everyone took turns appearing.

Lin Xing saw the announcement for *School Dad, School Mom* while on his way to the Daxing International Center.

What a coincidence.

Still, he was not surprised.

According to Guan Peng, Lin Xing had quite a substantial role in *School Dad, School Mom*. And when they had recorded the finale of *Let’s Farm*, Guan Peng had said that the drama might become the major New Year hit.

“A-Xing, don’t accept any interviews from the media outside the Daxing International Center later. Ignore them. We’ll go straight into the venue. There will be an exclusive interview inside.”

As the makeup artist worked on Lin Xing’s face, Sister Blade continued reminding him of the arrangements.

“Mm.”

Lin Xing nodded lightly.

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Even so, he had underestimated the crowds outside the Daxing International Center. The production had even hired security personnel specifically to maintain order.

After learning that the premiere press conference would be held there that day, many media outlets had arrived early. The credentialed media who were allowed inside were one matter; there were also plenty of reporters outside.

In addition, several internet celebrities and livestreamers were broadcasting from the scene.

A great many of Lin Xing’s fans had come too.

When Lin Xing appeared, the entire venue erupted in screams.

What was popularity?

This was popularity.

Escorted by security, Lin Xing headed toward the inner venue. But he still stopped for a moment to sign autographs for some fans.

As the saying went, Lin Xing’s autographs were not worth much.

While signing, he urged everyone not to scream and reminded them, “Remember, never buy my autographed photos on the secondhand market. I’m telling you, my autographs aren’t worth anything. Don’t push. Stay safe…”

“Teacher Lin, we have to go.”

The security personnel had no choice but to urge him onward.

“Sorry. Let me finish this one.”

“Teacher Lin, could I take a photo with you?”

“Sure.”

Lin Xing took the phone of a fan near the front, snapped a photo with them, and handed it back.

In this manner, it took Lin Xing a full thirty minutes to reach the venue for the premiere press conference.

The seats had all been labeled in advance. Lin Xing’s seat was in the second row.

In the first row, besides the leading actors Ren Yi, Wang Fei, and Song Wen, sat Zu Ming, Liao Qingshan, and the other principal members of *Black Tide Sweep*.

There were also senior executives from the content and publicity departments of Penguin Video.

The atmosphere was fairly lively. Everyone chatted among themselves. In addition to the cast and crew of *Black Tide Sweep*, several other guests had been invited, including a number of celebrities who had come to lend their support.

It was similar to a film premiere inviting a group of stars to come onstage and say a few words.

But Zu Ming did not engage in that sort of empty showmanship. He had made the same point to Penguin Video: the quality of *Black Tide Sweep* could withstand scrutiny.

Everything would be clear that evening.

“A-Xing, come sit in the front row.”

Seeing Lin Xing seated in the second row, Zu Ming smiled. “You and Ren Yi will be going onstage later.”

“Uh…”

Lin Xing hurriedly stood and moved to sit beside Ren Yi.

“Brother Yi, Teacher Shang, Teacher Wang, Teacher Song…”

As he rose, Lin Xing greeted the veteran actors one by one.

“A-Xing, sit beside me.”

Zu Ming had Lin Xing take the seat next to him.

Quite a few people at the venue noticed this. The actors who had shared scenes with Lin Xing in *Black Tide Sweep*, particularly Wang Fei, Ren Yi, and Shang Xia, were not surprised.

The others, however, were puzzled.

“Just as I thought. Just as I thought.”

Watching the scene, Fu Shu became even more certain.

Zu Ming was obviously planning to have Lin Xing shoulder the attention and the backlash.

Fu Shu himself had once been in the same position. During filming, he had sincerely believed that his performance was quite good. Most of his scenes had been completed in a single take.

If there had truly been a problem, Zu Ming would surely have pointed it out.

Later, Fu Shu understood. The director believed that the level of one’s acting was simply the level one had reached. No matter how much more he coached you, it would not be of any use.

You had already done your best.

Fu Shu felt Lin Xing was in exactly the same situation.

At the wrap party, Fu Shu had warned Lin Xing. Their relationship was only so-so, so Fu Shu felt that offering the warning once had already been a generous gesture.

Looking at the recent public opinion—or rather, the public opinion of the past several months—Fu Shu could hardly imagine the storm of abuse Lin Xing was about to endure.

“Brother Fu, you were right. Lin Xing has no idea how serious the situation is.”

Feng Qing had appeared beside Fu Shu at some point. He smiled and said, “Lin Xing is still over there feeling pleased with himself.”

“Qing, when did you get here?”

Fu Shu looked at Feng Qing in surprise. “How come I didn’t see you just now?”

“I’ve been here for a while. My parents are still outside giving interviews. Do they really have to show off their affection every single time?”

Feng Qing spoke dismissively. “I just came in by myself.”

“Heh.”

Fu Shu chuckled twice. Feng Qing could complain about his own parents, but Fu Shu could not. After all, he was the junior.

“I’m going to see what kind of abuse Lin Xing gets after the premiere tonight.”

Feng Qing was rather looking forward to it.

At first, he had thought Lin Xing’s acting was quite good. He could not say they were exactly evenly matched, but they were at least on the same level.

Then, after chatting with Fu Shu, he had found Fu Shu’s argument convincing. No matter how talented Lin Xing was, could he really surpass major figures like Ren Yi, Wang Fei, and Shang Xia?

Every one of them had acting skills far beyond the ordinary.

Moreover, Fu Shu had used himself as an example, which made Feng Qing feel that the situation truly was as Fu Shu described.

Combined with the analyses circulating online, Feng Qing believed that Lin Xing would be cursed out mercilessly after the drama premiered that night.

The thought put Feng Qing in an excellent mood.

He had truly had enough of his parents using Lin Xing as an example.

Apart from being a tiny bit more handsome than me, in what way is he better than I am?

“Qing, why didn’t you answer when I called you?”

At that moment, Situ Hui hurried over. “I thought you were still outside.”

“Mom, you told me to put my phone on silent as soon as I came in. Besides, I’m an adult now. Could you stop treating me like a child?”

Feng Qing was speechless.

“All right, all right. Come on, let’s find our seats.”

Situ Hui greeted Fu Shu before taking Feng Qing by the arm and leading him to find a place.

By then, Lin Xing was already chatting with Zu Ming and Ren Yi.

He happened to be seated between them.

“Little Lin, you should be mentally prepared.”

Ren Yi, speaking as someone with experience, said, “I think a lot of viewers are going to curse you for playing this villain.”

Unlike Fu Shu, who thought Lin Xing would be mocked and even abused because his acting was poor, Ren Yi had a different opinion. He believed Lin Xing would be cursed because he had played the villain too well.

Playing a villain could make an actor famous, but it could also provoke abuse if the performance was too convincing.

Why did so many popular stars, and even many veteran actors, avoid playing truly evil characters? Even when they did play villains, they usually chose villains whom the audience would sympathize with.

Zhou Bo in the script had originally been a villain driven to evil by desperation. But Lin Xing had portrayed him as someone born thoroughly wicked.

No matter how handsome Lin Xing was, he was bound to be cursed viciously this time.

Ren Yi knew that from experience.

Twenty years earlier, he had risen to fame by playing the underworld boss Liang Weiqiang in *Savage Expansion*, a notorious villain who had made his name overnight. But that character had redeeming qualities: he valued loyalty and sentiment, and even when he killed, he only killed evil men.

Zhou Bo, the character played by Lin Xing, was different.

He was genuinely steeped in evil. During his scenes with Lin Xing, Ren Yi had sometimes become so immersed in playing Yu Feng that he felt furious himself.

“Thank you, Brother Yi. I understand.”

Lin Xing smiled lightly. “An actor serves the character. And if I’m cursed because of a role, that proves from the opposite direction that I played it well.”

“Good. As long as you have that attitude.”

Ren Yi patted Lin Xing on the shoulder and laughed. “Though I’m curious to see what public opinion will look like after the premiere tonight.”

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At present, public opinion unanimously believed that Lin Xing was no good. Some even claimed that he had been forced into the production by investors, a statement that made Ren Yi want to laugh.

These people truly did not understand Zu Ming.

As they spoke, the premiere press conference was about to begin.

This was not merely a recorded event. Penguin Video was also livestreaming it.

The entire event would be broadcast live.

To ensure that the press conference proceeded smoothly, the production had specially invited the well-known host He Qiu to serve as moderator.

At two in the afternoon, the premiere press conference officially began.

He Qiu first went onstage to give a brief opening speech, then introduced a number of officials who had supported *Black Tide Sweep* during filming. Institutions such as the Supreme Court and the Commission for Discipline Inspection had provided the production with considerable assistance.

He Qiu then introduced the representatives from Penguin Video, followed by the principal cast and crew of *Black Tide Sweep*.

After that, everyone was invited to watch the first trailer.

When the three-minute trailer ended, waves of applause filled the venue.

He Qiu invited Zu Ming and Liao Qingshan onto the stage to speak, focusing mainly on the drama’s creation and production.

After all, one was the director and the other the screenwriter.

The representatives from Penguin Video then took the stage as well. They declared that they had always believed content was king, and that a drama like *Black Tide Sweep* was something they would absolutely support to the fullest.

…

The press conference lasted an hour and twenty-five minutes. The host followed the program according to schedule, and at the forty-minute mark, the second short clip was shown.

It was the character feature.

The livestream comments became even more animated.

The editing was excellent, but more importantly, it generated an overwhelming sense of anticipation. Every character possessed a unique magnetism.

“Now, let us welcome the leading actors of *Black Tide Sweep*—Ren Yi, Wang Fei, Song Wen, Feng Wei, Shang Xia, and Lin Xing—to the stage to share their thoughts with us…”

After the trailer ended, He Qiu returned to the stage. At her words, the atmosphere in the venue reached its climax.

The livestream comments exploded as well.

Some cursed Lin Xing, some defended him, and the two sides began insulting each other.

Clearly, fans were watching the livestream, and so were the haters.

“I found this drama very satisfying to film. Director Zu is extremely serious and pays close attention to detail. Whenever he feels that a scene isn’t good enough, he’ll make you shoot it several more times. Sometimes he’ll even ask you to perform it repeatedly in completely different ways.”

Ren Yi spoke first. At the end, he added, “My character is a people’s police officer who endures humiliation and hardship. He always remembers why he joined the force. Even when faced with all kinds of difficulties, threats, and temptations—even when everyone around him has died—he still refuses to abandon his original purpose…”

His speech won another round of applause.

Wang Fei needed no prompting. He said that he played an underground emperor, but that his evil existed in the shadows. The person whose wickedness was exposed in plain sight was someone else.

As he spoke, Wang Fei handed the topic over to Lin Xing.

“Teacher Lin, how does it feel to play a villain for the first time?”

He Qiu also smiled as she asked, “If you had to describe your character in one sentence, how would you describe him?”

“Actually, I feel much the same as Brother Yi. I don’t find playing a villain particularly difficult. The truly difficult part is what happens outside the drama, because my character was also adapted from many real cases. The more research I did, the more I felt that people like him were utterly detestable…”

Lin Xing continued, “If I had to describe this character in one sentence, I would say that he is a demon who has committed every imaginable evil.”

…

“Wait, did Lin Xing misunderstand Zhou Bo?”

“Exactly. In the original novel, it was obvious that Zhou Bo was forced into it.”

“This is over. I’m afraid Lin Xing is going to completely ruin the role. Based on his interpretation alone, I don’t believe he can play Zhou Bo well.”

…

Even the casual viewers in the livestream were somewhat stunned.

Lin Xing’s interview had clearly made many people harbor a faint sense of doubt about his understanding of the character.

At 3:20, the *Black Tide Sweep* premiere press conference came to an end. But the end of the press conference did not mean the livestream was over.

The production still wanted to promote the drama as much as possible.

So, after taking photographs and group pictures, everyone continued livestreaming under Zu Ming’s leadership, previewing that evening’s plot without giving away any major spoilers.

“I can only say this much: tonight, be sure to tune in to Beijing Television and Shanghai Television. The first two episodes are packed with high points and constantly overturn expectations. And remember to watch the first six episodes on Penguin Video…”

…

The livestream did not last much longer. It ended after approximately forty minutes.

By then, less than four hours remained before the premiere.

The online publicity campaign had already been fully launched.

The drama had appeared on the Weibo trending list during the press conference itself.

The publicity was much the same as before, but it remained sufficiently compelling.

At 7:45 that evening, even some people who normally rarely watched television were sitting in front of their screens.

After all, *Black Tide Sweep* would not become available on streaming platforms until ten o’clock. On Beijing Television and Shanghai Television, however, it was premiering promptly at 7:45.

Just as Zu Ming had said during the livestream, the first episode began with an explosive sequence.

The provincial inspection team was coming to Jinghai City to eradicate organized crime and corruption. Jinghai was supposedly a civilized city year after year, with the lowest crime rate in the province year after year. Yet someone had continued reporting it to the authorities.

Then the scene shifted.

Before the inspection team had even arrived, Shen Ming had already obtained the complete list of its members.

“Don’t rush. If they know how to behave, we’ll let them leave with their dignity intact.”

Shen Ming smiled. “Just like before. It’s nothing more than money and women.”

The person reporting to him was Shen Ming’s adviser.

At that point, Shen Ming turned to someone else and asked, “Has it been taken care of?”

“Mr. Shen, it’s already been handled.”

The subordinate hurriedly answered.

“Is her daughter at university now?”

Shen Ming thought for a moment. “Tell Zhou Bo to find a way to take control of Qi Nan’s daughter.”

…

The scene shifted almost immediately.

Inside a karaoke club, two people were kneeling before Zhou Bo, played by Lin Xing.

A man and a woman.

“Brother Bo, it was all my fault. Please, please let Wu Ning go.”

The man knelt before Lin Xing and begged desperately. He had clearly been beaten badly; his body was covered in wounds.

The attractive woman, by contrast, appeared to be in somewhat better condition.

“All right. No problem.”

Lin Xing suddenly smiled. “You’re my brother, after all. You made a mistake, but I forgive you.”

As he spoke, Lin Xing walked over to the attractive woman and handed her a knife.

“Don’t be afraid. Go send my brother on his way, and I’ll let you go.”

The woman hesitated for barely a moment before taking the knife and walking toward the man.

“I’m sorry. I, I…”

…

Many people watching *Black Tide Sweep* were completely stunned by Lin Xing’s entrance.

Especially by his madness—or rather, his cruelty.

Because Lin Xing did not let the woman go in the end. Instead, he forced her to entertain customers.

What the hell? Was this really Lin Xing?

…

…

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