Chapter 118: Karmic Blessings, A Vivid Demonstration of How to Stand Against the World for One's Brother

Zheng Zhou possesses a merchant’s mindset. Although he is an actor, he manages his own shops, invests in film and television projects, writes his own scripts, and produces variety shows; everything is driven by profit.

Zheng Zhou looks only at reality.

While he and Guan Peng were classmates, he never once thought of helping Guan Peng during the many years Guan Peng’s career was in decline. Yet, now that Guan Peng has regained some popularity thanks to *Back to the Land*, he is willing to lend a hand.

This is not an isolated case in the entertainment industry, and Zheng Zhou is actually one of the better ones—at the very least, he never blocked Guan Peng’s number.

As Guan Peng said to Lin Xing while drinking after the recording of *Back to the Land* concluded, no one owes you anything; if others help you, it is out of kindness, and if they don’t, it is their prerogative.

During the years Guan Peng was out of favor, many of his former friends in the industry deleted him. The entertainment circle is even more realistic than other circles.

Lin Xing agrees with this point, just as his own friends from over the years have been deleting and blocking him one by one.

Setting aside Lin Xing and Hong Peng, take Feng Gang, a man who has been grinding in the industry for decades. After he was kicked out by Tan Provincial Satellite TV, wasn't he also promptly blocked by many people?

So, when you evaluate people, you shouldn’t fear comparison. Looking at it this way, don’t you think Zheng Zhou is actually pretty decent?

"Xiao Mi, please stop recording the discussion from here on out..."

In the conference room, everyone was already acquainted. Lin Xing realized they were all familiar faces. Yes, they were all familiar faces from *The Raging Wave of Sweeping Black*. Ren Yi, Cao Xiang, Wu Jun, Zhao Lili, and Xu Rong—five people in total.

It turned out that for the first two episodes, Zheng Zhou had decided to capitalize on the popularity of *The Raging Wave of Sweeping Black*. After all, everyone agreed that the show’s heat was still quite high; even though it had concluded over half a month ago, the level of discussion on Weibo and the secondary creations on Bilibili and Weishi remained consistently high.

Just moments ago, Zheng Zhou had let Mi Ni record for over ten minutes, footage that could be edited into *A Day with Mi*. But it wasn't appropriate to continue. Zheng Zhou felt that what followed belonged to his own variety show.

"Got it." Mi Ni nodded gently, then instructed the cameraman to stop recording and told the staff to wait outside.

"Alright, everyone knows each other, so let me explain the itinerary for our upcoming variety show..." Zheng Zhou said with a smile. "Since the name is *Departure Now*, we will be recording a spontaneous departure tomorrow, and we’ll be choosing some locations at random..."

One of the selling points of this show is its focus on being unexpected. But it cannot be truly spontaneous, so Zheng Zhou needed to coordinate with the actors beforehand.

At the same time, Zheng Zhou reminded everyone, "Our show has a framework, but no script. Everyone can improvise freely. Our first stop will be Tan Province, the place where you all filmed..."

Lin Xing suddenly asked, "Brother Zhou, if we go to Tan Province, could we drop by Dafeng Mountain along the way?"

With the Lunar New Year approaching, Lin Xing felt that the children in Dafeng Mountain wouldn’t have it as hard this year. For one, the show *Following Stars for Poverty Alleviation* had filmed several episodes there, and the reception after it aired was quite good. Furthermore, [Dima Electric Vehicles] had donated both vehicles and other supplies to the area. Not to mention that [Dima Electric Vehicles] had set up a one-on-one donation program for the school. This move had put the reputation of [Dima Electric Vehicles] far ahead of the competition!

Lin Xing thought he would take the opportunity to visit while filming. If *Departure Now* didn’t want to film there, he would go on his own.

Zheng Zhou smiled. "No problem. Xing, bring it up again when we’re filming tomorrow."

Doing charity work always makes it easier to boost a show’s score. Why else do many artists rush to do charity when they get into trouble? Some artists even start their comebacks with public welfare work. Zheng Zhou had been wondering how to find more buzz for *Departure Now*, and now, Dafeng Mountain was a guaranteed hot topic.

An hour later, the discussion concluded, and everyone returned to prepare, planning to set off for Tan Province on time the next day. Then, Mi Ni accompanied Lin Xing as he left Zheng Zhou’s studio.

The recording was still ongoing.

"Sister Mi, do we still need to record?" Lin Xing asked with a smile in the car. "We’ve been recording for a whole day; I think there’s nothing left to say."

"Keep recording, because we have to record until we part ways," Mi Ni said. "Even if there’s nothing to say, we can just chat."

"Chat..." As Lin Xing spoke, his phone rang. "Is it okay if I take this call?"

"It’s fine, but if it’s inconvenient, I’ll stop the recording," Mi Ni said, shaking her head.

"Nothing inconvenient, it’s Hong Fei’s call," Lin Xing said with a smile, then answered.

"Xing, are you busy?" Hong Fei asked with a laugh on the other end.

Lin Xing replied, "I’m currently filming a show."

"Oh?" Hong Fei was a bit surprised. "Did I interrupt? Maybe I should call back later."

"No need, Brother Hong. I’m filming *A Day with Mi*, and coincidentally, I was just promoting your movie on the show..." Lin Xing said with a smile.

"Hahaha, you’re a loyal friend. Actually, I called because of the movie..." Hong Fei said. "We’re having an early screening on the 4th of next month, and I’d like to invite you to come and watch it..."

Lin Xing replied, "Sure, if I have time, I’ll definitely be there."

"Good, talk later then." Hong Fei hung up after a few more words.

The Lunar New Year movie season is always a fierce battlefield. Often, movie PR campaigns pull out all the stops, some even resorting to underhanded tactics; most of it is a life-or-death struggle.

One of the strategies is the "early screening." This involves small-scale screenings before the official release, usually done by those who are confident in their film. Some films continue these screenings until the official release to secure more screen time, then rely on word-of-mouth to grab a larger share of the market once it officially opens. However, some films see their reputations collapse during these screenings and are essentially finished before they even officially begin.

Currently, the PR campaigns for the films in the Spring Festival slot have officially begun, and every year it is a chaotic mess; this year is no exception. A film like *Fishing Operation*, which has no traffic-driven artists in its cast, doesn’t have much buzz, but the actors are all powerhouses. They decided to hold early screenings in ten cities on the Saturday and Sunday of the 3rd of next month. As the only film in the Spring Festival season to hold early screenings, it fully demonstrated their confidence in their own quality.

At 6:00 PM, Mi Ni officially ended the recording.

"Xing, I won’t join you for dinner. I want to air this episode on Sunday, February 4th," Mi Ni told Lin Xing.

Lin Xing was a bit stunned. "Sister Mi, is the 4th feasible? There aren’t many days left."

"It’s fine; it’s just that selecting the material will be harder. I’ll have the post-production team work a few extra days to try and select more footage. I think today’s recording can be cut into two episodes..." Mi Ni said with a smile. "At the very least, it can be cut into two."

"Alright," Lin Xing said. "See you tomorrow then."

"Yes, see you tomorrow." After Mi Ni said this, she had the cameraman shoot a closing shot before leaving with her team.

"Let’s go, Xiao Nan. You’ve worked hard today, let’s go grab a bite to eat together," Lin Xing said to Xiao Nan, who had been following him all day.

"Sure, but Brother Xing, let me call Sister Dao first. She told me I must report to her as soon as the recording ends..." Xiao Nan said hurriedly.

"I’ll tell her," Lin Xing said, calling Sister Dao. He explained the situation and mentioned the early screening of Hong Fei’s movie.

"Good, that works. Although *Fishing Operation* has no traffic artists and low buzz, I’ve heard from some theater managers who have seen it that the movie might be a hit; at the very least, the box office could reach one billion," Sister Dao said. "After all, you and Hong Fei have a bond from *Back to the Land*, so supporting him is fine. As for Zheng Zhou’s show, just treat it like a vacation. Zheng Zhou is a smart man; he knows how to film a variety show best."

Clearly, Sister Dao had a high opinion of Zheng Zhou. She only urged Lin Xing to be cautious in his words and actions, as things are not what they used to be, and countless people are waiting for Lin Xing to make a mistake.

"Weibo is already starting to warm up for tomorrow’s promotional video, aiming to step on you," Sister Dao said. "I’ve already prepared the defense."

"Yeah, I saw it," Lin Xing said nonchalantly. "I can only say they really love me."

"Who’s to say they don’t?" Sister Dao laughed with a hint of mockery. "We are no longer in the same lane as them, yet they still insist on treating us as competitors."

Speaking of which, Sister Dao laughed again. "Actually, *Fishing Operation* might even help us, but I haven’t marketed that because we don’t need to."

"Right, let’s not go to extra trouble," Lin Xing nodded gently.

After a few more words, Lin Xing hung up and opened Weibo.

#Southeast Asia Promotional Video Releasing Tomorrow#
#Let’s Go to Sawatdee-ka for the Spring Festival Together#
#Everyone Remember to Support Li Xingchi’s First Promotional Video Tomorrow#
...
#My Dear Han-han has made it, he’s become the Tourism Ambassador for Sawatdee-ka#
#The Sawatdee-ka Travel Promotional Video filmed by Xu Han, Hao Ming, and Li Xingchi will go live tomorrow#
...

I have to admit, the hot search presence is fully loaded. They are quite willing to spend money to buy hot searches. Meanwhile, the fans are doing everything possible to control the comments, blacklist people, and mock Lin Xing.

The three fanbases have reached a rare strategic alliance because of Lin Xing. How should I put it? It fits the style of fan circles perfectly: if we have a common enemy, then we are good friends.

Among these topics, you can’t see any comments from ordinary passersby at all. Things like "Is it still safe to visit Sawatdee-ka now?", "Why have I heard that people get their kidneys harvested there?", or "Are you going there to see ladyboys or to be one?" have completely disappeared.

Approaching the Spring Festival, Sawatdee-ka naturally wanted to use promotional videos to attract people to visit. However, due to telecommunications fraud, and the principle of "better safe than sorry," many people are actually reluctant to go there.

So they thought about inviting some domestic "little fresh meat" idols to film a few promotional videos. They had originally intended to invite Lin Xing, but Lin Xing thought it wasn’t appropriate and declined. As for Li Xingchi, Xu Han, and Hao Zhi, they all agreed. In their view, being able to film such a promotional video is extremely beneficial for elevating their status. Besides, the so-called telecommunications fraud in Sawatdee-ka had been discussed online for a long time, and they felt it didn’t conflict with tourism.

Not only that, Li Xingchi had been waiting for this opportunity for a long time. He had always wanted to step on Lin Xing—he tried once before and ended up spraining his own ankle, and his agent even took the fall and ended up in trouble. This had created a grudge.

So, Li Xingchi had already had his agency buy a few negative hot searches against Lin Xing, claiming things like he wasn't qualified to film the promotional video. Xu Han and Hao Zhi thought the same. Neither of them actually knew Lin Xing; when Lin Xing was shooting for *Fashion Men’s Style* magazine, he hadn’t even heard of these two. The term "top traffic" has become cheap; every artist claims to be "top traffic." Precisely because of this, when *Fashion Men’s Style* was being promoted, Lin Xing found himself being torn apart by their fanbases for no apparent reason.

Are they crazy?! They don’t even know each other, yet they tore into him as if Lin Xing had slaughtered the entire families of Xu Han and Hao Zhi. Later, the sales of *Fashion Men’s Style* far exceeded those of the other two, and even though Lin Xing never said a word, he had slapped Xu Han and Hao Zhi’s faces swollen. Because of this, the grudge was set.

Success breeds jealousy, especially when you become more and more successful; you might not even know how many enemies you’ve made inadvertently. But it doesn’t matter, because these people only dare to play dirty tricks behind the scenes. If they ever met in person, they would have to respectfully call out, "Teacher Lin!" In terms of seniority, Lin Xing is a first-generation top-tier star. In terms of ability, he has already jumped out of the "traffic artist" box.

But behind his back, they are truly unconvinced. They only wish they could suppress Lin Xing. This promotional video was their chance.

The next day, among the top 10 hot searches, Li Xingchi, Xu Han, and Hao Zhi occupied one, each looking beautiful, with fans praising their own idols’ handsomeness. But passersby were completely stunned.

"My god, are the three of them really idiots? Promoting Sawatdee-ka at a time like this??"

"Yesterday I was wondering if it was just a promotional video, but these three are actually hyping up Sawatdee-ka so much."

"Really, they are always a step behind. It would have been fine to promote Sawatdee-ka a few years ago, but why promote it now??"

...

Currently, in the top 10 hot searches, Li Xingchi, Xu Han, and Hao Zhi occupy the first, third, and fourth spots.

1: #Li Xingchi Introduces Sawatdee-ka to You#
2: #Telecommunications Fraud is So Terrifying#
3: #But Xu Han Still Believes Sawatdee-ka is Quite Good#
4: #Hao Zhi Believes Not Visiting Sawatdee-ka is a Regret#

The hot searches are hilarious. The second hot search was also bought. The PR for *Fishing Operation* mainly focused on realism, pushing out all sorts of cases of people falling victim to telecommunications fraud. Not only that, but they also detailed what telecommunications fraud is and how the lure of high-paying jobs abroad works. People have also gradually come to understand the term "pig butchering plate."

In short, the hot searches today are quite comical. On one hand, Sawatdee-ka filmed a promotional video with three "top traffic" stars introducing that everyone can go abroad for the Spring Festival. On the other hand, *Fishing Operation* told everyone directly on the hot search that Southeast Asia is risky and to be careful when traveling. Not to mention the previous case of a wife being murdered in Sawatdee-ka. In short, terrifying cases always keep people on edge.

Under these circumstances, the plan by Li Xingchi, Xu Han, and Hao Zhi to step on Lin Xing not only failed, but they actually ended up doing Lin Xing a favor by acting as a foil.

"Laughing. Lin Xing has always been promoting anti-telecommunications fraud, so it’s impossible for him to film this promotional video."

"People are really different. Some do it for fame, but some still have a bottom line."

"Are the fans of these three still mocking Lin Xing??"

"Hahahaha, Lin Xing probably thinks, 'You can have this overflowing wealth,' and they actually took it."

...

The mockery and sarcasm from passersby might not have meant much initially, because at the time, there wasn't a consensus that people couldn't go abroad. After all, a few days ago, another celebrity posted a video of their family in Sawatdee-ka. Many people felt that as long as you visit through proper channels, theoretically, there shouldn't be any problems.

But the problem lay with the fans of these three. As mentioned before, they accepted the extreme fans of Lin Xing, and they accepted them frantically. Extreme fans have a most important talent: the ability to help their idol become an enemy of the entire world.

And so, seeing someone on the hot search mocking their idols, they started tearing into everyone.

"Don’t just follow the crowd. For so many years, Sawatdee-ka has always been like this. If you really got scammed, shouldn’t you reflect on why you were scammed? Did you work hard? Did you study telecommunications fraud knowledge?"

"The 'pig butchering plate' is just because you want handsome men and beautiful women, right? Why wasn't I scammed? If you weren't greedy for cheap deals, why would you be scammed?"

"How did Sawatdee-ka become a so-called telecommunications fraud city? How could you get your kidneys harvested? Do you think this is a movie? A bunch of losers who don't have the money to travel are just sour grapes."

...

Let’s just say, these are all examples of victim-blaming—you were scammed because you were at fault—or the theory that being poor is the original sin. Who wouldn't be angry seeing this???

Some passersby were completely enraged.

"F*** your mother, I was scammed for 30,000, and you’re implying I deserved it??"

"F*** your mother, do you want to look at what you’re saying? Just look at how many innocent people have been scammed at the police station!"

"Stupid fans, go to hell."

...

How should I put it? The cursing from passersby didn't make the extreme fans reflect; on the contrary, they felt they were right.

"Look, look, they’re anxious. They’re anxious because we poked the truth of their being scammed."

"Laughing to death. No one around me has been scammed. Besides, in this society, if you can’t make over 10,000 a month with hard work, isn’t it your own fault?"

"Exactly, and those people making 3,000 a month are criticizing our Xingchi? Do you even have the money to travel?"

...

Well. If the fans of Li Xingchi, Xu Han, and Hao Zhi had only talked about telecommunications fraud or suggested that fraud in Sawatdee-ka wasn't that rampant, passersby wouldn't have been angry. But instead, their first wave denied that there was telecommunications fraud there, explicitly stating that you were scammed because you were greedy and stupid. Then, their second wave stated that anyone earning less than 10,000 a month wasn't qualified to speak because they didn't have the money to travel. And for the third wave, they didn't listen to their official fan clubs' calls for calm; instead, they felt that it was because they were too calm in the past that they were bullied, and "look, now that we’ve fought back, everyone is speechless, right?"

...

Astounding. Even if Lin Xing had considered that Li Xingchi, Xu Han, and Hao Zhi might suffer some damage to their reputation by filming this, he never expected the fans to be so "helpful." In just two hours, the hot search exploded.

"Hahahaha..." Sister Dao couldn't stop laughing while talking to Lin Xing on the phone. "Xing, I really think this retribution is what they deserve. Back then, they kept mocking us, saying how we couldn't keep our fans, and their fan groups even said they would accept all fans..."

Indeed. When Lin Xing appealed to his extreme fans, Li Xingchi, Xu Han, and others, including several other top-tier stars, were all ridiculing Lin Xing. They thought, "If you, Lin Xing, don't want this overflowing wealth, we will take it."

So they actually took it. And then they ended up in this state.

"Originally, passersby were just a bit annoyed, but now they’re disgusted. I think the biggest winner right now is actually the movie *Fishing Operation*," Sister Dao said, unable to hold back her laughter.

It’s the truth. It’s as if these top-tier stars were helping *Fishing Operation* with its PR, and they were all scrambling to do it.

...

(End of chapter)