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Kacha! Kacha!
The sharp sound of a camera shutter echoed suddenly through the restaurant, accompanied by bursts of blinding flash.
A short, stocky young man stood behind the buffet counter, gripping a black DSLR camera in both hands, leaning forward with his backside sticking out, furiously pressing the shutter as if no one else existed, completely ignoring the fact that he was disturbing the other diners.
Several nearby waiters were stunned for a moment, then quickly came to their senses and rushed toward him in a fury.
This Marriott Hotel was part of an international five-star chain and, thanks to its location near Jinling Film & TV City, was a popular stay for celebrities filming nearby.
Naturally, hotel security was robust. For example, it was almost impossible for unauthorized people to get into the suite floors. However, the restaurant was open to the public, which meant paparazzi sneaking in for photos was practically routine.
If you wanted privacy, the best bet was to eat in a private dining room, but tonight, the celebrity the paparazzo was targeting happened to be eating in the open, leading to this minor commotion.
Before the staff could block him off, the paparazzo clutched his camera and bolted, showing off athletic skills fit for a track meet. In the blink of an eye, he vanished out the main entrance, leaving everyone behind powerless to stop him.
Watching this unfold, Lu Chen could only shake his head helplessly.
He was finally starting to truly understand the troubles that come with being a public figure.
Across from him, Chen Fei'er chuckled. "You'll get used to it. That's what you get for not choosing a private room!"
It was already quite late by the time they finished shooting for the day, so Lu Chen and Chen Fei'er had opted to grab dinner at the hotel restaurant. Since it was just the two of them and their assistants, only four people, they casually chose a spot in the main hall to eat.
They never expected a paparazzo had trailed them and would so brazenly sneak into the restaurant and take pictures out in the open.
Chances were, those photos would pop up online later that night on some entertainment news site, complete with a sensational headline hyping up another wave of dating rumors about him and Chen Fei'er.
These days, there had been a sudden spike in entertainment reporters lurking around the set of 'Autumn in My Heart'. The drama's promotions had reached fever pitch, and the Couples Cover Show launched by Haijin Satellite TV on Wave Blog had ignited a nationwide wave of self-filmed duet submissions.
According to rumors, tens of thousands of entries had already poured in, truly jaw-dropping.
The brainchild of Lu Chen, the contest had received unanimous praise. A mere 100 yuan in investment brought back a thousand times the value in exposure. Even Haijin Satellite TV's official blog followers skyrocketed as a result.
But with that popularity also came headaches, for both him and Chen Fei'er.
The public had become deeply curious about their relationship.
The root of it all? A while ago, the two had been photographed dining together in Jinling by paparazzi, which had already stirred up a storm of gossip. Although they had managed to clarify things and let the rumors die down, the seed had been planted.
Now they were co-starring in a drama, had recorded a duet together for the theme song… if no one suspected they were dating, that would be the real surprise!
Sitting with them at the table, Sister Zhang, their manager, remained calm. "Don't worry about it. Just release a statement when needed."
It was true that Lu Chen and Chen Fei'er were in a relationship. But openly admitting it right now wasn't the wisest choice either. The best approach was to go with the flow, not hide it but not confirm it too clearly either, wait for the right time when everything naturally falls into place.
As for rumors and gossip, let others talk. The two of them kept saying they were just close friends, like siblings, not a denial, but not a confirmation either. Letting the public get used to that narrative worked just fine.
In fact, many celebrity couples in the Chinese entertainment circle played this same game. As long as the media didn't catch intimate or overly affectionate moments on camera, this kind of intentional ambiguity was the best strategy.
It gave the media something to speculate about, but avoided drama from obsessive fans.
And if they ever broke up in the future? They could just laugh it off and say, "We were always just good friends. We never dated, so how could there be a breakup?"
In the entertainment industry, relationships forming and breaking apart was way too common. People who knew how to survive learned to wear a mask.
Those who didn't understand the game had no place in the circle.
Even if someone seemed genuine, odds were they were pretending.
So, even though the paparazzo had gotten a photo of Lu Chen and Chen Fei'er eating together tonight, it wasn't a big deal. Both of their assistants were present, and a simple explanation would smooth things over.
What really troubled Lu Chen wasn't public speculation, it was his family.
His sister Lu Xi already knew about the relationship, but she hadn't told their mother. Still, as rumors spread, friends and acquaintances in Binhai had begun asking his mom, Fang Yun, and even Lu Xue, about it.
"Is your Lu Chen really dating Chen Fei'er?"
Both Fang Yun and Lu Xue had called him yesterday and again today, pestering him until he was overwhelmed.
And with someone like Lu Xue, who couldn't keep her mouth shut, if he told her the truth, she'd probably blast it all over her friend group in five seconds.
"My sister-in-law is Chen Fei'er!"
Lu Chen could already picture his little sister bragging proudly to everyone she knew.
Being a celebrity and trying to date isn't easy at all.
After quickly finishing dinner, Lu Chen returned to his hotel suite.
Just as he made himself a cup of tea and sat down on the sofa, the door beeped with a soft "ding" before being pushed open from the outside.
Chen Fei'er slipped in gracefully.
Lu Chen's business suite came with two key cards. He carried one, and the other had been given to Chen Fei'er, who was staying in the room next door. The reason didn't need to be explained.
After closing the door, Chen Fei'er walked over to sit beside Lu Chen and gently asked, "Were you upset just now?"
Lu Chen chuckled, "Why would I be?"
He reached out and pulled her into his arms, breathing in her familiar scent, his heart feeling at peace and full of joy.
Having someone by your side like this… was such a comforting feeling.
Chen Fei'er leaned into his embrace and whispered, "What if we just go public with our relationship?"
Lu Chen gave her a kiss on the cheek and replied, "No rush. Let's take our time."
When it came to love, Lu Chen had always been serious and steady, especially given the special nature of his relationship with Chen Fei'er. It wasn't something to be taken lightly. If they hurt each other out of impatience or recklessness, it would only lead to regret.
In his heart, Lu Chen hoped that one day he'd achieve enough success and honor to truly match Chen Fei'er, and when that day came, he'd propose to her openly, with pride and dignity, in front of the world.
Maybe that sounded a little old-fashioned and masculine, but it was how he truly felt.
And Lu Chen believed that day wouldn't be far off.
Chen Fei'er nodded.
She understood the thoughts of the "little man" she now leaned on. And she didn't see anything wrong with it.
In fact, she was happy. A man without ambition or drive isn't worthy of her love.
"Let's check out the contest videos!" she suggested.
Lu Chen reluctantly pulled his hand back, still savoring the lingering touch of her soft skin.
Seeing the reluctant look on his face, Chen Fei'er stifled a laugh, leaned over to kiss him once more, and stood up: "I'll go get the laptop!"
With a flutter of fragrance, she floated off like a butterfly, and just as quickly returned, bringing back the laptop she had left in the study.
What they were about to watch together were, of course, the entries submitted for the Couples Cover Show contest.
As of now, over 50,000 entries have been uploaded to Wave Blog. Since the contest involved duet love songs, that meant over 100,000 participants, a staggering number.
And there were still five days left until the submission deadline. The total count would undoubtedly rise. While the grand prizes were certainly a big motivator, you couldn't deny the overwhelming enthusiasm from the public.
There was no way Lu Chen and Chen Fei'er could watch that many videos.
What they were actually viewing were the hand-picked entries curated by Haijin Satellite TV, entries considered outstanding or unique in some way.
And even those only made up less than 1% of the total submissions.
Although the first-round selection was done by public voting, the organizers also had the right to recommend standout videos.
Among those chosen few were many that made Lu Chen and Chen Fei'er genuinely impressed.
Sitting together on the sofa, cuddled up and watching couple after couple sing their song on screen, it was a strangely moving experience. Hard to describe in words.
If they had to describe it, maybe words like warm, beautiful, happy, and sweet would do.
But sweet, beautiful moments like these always flew by far too quickly.
In the blink of an eye, it was December 12th.
At 8:30 p.m., the TV drama 'Autumn in My Heart', written by and starring Lu Chen, with pop diva Chen Fei'er as the female lead, premiered on Haijin Satellite TV!
At the same time, it premiered on WeChat Video, one of the country's leading video streaming platforms.
As China's internet infrastructure rapidly expanded, online video platforms had grown explosively. Now, giants like YouVision, Tomato Video, and WeChat Video dominated the scene, each boasting tens of millions of registered users and steadily growing subscriber bases.
Unlike movies, the modern TV drama premiere model involved simultaneous release on TV and online platforms, allowing studios to sell broadcasting rights to both, and earn from both sides (though prices varied).
For 'Autumn in My Heart', YouVision and Tomato Video had shown interest, but their offers were underwhelming. Ultimately, WeChat Video, with its deep pockets, snatched the rights.
Among domestic video platforms, YouVision remained the undisputed market leader, holding the largest market share.
But WeChat Video, backed by a powerful corporate parent, was catching up fast, challenging YouVision fiercely. For them, the money paid to acquire 'Autumn in My Heart' was hardly significant.
That said, WeChat Video didn't treat the drama as a major promotional push either. They ran just three days of teaser ads on their homepage while putting their full marketing weight behind their own original drama, Sweetheart CEO.
As if by coincidence, or maybe not, the first episode of Season 2 of Urban Love (the show that rejected Lu Chen as a scriptwriter in the past) aired on Capital City TV at the exact same time.
(End of Chapter)
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