Xiao He still obediently bundled himself up properly.
Liu Zehang was with him too.
The two unfortunate brothers exchanged a look, both showing bitter smiles.
Then they remembered they were both wearing sun protection face veils, so neither could see the other's bitter smile.
Heh, well that's good—makes their plight even more pitiful.
"Brother Xiao, umbrella!"
Assistant Xiao Chen perceptively handed Xiao He a sun umbrella.
"Thank you."
Xiao He smiled helplessly, took the umbrella from Xiao Chen, then pulled his luggage along as he followed the main group heading out.
"Xiao He! Xiao He!"
But just as they stepped out of the hall, Xiao He heard several girls shouting his name not far away.
Xiao He: ?
He turned his head and saw several girls standing about three to four meters away, all uniformly holding up their phones filming him. When they saw Xiao He looking at them, the girls excitedly waved their hands.
Xiao He felt puzzled.
Liu Zehang, walking alongside him, marveled: "Damn, your fans actually chased you all the way here?"
Xiao He shook his head: "Judging by their outfits, they probably just happened to run into us on the road."
But he was covered up like this—even he might not recognize himself in a photo. How did these fans actually identify him?
Could it really be like that saying, "I'd recognize my idol even if he turned to ashes"...?
He signaled to Liu Rulan, then proactively pushed his luggage over to the girls: "How did you recognize me?"
To make it easier for them to film, he specifically removed his sun protection face veil.
One of the girls covered her mouth while giggling: "Brother Xiao, haven't you noticed? You really love carrying this backpack when you go out."
Xiao He paused, then looked down at his backpack straps: "That works?"
"Brother Xiao, nine out of ten of your candid photos show you with this backpack," another fan said seriously. "We all say this backpack is your true form!"
Xiao He: "...Huh? Wait, my candid photos?"
Although he did love carrying a backpack for his computer... when did he have so many candid photos?
Fan: "There are lots! Especially during the Hidden Star Shines production—we managed to get many candid photos of you!"
"That time—"
"Yeah! Su Shengxi and Yi Man'er's dedicated photographers are super amazing! While photographing them, they also captured some candid shots of Brother Xiao!"
One girl smiled, her eyes curving into crescents.
Xiao He frowned.
He had heard Liu Rulan talk about dedicated photographers before.
So-called dedicated photographers are essentially people commissioned by fans to go on-site and take photos or videos of celebrities.
But as this industry developed, dedicated photography gradually became an unhealthy business. These photographers upgraded to professional dedicated photographers, and in pursuit of better shots and exclusive content, they would take extreme risks and do all sorts of crazy things.
Sometimes when you see those celebrity-chasing videos online where fans swarm after stars like zombies besieging a city, with frenzied behavior that nearly tears the celebrities apart—actually, a large portion of those people are professional dedicated photographers.
They don't actually love these celebrity idols; everything is for money. Their attitude toward star-chasing naturally isn't great, and they'll push relentlessly toward the celebrities just to get better photos than others.
Back when Xiao He was on the Hidden Star Shines set, he had seen Su Shengxi's dedicated photographers. During a Republican-era street gunfight scene, one dedicated photographer somehow climbed an electric pole in the restricted area, hugging the pole while aiming a camera as long as a shotgun, frantically "shooting" at them.
Xiao He admitted he was deeply shocked in that moment.
But when he learned from Liu Rulan how much dedicated photographers charge, Xiao He was shocked again.
High-quality private candid photos from these photographers start at thousands, with even single photos selling for hundreds. Some particularly skilled dedicated photographers can make dozens of thousands in one go, running a business comparable to robbery.
Looking back at their frenzied behavior, everything suddenly made sense.
But Xiao He never expected he would benefit from Su Shengxi's popularity and have dedicated photographers taking candid shots of him.
"You... how much did you spend?" Xiao He asked carefully, then pulled out his phone. "Let me transfer the money back to you. Please don't seek out dedicated photographers in the future. I only have a few regular outfits in my wardrobe anyway, and my candid photos aren't interesting. Just watch my work instead."
"No need, no need—"
The fans waved their hands repeatedly.
"We didn't buy them."
One fan scratched her head sheepishly. "There's a big fan sister in our group who really likes you. She bought many candid photos and shared them with everyone for free, so we all got to see them."
Xiao He was surprised.
A big fan?
Wow, he had big fans now?
He always felt those star-chasing terms would never apply to him.
"Then also—"
"Xiao He, time to go."
Liu Rulan walked over and interrupted what Xiao He was about to say.
Xiao He glanced at Liu Rulan, then turned back to the fans with a smile: "Sorry, I need to go now."
He then extended his hand: "Since I don't have time for signatures, let's take a group photo together. Thank you for your support, and I wish you all a pleasant journey."
The fans happily handed over a phone, and Xiao He took photos with them. After returning the phone, he waved goodbye.
Once they were outside, Xiao He asked Liu Rulan: "Sister Liu, why didn't you let me finish?"
Liu Rulan said calmly: "I've already privately contacted that big fan. You don't need to worry about her."
Xiao He: "???"
He looked at Liu Rulan with disbelief: "Isn't private contact with fans considered a capital offense?"
Liu Rulan glanced at him sideways: "It wasn't you who contacted her. Brokerage teams contacting big fans has long been standard practice in the industry. Don't make such a fuss—how else do you think big fans manage to get such detailed artist schedule information and internal news every time?"
Xiao He: "..."
Alright, he was being naive.
"But why did Sister Liu contact her?"
"It was about these dedicated photographer matters." Liu Rulan cleared her throat lightly. "As your manager, I naturally need to understand these situations clearly. If there are any potential PR risks, I need to prepare in advance."
Actually, some dedicated photographers are even cultivated by brokerage teams themselves.
While Xiao He doesn't need such tactics now, Liu Rulan's previous artist was Su Shengxi!
The manager of a top idol has seen all sorts of absurd things...
Xiao He looked at Liu Rulan suspiciously: "You seem kind of strange. Is there something you haven't finished saying?"
Liu Rulan: "...Maybe this is somewhat self-humiliating. Are you sure you want to hear it?"
Xiao He: "?"
Now he absolutely had to hear it.
"Go ahead."
"This big fan—actually both of us know her." Liu Rulan said. "She's Insomniac for Xi."
Xiao He paused, turned the name over in his mind, then suddenly understood: "That big fan who organized campaigns against Su Shengxi before actively leaving the fandom?"
"Yes, that's her."
Liu Rulan nodded.
Xiao He was confused: "Then how did she end up with me?"
"As Su Shengxi's former big fan, she bought many of his candid photos. Since you had many scenes with Su Shengxi, the dedicated photographers bundled and gave her many of your candid photos along with his."
Xiao He: ? Huh? I became a free gift?
Liu Rulan comfortingly patted Xiao He's shoulder: "She felt bad about previously leading fans to do many things that wronged you. To make up for it, she infiltrated your fan group and shared these materials with everyone for free. Unexpectedly, everyone became so enthusiastic they directly defined her as a wealthy big fan. She worried her true identity would create awkwardness if exposed, so she just went along with it."
Xiao He: ...