Chapter 29
Two days passed quickly.
On this sunny day, Lu Dingyun sat in the tea room outside his private dressing room at the film studio, Liu Ying beside him.
To fund his dream, Lu Dingyun had postponed his retirement plans, deciding to work for another two years, and had asked Liu Ying to find him suitable variety shows.
The news of Movie Emperor Lu’s variety show debut had attracted offers from almost every major program.
Liu Ying, unable to dissuade his nephew, carefully selected a few relatively relaxed and enjoyable shows.
Of course, all the shows knew the movie emperor was inseparable from his kitten and agreed to let him bring it along.
He handed Lu Dingyun the selected proposals. “These all seem good. The directors and investors are reputable, and they’re all S+ level projects.”
Lu Dingyun flipped through them.
There was a farm stay management show, a reality show featuring a diverse group of celebrities living together, a slow-paced observational lifestyle show, and a travel show…
The genres were diverse, and none required strenuous physical activity.
But Liu Ying’s intentions were clear. All these shows required prolonged interaction with other celebrities, forcing Lu Dingyun to break out of his solitary and socially anxious shell.
Lu Dingyun looked at Liu Ying, a faint smile playing on his lips.
Liu Ying, feeling guilty under his gaze, said defensively, “I just want you to make more friends. And your fans have always wanted to see you on a reality show. Just think of it as fulfilling their wishes.”
Lu Dingyun didn’t react.
“Besides,” Liu Ying continued, “think about Xiao Gui Yuan. It loves being around people. The more people, the happier it will be. And with those other fast-paced variety shows, you wouldn’t be able to care for Xiao Yuan properly, would you?”
Lu Dingyun’s eyebrows twitched, and he considered this seriously.
Liu Ying, seeing an opening, immediately pulled out a proposal and pushed it towards Lu Dingyun. “All things considered, I think this one is the most suitable.”
Lu Dingyun looked down.
The cover of the proposal read: “Small Town Residents Season 6 (Live Broadcast Season)”
This was the reality show featuring a diverse group of celebrities. The premise was simple: put them in a small town or on an island, with no script or tasks, and let them figure things out themselves.
Due to its unpredictable nature, the show’s popularity hadn’t waned despite having aired for five seasons. On the contrary, its popularity and ratings were consistently high.
And whenever it aired, it generated constant buzz.
Imagine a group of celebrities with different personalities living together for half a month during each filming session. The resulting chemistry was bound to be interesting.
And this sixth season would be livestreamed, eliminating arguments about screen time. Fans could simply watch their favorite celebrities’ individual feeds.
But the live broadcast format also placed higher demands on the celebrities, with no possibility of post-production editing. Their true personalities would be on full display.
Even with pre-recorded episodes, many celebrities with good images had suffered scandals, while others with less favorable images had experienced a resurgence in popularity.
So, everything was unpredictable.
Lu Dingyun had no bad habits. Although he was aloof, he was also polite.
He didn’t have any strong likes or dislikes and was respectful towards others, so there was little risk of a scandal.
But living and interacting with so many people for an extended period would be a significant challenge for him.
And the show had twelve episodes per season, and with the live broadcast format, there would be three filming sessions, each lasting a week, totaling over half a month…
Seeing his hesitation, Liu Ying added, “And I’ve heard that several other celebrities are bringing their pets, so Xiao Yuan can make new friends, right?”
Lu Dingyun pondered for a moment, then finally nodded. “Okay, let’s go with this one.”
“Great!” Liu Ying was thrilled. “And this show offers the highest appearance fee. We’ll be earning money while eating and relaxing, what a great deal.”
Lu Dingyun glanced at him, suspecting ulterior motives.
“Then you rest, I’ll contact the director.” Liu Ying left the room.
Once he was out of earshot, he immediately sent his sister a WeChat message.
[It’s done, Sis!]
Lu’s mother immediately sent him a large red envelope, which Liu Ying accepted without hesitation.
He put away his phone and contacted the variety show director.
Lu Dingyun wasn’t young anymore, but he had never been in a relationship. His parents were worried but, knowing their son’s personality, didn’t dare to pressure him, even resigning themselves to the possibility of never having a daughter-in-law.
Now, seeing Lu Dingyun caring for the kitten and his personality becoming more gentle and open, they couldn’t sit still any longer.
Boy or girl, it didn’t matter, as long as he found someone.
So, knowing he was going to be on a variety show, they had asked Liu Ying to find one with a younger cast.
Living and working together with like-minded colleagues of similar age who also loved animals, there would be plenty of common ground, and perhaps something might blossom.
Lu Dingyun suspected Liu Ying’s intentions but knew his uncle wouldn’t harm him, so he didn’t dwell on it.
The important thing was that his Xiao Yuan was getting ready for its costume fitting.
Two days ago, Director Li had finalized the details of the kitten’s acting role with Liu Ying, even signing a contract with Lu Dingyun, the kitten’s guardian, complete with a paw print.
Lu Dingyun only had three minor scenes today, but the costume Director Li had commissioned for the kitten had arrived.
The makeup artists were currently dressing the kitten, claiming it was a surprise, and wouldn’t let Lu Dingyun see it, so he was waiting in the tea room.
But hearing the makeup artists’ laughter and the kitten’s happy meows, he couldn’t help but feel anticipation.
The spirit beast in the drama was a fire qilin, but it had a cute name: Liu Liu.
Because its cry sounded like “liu, liu, liu.”
As he was thinking, a makeup artist rushed out excitedly. “Teacher Lu, it’s ready!”
Lu Dingyun looked up.
The next second, a round, fluffy figure darted out of the dressing room.
The kitten was fast, and Lu Dingyun only saw a blur before it leaped onto the coffee table in front of him.
“Meow!” Look at the kitten!
Wei Yuan held its chin high, its round eyes full of pride.
Lu Dingyun finally saw the kitten’s costume, his eyes lighting up.
The kitten was wearing a red and black “armor,” the back plates extending to cover its tail, which ended in a scale-like tip, resembling a dragon’s tail.
The outfit looked exquisite, and upon closer inspection, he saw a soft, red fur trim around the collar, swaying gently even when the kitten was still, like a special effect.
Its paws were covered in matching “armor” as well, which were actually soft cotton booties, not heavy at all.
But the most eye-catching feature was the “hat” on its head, which was actually a pair of horns, resembling antlers or flames, with intricate patterns.
It was designed as a hat for easy wear, with a detachable mask attached. The mask had long fangs, covering the lower half of the kitten’s face, giving it a fierce yet adorable look.
The mask wasn’t very comfortable, so Director Li had made it detachable. If the kitten didn’t like it, it could be removed.
Wei Yuan didn’t like it much, as it hindered its ability to meow, but for the sake of acting, it could endure!
“Meow~” Handsome, right?
Wei Yuan meowed again, prompting Lu Dingyun for a response.
Lu Dingyun’s eyes were full of admiration, but he first checked the fangs on the mask, confirming they were made of soft foam and wouldn’t hurt the kitten.
Then he carefully examined the rest of the costume, making sure everything was soft and comfortable, before finally relaxing.
“Xiao Yuan, you look so handsome.” Lu Dingyun picked up the kitten, wanting to kiss it, but couldn’t find a suitable spot, so he put it back on the table.
Wei Yuan proudly turned around, swishing its tail, showing off its costume.
Look, a cool tail!
The makeup artists crowded around, snapping photos with their phones.
Lu Dingyun also took out his phone. He hadn’t posted his daily Weibo update yet.
Wei Yuan cooperated, posing for the camera, lifting its paw, and swaying its hips, creating perfect photo opportunities.
The makeup artists, all from Lu Dingyun’s studio and having worked with him for years, weren’t afraid of him and squealed with excitement.
“Brother Yun, take a few pictures with Xiao Yuan. I’ll post them in our group chat,” one of them said.
Lu Dingyun nodded. “Xiao Yuan.”
Wei Yuan immediately turned and jumped onto his lap.
Lu Dingyun happened to be wearing his costume for the Demon Lord scenes today.
A long, black and red robe, his long black hair tied up with a red jade crown, his face lightly made up, his eyes accented with a chilling red eyeshadow.
He sat on the sofa, leaning back casually, the kitten in its matching armor perched on his lap, his long fingers protectively cupping its body.
As they posed, both man and cat entered character.
One more arrogant and menacing than the other.
Of course, Lu Dingyun’s menace was genuinely chilling, while the kitten, being so small, looked more cute than fierce.
The makeup artists were captivated, the sound of camera shutters echoing through the room.
The studio’s group chat was flooded with screams and cute kitten emojis, everyone eager to share the photos.
Let everyone see that not only was their movie emperor awesome, but his kitten was too!
But the photos couldn’t be released yet, much to their frustration.
Just then, Director Li, having finished filming a few scenes, came to see the kitten during his break.
If the costume fit well, they could take some promotional photos and release them to generate buzz.
He was a fast filmmaker, and post-production and review wouldn’t take long, so the drama would likely air before the Lunar New Year, just in time for the winter break.
So, with only about three months until the premiere, starting the publicity now was perfect.
Perhaps due to Lu Dingyun’s presence, the other actors were also performing well, and the morning shoot had gone smoothly, putting Director Li in a good mood.
He hummed a tune as he entered the dressing room, seeing the makeup artists gathered around the coffee table, chattering excitedly.
Lu Dingyun was sitting on the sofa, his gaze also on the coffee table, looking up as the door opened.
“So lively,” Director Li approached cheerfully, and the makeup artists immediately stepped aside, revealing the kitten they had been hiding.
Look!
The adorable little qilin!
Wei Yuan, already in position, looked at Director Li with its bright eyes.
Director Li paused, then his face lit up with joy.
“Perfect, perfect, perfect!” He clapped his hands excitedly, then rushed out, shouting, “Photographer! Get ready for the kitten’s photoshoot!”
==
With their idol back on set, Lu Dingyun’s fans’ only source of joy was his daily kitten photos on Weibo.
Waiting for his updates had become their daily routine.
But today, instead of Lu Dingyun’s post, they saw new promotional photos released by the drama’s official account.
Director Li had even bought a trending topic, pushing #BeastTamerNewPromotionalPhotos to the top of the list.
Everyone was puzzled. Hadn’t the drama already released the main cast’s promotional photos?
Was there a new character?
Since the drama was based on a novel, fans were generally averse to new characters or added scenes.
They couldn’t imagine which character deserved a separate promotional photo, let alone a trending topic.
Clicking on the hashtag with suspicion, they were first stunned, then erupted in screams.
[Ahhh, is that Liu Liu? Such a cute little qilin! I’m dying from cuteness, wuwuwu!]
[Is this CGI? Oh my god, it’s even cuter than I imagined!]
[It’s not CGI, sisters! It’s Xiao Gui Yuan, Teacher Lu’s kitten!]
Since Lu Dingyun’s character, the Grandmaster, was very popular, his spirit beast was also well-loved, appearing in almost all fan art related to the Grandmaster and Demon Lord.
Sometimes the qilin was depicted as a majestic creature, protecting the Demon Lord, sometimes as a small, cuddly companion nestled in his arms or perched on his shoulder.
Its importance in the drama was significant enough to warrant a sixth male lead status.
Everyone had assumed the qilin would be CGI, worrying about the quality of the special effects.
But they hadn’t expected Director Li to use a real cat!
It was much cuter and more realistic than CGI.
And in real life, the kitten and Lu Dingyun were owner and pet, and they played the same roles in the drama. This sense of destiny was even more appealing than any romance.
And the kitten’s promotional photos were perfect.
Its smug expression, its fierce yet adorable gaze, it was the perfect embodiment of the qilin from the novel.
Most importantly, some of the photos featured the kitten and Lu Dingyun together.
The wicked Demon Lord, a faint smile on his lips, looked at the camera, his eyes cold and menacing.
And the little qilin, perched on his shoulder, bared its fangs, its sapphire blue eyes radiating a chilling aura, as dangerous as its master.
[Oh my god! Just this one photo, and I can already imagine the scene in the drama!]
[I knew Teacher Lu’s kitten was smart, but I didn’t expect it to be such a good actor.]
[As expected, pets resemble their owners. The movie emperor’s cat can act, while my useless cat only knows how to eat, wuwu.]
The already popular kitten gained even more fans thanks to the promotional photos.
Fan art and photos of the kitten spread like wildfire online.
And the most popular were, of course, the kitten emojis.
Wei Yuan’s expressions were so rich and varied, sometimes so expressive that they didn’t even need captions.
And on set, the kitten officially began its acting career.
Its first scene wasn’t difficult, mainly involving interaction with Lu Dingyun.
The scene depicted Lu Dingyun’s character, the Demon Lord, having just killed a group of hypocritical righteous cultivators, then cuddling and playing with his little qilin, which rolled around in his arms playfully.
A dying cultivator would curse the Demon Lord, accusing him of falling from grace.
The Demon Lord, annoyed, would kill him, but his mood would be affected.
The qilin, sensing his displeasure, would jump onto his shoulder, nuzzling his face and coaxing a smile from him.
The most challenging part for the kitten was to jump onto Lu Dingyun’s shoulder and nuzzle him at the right moment.
But that was only a challenge for ordinary kittens. For Wei Yuan, it was child’s play.
Hearing that the kitten’s first scene was about to be filmed, the free crew members gathered to watch.
Lu Dingyun sat in a chair, holding the kitten, feeding it a cat treat while explaining the scene.
The kitten, after finishing its treat, lifted its chin, letting the movie emperor wipe its mouth, then nodded.
Director Li chuckled, poking the kitten’s head. “You little rascal, do you really understand?”
Wei Yuan lifted its chin, thinking, you’ll see.
Everyone thought the scene would be difficult to film, but to their surprise, the kitten’s performance was perfect.
Not only were its movements precise, but its expressions and even its soft whimpers and purrs were flawless.
Everyone: “Wow—”
Director Li was ecstatic, quickly filming several more takes while the kitten was still in the zone. The kitten nailed every take.
Even when Director Li insisted on multiple takes for perfection, it cooperated without complaint.
Everyone was stunned.
Was this pure talent?
Some even joked that the kitten must be Lu Dingyun’s offspring, as even genetics couldn’t explain such acting prowess.
Lu Dingyun wasn’t surprised. Hearing everyone praise his kitten, he felt a sense of pride, even more so than when he himself was praised.
The kitten’s tail practically reached the ceiling.
It had told them it was a Best Actor kitten. Such a simple scene was a piece of cake.
The kitten’s superb acting skills earned it everyone’s admiration and affection, but its role wasn’t large, and its scenes were finished within a week.
Lu Dingyun’s scenes were also nearing completion, only about five or six days left.
After filming, he would have a few days of rest before starting the variety show.
Since he had never been on a variety show before, Wei Yuan was quite excited.
But that was for later. For now, the kitten was starting to feel bored at the film studio. Although it could chat with its underlings at night, during the day, it preferred being at the studio with Lu Dingyun.
It liked being around people.
But now, with its scenes finished, it had nothing to do while Lu Dingyun was filming.
So, it started exploring other parts of the film studio.
Apparently, several other productions were filming there, and it wanted to see if there were any familiar faces.
The kitten, never one to deny itself anything, used all its charms, finally persuading Lu Dingyun.
Lu Dingyun agreed to let it roam freely but insisted on attaching a GPS tracker, and the kitten readily agreed.
And for its safety, he also bought a miniature camera that could be attached to its collar, so it could livestream while exploring, allowing his fans to keep an eye on it.
The fans were thrilled, happily watching the livestream, claiming they were helping the movie emperor look after Xiao Yuan.
In reality, they also wanted to join the kitten’s “adventures.”
And since the kitten was roaming around the film studio, it might even encounter other celebrities.
Many passersby and fans of other celebrities also tuned in, hoping for some gossip or a glimpse of their own idols.
Lu Dingyun was still worried, so he followed the kitten on its first day of livestreaming.
But the kitten was incredibly sociable, entering every film set it encountered and “bumping into” every familiar celebrity.
So, after a day of exploring, the entire film studio knew that Movie Emperor Lu’s kitten would be livestreaming and roaming around starting tomorrow.
Lu Dingyun had also spoken more words that day than he usually did in a month, asking everyone he met, and everyone the kitten “bumped into,” to look after it.
He then ordered thousands of milk teas and cupcakes, treating everyone at the film studio.
Having received his generosity, they would naturally look after his kitten.
And even without the treats, they would still help, out of respect for Lu Dingyun.
Besides, the kitten was wearing a livestreaming camera, watched by millions in real time. No one would dare to bully it. On the contrary, they all wanted to make a good impression, hoping to gain some fans.
So, the next day, although still slightly worried, Lu Dingyun let the kitten go out on its own.
Wei Yuan, with its livestream audience, ran and jumped around, occasionally playing with other animals, climbing walls and rooftops, taking millions of viewers on its adventures.
It was having a blast.
When it encountered familiar celebrities, or those it had a good impression of, it would greet them, giving them some screen time.
What it didn’t know was that in just three days, its livestream’s viewership had reached hundreds of millions.
The celebrities who appeared in its livestream, without exception, had gained a significant number of followers.
After all, who could resist a celebrity who loved kittens?
Wei Yuan also had a designated film set it visited daily, more specifically, a certain fourth-tier actor it liked to bully.
The actor was a childhood friend, also a wealthy second-generation chaebol who had come to the entertainment industry to pursue his dreams, just like Wei Yuan.
But he wasn’t a good actor or singer or dancer, so after two or three years, he was still only a fourth-tier celebrity.
“Meow?” Where is he?
Wei Yuan wandered around the film set but couldn’t find him today.
Lu Dingyun would finish filming in two days and wouldn’t be coming back here. Wei Yuan, having finally found a familiar face, wanted to spend more time with him.
Then its eyes lit up. It saw his assistant.
The assistant was a young woman who, seeing the kitten, smiled and crouched down, petting its head.
“Xiao Yuan, are you looking for Brother Fan?”
Fan Tian was Wei Yuan’s childhood friend’s name. Apparently, his family had high expectations for him, but he had always been a poor student with no other talents, so his parents, having given up on him, had a second child, focusing their efforts on the younger sibling.
Fan Tian, unbothered, planned to live off his parents while he was young and off his younger sibling when he was old, living a carefree life.
“Meow,” Wei Yuan nodded.
It had seen Fan Tian during its previous explorations and had excitedly greeted him.
Fan Tian, knowing it was Lu Dingyun’s cat, had initially refused to interact with it, claiming that as Wei Yuan’s best friend, he would never touch his rival’s cat.
But after a few kitty punches, he had relented, claiming that since both the kitten and “Wei Yuan” were Xiao Yuan, they were practically brothers.
Then he had started calling it “Xiao Yuan Yuan” affectionately, much to Wei Yuan’s disgust.
The assistant said, “Brother Fan received a phone call earlier and rushed to the airport in a panic, saying he had to pick someone up.”
She was puzzled, unconsciously chatting with the kitten.
At the airport, a young man in a long, black down jacket, sunglasses, and a mask, walked quickly.
He was tall, at least 1.85 meters, his aura striking.
But he was also acting strangely, shrinking back, slightly hunched over, his eyes darting around nervously beneath his sunglasses.
The security guards eyed him warily, and passersby gave him a wide berth, but he didn’t seem to notice.
Suddenly, he spotted a tall, imposing figure emerging from the first-class exit.
His legs weakened, and he instinctively wanted to run, but remembering he was there to pick this person up, he forced himself to stay.
Jiang Su, upon exiting, immediately noticed the conspicuous figure and, after a brief pause, strode towards him.
Fan Tian took a deep breath and approached him slowly, forcing a smile. “Brother, why did you suddenly think of me?”
Jiang Su didn’t answer. “Where’s the car?”
“Outside, outside.” Fan Tian eagerly led the way.
In the car, an awkward silence settled between them.
Jiang Su glanced at him. “Are you planning to drive like that?”
Fan Tian paused, then quickly removed his sunglasses and mask, revealing a handsome face.
He struggled to take off his down jacket, then looked ahead, glancing at the man beside him from the corner of his eye.
The man was young and handsome, but his commanding presence overshadowed his looks, making it difficult to breathe. Fan Tian felt suffocated.
“Are you staying at the film studio now?” Jiang Su asked.
“Yeah.”
“Let’s go.”
Fan Tian asked cautiously, “Go where?”
Jiang Su looked at him coldly. “The film studio.”
“Oh, oh, oh.” Fan Tian quickly started the car.
Jiang Su closed his eyes, leaning back against the seat.
After receiving the master’s letter, the two families knew Wei Yuan wouldn’t be waking up anytime soon.
As for when he would wake up, there were only two possibilities.
Either when Master Renhui came out of seclusion, or when the “time was ripe,” and Wei Yuan would wake up on his own.
But seeing Wei Yuan in that state, they couldn’t just sit and wait.
Last night, he had finally received official authorization and traced the IP address of the email sent from Wei Yuan’s account.
It had been sent from the film studio in Qing City.
He had immediately started delegating his work and had flown from Jing City early this morning.
Knowing Fan Tian was also at the film studio, he had contacted him.
He didn’t know who had sent the email or their intentions, so he had to be careful, finding an excuse to enter the film studio to investigate discreetly.
If it hadn’t been Fan Tian, he would have contacted other directors or actors, but Fan Tian happened to be in the right place at the wrong time.
Meanwhile, at the film studio, Wei Yuan blinked in surprise, hearing from the assistant that Fan Tian had gone to the airport.
Who could Fan Tian be picking up so early in the morning, and in such a panic?
Its friend, even more of a rascal than itself, wasn’t afraid of anyone, not even his parents. Who could make him so anxious…
Wait!
Wei Yuan suddenly froze. If there was anyone Fan Tian feared, it was…
