Chapter 177: Spoiling Fans
Facing the situation, Xu Youyou also felt quite helpless. Ouyang Ouyang, standing beside her, immediately explained, “Little Song had to join the crew last minute and forgot to update his schedule. Sorry for making you all come for nothing.”
Xie Ran didn’t accompany them to Luoyang, and Ouyang Ouyang rarely interacted with fans. At this moment, he was busy apologizing and didn’t notice the disappointed expressions on the fans’ faces.
A few younger fans, who looked like high school students, had their eyes redden after hearing the explanation.
“I saved up for a long time to buy this gift for him…”
“I really, really wanted to meet him…”
Xu Youyou and Xu Fang spoke for a moment, and before long, several buses were arranged. She also made a phone call to Song Zhi Bai’s assistant.
“Everyone, let’s get on the bus. The boss is treating you to lunch. She spoke to Mr. Song, and during his lunch break, you can have a video call with him,” a staff member said.
Some fans were about to leave, but upon hearing this, their eyes lit up.
“I was kind of mad at first, but they called me a little friend…” one of the fans whispered.
The group then boarded the bus and was driven to the Marriott Hotel, located in the center of Luoyang.
Xu Youyou also had the staff take down the fans’ addresses and explained, “This time, the company didn’t plan properly, but we’ll send some of Mr. Song’s merchandise to everyone through mail.”
“Ah! Boss, you’re so nice! You’re treating us to lunch and sending us gifts, I almost want to be your fan!” one of the young fans exclaimed.
Xu Youyou smiled and waved her hand, “Don’t say that, just be a good fan of Mr. Song, and I’ll thank you.”
After lunch, Xu Youyou arranged for the fans to video call Song Zhi Bai using a hotel projector screen.
“Hello little friends, good afternoon! I’m Song Zhi Bai!” Song Zhi Bai’s face appeared projected on the screen.
Even though the fans knew he was still far away, they were still so excited they had tears in their eyes.
“It’s Mr. Song!”
“Brother Zhi Bai is so handsome!”
Xu Youyou had staff manage the atmosphere, and although the video meeting lasted only twenty minutes, the fans were well-behaved and didn’t ask any awkward questions.
When the meeting ended, Xu Youyou had gifts distributed to the fans, all purchased by the staff at the last minute. Each gift bag contained milk tea, chocolates, hand creams, and other small items.
“I thought the gifts would be sent by mail, but there are even more gifts!” One fan was moved to tears.
Some fans had previously done airport support for other celebrities. This time, however, the fan support wasn’t arranged by the company but was spontaneous. They had no problem with missing the main star and simply accepted it as bad luck, but they didn’t expect Xu Youyou to treat them so seriously.
“Ms. Xu, will you always support Mr. Song?” A major fan gathered the courage to ask.
Xu Youyou nodded, looking directly into the fan’s eyes, her expression turning serious as she said, “Mr. Song is my first signed artist. You might not know, but his first short drama and first TV series were custom-made for him by me. In the next two years, we will also have a movie tailored specifically for him.”
The fans were so excited their faces turned red.
“I started following Mr. Song from his short drama, no wonder they were so good! Ms. Xu, we’re really grateful to you!”
Xu Youyou almost forgot her identity as a capitalist when hearing this, as the fans saw the star’s career as more important than their own lives. Although she didn’t fully understand it, she respected it.
“The company and Mr. Song are aligned on his career planning. We ensure that he takes the most suitable roles, and that every performance he gives is meaningful. Please trust the company and Mr. Song. We will not disappoint you.”
The fans were touched to the point of having red eyes. For fans who followed their idols’ careers, there was nothing more gratifying than finding someone who was serious about their career. Without a rehearsal, the fans suddenly shouted in unison:
“Thank you, Boss!”
Xu Youyou, hearing them change how they addressed her, couldn’t help but laugh and said, “It’s me who should be thanking you for supporting Mr. Song.”
She had the buses that were previously rented take the fans back home, and the event made it to the trending topics that day.
#Didn’t Pick Up the Fans but Seemed Like She Did#
Xu Youyou clicked on the trending topic, which was a fan’s video. From the airport to the hotel and finally to the video call with Song Zhi Bai, the fan showed off a bag of small gifts.
“It’s not just these gifts! We also got Mr. Song’s merchandise sent from Shanghai! Mr. Song is so gentle, and Boss Xu is so sincere! I really want to be a fan of Song Zhi Bai forever.”
This was met with support from many of Song Zhi Bai’s fans.
But it also attracted a lot of haters.
“Clearly, Song Zhi Bai ditched his fans, but you all are praising him so much. You’re so easy to please.”
“Everyone in the industry knows that Song Zhi Bai is Xu Youyou’s plaything. How could you not be jealous of the real wife? You’re here all moved. Maybe they’re both laughing together in the same bed right now.”
“Song Zhi Bai came into the industry as a lead actor. He must have been taken advantage of by Xu Youyou. A grown man clinging to a rich woman, how disgusting!”
Song Zhi Bai’s fans were furious when they heard this: “Boss Xu has a good eye for talent. They’re not what you think!”
But the haters didn’t back down: “If it wasn’t for being taken advantage of, who could be the lead actor right out of the gate? And custom-made roles? Is Song Zhi Bai her father? Does she support him like this?”
Song Zhi Bai’s fans clicked on the haters’ profile, laughing with anger. No wonder these people kept attacking Song Zhi Bai. It turned out they were from rival fan groups.
In the entertainment industry, rivalry often forms easily, such as between Song Zhi Bai and Gu Shuang Bai.
Although the two had never met or competed for the same role, their fans started fighting because of an endorsement deal.
It all began with a luxury watch brand that had been in talks with Gu Shuang Bai’s studio. It seemed like they were going to sign an endorsement deal, but just as Song Zhi Bai’s TV series became a massive hit, the brand quickly ditched Gu Shuang Bai and signed with Song Zhi Bai, announcing it to the public. This angered Gu Shuang Bai’s fans, who immediately started attacking Song Zhi Bai, creating an unnecessary rivalry.
Song Zhi Bai’s fans didn’t let them get away with it and fought back.
“Let’s talk about being taken advantage of. Who could beat Gu Shuang Bai? He got the lead role in a big director’s series right out of the gate. He follows whatever is popular, but it’s unfortunate that he’s still struggling to make a mark.”
Gu Shuang Bai’s fans weren’t happy and listed all his achievements to prove that he was the true top star.
Song Zhi Bai’s fans retorted, “No matter how many roles Gu Shuang Bai plays, it won’t change the fact that he’s a flop. Director Sun’s movies are a hit with everyone, but when it comes to Gu Shuang Bai, he’s a dud. His first movie made 2 billion at the box office, but the sequel with Gu Shuang Bai made only 1 billion. The evidence is clear.”
“Don’t forget about Dan Gai (Boy’s Love dramas). When others film, they get hits, but Gu Shuang Bai has to make a statement banning them. He’s really a curse.”
Gu Shuang Bai’s fans were immediately enraged, but the real shock came next.
A new trending topic appeared on the list.
#Picked up the Fans but Seems Like She Didn’t#
Xu Youyou glanced at this trending topic, which was almost a mirror image of the previous one, and immediately clicked on it. After reading it, she couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow.
