novellhall Chapter 181 The Pride of the Chinese People [5000] Requesting Monthly Tickets
Chapter 181 The Pride of the Chinese People [5000] Requesting Monthly Tickets
Chapter 181 The Pride of the Chinese People [5000] Requesting Monthly Tickets
The London premiere has ended.
Chen Xun was adjusting to the time difference at the hotel.
Rob burst into the room carrying a tablet: "Chen! Look at this!"
#Fast & Furious 5 China Roadshow#
The title went viral!
The first item you see when you click on it is the tour schedule posted on the official Weibo account of the film:
The Asian leg of the Fast & Furious 5 global tour has been confirmed.
The capital city and Shanghai are at the top of the list.
The entire cast, including Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Chen Xun, and Gal Gadot, will be in attendance!
It was posted three hours ago and has already been forwarded over a million times.
The comments section turned into a massive celebration: "Holy crap! Is Brother Xun really coming back?"
"The capital! Shanghai! Sisters, let's go!"
"Last time, 'The Hunger Games' was rejected because it involved violence against teenagers, but this time we can finally see it!"
"A source of pride for the Chinese people! An Oscar nominee! A Hollywood superstar driving a Dodge!"
"Wait, is he returning to his home country or visiting China? What about the visa?"
"The person upstairs is overthinking it. He's a big star now. Chen Xun didn't change his nationality to make money in China like other stars. He earns money in America and spends it in his home country."
"Unlike some people who sing 'I Love My Motherland' in America!"
"Is anyone organizing a pick-up service at the airport? I want to go!"
"I'm already checking how to buy tickets for the premiere in the capital city —"
"Shanghai event +1, scalpers have already started raising prices."
Some people dug up a Weibo post that Chen Xun made two years ago when he had just arrived in the United States.
A photo of someone eating instant noodles in a rented apartment in Koreatown, captioned: "Off I go, hope I don't starve to death in Los Angeles."
This old Weibo post was unearthed, and the number of reposts and comments instantly surged to hundreds of thousands: "From instant noodles to the Oscars, what kind of novel plot is this?"
"Brother Xun: Back then, I was so poor that all I had left were dreams; now, I'm so rich that all I have left are trophies."
"I suggest incorporating this story into a textbook: 'On an Actor's Self-Cultivation: The Comeback Story'."
"So how did he do that? Was he cheating?"
"It might really be a case of cheating; the male protagonist from an online novel has become a reality."
At that time, Wang Feng was holding a concert.
When he sang the emotional part, he suddenly stopped the music and confessed his feelings to Zhang Ziyi, who was sitting in the audience.
This heartfelt eight-minute confession moved Zhang Ziyi to tears in the audience.
#WangFeng'sConcertConfession# quickly climbed to the top of the trending searches, gaining momentum and about to break into the top three.
Wang Feng's team mobilized all their resources to promote the trending topic.
The press release was issued, marketing accounts shared it, and the topic's readership quickly surpassed 50 million.
Then----
News of Chen Xun's return to China broke out in full force.
Half an hour later, #ChenXunReturnsToChina# surged into the top ten of the trending topics list.
Two hours later, it exploded!
The hashtag #ChenXunReturnsToChina# has overwhelmingly pushed #WangFengConfessionAtConcert# out of the spotlight.
The top trending topic: #ChenXunReturnsToChina#.
Wang Feng stubbornly remained on the trending topics list for twenty minutes before finally disappearing from the list.
Netizens were laughing hysterically: "Teacher Wang Feng, it's you again [doge]"
Wang Feng: What exactly did I do wrong?
"I suggest that Wang Feng's team check Chen Xun's schedule before releasing any major news in the future."
"It's like this trending topic is completely useless, it's as if it didn't even exist."
"I'll sympathize with Wang Feng for a second, and spend the rest of my time laughing."
"The Wang Feng Law has been proven true: When something big happens, Wang Feng will never make the headlines."
"Last time it was Chen Xun, and this time it's Chen Xun again. Chen Xun is simply Teacher Wang Feng's nemesis."
"The team's PR expenses have been wasted again. It hurts."
Even more sarcastic netizens created a comparison chart: the left side shows the popularity curve of Wang Feng's confession, while the right side shows the popularity curve of Chen Xun's return to China.
The two lines converged at 11 p.m., and then Wang Feng's line plummeted while Chen Xun's line soared.
The caption reads: "In the face of absolute popularity, all confessions are meaningless."
This incident added fuel to the fire surrounding Chen Xun's return to China.
Even passersby who don't usually pay attention to entertainment have become curious.
Who exactly is this Chen Xun?
How come you always manage to steal Wang Feng's headlines?
London Hotel.
Chen Xun was watching the discussions among Chinese netizens on his computer.
Paul and Tyrese were also there; the three of them were facing a laptop with Weibo's real-time trending topics displayed on the screen.
"Who is this Wang Feng?"
Tyrese looked puzzled: "Why does everyone say he's pitiful?"
"A very famous rock singer from China."
Chen Xun explained, "But he seems to have bad luck; every time he has a big announcement, it gets overshadowed by even bigger news."
past."
Paul laughed so hard he almost spat out his beer: "So this time we blocked him?"
"That's right!"
Chen Xun smiled wryly: "This is the second time. Last time I got an Oscar nomination, he announced his divorce, and my news made the headlines, but his didn't."
"Then he must hate you, right?" Tyrese asked.
"Actually, his fans are all thanking me."
Chen Xun scrolled through the comments: "Everyone's saying that I made Wang Feng unable to make the headlines, which actually increased his popularity."
Paul shook his head: "Your country's entertainment culture is really complicated. In America, if someone steals my headlines, I'll at least tweet a few words of criticism."
"This is the difference between East and West."
Chen Xun closed the page: "Alright, let's not talk about this anymore. What are your expectations for your trip to China?"
"gourmet food!"
Tyrese immediately said, "I've heard that Peking duck in the capital is especially delicious, and—hot pot? Yes, hot pot! I want the spiciest kind!"
"I want to see the Great Wall!"
Paul said earnestly, "And the Forbidden City. I've been interested in Chinese history since I was a child, and this time I can finally see it with my own eyes."
Gail pushed open the door, holding her phone. "I just received an interview invitation from the Chinese edition of Vogue. They want to do a feature on female empowerment, Chen. How much attention is Chinese media paying to the role of women?"
"You're getting a lot of attention!" Chen Xun said. "You're definitely going to be very popular!"
"That's good!"
Gail laughed: "I'm all ready to welcome my Chinese fans!"
Director Justin Lin also sent a message to the crew group, saying, "The China roadshow is the most important part of this global promotion. Whether the box office can break records depends on these few stops. Everyone, give it your best."
Vin Diesel replied: "For the family."
Paul replied, "For the family."
Chen Xun replied, "For the sake of the family."
3
This simple word now carries greater weight.
Preparations by domestic fans have already begun.
On Weibo, the "Chen Xun China Fan Club" posted a long announcement, detailing the time and location of the four roadshow stops, and calling on fans to "pursue their idols rationally, support them in an orderly manner, and demonstrate the high quality of Chinese fans."
The comments section was flooded with promises: "Don't worry, we definitely won't let Brother Xun down!"
"I've already taken leave. See you at the premiere in the capital!"
Are there any ladies sharing a hotel near Shanghai Railway Station?
"I suggest you don't block the airport; leave a good impression on Brother Xun."
"Yes, we can go on the red carpet, but let's not disrupt the order."
-
What moved Chen Xun even more was that several fans spontaneously donated books and sports equipment to schools in remote mountainous areas in the name of "Chen Xun's fans" for Chen Xun's Rural Film Search Project.
They posted photos and a donation certificate, tagging Chen Xun's Weibo account, with the caption: "Doing positive things with Brother Xun."
Chen Xun retweeted this Weibo post, adding only two words: "Thank you."
The number of reposts instantly exceeded 100,000.
Rob stared at the backend data, his eyes wide: "Your popularity in China has surpassed that of many A-list celebrities, no, it has surpassed that of almost all A-list celebrities."
"The hype comes and goes quickly."
Chen Xun was very clear-headed: "The key is still the work itself. If Fast & Furious 5 doesn't do well at the box office or my next movie flops, these fans will just leave."
"So you're under even more pressure now?"
"There's always pressure."
The night before his departure, Chen Xun made a video call to Christine.
She's in New York.
"Are you going back to China to become a big star?"
Christine asked with a smile.
"Just going back to work," Chen Xun said. "How about you? How's New York?"
"cold!"
Christine turned the camera to the window, where a light rain was falling in the New York night sky: "The new film is almost finished. It's an art film, directed by a Cannes award winner, and filming might start next spring."
"Congratulations."
"Same here." Christine paused. "How's it feeling going back home? Are you nervous?"
"meeting!"
Chen Xun honestly admitted, "Although I have no relatives left in China, the feeling of going home is still different, and this time I'm going back as a successful person, so the pressure is even greater!"
The two chatted for a while and then hung up the phone.
Chen Xun stood by the hotel window, looking at the London night view. The rain had stopped, and the streets were wet and reflecting the light.
The first stop of our Asian tour is about to begin in China.
The news of Chen Xun's return to China spread domestically for three days, and different opinions began to emerge.
The first to launch an attack were several entertainment marketing accounts on Weibo, with remarkably consistent rhetoric: "@Entertainment Gossip Bro: If you don't understand, just ask, is it really necessary to make such a big fuss about a Chinese actor who's making movies in Hollywood returning to China? There are so many excellent actors and idols in China, shouldn't fans pay more attention to their own people? #
Cultural confidence #Support domestic products#
"@Film and Television Observer: Chen Xun is indeed very talented, but aren't some fans being too Western-worshipping? He's developing his career in the US, making American films, and earning US dollars. Of course, we welcome him back to China for promotion, but don't overhype him and forget about the good actors right here in China."
"@GossipBot: Let's have a rational discussion. Has Chen Xun's achievement been overly mythologized? Compared to domestic actors who work hard and make good films, he seems to be following an 'export-to-domestic' route. Is this model really worth admiring?"
These Weibo posts quickly attracted a group of fans of other celebrities, mainly fan groups of several popular young male idols.
"Exactly! My brother is seriously filming in China, spending 300 days a year on set, how come we've never seen such a big production?"
"Chen Xun's fans are hilarious. Their idol is working abroad, but when he comes back to China, he's hailed as a source of pride for the Chinese people?"
"Instead of focusing on foreign actors, why not watch more excellent domestic productions!"
"I heard he's very aloof in private and doesn't really acknowledge his Chinese fans. Is that true?"
These comments spread rapidly, as if orchestrated.
Chen Xun's fans initially tried to reason with him, but quickly realized that he wouldn't listen at all.
Several key fan leaders from Chen Xun's global fan club held an emergency online meeting.
"I can't take it anymore!"
Xun Guang, who manages the Weibo account, said in the voice channel: "They say that Brother Xun is a Western worshipper, but where were these people when Brother Xun was doing charity work in China?"
"The key is that we need to present solid evidence."
Lighthouse, who was in charge of the copywriting, remained calm: "We need to use facts to refute this. I remember Brother Xun has done a lot of charity work, and last time he gave away mobile phones to fans in a raffle —"
"Yes! And there's his advocacy for the rights of Chinese students at USC!"
"Wait, I have the data here!"
Half an hour later, Chen Xun's global fan club official Weibo account posted a long image listing all the charity work Chen Xun had done and the things he had done for his fans.
The long image ends with a large caption: "He proved who he was through his actions, so what about you?"
This Weibo post was shared over 50,000 times within ten minutes.
The comments section has become a battlefield.
Chen Xun's fans: "Look! This is what an idol should be like! Not just someone who releases press releases and buys trending topics!"
"Besides creating on-screen couples, selling personas, and exploiting fans, what else can some of these male celebrities in China do?"
"Giving away so many iPhones in a raffle! And some people are scalping concert tickets at exorbitant prices, don't they have any shame?"
"Those who say Chen Xun is a Western worshipper should look at the positive Chinese characters he plays in Hollywood!"
The opposing fans retorted: "So what if you donate money? My idol does charity work too!"
"Winning a phone is nothing! Our fan club has even organized large-scale charity events!"
"Helping Chinese students studying in the US? Who knows if it's true or not!"
"Aren't the roles he plays in Hollywood still created by Americans?"
At the height of the battle, someone unearthed something even deeper.
An account called "Entertainment Industry Discipline Committee Member" posted a bombshell: "Speaking of fan meet-and-greets, the assistant of a certain young male celebrity surnamed L privately revealed that the star frequently has his fan club organize fan meetings, which are actually screening high-quality fans for private interactions. The fans pay for the meetings themselves, and the star makes a surprise appearance. Isn't this a disguised way of selecting concubines?"
Although no names were mentioned, the comments section quickly identified several targets.
One of the young male celebrities who recently became popular for his warm-hearted and fan-loving persona has been exposed for having a fan club that organized several private parties that were expensive and only allowed female fans with good looks and figures to attend.
This solid evidence brought the conflict to the opposing camp.
"Wow, this is how much your idol spoils his fans!"
"No wonder the fan club requires photo verification for membership. I get it now."
"On one hand, they criticize Chen Xun for being a Western worshipper, and on the other hand, they're doing this kind of shady business? They're quite the double standard!"
"I suggest checking with the tax authorities to see if this kind of party income was reported."
Public opinion began to shift.
Several previously neutral entertainment influencers also joined the fray: "@Poison Tongue Movie: What's all the fuss about? Let's look at the work. Chen Xun has an Oscar nomination and a global IP like 'Fast & Furious 5.' What do some domestic actors have? Besides fan-generated data, what else can they offer?"
"@EntertainmentCapital: From a business value perspective, Chen Xun is already a near-A-list Hollywood actor, earning tens of millions of dollars per film. There are very few actors in China who reach this level. Fan arguments are meaningless; the market will provide the answer."
"@Buddha's Industry Network: Chen Xun's recognition in the professional field can be seen from the fact that he received a fake Spielberg invitation. The attack is more like sour grapes among peers."
The fighting continued for a whole day.
That evening, the studios of several young male celebrities quietly deleted the sarcastic press releases they had previously published.
Their fans have also toned down their attacks and stopped launching large-scale assaults.
But Chen Xun's fans didn't stop.
They compiled more information and created a series of popular science posts: "How did Chen Xun go from Luo Yan to where he is today?"
Why is it said that Chen Xun broke the glass ceiling for Asian actors?
What rights did Chen Xun advocate for for Chinese people in Hollywood?
"From '2 Broke Girls' to 'Green Lantern,' we can see Chen Xun's cultural export."
This post was widely shared, even reaching non-fans of Luo.
Many people who didn't pay attention to Chen Xun before became fans after learning about his affairs because of this online feud.
"I only knew he was a Hollywood actor before, I never imagined he did so much behind the scenes."
"Doing charity work in a low-key manner really earns goodwill, unlike some celebrities who seem to want to buy ten trending topics just for donating money."
"Giving away a phone in a raffle is really generous, and many of the winners are ordinary students, not big fans."
"His success and breakthroughs in Hollywood are truly inspiring."
Chen Xun also saw the online arguments between fans and netizens.
He originally wanted to say a few words on the battlefield to defend his fans.
I never expected my fans to be so powerful!
He had already taken care of his opponent before he even made a move!
Chen Xun thought for a moment, liked the post on Weibo, and posted a very simple status update: "Thank you for all the support, see you in China."
The accompanying photo was taken in his hotel room in London.
"While the two are still arguing, Brother Xun is already preparing to return to China."
See you back home! I'll be waiting for you!
Robert told Chen Xun, "We received information that several brokerage companies in China are not happy. You stole too much limelight this time and threatened someone's interests. They might try some underhanded tactics during the roadshow."
"For example, asking reporters pointed questions, causing trouble at the scene, or even creating a safety accident."
Rob's expression was serious: "The waters of your domestic entertainment industry are no less murky than those of Hollywood. You'd better be prepared."
Chen Xun was silent for a moment, then said, "I am prepared."
"I know someone doesn't want me to have an easy time."
Chen Xun looked out the window at the London rain: "But I also know that many people want the best for me, and that's enough!"
Rob patted him on the shoulder: "Alright, let's face it head-on! Global has increased security, and our domestic partners will fully cooperate. As long as you stay calm, no one will do anything to you."
"Don't worry, I'm more reliable!"
Finally, we set off!
As the plane took off from the airport, Chen Xun watched the city lights outside the window gradually shrink, and the tension that had been building up inside him finally eased a little.
Next stop: Shanghai!
-
Paul was sitting next to him, looking at a travel brochure.
He is very interested in Eastern culture.
He had previously expressed his desire to learn Chen Xun's coin-handling skills.
The plane entered the stratosphere.
The flight attendants began serving meals.
Chen Xun ordered a Chinese set meal.
Rice, braised pork, and stir-fried vegetables.
The taste wasn't authentic, but after flying for more than ten hours, the familiar flavor made his nose tingle.
He remembered the bowl of beef noodles he ate at Terminal 3 of Beijing Capital International Airport when he left the capital.
It cost sixty-eight yuan and tasted terribly bad, but he still managed to finish it.
Because I don't know when Sha has a proper Chinese meal.
Now, after all these years, he's coming back!