Vase cannon fodder is pampered by the group again

Chapter 67.1

Editor: Princess

“We sincerely apologize! Teacher Min, she’s an intern who doesn’t know the rules. We’ll fire her immediately!”

“Other colleagues have reported she’s difficult to get along with and always boasting about connections. We’re so sorry for troubling you!”

“This was our oversight. We guarantee this will never happen again! Shall we start the photoshoot without further delay?”

The editor-in-chief and several executives surrounded Min Song, apologizing profusely, terrified that this great Buddha might become dissatisfied and spread negative words among her fashionable friends.

The endorsement of entertainment industry leaders in various circles was crucial to Entertainment Pictorial’s current status. Min Song, as a fashion icon, was someone they absolutely could not afford to offend.

Min Shoubei was even more untouchable. The editor-in-chief cursed inside, wondering if the receptionist’s brain was a toilet flush collecting garbage.

The editor shot a fierce glare at the receptionist.

The receptionist cowered in a distant corner, teary-eyed as she looked at the editor, too frightened to speak, her heart in chaos.

She was accustomed to acting tyrannically—after all, without surveillance cameras or recordings, when small-time celebrities came with agents to confront her, she would deny everything adamantly.

She’d never been caught before, and sometimes even managed to threaten minor celebrities, extorting money from them.

Who would have thought that halfway through her trash talk, Min Song would appear! She wouldn’t dare lie or boast in front of someone of Min Song’s caliber.

If Shen Ci had complained afterward, the receptionist would have denied everything, but being caught red-handed by his sister… the receptionist was nearly sick with regret.

Delaying further would certainly get her fired. Anxious, she quickly called her aunt, asking her to get Wen Ran to help…

---

Having started with an unpleasant incident that nearly resulted in a lawsuit from the industry’s top fashion goddess, everyone at Entertainment Pictorial was terrified and so were extremely attentive to the two young visitors.

“Young Master Shen, please turn your head slightly to the left—oh that’s enough, that’s enough! You’re working too hard!”

Shen Ci, who had turned his head 1cm: ?

“That expression is perfect! Young Master Lu, you’re like a fairy! Don’t move, don’t move, let this mortal capture this moment!”

Lu An, who was about to yawn: ??

“The lighting is too bright! It’s making our Young Master Shen sweat. Turn it off! Take a ten-minute break, and get water for the masters right away!”

Shen Ci, who was habitually reaching to touch the pimple on his forehead: ???

Bewildered, Shen Ci accepted water eagerly handed over by an intern and plopped down next to Lu An, thunderstruck by the surreal scene before him.

Apparently, being two-faced wasn’t just the receptionist’s problem but the magazine’s corporate culture…

The corners of the lips of Min Song who was wearing sunglasses, curved as she walked over past numerous admiring gazes. She tapped Shen Ci’s forehead: “When did you get a pimple? I didn’t notice earlier.”

Her voice was gentle and soft, completely different from her earlier imposing demeanor. The editor-in-chief wept noodle-wide tears in his heart.

Sure enough, human nature was really all about double standards!

“It’s almost gone now.”

Due to styling, Shen Ci’s hair was gelled up, which in turn exposed his fair forehead.

However carefully nurtured, the pimple had faded considerably, leaving only a faint mark that Shen Ci couldn’t help touching.

Min Song said thoughtfully: “I have a medication that removes pimple marks. Should I bring it tomorrow?”

Constantly taking up the celebrity’s time made Shen Ci uncomfortable: “There’s no need. I’ll just come get it from home, and see Dad while I’m there.”

“That works too.” Min Song’s lip line remained slightly upturned: “Dad is now completely focused on you, communicating with your teachers daily and constantly revising the script and production plans.”

“He’ll definitely be happy to see you.”

Min Shoubei’s terrible temperament… silently caring yet saying nothing, was really too reserved.

Shen Ci held back a smile and nodded.

The issue of Entertainment Pictorial featuring their cover shoot would be released in half a month. By noon on the day of the shoot, voices questioning Shen Ci and Lu An once again grew loud.

“Shen Ci’s acting in the new drama is passable, but I can’t imagine him in a film. He’s already just a pretty face—why torture himself with crossing over? A waste of money and resources!”

“The other newcomer is still a student, supposedly Shen Ci’s desk mate? Must be nice being a parachuted connection [dog head emoji]”

“Director Min is even spending big money to tutor Shen Ci. Trying to speed-run acting skills? This move is kind of funny haha.”

With so many negative comments, Yunxiao Entertainment’s PR team quickly mobilized, digging up the classroom battle video from when Shen Ci and Lu An first met.

Besides buying influencers and water armies to promote the video, they also invited several of Shen Ci’s teachers to speak up.

However haters would always play deaf and dumb, always finding reasons. Hence these efforts alone couldn’t completely silence the critics.

For really effective clarification, they would have to wait until the film was released, hoping Shen Ci and Lu An could deliver good performances.

Yunxiao Entertainment’s efforts were more about stabilizing public perception of the two, with reasonably good results.

Brother Zhang instructed Shen Ci and Lu An to avoid social media for a few days to preserve their mindset. Shen Ci obediently uninstalled Weibo.

Friends called successively to offer encouragement, fan gifts sent to the company were covered with supportive sticky notes, and with his teachers’ affirmation… Shen Ci felt much more settled and focused seriously on his classes each day.

---

The evening after the cover shoot, “Entertainment Talk” was streaming live on the Qinggua platform, with Min Shoubei as the invited guest.

When the stream began, Shen Ci was still in body movement class, practicing ballet hand positions until frustrated, his arms aching.

He initially didn’t want to watch, but during a break, he couldn’t resist opening Qinggua.

After all, the interviewee was his father… he was quite curious how Min Shoubei would evaluate him publicly.

“…Known in the industry as a ‘vase’, yet suddenly becoming the lead in your new film. Some joke that your action is ‘poverty relief’. Some suggest this film might become the failure in your filmmaking career. What’s your take on this?”

The host’s question was pointed. Shen Ci frowned. The mockery was too obvious.

Min Shoubei remained composed: “Those who don’t understand should shut up. I don’t need directing advice.”

The host was taken aback. Just as she was about to launch another series of questions, Min Shoubei attacked again: “Besides, if I’m doing poverty relief, shouldn’t I help my son? Why, should I help you?”

The host, suspecting she’d been insulted: “…”

The director frantically gestured at a small blackboard off-camera, clearly marked with “Don’t be stupid” in large characters, terrified she might ask another excessively sensitive question. The host mentally nodded with determination.

Host: “I hear you’ve found professional acting coaches for Shen Ci. Are you worried his acting is too poor to meet your film standards?”

The director was speechless with rage, seriously wanting to smash the livestream camera with one punch.

Min Shoubei frowned: “Boring question. Don’t waste my time.”

Again forcefully shut down, the host could neither fight back nor afford to provoke him further. She stammered as she changed topics.

Finding questions that would both capture attention and that Min Shoubei would willingly answer was incredibly difficult. The host was depleted.

Shen Ci, however, couldn’t help but smile. Min Shoubei’s eccentric temperament really lived up to its reputation.

Exiting the livestream, Shen Ci took a deep breath, grimacing as he resumed practice.