ISMM Chapter 1

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1.

My adversary, Gu Yiliang, a second-rate fresh meat, was blessed with a face that was on par with an idol, as well as superb acting talent. Regardless of whatever movie or drama he acted in or whatever roles he got, whether it was the main male lead, the second male lead, or a side character, he was always gilding the lily. Film critics will write a thousand-word review to flatter him sincerely while the company will give him earth-shattering praise through the press. The comments on his Weibo would always be filled with flower emoticons and likes whenever you loaded his posts.

I, Wei Yanzi, a third-rate fresh meat, was blessed with a face that was on par with an idol, as well as acting skill similar to an egg yolk. Regardless of whatever movie or drama I acted in or whatever roles I got, I was always a crested dogstail, always on the brink of withering and drying up. I didn’t even deserve to be kept in a vase.

He was the one who could speak frankly with assurance regarding the psychological development of the character in the plot during interviews, and was able to receive acknowledgement without hiding the fact that he was working hard to strive for the golden award. Yet, when I accepted interviews, I was always asked about the scandals and gossips that revolved around me. I don’t even dare to self-proclaim I’m an actor before the camera.

To explain in a non-exaggerated manner, in the vast environment of the entertainment industry, he was the moon in the clouds, and the flowers beside the pond, while I was just a little yellow cabbage on the ground.

2.

Never think that both Gu Yiliang and I were only separated by one celebrity tier. In the industry, it was the same as being separated by a thousand ravines and gullies. So, regardless of how far I crane my neck, I’ll never reach the top of his back.

3.

Then how was I fortunate enough to become an adversary to Gu Yiliang?

It was actually very simple. We were of the same age and worked under the same company. We even debuted in the same period, but since we weren’t that familiar with each other, the company never intended to package us as brothers who were deeply infatuated with one another. Therefore, this led to the issue of allocating resources——

……

Fine, the more I delved into it, I couldn’t think of any particular reason since his skills were obviously on a different calibre than mine. We didn’t have the same image, so our resources didn’t really conflict with one another. I, too, have no idea. How did he become my adversary?

4.

We have debuted and known each other for three years already, yet we didn’t talk much, let alone add each other on Wechat. Whenever we met in person, we communicated fully with a 3-in-1 package—our eyes, smiles, and nods.

If it weren’t for the fact that someone would appear every so often to stir up shit in the Weibo comments section, I wouldn’t have known that I, a tepid little third-rate, would actually have an adversary with a glorious pathway to stardom as well as a bright future.

I’m terrified!

How am I even worthy?!

5.

Regardless, I feel very honored.

Being caught up with such an adversary did help me enrich myself as well. My short-lived popularity was also gradually looking up.

I won’t be getting the short end of the stick either way.

6.

So what does the term ‘adversary’ mean?

It precisely meant this in the eyes of his fans：

When I smiled at Gu Yiliang, I’d have a hidden a dagger behind them.

When I brushed shoulders with Gu Yiliang, I turned a blind eye to his existence.

When I lowered my head in the same frame as Gu Yiliang, I felt deeply upset in my heart.

When I turned to talk with others happily in the same frame as Gu Yiliang, I was showing attitude.

I was wrong regardless of whether I was standing or sitting.

So, how do I put it? Unless I were Wei Yanzi himself, I would almost believe them to be true.

Which is to say in the eyes my of fans:

When Gu Yiliang smiled at me, it was a silent provocation.

When Gu Yiliang brushed shoulders with me, he felt I was beneath him deep down.

When Gu Yiliang lowered his head in the same frame as me, he was feigning loftiness.

When Gu Yiliang turned to chat with others happily in the same frame as me, he was being contrived and deliberate.

In any case, he’s always in the fault whether he’s active or quiet.

So, how do I put it? Unless I were Gu Yiliang himself, I would almost believe them to be true.

7.

If we happened to wear the same brand of accessories, that meant we were competing to be a brand ambassador.

If we happened to wear similar clothing, that meant we were copying each other’s taste in fashion.

If we happened to be wearing the same outfit, that meant we were screwed. In time, the fans would nastily argue until they split a hole open about who wore it best and who was the most stylish and most sophisticated to the extent that a rainbow would spout out thousands of miles across the sky.

8.

If you were to ask why I knew so much about it…

9.

Pinching my nose, I returned the phone back to my new personal life assistant, Little Chen. “Don’t show me the forum posts anymore. It’s killing my mood.”

10.

“There’s still more an hour left until they start shooting the next scene. I was afraid you’d be bored sitting here on your own.” Little Chen stuck out his tongue, his hand working on fanning me with a fan. “Don’t actors search their own names on the web?”

After going through a post about myself, I corrected him out of fear after the trauma I received. “Don’tdon’tdon’t! Don’t say you so politely! And don’t call me an actor.”

“Oh, then um, Brother Wei.” Little Chen accepted it and changed his form of address without hesitation. Taking out a bottle of water, he inserted a straw into it before handing it to me. “Don’t you search for your name on the web occasionally?”

Chewing on the tip of the straw, I replied, “Why would I do that? They hyped up their dirt on me like crazy. It’s so frustrating to look at them.”

Head tilted to the side, Little Chen looked towards me. “Then why don’t you try and search for your adversary’s name? Won’t you feel better that way?”

I was rendered speechless by his suggestion.

11.

This kid was a motherfucking genius!

12.

Although I don’t personally harbor any enmity towards Gu Yiliang, I still feel a slight distaste by the trashy posts his fans made about me. So to be fair, there would be nothing wrong with me taking a peek at his blackmail material to calm me down.

I’ll consider it as doing a kind deed for him!

Full of joy and expectations, I fished out my phone and opened Weibo to search by typing in his name, ‘Gu Yiliang’. 

13.

Like Ge You, I sat paralyzed on the chair, my hand raised against my chest as I attempted to calm my fluctuating mood from seeing the multitudinous praises and good reviews they showered Gu Yiliang with.

Ge You lying like a dead fish.

I’m very fragile, and I could no longer withstand any more traumatic events.

14.

I had only just tapped on the red ellipsis symbol at the top of the comments section and it notified me that a dozen more new messages had been posted. I tapped on it to skim through it again with my dead fish eyes. Most of the comments were pointless praises and declarations of love, but one of the weird-looking comments instantly caught my attention.

@Pink_NiangziArmy: [heart][heart][heart][heart] GROSSSOBBING our boys are spreading the love again! sobbssss what’s the big day today pls pls get married already!!! hurry up and register now!!! [kneel][kneel][heart][heart]

And the attached picture was an image with a white ‘PLS GET MARRIED NOW’ text on a red background.

15.

Was this an advertisement from the matrimonial agency?

Confused, my desire to know more made me tap into this NiangziArmy’s Weibo account.

16.

Do you think a new world opened itself to me?

No, I probed and saw a whole new universe.

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