Chapter 115: Not Fitting In Is Unnecessary

Kong Tian Studio.

"Ah Xing, what brings you here?" Kong Tian looked at Lin Xing, looking somewhat surprised. "You didn't even call ahead?"

"Finished with your class?" Lin Xing asked with a smile.

"All done. Come on, let's go to my office to chat. I'll have someone order some food in a bit." As Kong Tian spoke, he picked up his phone to have his studio staff place an order, specifically instructing them on which restaurant to choose.

The restaurant Kong Tian used to frequent had gone downhill; these days, eateries were increasingly cutting corners, with some even replacing their entire menus with pre-packaged, pre-prepared meals. They chose whatever was easiest. Dishes like shredded pork in sweet bean sauce, Kung Pao chicken, braised pork with preserved vegetables, and sweet and sour pork tenderloin were all mass-produced—completely unsuitable for an artist to eat. High sugar content.

"The place I found is a small eatery, but firstly, the owner actually cooks the food from scratch, and secondly, it’s clean and hygienic..." Kong Tian laughed as he said this, "Tell me, what is this world coming to? Actors don't really act, singers don't really sing, and now, even chefs don't really cook anymore."

Lin Xing replied, "Brother Kong, it’s not like you don't know how to cook. If push comes to shove, just set up a kitchen in your studio. Next time we get together, we can cook for ourselves."

Kong Tian heard this and replied seriously, "Don't laugh, but I’ve actually been thinking about setting up a kitchen. It would be nice to be able to cook a few dishes and make some meals every now and then..."

After all, Kong Tian spent most of his time at the studio these days because the roles he could get were becoming fewer and fewer. Character determines destiny. Everyone knew Kong Tian was talented, and when it came to acting coaching, he was exceptionally strong. Because of this, both film and television productions were willing to invite him to serve as an acting coach.

But as for other things? Forget it. In many people's eyes, Kong Tian was just too antisocial. Everyone else was slacking off and lying flat, so why was he the only one working so hard? The key point was that if you were an A-list star or a top-tier celebrity, nobody would say anything. But since you’re just a washed-up, has-been actor—who can't even be called "faded" because you were never truly popular to begin with—who would give you any face at this point?

"Face" is often not something others give you; it is something you earn through your own status. Regarding the same matter, if someone else says it, it's the truth; if you say it, it's nonsense. Just like when Lin Xing was on the set of *Only to Wait for You*, he only had one assistant to pick him up, and let alone receiving proper treatment, hardly anyone wanted to talk to him. Chu Chen and Li Jingjing would leave as soon as they finished their scenes with him.

However, on the set of *Sweeping the Black Clouds*, Lin Xing managed to earn Zu Ming’s recognition through his acting skills, and he won the approval of Ren Yi thanks to his diligence. By the time he was on the set of *Portrait of a Crime Hunter*, it was a completely different story. Even though Lin Xing explicitly stated he didn't want any special treatment—not even the so-called trailer—his invisible status on set was naturally exceptionally high. Try asking for time off on *Portrait of a Crime Hunter* if you were the old Lin Xing? Not a chance.

In the entertainment industry, one must sometimes learn to compromise. As long as it didn't involve matters of principle, Lin Xing had always been the type of person to stay true to his heart, but why be so pedantic about certain things? Kong Tian, however, was not like that. He truly could not tolerate even a grain of sand in his eyes. Lin Xing had advised him before that being too self-righteous would inevitably make him unpopular. "Fitting in" is sometimes actually a derogatory term.

But clearly, Kong Tian hadn't taken it to heart, or perhaps, as he had said, "I'm over forty, my temper is already set in stone, so I’m not changing it. If I really changed, I wouldn't be Kong Tian anymore." Lin Xing respected such people because they lived purely, unlike some of the veteran actors in the industry who sold an image of being upright and indifferent to fame and fortune while doing the most shameless things behind the scenes.

"Next time, next time you come, maybe I'll have the kitchen set up. I might even add an open-air balcony for barbecues..." Kong Tian brought Lin Xing into his office. While pouring him a cup of jasmine tea, he asked with a smile, "Tell me, why did you suddenly come to see me?"

Lin Xing laughed, "Can't I come if there's nothing wrong?"

"Of course not, but you should be busy right now. Not only did you just finish filming *Portrait of a Crime Hunter*, but I was chatting with Ren Yi two days ago, and he mentioned he wanted to get you to record a variety show..." Kong Tian smiled. "But Ah Xing, I still have to advise you: it’s fine to do variety shows, but don't do too many in a year. You should take advantage of your current popularity to pick a few good scripts. Doing too many variety shows makes it easy to become a 'variety show personality.' Look at Ren Yi; he hasn't dared to do many variety shows in the last two years."

Lin Xing nodded gently, "Brother Kong, I understand. I already told my agent that I won't be doing many variety shows this year. Even if I do, it will only be for the promotion of a TV series."

"I'm relieved to hear you say that. I've met many clear-headed people in the entertainment industry, but not many who are this clear-headed at your age." Kong Tian paused and continued, "Most people might keep their original intentions before they become famous, but once they really hit it big, few can maintain that. Especially with fame and fortune—I’ve seen too many people in this circle become famous overnight and then fall just as quickly."

At this point, Kong Tian laughed, "But you are special. You experienced early fame, followed by ten years of silence, and now you are in your golden period. So, I don't suggest you be too anxious; just take it steady."

To say the least, in 2023, thanks to Wu Yao's downfall, the success of *Farm Life*, and his special appearance in *Only to Wait for You*, Lin Xing successfully returned to the public eye. At the start of 2024, he successfully gained industry recognition with the role of Zhou Bo in *Sweeping the Black Clouds*. The most crucial point was that Lin Xing was only 32 this year. Unlike female stars, the golden age for male stars in the entertainment industry often doesn't begin until after 35, and some male actors don't even see their careers peak until they are in their 40s.

Currently, Lin Xing had traffic. His traffic might not be comparable to true top-tier stars or those heavily backed by capital, but it was stronger than manufactured idols like Li Xingchi, Xu Han, and Hao Zhi. Furthermore, Lin Xing had acting skills that were recognized by those in the industry. Therefore, Lin Xing certainly wouldn't have to worry about scripts going forward. In this regard, Kong Tian's advice was similar to Ren Yi's: don't be impatient. Now is the time to be steady.

"Thank you, Brother Kong. I understand." Lin Xing said with heartfelt gratitude. Then, he took out the script for *The Evil Child* and said, "I really did come today because I wanted you to take a look at this script."

"Alright, let me see." After Kong Tian took the script, he began to read. *The Evil Child*? This title was quite interesting. Kong Tian slowly started reading the pages.

While Kong Tian was reading, Lin Xing sipped his tea and checked Weibo.

"Breaking news: Zheng Zhou is producing a new variety show for the first time in two years. It is reported that the lineup this time is very strong."

"Lin Xing and Zheng Zhou had dinner together last night. Could it be that Lin Xing is also going to be on Zheng Zhou’s new variety show??"

"Zheng Zhou, Ren Yi, and Lin Xing dining together; from the video, it’s clear they were having a great time."

...

It seemed Zheng Zhou was truly a man of action. After all, the new variety show hadn't even been finalized, and they hadn't even settled on the title, yet the promotion had already begun. These so-called "leaks" from marketing accounts and the videos were clearly filmed by people hired in advance. This was pre-emptive hype. Thinking about it, it made sense; Zheng Zhou had always been the best at marketing, and his marketing hadn't backfired yet. Unlike others who tried to build personas like "the chef," "the one who doesn't want to be famous," or "the upright one," which almost always ended in total disaster.

"As expected, once an artist gets popular, they have to join variety shows. I actually thought Lin Xing was an exception."

"Haha, Lin Xing has been doing all kinds of variety shows since he got popular in *Only to Wait for You*. This is even more normal."

"Lol, Lin Xing was still acting all 'Zen' and 'Buddhist-like,' that persona shattered in a second."

...

Among the topics on Weibo, there were also some people criticizing Lin Xing. It was obvious these were just people stirring up trouble. This was why many celebrities were reluctant to let go of their fan clubs. Often, they would set up so-called "anti-black" official blogs, and if there was even one negative remark—or, more accurately, one piece of criticism—they would control the comments, engage in "anti-black" campaigns, and target individuals to get their fans to attack. If it were a situation like today's, extreme fans would have already taken over the comments section and started a war. Because in the eyes of fans, anyone who criticizes their idol is an enemy.

Moreover, it was easy to spot many fake "passersby" who were actually just haters. Since July of last year, Lin Xing had only recorded three variety shows: *Farm Life*, *Comedy is for Laughing*, and *Following Stars to Poverty Alleviation*. Among them, *Farm Life* was his only permanent role, while he only recorded a few episodes of *Comedy is for Laughing*. As for *Following Stars to Poverty Alleviation*, that went without saying; Lin Xing was purely doing it for charity. In half a year, he had only recorded a few shows, so how did that become "joining all kinds of variety shows after getting popular"?

Lin Xing understood it after a quick glance; these were usually orchestrated by others to subtly influence public opinion. After all, ordinary passersby wouldn't know exactly how many shows Lin Xing had actually participated in. Lin Xing didn't bother to address it; he planned to tell "Sister Dao" not to worry about it, otherwise, he would truly be dragged back into the whirlpool of fan culture. Lin Xing had always believed in one thing: anyone who manipulates public opinion will eventually be consumed by it. There were no exceptions. So, he just gave it a quick look.

"Teacher Lin, we need you to repost the official Weibo post for *Portrait of a Crime Hunter* again." Just then, the staff from *Portrait of a Crime Hunter* sent another message to Lin Xing. They had already released a batch of wrap-up photos yesterday, but they wanted to take advantage of the momentum to release another batch of stills. After all, *Portrait of a Crime Hunter* was truly a "small transparent" production; the traffic of all the other actors combined didn't equal Lin Xing’s, so naturally, they needed him to help repost.

Lin Xing replied, "Received!" He then checked the official Weibo for *Portrait of a Crime Hunter*. Sure enough, they had posted a nine-grid photo collage, with Lin Xing prominently placed in the center. Aside from the two leads, Lin Xing and Zhou Wei, the stills also featured Wei Fei, Lin Miaoyin, and others. They were mostly individual shots.

Although the cast of *Portrait of a Crime Hunter* couldn't possibly fight over billing because there was nothing to fight over. Take Lin Xing and Zhou Wei, for example—let alone the public perception, even Zhou Wei’s few fans felt that Lin Xing should be listed first. Lin Xing reposted the nine-grid photos and wrote, "Please look forward to it!"

"Waiting!"

"Waiting, hurry up and join a new production, don't go filming variety shows."

"Brother Xing, stay away from variety shows, please join a new production soon."

"Career, focus on your career! Brother Xing, cherish your current career."

...

Almost immediately after Lin Xing posted, the comments were filled with fans. Interestingly, the fans had seen the recent leaks and gossip, and they were hoping Lin Xing would get back into filming. Fans are often anxious because they care. More importantly, artists doing too many variety shows really can affect their acting path. Take Zheng Zhou as an example; his acting used to be very strong, and he portrayed a wide variety of characters, but since he started doing more variety shows, he only plays urban roles now because audiences find it hard to stay immersed when he plays anything else. Even when he plays urban roles, like a father in *School Dad, School Mom*, people still find it distracting, or rather, they feel like they are just watching him in a variety show.

This is why many fans dislike artists taking on too many variety shows. But looking at it from both sides, some artists just like recording variety shows. After all, isn't it nice to do easy, leisurely work that pays well? Why struggle for a career? Isn't it great to make as much money as you can while you can? This is also why many people think Kong Tian is a fool.

"Ah Xing, I've finished reading." Forty minutes later, after Kong Tian had given the script a rough once-over and then read it in detail, he looked up and asked, "So, are you going to play the role of Li Dong? Or the role of Ding Heping?"

The script was truly good. After all, Kong Tian understood scripts; over the past few years, he had read scripts for countless people. Not only that, he had helped too many people flesh out their characters. This was all part of being an acting coach.

Lin Xing smiled, "Li Dong."

"That works too. This character has more room for performance. Although you look a bit young, you're basically around the same age as the character in the script. It’s just a matter of using makeup to make you look a bit rougher..." Kong Tian’s real concern was, "This script is not good for your image."

"Brother Kong, the character Zhou Bo in *Sweeping the Black Clouds* wasn't exactly great for my image either." Lin Xing shook his head and laughed, "When it comes to acting, why care about one's real-life image?"

"You can't say it like that. The positive side of your role as Zhou Bo was that people thought you portrayed the villain well, and even if some fans didn't like the 'crazy' aspect, the general public loved it..." Kong Tian analyzed carefully. "But the character of Li Dong is different. This character is sinister, hypocritical, vicious, and also bald. You probably haven't seen an actor with a bald image; that really ruins everything..."

Lin Xing laughed, "Brother Kong, I understand what you mean. You’re trying to say that if I take this role, it will be awkward for me to take on idol dramas in the future, right?"

"That’s what I mean." Kong Tian said, "Not just idol dramas, but also 'elite' roles. After all, competition among male actors is fierce right now. Haven't you seen actors in their 40s still jumping into ancient idol dramas? The filters they use make their faces look so white you can’t even see them..."

"I don't really care about that." Lin Xing shook his head slightly, "For one, I'll definitely be doing more serious dramas in the future, and secondly, I want to show the audience, the directors, and the industry more of my possibilities."

"Well, then there’s no problem." Kong Tian smiled and handed the script back to Lin Xing, "Although this is a web series, I’m quite optimistic about the script."

"Then, Brother Kong, are you interested in the role of Ding Heping?" Lin Xing pushed the script back and asked with a smile.

Kong Tian: "???"