Chapter 112: An Unexpected Situation

Although the internet has become more regulated these days with the promotion of real-name registration, it doesn't mean that usernames cannot be changed. Hao Xifan was the first to "reclaim his name," and ever since Yun Tianxue’s analytical breakdown post was published, he had been the first to follow it, remaining consistently active.

Unfortunately, Chu Luoxi had too few works, and with nothing left to follow, Hao Xifan established this fan forum for comfort. He firmly believed that Chu Luoxi would one day soar to great heights, and by then, the forum would surely become lively.

Later, when Lan Lun released Chu Luoxi’s profile, the forum reposted it immediately. Hao Xifan was so elated that he spent several days in high spirits; anyone who didn't know better would have thought he had struck gold.

However, Chu Luoxi appeared far too infrequently. The forum remained lukewarm, revolving repeatedly around Yun Tianxue and the music video for "Waxing and Waning." Dedicated fans even managed to track down the music video for Ji Yanjin’s song, in which Chu Luoxi made a guest appearance, but the topics of discussion remained limited. As time passed, interest began to wane.

"It’s the College Student Film Festival! They’re walking the red carpet right now!" the informant replied quickly. Hao Xifan immediately pulled up the live stream, his eyes wide.

Hearing the chants of "Xiao Jingxuan" growing louder and more rhythmic as they approached, Chu Luoxi remarked with a sigh, "Senior Brother Xiao, you’re becoming more and more impressive. Out of every ten students at the Imperial Film Academy, eight of them look up to you as their role model and idol!"

Such a scene was not enough to make her envious; not only had she reached such heights in her previous life, but for Xiao Jingxuan, this was merely the beginning.

"And what about you? Do you still consider me your idol?" Xiao Jingxuan maintained a pleasant smile. Every few steps, he would pull Chu Luoxi to a stop to pose for photos, cooperating so readily that the reporters were flattered. It seemed they had never felt Xiao Jingxuan was this easy to get along with.

"Me? Senior Brother, don't you think you’re constantly shattering the image of my idol?" Chu Luoxi said through gritted teeth. To have the idol of two lifetimes ruined—and by the person himself—was a source of both regret and resentment, no matter how she looked at it!

"My fault? Well, I’m truly sorry about that," Xiao Jingxuan replied calmly, a trace of imperceptible smugness flashing in his eyes. Naturally, he wouldn’t admit that he had done it on purpose. The distance of an "idol" was too great; as far as Chu Luoxi was concerned, he didn't need her to be just another fan.

Due to the persistent demands of reporters and fans, the pair stopped and started, wasting quite a bit of time. Those behind them remained in their cars, choosing to avoid the overwhelming momentum of Xiao Jingxuan’s spotlight.

In the entertainment industry, besides popularity, status and seniority mattered. Those behind Xiao Jingxuan might not necessarily be less popular than him, but they certainly had more years in the business. Therefore, it was better to avoid the collision to prevent being overshadowed.

"Are you cold?" Finally sensing the formidable length of the red carpet, Xiao Jingxuan asked with a hint of concern. He had lingered a bit longer than necessary to increase Chu Luoxi’s exposure; there was no help for it—every gain came with a loss.

"I’m fine, it doesn't matter. The 'freezing' beauty of actresses is always like this," Chu Luoxi said with a smile, already accustomed to it.

"You certainly know the ropes," Xiao Jingxuan remarked, implying that Chu Luoxi didn't seem like a newcomer at all.

"Senior Brother, you’re too kind." Although she said this, Chu Luoxi displayed the shyness and faint reserve expected of a rookie, immediately piquing the interest of many reporters who began to whisper and speculate while never forgetting to keep their cameras ready.

When crowds are large, accidents are bound to happen, and the College Student Film Festival grew larger each year. Although security measures were increased, there were bound to be oversights.

As Xiao Jingxuan and Chu Luoxi were about to finish their walk, perhaps reluctant to see him leave, some fans surged forward in excitement. The pressure caused the reporters in front to lose their footing, and they stumbled directly into the sweating security personnel.

Because it happened so suddenly, the perimeter was breached. One reporter tripped and tumbled forward, landing—well, right at the feet of the Great God Xiao’s white trousers.

Fortunately, Xiao Jingxuan reacted quickly and stopped in his tracks; otherwise, he would have stepped right on the man. That would have been a disaster, and the headlines the next day would have been completely beyond anyone’s control.

Because of the abrupt stop, Chu Luoxi almost twisted her ankle in her high heels. Fortunately, she was holding onto Xiao Jingxuan, so she didn't lose her composure and had the grace to step back.

Ordinarily, Xiao Jingxuan’s fans were disciplined and well-behaved. This incident occurred in the blink of an eye and was not the fans' intention; it was merely an unexpected accident.

For a moment, the fans were stunned, the reporters were frozen, and even the security guards failed to react immediately. Even the host, who was preparing to welcome them, felt their soul leave their body—this was a crisis. Depending on how it was handled, it could easily be blamed on the organizers.

Wu Bin, who had fallen to the ground, seemed a bit dazed. He just stared blankly up at Xiao Jingxuan, still sprawled on the ground, creating a bizarre scene.

In an instant, the once lively and boisterous venue fell deathly silent; one could hear a pin drop. Some were in shock, some were gloating, and others were watching from the sidelines, waiting to see how the situation would be resolved.

Though it sounds slow in the telling, it all happened within ten seconds. Because of Wu Bin’s movements, Chu Luoxi had instinctively taken a step back. Despite wearing a long gown, she had a psychological aversion to a man lying on the ground looking up at her.

Covering her mouth with a light laugh, Chu Luoxi’s eyes sparkled: "Mr. Reporter, even if you are a huge fan of our King Xiao, there's no need to be so excited! Don't worry, don't worry—King Xiao always keeps his word. He promised you an exclusive interview for *Film Weekly*, and he definitely won't go back on it, right, Senior Brother?"

More and more people were calling Xiao Jingxuan "King," though he still lacked a bit of seasoning. However, with the media and audience calling him that, it served as a form of encouragement. It had been many years since there had been a "King" that everyone agreed upon, so people were full of anticipation.

There had been many top stars in recent years, but none were universally acclaimed; they all seemed to lack that little something...

"Yes, I’m not going to disappear, so what’s the rush?" Xiao Jingxuan said jokingly, as if the incident wasn't worth mentioning, merely adding a bit of entertainment.

Because of the momentary silence, many people heard the exchange between Chu Luoxi and Xiao Jingxuan. Everyone immediately understood that they were giving Wu Bin a way out, intending to downplay the incident.

Seeing this, the security guards breathed a sigh of relief, the host smiled, and even the event organizers relaxed. They looked at the pair with gratitude. Such operational blunders were easy to handle as long as no one was intent on stirring up trouble.