C17

Every morning, Jiang Fanxing would arrive on set for filming.

No matter how much buzz or controversy surrounded him outside, without actual works, it was all empty talk. In this project, neither of the two male leads was delivering, and the third male lead’s screen time hadn’t been cut—so wasn’t this the perfect opportunity to rise in rank?

Just because the male leads had weak performances, didn’t mean the supporting actors weren’t allowed to be good.

Jiang Fanxing had done his homework well, often pulling Yang Hanguang aside to practice scenes together, discussing how to enrich their character arcs.

Qiao Qiao looked at them with a deeply resentful gaze.

Ah, why were all her scene partners so hopeless? They were completely out of character, and she couldn’t even guide them into the scene!

“Qiu Songsheng, you idiot,” Lin Rin whispered angrily to Qiu Songsheng after filming ended. “You treat Jiang Fanxing like a good buddy, but do you think he sees you that way? If we don’t stand out in this drama, he’s definitely going to use PR articles to overshadow us, stepping on us to rise higher. And yet you’re still sticking to him like glue? Haven’t you noticed that even the director doesn’t bother scolding us anymore?”

Zhu Guofu’s attitude toward them and Jiang Fanxing was now completely different. Though he still scolded Jiang Fanxing the most, Jiang Fanxing improved with every take. Even his acting coach said he was a natural talent, with a deep understanding of his character.

When the male leads were weak and the supporting roles shone, who got to feast at the table—the leads or the supporting cast?

Lin Rin wasn’t the type to deliberately suppress supporting actors just because he was a lead, but after being compared and overshadowed too many times, he had learned the hard way how to control the situation.

If he was the lead, he would never allow a supporting actor to outshine him—whether in looks, styling, or storyline. But the problem was, he wasn’t in charge of this production. Otherwise, someone like Jiang Fanxing would never be allowed to exist.

“Are you stupid?” Qiu Songsheng said impatiently. “Do you really think that if everyone in the cast sucks, audiences will like the least bad one? No way. They won’t even bother watching—they’ll just turn it off. Instead of blaming others for being good, maybe work on not being terrible yourself?”

Qiu Songsheng hated idiots like this. He had encountered similar “privileged heirs” back in his trainee days during talent show competitions—guys who had zero skills but still demanded to be center stage. Meanwhile, he, who could sing and dance well, was stuck with barely any lines.

If his fans hadn’t voted him into the finals, he would have been eliminated ages ago.

And now, Lin Rin was proving to be just as dumb.

So annoying.

Qiu Songsheng couldn’t be bothered to deal with him anymore and happily went to find Jiang Fanxing. Jiang Fanxing was right—if even someone like Lin Rin could be a male lead, then why not him? At least if he ever got the lead role, he’d never try to suppress the supporting actors.

“Fanxing, Fanxing! Guess what I just did?” Qiu Songsheng was excited, feeling like he had just delivered the coolest line ever.

“Judging by your expression, you probably roasted that idiot Lin Rin?” Jiang Fanxing replied without even looking up.

“You… How did you know? Did you hear us?”

“No, but it’s written all over your face,” Jiang Fanxing sighed. “I used to think the entertainment industry was full of cunning masterminds. But now, looking at these guys, it’s just a bunch of amateurs. Honestly, it’s a little disappointing.”

If his opponents were all this weak, it wasn’t even fun to crush them.

Qiu Songsheng suddenly felt that maybe it was a good thing he and Jiang Fanxing weren’t in the same lane.

As an idol, he probably wouldn’t have to deal with people like Jiang Fanxing… right?

——————————————————

He was here, he was here—he was back with a brand-new “Male Bodhisattva” video!

The content creator “One Cup of Happy Water a Day” had finally released his second video.

It’d been a full twenty days since he posted his first one, and that video had been analyzed down to the last frame.

Honestly, the media was so useless—not only had they failed to dig up who he really was, but they hadn’t even figured out which company he’d signed with. Occasionally, a few people claimed to know him, but they were quickly debunked.

In the past few days, imitation videos trying to copy “One Cup of Happy Water a Day” had flooded the platform. But a copy was just a copy—it could never compare to the real deal.

Just when many netizens thought this overnight sensation had already faded into obscurity, his long-awaited second video finally arrived.

Many fans who had set special notifications for his account got an instant push alert as soon as the video was released.

Because of the viral success of his first video, the platform itself was fully onboard with the hype—pushing the second video straight onto the trending list.

As a devoted fan, Xiaofei stayed up late just to watch it.

To be honest, she was a little worried that his second video might not live up to the first. If that happened, people would definitely mock him, and she wouldn’t be able to stand it. She had discovered him when he had fewer than 100,000 likes—she was one of his earliest die-hard fans. If he just faded into mediocrity, she would be heartbroken.

But after watching the second video, she had zero worries left.

Those so-called “Male Bodhisattva” imitators—what even were they?

Only Happy Water was the real Male Bodhisattva!

The only true creator!

The forever legend!

Xiaofei’s group chat was already going insane.

“Help, I just wanted to admire the Male Bodhisattva’s body, but he’s out here taking my life instead.”

“Damn it, it’s the middle of winter—I just ate a lamb hot pot, and my body is already on fire. Why is he tempting me like this?! QAQ”

“I want to sponsor him. I have money. I’m serious.”

“Even if Happy Water isn’t conventionally handsome… Oh, who am I kidding? With a body like that, who needs a pretty face?”

“Too good-looking, too good-looking, TOO GOOD-LOOKING—”

“Happy Water single-handedly raised the standard for Male Bodhisattva creators.”

“My mom loves watching him. My grandma loves watching him!”

“He knows exactly what I want to see. He understands me!”

“Hah, my boyfriend curses at Happy Water every day for ‘baiting fans,’ yet he secretly brings Happy Water’s videos to his gym trainer and asks how long it’ll take to get that body.”

“Men… huh.”

“There are only two kinds of men in this world: Happy Water, and everyone else.”

…

The moment “One Cup of Happy Water a Day” dropped his new video, media companies scrambled to hold emergency meetings. They were desperate to recreate his content down to the last frame. If they could sign him, even better.

It was rare to see a content creator skyrocket in popularity this fast.

Within just one hour, the new video had already surpassed 100,000 likes. Judging by the trend, it was going to be even bigger than the first.

The first video had already been reposted on YouTube, where it racked up an insane amount of likes—after all, a beautiful body was universally loved.

Meanwhile, other male content creators who specialized in suggestive thirst-trap videos were looping Happy Water’s video over and over, analyzing every frame.

The video was only two minutes long.

It began with the silhouette of a scholar, carrying a book box on his back, climbing a mountain trail. Before long, the sky darkened, and rain poured down. The scholar hurried to take shelter in an abandoned temple…

The scholar kindled a fire, immersing himself in his book. The book obscured nearly all of his face, leaving only the sharp outline of his jaw visible.

The next moment, a chilling wind howled through the temple, causing the flames to flicker and dim.

This sequence was visually stunning—every detail, from composition to costume design to color selection, was meticulously crafted, perfectly capturing the essence of Eastern aesthetics.

Then, all of a sudden, a ghostly woman in red soared into view.

The scholar, terrified, scrambled to escape, fleeing the ruined temple in a panic until he reached the edge of a deep pool.

The ghostly woman giggled playfully. The scholar leaped.

The background music swelled with intensity—the drumbeats quickened, and a female voice sang with a sultry lilt, heightening the tension. Even viewers found themselves unconsciously holding their breath.

Then—

Silence.

The screen froze at the moment the scholar plunged into the water.

Moonlight bathed the pool, casting a silver glow over his submerged body.

Beneath the water’s surface, his figure remained breathtaking. If anything, the gentle distortion of the water made him appear even more ethereal. His form shimmered as if infused with light, a result of the interplay between moonlight and the rippling water.

His robes loosened, concealing his chest while revealing sharply defined abs beneath the surface.

Above the water, the ghost’s flowing red garments swayed in the air. The fabric’s trailing edges conveniently veiled the creator’s face, leaving only inky strands of hair tangled with the crimson silk.

The scene’s composition was exquisite—so much so that even as a standalone artwork, it radiated pure aesthetic brilliance.

 

The reaction from fellow content creators? Absolute chaos.

“Where the hell did this god-tier creator come from, suddenly dropping a seduction masterpiece?! This is PROFESSIONAL work—100% professional! The cinematography, the soundtrack—holy crap, why isn’t he making movies for money? Why is he making this kind of content without even selling merch? What does he even want out of this?! AHHHHH!”

 

“The short film directors we invested in look like absolute trash compared to this.”

“…No merch, no livestreams, no brand deals—so he’s just doing this for charity?!”

Even industry professionals were on the verge of a breakdown.

Copying this style was out of the question—the production costs were astronomical. And trying to poach talent like this? Impossible.

Meanwhile, casual viewers, oblivious to the technical intricacies, had only one thought—

This. Was. Stunning.

The storytelling was incredible.

The floodgates burst open, and the comment section exploded with fangirl screams:

“LET GO OF THAT SCHOLAR! LET ME HAVE HIM! LET ME HAVE HIM!”

“I CAN BE A GHOST TOO! I’LL CHASE HIM TOO! AHHHHH!”

“This isn’t just thirst-trap content—he’s got actual SKILL.”

“Too beautiful, TOO beautiful—his body is literally glowing. This is a real-life Male Bodhisattva.”

“I hit like. I can survive another day. It’s a beautiful day again.”

“Just went on a blind date and got disgusted by the guy… Only this creator can cleanse my eyes. If I go on enough dates, I have to find someone like this.”

…

Meanwhile, Chen Kele was bedridden with a cold.

To perfect that underwater shot, he had no idea how many times he’d plunged into the freezing water. By the end of it, he had downed an entire bottle of ginger tea just to stay warm.

His body was glowing? Ha! That was because they had coated him with a thin layer of gold powder. Of course, he was shining! Did people really think moonlight alone could create that effect?

The styling team hadn’t fared much better—they had also spent the entire night enduring the bitter wind.

But in the end, it was all worth it.

“Brother Jiang really gets it—he gets it too well. Next time we do promotions, I’m asking him first.” The marketing girl didn’t even spare a glance at the real Chen Kele sitting beside her. Instead, she was giggling at the video. “He’s just so good at this! How does he know exactly what I want to see? Even before I know what I want to see?”

“Yeah… just a little cold, though.”

“But totally worth it, hahaha.”

“Once we finally go public with this, our team is going to be legendary in the industry.”

“I knew it—I’m not just a studio video director, I’m totally capable of making movies and dramas!” The rookie director was practically in tears.

—

Everyone was hyped. And why wouldn’t they be?

Shen Tianqing had just made them sign ironclad NDAs, then immediately tripled their salaries. Heh.

Besides, this video was more than just a success—it was a masterclass in teamwork. They had all leveled up their skills, and this was the perfect opportunity to showcase their abilities to the public.

For an up-and-coming director and an entirely new creative team, securing investments was practically impossible. No investors meant no projects. No projects meant no work to show. It was a vicious cycle.

And to make things worse, the industry was already flooded with rich kids, second-gen celebrities, and actors-turned-producers trying their hand at directing. The competition was even messier than the entertainment industry itself.

But Shen Tianqing had sharp eyes. He had spotted their potential and signed them, promising to back their big projects once they proved their worth.

Of course, things hadn’t exactly gone as planned. The studio’s two biggest artists had crashed and burned, their projects put on indefinite hold. For now, making short-form content was just a way to keep their skills sharp and their creative juices flowing.

But somehow… they’d all gotten hooked on it.

Cough.

Meanwhile, the studio itself was stabilizing. Their first lawsuit had ended in a solid win. The studio had a clear record of Qin Shi and Yi Zhu’s finances—there was no way they could sneakily transfer their assets. Everything had already been frozen.

Did they really think they could push Shen Tianqing around?

Now, both of them were begging the studio to go easy on them, hoping for a smaller breach-of-contract penalty. The speed at which they had flipped their stance was truly something to behold.

—

“Just two or three more videos, and we can start preparing to reveal your identity.” Shen Tianqing watched as Chen Kele downed a bottle of antiviral medicine, his tone indifferent.

“Huh? That soon?” Chen Kele was caught off guard. A strange reluctance crept into his heart.

“What, you really want to be a full-time Male Bodhisattva content creator?” Shen Tianqing chuckled. “I mean, I don’t mind. You’d still be making me a ton of money, and it’s an easy way to cash in.”

“No, I still want the stage.” Chen Kele clenched his jaw, firming his resolve. “I can’t forget my original goal.”

Shen Tianqing smiled. “Relax. Even after your identity is revealed, that doesn’t mean this account has to die. Right now, you’re just a viral internet figure. But once your content starts making waves internationally and your charity work comes to light, securing recognition from mainstream media will be a breeze.”

 

After all, Chen Kele wasn’t exploiting his looks for money. He wasn’t running ads, he wasn’t selling anything, he wasn’t scamming people, and he wasn’t promoting unrealistic beauty standards. He had even included a clear “18+ Only” disclaimer on his videos.

Calling him a Male Bodhisattva wasn’t even an exaggeration.

The path Jiang Fanxing had mapped out for him was solid.

Too solid.

In fact, it was so well thought out that even Shen Tianqing couldn’t help but wonder…

Had this path really been designed for Chen Kele from the start? Or had Jiang Fanxing originally crafted it for himself?

 

---

TN:

Honestly thirst traps hardly do anything for me, so when one does, I appreciate it extra hard 😏