Rebirth: Spoiling the Obsessive Film Emperor Chapter 36

Chapter 36: Signing the Script

Fei Zhengqi was the B-class trainee who partnered with Rong Yu in their first public performance for Hey Brother, Let’s Debut!, playing the role of the scholar.  

Because their performance was so explosively popular, their entire dance video was uploaded by netizens to every short-video platform available, quickly amassing a massive fanbase in a short time.  

As the video circulated, sharp-eyed viewers soon noticed the subtle details in their stage performance—like the way they pretended to pass something between their hands while dancing, mimicking the characters in the story secretly exchanging confidential documents during a crisis.  

For example, after Rong Yu fell to the ground, even though the spotlight remained on his teammates, he still dutifully played the "corpse" in the darkened part of the stage. By the time the music neared its end and the light returned to him, he hadn’t moved an inch, maintaining the exact pose from when he fell.  

Another example was the final duet between Fei Zhengqi and Rong Yu, which subtly implied that the scholar had also committed suicide. Instead of directly narrating the original song’s line about the scholar slitting his throat at the grave, they conveyed this heartbreaking ending in a more indirect way.  

Only in death could the scholar finally touch the male nandan, who had long become a ghost, allowing them to dance together. 

[男旦 (nán dàn): a male actor who specializes in playing female roles in traditional Chinese opera] 

Thus, the dance masterfully blended sorrow, melancholy, and the bittersweet joy of two lovers, once separated by life and death, reuniting.  

The more people analyzed it, the more they marveled at the choreography’s brilliance, leaving them utterly captivated and deeply moved.  

As a result, all ten trainees who contributed to this stunning dance saw a surge in their fan counts, with Rong Yu and Fei Zhengqi gaining the most.  

Fei Zhengqi already had a company backing him, and with his team’s promotional efforts, his visibility surpassed Rong Yu’s, his Weibo followers nearly doubling in number, creating the illusion that he was more popular.  

So, it was no surprise to Yin Chengjue that Ming Qian would target Fei Zhengqi for a CP pairing.  

Previously, with the help of Ming Qian’s hired trolls, the "Rong-Guang Huanfa" CP (Rong Yu and Ming Qian) had gained some traction. However, since they weren’t in the same class or dorm—merely sitting next to each other once—there was little material for fans to latch onto, leaving only a small group of fans admiring their visuals.  

[Rong-Guang Huanfa (荣光焕发) is a Chinese phrase meaning radiant with glory]

In contrast, Ming Qian and Fei Zhengqi were roommates, ensuring plenty of interactions in the footage. Combined with the Weibo hype, many fans drawn to their looks began eagerly scouring their shared screen time for "sweet moments."  

Thus, the "Benefiting from Fei-Qian" CP suddenly rose to prominence, quickly attracting hordes of fans who shipped them for their aesthetics.  

Whether influenced by online trends or not, the production team assigned Ming Qian to Fei Zhengqi’s group when regrouping the trainees after their break.  

After the first public performance, all F-class trainees were eliminated, and it was announced that the next round would cut the entire E and D classes.  

To avoid elimination, lower-ranked trainees were ready to give it their all.  

This round’s challenge was to compose and arrange a song within three days. Each of the seven groups, with six members per team, would create one song.  

The show would document their creative process, and the final products would be released on a high-traffic music platform for public voting. Rankings would be determined by votes, likes, streams, downloads, and comments within the deadline.  

The top three teams would each earn a solo photoshoot feature in a renowned magazine.  

The winning team would receive an "immunity pass," saving one member from elimination.  

Yin Chengjue checked Rong Yu’s team lineup—same as in his past life: Rong Yu was grouped with Fang Mengda, the muscular crybaby who stirred controversy after the first performance, along with the bluntly honest Tao Li, and Bi Sheng who had famously declared during introductions that his entire company's survival depended on his successful debut—or else the company would go under.  

Rounding out the team were two D-class members, Chi Yang and Wen Yu, who had dropped from C-class due to lackluster performances.  

On paper, Rong Yu’s team was noticeably weaker than the others, ranking mid-to-low among the seven groups. The show likely balanced the teams this way, pairing Rong Yu—the first-round winner—with Tao Li (B-class), Bi Sheng (C-class), Chi Yang and Wen Yu (D-class), and Fang Mengda (F-class).  

Apart from Rong Yu, the other five had all dropped in rankings after the first round, with Fang Mengda falling two whole classes.  

Online, pessimism spread about Rong Yu’s team, with many believing he couldn’t carry five weaker members and that losing would be expected.  

Some even eagerly anticipated Rong Yu’s fans clashing with the show’s producers, accusing them of rigging the results.  

But they were in for disappointment—the "Yuxiang Rousi" (Rong Yu’s fans) remained as laid-back as ever. Their fan communities were peaceful, filled only with well-wishes for the team’s success.

[Yuxiang Rou Si (鱼香肉丝): a classic Sichuan dish of shredded pork in fish-fragrant sauce (yúxiāng, it contains no fish but was originally developed for fish dishes).]

Seeing this, the other five members’ fans softened, reciprocating the goodwill. The six fanbases harmonized, leaving onlookers who came expecting drama stunned.  

With no drama from Rong Yu’s side, Ming Qian’s fans instead clashed with Fei Zhengqi’s. The latest episode showed Ming Qian and Fei Zhengqi sharing a close moment—a shoulder hug—and sitting side-by-side while writing lyrics.  

Though they were in different groups for the performance, they were both the "scholar" and "nandan" in rival teams performing the same song. CP fans edited their clips together, weaving a "past and present lives" narrative from their interactions.  

This angered both solo fanbases, each accusing the other of leeching off their idol’s popularity.  

This episode only covered four teams’ songwriting processes, excluding Rong Yu’s group, so Yin Chengjue skipped it.  

Besides, he had his hands full lately—covering for Second Young Master Qin.  

Somehow, the Qin family learned of Second Young Master Qin’s return to the country and were hunting him down. Second Young Master Qin, fearing an imminent arranged marriage if caught, begged Yin Chengjue to take him in.  

Though reluctant, Yin Chengjue agreed after recalling a certain matter.  

"I heard your sister wants to be a screenwriter?" Yin Chengjue blocked the doorway with his tall frame, not yet letting Second Young Master Qin inside.  

"Oh, yeah. That girl’s the family’s darling—she does whatever she wants, way more freedom than me," Second Young Master Qin sighed. "She’s even published a few books. What, your company wants to sign her? I can hook you up!" He instantly caught Yin Chengjue’s drift.  

Qin Linlin had always sided with her brother, so Second Young Master Qin kept in touch with her while on the run.  

Yin Chengjue nodded, satisfied. "Good. My terms will meet her expectations."  

Deal struck!  

Second Young Master Qin moved into Yin Chengjue’s apartment and arranged a meeting between his sister and Yin Chengjue to discuss script adaptations.  

Qin Linlin was a principled and headstrong girl, refusing to alter her original works or accept any revisions. Despite many companies courting her IPs (Intellectual Property), she had rejected them all.  

Yin Chengjue offered full creative control, promising no plot changes or added roles, even letting her serve as the screenwriter.  

Qin Linlin gulped down a mouthful of warm tea, then raised a thumb at Yin Chengjue. "Brother Jue, you get it! I can’t stand those who buy original works just for the clout but then butcher the story to suit their favorites."  

Yin Chengjue agreed. "Your plots are solid—no need for changes. Why would I buy your work if I didn’t like the story? Just for the title and readers’ outrage?"  

"Exactly! If they don’t like the plot, why not just write their own?" Qin Linlin clinked her teacup against Yin Chengjue’s wine glass.  

"With me, that won’t happen," Yin Chengjue vowed solemnly.  

"Great! Then I’m trusting you, Brother Jue!" Qin Linlin signed the contract in swift strokes.  

"Oh, right! I’ve been outlining a new story—got the framework down but wasn’t sure how to start," Qin Linlin blinked her large eyes (eerily similar to her brother’s). "But now I’ve got a new idea."  

Without waiting for Yin Chengjue to ask, she grinned. "I want to turn my story into a variety show—using the plot as the show’s structure and inviting fitting guests to participate."  

"Oh? Adapting your work into a variety show? What genre is it? Would that work?" Yin Chengjue was intrigued—this was unheard of in his past life.  

Back then, because Second Young Master Qin constantly clashed with Ming Qian, Yin Chengjue took it as a personal slight and distanced himself from his childhood friend. Naturally, he never got to know Qin Linlin.  

He only learned of her as the original author of several hit IPs after their adaptations blew up. By then, estranged from Second Young Master Qin, he couldn’t bring himself to approach her—even when Ming Qian begged to star in her dramas.  

Ming Qian had sulked for days over it.  

Looking back, Yin Chengjue found his past self laughable—played like a fiddle by Ming Qian, even pushing away lifelong friends.