After more than two months of meticulous production during filming, the movie "Mermaid" finally announced its release date on the Spring Festival Lantern Festival.
The day before the release, the movie's trailer skyrocketed to the top search.
Due to the film being an award for the actors and considering the previous impact of Ye Xian's incident online, the producers decided to use an animated trailer, showing only a blurry back view of the main character at the end. This not only added a sense of mystery but also greatly piqued people's curiosity, serving as an alternative promotional strategy.
Netizens curiously clicked in, and upon seeing the stunning special effects, exquisite and gorgeous virtual scenes, masterful directing, and a thrilling plot full of twists and turns, they couldn't help but praise it as a true masterpiece made by a world-class team, truly high-end!
Especially when they saw the final still from the trailer, the crowd was in an uproar, some even had nosebleeds!
A back view of a gradient-colored mermaid gracefully dancing in the sea, enveloped in mist, perfectly combined innocence with captivating charm. Her graceful figure seemed meticulously outlined by God, flawless and making viewers itch with anticipation, unable to resist the desire to see her face, to witness how stunningly beautiful she truly is.
Countless men and beauty enthusiasts drooled over this mysterious and stunning back view photo, passionately rushing to buy tickets and speculating, placing bets on who the movie's lead could beâMonica Bellucci? Sophie Mayer? Natasha Kingsme? Or Angelina Jolie?
Each is a famous star in the Western film world, renowned for beauty and sensuality, and when the list of actors was released, people were even more shocked.
It wasn't the big names in the film that surprised people, nor was it that they guessed the mermaid actor correctly, but rather... Ye Xian was on the list?!
This is a Hollywood blockbuster, where the standard for casting actors has always been Western stars, with very few Chinese stars participating. Even when the film industry began to align with the West in recent years, it is remarkable for veteran Movie Kings to get even a few seconds of screen time in a Hollywood film. But Ye Xian, just nineteen years old and with no previous film works, could enter the list?!
It was simply unbelievable and brought great honor to the nation!
Just the fact that she's on the list, even for a few seconds of footage, makes them determined to watch it!
The hashtag #YeXianMermaidCast# instantly shot up to the top searches. The attached heat drew countless people in, even those who had once insulted Ye Xian in the 'Zhang Weilin Incident' felt both emotional and excited seeing the trending news. They thought her absence was due to the incident affecting her career negatively, not realizing she had been secretly working on a Hollywood blockbuster.
No matter how the film is, this ticket is something they owe Ye Xian, and to make up for their guilt, they must watch it!
After two months of low spirits, the Ye's Fans saw Ye Xian's name trending again, clicked in without hesitation, and upon seeing her name standing tall among the list of Western stars in a Hollywood film, they were overwhelmed with mixed emotions.
Mother fans, career fans, die-hard loyal fans who had long forgiven her were moved to tearsâthis was the best news they heard at the start of the new year!
Ye Xian is indeed Ye Xian; even if her gender changed, she remains the most outstanding and influential top star in their hearts. They thought after being insulted by outsiders and losing fans, she would not recover, possibly withdrawing from the industry or becoming disheartened with declining resources. After all, during this crucial business time at the end of the year, she hadn't appeared once, not posted a single Weibo, seemingly vanishing from the world.
Little did they know, she was quietly accomplishing big things! Not only was she unaffected by the incident, but she amazed everyone by directly appearing in a Hollywood blockbuster!
It was truly a huge surprise for them; she's truly a superstar with international style, a true strong individual who fears no rumors or obstacles, forging ahead amidst challenges, determined to one day make everyone silent with her strength.
However, most fans who had fallen out and even resentfully denounced her were stunned upon seeing the news.
[Oh, so the young lady didn't go home crying to inherit the family business. She remembered she's an actor⦠actually participated in a Hollywood blockbuster. I wonder if it was her family's money that got her in; I'm going to see how many seconds of screen time she got.]
[She's daring to appear? Unbelievable, alright, I'm also going to see if she's acting as a man or a woman.]
[Originally a 'man,' now exposed, certainly appearing as a woman. We're so familiar with her; it must be awkward to watch, like a drag king! But I'm quite curious about drag queens; I'm buying tickets to take my whole family to see what it's like.]
[They say what Hollywood produces is top-notch, and yet they chose such a lying artist⦠I'm going to see how she plans to whitewash herself.]
[Is Hollywood not afraid of ruining its reputation? Instead of waiting for someone else to mock me for my past blindness, I'll go mock her in personâ¦]
Ye Xian's fans, upon seeing the trending news, quickly began purchasing tickets online. Some were tossing and turning in bed, guessing which role Ye Xian might play, how effective it would be, and eager for the morning to come to rush to the cinema to watch "Mermaid"; however, some⦠couldn't buy any tickets!
When the prompt showed fully booked, they were in disbelief, rubbing their eyes. How long has it been since the official announcement, and all major theaters are already full for the premiere?!
Too slow?!
What on earth?
Don't these netizens have memories? They forgot how they cursed Ye Xian two months ago, calling her a scumbag, a murderer, wishing she would vanish. Now Ye Xian released a movie, and they grabbed the tickets faster than her fans?!
Moreover, Ye Xian has been hiding for more than two months, why is she still so popular?
Didn't everyone agree to stop being fans together? Now everyone quietly bought tickets and even flaunted it in the super topics?
Is this something anti-fans would do?
It's simply outrageous! Women indeed are fickle!
Too late to complain, everyone started figuring out how to buy tickets from smaller, remote theaters or through scalpers.
Who wouldn't want to see Ye⦠no, who wouldn't want to see the Hollywood blockbuster premiere first, fearing spoilers or not being in on the mockery would be too disappointing?
Once the premiere e-tickets for "Mermaid" went on sale, they were gone in a flash. The major domestic theaters were fully booked, and due to the story setting in the West and Ye Xian's previous red carpet appeal, foreign pre-sales were also significant. Many domestic viewers who couldn't get premiere tickets specifically went to buy overseas tickets.
Investors and film producers were dumbfounded seeing the incredibly high pre-sale box office exceeding one hundred million and the passionate expectations and purchasing desires from the audience. They originally thought Ye Xian's incident would significantly affect the box office; they hardly dared to do much promotion, releasing animated trailers intending to rely on word-of-mouth after the release to succeed, yet now they're in short supply?
Under the official account, many are begging for more screenings, not sparing even midnight and early morning. Cinemas that were hesitant to screen the film are now begging for authorization.
Ye Xian's appeal is too powerful!
Rich, they're going to get really rich; they're already imagining what the final box office of this film would be after the release!
Once the release news came out, Ye Xian shut off her phone, not hoping for the audience and fans to criticize less but hoping the pre-sale box office wouldn't be too disastrous, or the producers might suffer losses and possibly ask her for compensation. Yet⦠that day, Bo Tingshen handed her two tickets.
"?"
Ye Xian looked at the two premiere "Mermaid" movie tickets before her, looking up at the man with a puzzled expression, "What does this mean?"
"Date."
"..."
She could understand a couple dating!
Going to watch a movie together during the Lantern Festival, she could understand!
But at this sensitive time, take her to the most bustling, crowded cinema in the city to watch "Mermaid," how could he think of that!
"CEO, are you kidding?"
"Do I seem like it?"
Ye Xian: "You really do!"
Bo Tingshen glanced at his watch, "You have 15 minutes to change clothes, after that I'll do it myself."
Ye Xian watched his expressionless face with no hint of joking, then shot up from the sofa like a rocket, "CEO, are you crazy? Even if we're supporting our own film, we don't have to be this serious, right?"
Bo Tingshen raised his lips, "It's hard to get a ticket."
"I don't believe you; at this time, if I'm spotted in such a crowded theater by former fans, they'll certainly throw rotten eggs at me!"
Bo Tingshen: "Jiahe Cinema doesn't allow carrying rotten eggs."
Ye Xian's mouth twitched at this strange focus, "How did you know?"
Bo Tingshen leisurely fastened his metal cufflinks, "I set the rules."
"If anyone hits you, you can call security, they'll protect the lady."
Ye Xian: "..." Truly wealthy... extravagant, obscenely rich, she only knew Star Entertainment was BHS's business, she didn't realize he was also involved in shopping malls and cinemas.
"No way, I refuse~"
Seeing that being tough wouldn't work, Ye Xian decided to take a softer approach, stepping forward to help him tie his tie, "CEO, do you really have the heart to watch me be scolded by them face to face?"
Bo Tingshen lowered his gaze, lightly brushing against her nose, "Haven't seen it yet, don't jump to conclusions so quickly."
"I can already guess! You're a dignified CEO, you can't lie, last night you said yourself, from now on everything will follow my lead~"
Ye Xian tugged at his tie, waiting for his disagreement so she could strangle him!
Bo Tingshen chuckled softly, "That was just in the heat of the moment."
This silly girl, does she know how good she is.
Ye Xian: "???"
This scoundrel, saying such things with such confidence, he's truly one person in bed and another out of bed!
She said fiercely, "Fine, then don't expect to ever get on my bed again..."
"You lied too."
Ye Xian: "What did I lie about?"
Bo Tingshen leaned at her ear, whispering a few words suggestively, his warm breath causing Ye Xian's ears to redden.
This bastard, even when she said she was dying, it wasn't...
"I'm ignoring you!"
She let go of him and was about to run, only to be caught around the waist by Bo Tingshen, "Baby, I have an idea."
"What harebrained scheme now?"
"Women's clothing."
Eh? This might work, but there isn't any here...
Just as she was thinking this, Bo Tingshen took out a box, inside of which was a beautiful, glossy black wig.
Twenty minutes before the screening of the "Mermaid" movie, Ye Xian stood anxiously outside the crowded cinema, nervously gulping, why so many people?
Was there another blockbuster showing at the same time or did everyone believe that Hollywood productions are quality, didn't mind her being here?
Bo Tingshen found it amusing to see her wrapped up so tightly, not even revealing her eyes, and took her hand to enter the cinema.
"Hey, hey, hey... I'm not ready for battle yet!"
Ye Xian cried out softly, as she was pulled into the cinema, sure enough, attracting many people's pointing fingers and gazes upon entering.
Many girls took out their phones to start taking pictures.
Ye Xian got frightened and turned her head, wanting to run, then she heard...
"Look, look! Look quickly, that man is so tall and handsome!"
"Saw him, saw him, instantly saw him, he's really handsome! Quick, take pictures, take pictures, I want to post on social media and brag!"
"Ahhhh, never seen such a handsome man before, like the Lord Chief Attack I saw in last night's drama! Looks so similar, temperament even more so!"
"A man like this, I'm afraid to approach for fear of tainting his eyes!"
"I see the cinema manager is talking to him, nodding and bowing, could he be a shareholder of this cinema?"
"Damn, this is Imperial Capital's prime real estate Jiahe Cinema, if he's a shareholder, he must be a CEO-level figure? So handsome, truly a novel-level character, sorry Brother Ye, I'm quitting the fandom for a second, just a second!"
"Speak quietly, don't you see he's holding his girlfriend's hand? Fingers interlocked, tsk tsk, I'm so envious."
"Sorry, he's too handsome, everyone else has become a backdrop, but... the girlfriend he's holding looks a bit shady? It's not cold today, yet she's bundled up so tightly, and keeps nervously glancing around, like she's up to something."
"I guess she's insecure, if I had such a handsome boyfriend, I'd be on guard against others too."
"..."
Lord Chief Attack from Xian Xian? Isn't that from Shanshan's new comic? The heartthrob Xiao Shou is her!
Insecure? Shady?
Hahaha...
Ye Xian laughed, never expected to be besieged like this!
From behind her sunglasses, her angry gaze swept sideways at the man beside her, dressing so handsomely to watch a movie, blatantly trying to attract attention!
The jealous little woman sneered, suddenly straightening her back, letting go of him.
Bo Tingshen observed her sudden angry movement, his Feather Jade Eyebrow lightly raised, "What's wrong?"
"You, put on a mask, go buy me a big bucket of popcorn, fried fries, and Coke." She suddenly raised her voice, her commanding tone surprising the previously gossiping girls who cast stunned looks, then seeing her rudely pointing at the man's chest to order, "Right, I'm on my period, can't drink cold, warm the Coke in your arms!"
Following her statement, a cold gasp was heard, the Jiahe manager stood there dumbfounded, who was this? Dare to speak to the CEO like this, seeking death!
A group of people angrily waited for him to scold her, but instead saw him gently grasp her finger poking his chest, kiss it tenderly, "As you command, Princess."
Another gasp echoed through the air, Ye Xian's fingertips burned like fire, she pulled back.
Disgusting!
The corners of her mouth beneath the mask wouldn't stay down.
Bo Tingshen went to the counter to buy snacks for her, as Ye Xian delightedly enjoyed the respectful yet jealous gazes of a group of girls, suddenly seeing a group of people entering.
Seven or eight came in together, chatting and laughing, their eyes shining as they approached her, none other than the super-topic hosts from her fan club!