ABSML Chapter 18: New Trending Topic

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If Chen Zhan knew what Yin Ronglan was thinking, he would have calmly responded: Don’t worry, it’ll all be arranged in due time.

At that moment, the male and female leads had just finished their scene. As the female lead passed by Chen Zhan, she paused slightly, glancing at the laptop on his lap with a smile. “Since you clearly have a talent for writing, isn’t acting a bit of a waste of time?”

Between the lines, her resentment was evident—he had taken a role that might have otherwise gone to her boyfriend.

Her gaze swept over Yin Ronglan as well. She had initially planned to say something but, remembering that he had brought investment into the production, she thought better of it. Instead, she gave a polite smile, as if even her earlier words to Chen Zhan had been nothing more than friendly teasing.

Once she walked away, Chen Zhan blinked. “Would you say that was pure, malicious, or just plain stupid?”

It was common in the entertainment industry for people to say one thing in public and another in private, but most still left themselves a way out—they wouldn’t blatantly sow discord.

“She landed an endorsement deal,” Yin Ronglan remarked coolly. “Perhaps she thinks she’s about to become a phoenix.”

Chen Zhan raised an eyebrow. “You’ve only been on set for a short time, yet you already know about her endorsement?”

He didn’t think much of it, assuming she had simply been flaunting it around.

Yin Ronglan showed no reaction and smoothly changed the subject. “Success often breeds complacency. Let’s hope she stays this happy.”

Chen Zhan chuckled. “You’re implying something.”

Yin Ronglan remained calm. “I’m just standing up for you.”

Chen Zhan waved it off indifferently. “The real show is yet to come.”

Something about the endorsement deal felt off. The female lead had reportedly flown overnight to another city to sign the contract, yet the brand had yet to make any major announcements on its official channels. Her management team, however, wasn’t worried—they had already prepared press releases, waiting to piggyback on the drama’s upcoming premiere for a big publicity push.

After replying to a few comments on his phone, Chen Zhan specifically opened Weibo to take a look.

The entertainment industry had been flooded with big news lately—an A-list actress was exposed for having a secret relationship with a co-star, and a popular idol was caught cheating. While his latest update was amusing, it hadn’t trended this time.

Looking at his relatively peaceful Weibo feed, Chen Zhan figured that Lin Chi’ang would be quite relieved.

That afternoon, he filmed another scene. After enduring an entire session of Yin Ronglan repeatedly calling him big brother, Chen Zhan finished with a nearly paralyzed facial expression.

Even after filming wrapped, Yin Ronglan jokingly called him brother again. Chen Zhan wanted to laugh but realized, after holding it in all afternoon, that his facial muscles were too stiff to move. He sat down and massaged his face.

Out of spite, he exaggeratedly mimicked a coy and delicate tone, flashing a grin at Yin Ronglan. “Oh, big brother—”

He stopped just short of adding the last two words. Paired with his overly saccharine voice, most people would have been overwhelmed with secondhand embarrassment. Yet Yin Ronglan merely paused for a moment before nodding calmly, as if accepting the address.

Attack ineffective.

Chen Zhan pursed his lips slightly and buried his head in the script.

Yin Ronglan stared at the scene for a few seconds and let out a quiet sigh. His subordinates often told him that friends should help each other, but when it came to Chen Zhan, he felt utterly useless. It seemed that as long as Chen Zhan wanted to, he could reorganize even the most disastrous of situations with ease.

The crew was resetting the scene for a nighttime shoot. Meanwhile, the cast and crew took turns having dinner.

Chen Zhan eyed Yin Ronglan’s meal. “Why does yours look so much fancier?”

In reality, it was a special arrangement by the director. While he wouldn’t go out of his way to curry favor with an investor, he still ensured certain details showed proper deference.

“Maybe I got lucky. I’m not really a fan of meat.” Yin Ronglan picked out all the shrimp and placed them into Chen Zhan’s meal box.

Chen Zhan grinned. “Then I won’t hold back.”

He swiftly peeled the shrimp and ate them. Feeling a twinge of guilt, he passed a few peeled shrimp back to Yin Ronglan. “Try some. You might end up liking it.”

Yin Ronglan had previously thought that eating or drinking around Chen Zhan was risky—he never knew when the other man might suddenly say something that would make him choke. But now, his perspective had shifted. Sharing a meal with him was actually quite pleasant.

That night, Chen Zhan had a scene with the male lead. Both were eager to wrap up quickly and get some rest, so they seamlessly entered character. The director was pleased with a few close-up shots and even gave some praise.

He slept soundly that night, waking up the next morning feeling refreshed. With plenty of time to spare, he enjoyed a relaxed breakfast before heading to the set.

His instincts had always been sharp. The moment he stepped onto the set, he immediately sensed that all eyes were on him.

Chen Zhan walked over to the familiar presence of Yin Ronglan. “Why is everyone looking at me like that?”

Yin Ronglan studied him for a moment before offering a hint. “Check the news.”

Chen Zhan opened Weibo, figuring if something big had happened, people would surely be discussing it there.

At the top of the trending list was “XX Brand Sausages”, accompanied by a small “Hot” icon.

The post had already racked up hundreds of millions of views. He clicked into it.

It all stemmed from Lin Chiang’s allergic reaction.

Many parents had come forward, stating that their children had experienced hives after eating the brand’s sausages. Since the symptoms had subsided quickly, they hadn’t given it much thought—until now.

The comments section was divided. While many claimed they had eaten the product without issues, the most upvoted comments detailed various allergic reactions.

Due to the overwhelming public attention, authorities had announced an overnight investigation.

Chen Zhan fell silent for a few seconds. He hadn’t expected such a bizarre turn of events.

“Don’t overthink it,” Yin Ronglan reassured him with a pat on the shoulder.

Chen Zhan nodded and shifted his focus back to filming, telling himself that it was probably just a coincidence. After all, it was a long-established brand—its quality should be trustworthy.

Before the night even fell, the situation had already reached a conclusion—XX brand sausages were indeed found to contain additives harmful to human health. The manufacturer promptly issued a lengthy apology letter.

This topic was completely blown up, and along with it, Lin Chiang was also propelled into the spotlight.

The most popular comment came from a user named "Melted Ice Cream": No offense, but Lin Chiang might be even more effective than a testing device.

Some even dubbed him a human detection poodle.

Upon seeing this comment, Chen Zhan felt a strange sense of amusement.

Exchanging a glance with Yin Ronglan, he asked, "Do you think Lin Chiang knows about this?"

Yin Ronglan’s tone was calm and straightforward. "With how big this has gotten, it’s obvious."

Watching him massage his temples in frustration, Yin Ronglan added matter-of-factly, "Uncovering a long-standing issue with a brand is ultimately doing the public a favor."

Hearing this, Chen Zhan sighed, a hint of exhaustion in his breath.

When it comes to media attention, some people struggle to gain any, while others can't get rid of it no matter what they do.

Take Lin Chiang, for example. He did absolutely nothing, yet even throwing money at the issue wouldn't be enough to suppress it.

Jiang Ying had been in the middle of a cold war with him, but upon seeing the news and imagining her fiance struggling to deal with the media, she found the situation oddly amusing.

As an engaged couple, many onlookers swarmed her social media, asking for her thoughts.

Jiang Ying sighed and posted a response: He's allergic to a lot of things. This was just a coincidence. I hope everyone focuses more on the actual incident itself.

She had intended to ease the pressure on him, but the internet’s peculiar way of thinking only reignited Lin Chiang’s fading popularity at lightning speed.

"Begging for a full list of President Lin's allergies."

"For the sake of public health, please upload that list online!"

"I remember the queen once complained that her boyfriend was allergic to a certain brand of facial cleanser. Now that I think about it, maybe that brand had issues too!"

"A human detection poodle—we all want one!"

…

After skimming through a few comments, Jiang Ying's initial annoyance toward Lin Chiang completely dissipated, replaced by a faint sense of sympathy.

As the writer of the viral article, Chen Zhan was also thrust into the trending searches. Fortunately, the public enjoys dramatic character contrasts, and Lin Chiang’s wealthy background only amplified the attention he received.

Having learned from past incidents, Yin Ronglan outwardly remained composed, but a subconscious part of him analyzed whether Lin Chiang’s fate today could become his own tomorrow.

At that moment, however, Chen Zhan had temporarily set the matter aside. He stood beneath a large tree, bending forward and backward to relieve the discomfort from wire stunts earlier. Just as his body began to feel better, his phone screen started flashing nonstop.

After a brief consideration, he declined Lin Chiang’s call and instead sent him a picture message—a screenshot of the latest news report.

The Lin Corporation had investments in the food and beverage industry. Though it wasn’t a major portion of their business, its annual profits were still significant. Once the news broke, numerous influencers jumped on the bandwagon.

Their posts mostly revolved around making special visits to Lin-owned restaurants, convinced that the human detection poodle must have high standards when it came to food.

By tomorrow morning, Lin Corporation’s stock was expected to see a rise.

Throughout the rest of the evening, Chen Zhan received no further calls. He wondered whether Lin Chi'ang found solace in this unintended silver lining.

[System: Rational analysis suggests that, much like that malfunctioning system currently undergoing repairs, he’s probably just emotionally shut down.]

Ignoring the unwelcome commentary, Chen Zhan sat on his bed, diligently studying his script.

Once he was sure he had memorized the next day’s lines, he put on a coat and headed out of the hotel.

By pure coincidence, he ran into Yin Ronglan at the corner.

"Taking a walk?"

Chen Zhan replied, "Going to the convenience store." He paused before asking, "Do you need anything? I can grab it for you."

Yin Ronglan thought for a moment before withdrawing his foot from the hotel threshold. "I’ll go with you."

The filming location was somewhat remote, and under the cover of night, few people recognized Chen Zhan.

They chatted casually as they arrived at a small shop. The elderly shopkeeper sat by a black-and-white television, never even lifting his head at the sound of customers entering.

Yin Ronglan picked up a can of preserved food, only to find that Chen Zhan had already finished his selections and was waiting at the counter, ready to check out together.

Noticing a set of notebooks and pens, Yin Ronglan hesitated before asking, "Studying?"

Chen Zhan calmly scanned the items and walked out, arms full of purchases. "Making money."

Still haunted by the last time Chen Zhan made a fortune by acting as a hiking chauffeur, Yin Ronglan couldn’t help but feel uneasy whenever he saw that particular expression.

To put it bluntly—his legs felt slightly weak.

After walking a few steps, he realized Chen Zhan had stopped. Turning back, he saw him standing in place, puzzled.

"Why aren’t you walking?"

"Nothing," Yin Ronglan replied nonchalantly before resuming his pace, matching strides with him as they headed back.

_____

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