LOI Chapter 12 — Are You Targeting Me?

After quitting his job at the water delivery station, Rong Ke no longer had to commute long distances to work in the city.

Taking advantage of the rare opportunity to sleep in, he went to the nearby market to buy some ingredients, planning to treat himself to a hotpot. However, on his way back, he sensed something wasn’t quite right.

People were still glancing at him on the street today, but their gazes held a hint of confusion. They studied him longer than usual. It was no longer simply “seeing a handsome guy”, but more like “that handsome guy looks familiar.”

With a growing sense of unease, Rong Ke quickened his pace. Just then, a girl suddenly approached him and asked tentatively, “Are you Rong Ke?”

Rong Ke was momentarily stunned. It had been nearly three years since he was last recognized on the street.

He averted his gaze and replied, “No,” before keeping his head down the rest of the way back to his apartment complex.

Putting the hotpot plans aside for now, Rong Ke opened Weibo and, sure enough, saw his name trending.

#Rong Ke MQ New Year’s Cover#

Third on the main trending list.

Rong Ke nearly choked. “Who the hell did this…”

If Rong Ke remembered correctly, MQ, being the magazine with the latest monthly release, only unveiled their current issue’s cover on social media on the first of each month.

It wasn’t even New Year’s Day yet, so how had the New Year’s cover been released early?

But that wasn’t the main issue.

Topics don’t just trend on the main list for no reason.

If a celebrity’s name appears on the main trending list, there’s likely someone pushing it.

Positive trends are self-promoted; negative ones are pushed by rivals.

Typically, stars featured on MQ wouldn’t stoop to buying trending spots just for a magazine cover.

Take Jiang Si for example. Even if he landed MQ’s New Year’s cover, he wouldn’t bother purchasing a trending spot. Given his status, it would seem petty.

In other words, the only person who’d buy trending spots for a cover would be someone with no other notable achievements to speak of—

Someone like Rong Ke.

Alternatively, MQ might have bought the trending spot themselves to boost sales for the new year.

But looking at the structure of the hashtag, with Rong Ke’s name front and center, the focus was clear.

Rong Ke couldn’t help but feel a headache coming on. He’d never seen a major celebrity trend at number three on the main list just for a magazine cover.

No, wait. This hashtag had actually topped the list this morning and had since dropped.

A certain name sprang to mind, and Rong Ke wanted nothing more than to grab him by the collar and demand: Do you have too much money to spend or what?

Returning to his feed, he saw that Yan Zhi had indeed reposted MQ’s Weibo with his characteristically terse comment: “Looks good?”

Rong Ke clicked into his comment section and, unsurprisingly, found him interacting with netizens again.

[Yan Zhi’s really got something. Why are talented people also good-looking? /crying]
-Thanks

[This is advocating for ocean conservation, right? And they managed to shoot it so beautifully]
-Correct

[I hereby declare Rong Ke as my new wife. No one fight me for him /rainbow fart]
-?
-Netizen: Dream on, he’s Yan Zhi’s new husband
-??

Whether in the comments or on the main feed, netizens unanimously praised MQ’s New Year’s cover. Rong Ke’s Weibo followers were also visibly increasing.

He returned to his message page, intending to check fan comments, but noticed a new private message in Jiang Si’s chat: Are you targeting me?

The message was sent not long ago. Rong Ke couldn’t fathom how he was targeting Jiang Si, so he clicked in to take a look.

[Where did you move to?]
[Did you take the necklace I gave you?]
[When you’re not angry anymore, come back. The password is still our anniversary date]
[…]
[What are you playing at? Today is my new drama’s press release, and you’re suppressing my trending topic?]
[Are you targeting me?]

The chat was too long; Rong Ke saw Jiang Si’s previous messages as well.

He truly had no recollection of the necklace, but to avoid misunderstandings, he felt he should clarify.

[I’ll look for the necklace when I get back. If I find it, I’ll mail it to you]

Jiang Si’s new reply popped up immediately.

[Did Yan Zhi buy the trending spot for you?]
[How ridiculous, trending for some lousy cover]
[You think suppressing me makes you look good?]

Rong Ke returned to the trending page and only then noticed Jiang Si’s topic was also on the main list, discussing how he trained rigorously every day to portray a tough guy role.

Clicking in, he saw Jiang Si’s shirtless photo, with comments full of adoring praise.

Rong Ke had no intention of engaging with Jiang Si further, but as soon as he tapped the message page, new messages popped up in the chat.

[That mermaid shoot of yours looks neither human nor ghost. Is that how you wanted it?]
[We can talk this out properly. Don’t go down the wrong path just to target me]

Rong Ke frowned, quickly typing out a string of insults. But realizing that for every message he sent, Jiang Si would reply with ten, he refrained, not wanting to subject himself to more vitriol. He closed Weibo.

He hadn’t eaten breakfast yet and was starving.

Rong Ke set his phone aside and began preparing the ingredients he’d bought, but he found it hard to focus.

He hadn’t intended to attract so much attention. Normally, a magazine cover wouldn’t trend on the main list, but a certain “enthusiastic bystander” had completely disrupted his plans.

It seemed he couldn’t continue working odd jobs now, but if he took on more acting roles, it would be hard to keep the company in the dark…

Just as this thought crossed his mind, Rong Ke’s phone rang. It was Zhuang Kang.

Speak of the devil.

Rong Ke wiped his hands on his apron and reluctantly answered, “Zhuang-jie.”

“How did MQ end up using the photos I rejected?” Zhuang Kang asked bluntly.

“It was my decision,” Rong Ke said.

There was a moment of silence on the other end.

“Rong Ke,” Zhuang Kang’s voice turned stern, “Don’t you know being in the spotlight does you no good?”

“Mr. Zou has almost forgotten about you. Are you trying to draw his attention again?”

Rong Ke remained silent.

“If you want fame, the quickest way is to apologize to Mr. Zou, not pull these stunts behind our backs,” Zhuang Kang continued earnestly. “You’ve already filmed several projects without the company’s knowledge these past few years, and we haven’t pursued the matter. But if you keep this up, who knows what might happen.”

Rong Ke pressed his lips together and said softly, “Is it really necessary?”

“What?”

“It’s just a cover. Is all this really necessary?”

Zhuang Kang paused again before saying, “I’m looking out for you.”

“I’m a company artist too,” Rong Ke said, his tone restrained. “Why treat me like an enemy?”

“You shouldn’t have dumped that dish on Mr. Zou’s head in the first place,” Zhuang Kang said calmly. “You’re an adult. You need to take responsibility for your actions.”

“It’s been three years. Isn’t that enough?” Rong Ke took a deep breath, on the verge of exploding. “Did I kill someone or commit arson? Why punish me like this?”

Zhuang Kang didn’t respond, likely realizing Rong Ke was too emotional to continue the conversation.

Aware that he’d lost his composure, Rong Ke held the phone away and exhaled towards the ceiling. Bringing it back to his ear, his tone had calmed, “I understand. Anything else?”

“Your fans sent you some gifts,” Zhuang Kang said. “I had them delivered to Jiang Si’s place. You two should talk.”

Rong Ke had few fans; only his die-hard Weibo followers would send gifts.

If it were anything else left at Jiang Si’s, Rong Ke would rather lose it than retrieve it, but he absolutely couldn’t abandon fan gifts.

Clearly, Zhuang Kang knew his personality and deliberately sent the items to Jiang Si’s.

Rong Ke replied with a curt “Got it” and hung up.

As he put his phone back in his pocket, Rong Ke hesitated for a moment. While his hands were still clean, he opened WeChat.

He saw that several actors he’d worked with had sent him messages. Some teased that they never would have guessed he had any connection to fashion, others asked if he wanted to audition for a fantasy drama they were trying out for. Everyone congratulated him on landing such a prestigious cover.

It seemed that of all people, those once closest to him were the least happy about his MQ New Year’s cover.

Rong Ke replied to these messages one by one, then opened his chat with Yan Zhi—his original reason for checking WeChat.

He began composing a message, intending to ask about Yan Zhi’s previous offer to boost his career, but after staring at the screen for a while, he couldn’t figure out how to broach the subject.

Maybe he should just forget it?

Yan Zhi was probably just acting on a whim, and on second thought, Rong Ke wasn’t prepared to go to war with his management company.

Just then, a “typing” indicator appeared at the top of the screen. Rong Ke waited, and sure enough, a new message popped up.

[Yan Zhi: So “Rong Yan forever” means you are on top?]

Rong Ke nearly threw his phone.

He furiously typed back: [Is that the point??]

[Yan Zhi: Why wouldn’t it be?]
[Rong Ke: Did you buy me a trending spot?]
[Yan Zhi: Yes]
[Rong Ke: …Thank you]
[Yan Zhi: You’re welcome ^_^]

Forget it, Rong Ke decided firmly.

This prince was far too unreliable.