Extra 03
For a long time, Fang Ying was the target of internet-wide roasting.
Two years ago, he starred in a super popular idol drama, but back then his acting was over-the-top, mostly carried by his young, pretty face—a textbook “trainwreck acting” pretty boy.
Being a pretty face is a double-edged sword. If you don’t blow up, no one cares. But once you do, you get loved-to-hate big time. Twenty-year-old Fang Ying couldn’t escape this “mass ridicule” rite of passage.
Then somehow, no one knows why, after a year of relentless mockery, something clicked for Fang Ying when it came to acting. His skills improved, and since Internet audiences have notoriously short memories, once the good works piled up, the old hate faded, and people stopped obsessing over that one drama.
Until one morning, the official announcement came for a lead role he took long ago. Suddenly, Fang Ying got flamed like crazy—almost as badly as when he’d been publicly roasted.
Why? Because last month, dozens of marketing accounts leaked unverified news claiming the male lead was Fu Yang.
The Fu Yang fandom—just as big and a fellow singer-turned-actor close in age to Fang Ying—exploded overnight.
Old nicknames resurrected, like “Fang White Lotus,” combined with “role stealing,” flooded Fang Ying’s Weibo comments again.
Fu Yang and Fang Ying both shared similar career tracks: when Fang was busy filming movies, Fu Yang did endorsements; when Fang did dramas, Fu Yang was on variety shows. In short, Fang’s rise meant Fu Yang’s rise—like two runners neck and neck.
Zheng Yun was a big IP adapted from a scorching web novel. Fang Ying had been officially tapped for the lead early on, but for various reasons, the project’s official announcement got delayed.
Why that Fu Yang press release appeared a month early, stealing some of the thunder? Fang Ying wasn’t keen to dream up conspiracy theories.
Whatever the truth, Fang Ying was definitely the most innocent one caught in the crossfire.
After the whole mess, his team scrambled to do damage control overnight. His agent, close friends in the industry — all flooded him with supportive messages, each over 500 words, like middle school essays.
Fang Ying, half amused and half frustrated, had to reply to each one with thanks before getting on with his life.
That night, after work, he logged on Weibo but switched to his small account to avoid the heavy-hitting comments on his main.
By now, the reality show Nothing Going On was nearing its finale. From day one, the advertising company had a clear strategy: “Ship it!” “Ship it!” and “Ship it!”
More specifically:
Ship the rumored male-female couple on the show;
Ship the “Xu Zong + little fresh male” boys’ pair;
Ship the “Xu Qiuluo + Fang Ying” boys’ pair.
Artists never control this shady business. All six participants felt powerless but understood why the official focus was on shipping. These days, audiences ship EVERYTHING—even cartoons like Boonie Bears have fangirls fighting over which male lead to stan. No shipping, no buzz; no buzz equals watching documentary-style.
Once money rolled in, marketing accounts went full throttle. Starting with the first episode, the “LuoYing faction” (Xu Qiuluo + Fang Ying) calls only grew louder.
From videos of them glancing at each other going viral with thousands of shares, to screenshots from their partner episodes paired with sweet fan captions hitting 7,000 shares, the Luoying ship bloom blazed bright.
The “LuoZong faction” (Xu Qiuluo + Xu Zong), initially stubborn because of “10 years bromance,” couldn’t resist the flood of marketing hype swirling around Xu Zong and the little fresh male actor (i.e., Fang Ying).
It was like the official promo team was saying, “Here, have some candy!” while fans fought over the scattered sweets.
Within one episode, those holdouts collapsed, turning into “please throw candy” begging sessions, many jumping ship, pushing LuoZong into near-extinction.
Fang Ying’s homepage wasn’t following many accounts, but after Big Cucumber and her LuoZong sisters hopped ships, it went deathly silent.
He scrolled for 10 minutes—no crumbs of shipping material. Frustrated, he tapped onto his main homepage.
His latest Weibo was a Zheng Yun costume reveal posted days ago — with Fu Yang drama splashing over it, Fang Ying predicted the comment section. Not wanting to face it, he only clicked “Reposts.”
Normally, posts about work just get reposts from fans boosting numbers.
Not this time. Because the harassment had come to his doorstep, the “Ying fans” weren’t chill.
The reposts overflowed with one user, “Little Mango”, who posted:
“Oh heaven! What wild village drama is happening in my son’s comment section? Fu Yang’s ‘white lotus maggot’ fans claim our son stole their role. I’m disgusted! Since when was the lead Fu Yang? Official news? Which investor said that? Huh? Fans so dramatic! Fu Yang only cares about performance scores. Has his studio ever weighed his worth? Little dog’s pissing me off. Sis, let’s roast them together!”
Fang was stunned, then took a sharp breath.
That tone…
So familiar!!!!!
He nervously sent “Little Mango” a private message, simply three characters dripping complexity: Is that you?
The reply came lightning-fast:
“!!!!!!! Ahhhhhh yes!!! Huai Huai! Holy crap! How did you find my account?!”
Of course it was her.
That’s right, Big Cucumber herself, the notorious wall-hopper.
Fang felt utterly defeated. He screenshot that Weibo to send her:
“Sis, did you know? Your Fu Yang-mocking tone matches exactly how you used to roast me. Same format, same style. Anyone who knows you would recognize this.”
Big Cucumber gasped:
“Really???”
Fang nodded vehemently behind the screen:
“Couldn’t be clearer. I suggest you change your ID tonight to ‘Fang Ying Here to Roasting Big Cucumber.’”
Big Cucumber was furious:
“How dare you! Do you even respect little Ying?”
Fang: … flips a finger
Big Cucumber:
“But I’ve been a major fan and haven’t caught flak yet, so it’s gotta be sisterly love that let you recognize my true self.”
Fang smiled but didn’t reply further.
He switched gears, asked:
“My cousin has lots of junk he wants to toss out. Interested?”
Big Cucumber replied:
“Depends on value.”
Fang typed each word carefully:
“One broken-stem cup, a towel for wiping tables, a used airport mask, one pair of worn-out socks.”
Big Cucumber instantly:
“WTF, priceless treasures! Send them to me ASAP!”
Xu Qiuluo arrived just as Fang packed the loot—exclusive photo books, support towels, commemorative mugs, signed T-shirts—all crammed in a big box.
Spotting Xu approach, Fang waved cheerfully:
“Luo Ge, perfect timing! We got a collab photo here. Sign on the left.”
After Xu signed and Fang finished packing, they settled on the sofa. Xu wrapped an arm around Fang and carefully studied him.
So close that every breath Xu took brushed Fang’s nose. Xu didn’t say a word, just looked at him with heavy, meaningful eyes. Soon, Fang’s neck and ears flushed with heat.
Feeling his face burning, he pressed the back of his hand to his cheek:
“Luo... Luo Ge, what are you looking at?”
Xu moved his hand away:
“I’m checking if you’ve been crying.”
Fang blinked:
“Why would I be crying?”
Xu winked:
“Because getting bashed online makes you cry. Crying and saying you’ll quit acting to raise pigs.”
Fang: …
Xu chuckled, stopped teasing, and brushed Fang’s bangs aside.
“That’s good. Don’t waste tears on the haters.”
Xu said,
“I was worried all day after seeing the trending search. Wanted to message you but didn’t know what to say. After work, I rushed over, thinking we’d drink all night, but you’d already figured it out.”
“I’m happy,” Fang smiled deeply.
“Fang Ying, you really grew up.”
Hearing a big-brother-type compliment from his idol/lover was pretty funny — yet the seriousness in Xu’s eyes stopped Fang from laughing, and instead his heart skipped a beat.
He reached out, touched Xu’s face lightly, and leaned in to rest his head on Xu’s neck.
“I figured it out. Clean people stay clear.”
His voice soft, so docile. Xu felt his chest warm, like a wild little deer wildly galloping inside.
Closing his eyes, Xu eased Fang’s shoulders apart, leaning in for a kiss.
But Fang suddenly spoke again, teasing:
“Dirty people stay dirty.”
Xu: … wide-eyed
Maturity? Not happening. Fang Ying will never be mature in this lifetime!!!
Next chapter
Two years ago, he starred in a super popular idol drama, but back then his acting was over-the-top, mostly carried by his young, pretty face—a textbook “trainwreck acting” pretty boy.
Being a pretty face is a double-edged sword. If you don’t blow up, no one cares. But once you do, you get loved-to-hate big time. Twenty-year-old Fang Ying couldn’t escape this “mass ridicule” rite of passage.
Then somehow, no one knows why, after a year of relentless mockery, something clicked for Fang Ying when it came to acting. His skills improved, and since Internet audiences have notoriously short memories, once the good works piled up, the old hate faded, and people stopped obsessing over that one drama.
Until one morning, the official announcement came for a lead role he took long ago. Suddenly, Fang Ying got flamed like crazy—almost as badly as when he’d been publicly roasted.
Why? Because last month, dozens of marketing accounts leaked unverified news claiming the male lead was Fu Yang.
The Fu Yang fandom—just as big and a fellow singer-turned-actor close in age to Fang Ying—exploded overnight.
Old nicknames resurrected, like “Fang White Lotus,” combined with “role stealing,” flooded Fang Ying’s Weibo comments again.
Fu Yang and Fang Ying both shared similar career tracks: when Fang was busy filming movies, Fu Yang did endorsements; when Fang did dramas, Fu Yang was on variety shows. In short, Fang’s rise meant Fu Yang’s rise—like two runners neck and neck.
Zheng Yun was a big IP adapted from a scorching web novel. Fang Ying had been officially tapped for the lead early on, but for various reasons, the project’s official announcement got delayed.
Why that Fu Yang press release appeared a month early, stealing some of the thunder? Fang Ying wasn’t keen to dream up conspiracy theories.
Whatever the truth, Fang Ying was definitely the most innocent one caught in the crossfire.
After the whole mess, his team scrambled to do damage control overnight. His agent, close friends in the industry — all flooded him with supportive messages, each over 500 words, like middle school essays.
Fang Ying, half amused and half frustrated, had to reply to each one with thanks before getting on with his life.
That night, after work, he logged on Weibo but switched to his small account to avoid the heavy-hitting comments on his main.
By now, the reality show Nothing Going On was nearing its finale. From day one, the advertising company had a clear strategy: “Ship it!” “Ship it!” and “Ship it!”
More specifically:
Ship the rumored male-female couple on the show;
Ship the “Xu Zong + little fresh male” boys’ pair;
Ship the “Xu Qiuluo + Fang Ying” boys’ pair.
Artists never control this shady business. All six participants felt powerless but understood why the official focus was on shipping. These days, audiences ship EVERYTHING—even cartoons like Boonie Bears have fangirls fighting over which male lead to stan. No shipping, no buzz; no buzz equals watching documentary-style.
Once money rolled in, marketing accounts went full throttle. Starting with the first episode, the “LuoYing faction” (Xu Qiuluo + Fang Ying) calls only grew louder.
From videos of them glancing at each other going viral with thousands of shares, to screenshots from their partner episodes paired with sweet fan captions hitting 7,000 shares, the Luoying ship bloom blazed bright.
The “LuoZong faction” (Xu Qiuluo + Xu Zong), initially stubborn because of “10 years bromance,” couldn’t resist the flood of marketing hype swirling around Xu Zong and the little fresh male actor (i.e., Fang Ying).
It was like the official promo team was saying, “Here, have some candy!” while fans fought over the scattered sweets.
Within one episode, those holdouts collapsed, turning into “please throw candy” begging sessions, many jumping ship, pushing LuoZong into near-extinction.
Fang Ying’s homepage wasn’t following many accounts, but after Big Cucumber and her LuoZong sisters hopped ships, it went deathly silent.
He scrolled for 10 minutes—no crumbs of shipping material. Frustrated, he tapped onto his main homepage.
His latest Weibo was a Zheng Yun costume reveal posted days ago — with Fu Yang drama splashing over it, Fang Ying predicted the comment section. Not wanting to face it, he only clicked “Reposts.”
Normally, posts about work just get reposts from fans boosting numbers.
Not this time. Because the harassment had come to his doorstep, the “Ying fans” weren’t chill.
The reposts overflowed with one user, “Little Mango”, who posted:
“Oh heaven! What wild village drama is happening in my son’s comment section? Fu Yang’s ‘white lotus maggot’ fans claim our son stole their role. I’m disgusted! Since when was the lead Fu Yang? Official news? Which investor said that? Huh? Fans so dramatic! Fu Yang only cares about performance scores. Has his studio ever weighed his worth? Little dog’s pissing me off. Sis, let’s roast them together!”
Fang was stunned, then took a sharp breath.
That tone…
So familiar!!!!!
He nervously sent “Little Mango” a private message, simply three characters dripping complexity: Is that you?
The reply came lightning-fast:
“!!!!!!! Ahhhhhh yes!!! Huai Huai! Holy crap! How did you find my account?!”
Of course it was her.
That’s right, Big Cucumber herself, the notorious wall-hopper.
Fang felt utterly defeated. He screenshot that Weibo to send her:
“Sis, did you know? Your Fu Yang-mocking tone matches exactly how you used to roast me. Same format, same style. Anyone who knows you would recognize this.”
Big Cucumber gasped:
“Really???”
Fang nodded vehemently behind the screen:
“Couldn’t be clearer. I suggest you change your ID tonight to ‘Fang Ying Here to Roasting Big Cucumber.’”
Big Cucumber was furious:
“How dare you! Do you even respect little Ying?”
Fang: … flips a finger
Big Cucumber:
“But I’ve been a major fan and haven’t caught flak yet, so it’s gotta be sisterly love that let you recognize my true self.”
Fang smiled but didn’t reply further.
He switched gears, asked:
“My cousin has lots of junk he wants to toss out. Interested?”
Big Cucumber replied:
“Depends on value.”
Fang typed each word carefully:
“One broken-stem cup, a towel for wiping tables, a used airport mask, one pair of worn-out socks.”
Big Cucumber instantly:
“WTF, priceless treasures! Send them to me ASAP!”
Xu Qiuluo arrived just as Fang packed the loot—exclusive photo books, support towels, commemorative mugs, signed T-shirts—all crammed in a big box.
Spotting Xu approach, Fang waved cheerfully:
“Luo Ge, perfect timing! We got a collab photo here. Sign on the left.”
After Xu signed and Fang finished packing, they settled on the sofa. Xu wrapped an arm around Fang and carefully studied him.
So close that every breath Xu took brushed Fang’s nose. Xu didn’t say a word, just looked at him with heavy, meaningful eyes. Soon, Fang’s neck and ears flushed with heat.
Feeling his face burning, he pressed the back of his hand to his cheek:
“Luo... Luo Ge, what are you looking at?”
Xu moved his hand away:
“I’m checking if you’ve been crying.”
Fang blinked:
“Why would I be crying?”
Xu winked:
“Because getting bashed online makes you cry. Crying and saying you’ll quit acting to raise pigs.”
Fang: …
Xu chuckled, stopped teasing, and brushed Fang’s bangs aside.
“That’s good. Don’t waste tears on the haters.”
Xu said,
“I was worried all day after seeing the trending search. Wanted to message you but didn’t know what to say. After work, I rushed over, thinking we’d drink all night, but you’d already figured it out.”
“I’m happy,” Fang smiled deeply.
“Fang Ying, you really grew up.”
Hearing a big-brother-type compliment from his idol/lover was pretty funny — yet the seriousness in Xu’s eyes stopped Fang from laughing, and instead his heart skipped a beat.
He reached out, touched Xu’s face lightly, and leaned in to rest his head on Xu’s neck.
“I figured it out. Clean people stay clear.”
His voice soft, so docile. Xu felt his chest warm, like a wild little deer wildly galloping inside.
Closing his eyes, Xu eased Fang’s shoulders apart, leaning in for a kiss.
But Fang suddenly spoke again, teasing:
“Dirty people stay dirty.”
Xu: … wide-eyed
Maturity? Not happening. Fang Ying will never be mature in this lifetime!!!
Next chapter
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