The news of Xu Zifan's successful proposal hasn't been leaked. The dating reality show has ended, and they won't be deliberately showing affection. Bai Yuchen just got married and is going on his honeymoon. He won't return to China for two months, and after returning, he will significantly reduce his workload, dedicating half his time to his family.
Beidouxing's management company signed them to a one-year group contract. Once they completed all the scheduled appearances, their individual management contracts could be signed separately. After attending Bai Yuchen's wedding, Xu Zifan returned to China and officially signed with Bai Xingchen's studio. Bai Xingchen and Bai Yuchen had always been the pillars of the studio. The studio also had several other artists, all in the second or third tier and on the rise. Xu Zifan filled in for Bai Yuchen's absence, and the studio's performance remained impressive.
Xu Zifan's first wave of promotion after joining the studio was for the movie he had just finished filming. He had a significant role in it, almost on par with the second male lead, and was the first love of the female lead, Bai Xingchen. This timing was perfect for promotion, attracting a lot of attention. The two of them also participated in some variety shows with the film crew, helping to raise the film's profile. When the movie was released, it topped the box office on its opening day, with viewers praising Director Shao for making another great film, and expressing regret that Xu Zifan's character died in the movie and didn't end up with Bai Xingchen.
Soon, reviews from some professional film critics were also released. Surprisingly, what impressed them most about the film was that the idol's acting skills were so good! The acting skills of contemporary idols have always been questioned. This was Xu Zifan's first film after his debut. It was directed by a famous director, and he had a surprisingly large role with exceptional acting skills. No wonder Xu Zifan dared to take an unconventional path and insist on being a different kind of idol.
Fans were also shocked, digging up the video of Bai Xingchen's first evaluation of Xu Zifan's acting skills, saying it was definitely excellent, and sharing it widely. They praised Bai Xingchen for her keen eye, recognizing Xu Zifan's acting talent from the very first glance. These reviews attracted even more viewers, and the box office grew steadily, consistently leading the pack among its contemporaries.
Xu Zifan's debut film received such high praise, leading to a better perception of him among industry insiders, fans, and casual viewers alike, resulting in a surge in film offers. Bai Xingchen analyzed the situation with him and chose a challenging suspense film, relatively niche, but directed by a very talented director aiming for awards. Xu Zifan was given an audition opportunity thanks to Director Shao's recommendation; the director had seen Xu Zifan's performance in a film before giving him the chance. He was competing against two Best Actor winners and three A-list stars.
Xu Zifan was naturally unafraid of competition. On the day of the audition, he was the last to enter. The director, screenwriter, and investors were already quite satisfied with one of the award-winning actors and were somewhat tired, so they didn't pay much attention to him. However, from the moment he started acting, he captivated their attention. During the crucial part of his performance, they all held their breath, staring intently at him. That's true acting! He brought the character to life, as if they were truly seeing the protagonist from the script come to life. The screenwriter was ecstatic, declaring that the role was perfect for him. The director was also surprised that his acting was even better than in his previous films; it seemed the higher the expectations, the stronger his performance became—truly, his potential was limitless.
Because Xu Zifan was extremely popular, had just had a well-received film released, and came from a reputable company, the director and investors ultimately decided to cast him as the male lead. Meanwhile, Bai Xingchen also landed a role in an art-house film, also aiming for awards. She also used her connections to secure two international brand endorsements for Xu Zifan, instantly boosting his market value. Xu Zifan then began to fully focus on developing his career.
He made quick money in the stock market when he first debuted, and invested all his later earnings there, multiplying his assets several times over. He also made a fortune selling usage rights to a mini-program he created for his concerts to help singers combat scalpers and benefit fans. He's still quite wealthy.
He invested all the money into Bai Xingchen's studio, becoming her partner. Initially, his stake was small, but as he continued to invest, it grew increasingly larger. Everyone in the studio knew Xu Zifan was their "little boss," and they respected and admired him. Bai Xingchen even changed "Xingchen Studio" to "Fanxing Studio," representing both their on-screen couple status and the promise of numerous shining stars within the studio. Of course, there were also those who questioned Xu Zifan, especially after he became famous. A group of trolls seemed to have a grudge against him, accusing him of using Bai Xingchen to climb the ladder and of using her for publicity.
Many celebrity couples have been broken up by these haters. After all, who would want to see such disgusting comments? Everyone has their own preferences, and it's normal to like or dislike someone. But it's disgusting to question or criticize someone just because you don't like them, or to impose your own views on them.
But there's no way around it; with fame comes trouble. Xu Zifan's meteoric rise to stardom attracted a lot of envious people and keyboard warriors. He ignored all of that, focusing solely on acting, studying his characters, and giving his best performance. Bai Xingchen was particularly angry, saying during a video call with Xu Zifan, "Let's issue a statement in the name of the studio. Those people are just so disgusting. Who asked them to watch you? They just have to keep watching you and cursing you. They really have nothing better to do."
Xu Zifan chuckled and said, "Why are you so angry? Haven't you been through this before? This just means I'm going to become famous, and nobody will be watching me anymore."
"You're already famous. I don't feel anything when I'm being criticized, but it makes you uncomfortable to see them insulting you like this. Has it affected your filming?" Bai Xingchen was a little worried. After all, most people would be affected by this kind of thing, which would negatively impact their mood and performance.
Xu Zifan thought for a moment, then shrugged and said, "The director praised me today."
"Five times, I think that means it's fantastic." He laughed and said, "Don't worry about it. I haven't even looked at it or taken it to heart. Just because some irrelevant people don't like me doesn't mean I'm bad. Why should I care about them? I don't like them either. Don't let these kinds of people ruin your mood."
Seeing Xu Zifan's calm demeanor, Bai Xingchen gave up on her plan. "Alright, I'll send lawyer's letters to a few outrageous marketing accounts. I won't say anything else; if you're upright, you have nothing to fear. We still need to show our attitude. By the way, I have two days off. I'll go see Auntie. She might be unhappy if she finds out about those comments online."
Xu Zifan had a heavy filming schedule and couldn't go out, so upon hearing this, he quickly nodded and said, "Then I'll leave my mom to you. If she's unhappy, please comfort her for me. It's really not a big deal, it won't affect me. Let whoever wants to say what they want, as long as our family is happy, that's enough."
"Okay! I'm relieved that you think that way." Bai Xingchen smiled, truly relieved to see Xu Zifan so relaxed. She had initially thought that being three years older than Xu Zifan, she could help him in many ways, but now she realized her boyfriend was even more outstanding than she had imagined. All she needed to do was be there for him, and suddenly she felt very happy!
Xu Zifan's large number of haters even trended on social media once because he remained remarkably calm, seemingly detached from them. This made the haters appear like clowns, constantly pointing fingers at him with such arrogance. Xu Zifan's reputation as the "King of Calmness" was revived, earning him the title of a role model for celebrities. Even the most outstanding people have fans and haters; the key is to be yourself. This also influenced his fans, who are known as the most composed fans. They never engage in arguments, at most sharing and reposting the lawyer's letter issued by his studio, all maintaining politeness. This, in turn, makes the haters seem incredibly low!
After nearly six months of massive smear campaigns, Xu Zifan and his fans completely defeated the haters, winning over countless casual fans. Even the other members of Beidouxing followed Xu Zifan's example, strictly regulating their own fans, and all of them earned a good reputation. The boy band's one-year activity period had ended, and Beidouxing terminated their contracts with their original company, signing entirely with Fanxing Studio. Just as Xu Zifan had promised, they began to develop rapidly.
Xu Zifan commissioned a script for a youth campus idol drama, focusing on charming characters, handsome looks, highlighting brotherly bonds, and depicting the innocent romance of youth. He then personally directed and filmed the drama. Idol dramas don't require exceptional acting skills. Although only Li Keyang and Xiao Cheng among the other six members of the Beidou Star group showed real acting potential, the others, under Xu Zifan's rigorous guidance, produced quite good scenes. Xu Zifan wasn't afraid of wasting time and money; his goal was to film every scene well and create an excellent idol drama.
He did this to help the members gain fans and to reinforce the impression that Beidouxing is a unified group. With their one-year contract ending, many worried that they might disband or fade away like a fleeting flower. He wanted to use a particularly good idol drama to once again make Beidouxing famous!
It's incredibly difficult for an idol drama to become a massive hit, but if it's well-made, with a fantastic storyline, excellent acting, and superb editing, it can easily become a phenomenon. F4, who were wildly popular nationwide and even internationally, are a prime example of adapting to the times. Now, Xu Zifan has created another such example with his talent. His idol drama emphasizes brotherhood, portraying men as cool, responsible, and capable, and includes plenty of action scenes. Upon its release, 70% of the younger generation were watching!
Girls absolutely loved it, considering it the best idol drama ever made in China, and the male leads were all incredibly handsome! Many boys also enjoyed it; they usually watch American dramas, and the intricate plot, unlike typical saccharine romances, made it watchable for them too. The drama became a hit, leading to a surge in media coverage and discussion about the Beidou Star boy band. Their stills, group photos, posters, and other merchandise frequently sold out. Soon, even people who didn't like idol dramas knew about the Beidou Star boy band. Perhaps those who didn't like the show still didn't, but everyone now knew what Beidou Star was. They truly became famous throughout the country, their faces and their group name were remembered by everyone—they were "Beidou Star"!