The Cannon Fodder Became a Superstar After Joining a Dating Show with the Film Emperor [Transmigration] - Chapter 3

Lu Ren shuddered at his own words, a wave of goosebumps breaking out across his skin.

Yin Beilin seemed equally taken aback by the “stunning” remark. The grip on Lu Ren’s cheek loosened considerably.

After a long moment, Yin Beilin offered a faint smile. He shifted from pinching to gently patting Lu Ren’s cheek, his tone unreadable. “You certainly have a way with words.”

Lu Ren swallowed hard as he stared at Yin Beilin’s smiling face.

To be honest, Yin Beilin rarely smiled in Dongfang Zhizhu’s writing. Of course, there were smirks and half-smiles, but a genuine, gentle smile like this was a rare sight. Only a handful of female characters in *The Path of the Film Emperor* had ever been graced with such a privilege.

In the elementary-school-level prose of Dongfang Zhizhu, the few descriptions of Yin Beilin’s rare smiles all followed a similar pattern: *”The iceberg melted in this instant. The smile at the corners of his eyes and brows was only half-revealed, yet it was enough to make one feel as if they were bathed in a gentle spring breeze.”*

No matter what season the movie was set in, whenever Yin Beilin smiled, spring breeze always followed. Lu Ren had been utterly speechless reading those lines before.

But now, Yin Beilin was actually smiling faintly right in front of him, those phoenix eyes with their inner corners curving down and outer corners sweeping up forming a beautiful arc. It made Lu Ren’s heart skip a beat.

“Alright,” Yin Beilin said, his tone lazy and his voice melodious. “As a toy, your awareness is quite impressive.”

“Since that’s the case, you’ll come with me to the set.”

Lu Ren: “…?”

Huh?

What do you mean, ‘to the set’ all of a sudden?

But now that Yin Beilin had brought it up, it did register there *was* a set.

Lu Ren remembered that in the latest updates of *Dongfang Zhizhu*, Yin Beilin was still filming a suspense movie, and it was already nearing the final wrap-up.

However, because *Dongfang Zhizhu* had been pulling so many wild moves lately from gay cannon fodder to marriage agreements and now some dating show drama Lu Ren had almost forgotten about this plot point.

Now that Yin Beilin had mentioned it, he remembered.

Yin Beilin must be talking about the set of that suspense movie called *Blade Edge*.

Lu Ren recalled the plot: it was a serial murder case, but the crime involved more than one killer. Yin Beilin played the prime suspect.

His own role, however, was a bit fuzzy in his memory.

However, the original owner’s memories were like a “Little Genius Smart Pen”—they only lit up where you touched.

When Yin Beilin mentioned it, a section of the original owner’s memory flickered to life.

It seemed he had pulled some strings to land a role in this star-studded movie. His part was a mere extra with less than a minute of screen time, playing a cross-dressing pervert.

…But his scenes had apparently wrapped yesterday.

Lu Ren couldn’t understand why Yin Beilin was taking him to the set.

But since Yin Beilin had asked, he obediently murmured an “Mm.”

Lu Ren had no choice.

As someone who had followed *The Path of the Film Emperor* for two years, he knew exactly what kind of male lead Yin Beilin was.

To build up his aura, the author, Dongfang Zhizhu, had given Yin Beilin a cold, aloof, and noble temperament. This naturally provoked the displeasure, slander, and even schemes of countless powerful figures and senior colleagues none of whom met a good end.

After all, in a male-oriented power fantasy novel, if the cannon fodder were treated leniently, where would the satisfaction come from?

This made Yin Beilin’s “Mary Sue” aura as blinding as God’s, placing him at the absolute center of the universe.

Whether you were a powerful second-generation heir or a scheming colleague, if you dared to harm or slander the male lead, you were doomed to a miserable end, your misfortune following you to the ends of the earth.

Transmigrated into a world like this, who *wouldn’t* grovel?

He had no idea what the “Toy Protocol” actually meant, but for a cannon fodder like him who had danced right in front of the male lead, how else could he ever scrub clean his image in Yin Beilin’s mind if he didn’t behave?

Fortunately, his newfound obedience seemed to be paying off.

Yin Beilin appeared satisfied with his attitude, pinching his cheek again.

The pinch was hard. Lu Ren’s face was all soft flesh, and being squeezed like that made him wince and hiss in pain.

The next second, he thought he heard a low chuckle, like a hallucination.

The laugh was magnetic. Lu Ren shuddered and instinctively looked at Yin Beilin.

Yin Beilin had already withdrawn his hand and was glaring at him with his arms crossed.

With that icy, aloof, and distant expression, there’s no way he could have laughed!

But seriously… does the male lead have to look so wildly arrogant and cool even in a bathrobe, just standing there with his arms crossed?

Lu Ren rubbed his cheek and said sheepishly, “Brother Lin, I’d like to take a shower first.”

“Fine,” Yin Beilin said, glaring at him with his arms crossed. “Get out in twenty-seven minutes.”

…Isn’t twenty-seven minutes basically half an hour?!

Lu Ren grumbled inwardly but nodded without any backbone. “I’ll definitely be out in twenty-five no, twenty minutes!”

The door closed.

Finally, he was alone in the bathroom.

The male lead’s hotel room was so lavish that even the bathroom was dazzling. Lu Ren sat on the edge of the bathtub and stared into the eyes of the crystal cherub faucet for two seconds.

Then, thinking it might be awkward if there was no sound, he quickly twisted the cherub’s wing open, and water gushed out with a *whoosh*.

Lu Ren sat on the edge of the tub, head bowed, and let out a long sigh.

Today’s events were too surreal.

One hour felt like a whole year, Lu Ren thought, his face etched with weariness. *This is seriously shortening my lifespan. Fuck.

He rubbed his face, straightened up, and leaned against the counter to examine himself in the mirror.

Five seconds later, he slumped in defeat.

Although he’d already confirmed from the video that the original owner of this body looked exactly like him, seeing it in the mirror still exactly the same.

Lu Ren felt a wave of gloom wash over him.

The delicate, youthful boy in the mirror mirrored his despondent expression.

Since I’ve already transmigrated, why couldn’t I have a more masculine body? I don’t need Yin Beilin’s sword-like brows, phoenix eyes, and starry gaze, but at least at least I could have been a bit more manly…

Lu Ren lifted a strand of his hair in exasperation.

It was almost shoulder-length. For a guy, this hair was way too long!

Just then, a few memories flashed through his mind.

A moment later, Lu Ren’s lips twitched in exasperation. He finally understood how the original owner had managed to get into a big-name production like Yin Beilin’s.

The original owner had a formal acting background, but much like Lu Ren’s past life, he had no connections. His looks were also the type that bordered on a “pretty boy” or “pretty face.”

But unlike Lu Ren, the original owner’s acting was terrible.

It seemed he hadn’t even entered the industry out of a passion for acting. His agency had focused solely on hype, throwing him into a talent show to gain fame before pulling him out midway to capitalize on the buzz in a web drama.

Unsurprisingly, the web drama flopped. Worse, the original owner was relentlessly mocked for his wooden acting.

But by a stroke of luck, that same web drama featured a scene where he had to cross-dress. Though his acting was stiff, his face was stunning. A fan-made edit of that one-minute clip went viral, unexpectedly making him a hit.

From then on, his agency milked this angle mercilessly.

They forced the original owner to adopt a “femme fatale” and “androgynous” style. On the red carpet, he was always seen in heavy black eyeliner, wearing sheer black fishnet blazers, sequined rose-patterned fishnets…

Thinking about his body dressed in those styles that looked like a male escort even wearing long dresses Lu Ren covered his face in despair, his ears burning with shame.

Dressing in such bizarre outfits every day to grab attention had certainly made him famous, but the original owner’s reputation in the industry was terrible. He was a “black-red” celebrity infamous and countless people online cursed him.

Lu Ren sighed wearily. Being constantly insulted as a “sissy” and a “rootless eunuch” day after day… no wonder the original owner’s mind had twisted so badly in the end, even trying to force himself on Yin Beilin…

Just then, the water was almost full. Lu Ren hurriedly screwed the little angel wings back into place.

He shook his head.

Forget it. I shouldn’t pity the original owner.

No matter how hard life gets… it’s no excuse to hurt someone else.

Lu Ren stepped into the bathtub and sat down.

Enveloped by the warm water, he felt a sense of healing wash over him. He took a deep breath and sank deeper into the tub.

After remaining submerged for a few seconds, he raised his head.

Wiping the water from his face, Lu Ren let out a contented sigh.

He had always been good at adapting to new circumstances. Since he was here now, he might as well make the best of it.

…Besides, he was probably dead for good in his original world.

Lu Ren let out a soft *sigh*, feeling a bit depressed.

Though his memories of yesterday were a bit fragmented, he still remembered exactly what had happened.

Drinking and eating at a street stall in Hengdian, then slipping while trying to save a cat and drowning this was the kind of absurdly pathetic incident that wouldn’t even make the trending list on the 360 browser. It was truly his kind of bad luck.

Thinking of this, Lu Ren’s head slumped, and he let out a depressed sigh.

But then, he couldn’t help but hiss in pain.

His neck hadn’t felt like anything just now, but now that he had relaxed and soaked in the water, it was actually stinging a little.

Lu Ren glanced back over his shoulder and saw a red mark on the back of his left neck, still streaked with blood.

Had the original owner been bitten by an insect?

But there was no time to daze off any longer. He’d been in for twenty minutes, so Lu Ren quickly scrubbed himself clean, shook his head dry, and stepped out of the bathtub.

*Shit.* Lu Ren stood awkwardly in the bathroom. The only thing provided was the hotel’s bath towel.

He finally remembered that his clothes were dirty. Aside from Yin Beilin’s robe, there were no other clothes in the room.

Lu Ren wrapped the towel around his lower body, hesitated for a moment, and then brazenly cracked the door open just a sliver, intending to ask Yin Beilin for a piece of clothing.

“Beilin, what exactly are you thinking?”

Lu Ren’s mind went blank.

*Holy shit! A woman’s voice!*

The bathroom door, which he had just cracked open, was slammed shut.

Lu Ren stood by the door, staring down at his lower half wrapped in a single towel, completely stuck too embarrassed to go back in, yet unable to step out.

Yin Beilin caught a glimpse of the scene, his lips curving into a fleeting, knowing smile.

“You’ve already won Best Actor,” the woman said, her voice sounding a bit weary. “You’re not a rookie anymore, unable to afford a single rumor.”

Lu Ren’s ears perked up as the woman continued, “I’ve discussed this with the PR team.”

“Luo Jiuge’s side is also clear on this. Since you two just won Best Actor and Best Actress, any rumors now would actually be seen as a beautiful story.”

“If you’re okay with it, Luo Jiuge’s team will send someone over to visit the set later.”

*Ah, I get it now,* Lu Ren realized. *This must be Yin Beilin’s manager, Huang Ying.*

In this novel, Dongfang Zhizhu had written almost every female character as either a candidate for Yin Beilin’s harem or a potential love interest. Huang Ying was one of the few positive female characters. Though she lacked a physical description, she was always portrayed as a decisive and efficient professional.

As his manager, she had spent the early parts of the story blocking any hint of a scandal for Yin Beilin. Many readers in the comments section had even speculated whether Huang Ying herself had feelings for the male lead.

But as the plot progressed, Huang Ying and Yin Beilin’s relationship felt more like that of colleagues. There was no real romantic tension between them; they were simply a well-coordinated team.

After hearing Huang Ying’s intentions, Lu Ren’s ears twitched, and he suddenly understood.

*So, Huang Ying wanted Yin Beilin and Luo Jiuge to create a romantic buzz?*

It wasn’t without reason. Before Dongfang Zhizhu started pulling all sorts of wild stunts, Luo Jiuge and Yin Beilin were practically the official couple of the story.

For one thing, Luo Jiuge was one of the few female characters with a three-character name. In the earlier chapters, Dongfang Zhizhu had written several scenes that hinted at a deep, soulful connection between the two.

The novel was nearing its end, and Lu Ren had almost convinced himself that Luo Jiuge would be the one to officially become the female lead. Then, out of nowhere, the marriage agreement appeared.

But then again, that marriage agreement was mostly his own fault or rather, the fault of the cannon fodder he was now playing.

After his failed attempt to drug Yin Beilin resulted in him being caught red-handed, he had maliciously spread the rumor that Yin Beilin was gay. This had caused a massive online uproar, with everyone convinced that Yin Beilin was indeed gay.

In response, Dongfang Zhizhu had Yin Beilin hastily sign a marriage agreement with a new female character and even planned for them to appear on a couple’s reality show together.

At this thought, Lu Ren’s lips twitched.

A Best Actor on a couple’s reality show? Such a tacky idea could only have come from Dongfang Zhizhu.

But regardless! Now that this cannon fodder had completely groveled, let alone spreading rumors, wasn’t he being honest as hell?!

Lu Ren shook his head, shirtless, thinking Huang Ying was probably worrying for nothing.

And never mind whether Yin Beilin was gay or not, he himself was a super-bolded straight man. How could he possibly go and spread rumors about Yin Beilin being gay…

The next second, however, he was called out by Huang Ying.

“When you go to the set later, you must be careful and guard against that newcomer named Lu Ren.”

Behind the bathroom door, Lu Ren looked utterly bewildered.

“This person is truly despicable, insidious, and always takes the crooked path.”

Huang Ying’s voice was filled with obvious annoyance. “That Lu Ren is already a well-known professional at clout-chasing. They even hired someone to take pictures of him escorting you back to your room yesterday. Do you know how many gay-related trending topics they bought to extort you today?”

“In short, whatever you do, don’t get involved in this dirty mess,” Huang Ying’s voice was cold and decisive. “I suspect this guy named Lu Ren has planted paparazzi as moles on the set.”

The “despicable” and “mole-planting” Lu Ren: “…”

*Help me!!* Was the original owner of this body the only one courting disaster?

Lu Ren racked his brain, trying to recall from the original owner’s memories, but he came up empty. He couldn’t remember a thing.

*Dongfang Zhizhu hadn’t written much about it back then. Good grief, could it be that the original owner of this body was an accomplice?

*This is bad,* Lu Ren thought, his vision darkening. *What will Yin Beilin think of him now? If this whole mess comes out, won’t he be absolutely ruined?

Huang Ying frowned. “Beilin, say something. Give me an idea. How do you plan to deal with Jiuge’s situation?”

“I don’t plan to do anything,” Yin Beilin said coolly. “It’s just a few rumors. I don’t need her to take any action.”

Huang Ying froze.

Just as she was about to speak again, Yin Beilin suddenly lowered his gaze and checked his watch with an air of refined elegance.

“Twenty minutes are up.”

…Twenty minutes are up?

Huang Ying paused, unsure what Yin Beilin meant by bringing up the time now.

Two seconds later, the bathroom door, which had remained motionless, creaked open a crack.

The new hire named Lu Ren the one she despised for his “despicable methods” and “cunning nature” peeked through the gap. His head was wet, his upper body bare, and a single bath towel wrapped around his waist. He looked at her with a Rather awkward expression.

“Hello.”

After speaking, his fresh and handsome face flushed red, as if he had just done something shameful.

Huang Ying: “…”

Huang Ying: “…”

Her mind went blank for a moment, feeling a bit dazed.

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