pertwk Chapter 39 Returning Home, Retiring from the Military but Not Fading Away
Chapter 39 Returning Home, Retiring from the Military but Not Fading Away
Compared to arriving alone, knowing only the destination but not who the other guests on the show were, Yuan Linghan is now embarking on her return journey and is enjoying a rare upgrade, going from economy class to business class.
Although it still couldn't compare to the first-class cabin that Chen Duling and the others were traveling in, Yuan Linghan, Tian Qi, and the others all knew that the program team had included the perks that the artists would enjoy when traveling to and from the venue in the original agreement.
Chen Duling originally wanted to upgrade Yuan Linghan's cabin class, but was naturally refused. Seeing Chen Duling's somewhat resentful expression, Yuan Linghan could only softly comfort her, "Have you forgotten our agreement? Aren't you really afraid of being exposed?"
"I'm not afraid! I've already graduated from university, what's wrong with wanting to date?"
"Alright! You're not afraid, but I am. You're a rising star now, don't you have any idea how many fans you have? I don't want to be pointed at and talked about on the street in the future, especially since I didn't get a good night's sleep last night."
"What?! That's ridiculous!"
Even so, thinking back to the even more intense probing of the previous night than at the shelter, Chen Duling, feeling somewhat guilty, ultimately didn't say anything more. She could even understand Yuan Linghan's concerns, and that his initial intentions were all for her benefit.
Being in the alluring entertainment industry, and currently a rising star, Chen Duling's contract doesn't include a clause prohibiting dating. However, now that she owns her own studio, her performance directly impacts the livelihoods of the other staff members!
Since receiving her phone yesterday, her agent has told her she'll be very busy. Thanks to this outdoor variety show, her popularity has increased once again. Aside from the business partners she's about to negotiate with, she's already received numerous offers to act in films and television dramas.
At this time, if her relationship is suddenly revealed, how will the outside world and her fans react?
The more Yuan Linghan considered her feelings, the more guilty she felt. She had mentally prepared herself when she went to see Yuan Linghan last night. In the end, after all the commotion, Yuan Linghan still rationally stepped on the brakes at the crucial moment.
Chen Duling personally experienced just how terrifying this man's self-control was. It wasn't that he didn't want to, but rather that he knew the importance of things!
After a long flight, Yuan Linghan, who had slept well on the plane, felt refreshed. To the production team's surprise, hundreds of fans had gathered outside the airport to welcome the contestants back.
Upon hearing the news, director Zhu Shimao said with a headache, "These people, their information network is really impressive!"
"Director Zhu, this means our show is really popular! What do you think is the best way to handle this?"
Huang Bo, known in the entertainment industry for his high emotional intelligence, also offered a timely compliment. Even though Zhu Shimao is only a director of online variety shows, this program will likely become one that many artists would want to participate in in the future.
Cultivating good relationships is perhaps the reason why Huang Bo is able to navigate the entertainment industry with ease!
After some discussion, Zhu Shimao finally said, "Then let's meet these fans who have been waiting for so long! No matter what, the fans' enthusiasm shouldn't be wasted, but we also can't disrupt the airport's normal operations!"
After discussions with airport authorities, the production team first invited the fans waiting outside the airport to a relatively open area. Shortly afterward, Yuan Linghan and her group of eight appeared under the escort of airport security.
Hearing a fan excitedly shout "Master Ling," Yuan Linghan, walking in the group, paused for a moment. Looking at the male fan whose voice cracked with excitement, he pointed at himself in disbelief. The male fan roared again, "Master Ling, awesome!"
This scene was later uploaded online, and many people found it hilarious. Perhaps Yuan Linghan hadn't adapted to suddenly transforming from an ordinary person into a well-known internet celebrity. But those in the industry know that Yuan Linghan is indeed a topic of much discussion.
Compared to the other nine so-called amateur contestants, who are all outdoor bloggers with a certain number of followers online, only Yuan Linghan registered a personal account on the TT platform after participating in the show, as per the agreement, and has now amassed over ten million followers.
According to the standards of online influencers, Yuan Linghan can be considered a newly popular influencer. What businesses value most about Yuan Linghan is that her fans are mostly young people, and the male-to-female ratio is relatively balanced. This is something many celebrities cannot match.
For example, young male celebrities tend to have more female fans. Similarly, young and beautiful female celebrities tend to have more male fans. Furthermore, other outdoor video bloggers with tens of millions of followers rarely have a balanced male-to-female fan ratio.
During a fan interview, the female host, who had been humiliated by Yuan Linghan the previous night, deliberately handed the microphone to the crazed male fan. Seeing this, Huang Bo, Chen Duling, and others couldn't help but chuckle.
The male fan, somewhat excited, asked, "Master Ling, I want to ask, weren't you afraid when you saw that giant python?"
Taking the microphone, Yuan Linghan smiled wryly and said, "Before answering your question, let me ask you one first. When did I ever get the nickname 'Master Ling'? I'm only in my early twenties, what were you thinking giving me such a nickname?"
The male fan being asked smiled and said, "Master Ling, I usually enjoy watching wilderness survival videos. There are Ed Stafford and Bear Grylls abroad. Although you are young, we believe that you will definitely become a master in the wilderness survival field in the future."
"Thank you for your kind words, I am truly honored! I hope that I will live up to your expectations in the future!"
"Master Ling, don't listen to his nonsense. We call you Master Ling because we think you're a real man! That's a huge python; most people would have been terrified and run away like the plague, but you dared to face it alone. That's truly manly!"
As a young boy next to the male fan shouted praises, Yuan Linghan could only return the gesture with a bow. Once the atmosphere calmed down, he continued, "To be honest, I was actually scared when I first saw that giant python."
This answer certainly surprised everyone present. Yet, everyone also felt that it was undeniably the truth!
Fortunately, Yuan Linghan then added, "Although I was scared, being scared won't solve the problem. You all probably saw what happened in the live stream. Dudu was so scared her legs went weak, but I really admire Sister Ying for being able to stay calm."
As their partner, it was my responsibility and obligation to protect them. Fortunately, Yue arrived just in time and took Dudu and Ying away, allowing me to deal with the giant python without any worries.
When I realized that the giant python had just laid its eggs and was becoming very agitated, and that Dudu and Yingjie had both touched its eggs, I knew that if I didn't act, the python would definitely retaliate. So I had no choice but to do everything in my power to kill it.
As you all probably know, Dudu chose me as her partner because I'm a veteran; she felt that people rigorously selected by the military were more reliable. They say a veteran's spirit doesn't fade, and when they're about to be harmed, I'll become fearless too!
Upon hearing this reason, enthusiastic applause erupted from the audience. The security personnel responsible for maintaining order also appeared somewhat moved when they heard the phrase "retired but not faded." It was easy to guess that they were all veterans.
When the subsequent on-site interview aired, Yuan Linghan undoubtedly gained another wave of fans. What moved Wu Yue and Zhao Liying the most was that Yuan Linghan specifically mentioned their contributions to this matter.
What was truly unexpected was that Zhang Chengming, the CEO of Douyin (TikTok), upon learning the news, specially approved a bonus of one million yuan for Yuan Linghan. In Zhang Chengming's view, this was a reward Yuan Linghan deserved.
If Yuan Linghan hadn't intervened so decisively, Chen Duling and Zhao Liying would likely have been in serious trouble. If two popular actresses were to get into trouble on a TV show, even with Douyin's deep pockets, the company would probably suffer heavy losses and its stock price would fluctuate significantly!