IBKAWB Chapter 42

**Chapter 42: “Shitpost” Cinema**

Re-translated by: Namizaki

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TL Note on Title:¹The “cinema” here is not the movie theatre per se. The meaning of ‘Cinema’ here is the production of movies as an art or industry. Similar to films, pictures, movies, motion pictures or the big screen.

The embarrassment from the previous night was so intense that Chi Zhongqiao spent the next few days avoiding Lu Yuzhou.

It was just putting on some medicine… he thought. It’s all Brother Fang’s fault! Why did he have to shout in the group chat? Couldn’t he just type?

Chi Zhongqiao rummaged through his memories. Ever since joining the production, nearly every stumble he’d taken had been a pit dug by Ge Fangyu. A surge of anger welled up within him—Ge Fangyu is practically my jinx!

Nursing this resentment, Chi Zhongqiao continued filming. Fortunately, over the next two weeks, his “jinx” didn’t cause any further trouble, and he successfully wrapped up his scenes.

“Congratulations!”

As soon as the final shot was filmed, Ge Fangyu, still wearing his blood-splattered police uniform, rushed toward Chi Zhongqiao.

Chi Zhongqiao hastily dodged him. “Stay back!”

Ge Fangyu feigned disappointment. “My son’s all grown up…”

Chi Zhongqiao snorted.

Yan Qingbo approached, sighing. “It’s been tough. You’re finally free.” Playing a character like Shang Tang for so long can really take a toll on you.

Chi Zhongqiao smiled faintly.

Yan Qingbo whispered, “When the baby’s born, let him recognize you as his Godfather.”

Chi Zhongqiao whispered back, “I’m afraid Feng-ge would beat me to death.”

Yan Qingbo laughed. “He wouldn’t dare!”

Just then, Fu Jingshen strolled over, a red envelope tucked in his pocket. “Alright, alright, let’s grab lunch and then you can scram.”

Chi Zhongqiao ignored him, directing Zhong Yin, “That small stool—yes, the red one—take it too.”

Fu Jingshen: “…What lunch? Just scram already.”

Having wrapped up his previous project, Chi Zhongqiao had little time to adjust before diving into filming <Campus Prince and Campus Belle>.

Despite its seemingly generic title, <Campus Prince and Campus Belle> was actually a low-budget, laugh-out-loud comedy. The film contained no romance, focusing instead on everyday humor and a touch of inspirational themes.

Academically, this type of film is classified as absurdist comedy; colloquially, it’s known as “shitpost cinema.”²A funny short video, or movie that usually makes very little sense or none at all, and the only reason you laugh is because it is so overwhelmingly dumb.  (Internet slang, vulgar, ) A seemingly worthless or superficially meaningless image, video or piece of text posted to a social media platform that is intended to be humorously or ironically enjoyed.

That’s why Chi Zhongqiao described the film as “going against the grain.”

In recent years, feel-good, healing-themed youth dramas had become wildly popular. Recognizing the market demand, investors flooded the industry with cash, snapping up scripts of this genre. Unfortunately, good scripts were limited, and many were hastily written cash grabs. Gradually, the original refreshing style soured into bizarre, melodramatic “pain literature.”

While the market still superficially welcomed this genre, its popularity had waned considerably.

Viewers aren’t fools; they know what’s good and what isn’t.

“So, Yan Yiyun is playing the female lead?” Chi Zhongqiao asked, holding the cast list.

Du Yusheng nodded. “Yiyun’s acting is solid. Since she’s joining the crew with you, it’ll save me from having to run between two sets.”

Chi Zhongqiao nodded.

On the first day of filming, Chi Zhongqiao and Yan Yiyun joined the crew.

<Campus Prince and Campus Belle> was essentially a rookie cast. Apart from Chi Zhongqiao, who had some recognition, the rest were either newcomers or actors who had been obscure for years.

That morning, Chi Zhongqiao and Yan Yiyun rode to the set together. He sat in the passenger seat, while Yan Yiyun sat in the back.

Given that it was both of their first movie, Du Yusheng lectured them the entire way.

Yan Yiyun wasn’t just making her film debut; it was also her first time playing the female lead. If she hadn’t been trying to maintain her composure in front of Chi Zhongqiao, her senior, she probably would have been squirming with excitement.

Leaning over the back of the driver’s seat, Yan Yiyun called out, “Brother Du.”

Du Yusheng shot her a warning glare.

Yan Yiyun felt wronged but couldn’t sit still. She tentatively switched her target, “Brother Qiao?”

Chi Zhongqiao had already fallen asleep from Du Yusheng’s nagging. Startled by the sudden call, he thought Du Yusheng had caught him napping and instantly snapped awake.

Realizing it was Yan Yiyun, he glanced at Du Yusheng, who was focused on driving, leaned back in his seat, and asked gently, “What is it?”

Yan Yiyun whispered, “Brother Qiao, I’ve watched your <Empress of the World>.”

Chi Zhongqiao nodded, shaking off the last of his drowsiness. He pulled out a bottle of soda water and handed it to Yan Yiyun, then opened one for himself.

Clutching the bottle, Yan Yiyun murmured, “I really love Mu Yan.”

Chi Zhongqiao smiled indulgently. At just nineteen, Yan Yiyun was still so young—practically a child in his eyes.

Seeing his good mood, Yan Yiyun leaned closer. “Brother Qiao, do you think the Young Lord might not like the female lead?”

If the second male lead doesn’t like the female lead, who does he like?

Chi Zhongqiao was stumped. “Huh?”

Yan Yiyun pressed on, “If the Young Lord liked the female lead, why would he save Prince Yu so many times? Wouldn’t it be better if Prince Yu died? Could he… like Prince Yu?”³zaki~ Alert! Alert! Fujoshi flag! Alert! LOL

Chi Zhongqiao was stunned.

Did this girl’s imagination get blasted out of a rocket launcher? Where did she get the idea that Mu Yan and Prince Yu had any romantic chemistry?

Xu Xingzhou and I have even had real-life fights, for goodness’ sake!

Du Yusheng, who had been eavesdropping, chuckled inwardly. Finally, I can ditch this little brat Yan Yiyun for a while. I’m about to go crazy from her constant pestering.

Ah, how wonderful life is without listening to that little brat!

Du Yusheng hummed a tune as he drove to the film set.

After editing, <Campus Prince and Campus Belle> would only be an hour long, so the filming schedule was short—just one month. By the time they wrapped, it would be May.

Chi Zhongqiao and Yan Yiyun held their scripts, listening to the Director explain the scene.

Director Ji Shan was an obscure, unremarkable filmmaker who had directed a string of lukewarm movies. He had little reputation in the industry, but fortunately, <Campus Prince and Campus Belle> didn’t require much finesse.

The film’s essence lay in its witty dialogue.

When Ji Shan first met Chi Zhongqiao, he stumbled over his words: “Zhongqiao, your character needs to convey aloofness and… uh…”

Chi Zhongqiao calmly finished the sentence: “Clumsy cuteness.”

The male lead of <Campus Prince and Campus Belle> was the Campus Prince—a seemingly aloof but endearingly clumsy young man, a straight-laced, iron-willed guy who lived off his intelligence and good looks.

Ji Shan nodded enthusiastically. “Exactly! That’s the vibe we’re going for.”

Although Chi Zhongqiao had only read the script during breaks from filming <Invisible Crime>, he had stayed up late circling key points and pondering the role repeatedly.

The Campus Prince character wasn’t particularly complex. Unlike Shang Tang, whose every move might conceal hidden motives, the only challenge lay in portraying aloofness without simply being expressionless.

A young man who appeared aloof but panicked easily beneath the surface should still have lively eyes, even with a stern face.

Chi Zhongqiao recalled his character analysis, silently standing aside to cultivate the right mood.

He wasn’t as relaxed as he seemed. He had poured tremendous effort into understanding Shang Tang, and <Invisible Crime> had left a deep impression on him. Now, just days after wrapping up that role, he had to immerse himself in a completely different character. The jarring transition was hard to ignore.

Rubbing his temples, Chi Zhongqiao completed the pre-shoot rituals. Filming was about to begin, and he needed to ensure he was in the right state of mind.

As the most established actor on set, he greeted everyone warmly upon arrival. Clutching his script, he moved to the side, claiming he needed to memorize his lines.

He maintained a polite but distant demeanor, effectively blocking the crowd eager to join the commotion.

Everyone in the company knew Chi Zhongqiao had a close relationship with President Lu, so even those who wanted to curry favor didn’t dare push their way in.

“Brother Qiao,” Zhong Yin bounced over, “they’re ready to shoot.”

Chi Zhongqiao set down his script. “Alright.”

Yan Yiyun was filming her first scene with Chi Zhongqiao. Having long admired his acting skills, she felt nervous as soon as she stepped onto the set.

Chi Zhongqiao smiled at her. “Don’t be nervous. Just act naturally.”

This wasn’t <Invisible Crime>. The entire film lacked intense conflicts or rigid script requirements, and he had no interest in being the scene-stealing showoff.

Yan Yiyun nodded, and when the Director called “Action!” she immediately slipped into character.

For Chi Zhongqiao, <Campus Prince and Campus Belle> was actually a welcome change of pace. He had the filming of <April in the Human World> coming up next, and playing a lighthearted, illogical comedy in between would be a relaxing break.

However, those outside the entertainment industry might not see it that way.

Chi Zhongqiao’s fans had been suffering since the Lunar New Year. This was because his schedule last year had been poorly planned, leaving the first half of this year completely empty.

The most terrifying thing for an artist isn’t being criticized, but having no work and no presence.

The <Empress of the World> had concluded at the end of December. After the Annual Drama Festival in January briefly put Chi Zhongqiao back in the spotlight, there had been no further activity. If it weren’t for those random trending topics, his presence would have faded even further.

Audiences have notoriously short memories.

From early April to mid-June, Chi Zhongqiao faced a dauntingly long period of inactivity.

Fickle fans were likely to lose interest, while the die-hard fans suffered from a lack of content.

When news of Chi Zhongqiao’s involvement in <Campus Prince and Campus Belle> broke, the fandom exploded. “A comedy?” they raged. Their precious Baby Qiao had just starred in a masterpiece like <Invisible Crime>—what kind of trash was this?

“<Campus Prince and Campus Belle>— dear God, what kind of name is that? It sounds like a guaranteed flop.”

The fan group’s moderators and Sun Qi, acting on Lu Yuzhou’s instructions, struggled to contain the uproar from these overprotective “mother fans.”

[ Group Admin: What can we do? Qiaoqiao needs to eat too. Look at our poor Qiao Bao—he barely has any work these days. How’s he supposed to make a living? ] 

[ Wild Ferry Crossing: Exactly! Qiaoqiao’s just an artist; he has to follow the company’s arrangements. ]

[ Drank San Lu, Big Head: I’m furious! I’ve always thought Qiaoqiao’s management was terrible. This small company has no plan whatsoever. Zhaohui finally stumbled upon a treasure like him, and instead of cherishing him, they’re trying to ruin him? ]

[ Group Admin: Well, the movie tickets aren’t too expensive. If you guys are willing, let’s contribute to the box office for Qiaoqiao’s sake. He’s really been through a lot. ]

[ Lu Lu Lu: I just don’t get it. Everyone knows Qiaoqiao’s acting skills are top-notch. I understand taking commercial roles, but why this kind of film? A youth romance? Ugh, we all know what those “nostalgic youth” movies are these days—a dog-blood melodrama disguised in a teen drama’s skin. ]

[ I Hear Your Voice in the Wind: Damn it! The company isn’t even trying to promote Qiaoqiao properly—can’t they at least stop dragging him down? And isn’t President Lu supposed to be Qiao Bao’s younger brother? Why isn’t he intervening to stop him from taking such a trashy role? ]

Outside the screen, Sun Qi broke into a cold sweat. Holy shit, do they know President Lu is in this group and lurking?

**Fan Group Chat**

[ Lu Yuzhou: I’ll handle it. ]

The buzzing fan group suddenly fell into dead silence.

• 1
  The “cinema” here is not the movie theatre per se. The meaning of ‘Cinema’ here is the production of movies as an art or industry. Similar to films, pictures, movies, motion pictures or the big screen.
• 2
  A funny short video, or movie that usually makes very little sense or none at all, and the only reason you laugh is because it is so overwhelmingly dumb.  (Internet slang, vulgar, ) A seemingly worthless or superficially meaningless image, video or piece of text posted to a social media platform that is intended to be humorously or ironically enjoyed.
• 3
  zaki~ Alert! Alert! Fujoshi flag! Alert! LOL