sovbooks Chapter 72: The Controversy Arising from Photo Editing of Group Photos
Chapter 72: The Controversy Arising from Photo Editing of Group Photos
Chapter 72: The Controversy Sparked by Photo Editing of Group Photo (Please Subscribe)
"Brother Gu, the other party's manager gave me a sharp look just now, I almost thought we were going to fight."
"What's wrong? Are you scared?"
Seeing the mocking smile on Gu Luojin's lips, Wang Lu adopted an attitude of fearlessness.
"Who's afraid of who? I just wasn't prepared to take action."
Wang Lu's performance was like a monkey claiming to be king when there's no tiger in the mountains.
It gives the impression of lacking presence, not genuine confidence.
"Really? I heard they've even physically assaulted the assistants of some top celebrities. Aren't you scared?"
"Ah—this is modern society, how can they be so barbaric? The police have already said, if you win, you go to jail; if you lose, you go to the hospital."
"I think I'd better not make a move. After all, humility is a traditional virtue of the Chinese nation."
Gu Luojin didn't know how Wang Lu managed to be both cowardly and brave.
Taking action is no longer fashionable; doing so would only hand over leverage to the other party.
Now it's all about the celebrity's status, popularity, and the resources they have. It all comes down to whether you can withstand the psychological pressure they put on you.
Back then, the Taiwanese actor took Li Bingbing's seat, but he wasn't beaten up. In return, he didn't get any good resources in the industry for several years.
"Don't be afraid, Xiaolu. Once I become a top star, you can give someone a look that will take them ages to understand. They won't even dare to play mind games with you."
"Brother Gu, then hurry up and become a top star, so I can ride on his coattails."
"So you knew you were bluffing just now, huh?"
Gu Luojin flicked her on the forehead. Is being a top celebrity so easy?
Nineteen years ago, there were very few top celebrities in the industry, and Lu Han and Wu Qian were two of the four members who returned to China.
There are also Li Moufeng, Deng Lun, Yang Yang, the three little ones, and the last one is Chicken Brother, who debuted in 18 through a trainee program.
So top celebrities haven't reached the point of being commonplace, although quite a few top celebrities have fallen from grace since.
"You think it's like buying cabbages? You think you can just become a top celebrity whenever you want?"
Under the photographer's guidance, Gu Luojin, dressed as a thug in a suit, struck poses that were highly aggressive and full of masculine hormones.
The photographer's creative inspiration exploded, especially after learning that Gu Luojin had six-pack abs.
They made Gu Luojin wear no undershirt, only a suit jacket, partially revealing his abdominal muscles, which was full of sexual tension.
"Teacher Gu, yes, like this, show some of your abs."
Song Zuer waited for Gu Luojin to finish filming before it was her turn.
Hearing the photographer's excited shouts and high spirits in the distance, she was drawn to the shooting location.
His partially exposed abs not only gave the staff on site a feast for the eyes, but almost made Song Zuer's eyes pop out, wanting to see what Gu Luojin's complete six-pack abs looked like.
None of the male actors she had worked with had abs, but she did see them on Gu Luojin, whom she had just met.
After Gu Luojin finished filming the mature, suited thug, he changed his clothes, which removed his sex appeal and gave him a more youthful and innocent look.
Two looks, interpreting two completely different aesthetic narratives.
He moves effortlessly between the two styles, not only perfectly matching them but also refining his good looks to an ultimate charm.
No matter how he changes his style, his stunning looks always make him the absolute visual focus.
At this moment, Song Zuer realized what a real handsome man was; she was captivated by Gu Luojin's looks.
Song Zuer's favorability increased by 8.
Another young actress attracted by his looks and physique. These people are too superficial and don't understand his inner qualities at all.
After the photoshoot, Gu Luojin walked over to Song Zuer.
"Sorry to keep you waiting."
"Brother Gu, I'm going to take the photos now. We'll take a group photo after I'm done."
Song Zuer went to film, and he and Wang Lu found a place to sit down and wait for her.
Wang Lu looked at him as if he were a monster, confirming that he was indeed a humanoid succubus.
Xiaohua, whom I had just met, took the initiative to give up her seat and asked to take a photo with me.
"Keep your eyes to yourself; I don't want to be misunderstood."
There have been scandals between artists and their managers. Due to the long-term companionship and exposure to the dark side of the industry, many artists have chosen to marry their managers.
Wang Lu rolled her eyes at him; she hated scumbags the most.
"Brother Gu, is there something extraordinary about you? How come every female celebrity seems to have a crush on you?"
Her perspective on things is not comprehensive enough.
"Xiaolu, there's no such thing as a free lunch. It's all about talent and hard work."
His natural talent refers to his face, while his hard work refers to his daily, unwavering fitness routine to maintain his physique.
In this respect, Wang Lu admired Gu Luojin's perseverance; she could only keep up with Gu Luojin's training for a week before giving up.
From these two perspectives, enjoying the favor of beautiful women is a reward he deserves.
After waiting for a while, Song Zuer finished filming and came over.
"Zul, are you done filming?"
"Brother Gu, we're done filming."
"Do you need me to find someone to film the two of us? My agent is quite skilled."
Why invite other people into our perfect time together? They'd just get in the way and be an eyesore.
"Brother Gu, don't underestimate girls' photography skills."
If she has such confidence, why should she go against her wishes and force herself to find someone?
His photography skills are so-so, barely passable.
Occasionally, she manages to get a stunning photo, but most of the time, it's just that her good looks, which are undeniable from every angle, make her stand out.
It's somewhat similar to how Liu Yifei's clothes are all about how her face makes them look good.
"Zul, where do you want to film?"
"We can simply borrow the venue setup provided by the organizers."
"However, Brother Gu, I'm thinking, do you want to change back into that suit?"
Isn't it enough to just take a couple of pictures? Why are you making demands now? Are you trying to climb the bar?
Song Zuer also realized that her purpose in asking Gu Luojin to change her clothes seemed a bit too obvious, so she quickly explained.
"Because I'm also wearing a black off-the-shoulder dress today, if you wear a suit, it will match my outfit very well. That's my thinking, nothing more."
Actually, the last sentence doesn't need to be said; why hide it when you want to see it?
"I understand. Wait for me a moment, I'll go change."
A simple "I understand" dispelled Song Zuer's anxiety.
"Okay, then I'll wait for you."
Gu Luojin went to change her clothes, and Song Zuer's agent came over.
"Zul, our registration time is almost up."
"Wait until I'm done filming before you leave. Isn't your flight this afternoon?"
"Alright, then hurry up."
Gu Luojin, now dressed in a suit, walked over with a satisfied smile. "That's it, that's right!"
"Let's go, Brother Gu."
The two took nearly thirty photos, including a few in which she placed her hand on Gu Luojin's abs.
"Is this correct? Can this be sent?"
"No way."
"No, you're still filming?"
"Who said that just because you took a picture, you have to post it?"
"Then what will you use it for?"
Gu Luojin suddenly thought of something and made a disgusted "Eh" sound.
"What are you thinking? It's like taking a photoshoot. Not all of them will be released, but you still need to take them, do you understand?"
Gu Luojin still didn't understand. Apart from being able to satisfy her craving for touching abs, she didn't understand anything else.
"I feel like I've been taken advantage of."
She benefited, so how can you say she didn't contribute her own share?
"Brother Gu, I don't like hearing you say that."
"Isn't it your good fortune to have such a beautiful woman like me taking pictures with you?"
There are plenty of beautiful women who like him, so he doesn't need another one.
Out of respect for her, Gu Luojin carefully examined her figure.
Aside from her face, she's not very big in any other way. How can she be considered a great beauty?
"Hey, hey, I'm right here in front of you."
"I saw it."
"Then why are you still watching?"
"How can I know if someone is a great beauty if I don't look at them?"
"So, do you know now?"
Song Zuer even stood up straight and leaned forward slightly, just as a senior figure in the Chinese entertainment industry passed by.
"Hello, Sister Xiaoran. I am Gu Luojin, a young actress. I really like the TV dramas you act in."
"Hello there."
Gu Luojin looked at her senior's TOOD and then at Song Zuer's TOOD, a very vivid description.
After she left, Song Zuren immediately felt deflated.
There's no way around it, this is truly a senior figure, not only senior but also fair-skinned.
"Why are you suddenly so downcast? Did you get discouraged?"
Song Zuer rolled her eyes at him; it was obvious, wasn't it?
Sometimes, true strength isn't about words, but about providing evidence. The best proof is silencing others.
"Although—but—you're very cute."
Gu Luojin found herself unable to continue speaking, because cuteness was insignificant compared to sexiness.
Song Zuer had already grasped the meaning behind his words and recognized her own shortcomings in the face of facts.
Wang Lu noticed that the two people who had been laughing and chatting just moments before suddenly seemed a bit quiet.
After Gu Luojin walked over unhurriedly, Wang Lu asked, "Brother Gu, what's wrong with her? You wouldn't—"
Gu Luojin really didn't know how her little head was structured; it was full of bold ideas.
There are people coming and going here, what can he do?
He flicked her forehead again: "Don't say anything more, it's nothing."
"Then why did she leave looking so dejected?"
"She said she was a great beauty, and then Sister Xiaoran walked past us. She was probably quite hurt by that."
Although Song Zuer had left, she hadn't forgotten her promise to Gu Luojin and sent him a message.
"I'll send you the picture once I've finished editing it."
"Okay, then I won't edit it. I'll just send you the edited version."
Xiao Lu and Gu Luojin are also returning to the "Better Days" film crew.
"Aren't you afraid I'll Photoshop you to look worse? You trust me that much?"
There's no conflict of interest between him and Song Zuer, so she wouldn't do something so thankless.
"I'm not worried, anyway, netizens will only cause you trouble."
Song Zuer was furious. She took the photos, but she also did the dirty and tiring work of editing them.
She's getting cyberbullied for not doing a good job; what did she do wrong today?
But Song Zuer really didn't dare not properly Photoshop Gu Luojin's picture, since there were already some unfounded rumors about her.
If Gu Luojin isn't properly photoshopped, she'll face a second round of online bullying.
In reality, there are quite a few celebrities who only Photoshop themselves into group photos.
This is especially true among female celebrities, where the situation is more direct and serious.
In a variety show, Shen Mengchen took a photo with Liu Wen, who is 172cm tall. Shen Mengchen photoshopped herself to look the same height as Liu Wen, who is 178cm tall.
What's even more outrageous is that Shen Mengchen not only photoshopped herself to be taller, but also made fun of her older sister, deliberately photoshopping her legs shorter, which aroused public outrage.
The most famous photo-editing incident was at Yin Nengjing's wedding, when Su Mang accidentally posted an unedited picture of Yin Nengjing.
Although Su Mang deleted it immediately, the media had already reprinted it, showing that a slip of the hand can have endless consequences.
After her wedding to Qin Hao, who is 10 years younger than her, Yin Nengjing and Qin Hao held a party with their friends in the entertainment industry to celebrate their marriage.
They explicitly stated on the wedding day that friends were not allowed to post photos, saying they would edit the photos before sharing them publicly.
The photos from the internal gathering were completely unedited; I wonder if she regrets it at all.
After posting photos with Annie Yin, most of the celebrity friends who attended her wedding party deleted them immediately because her face looked swollen like "bread".
As soon as the Weibo post was published, many netizens began to complain, with the most common comment being, "They had too many injections; it's so swollen."
[Did you get cheek augmentation? Did you get too much? Too much hyaluronic acid? Your cheeks are practically flying off the ground.]
These comments from netizens, the spread of her unflattering photos, and their impact on her are significant.
Su Mang, who posted the picture, was also severely criticized by netizens, who believed it was disrespectful and a betrayal of her friend, and labeled her with a huge stigma.
According to Su Manglai, the then president of Harper's Bazaar, she had already posted it, and Yin Nengjing would not, and dared not, break with her or demand an explanation.
Later, unable to withstand the impact of public opinion, Su Mang sincerely apologized to Yin Nengjing during the event.
Having suffered a loss in silence, Yin Nengjing readily accepted it, but she thought she probably wouldn't invite Su Mang to the next gathering.
Our fairy sister has also experienced this. When she attended an event with Ni Ni, her round face and double chin formed a stark contrast with Ni Ni, who was making strange expressions but whose face still didn't look bad.
Even in a photo taken from a third-person perspective, Liu Yifei still looks exquisite.
However, Nini doesn't look as polished as she does in the group photo, suggesting that she only photoshopped herself in the group photo.