OSM Chapter 37: Do you know what a rhythm master is?

Translator: Abo Dammen

The new drama He Zhiqiu had taken on was indeed adapted from a story with homosexual themes.

Although society has become more accepting of the LGBTQ+ community in recent years—for example, allowing same-sex marriage through certain legal procedures—when it comes to film and television, openly portraying such themes is still not encouraged. Even if such projects are allowed, they are typically limited to small-scale online releases. Without significant adaptation, they have no chance of being broadcast on television.

Even though web dramas are popular nowadays, their audience was still relatively niche. If the original story wasn’t adapted, the production might only satisfy the original fans, but how many of those were there? Investors pour a lot of money into these projects, so they naturally prioritize mainstream appeal over the demands of a small fanbase.

However, they still rely on the fans’ enthusiasm to generate buzz during the early stages. [tn content=”It makes me remember of ORV live adaptation lol.”]In short, they aim to have the best of both worlds.[/fcnt]

Xu Sui had chosen this project for He Zhiqiu for two reasons: first, because He Zhiqiu fit the character’s temperament perfectly, and second, because the character in this drama would form a stark contrast to the one he played in Pingsha.

Timing-wise, the two dramas were expected to air back-to-back. What Xu Sui wanted was for the audience to see a completely different side of He Zhiqiu.

He believed that after these two dramas aired, He Zhiqiu’s talent alone would leave a lasting impression.

As for the issue of the subject matter, it wasn’t something Xu Sui was concerned about.

Moreover, He Zhiqiu’s own sexual orientation was directed toward Li Yuze.

Not only had this drama been heavily adapted, but even if Xu Sui had chosen a purely homosexual-themed film for He Zhiqiu, it shouldn’t have been a problem.

At least psychologically, He Zhiqiu shouldn’t have any aversion to it.

The only question was whether Li Yuze would agree. Xu Sui kept this in mind and planned to find time to ask the “family member’s” opinion.

Time flew by, and it was already June.

Including his time as an extra after returning to A City, He Zhiqiu had now spent a total of one year on set.

He had gradually grown accustomed to the rhythm of filming, and his acting skills had improved significantly. This time, when Xu Sui suggested assigning him an assistant, He Zhiqiu declined again. He still felt he didn’t need anyone to take care of him and was perfectly fine working alone on set.

Compared to Pingsha, this new production was of slightly lower quality—not terrible, but not outstanding either. The actors’ skills were uneven; while there were a few familiar faces, most were newcomers or long-time “transparent” figures in the entertainment industry who had never quite made it big.

Zhou Pu was one such example. He was about the same age as He Zhiqiu but had been in the industry for over a decade. His status hadn’t changed since his debut—he was perpetually a supporting actor, never making it past the fifth or sixth male lead. His name rarely appeared in entertainment news, and the most recent search result for him was a blessing message he recorded for a popular star two years ago.

However, Zhou Pu had a great personality—easygoing and fond of joking around.

After a couple of scenes together, he and He Zhiqiu hit it off and became friends.

Zhou Pu was the second person in the industry, after Tang Song, whom He Zhiqiu considered a friend.

He Zhiqiu was delighted and shared this news with Li Yuze.

Nowadays, He Zhiqiu tell Li Yuze everything.

From trivial matters to more significant ones, even if his lunchbox was too salty, he would snap a photo and send it to Li Yuze.

Their relationship had become more natural, and as a result, they had more to talk about.

Deep down, He Zhiqiu was also someone who loved to laugh and chat, but over the years, he had been weighed down by too many hardships.

Now, everything was getting better.

His personality had gradually opened up, and he even occasionally joked with Li Yuze that the director of this drama was much more relaxed compared to Director Mu.

When Li Yuze wasn’t busy, he would reply instantly.

But when he was busy, it could take forever.

He Zhiqiu didn’t deliberately wait for him because he knew that if Li Yuze saw his messages, he would respond.

The new drama’s production was progressing steadily, but the summer heat was unbearable, with the sun scorching through the thick costumes. Having endured similar hardships during his time as an extra, He Zhiqiu didn’t mind much. Today, he brought a small handheld fan and sat under the shade of a tree, chatting with Zhou Pu.

In the drama, Zhou Pu played He Zhiqiu’s close friend, and now, both on and off set, the two were friends who could talk about anything.

“Do you think Wu Lei is going to wait until the end of summer to join the set? What about your scenes together? Are you going to have to come back after wrapping up to reshoot with him?” Zhou Pu had a decent appearance, but perhaps because he was too ordinary-looking, he had never left a lasting impression on audiences, which was why he had remained relatively unknown.

He Zhiqiu pointed the fan at his face. “I’m not sure. It’ll depend on the company’s arrangements. If necessary, I might have to make a trip back.”

Zhou Pu said, “Why should you? Just because he’s the male lead? In all my years in the industry, I’ve never seen a male lead delay joining the set because he’s afraid of the heat.”

Speaking of Wu Lei, he was quite the character. He Zhiqiu had been on set for half a month, and Wu Lei still hadn’t shown up. It was said that he was avoiding the heat to prevent heatstroke?

“Even female celebrities aren’t this delicate,” Zhou Pu remarked disdainfully, then casually opened his phone to browse the latest news.

There weren’t any major headlines in the news.

The entertainment section was also quiet.

Apart from a candid shot of Li Yuze’s airport outfit, there was nothing that caught Zhou Pu’s interest.

Speaking of which, Zhou Pu’s fashion sense was largely inspired by Li Yuze’s, but no one ever photographed him.

Later, Zhou Pu realized that it probably came down to his face—it just didn’t have the same appeal to make it to the trending topics.

What was so special about Li Yuze’s everyday style anyway?

Wasn’t his style just laziness? If it could be pulled over the head, he wouldn’t bother with zippers. If it could be hung on the waist, he wouldn’t bother with belts.

But when Li Yuze wore it,

it was called “effortlessly chic.” When Zhou Pu wore it, it was just “sloppy.”

He Zhiqiu burst out laughing at Zhou Pu’s self-deprecating humor and handed him the fan. He then took out his own phone and clicked on the trending topic.

Zhou Pu claimed he wouldn’t copy Li Yuze’s style anymore, but he still saved the photo, planning to search for similar outfits online. After saving it, he scrolled through a few more posts and was about to exit Weibo when he noticed Wu Lei’s name among the top trending topics.

Wu Lei was an idol who had risen to fame in the past two years. He was decent-looking and had a sizable fanbase. Although he didn’t have many notable works, he had a strong online presence. He had a savvy PR team that knew how to stir up drama, often pitting fan groups against each other.

While the team’s antics were already annoying, Wu Lei himself wasn’t any better. He was frequently in the news for his romantic escapades, often moving from one relationship to another without a break.

Some people hated him, while others adored him. His fans turned a blind eye to his relationships, insisting that unless Wu Lei himself admitted to anything, all the rumors were just baseless attacks on their idol.

Two weeks ago, news broke that Wu Lei was being kept by a female entrepreneur over thirty years his senior. Many netizens refused to believe it, jokingly saying that love knows no age.

Zhou Pu initially thought Wu Lei was trending because of this scandal, but upon clicking, he found it was related to the drama they were currently filming.

As mentioned earlier, the original story had homosexual themes, but after adaptation, the romantic relationship between the two male leads was changed to a pure, platonic friendship.

Not only was the plot heavily altered, but two female leads were also added.

Recently, the two actresses had been heavily criticized by the original fans. But now, the tide had turned, and the criticism had inexplicably shifted to Wu Lei, with even the original fans changing their stance.

He Zhiqiu didn’t follow gossip much and wasn’t aware that the drama had already caused an uproar over the script changes before filming even began.

The production team mostly stayed silent, only responding when the backlash became too intense. Although they no longer needed the original fans for the drama’s success, they couldn’t be ignored. If the backlash escalated into a full-blown online movement, it would be disastrous. The production team was walking a fine line, allowing fans to argue as much as they wanted, as long as it didn’t spiral out of control.

Zhou Pu dragged He Zhiqiu into reading the comments on the production team’s Weibo. A few days ago, the comments were filled with insults directed at the actresses, but today, the top comment had changed.

@I’mNotPetty: I’m tired of saying this, but I know there’s no hope of you changing the script back. As an original fan, I only have one humble request: since you’ve changed the original title and the romantic plot, please don’t use the original story’s name to promote the drama after it airs. After all, Wu Lei is straight. Forcing him to act gay and then promoting him with the other male lead is just disgusting. I have no strong feelings about Wu Lei himself—whether he’s being kept or dating someone is his private business, and even his fans have no right to interfere. I just hope he can be honest about being heterosexual and not pretend to be gay just to please fans after filming a drama with homosexual themes.

Her comment was well-crafted, expressing the helplessness of original fans in the face of capitalism and her own sense of resignation. They had fought for too long and were too exhausted. Their only wish was for the drama to have no connection to the original story after it aired. Even if there were ties, they hoped the production would stick to the “brotherly love” narrative and not force the actors to promote a fake romance after adding female leads. As for Wu Lei, she spoke calmly, not mocking him with the recent scandal but offering a reasonable suggestion. This instantly resonated with fans on both sides.

He Zhiqiu, considering her perspective, also felt she was somewhat pitiable. The comments below were filled with support from original fans, though there were also those who argued. Some of Wu Lei’s fans insisted that their idol didn’t need to rely on promotional tactics with others. The drama hadn’t even finished filming yet, so how could anyone be sure the production would push a fake romance? They accused the commenter of stirring up unnecessary drama.

There were too many comments for He Zhiqiu to read them all. Apart from a few internet slang terms he didn’t understand, he got the gist of the situation.

At that moment, Li Yuze, who had finished his work, replied to his message.

He Zhiqiu happened to see a term and asked him: [Li Yuze?]

[Hmm?]

[Do you know what a rhythm master is?]