The fan meeting went much smoother than expected. Despite the online uproar, before Yan Hongyun went on stage, he worried Yu Shiqing and the others would be surrounded by media, and the movie would be ignored. But that didn’t happen. As soon as they entered the screening hall, the room was set ablaze with excitement. Everyone was enthusiastic about the film.
From the moment they walked in, discussions filled the air:
“I didn’t expect the effects to be so realistic. The trailer hyped me up, but this was even better. Two and a half hours and it still felt too short!”
“Yeah, I worried about the acting, but Jiang Yu did great. And Yu Rong’s role was powerful too no breaking the immersion.”
“I thought Jiang Yu was the male lead, but Yu Shiqing’s character was so well-rounded. His sacrifice scene nearly made me cry.”
“Exactly. I can’t find any faults what a feast for the eyes!”
When Yan Hongyun and the cast entered, the chatter quieted down and applause thundered through the hall. Seeing the crowd’s reaction, Yan exhaled deeply. He knew they’d nailed it. And they had.
During the event, few asked about the internet drama or brought up negative comments about Yu Shiqing. The audience here understood the difference between hype and quality. They praised Doomsday Rescue freely, enjoying the rich discussion.
As they left the stage, some were already editing content. Yan, excited, told Jiang: “This is a great start!” Doomsday Rescue wasn’t just Jiang Yu’s first major film it was also Yan’s first. A strong premiere meant everything.
But before Jiang spoke, his phone rang. He and Yan split; Jiang turned to Yu, who walked alongside him with Yu Rong.
“Senior, how do you think I did?” Yu Rong asked. “They asked so many questions, and I didn’t even know how to answer the ones about the film we haven’t seen it yet ourselves.”
Yu Shiqing answered: “You did well.”
“Really?” Yu Rong lit up. “Are you praising me?”
“You’re reading too much into it, it was just polite.”
Yu Rong’s expression fell for a moment at hearing Jiang Yu’s voice damn Jiang, why couldn’t he disappear?
He grabbed Yu Shiqing aside to speak, but Jiang Yu stepped between them.
Yu Rong, shorter than Jiang, tried to speak around him: “Senior.”
Jiang blocked him again. Yu Rong craned his neck and proposed: “After the roadshow, maybe we can watch the movie together?”
Jiang paused, replied politely: “I’ll see the schedule.”
Jiang’s mouth twitched, then to Yu Rong: “Heard that?”
All Yu Rong could say was, “Then I’ll wait for Senior and Jiang….”
They didn’t say much else in public. The group flowed together to the car. Yu Shiqing and Jiang Yu shared a vehicle. Ren Bai and Meng Chen waited inside; their faces were tense when the pair joined.
“These people just won’t stop!” Ren slammed the car door closed. “As soon as the film ended, people rushed online with reviews they hadn’t even seen. It’s just hate for hate’s sake!”
Ren was browsing a popular critic site. Doomsday Rescue already had a page, now rated three stars by a well-known critic, Li Guapi. His review was long but lukewarm praising a bit but listing many flaws, mostly sarcastic. This kind of “pretend fairness” rubbed Ren the wrong way.
Some replies defended the film; others suggested fair critique but these were soon drowned by trolls: “Stupid fans are coming in force,” “They can’t take criticism,” etc. Each insult confirmed the troll mindset.
Ren was furious: “Li Guapi is full of double standards people may still praise him, but he’s full of BS!”
Normally, this could hurt the film especially during the premiere and ticket sales period. But as the fan meeting ended, positive reviews from the premiere started appearing in the media. One came from renowned critic Salty Yolk a reputable voice whose praise counted. His review, while noting minor flaws, was overwhelmingly positive and quickly went viral.
Online conversation flipped. With studio teams and media ready, the tide turned in favor of the film. The second event ended, and Yu Shiqing and Jiang Yu got back to the car. Ren smiled at Yu: “Nearly all online reviews are positive now, and ratings are rising!”
Meng added, “Li Guapi is getting roasted his fan army can’t save him!”
On their phones, both hot searches and rating charts strongly favored the film. Though some trolling persisted, the studio’s cut videos of Yu Shiqing’s standout scenes struck a chord. His acting in those clips stood apart convincing even in weak plot moments. The clips went viral, and online sentiment changed again.
By then, the cast had returned to their hotel rooms conveniently near theaters for the roadshow. Two people shared rooms; Yu Shiqing and Jiang Yu stayed together no separate suite. After washing up, Yu Shiqing changed in the bathroom before stepping out a habit he formed after living with Jiang.
Seated on the bed, he didn’t rest immediately. Ren had sent him a detailed development report from New Era Productions. Yu Shiqing and Jiang Yu passed each other in the bathroom; Yu Shiqing noticed Jiang had nothing in hand maybe he’d packed, so he didn’t think much of it.
After scanning the file, Yu received a text back from Ren. Steps sounded from the bathroom; Jiang emerged quicker than expected. He approached, and Yu took a moment as Jiang appeared.
Jiang stepped out wearing only a towel around his waist, water dripping and glistening on his skin as it caught the light. The towel clung to him, revealing the shape of his lean waist, powerful abs, and long legs mysterious yet stunning.
Jiang moved closer, then stopped: “Jiang Yu?”
Jiang hesitated, then turned to Yu: “I forgot my pajamas.” He added, coolly, “Don’t worry about me.”
