These memories made him realize that he seemed to be in another world—one very similar to the world he had originally lived in, but not the same one.
Had he transmigrated?
Xie Ran did not know what exactly had happened, but since he was here, he might as well make the best of it. Without showing any reaction, he began studying this Xie Ran's life and the situation he was currently facing.
The Xie Ran of this world came from an ordinary background. At seventeen, he was discovered by a talent scout and shot to fame after joining a talent show called "Tomorrow's Star." From then on, his career soared. He gained tens of millions of fans, successfully transitioned at twenty-two, and won the Best Actor title at the Golden Isles Award, the country's top film award.
It could be said that before the age of twenty-seven, Xie Ran had led the pack among male stars of his generation and was an unquestionable winner in life.
Until that year, when Xie Ran accepted Snowball Satellite TV's invitation to join Fang Huiwang—once his friend and, like him, a Tomorrow's Star debutant—on the New Year's Eve stage for a duet.
This was the turning point of his life.
During their time competing on Tomorrow's Star, Xie Ran and Fang Huiwang had gradually fallen in love and secretly dated for a while. Because of their relationship, their interactions on the show were far more intimate and in sync than those of the other contestants, attracting a group of CP fans.
When the competition was halfway through, the show entered closed training. Xie Ran and Fang Huiwang were assigned to the same dormitory, and their daily interactions officially went viral, setting off the once wildly popular Wangran CP.
However, just after the show ended, their relationship was discovered by both of their agencies, which ordered them to break up and avoid suspicion.
Xie Ran believed that an artist ultimately relied on talent and professionalism to stand firm. He was unwilling to sacrifice his feelings and had prepared to reason things out with his agency.
But before he could make a move, Fang Huiwang had already chosen to break up with him.
Xie Ran and Fang Huiwang, who had been so intimate on the show, swiftly went their separate ways after the competition ended and never appeared together or interacted again.
Their fans were also like fire and water, with mutual smears and fights becoming commonplace.
Until ten years later, when both had become top-tier stars in the industry with firmly established positions, Fang Huiwang wanted to reconcile with Xie Ran.
Fang Huiwang made Xie Ran believe that his choice to break up ten years ago had been forced upon him, and that he now had enough power to avoid being controlled by outside forces.
Xie Ran was a deeply sentimental person. Over the years, he had never truly let go of his first love, so he accepted the New Year's Eve collaboration and got back together with Fang Huiwang.
Their New Year's Eve appearance together was a resounding success. Afterward, their commercial collaborations gradually increased, and the Wangran CP made a comeback. With public opinion more tolerant than before, their interactions became even more intimate, and the CP's popularity even surpassed what it had been ten years earlier.
Riding the CP's popularity, the two gained enormous exposure. Fang Huiwang's Ambition Studio consequently received a great deal of resources, allowing Fang Huiwang to successfully transform into capital.
Xie Ran and Fang Huiwang's relationship grew increasingly stable, and Xie Ran had thought they could stay together until the end.
But only a few years later, Xie Ran was maliciously recorded and exposed by an industry friend, and his sexual orientation was made public.
Xie Ran had wanted to discuss a PR strategy with Fang Huiwang, but before he could reach him, Fang Huiwang issued a statement first, saying that he and Xie Ran were merely ordinary friends and that he did not know Xie Ran's sexual orientation.
Public opinion erupted. Afterward, Xie Ran suffered a barrage of attacks from Fang Huiwang's fans, and every intimate interaction he had shared with Fang Huiwang in front of the cameras became proof that a gay man had harbored improper intentions toward a straight man.
Fang Huiwang did not step forward to say a single word for Xie Ran. And because the two were so deeply tied together, Fang Huiwang canceled all of his many collaborations with Xie Ran in order to avoid being implicated.
Xie Ran's acting career plummeted from then on. Coupled with his studio's failed investments, the former Jinzhou Best Actor ultimately left the industry in obscurity and died in despair.
The point in time Xie Ran had transmigrated to was just after the New Year's Eve concert ended. When he opened his eyes, he found himself resting on a sofa in a backstage lounge at Snowball Satellite TV, surrounded by staff members hurrying back and forth.
After quietly sorting through this world's Xie Ran's life, Xie Ran put away his phone, straightened up slightly, and prepared to leave.
The transmigration had happened too suddenly, and the situation was rather complicated. His current body was also clearly exhausted, so he planned to sleep first and make a decision once his mind was clear.
Just as Xie Ran was about to stand, someone beside him gently placed a hand on his shoulder and steadied him. A clear, gentle voice said, "Xiao Ran, the backstage interview is here."
Xie Ran turned his head and saw a handsome young man standing beside him, looking at him with a warm smile, his eyes seeming to shine.
The young man wore a tailored custom formal suit, his hair styled into a fashionable stage look. He stood out especially brightly among the passing crowd. He was Fang Huiwang, the other superstar who had sung with Xie Ran tonight.
News of their historic appearance together was hanging on the front pages of every major media outlet. Fang Huiwang's gesture immediately drew sidelong glances from the people around them, and quite a few secretly took out their phones to gossip with friends,
Xie Ran also lifted his eyelids and glanced at Fang Huiwang.
For some reason, Fang Huiwang suddenly felt a chill down his back. He had the vague feeling that the way Xie Ran was looking at him was somehow different from usual.
It was as though there was an indescribable scrutiny in that gaze, one that could see straight through a person.
But that was probably just his imagination.
Just then, Snowball Satellite TV's host, Fang Hexin, arrived before them.
Snowball Satellite TV's New Year's Eve concert had dedicated backstage behind-the-scenes interviews, livestreamed on Snowball TV, Snowball Satellite TV's own video app.
Fans of some popular performers would wait on the app for behind-the-scenes footage of their idols.
And tonight, the behind-the-scenes footage netizens were most looking forward to was naturally the Wangran CP's backstage interaction.
Sure enough, the moment the livestream camera swept over Xie Ran and Fang Huiwang, the app's bullet comments instantly became dense.
[Ahhh, it's Wangran! It really is Wangran!!]
[What did I just see? Was Fang Huiwang helping Xiao Ran just now?]
[The commenter above didn't see wrong. He was helping Xiao Ran. I knew it—they're definitely not some cold commercial collaboration. They're real!]
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