Who taught you to speak like that

Actually,

Cao Cheng invested a lot in this series.

He had already held onto the script for a while, delaying filming for some time.

Later, he brought in many more professionals to enhance the export quality, editing, and special effects.

This included costumes, makeup, and props.

Every piece of clothing was top-notch.

Even better than before.

He hired a whole team of expert directors—martial arts choreographers, movement coaches, etiquette advisors, even facial expression consultants—many of them professors.

On top of that, they fixed the plot holes in the original storyline.

You could say this was an upgraded version of the series from his dreams.

With all this… what’s there to fear?

Cao Cheng put in a lot for this series—seriously, a lot! At the very least, he talked a big game and spent a ton of money.

Right?

Besides,

to make sure the revisions didn’t ruin it, Cao Cheng watched the entire edited version from start to finish.

Definitely not because he was slacking off or taking a break.

It was purely to check for flaws.

After watching it, he could confidently say it surpassed the version from his memory by a mile.

Not in terms of ratings, though.

But enough to shut up the haters and trolls.

Professional trolls are a lost cause—they’re paid to complain.

But…

the regular haters? They’d probably dwindle by more than half.

And that’s good enough.

As for awards? If this show doesn’t bag at least a hundred, Cao Cheng might as well have wasted his time!

With all this, why even worry?

If you’re still worried, should you even be making TV shows?

Cao Cheng could already picture the director’s team becoming overly cautious after this, terrified of their next project flopping.

They’d probably be grumbling every day.

The thought alone was downright satisfying.

……

The promotion was everywhere. Lin Zhi was just a supporting actress, but even during the filming of Great Detective, she did a promo.

For free.

Hard to say if it was out of respect for Lin Zhi or Cao Cheng.

But now, their collaboration was smooth, with no trace of past grudges.

Deep business ties meant they were in a perpetual honeymoon phase.

Other variety shows sent their people too.

Directors appeared on interviews left and right.

The official blog leaked stills now and then to keep the hype alive.

Occasionally, there’d be gossip about Fat Fairy being pitted against other actresses.

From early July, when filming wrapped, the buzz never died down.

It lasted over two months straight.

Finally,

by mid-September, The Good and the Evil premiered on Beijing TV and Zhejiang TV.

Streaming platforms like iQiyi, Tencent, and Mango TV aired it simultaneously.

Despite the split broadcasting, the prices weren’t low—not just for the first run, but the second run had already been sold to Dongfang and Qilu TV.

Even the third run was locked in.

After the mid-September premiere, the cast hit the road for promotions—not just movies need roadshows, TV series do too.

Fat Fairy attended all kinds of events, including talk shows.

This time, she flaunted her figure with confidence.

Under every camera’s gaze, she carried herself with elegance, poise, and an unshakable self-assurance, especially when showing off her legs.

Pale? Absolutely.

Thick? Not at all.

Now branded with labels like "healthy curves" and "voluptuous charm," she drew even more attention.

It was only then that many realized—this woman was a rare gem.

Before, she was just ethereal, like a celestial being.

But now…

She had an undeniable allure.

Layered with her old labels—"elegant and divine," "pure yet seductive"—

the sum of it all boiled down to one word: perfection.

She wasn’t the most beautiful.

Nor did she have the best body.

But at this moment, her aura, her presence, her charm—combined, she was unmatched, undeniably one of the entertainment industry’s top-tier stars.

This series alone would bring her a flood of new fans.

Especially after her character debuted.

That horseback glance at the city gates.

A single look sent shivers down spines.

Her eyes held killing intent, determination, dominance… now that was a heroine.

……

During an interview, a reporter asked: "It’s been ten years since 2006, and you haven’t starred in a single TV series."

"In that decade, you’ve acted in over ten films."

"Was your return to the small screen due to underwhelming box office results forcing a step back, or was there another reason?"

The question was sharp.

The director frowned, shooting a glance at the production manager as if to say, What the hell? Didn’t we pay them off?

Was this really an appropriate question?

The production manager looked just as helpless, shrugging with a bitter smile, but mentally noting to blacklist this reporter’s outlet.

Take the money and still act up? What’s the point of bribes if you don’t play along?

Don’t you know the rules?

Take the red envelope, then keep your questions tame—don’t make things awkward.

But since it was already asked, they had to play it cool, forcing smiles.

The other reporters perked up, pens at the ready.

Fat Fairy smirked and countered, "Do you want the truth or the lie? Never mind, I’ll give you both—it’s no secret anyway."

"The lie is: I wanted to explore more roles, whether on the big or small screen. If a character fits, I’ll take it."

"……"

"……"

Yeah.

Real convincing.

If that were true, she wouldn’t have avoided TV for a decade.

You’re telling me no fitting roles came up in ten years?

After a pause, Fat Fairy continued, "The truth? Miracle Media’s young master Cao Cheng dropped the script in my lap. Was I supposed to refuse? Who dares upset the big boss’s son? I still need to work in this industry, you know."

Her playful tone got a laugh from the crowd.

True.

Cross Cao Cheng? Good luck surviving in showbiz.

Fat Fairy added, "At first, I wasn’t thrilled—being strong-armed never feels good. But after reading the script and talking with the director’s team, I was all in. The role fit, and I loved it. My only regret is the limited screen time. So, Director Kong, if you’ve got another project, remember to call me—and give me more scenes, or I will throw a fit."

Applause broke out.

The director’s team quickly promised her a meatier role next time.

The reporters then shifted to other topics—reunions of Chinese Paladin cast, fun behind-the-scenes stories.

Eventually, they circled back to Fat Fairy.

They asked about the recent online debate over "healthy beauty," where people argued whether being curvy or slim was better.

The topic had trended for a month.

This was her chance to speak.

And she didn’t waste it.

But she played it safe, careful not to alienate fans on either side of the weight spectrum.

She naturally knew what to say.

So, according to her perspective, whether fans were chubby or slim, as long as they were happy, that was all that mattered.

But for celebrities, some had to stay thin for the camera—it fell under professional ethics, and she couldn’t control their choices or actions.

As for her personally, she wouldn’t deliberately extract body fat, undergo plastic surgery, or do anything harmful to her health.

Her words were spot-on.

And at the same time, they subtly threw shade.

The implication was clear: those emaciated female celebrities from before had likely resorted to fat extraction, water drainage, or cosmetic procedures—none of it was healthy weight loss.

...

After this interview aired,

it sparked yet another fan war.

But it was obvious that Fat Fairy’s fans had the upper hand in terms of firepower. And after seeing the interview, who could even criticize Fat Fairy’s figure?

Malicious trolling just wasn’t worth it.

...

...

After wrapping up filming, Cao Cheng stayed for a few days.

He then took Third Sister and The Fourth around to explore, spending over half a month traveling before returning to Zhonghai.

Back in Zhonghai, it was another round of hectic promotions.

Whether Cao Cheng was actually busy or not, outsiders certainly thought he was.

It wasn’t until the drama aired and ratings soared that he finally had time to relax.

That was when he remembered Eldest Sister’s earlier request.

He made time to meet Shen Xinran.

But before seeing Shen Xinran, Cao Cheng and Tang Xin took a trip to Hong Kong, returning only a week later.

He brought back plenty of gifts for his family.

This round had been quite profitable.

But money… to someone like Young Master Cao, it was just a number. He didn’t bother calculating the exact figures—as long as he made a profit, that was enough.

Ever since the maritime standoff a few months ago, the RMB had begun to rebound.

Cao Cheng had crushed several capital firms, driving them straight into bankruptcy.

Of the foreign capital involved, some simply evaporated, while a small portion ended up in Cao Cheng’s pockets.

Even that "small portion" started at a billion dollars.

And the 200+ tons of gold he’d previously bought from Swiss banks had also played a crucial role at a critical moment.

Of course,

to Cao Cheng, all of this was trivial.

After years of strategic planning, if he couldn’t reap the rewards from international capital, wouldn’t all that effort and expense have been wasted?

With Tang Xin overseeing things, Cao Cheng had no worries at all.

Setting aside finance and business, Cao Cheng arranged a private dinner, inviting Shen Xinran and also asking Eldest Sister to join.

After all, a man and a woman dining alone… well, that wouldn’t look good if word got out. It might tarnish Young Master Cao’s reputation.

Our Young Master Cao was, after all, a paragon of virtue—upright, incorruptible, and impeccably self-disciplined.

Better to be cautious.

This was also his first proper meeting with Shen Xinran.

The impression she gave could be summed up in one word: stunning!

Of course,

beyond her beauty, there was an indescribable elegance to her demeanor.

Though no longer young, she carried a subtle air of mature charm.

Cao Cheng smiled warmly. "This dinner is my way of thanking you, Ms. Shen. If it weren’t for you back then, my Eldest Sister might’ve already kicked the bucket."

"..."

"..."

Eldest Sister, who was pouring wine, froze mid-motion, nearly flinging the bottle at his face.

You really know how to talk.

Who taught you to speak like that?