The Academic God Becomes an Internet Sensation After Joining a Dating Show - C55- Fan Art

Qing Lin had wrapped up his work at school, and the project team had submitted their first proposal. Finally, it was time for a break.

Ever since he’d posted that line—”I’m the head of Shen Lin’s CP fans”—using Orphic’s account, fans had gone wild. Orphic’s Weibo was flooded with comments, reposts, and private messages, all begging him to release another piece of fan art.

Qing Lin felt overwhelmed. Pretending to be inactive no longer worked, yet he had no idea what to draw.

So, he posted a challenge: he would draw whichever idea received the most likes. Two days later, Qing Lin opened the comments and glanced at the top replies:

[@DidShenLinGoToBedToday: Ahhhh!!! Ta-Ta!! Please, an explosive fanart!! Big open-back outfit!! So intense!! So hot!! Visually striking!!]

Qing Lin: “……”

Likes: 135,000.

Completely mortified, Qing Lin replied.

[@Orphic: Will keep it appropriate.]

[@DidShenLinGoToBedToday]: Ahhhh Ta, Linlin’s wearing an open-back! Can Shen Laoshi pinch his butt!!

Qing Lin: “……………”

The replies kept escalating, each one wilder than the last: “see-through outfit,” “climbing stairs,” “lifting big breasts high,” and a whole flood of other outrageous ideas appeared.

After witnessing the chaos, Qing Lin reluctantly gave in.

[@Orphic: Can I just draw a kiss?]

The fans, though a little uneasy, trusted that anything from Ou-ta would be top-tier and they agreed.

[@DidShenLinGoToBedToday: Okay, Ou-ta! Remember, tango-style open-back!]

Qing Lin closed his phone, picked up a pencil, and stared blankly at the paper.

Help…

If he weren’t so prudish, he wouldn’t feel this embarrassed and helpless.

The drawing… was still of Mr. Shen.

And it was a kiss.

…Well, compared to the rest of the comment section, this was actually reasonable. And none of it was the worst part.

The worst part? Qing Lin couldn’t stop picturing the scene in his head.

In that dressing room, after Shen Xuzhi had finished covering his tattoo…

Back turned, and the hand of the person behind him creeping up, lifting his chin, and guiding him into a kiss. Their reflection caught in the mirror, entangled.

The more Qing Lin thought about it, the hotter his face became. His hands, however, obediently began to draw.

After all, if he didn’t finish, he’d miss the scheduled fan deadline.

After roughly a day’s work, Qing Lin uploaded the piece, mortified, silently vowing never to log into that account to check comments again.

But no sooner had it gone live than his WeChat vibrated with a new message.

[Shen Xuzhi: [Reposted Weibo]]

[Shen Xuzhi: Ou-ta is so amazing~]

Qing Lin: “……………………”

Aaaaaahhhhhhhhh!

He had completely forgotten that Mr. Shen Xuzhi knew about his Orphic alias!

Qing Lin hurriedly opened WeChat, his face burning bright red. After repeatedly deleting and retyping his message, he finally gave up and sent Shen Xuzhi a voice note. “Wait, this was requested by fans! They asked me to draw it!”

The reply came as a voice note as well. “I know. I just wanted to compliment my wifey for being amazing.”

That “wifey” made Qing Lin’s ears turn crimson. After stammering for a while, he finally typed.

[Lin: What’s with the ‘wifey’ nonsense?]

[Lin: Stop teasing me.]

[Shen Xuzhi: I saw everyone calling you that in the comments.]

[Lin: They call me ‘Ou-ta’!]

[Lin: You’re not even using the right title.]

[Shen Xuzhi: Oh, I see.]

[Shen Xuzhi: So, if we follow the comment section’s logic, Orphic should be called Ou-ta. But what should I call Qing Lin?]

[Shen Xuzhi: Should I call you Mrs. Shen?]

A sudden jolt of realization hit Qing Lin like a bolt from the blue.

He stared at the words “Mrs. Shen” for a long moment, and a sudden flush spread across his entire body.

What was this ‘learning by analogy’ nonsense? Had Mr. Shen been reading too much CP fanfiction lately?

Qing Lin’s heartbeat raced. He stumbled over a few incoherent excuses and made a hasty retreat, claiming he had other business to attend to.

Of course, he truly did have work to do.

Over the past few days, besides drawing fan art, Qing Lin has also been working on poster design drafts for the Follow Heart program, sending them to the show’s public relations department for approval.

Worried that they might realize Orphic was actually Qing Lin, he even got a separate phone number to make work communication smoother.

Sigh… time to focus and calm down.

The poster design concept wasn’t difficult, and the staff on the other side, of course, were full of praise.

[FH PR Department: Wow, you’re incredibly fast!]

[FH PR Department: The draft looks fantastic. It truly captures Yunnan’s unique charm!]

[FH PR Department: The characters and chibi versions are so adorable! Working with you has been an absolute pleasure.]

Qing Lin refined the poster further, adjusting the colors and lighting with care.

That night, he worked on revisions until the early hours. When he finally set down his pen, he glanced at his phone. The screen remained silent and dark. No messages had come through.

He stared at the black screen for a moment before checking the clock on his desk. It was already 1:00 AM.

For some reason, Mr. Shen—who had been around almost every day recently—was unusually quiet. He hadn’t even replied to Qing Lin’s messages.

Qing Lin picked up his phone and opened the chat with Shen Xuzhi. He even sent a photo of the ice cream he ate for lunch yesterday, yet there was still no response.

Qing Lin pouted.

Mr. Shen was a celebrity, after all. Celebrities were busy, so it wasn’t unusual for messages to go unanswered.

He set his phone aside just as a notification popped up on his computer from the Follow Heart liaison.

[Final review passed! Great work, Laoshi! [Rose.JPG]]

Qing Lin exhaled in relief and logged out of his account. He paused for a moment before logging into his secondary Weibo account, intending to check Shen Xuzhi’s latest updates, even though he could have asked him directly.

Qing Lin searched for “Shen Xuzhi,” and a flood of results popped up. Whether they were marketing accounts or ordinary posts, each click showed views in the tens of thousands.

Mr. Shen was clearly trending.

Scrolling through, Qing Lin noticed that the “Shen Xuzhi Fan Site” had just updated with his latest post.

[@Ah Zhi’s Official Fan Account: Latest neww! Ah Zhi has officially joined a new production!

After the huge success of Watching the Tides, countless unreliable rumors flooded the internet. But this time, it’s real! Ah Zhi is part of the cast of Chai Lian!

Yes, that very Chai Lian! The wildly popular novel adapted into a major IP, directed by Director Gou, a film celebrating woman empowerment! Ah Zhi has truly made it big! #ShenXuZhiNewMovie #ShenXuZhiChaiLian]

Qing Lin knew the novel Chai Lian.

It had caused a sensation in the first half of last year. The story followed a divorced housewife, Chai Lian, who, in middle age, rediscovered her dreams, moved beyond dwelling on the past, and immersed herself in literary creation.

The book’s message was strikingly clear. Free from tangled love-hate dramas or the need for societal approval, it portrayed an independent woman who embodied self-reliance, self-respect, and unwavering dedication to her dreams.

A quick search for the film adaptation revealed that its official Weibo account already had over 100,000 followers.

The female lead would be played by Deng Baixi, an experienced actress who radiated intellectual elegance. Independent yet effortlessly charming, she seemed a perfect match for Chai Lian.

Shen Xuzhi was cast in a supporting role as a rebellious high school dropout. Scraping by with factory work, he nonetheless possessed remarkable design talent. With the heroine’s financial support, he eventually returned to school to continue his studies.

Though his screen time was limited, his character played a pivotal role in helping the heroine, making him an essential part of the story.

Qing Lin finished reading the details and understood. Mr. Shen must have been busy filming with the crew lately.

Yet, for some reason, the fact that Shen Xuzhi still hadn’t replied to his message left him feeling unexpectedly deflated.

Qing Lin froze for a moment.

Huh?

What was that thought?

Shaking his head to clear it, he climbed the ladder to his top bunk and fell asleep.

______________________________________________________________________________

The next morning, Qing Lin woke up early.

He was used to going to bed and rising early. Even though he had stayed up late the previous night, his internal clock stirred him awake at eight o’clock.

For reasons he could not explain, Qing Lin got out of bed, walked to his desk, picked up his phone, and checked WeChat. Unfortunately, there were still no new messages.

However, the Weibo account for Follow Heart had made it onto the trending topics.

Qing Lin clicked to see the update.

[@Follow Heart-Travel Romance:

The wheat waves of Dali signal the arrival of summer. Across the windswept southwest frontier, I glimpsed the romantic silhouette of my beloved.

Join us in Follow Heart Part 3 to experience the poetry and distant horizons of Ideal Land alongside the children!

［Image］

@ShenXuzhi-Liam @QingLin

@QiaoWeilanSwag @NanYuyu

@THJ-SuMingxuan @G-NingYian]

Artist @Orphic]

[Oh my gosh, it’s Yunnan!]

[Finally, it’s here! That Argentina trip was so romantic. I’ve rewatched it countless times!]

[“Kids,” wow! Is this really the reality show I imagined?]

[This production team is seriously impressive! Dating, marriage, and now children!]

[Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!]

[No one is praising Ou-ta’s stunning poster? The style is so distinctive, breathtaking at first glance!]

It seemed the directing team had come up with some bold new ideas and designs. Once Qing Lin received the program schedule, he would need to analyze it carefully.

With the Follow Heart production team officially announcing the destination for the next episode, it was also time to begin the pre-launch promotions.

Sure enough, less than three minutes later, Qing Lin received a message from Director Hong Shanyue.

[Director Hong Shanyue: Linlin, are you there?]

[Director Hong Shanyue: [Knocking.JPG]]

[Lin: Yeah, I’m here.]

[Director Hong Shanyue: Been busy lately? How much schoolwork do you have?]

[Director Hong Shanyue: You know Xuzhi has been filming recently, right?]

Just as Qing Lin had guessed, Mr. Shen was shooting a scene.

[Director Hong Shanyue: Linlin, if you have time, why not go see him soon?]

[Director Hong Shanyue: Xuzhi would definitely be happy to see you.]

Qing Lin stared at the screen for a moment, realizing this must be what they called a set visit in the entertainment industry.

Although he knew this was just Hong Shanyue’s way of building hype for the show, Qing Lin couldn’t help feeling a little happier and even a bit excited.

He typed back:

[Lin: Sure.]

[Director Hong Shanyue: That’s great, Linlin!]

[Director Hong Shanyue: Xuzhi’s agent will be visiting the set this afternoon. If you’re free, would you like to come along?]

Qing Lin replied, “Okay,” and stood up, heading to the closet to change into a fresh outfit.

Using Hong Shanyue’s business card, Wang Zhan added Qing Lin on WeChat. That afternoon, he drove Shen Xuzhi’s chauffeured car to Zhejiang University to pick Qing Lin up for the set visit.

“Hello, Qing Laoshi,” Wang Zhan called from the driver’s seat, glancing back with a smile.

Qing Lin settled into the backseat. “Hello, Wang-ge,” he replied.

A surge of cheerfulness rose in Wang Zhan as he looked at the bright, composed young man. Noticing the bag in Qing Lin’s hands, he asked, “Is that a gift for Xu-ge?”

Qing Lin glanced down and nodded. “Yes. I bought Shen Laoshi an ice cream cake. It’s so hot today, and something cold would be nice. Can I put it in the mini-fridge in the back?”

Wang Zhan actually wanted to point out that Xu-ge needed to watch his diet for filming and normally wouldn’t eat a cake. Then he thought better of it. This was a gift from Qing Lin, an ice cream cake no less. Even if it were poison, Xu-ge would probably eat it with a smile.

“Sure, I’ll put it in for you,” Wang Zhan said warmly. “Xu-ge is going to be so surprised when he finds out you came to see him.”

Qing Lin asked, “Doesn’t he know?”

“No, that’s why it’s a surprise,” Wang Zhan replied.

Qing Lin watched as Wang Zhan placed the cake in the fridge, a strange, unnameable feeling hammering at his chest.

What should he do?

He realized he was looking forward to this more than he expected.

The filming location was in a remote suburban area of the neighboring city, about a two-hour drive along the expressway.

Wang Zhan pulled over to the roadside, and Qing Lin stepped out, following the crew’s directions toward the set.

Shen Xuzhi had stayed with the crew for a few extra days due to adjustments in the cast’s schedule—the timing couldn’t have been more perfect. Qing Lin’s eyes scanned the open expanse, and there he was. Standing alone in the wilderness, framed by the gray landscape.

Yang Chengmao, the character Shen Xuzhi portrayed, was smoking. A loose white vest clung to his frame, a mechanic’s jacket tied casually around his waist. His brows were deeply furrowed, and he slouched with lazy confidence, radiating effortless nonchalance.

Half of his hair caught the overhead light, casting a striking pattern of shadows and highlights across his face. Smoke from his cigarette curled around him as he slowly lifted his eyelids. His gaze, sharp and penetrating, merged with the grayish landscape.

That look struck Qing Lin like a blade: cold, deep, and violent.

This was nothing like the usual Mr. Shen he knew.

“Cut! Alright, that’s a wrap!”

The director shouted through the megaphone, and the surrounding crew and extras broke into applause. Shen Xuzhi stepped out of character, inclining his head politely to acknowledge everyone’s appreciation.

An assistant stepped over to touch up his makeup. Once it was done, Shen Xuzhi’s gaze drifted toward the edge of the set and there was Qing Lin, standing quietly and patiently.

He froze for a moment, his pupils widening. Hastily, he stubbed out the cigarette in his hand, brushed the ash from his clothes, and subtly shook off the lingering smoke.

Then Shen Xuzhi jogged over to him.

“You came?” His tone held a pleasant surprise; he hadn’t expected Qing Lin to show up. For a moment, he didn’t know what to say, so he simply smiled, letting his eyes do the talking.

Qing Lin’s smile was radiant. “I came to visit the set.”

After speaking, he met Shen Xuzhi’s gaze, holding it steadily for a long moment.

It was the same pair of eyes, yet just moments ago on set, they had been icy, distant, and guarded. Now, they were soft and dark, brimming with quiet joy.

Well.

Mr. Shen was so impressive.

Shen Xuzhi felt heat rush to his ears under Qing Lin’s earnest, focused gaze. He instinctively covered his face and asked, “What’s wrong? Is my face too dirty?”

Qing Lin shook his head, his smile bright and genuine. “No, I just think you’re incredibly handsome, Shen Laoshi.”

Shen Xuzhi was completely flustered. Qing Lin’s visit to the set had already caught him off guard, and now this comment made his heart race as if it were pounding two hundred times a minute. He had no idea how he was supposed to film the scene after this.

The sun was dipping toward the horizon, but the crew still had to finish the day’s final scene before darkness fell.

Director Guo sat in the monitoring chair, gathering the crew and preparing to call Shen Xuzhi to the set.

Then the assistant director hurried over. “The actor playing the mute in the third shot. Zhou Xinglan, right? He left this afternoon.”

Director Guo frowned. “He already left? I told him to stay until sunset for the reshoots. Why did he leave?”

He tapped the arm of his chair, muttering under his breath, “I said it before… these connections are nothing but trouble. No acting skills, yet they cause endless problems. I’ve said it—”

The assistant director quickly stepped in. “Director Guo, this is someone President Qin personally recommended. You have to do him this favor, no matter what.”

Director Guo let out a quiet sigh, rose from his chair, and made his way outside.
“I’ll talk to Xuzhi first. He needs to stay a while longer.”

Together with the assistant director, he stepped onto the set, only to find Shen Xuzhi in a lively exchange with a young man, his expression uncharacteristically bright.

Director Guo blinked. In all the time he had known Shen Xuzhi, he had never once seen him so openly engaged, let alone smiling. His impression of the boy had always been fixed: serious, composed, cool-headed, talented yet quiet. The rookie actor who had made his first steps from music into film.

So… there really was someone who could draw out a softer side of him.

He approached from behind, ready to discuss the next sequence of scenes. But the instant his eyes fell on the youth beside Xuzhi, he stopped dead in his tracks.

The delicate, handsome young man had slightly upturned eyes, fair, flawless skin, a slender figure, and an aura of perfectly measured aloofness.

And when he lifted his gaze, those pale amber eyes catching the light—Director Guo felt a shiver run down his spine. Goosebumps prickled his arms.

In that moment, excitement surged through him. Without thinking, he stepped forward, his voice almost trembling with urgency.

“Kid, do you want to act?”