Protect My Star

Lu Yan lives a double life. To the public, he’s just another unknown trainee—flashing a charming, cute smile for the cameras and playing the role of the eager newcomer. But behind the polished facade, he is fiercely headstrong, blunt, and unyielding, harboring a steely determination that few ever get to see. While he dreams of making it big, the path to stardom has always felt impossibly out of reach, leaving him to navigate the relentless grind of the entertainment industry in quiet frustration. Everything changes when a single piece of fanart catapults him into the spotlight overnight. The artist is no ordinary fan but a wildly popular influencer within the fandom community, whose work commands the attention of thousands. The moment the illustration goes viral, Lu Yan is transformed from an overlooked trainee into a trending sensation. Yet, the sudden fame sits uneasily on his shoulders. He finds himself grappling with an unexpected and bitter truth: the adoration he receives is not for his talent or his years of unseen hard work, but for a carefully curated image crafted by someone else’s hands. As the world rushes in to celebrate the new star, Lu Yan is left to wrestle with the discord between his authentic self and the character the world now believes him to be. Struggling to reconcile the dizzying highs of viral fame with the pride that refuses to let him accept a success he never earned on his own terms, he must face the very foundation of his newfound popularity. In a place where perception is reality, Lu Yan will have to decide if he can endure the spotlight, even if it means sharing his stage with a stranger’s version of himself.