Hot King is an urban entertainment novel by the web author Liu Xiahui, serialized on Zongheng Chinese Network from September 2012 to January 2014. The protagonist, Tang Zhong, grew up in Henshan Prison, where his father served as warden; skilled in martial arts and sharp of mind, he was separated from his twin sister Tang Xin in childhood because of an old family feud. When Tang Xin falls gravely ill and can no longer perform with the girl group Butterfly, the agent Bai Su recruits Tang Zhong, who is the image of his sister, to take her place—cross-dressing to debut as her, hiding his identity behind an androgynous look and carrying the name of "King" ever since, shuttling between the entertainment world and the university campus. The story unfolds along two lines: one is the road to stardom in show business, from group rehearsals and a stage debut to a solo career in film, television, and music, relying on all-around talent and hard fists to fend off rivals' exclusion and backstage scheming; the other is the family and origin line, as Tang Zhong guards his secret while pursuing the truth of the older generation's feud, longing for the family of four to be truly reunited. The novel is known for its light, bantering language, dense crowd-pleasing highs, and ensemble of female characters, and is Liu Xiahui's representative work after The Genius Doctor, marking his turn to urban entertainment. Running about 2.94 million Chinese characters, it was later adapted into a comic and a web series of the same name.
如果你想找一本「爽」得干脆、又能笑出声的都市娱乐文，《火爆天王》几乎是这个类型的入门坐标。柳下挥的强项从来不是宏大设定，而是人物与对话：主角唐重从监狱走出来，身手狠、嘴更狠，偏偏要穿着女装、顶着妹妹的名字站上舞台，这种强烈反差天然自带喜剧张力。作者写娱乐圈的同行倾轧、资本暗手、狗仔围堵都相当老练，前台是舞台灯光，后台是明刀明枪，节奏快得几乎没有喘气的空隙。 值得一提的是，这部书在行业里有点「开风气」的意义。作者曾回忆，动笔前编辑泼冷水说「娱乐文没有火过的」，他的回答是「正好，我来做第一个」——为此他每天翻娱乐新闻，读刘德华、周润发、周星驰等人的传记收集素材。对今天的读者而言，书中的很多桥段已被后来者反复使用，但在当时确属新鲜。全书近 300 万字，篇幅不轻，适合当「长跑型」的消遣读物；结局的口碑两极，读者评价普遍认为前期校园与娱乐圈初期的段落最耐看，后期豪门线与身世线铺开之后风格有所偏移。把它当作一部时代感鲜明的男频都市娱乐代表作来读，收获会更实在。
《火爆天王》是哪个平台的连载小说？
它是柳下挥在纵横中文网连载的都市娱乐小说，2012 年 9 月 1 日起连载，2014 年 1 月 7 日正式完结，全书约 294 万字。
这本书有正式出版的实体书吗？
目前可核实的信息显示，它主要以网络连载形式传播，网络上流传的多为读者精校版电子文本。坊间流传的实体出版信息未能核实到确切的出版社与 ISBN，购买前请以正规渠道的书号信息为准。
主角唐重为什么男扮女装进娱乐圈？
唐重与双胞胎妹妹唐心容貌一模一样，妹妹病重无法继续在女子组合「蝴蝶」中活动，他受经纪人白素邀请顶替妹妹出道，一边维持「天王」身份，一边隐瞒自己的真实性别。
结局的口碑为什么争议这么大？
不少读者认为故事前中期的热血、幽默与家庭线写得相当扎实，但结尾的感情处理与收束方式走向了男主后宫式的解决，与前文积累的情感基调割裂，因此评价两极分化。
这本书有改编作品吗？
有。该小说曾被改编为同名漫画，由腾讯动漫发布；2019 年 6 月还播出了同名网络剧。此外它在 2017 年胡润原创文学 IP 价值榜上位列第 90 位。
Liu Xiahui is a Chinese web novelist known for urban-themed fiction. Public information about him is limited, and reliable sources have yet to record details such as his birthplace, education, or writing career. Judging from the four works included in the collection, his writing centers on two categories: social fiction and time-travel/alternate-world fiction. The Genius Doctor revolves around a medical practitioner and carries a clear professional flavor, while Ni Lin and Hot Star: The Superstar Who Walked Out of Prison lean toward urban legend, often following characters who rise from marginal circumstances. His plots move at a brisk pace, with concentrated conflict, and he is skilled at using identity contrasts and come-from-behind reversals to create narrative tension. Overall, Liu Xiahui's works stay close to contemporary urban life, combining genre-driven excitement with a measure of social observation, and suit readers who prefer light, fluid storytelling.
