I Joined a Fake Variety Show (GL) - Chapter 16

The next day, Zhou Xi was sound asleep when she heard a series of crackling sounds.

At first, Zhou Xi thought it was a dream. She squeezed the blanket between her legs, rolled over, and prepared to fall back asleep. However, the crackling repeated, jolting her nervous system awake.

Zhou Xi opened her eyes and rested for a moment before getting up to investigate what was happening.

She opened the bedroom door. The living room was empty. After taking two steps, a familiar smell wafted towards her. Following the source of the smell, she saw a figure busy in the kitchen.

The person was wearing an apron, with the ties at the waist neatly tied into a bow. Her hair was pulled back with a light-colored hair tie and coiled into a low bun at the back of her head.

Zhou Xi slowed her steps. She looked at the person cooking in the kitchen and called out, “Shutong.”

Hearing the voice behind her, Han Shutong immediately turned around, casually blocking what was behind her, and greeted, “Good morning.”

Although Han Shutong was blocking the view, the smell of burning food could not be concealed.

Zhou Xi leaned in, trying to peer behind Han Shutong, and asked, “Do you need any help?”

Han Shutong wanted to say no, but…

“Very much.” She needed it.

“Wait for me, then.” Zhou Xi said, jogging to the bathroom to splash some water on her face to wake up.

After washing up, Zhou Xi walked towards the kitchen, asking as she went, “What are you planning to make?”

Han Shutong pursed her lips. “Egg fried rice.”

The rice was leftover from the takeout the previous day. When Han Shutong woke up this morning, she initially planned to order takeout, but seeing the leftover food on the table, she suddenly had the urge to cook herself.

With the only portion of rice gone, Han Shutong hesitated. “But there’s no rice left now. How about we make toast instead?”

Zhou Xi raised an eyebrow. “Who said there’s no rice?”

With that, she walked up to the rice cooker and lightly pressed the button. As the lid of the rice cooker slowly lifted, the rice inside was revealed to Han Shutong.

Han Shutong raised the spatula in her hand. “This is…”

“Yesterday’s leftover rice.”

Zhou Xi looked at Han Shutong, symbolically rolled up her non-existent sleeves. “Come on, start over. Your master will assist you from the side.”

Hearing Zhou Xi’s self-designation, Han Shutong’s eyes curved in a smile. She didn’t say much.

“Okay,” Han Shutong said softly, “Teacher Zhou.”

While they were cooking, a staff member knocked and entered to mic them up.

Today was the second day of filming for the second episode.

“Miss Han, are you going out today?”

Han Shutong nodded. “Mhm.”

The staff member asked again, “What time?”

Han Shutong looked at Zhou Xi. Their eyes met, and Zhou Xi suddenly remembered she hadn’t told Han Shutong the time yesterday.

“Nine o’clock,” Zhou Xi said.

“Alright.” The staff member acknowledged and went to inform the accompanying director about the outing time.

After the staff left, Zhou Xi said, “I saw you were asleep last night, so I didn’t wake you when I brought your takeout. How are you feeling today? Does it still hurt?”

Han Shutong nodded. “It’s better.”

“Uncle Wu’s medical skills are really good. You won’t be tormented by it for long,” Zhou Xi said with a smile.

In truth, Han Shutong wasn’t very hopeful because this condition had been with her since childhood. She had seen both Western and Chinese doctors over the years, but the effect was minimal.

But facing Zhou Xi’s smiling eyes now, Han Shutong was infected. She started imagining what it would be like to not have menstrual pain.

They ate breakfast, which finished around eight in the morning. After tidying up, they set off for the Chinese medicine clinic.

“Uncle Wu!” Zhou Xi walked into the consultation room and immediately saw the man sitting at the mahogany table.

The man was around fifty years old, with black hair and no sign of gray strands. Before Zhou Xi entered, he had been writing something. Hearing Zhou Xi’s voice, he took off his glasses.

“Xiao Xi, long time no see. You’ve gotten prettier.” Wu Jiang stood up to greet her. “Truly, girls change a lot as they grow up, and you’re becoming more beautiful.”

As Wu Jiang spoke, Han Shutong and a director entered the room.

Wu Jiang looked at them. “And this is…”

Zhou Xi stood next to Wu Jiang. Following his gaze, she asked, “Uncle Wu, I’m recording a show right now. Do you think their director can come in to film?”

Wu Jiang was surprised for a moment, then his expression turned serious as he asked, “Is it for TV?”

Zhou Xi smiled. “Yes.”

Wu Jiang then pulled out a comb from somewhere, combed his hair twice on either side, and sat back down on his chair. “Begin.”

With permission granted, several crew members carrying large cameras entered. Zhou Xi also pulled Han Shutong in front of Wu Jiang.

“Uncle Wu, this is my friend.”

Zhou Xi had already discussed the general situation with Wu Jiang over the phone yesterday.

Wu Jiang nodded to Han Shutong. “Hello. Please have a seat.”

After Han Shutong sat down, Zhou Xi felt her presence might be awkward, so she patted Han Shutong’s shoulder. “I’ll wait for you outside.”

The shoulder pat was simply a habitual movement for Zhou Xi, but in Han Shutong’s mind, it felt more like reassurance. So, Han Shutong reached out and patted the hand on her shoulder—a quick touch and retreat—to let Zhou Xi know: I’m okay.

Fortunately, Zhou Xi understood. She winked at Han Shutong, exchanged a few more words with Wu Jiang, and then turned to leave the consultation room.

Ten minutes later.

Wu Jiang retracted his hand. “Are you a celebrity too?”

Han Shutong nodded.

“No wonder.” Wu Jiang picked up his pen and turned to Han Shutong. “When you were on your period, did you spend a long time soaking in water?”

“…Yes, two years ago.”

Two years ago, during filming, Han Shutong had to stand barefoot in water for several hours due to the character’s requirements.

Wu Jiang nodded. “You received a chill when you were young, which is why you have these symptoms. I believe you’ve seen other doctors in previous years, and there were signs of improvement. But because of the soaking, the coldness increased again…”

Five minutes later, Wu Jiang handed the prescription to Han Shutong. “Just take a few doses of Chinese medicine. Also, pay attention to your diet. Don’t starve yourself to stay thin…”

Wu Jiang also talked about the effects of an irregular diet on menstruation.

Han Shutong listened quietly to Wu Jiang, without any sign of impatience.

After Wu Jiang finished, Han Shutong nodded. “Okay.”

Wu Jiang looked at Han Shutong with approval. He couldn’t resist talking more. “If you don’t know how to brew it, let Xiao Xi help you. That child learned a lot from me when she was young. I wonder if she still remembers.” The last sentence was a murmur to himself.

Han Shutong quietly hummed in acknowledgment. “Teacher Zhou is very capable.”

Wu Jiang: “Of course. Xiao Xi has a good head on her shoulders, very clever.”

Hearing Wu Jiang praise Zhou Xi, the corner of Han Shutong’s mouth curved into a smile.

Wu Jiang sighed. “It’s just that her personality is too stubborn. When she makes up her mind about something, two oxen couldn’t pull her back. Look, it’s been a few years since she left home. She doesn’t come back except for holidays. Her dad has often sought me out for drinks over this. I don’t know…”

Wu Jiang didn’t finish his sentence because Zhou Xi walked in.

Han Shutong, who heard this conversation, frowned slightly, pondering the meaning of Wu Jiang’s words.

Zhou Xi walked up to the table, looking at Wu Jiang. “Uncle Wu, I bought you hot tea. Drink it while it’s warm.”

Wu Jiang smiled as he took it. “Only Xiao Xi knows me best.”

Zhou Xi handed the other cup to Han Shutong and asked, “Are you two finished?”

Han Shutong’s face was back to normal when Zhou Xi walked in, a faint smile playing on her lips. “Yes, we are.”

Hearing that, Zhou Xi looked at Wu Jiang and bid him farewell. “Uncle Wu, when I came in, I saw a lot of patients waiting outside, so Shutong and I will leave first. You don’t need to see us out.”

Wu Jiang smiled and agreed. After chatting with Zhou Xi for a few more moments, he let them leave.

When they finished collecting the herbs and left the Chinese medicine clinic, the sky had turned rainy at some point.

Luckily, the production team was prepared. They had brought an extra… umbrella?

Han Shutong opened the umbrella. “Let’s go.”

It was a single-person umbrella, a bit cramped for two people, so Zhou Xi and Han Shutong had to walk close together to avoid getting wet.

The umbrella was black, and coincidentally, both Zhou Xi and Han Shutong were wearing white today. The contrast of black and white under the rain created a particularly poetic and hazy scene.

The car was parked nearby, only a three-minute walk away.

The rain tapping on the umbrella was a steady, unhurried sound.

The two of them matched each other’s pace, walking slowly down the street, a stark contrast to the hurrying pedestrians.

When they reached the car, Zhou Xi tried to let Han Shutong get in first, but Han Shutong refused.

As Han Shutong opened the passenger door for Zhou Xi and Zhou Xi sat down, she looked up and realized that Han Shutong’s right shoulder was completely soaked.

“You…”

Before Zhou Xi could finish her sentence, Han Shutong had already closed the car door.

When Han Shutong got into the driver’s seat, Zhou Xi carefully looked at Han Shutong’s wet sleeve this time.

Because she was wearing white, the strap of her undergarment subtly showed through the wet fabric.

Zhou Xi glanced at the cameras behind them and in front of the car, then grabbed her jacket from the back seat and handed it to Han Shutong. “Put this on. Don’t catch a cold.”

While walking, Zhou Xi had been wondering. Although both of them were slender, it was impossible for a single-person umbrella to accommodate two people without getting slightly wet.

Now, Zhou Xi realized that the majority of the umbrella had been covering her.

Han Shutong took the jacket. “Thank you.”

Zhou Xi wanted to open her mouth to thank her, but hearing Han Shutong speak first, Zhou Xi pursed her lips. “I should be thanking you too. Actually, getting a little wet is fine. Don’t let yourself get soaked.”

As Zhou Xi’s words fell, a pleasant, low laugh rang out in the car from Han Shutong. Then, Han Shutong said, “Teacher Zhou, don’t you think what you just said contradicts itself?”

“…”

Zhou Xi: “What I mean is, you are in a special condition right now, so you shouldn’t get wet.”

Han Shutong didn’t say anything, only quietly pulled her gaze away from Zhou Xi.

Han Shutong’s silence made Zhou Xi quiet too. She turned to look out the window at the sight of the rain hitting the glass.

Silence filled the car.

Only the patter of the rain on the car could be heard.

Just as the car started moving, Han Shutong’s soft murmur reached Zhou Xi’s ear. She said, “You are special too.”

Zhou Xi first glanced at the camera inside the car, then turned to Han Shutong, covering her mouth as she whispered, “No, I still have a few days to go.”