I Joined a Fake Variety Show (GL) - Chapter 17

After speaking, Zhou Xi leaned back against the car seat and glanced down at her phone. “The time is perfect. Let’s go and eat now.”

The production team had reserved a restaurant for them, and it was just the right time for their reservation.

Han Shutong acknowledged with a hum and drove the car out of the parking lot.

Zhou Xi’s reaction was within her expectation. Han Shutong thought her words were quite ambiguous, almost like a confession. But to Zhou Xi, to someone unaware of her inner thoughts, what she said was merely an ordinary, meaningless, and insignificant sentence.

However, Zhou Xi’s reaction was once again adorable to Han Shutong. A certain place deep in her heart accumulated all of Zhou Xi’s endearing moments, making that spot an antidote for deep-night sorrow, suppressing all her sadness.

By the time they arrived at the restaurant, the continuous drizzle had turned into a fine mist, making it unnecessary to use an umbrella.

Despite this, Zhou Xi still opened the umbrella for Han Shutong when they got out of the car. Just as Han Shutong reached out to take the handle from her, Zhou Xi pulled it away.

She winked at Han Shutong and said, “I’ll do it this time.”

Then, she positioned the umbrella so that the largest portion covered Han Shutong, mirroring what Han Shutong had done for her.

Han Shutong noticed this, but she felt no happiness. Instead, a bitter feeling intensified.

Zhou Xi’s action simply meant she didn’t want to owe anyone. If someone else had done the same for Zhou Xi, Zhou Xi would be holding the umbrella for that person right now.

Han Shutong understood Zhou Xi well; this was exactly how Zhou Xi thought.

The production team had reserved a private room for them, so after entering the restaurant, a waiter led them to the second floor.

The room was large, enough to accommodate seven or eight people. With Zhou Xi and Han Shutong, plus a few directors, the room was perfectly filled.

Perhaps because of the hot tea, after ordering their food, Zhou Xi told Han Shutong, “I’m going to the restroom first.”

Han Shutong stood up. “Me too.”

The two walked out of the room one after the other, leaving the staff members inside exchanging puzzled glances.

A while later.

Zhou Xi stood in front of the sink, leaning forward as the water flowed over her hands, when a familiar voice came from behind. “Zhou Zhou?”

Zhou Xi froze for a moment. Looking up, she saw Yan Meng Nuo in the mirror.

The woman’s hair was curled today, swept to one side. She wore cherry-red lipstick and long tassel earrings.

She was still the same—seductive and charming.

“President Yan,” Zhou Xi said, shaking the water from her hands.

Looking at the person who didn’t even smile, Yan Meng Nuo offered a charming smile and walked to Zhou Xi’s side, placing her hands in the sink in front of Zhou Xi. As she washed her hands, she said, “Long time no see, darling. You look a little thinner.”

Zhou Xi glanced at the empty sinks on both sides, not understanding Yan Meng Nuo’s intention in crowding in to share the sink with her.

Zhou Xi moved a step to the side, increasing the distance between herself and Yan Meng Nuo.

Yan Meng Nuo noticed Zhou Xi’s movement but didn’t comment. Instead, she looked at Zhou Xi and asked, “Finished washing your hands and still not leaving? You’re not waiting for me, are you?”

Without waiting for Zhou Xi to reply, Yan Meng Nuo continued, “By the way, I have some good news I want to tell you. I wonder if you’d like to hear it.”

Zhou Xi tossed her hair. “Is it really good news?”

Yan Meng Nuo nodded. “Of course.”

“Then I prefer not to hear it.”

“Suit yourself. Your new boss will tell you anyway.” Yan Meng Nuo tilted her head, looking at Zhou Xi. “How does it feel to sign with a new company?”

Zhou Xi recalled Yan Meng Nuo knowing about her recording the variety show a few days ago, and said flatly, “As expected, nothing can be hidden from President Yan.”

She thought Yan Meng Nuo would offer an explanation as she did last time, but instead, Yan Meng Nuo extended a finger and poked Zhou Xi’s right arm, saying, “Glad you know.”

This gesture was very familiar.

When Zhou Xi went to the company for the signing and met Luo Shuiqiu, Luo Shuiqiu had made the same gesture to her.

Suddenly, Zhou Xi remembered the content of her previous conversation with Luo Shuiqiu. Zhou Xi subconsciously asked, “Does President Yan know President Luo?”

The smile on Yan Meng Nuo’s lips froze, but it quickly returned to normal. No one noticed the change.

She asked, “Why do you ask that?”

Only after asking the question did Zhou Xi realize it might be inappropriate. Hearing Yan Meng Nuo counter-question, Zhou Xi shook her head. “It’s nothing.”

She thought the topic was over, but Yan Meng Nuo chuckled lightly. While taking out her lipstick from her bag and touching up her makeup in the mirror, she said, “Did she ask you about me when you signed? And then you asked the same question, but she replied that she’d never heard of me?”

Zhou Xi was stunned. She knew Yan Meng Nuo knew about her signing or recording a variety show because Yan Meng Nuo knew a lot of people in the industry and nothing could be kept from her.

But why did Yan Meng Nuo even know about her chat history with Luo Shuiqiu?

Zhou Xi started to suspect her phone was bugged.

Yan Meng Nuo didn’t wait for Zhou Xi’s reply after finishing her makeup. She smiled. “Looking at your reaction, I must have guessed correctly.”

Zhou Xi regained her composure and nodded. “Mhm.”

Yan Meng Nuo looked in the mirror, adjusting her hair, then airily said, “Actually, it’s nothing major. Just ex-girlfriends.”

Ex…

Ex-what?

Ex-girlfriends?

Once again, Zhou Xi was stunned.

Because they were both in the management company industry, she had assumed they were rivals who couldn’t stand each other. She hadn’t expected… something even more intense than rivals: ex-girlfriends.

Yan Meng Nuo was amused by Zhou Xi’s reaction. Just as she was about to say something, she saw someone else in the mirror.

Yan Meng Nuo instantly became serious. She turned and waved at Han Shutong, acknowledging her.

Han Shutong didn’t speak, only nodded to Yan Meng Nuo, then walked to Zhou Xi’s other side and leaned in to wash her hands.

Seeing this, Yan Meng Nuo turned back to Zhou Xi and said, “Darling, I have clients waiting. I’ll be leaving now. Let’s arrange another time.”

Yan Meng Nuo left after speaking.

When Yan Meng Nuo called out the word ‘darling’, Han Shutong’s hand movements paused for a few seconds. She only resumed when Zhou Xi called her name.

Back in the private room, both were preoccupied with their thoughts, and their conversation was minimal.

The filming crew wondered: Why did the atmosphere change after a trip to the restroom? Did something happen?

Yes, something did.

Zhou Xi was still recovering from the shock that Yan Meng Nuo and Luo Shuiqiu had been a couple.

Han Shutong, however, was bothered by the ‘darling’ that Yan Meng Nuo had called Zhou Xi.

Seeing that Zhou Xi had no reaction to the endearment, Han Shutong figured Yan Meng Nuo must have been calling her that for a long time—long enough for Zhou Xi to have gotten used to it.

With that thought, Han Shutong looked at Zhou Xi, hesitating for a few seconds before asking, “Teacher Zhou.”

“Yes?”

Han Shutong wanted to ask Zhou Xi if she had any feelings for Yan Meng Nuo, but the words that came out were: “The greens are very good. You should eat more.”