I Joined a Fake Variety Show (GL) - Chapter 19

The flight from their city to L City took about two hours. By the time the three of them—Zhou Xi, Han Shutong, and Bai Mo—arrived in L City, it was already ten o’clock in the morning.

Because Han Shutong’s company had a branch office in L City, she didn’t bring her usual makeup team. Instead, the branch office’s makeup team was waiting for her at the hotel.

While Han Shutong was having her makeup done, Zhou Xi found Bai Mo and quietly asked, “Xiao Mo, where’s my room? I need to put away my luggage.”

Bai Mo was preparing the gown Han Shutong would wear for the event later. Hearing Zhou Xi’s question, she stopped and said, “Sister Zhou, would it be alright if you shared a room with Sister Tong?”

Bai Mo’s voice was not very quiet. The few people present all heard her, and Han Shutong heard it clearly.

Han Shutong pressed her lips together. Was this the “gift” Luo Shuiqiu mentioned?

Lifting her eyes to look at Zhou Xi in the mirror, Han Shutong slowly spoke. “Book another room.”

“I can’t,” Bai Mo shook her head, remembering Luo Shuiqiu’s instructions from the day before. “The room was booked by the event organizer. We can’t add another one.”

“Use the company’s—”

Before Han Shutong could finish, Bai Mo interrupted. “Because Sister Zhou joined us suddenly, the company’s allocated funds have been used for other things. There’s no more budget to book a room for Sister Zhou.”

Han Shutong shot Bai Mo a sharp look. Bai Mo’s heart skipped a beat under the scrutiny.

Han Shutong narrowed her eyes and said in a low voice, “Use my card.”

“This…” This time, Bai Mo couldn’t find an excuse to argue.

Just then, Zhou Xi spoke up. “It’s fine. It’s only for tonight anyway. I can sleep on the sofa. Don’t waste money.”

The last sentence was the real reason for Zhou Xi’s refusal. This hotel was very expensive, costing well over four figures for one night. Even though it wasn’t her money, Zhou Xi still felt a pang of distress if Han Shutong spent that much to book her a separate room.

That money could buy a lot of rice and flour.

Seeing an opportunity, Bai Mo quickly chimed in support. “That’s right, that’s right! It’s only for tonight. There’s no need to book another room.”

After speaking, Bai Mo saw Han Shutong close her eyes and continue her makeup, seemingly giving her silent consent. Bai Mo then took the dress and entered the bedroom, secretly sending a message to Luo Shuiqiu.

Bai Mo: [Boss, mission accomplished. But when will the camera crew arrive, as you mentioned?]

Yesterday, Luo Shuiqiu had insisted that Sister Zhou and Sister Tong stay together for the sake of promoting the show. Although Bai Mo didn’t quite understand how promotion was related to the two of them sharing a room, she was just an employee and didn’t dare to ask too many questions about the boss’s orders. She just followed them.

Of course, Bai Mo reasoned that since Zhou Xi and Han Shutong were both women, nothing “intimate” would happen, which was why she agreed to Luo Shuiqiu’s request.

If it were a person of the opposite sex, Bai Mo would never have agreed.

She was a person with principles.

Luo Shuiqiu quickly replied: [Mhm. Did Shutong ask you to book another room?]

Bai Mo: [She did.]

Luo Shuiqiu: [If Shutong asks you to book another room tonight, just listen to her. The beginning is always the hardest. It all depends on her choice.]

Bai Mo recognized all the individual characters, but when strung together in a sentence, she couldn’t understand it.

After reading it twice, Bai Mo only understood the first sentence, so she simply sent back an “I got it.”

At three in the afternoon, Han Shutong and her entourage arrived at the event location.

The event was held at a newly opened mall in L City. The organizers had set up the venue early. Passersby who learned that Han Shutong was coming waited patiently.

Before long, every floor of the mall was completely packed with people. Crowds on every level held up their phones, recording, and shouting Han Shutong’s name.

A few fans led the people around them in chanting slogans.

The host called for quiet several times, but his voice was drowned out by the surging shouts.

It wasn’t until Han Shutong stepped onto the stage, took the microphone, and greeted everyone that the mall finally quieted down.

Zhou Xi came along with Han Shutong. She and Bai Mo stood below the stage, looking up at the person shining brightly in the center.

During the days of living together, Han Shutong was mostly ‘Student Han’ to Zhou Xi: the quiet Student Han, the Student Han who couldn’t cook. But now, the aura of the person on stage—in every gesture and move—made Zhou Xi realize that Han Shutong was a dazzling celebrity.

In the crowd, there was a photographer who had come to shoot Han Shutong. But after being nudged by the crowd, her lens suddenly focused on Zhou Xi below the stage.

Earlier, while the makeup artist was doing Han Shutong’s makeup, Bai Mo was bored after tidying up the clothes and begged Zhou Xi to let her be a model and do Zhou Xi’s makeup.

So, Zhou Xi’s makeup today was vastly different from her usual style. The light, clear makeup was replaced by a vibrant, fiery sexiness.

Zhou Xi wore a pair of gold-framed glasses. The rectangular frame obscured the tenderness in her eyes, making Zhou Xi look cold and austere from a distance.

The photographer looked at the woman in her lens. The woman’s hair was casually draped over her shoulders. The white shirt beneath her black suit had its top button undone, revealing her fair neck and a faint hint of collarbone, combined with the lipstick on her mouth—she looked like a wild rose.

Seeing the woman stare motionlessly at a specific spot, the photographer followed the woman’s gaze. Han Shutong came into the frame.

Looking at the scene displayed by the lens, the photographer’s heart trembled. A storyline instantly formed in her mind:

The all-powerful boss who rules both the legal and illegal worlds times. The aloof celebrity with a proud gaze, famous for many years.

The boss accidentally saw the celebrity’s video, and the celebrity’s looks were exactly to the boss’s taste. With just one look, the boss became interested. Then, the boss’s subordinate, knowing her preferences, informed her that the celebrity had an event on her territory today. The boss immediately put aside her work and came to the venue to see the person who had sparked her interest.

When the boss arrived, the celebrity had just walked onto the stage. The swaying tassels on the gown and the clean, white back revealed when she turned around all fell into the boss’s eyes, reminding the boss of how the celebrity would look lying in bed, swaying—her high-cold facade gone, replaced by soft moans, her back covered in hickeys…

In just two seconds, the photographer had already drafted an entire novel in her mind.

It wasn’t that the photographer had a strong imagination; it was that the chemistry between the two was too intense.

Is this woman Han Shutong’s fan?

The photographer guessed.

Just then, Han Shutong on stage seemed to sense the woman looking at her. As she answered a question, she looked in the woman’s direction.

In the moment their eyes met, the photographer pressed the shutter.

After taking this one shot, the photographer didn’t check how it turned out. She didn’t want to miss the opportunity and wanted to take a few more. But when the lens moved back to the woman below the stage, she realized the woman had noticed her at some point and was smiling slightly at the camera.

Seeing the photographer still, the woman even waved at her.

The woman’s eyes were gentle, and the smile on her lips made the photographer involuntarily press the shutter several more times.

Just as the photographer was about to take more photos, the woman was pulled away by the girl next to her.

“Sister Zhou, let’s move over here. It’ll be easier to meet up with Sister Tong.” Bai Mo pulled Zhou Xi’s arm towards the left side of the stage, the direction Han Shutong would exit.

The event lasted about half an hour. By the time the group maneuvered through the enthusiastic fans and got into the car, Bai Mo sighed in relief. “The fans in L City are so passionate. I almost couldn’t handle it.”

“As Shutong’s assistant, you’ll probably encounter more fans. Young people need more practice,” Zhou Xi said with a smile, patting Bai Mo’s shoulder.

Bai Mo nodded. “I know, Sister Zhou.”

Zhou Xi turned to Han Shutong. “Where to next?”

“Back to the hotel to change, then I’ll go check on the branch office,” Han Shutong replied.

Knowing that Han Shutong was going to inspect work, Zhou Xi said, “Then I’ll just stay at the hotel after we get back. I won’t go with you.”

Han Shutong nodded. “Okay.”

After returning to the hotel, Han Shutong changed clothes and left with Bai Mo.

Zhou Xi was left alone in the spacious room.

Zhou Xi wasn’t bored. She pulled out that video again, reviewing the mistakes in her acting.

When Han Shutong returned two hours later, Zhou Xi was still watching the video, her notebook filled with the problems she had identified. She was so engrossed that she didn’t even notice Han Shutong’s return.

Han Shutong walked up to Zhou Xi and quietly asked, “What are you doing?”

Zhou Xi was startled by the sudden voice.

“You’re back?” After the initial shock, Zhou Xi clutched her chest.

Then, Zhou Xi remembered Han Shutong’s question and replied, “I’m reviewing the parts of my past acting that weren’t great, so I can be more mindful when I film next time.”

“Then I won’t disturb you.” Han Shutong turned to leave, but as soon as she turned, her wrist was grabbed.

Zhou Xi looked up at Han Shutong, blinking with a hint of petulance. “Student Han, there are a few things I don’t understand, and I was wondering if you could trouble yourself to help me out?”

Hearing the familiar yet unfamiliar term of address, Han Shutong was, predictably, stunned for a few seconds. She only snapped out of it when Zhou Xi shook her arm. Han Shutong pressed her lips together and said, “Alright.”

With that, Han Shutong sat down next to Zhou Xi, took the notebook Zhou Xi handed her, and began to read.

The first issue was from a modern drama where Zhou Xi, playing the third female lead, showed inadequate emotion when responding to the male lead’s doubts.

Han Shutong glanced at Zhou Xi’s notes. Zhou Xi’s performance was fine, but she was being too critical. Han Shutong paused for a few seconds before saying:

“The reason here is that your character at this point has already lost interest in the male lead, but facing his doubts, she still feels a bit hurt because she loved him deeply, yet the person she loved so deeply doesn’t believe her—”

Han Shutong’s words were cut off by Zhou Xi.

“Student Han, have you seen this show?”

Zhou Xi was confused. Han Shutong had only looked at the notes for less than a minute and hadn’t even watched the video, yet she knew that her character’s feelings for the male lead had changed from love to indifference and could accurately analyze the character’s emotional shifts.

This was simply… too amazing.

Han Shutong was left speechless by Zhou Xi’s question. Since she edited the video, of course, she’s seen the original drama!

To produce a good showcase that would allow viewers to better understand Zhou Xi, Han Shutong had watched the drama countless times before editing the video.

Han Shutong looked at Zhou Xi, pressed her lips together, and said, “I happened to come across some clips.”