I Joined a Fake Variety Show (GL) - Chapter 36

“Is it insomnia?” Zhou Xi asked.

Han Shutong saw the faint worry in Zhou Xi’s eyes. She cleared her throat and said, “I was just overthinking things before bed. You don’t need to worry.”

Zhou Xi had thought it was a side effect of the Chinese medicine and was planning to ask Uncle Wu what to do. Hearing that it wasn’t, she was relieved and asked softly, “Do you want me to teach you to recite the Heart-Cleansing Sutra?”

Zhou Xi’s intention was kind; Han Shutong knew that.

But the three words Heart-Cleansing Sutra…

The guilty Han Shutong was highly sensitive to them, as if Zhou Xi knew what she had done last night.

Seeing Han Shutong remain silent, Zhou Xi thought Han Shutong was wondering why she knew the sutra. She explained, “I filmed a scene in a temple before, and I learned a little from a young monk there.”

Hearing this, Han Shutong dismissed the guilt in her heart and whispered with her gaze lowered, “No need.”

It’s perfectly fine to be a secular person.

Refused by Han Shutong, Zhou Xi wasn’t angry. She laughed and said, “Dinner is almost ready. Go wash up first.”

“Okay.”

Han Shutong’s toiletries were always kept in the living room’s bathroom, right next to Zhou Xi’s.

Her and Zhou Xi’s toothbrush mugs—one pink and one purple—were bought when the two went shopping before moving in.

And these two mugs, which looked exactly like a couple’s set, were extremely pleasing to Han Shutong’s eye.

Before Han Shutong brushed her teeth, the two mugs were quite far apart. But when Han Shutong finished washing up, only the intimately close pair of mugs remained on the shelf.

Before leaving the bathroom, Han Shutong glanced at her work with a slight nod, and the corner of her usually tight lips curved into an arch.

While the two were eating, a staff member from the production crew told them, “Two teachers, a guest will be arriving this afternoon. Please don’t go out this afternoon.”

Zhou Xi and Han Shutong looked at each other, seeing mutual surprise that neither had been informed.

Han Shutong’s voice was cool. “Why wasn’t I informed in advance?”

For this kind of variety show, invited guests were usually arranged by the director’s team, and they were typically notified a day or two in advance.

The staff member, sensing Han Shutong’s displeasure, said awkwardly, “Apologies, Teacher Han. We were only notified late last night as well.”

Han Shutong hummed, her tone calm. “Then tell her to come next time.”

“This…” The staff member was stunned. This wasn’t his decision to make.

Han Shutong disliked having someone suddenly scheduled without consulting her first.

Seeing the situation, Zhou Xi asked softly, “Who is the person coming?”

The staff member said, “The person coming is someone both teachers know. It’s an old classmate of yours, Teacher Zuo Yuan.”

Zuo Yuan?

Zhou Xi wanted to say something, but couldn’t find the words.

If the person coming was anyone else, even someone she didn’t know, Zhou Xi could manage a few polite words. But Zuo Yuan…

She couldn’t be bothered.

Zhou Xi was silent, and Han Shutong was silent. The room fell into quietness.

The team leader, sitting behind the monitor, immediately knew that Zuo Yuan’s relationship with the two teachers was not good.

It was understandable for Han Shutong to be silent, but Zhou Xi’s silence was somewhat surprising.

Having filmed several episodes, although he didn’t fully understand her, he had a good grasp of Zhou Xi’s personality.

Unlike other celebrities, Zhou Xi never made demanding requests or acted spoiled. She was incredibly understanding and cooperative with work requirements.

All in all, he rarely saw Zhou Xi behave like this.

He called the person who took the director’s call yesterday. “Xiao Cheng, what exactly did the director tell you yesterday?”

Xiao Cheng was momentarily confused. “Tell me what?”

“About adding a guest to this episode.”

“The deputy director said it,” Xiao Cheng said. “The deputy director said he thought Teacher Zuo Yuan and Teacher Han were classmates, and the three of them together might be interesting to watch.”

“That’s all?”

Xiao Cheng nodded. “That’s all.”

The team leader hummed, told Xiao Cheng to get back to work, and then sent a message to the director.

After receiving a reply, he stood up and walked toward Han Shutong’s apartment.

When Zhou Xi opened the door, he looked at Zhou Xi and said, “Teacher Zhou, I’ve checked with the director. The main director didn’t invite Zuo Yuan to film the show. It was all decided by the deputy director, and the director is currently questioning the deputy director.”

After the leader spoke, Zhou Xi, Han Shutong, and the leader all understood one thing: it seemed Zuo Yuan had some kind of connection with the deputy director.

Just as he finished speaking, he received a call from Xiao Cheng. Xiao Cheng said, “Team Leader, Teacher Zuo Yuan is here. She’s asking for the unit number. Should I give it to her?”

Didn’t they say she would come in the afternoon? It wasn’t even afternoon yet.

Zhou Xi was standing next to the team leader. Xiao Cheng’s voice was loud, and Zhou Xi could hear him clearly.

Seeing the team leader look at her, Zhou Xi looked at Han Shutong instead.

This was Han Shutong’s home; Han Shutong should decide.

Seeing Zhou Xi look at her, Han Shutong already guessed the content of the phone call. She was tidying the dining table. “The director said he didn’t invite a guest.”

The team leader understood Han Shutong’s meaning. He hummed and repeated the message to Xiao Cheng. But Xiao Cheng on the other end said, “I’m sorry, Team Leader. Zuo Yuan asked so urgently, I already told her…”

The team leader looked at Zhou Xi again. This time, Zhou Xi didn’t look at Han Shutong. She just smiled and said, “It’s fine. She’s a guest. Shutong was just joking. We can’t really turn her away. You go back to work.”

The team leader nodded helplessly. “Alright then. Teacher Zhou, call me if anything happens.”

The team leader had just stepped out the door when Zuo Yuan arrived.

After entering, Zuo Yuan walked directly to Han Shutong. “Shutong, long time no see. You’ve become even more beautiful.”

Saying this, she tried to hug Han Shutong, but Han Shutong handed her a piece of fruit, cleverly avoiding the embrace.

Taking the fruit Han Shutong offered, Zuo Yuan laughed dryly, then deliberately turned and looked at Zhou Xi, who was standing by the door. “Zhou Xi, I didn’t even notice you standing there. Long time no see. Did you gain a little weight?”

Zhou Xi had opened the door; it was impossible for Zuo Yuan not to have noticed her.

But since Zuo Yuan said she didn’t see her, then she hadn’t.

Zhou Xi quietly closed the door and replied with a smile, “Yes, I gained a little. I weigh the same as you did in college.”

Zuo Yuan secretly ground her teeth. She understood the implication: Zhou Xi was calling her fat in college.

But Zuo Yuan didn’t want to argue with Zhou Xi now. She had an important agenda today. Zuo Yuan’s purpose for being here was simple: she wanted to showcase herself during the recording so she could gain some popularity after the show aired.

If Zhou Xi could gain fame, Zuo Yuan didn’t believe she couldn’t.

She had gone to great lengths to please the deputy director to get some camera time. She couldn’t let it go to waste.

So, Zuo Yuan turned and walked to the sofa. After sitting down, she began to endlessly showcase herself.

She chatted about everything from their first meeting in college to the moment she walked through the door, speaking excitedly without caring whether Zhou Xi and Han Shutong were listening.

The team leader, sitting behind the monitor, felt his toes curl from the sheer awkwardness.

Did this Zuo Yuan not realize that both Teacher Han and Teacher Zhou were largely ignoring her? How could she talk for so long?

Two hours later, it was noon.

The originally cloudy sky was now completely overcast. Thunder rumbled outside the window, and the next second, rain poured down.

Zuo Yuan walked to the window, secretly pleased but feigning regret. “Oh dear, I was planning to leave around noon, but now with this heavy rain, I can’t leave.”

Zhou Xi saw through Zuo Yuan’s intentions, but she pretended not to know. She asked very thoughtfully, “Do you want me to drive you?”

Zuo Yuan: “Uh…”

Before Zuo Yuan could speak, Han Shutong, who had been sitting quietly, interjected. “Driving in the rain isn’t safe.”

Zuo Yuan: “Exactly, exactly. It’s raining so heavily. Driving is too dangerous.”

Zhou Xi hummed, then looked at Han Shutong. “What do you want for lunch?”

Zuo Yuan walked between the two of them and looked at Han Shutong. “Are you making lunch? I’ll do it.”

Zuo Yuan had watched the show. Although she watched it to see herself, she only had one brief shot. Upset, she decided to check how much screen time Zhou Xi had.

To her further dismay, besides the scene where Zhou Xi first came out of her room, Han Shutong and Zhou Xi were inseparable, giving Zhou Xi almost as much screen time as Han Shutong.

Zuo Yuan also saw that besides the initial spike when Zhou Xi came out of her room, the only other high comment volume was during the cooking segment.

If she cooked this episode…

Without waiting for their agreement, Zuo Yuan turned and walked into the kitchen, acting completely at home.

Zhou Xi turned to Han Shutong. “Someone else is cooking today. We can rest.”

Han Shutong’s expression was calm. She hummed.

Although it was merely politeness, not having to cook was a benefit for Zhou Xi.

But…

When Zuo Yuan burnt the second pot of food, Zhou Xi walked up next to her. “Let me do it.”

Zuo Yuan felt embarrassed and tried to save face. “This pot is different from mine. I’m not used to it.”

Zhou Xi: “…”

Glancing at the camera, Zuo Yuan leaned toward Zhou Xi and whispered, “Are you happy I’m here?”

Zhou Xi looked at Zuo Yuan and asked calmly, “If I said I wasn’t happy, would you leave?”

Zuo Yuan raised her chin. “Of course not.”

Han Shutong finished her last sentence with Luo Shuiqiu, and her eyes immediately scanned the room for Zhou Xi. She saw Zuo Yuan standing next to Zhou Xi, leaning closer and closer.

“I just wanted to…”

Zuo Yuan’s words were cut off by Han Shutong, who walked into the kitchen. Han Shutong stood behind the two. “Need any help?”

Zuo Yuan laughed. “I can help Zhou Xi here. Shutong, you can go sit down.”

Han Shutong looked at Zhou Xi. “I’ll help you wash the vegetables.”

Zhou Xi nodded. “Okay.”

Zuo Yuan stood on the side and offered a few more comments, then left the kitchen when she realized she couldn’t join the conversation.

The rain continued until evening, showing no signs of stopping.

“Well… I can’t go back either. How about I stay the night?” Zuo Yuan said. Without waiting for Han Shutong or Zhou Xi to answer, she spoke to herself. “I can sleep on the sofa.”

Zuo Yuan then added, “But I’m the guest…”

Zuo Yuan was staring at Zhou Xi while she spoke. Her meaning was clear.

She wanted to sleep in Zhou Xi’s room, making Han Shutong sleep on the sofa.

Han Shutong glanced at Zuo Yuan and slowly spoke. “Sleep in my room.”

Zuo Yuan wanted to refuse, but then remembered the camera in Han Shutong’s room. She said, “But if I sleep in the bedroom, wouldn’t it be inappropriate for you to sleep on the sofa, Shutong?”

Zhou Xi looked at Han Shutong. Han Shutong’s eyes also fell on her. After they exchanged a glance, Han Shutong slowly spoke. “Teacher Zhou, may I sleep with you?”

Before Zhou Xi could answer, Zuo Yuan interjected. “Shutong, we can sleep together.”

If Han Shutong slept with her, she might get some camera time focused on her.

Han Shutong said quietly, “I’m not used to sleeping with strangers.”

S-stranger?

Zuo Yuan fell into doubt: Was she calling me a stranger?

After saying that, Han Shutong looked at Zhou Xi again, her lips slightly parted. “Teacher Zhou…”

This time, Zhou Xi didn’t wait for Han Shutong to finish. She said, “Okay.”