I Joined a Fake Variety Show (GL) - Chapter 44

N City was very close to M City, so Zhou Xi and Bai Mo decided to take the high-speed rail.

While waiting for the train at the station, a few young men and women recognized Zhou Xi and took two photos with her.

They all said they recognized Zhou Xi from the show.

Before leaving, they also asked Zhou Xi about Han Shutong’s situation. Zhou Xi gave vague replies, saying she wasn’t sure.

Zhou Xi truly wasn’t sure. Yesterday, after Yan Mengnuo asked her question, Han Shutong only said that the hotel scenery was the best. They chatted for a bit, then hung up.

Since then, Zhou Xi and Han Shutong hadn’t contacted each other.

As for Yan Mengnuo…

After Zhou Xi ended the call with Han Shutong yesterday, Yan Mengnuo suddenly said she remembered an old friend in M City she hadn’t visited and wouldn’t be joining Zhou Xi and the others in N City.

Zhou Xi was surprised but just nodded and hummed in acknowledgment, not asking further questions.

So, in the end, only Zhou Xi and Bai Mo traveled to N City.

At eleven o’clock, the two arrived at the hotel they had booked in N City.

Bai Mo didn’t return to her room immediately but followed behind Zhou Xi.

Bai Mo pushed the suitcase containing the dress. “Sister Zhou, I’ll just leave this large suitcase in your room.”

“Okay.”

“I’ll take it out for you,” Bai Mo said, laying the suitcase down on the floor.

Seeing this, Zhou Xi quickly said, “No need. I’m not wearing it today.”

“Ah? Why? Sister Zhou, you looked beautiful in it.”

The moment the words left her mouth, Bai Mo understood why. It wouldn’t look good to wear the same outfit to two events.

But in reality, Zhou Xi wasn’t thinking that way.

She wore the dress out yesterday because it was a gift from Han Shutong, and she wanted to show her appreciation by wearing it immediately.

Now, all she wanted to do was put the dress away carefully.

Bai Mo chuckled. After putting the suitcase down, she turned to leave, but before going, she said, “Sister Zhou, the takeout I ordered in the car should be here in about fifteen minutes. Just hold on a little longer.”

The two had rushed to catch the train this morning and hadn’t had time for breakfast.

Zhou Xi hummed and said, “It’s fine, I’m not hungry yet.”

Bai Mo said “Okay,” then, “I’ll head back to my room now, Sister Zhou.”

“Okay.”

Ten minutes after Bai Mo left, there was a knock on the door.

Zhou Xi, who had just finished unpacking, picked up her phone, confused. Was it the takeout? Why didn’t they call her?

She checked her phone and saw no incoming calls. Zhou Xi thought maybe the delivery person had called Bai Mo.

Throwing her phone onto the bed, Zhou Xi walked toward the door, saying, “Coming.”

But as she reached the door, Zhou Xi tripped slightly on the shoes she had just taken off by the door. As she opened the door, Zhou Xi looked down at her feet.

The door opened. No one spoke.

Just as Zhou Xi was about to speak, her eyes caught sight of the shoes worn by the person outside the door.

A pair of cool brown, three-centimeter-high heels.

This was clearly not what a delivery person would wear.

And… the smell of this “delivery person” was very familiar.

Zhou Xi instantly looked up.

Seeing the person’s face, Zhou Xi exclaimed in surprise, “Shutong?”

Han Shutong hummed. Without waiting for Zhou Xi to react, she took a small step forward, opened her arms, and embraced Zhou Xi. Her chin rested on Zhou Xi’s shoulder.

“I’m so tired.”

I missed you so much.

The moment they embraced, their noses were filled with each other’s scent.

Zhou Xi paused for a moment at Han Shutong’s hug. Her hands, which had been hanging at her sides, slowly lifted and gently patted Han Shutong’s back.

Just then, a man in a bright yellow uniform walked over. He glanced at the room number and held the bag in his hand out to Zhou Xi. “Is this for the customer with the last four digits 3348?”

“Yes.”

Zhou Xi’s hand was trapped in Han Shutong’s embrace. She tried to pull it out, but Han Shutong held her tightly. Zhou Xi could only slightly lift her arm, just managing to extend her hand toward the delivery person.

The man handed the bag to the woman customer. Seeing the woman hook her fingers around the bag, he said, “Please leave a five-star review if you can.”

Zhou Xi acknowledged him.

The delivery person hadn’t intended to linger, but as he was leaving, he couldn’t help his curiosity. He glanced at the two women, who remained completely still in their embrace. He shook his head, unable to understand why two women would hug for so long.

Zhou Xi hooked the takeout bag with her finger, holding her arm to the side so as not to burn Han Shutong.

Then Zhou Xi asked, “Why are you here?”

Han Shutong released Zhou Xi, stepped back, looked into Zhou Xi’s eyes, and said softly, “I came to be your tour guide.”

Instead of just telling Zhou Xi what was fun, she’d rather take her to experience it herself.

Of course, the most important reason was that she missed her greatly. She wanted to see her, give her a big hug, and then quietly whisper in her ear, I missed you so much.

After hanging up the phone yesterday, Han Shutong told Xue Yun that she was going to take a flight to M City to find Zhou Xi.

But after checking the flights, she found there were no flights to M City that night, only in the morning.

After some thought, Han Shutong bought the first flight ticket to N City.

She arrived at nine in the morning and spent two hours traveling from the airport to the hotel.

Bai Mo walked over with the takeout. Her eyes lit up when she saw Han Shutong, but she wasn’t surprised. “Sister Tong, you’re here.”

Bai Mo knew Han Shutong was coming because Han Shutong had asked her for the hotel address.

Bai Mo handed the takeout she was carrying to Han Shutong. “Sister Tong, this is the takeout I ordered for you. You can eat it with Sister Zhou.”

When Han Shutong asked for the address, she had asked Bai Mo not to tell Zhou Xi. Bai Mo guessed that Sister Tong wanted to give Sister Zhou a surprise. Not only did she keep it a secret from Zhou Xi, but she also deliberately ran back to her room to grab the extra takeout she ordered for Han Shutong. Otherwise, she would have been waiting with Zhou Xi already.

After handing the takeout to Han Shutong, Bai Mo turned and returned to her room.

Zhou Xi, meanwhile, pulled Han Shutong into the room.

“Didn’t you say the hotel scenery was the best?” Zhou Xi looked at Han Shutong, her eyes sparkling with amusement.

Han Shutong pursed her lips. “It’s too monotonous. I wanted to show you something else.”

In fact, another reason for her coming was Yan Mengnuo.

But she wasn’t going to say that.

“You should have told me you were coming to N City,” Zhou Xi sat on the sofa. “Since Boss Yan isn’t here, and Xiao Mo and I are tired from traveling the last two days, we weren’t really in the mood for sightseeing. But since you’ve come, we’ll have to cheer up. We can’t let you come all this way for nothing.”

Zhou Xi looked at Han Shutong. Han Shutong only asked one question: “Yan Mengnuo isn’t here?”

“Mhm. She said she was going to see an old friend.”

Han Shutong’s eyebrows relaxed. After confirming this in her heart, she chuckled softly. “If you don’t want to sightsee, we don’t have to.”

Her main goal was achieved. Yan Mengnuo wasn’t here. The rest didn’t matter.

“We’ll decide this afternoon,” Zhou Xi said.

The afternoon event was at two o’clock.

After eating, Zhou Xi began preparing for the event.

Preparing what?

She needed to do her own hair and makeup before heading to the venue.

“I’ll do your makeup.”

This was blurted out by Han Shutong, who was watching the person in front of the makeup mirror.

Zhou Xi was only stunned for a moment before cheerfully agreeing. “Okay.”

She didn’t like wearing makeup, and she especially didn’t like doing her own makeup. When someone volunteered to do it for her, Zhou Xi naturally agreed.

But Zhou Xi didn’t stop to consider: Why did she agree without the slightest suspicion?

Was it trust?

Trust that Han Shutong wouldn’t make her look bad.

Was it trust in Han Shutong’s makeup skills, or… Han Shutong herself?

Zhou Xi hadn’t thought about it, but Han Shutong did.

Hearing Zhou Xi’s immediate and unequivocal agreement, Han Shutong paused for a few seconds. Her heart was filled with sweetness because of Zhou Xi’s trust. Snapping out of it, she quietly said, “I’ll go wash my hands.”

Han Shutong washed her hands and came out of the bathroom. She saw Zhou Xi had already arranged the necessary makeup products neatly on the table.

Seeing Han Shutong emerge in the mirror, Zhou Xi smiled. “I know you have OCD and can’t stand mess.”

“Mhm,” Han Shutong replied faintly, but inside, the surging emotions were endless.

The makeup application began.

Zhou Xi obligingly closed her eyes, waiting for Han Shutong to apply the foundation.

Zhou Xi’s face had no blemishes or redness, so she didn’t need products like concealer.

She only needed a thin layer of foundation, setting powder, and then eye makeup and lip color.

Han Shutong squeezed the foundation onto Zhou Xi’s cheek. As she used the beauty blender to blend it, her fingers touched Zhou Xi’s face.

Very soft, very… velvety.

Only momentarily distracted, Han Shutong quickly continued her movements.

Han Shutong’s movements were gentle and delicate.

Zhou Xi’s tense body slowly relaxed.

Soon, it was time for eye makeup.

The eyeshadow was quickly applied, and next was the eyeliner.

For Han Shutong, who was doing someone else’s makeup for the first time, applying eyeliner was somewhat challenging.

The moment Han Shutong picked up the eyeliner pen, she thought of nothing else but how to apply the eyeliner perfectly.

Han Shutong, focused intently, didn’t notice that the distance between her and Zhou Xi was rapidly diminishing.

After finishing one eye, Han Shutong quietly instructed, “Open your eye so I can check.”

Zhou Xi obediently opened her eyes. She expected to see herself in the mirror, but instead, she saw Han Shutong’s serious face reflected in her eyes.

Looking at Han Shutong this close, close enough to hear Han Shutong’s shallow breathing, Zhou Xi felt a bit awkward.

Han Shutong, seeing the eyeliner looked pretty good, prepared to stand up and let Zhou Xi check in the mirror, asking if she needed adjustments.

“Look…”

As she spoke, Han Shutong looked down and met Zhou Xi’s gaze.

A pair of clear, light-filled eyes.

So clear that Han Shutong saw her own reflection in Zhou Xi’s eyes.

And the reflection of Zhou Xi in Han Shutong’s eyes spoke, “I-I want to check the mirror.”

Han Shutong collected her thoughts. “Mhm.”

Han Shutong prepared to stand up, but having been bent over for a long time, with her legs braced and supporting her weight, her legs were somewhat constricted.

The moment she stood up, her foot slipped. She lost her balance and began falling toward Zhou Xi.

The two were about to collide and fall to the floor together. Zhou Xi instinctively reached out and caught Han Shutong’s body.

Thanks to Zhou Xi’s quick reaction, both their bodies stabilized, and neither fell to the floor.

As Han Shutong fell, Zhou Xi turned her head to the side. Seeing that both were stable, Zhou Xi breathed a sigh of relief. She wanted to ask Han Shutong if she was okay.

As she turned her head, her nose seemed to brush against something.

Then Zhou Xi realized that the distance between her and Han Shutong was incredibly small.

So close that if either of them moved forward even slightly, they would kiss.