I Joined a Fake Variety Show (GL) - Chapter 57

The group returned to the room. The staff from the production crew who came with them also entered, setting up equipment around the rooms.

By the time everything was ready and Zhou Xi and Han Shutong were about to have lunch, Li Junpeng sent someone to call Zhou Xi downstairs.

Han Shutong was not the lead actress, so she did not need to attend the commencement ceremony; her presence might overshadow the leads.

“You go ahead and eat. Don’t wait for me,” Zhou Xi said with a smile to Han Shutong.

Han Shutong hummed. “I’ll order for you. What do you want?”

“Anything is fine.”

With that, Zhou Xi turned and walked out.

The assistant Luo Shuiqiu assigned to Zhou Xi wouldn’t arrive until the afternoon, so Bai Mo followed Zhou Xi downstairs, accompanied by the personal director assigned to Zhou Xi for the variety show.

The four took the elevator downstairs and saw a large bus parked outside the hotel entrance.

“They’re not making us take this, are they?” Bai Mo asked in surprise, looking at the bus.

The man who led them downstairs nodded. “Yes. Please get on the bus and wait. I need to go call another actor.”

Zhou Xi politely replied, “Okay.”

The man turned and went back into the hotel.

Bai Mo watched the man’s retreating back and whispered to Zhou Xi, “This is the first time I’ve seen a bus used to transport actors.”

The means of transportation didn’t matter to Zhou Xi. She smiled. “Let’s go.”

The two boarded the bus and found other people inside.

They were a few supporting actors for the drama.

A woman sitting in the front seat glanced at Zhou Xi as she boarded, then looked away without a word, staring out the window.

A male actor sitting behind her immediately saw the director following Zhou Xi and Bai Mo. He whistled. “Why did you bring your own cameraman?”

“We’re filming a variety show.”

“Filming a variety show and still coming to shoot a drama? So popular. Are you playing the female lead?” The woman in the front row heard this, turned, scanned Zhou Xi up and down, sneered, and turned away again. She said, “Why isn’t the female lead sitting in the car downstairs?”

Zhou Xi followed the woman’s gaze and saw two black executive cars parked next to the bus.

Those two cars were likely reserved for the female lead and the male lead.

The female lead was an award-winning actress whose dramas generally had good reputations. The male lead was a popular idol actor of the past two years.

It was normal for actors of their caliber to ride in executive cars.

But the way the woman said it sounded quite condescending.

Zhou Xi remained silent. Bai Mo, however, spoke up. “Ma’am, don’t say I didn’t warn you. The camera behind us is recording. Every word and action of yours is being documented. When the show airs, the audience will see your behavior.”

Bai Mo was genuinely giving a warning, but it was mostly a threat.

Working with Han Shutong, she had seen all sorts of people. Dealing with someone like this was a piece of cake for her.

While Bai Mo spoke, the camera operator behind Zhou Xi cooperatively aimed the camera at the woman.

The woman didn’t believe Bai Mo. She thought the camera was brought by the production crew to film the actors in the bus for a behind-the-scenes segment.

After all, she couldn’t imagine a program inviting someone who was taking the bus, just like her.

Although the woman in front of her was beautiful, the entertainment industry had countless good-looking people.

Just as the woman was about to mock them, the man in the back seat suddenly grinned and said to Zhou Xi, “I watched your variety show. What was it called again? I forgot.”

As the man said the last word, he suddenly clapped his hands to his head. “Aha, look at my memory. A Day’s Time, right?”

Zhou Xi knew the man was helping her. She reached out her hand to him. “That’s right. My name is Zhou Xi.”

The man only touched Zhou Xi’s hand with his fingertips and quickly withdrew his hand. “Yan Tian.”

While the two were greeting each other, no one noticed that the woman in the front seat was frozen.

She hadn’t watched the variety show, but she knew about it.

That was because Han Shutong was filming the show, and it frequently trended.

Thinking of Han Shutong, the woman finally remembered that the person in front of her… seemed to be the person filming the show with Han Shutong.

What was her name again?

She remembered the woman’s self-introduction: Zhou Xi.

If she remembered correctly, Zhou Xi and Han Shutong had been trending together many times, so their relationship was likely very good.

Han Shutong…

She couldn’t afford to offend her.

The woman stood up, forcing a laugh. “I’m sorry, Miss Zhou. I was rude.”

Zhou Xi still didn’t speak. She just nodded at the woman, then pulled Bai Mo to the middle of the bus and sat down.

Being with Zhou Xi was much less restrictive than being with Han Shutong. Bai Mo relaxed considerably. She hummed a tune and looked around curiously.

Soon, she saw the man who brought them downstairs reappear at the hotel entrance, and the person with him…

Bai Mo nudged Zhou Xi’s arm, pointing toward the window. “Sister Zhou, am I seeing things? Isn’t that your classmate?”

Classmate?

Zhou Xi followed Bai Mo’s finger. She squinted, looking at the two people walking toward the bus.

As the woman got closer to the bus, her appearance became clearer. Bai Mo confirmed she hadn’t made a mistake and whispered in Zhou Xi’s ear, “Is her name Zuo Yuan?”

Zhou Xi retracted her gaze. “Mhm.”

Before coming to the set, Zhou Xi had already looked up most of the actors.

Zuo Yuan hadn’t been on the list at the time.

The moment she saw Zuo Yuan, Zhou Xi was only momentarily surprised, but she quickly returned to normal.

As long as Zuo Yuan didn’t cause trouble, her presence didn’t matter to Zhou Xi.

But how could Zuo Yuan not cause trouble for Zhou Xi?

Zuo Yuan boarded the bus and immediately saw Zhou Xi sitting in the middle.

After greeting the people in the front row, Zuo Yuan walked up to Zhou Xi’s row, pretending to just notice Zhou Xi. She said, “Oh! Zhou Xi, why are you here?”

Zhou Xi looked up at Zuo Yuan. “Filming.”

“What a coincidence! Me too,” Zuo Yuan smiled. “What role are you playing?”

“Lu Qiang.”

“The female third lead?” Zuo Yuan looked surprised. “I’m the female second lead! Our characters are classmates, too. I wonder why one of us is the female second and the other is the female third.”

Zuo Yuan said “female second lead” very loudly. Everyone on the bus, and even people outside the bus, heard it.

Zhou Xi said faintly, “Probably because my voice isn’t as loud as yours.”

“Pfft.”

Yan Tian, sitting in the second row, laughed.

When people on the bus looked at him, they heard him ask, “What? You said you’re playing the female second lead. Which character are you playing?”

Wanting to build a good rapport with others, Zuo Yuan turned and replied softly to Yan Tian, “Wen Huihui.”

“Oh~” Yan Tian said, drawing out the sound. “That’s the Wen Huihui who kneels at Lu Qiang’s feet and begs for mercy, right? If you ask me, your female second role isn’t as satisfying as Zhou Xi’s role. You have to kneel and beg Zhou Xi. I don’t know why you’re so happy.”

“What did you say?!”

“I said you…” Yan Tian glanced at Zhou Xi. He saw her looking at him with a gentle expression, subtly shaking her head, then gesturing toward the camera with her eyes.

Yan Tian immediately laughed. “Nothing. The female second lead is great.”

Zuo Yuan wanted to say more, but the driver interrupted her.

“The bus is about to leave.”

With the driver’s announcement, the bus quieted down. Zuo Yuan stomped her foot and sat down behind Zhou Xi.

After the bus started moving, Zuo Yuan finally noticed the camera in the aisle. She immediately thought it must be for the variety show. She worried about whether she had been filmed earlier and forgot to bother Zhou Xi for the rest of the ride.

The group got off the bus and saw a crowd of fans surrounding the area from afar. They were held back by security guards, creating a pathway in the middle.

When the male and female leads from the executive cars got out, the cheers were deafening.

Zhou Xi and the others followed behind them, walking toward the area where the director was.

As they walked, someone suddenly yelled loudly, “Wife!”

It was a woman’s voice.

The few female actors walked on without changing expression, automatically ignoring the shout.

Because there was nothing much to do, Zhou Xi had left Bai Mo on the bus to rest.

Zhou Xi was walking alone, but she didn’t feel lonely.

Amidst the rising and falling tide of cheers for the male and female leads, she heard her name:

“Zhou Xi!”

Zhou Xi looked toward the sound and saw a dozen people holding a banner, shouting her name.

Seeing her look over, they waved their hands.

Zhou Xi offered a gentle smile, waving back at them.

“Wife!”

The person who shouted earlier yelled again, followed by a chorus of people shouting “Wife.”

Everyone’s gaze followed the sound. Zhou Xi didn’t move because the voices came from the group holding her banner.

Yan Tian, walking behind Zhou Xi, leaned closer. “They’re calling you.”

“I heard them.”

Zhou Xi waved at the group again, then followed the main group forward.

An hour and a half later, the commencement ceremony ended. The actors were required to return to the drop-off point to take the bus back to the hotel.

The crowd dispersed. Zhou Xi was about to walk to the parking lot when a staff member accidentally bumped into her.

Hearing the staff member profusely apologize, Zhou Xi softly said, “It’s okay,” then squatted down to help her pick up the business cards scattered on the ground.

“Sister Zhou!”

Zhou Xi looked up at Bai Mo, who was running toward her.

Bai Mo saw Zhou Xi and called out as she ran, “Sister Zhou!”

“Don’t run, walk slowly,” Zhou Xi said, walking toward Bai Mo. She asked, “Why did you come over?”

“I didn’t see you at the parking spot, so I came to look.”

Zhou Xi smiled. “Let’s go back together then.”

Bai Mo pulled Zhou Xi’s wrist. “Sister Zhou, come with me. I have a surprise for you.”

Bai Mo pulled Zhou Xi toward the parking area. Zhou Xi was wondering what kind of surprise could be there.

As they got closer to the parking area and the scene became clearer, they saw a group of people gathered around a car.

The director, the screenwriter, and others.

“Why are there so many people?” Bai Mo mumbled.

“What’s going on over there?”

“Sister Tong is there,” Bai Mo said. “They must be greeting Sister Tong. Let’s go over now.”

“Shutong?”

Why did Shutong come?

Bai Mo: “Yes.”

“Does Shutong have some business here?” Zhou Xi asked.

Han Shutong wouldn’t come if there wasn’t a reason.

As she asked the question, Bai Mo had already pulled her up to the car.

Zhou Xi looked at the person chatting with the crowd, a faint smile on her lips. Just then, the person looked up casually, and her gaze landed on Zhou Xi, stopping there.

“Teacher Zhou.”

The two words reached the ears of everyone around them. Han Shutong then said to the director and others, “Director Li, Sister Qing, the person I was waiting for has arrived. I’ll be leaving now. Let’s chat another time.”

Li Junpeng chuckled twice. “Alright, talk to you next time.”

As he spoke, Li Junpeng gave Zhou Xi a meaningful look, realizing something profound.

Han Shutong walked up to Zhou Xi, naturally took Zhou Xi’s wrist, said goodbye to everyone with Zhou Xi, and turned to walk toward the black executive car parked in the distance.

It was only when they reached the car that Zhou Xi spoke. “Why did you come?”

“To pick you up.”

Han Shutong turned and opened the car door, gesturing for Zhou Xi to get in.

“Hehe, Sister Zhou, of course, Sister Tong came to support you! I told Sister Tong what happened on the bus. When Sister Tong heard you were being looked down upon, she must have gotten angry and driven over!” Bai Mo said, looking at Han Shutong. “Sister Tong, am I right?”

Zhou Xi also looked over, her gaze fixed on the person in front of her. She couldn’t imagine Han Shutong doing something like this.

“Is that true?”

Han Shutong remained silent, only slightly raising her eyebrow at Zhou Xi.

The meaning was clear.

Zhou Xi was stunned for a moment, then walked to the car door, placing one hand over her chest. “I’m deeply touched.”