Chapter 5 Let her drive.
Unlike other people he had met before, the "boss" who hired him not only did not verbally belittle him, but even had some unrealistic fantasies about his abilities.
Ling Zhao raised her head, glanced past Mu Jiu, and looked at the person who had caused everything.
Fang Yucheng.
He was far too familiar with that name; ever since he chose to embark on this path, he had constantly heard people comparing him to the other person.
Although he found it absurd that those voices could project completely unrelated speculations onto a completely different person simply because they looked alike.
Regardless, it was indeed his first time meeting Fang Yucheng, but the other party didn't seem to be meeting him for the first time.
Ling Zhao was somewhat puzzled, but she didn't show it.
He has absolutely no confidence in his acting skills.
But when it comes to how to deal with troublesome customers...
Ling Zhao: "It seems that Xiang Wan needs some help."
He paused, hesitated for a moment, and looked quite surprised: "Aren't you all going upstairs?"
Mentioning another person's name reminded the other two people present of what had just happened.
As they went upstairs, the men and women were alternating in their positions on the stairs. Before Fang Yucheng, Deng Minzhou and Qi Youxiang had helped Meng Shuning and Guo Zifu with their luggage, respectively.
Whether or not to help the lady with her luggage was not a mandatory task, but since Xiang Wan was clearly in front of Fang Yucheng, he chose to take the initiative to talk to Mu Jiu, which made it all the more meaningful.
Fang Yucheng clearly realized this as well, and his gaze toward Ling Zhao took on a deeper meaning.
"Since we don't need any help here, I'll go upstairs first."
And so, as the footsteps faded into the distance, the faint sounds of laughter and conversation drifted up from upstairs.
The first floor was quiet again.
Although there were still cameras filming, it was just the two of them left, and given their reputation, there probably weren't many viewers in the live stream.
Ling Zhao picked up his suitcase and climbed the steps. After hesitating for a moment, he still asked, "Are you two very familiar with each other?"
Although her expression and body language made her seem apprehensive, her words during the conversation felt completely natural.
In addition, there's Fang Yucheng's attitude.
And when they first met, the only thing the other person did to change the subject was their relationship with Fang Yucheng.
"Really?"
Mu Jiu smiled and casually replied, "Maybe it's because I've worked with Teacher Fang before; he's very kind to all his colleagues."
An actor who was just delivering a superb performance now seems to have a much rougher acting quality.
Is that all?
Anyone in the industry would have heard of her rumored relationship with Fang Yucheng, but how much of it is true and how much is false is unknown to anyone but the parties involved.
But one thing is certain: given Fang Yucheng's current status, it wouldn't be difficult for him to completely dispel such rumors.
Even now, this scandal is still widely known, and it even resurfaces from time to time...
"Sorry, I didn't notice."
Hearing Mu Jiu's apologetic words, Ling Zhao looked up in surprise. Then, he saw her reach out to take the suitcase that had just been handed to him.
"If it's too heavy, I can do it myself."
Ling Zhao: "..."
never mind.
What bad things could someone who sends him copies of his resume and contract possibly do?
With a single stride of his long legs, he swiftly carried his suitcase up to the second floor in just a few steps.
At the top of the stairs, Ling Zhao glanced down at her from above before casually putting down her luggage.
Mu Jiu: ?
Although somewhat confused, Mu Jiu still dragged his suitcase to the girls' bedroom area.
Assigning dorm rooms.
This part of the story is full of tension.
Unlike her, who spent half a day changing tires under the scorching sun, the original owner was immediately confronted by Meng Shuning and Fang Yucheng's longing gaze upon entering the house, which deeply affected her from that moment on.
She not only vied for Fang Yucheng's attention when he was around, but also always tried to outdo Meng Shuning when they were together.
This exposed the original owner's various shortcomings on the show, and gradually wore down Fang Yucheng's patience to end things gracefully.
Yes, Fang Yucheng's fans have no idea that their idol once waited for two hours after filming in winter just to bring "her" roasted sweet potatoes, and that he once set off a grand fireworks display for "her" on the bridge across the river for "her" birthday.
In the entertainment industry, everyone sees each other all the time, so most of the time they won't really fall out.
Moreover, it's perfectly normal for characters to develop feelings for each other after getting into character. During the promotional period, the on-screen couple should work even harder to live up to the audience's expectations.
However, the original owner took it seriously.
Objectively speaking, those rumors can't be blamed on the man, since Fang Yucheng never confessed his feelings, let alone asked what kind of relationship she had with him.
The nature of the relationship should be decided by both people together.
If only one person is involved, then there is no relationship whatsoever.
When Mu Jiu entered the room, the three people inside were chatting and laughing, but fell silent when they saw her come in.
However, Meng Shuning quickly took the initiative to speak with a smile, adopting the demeanor of a hostess: "Do you have a room you like?"
After glancing at everyone's expressions out of the corner of his eye, Mu Jiu casually replied, "I'm fine with anything."
Guo Zifu is a 1.78-meter-tall mature model with a cool and sassy personality. She is said to be a fan of Meng Shuning, and she often plays Meng Shuning's albums as background music during her live streams, as well as watching her stage reactions.
Xiang Wan is a gentle and refined young lady from a family in the Jiangnan water towns. She speaks softly and will actively pursue what she likes, but she values relationships more.
In the original storyline, as the show progressed, she realized that her ex-boyfriend had fallen for Meng Shuning. She cried until she had no tears left, but it did not affect her relationship with Meng Shuning.
For Mu Jiu, the bedroom didn't matter, since she spent most of her time on film sets and had lived in all sorts of terrible environments.
As for who to choose as roommate, it doesn't matter, since they're all other people's friends and family anyway.
However, Meng Shuning didn't quite believe her explanation, and her smile became more genuine: "Everyone has to live in the cabin for half a year, so don't force yourselves."
Mu Jiu waved his hand: "I brought earplugs and an eye mask, so it won't affect which room you choose. You can choose first."
Seeing this, Guo Zifu's eyes flickered, and she generously put her arm around Meng Shuning's shoulder.
"In that case, I'll speak first."
Guo Zifu smiled lazily: "I want to share a room with Shushu. I can completely change my schedule for Shushu and keep in sync with her."
"...I also want to share a room with Shu Ning."
Xiang Wan spoke timidly, "We haven't seen each other for a long time."
Suddenly caught in a chaotic situation, Meng Shuning looked around blankly: "But there are no triple rooms here."
[Ahhh! I'm totally into mature older women!!]
[I don't want to see any of the sisters looking disappointed. I hope the production team won't be ungrateful and will quickly arrange for them to share a three-person room / lol]
[This reminds me of that photo; you arrived just in time.]
[I took another look at the show's description, and it really is a dating show~]
[As expected of Shu Ning, she's the darling of the group wherever she goes.]
Although the viewers in the live chat were happy to see the three people in one room, in the end, they couldn't change the rules of the cabin.
After a round of sisterly affection, the roommate assignments were finally decided by rock-paper-scissors.
"Wow! I'm so happy!!"
The victorious Guo Zifu hugged Meng Shuning and said sweetly, "Shushu, please take care of me from now on~"
[Ostrich clinging to Guo Zifu]
[I can't take it anymore, my 1.78-meter-tall sister is really not hiding anything when she's nestled in Meng Shuning's arms]
Although Shushu has a commanding presence on stage, she looks so cute and petite in private.
Meng Shuning smiled and ruffled Guo Zifu's hair: "Stop fooling around, hurry up and get ready, someone needs to go grocery shopping and cook with the boys later."
Xiang Wan: "So, were you just discussing the cooking arrangements with Teacher Fang Yucheng?"
Guo Zifu: "As expected of Shushu, she got into preparations right away."
Hearing the two men's flattery, Meng Shuning blushed slightly: "Because I wanted someone to cook dinner, but I'm very busy with work and haven't cooked for myself in a long time. I was worried about messing up the cooking, so I asked Teacher Fang to help me see if there were any boys who were good at cooking."
"Shushu, this is taking the long way around instead of the right thing."
Guo Zifu: "Isn't Teacher Fang an amazing cook?"
Meng Shuning: "Everyone takes turns on duty, so we need to get to know each other... By the way, Wan'er, I remember you once brought a really delicious lunchbox!"
Hearing Meng Shuning mention her, Xiang Wan smiled slightly: "I can only cook ordinary home-style dishes."
Seeing that the two people's gazes had turned to her, Guo Zifu quickly raised her hands in surrender: "I usually just make some salads or something, which is fine as an appetizer, but I can't expect everyone else to eat grass, can I?"
Meng Shuning raised her hand and rubbed her forehead in annoyance, then looked at Mu Jiu, who had remained silent.
"Mumu, what about you?"
Startled by the sudden, affectionate address, Mu Jiu was momentarily stunned and didn't react.
There was a moment of silence.
She looked at the three people in front of her.
My mind was already filled with images of their amazing culinary skills from the original novel.
"If you follow the cookbook step by step, the food should be edible."
Fearing that others might misjudge him, Mu Jiu added with concern, "It's really just that I can eat, the kind of meal that maintains vital signs."
[That doesn't sound reassuring at all :)]
Although I dislike the word "cooking," the world is different for me; cooking is just a way to muddle through.
[Shushu just doesn't like to show off; actually, her cooking received praise from a master chef on the show "Let's Go Home"!]
No, I just came from the guys' side. I can only say the girls are too modest!
Because of this comment, many viewers switched to another live stream.
On screen, the rapidly scrolling bullet comments first overwhelmed the viewer's eyes.
[It seems like no one here knows how to cook this season. Is it really just a matter of relying on Yu Cheng?]
Who gets to eat Fang Yucheng's cooking anyway? Am I the only one who can't?
I'm so envious. It seems like Chengbao hasn't completely let go of her ex. I'm so curious about what happened before.
[Thinking back to how gentle my ex's expression was, I feel so jealous.]
Fang Yucheng's voice could be heard from the scene where the blankets were completely covering him.
“She would cook for me on her days off, and she’s also very good at making cakes and cookies.”
Seeing the surprised looks on the other people's faces, Fang Yucheng said, "...This is quite common, isn't it?"
Deng Minzhou: "My ex knew how to cook French food."
This 1.8-meter-tall male model seemed to have triggered something, and began to strike a pose as if he were shooting a fashion editorial, with a smirk: "He will even bring me late-night snacks when I work late into the night."
"So what? My ex can cook all eight major cuisines of China."
Qi Youxiang, not to be outdone, slightly raised his chin: "I can even make Buddha Jumps Over the Wall."
Are these people just blinded by their competitive spirit?
[LOL, this is childish behavior! What business is it of yours if your ex can cook?! Do you really have to fight over something like this?]
[Has Xiao Xiang forgotten he's recording a show again? This isn't an activity where he can brag to his buddies! /laughing and crying emoji]
Just as the comments section was filled with a mix of amusement and exasperation due to the strange art style, all three of them turned their attention to the only person who hadn't spoken.
"...?"
Ling Zhao, who had been lounging lazily on the sofa, gradually stiffened.
etc.
Isn't the atmosphere a bit strange?
Couldn't he just say his ex couldn't cook?
He vaguely remembered that the resume he received definitely did not include cooking skills in the list of personal abilities.
So he fell silent.
The silence seemed to have lasted a little too long; if no one answered soon, the atmosphere would become even more awkward.
Ultimately, it's perfectly normal for girls not to know how to cook. Just express your opinion reasonably and quickly end this pointless conversation...
Ling Zhao: "My ex did that too..."
"Knock knock".
Just before he was about to speak, a knock on the door interrupted him.
Two figures appeared at the doorway.
Ling Zhao immediately spotted Mu Jiu, who was watching them with his arms crossed and looking on with an air of nonchalance, and shut his mouth.
[Get out of here! Ugh! How did Meng Xiangjun and Cheng Zhen end up together again?! These two are involved again!]
[Just when I was starting to change my opinion of Mu Jiu, he had to come out and embarrass me again.]
If I remember correctly, wasn't it Meng Shuning who invited Mu Jiu just now?
Meng Shuning: "Teacher Fang, are you all done here? Shall we go out to buy groceries together?"
Fang Yucheng's expression softened, and his tone became gentle: "Okay, you guys wait for me outside the parking lot, I'll drive."
After he finished speaking, he turned around, glanced at the others, and finally looked at Ling Zhao.
Ling Zhao:?
——
The combination of Mu Jiu, Ling Zhao, and Meng Shuning is rather strange.
But Meng Shuning seemed completely unaware of anything amiss and took the initiative to start a conversation with Ling Zhao.
"Although people like to mention you and Teacher Fang together online, I don't think you two are alike."
She turned to Ling Zhao and smiled: "Besides, if your fans only follow and like you because you look like Teacher Fang, then they really have no taste."
"Right, Mumu?"
There seemed to be a hint of inquiry in her tone.
Mu Jiu was a little confused when this topic suddenly brought up herself: "Hmm."
Although I don't know why the other person asked me, well... she's definitely the female lead.
If she were in Ling Zhao's situation and heard such a statement, she would definitely feel an instant surge of goodwill towards Meng Shuning.
So how did he manage to persevere in the original storyline?
Just as Mu Jiu was feeling puzzled, he heard Ling Zhao's voice drifting over from the front.
"Thank you, but I don't have any active fans, only haters."
Meng Shuning: "..."
Mu Jiu: "..."
[...]
He even said thank you, I'm so happy!
[No, I didn't say anything just now because I genuinely thought this combination was too weird, but now it feels like the original poster is just trying to be funny, right?]
Sensing the awkward atmosphere, Meng Shuning paused for a moment before naturally trying to smooth things over: "No, I've listened to your album on Seaweed Music. You have a lot of fans who support you. Your voice is very unique, and your technique is also great. As long as you focus on yourself, you will definitely become an outstanding singer."
His voice is truly special.
Mu Jiu glanced at Ling Zhao.
To get to know her partner, she listened to all of his albums.
Mu Jiu didn't understand music, but he could tell that his singing style was completely different from his usual conversations.
The familiar yet unfamiliar voice evokes a sense of immersion, much like the emotions an actor captures when getting into character, drawing you to see further into the distance.
[Shushu, the little sun, is really wonderful. Because she has suffered herself, she can teach others to walk the right path.]
[Because Shushu watched LZ's live video, I must say, aside from trying to ride the wave, he does have some skill.]
As long as it's not a forced connection with Fang Yucheng, we ordinary viewers would definitely welcome another singer in the entertainment industry who focuses on singing.
Just as the comments section was praising Meng Shuning's advice, Ling Zhao stopped in his tracks.
He gave Meng Shuning a subtle look, as if she had said something very strange.
After confirming that the other party had no intention of making fun of him, he said, puzzled, "Those must be paid trolls hired by the agent."
"Making music is too expensive, I haven't made any money back at all, and the company has given up on me making albums."
Meng Shuning: "..."
Mu Jiu: "."
I don't know if it's because they simply couldn't stand the suffocating atmosphere.
Meng Shuning took the initiative to speak up: "I'll go see if Teacher Fang needs any help."
After leaving those words, she jogged away.
After she walked away, her fans jumped to another live stream, leaving only Leziren as the remaining viewer. A tense silence began to fill the air as the chat erupted with comments and criticisms.
There's a meme online called "desperate straight men," isn't there?
I'm starting to wonder who your ex was.
Why do it seem like Ling Zhao and Mu Jiu are often seen together today?
[Given that Fang Yucheng and Mu Jiu couldn't possibly be a couple, could it be that the word "couple" refers to exes?]
Judging by the way they changed the tire, I'd vote for their arch-rival over the couple.
...
During the wait, Mu Jiu did not initiate a conversation with Ling Zhao.
First, adhering to the principle that the more you talk, the more mistakes you make, since the person opposite you is your partner, there is no need to deliberately promote yourself.
Secondly, because she rarely finds recordings of interviews online. The conversation we just heard could definitely be used as material for character analysis.
Just as Mu Jiu was lost in thought, the other person spoke up.
"Excuse me."
Ling Zhao frowned slightly: "Although I know you're an actor, could you please stop looking at me like you're dissecting me?"
"..."
Mu Jiu blinked: "I didn't mean that. I just think it's good that you can still live strong and resiliently."
Ling Zhao:?
The sound of an engine approaching from afar, along with the rustling of tires rolling over the ground, interrupted their eye contact.
[I just saw Fang Yucheng driving over from another camera position]
No way! My world of Meng Xiangcheng and me is gone just like that!!
[I don't want to see Mu Biao clinging to Cheng Bao, can she go *?]
Just you wait and see, these two will definitely fight over the passenger seat, or I'll wash my hair upside down.
As the car approached, more and more comments began to scroll wildly, reaching their peak when the car slowly came to a stop in front of the two.
The interior of the car was completely obscured by the glass, so Mu Jiu turned his head to glance at Ling Zhao.
The other person simply gave her a look.
So the two walked toward the vehicle.
The next second, the two back doors were pulled open with a "bang" from the left and right.
In the spacious back seat, Meng Shuning stared blankly as she looked to the left and then to the right.
"..."
Upon seeing the scene inside the car, Mu Jiu suddenly realized: "Wait, it seems impolite to let Teacher Fang sit in the driver's seat alone."
Ling Zhao: "You're right."
Before anyone else could react, there was a loud "bang," and both back doors slammed shut, and Meng Shuning's face disappeared from the screen.
With unwavering expressions, the two turned around and, without a moment's hesitation, opened the driver's and passenger's doors, one on the left and one on the right.
Mu Jiu: "Teacher Fang, you must be tired after a long day. Let me drive."
Fang Yucheng: "..."
He gripped the steering wheel, his eyes glazed over, like a truck driver who had been robbed while carrying cargo.
Seeing that he remained silent, Mu Jiu turned to look at Ling Zhao.
...Is it his turn again?
Ling Zhao tried to understand Mu Jiu's intentions.
Ling Zhao: "Yes, let her drive."
A note from the author:
----------------------
Sorry to keep the little angels waiting [crying emoji]
I originally planned to update yesterday, but this overworked writer had to work overtime until 9 PM, so I can only post this much for now [poor face].
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