Chapter 15 "Drunken Misbehavior Leads to Disaster!" (Pancake Performance)
Open a search engine and enter "Li Xu", and related results will appear: "Drunk behavior leads to disaster!"
"Shocking! Celebrity offspring gets drunk in the street in the early hours, causing a major incident!"
According to a netizen, at 3 a.m. last night, outside a bar, the son of a national singer, Lin Li, was found drunk on a park bench, holding a guitar in his hands.
Bystanders said he had drunk quite a bit, but his voice was steady as he played and sang several original songs, all of which were quite pleasant to listen to. The video on the website was blurry, showing a mix of shouts and jeering from passersby. Some bystanders joked that the police only managed to disperse the crowd after listening to him sing one song.
Below the news article are comments from six years ago:
Haters spared no effort: "Is he even an adult yet? Drinking like that, he's completely ruined his mother's reputation as a virtuous and talented artist."
A casual fan commented: "He may be drunk, but he's also steady; the son really takes after his mother."
Abstract Art: "Here it comes, the alcohol guitar style!"
Yan Jinliu: "Is the editor really that desperate for clicks? What do you mean by 'drinking leads to trouble'? Drinking and holding a concert instead! What trouble did it cause?"
The video went viral, and there were several related news articles on the sidebar. Ms. Lin, who had semi-retired from the entertainment industry, came out to apologize for not disciplining her son properly and causing a bad public impact.
In the news thumbnail, Ms. Lin faces the camera with gentle grace and a dignified smile. Approaching forty, time has not left its mark on her beautiful face. For a long time, she has been the epitome of beauty and kindness.
As you scroll up the webpage, Ms. Lin's gentle smile disappears from the screen.
After finishing the gossip from six years ago, Wen Zhiling remembered her business and searched for "Li Xu Variety Show" again.
The new results popped up, and the white light on the screen illuminated Wen Zhiling's expression, which was one of utter despair.
"Li Xu has been officially announced as a guest on 'Not a Family'!"
-
Zong Linhan picked up Wen Zhiling early in the morning and took her to meet her manager to go over the precautions for the variety show.
"Is this the new shop that opened at the intersection? Have you eaten there? Was it good?" Wen Zhiling took the xiaolongbao, her expression hesitant.
She muttered doubts, but her actions showed no hesitation. The steaming paper bag was slightly oily, and the thin dough was covered with soup. She picked one up with her chopsticks. It was bulging. She took a bite and it burned her tongue. Wen Zhiling's face scrunched up and she gasped.
Zong Linhan poured some vinegar and soy sauce, and pushed the small dish next to her, saying, "No one will take it from you."
Wen Zhiling dipped her chopsticks in soy sauce and vinegar and slowly took a bite. "Their food is just so-so. Next time I'll take you to try another place, the one across from the school. It has thin skin and lots of filling, and it's full of broth. It tastes better than this place."
Zong Linhan: "Okay."
Actually, the soup dumplings at this restaurant weren't that bad. The soup was sweet and flavorful, and it tasted great with soy sauce and vinegar. But Wen Zhiling lost her appetite and was filled with worry when she thought about seeing Li Xu.
"When the camera is on me, even if I eat food I don't like, I still pay a little attention to my facial expressions."
Wen Zhiling looked up, and Zong Linhan handed her his phone. He snapped a photo of her, showing her biting a xiaolongbao (soup dumpling), her expression bitter and resentful.
The talented actor mused, "So acting really does depend a lot on talent."
Wen Zhiling raised an eyebrow, "Could you give me some pointers?"
Zong Linhan said seriously: "The crying scenes are too exaggerated, the fake smiles are unnatural, and the performances that are genuine and full of emotion are for xiaolongbao. The emotions are too much, like a stall owner who ran away after owing wages for three months and left a basket of xiaolongbao to pay off the debt."
Wen Zhiling pondered, "Then what should we do? I watched the previous seasons, and they often had to create surprise segments, which ended with everyone hugging each other and crying."
The more I thought about it, the more terrifying it became. "My crying looks so fake, I'm sure I'll get scolded, right?"
Zong Linhan, a senior who hasn't been on many variety shows, offered his one-sided, non-authoritative opinion: "Then don't cry, just be yourself."
Wen Zhiling watched the version of the show with bullet comments and offered a sincere possibility: "Perhaps, if I don't cry, I'll be criticized even more?"
Zong Linhan: "...I'll ask Pingping."
With a major problem in mind, the two set off for the agency.
The car stopped at the alley entrance. Wen Zhiling got in and was like a dried-out salted fish, completely devoid of any vitality. Soft music played, and the salted fish flipped over, facing Zong Linhan.
Wen Zhiling: "Everyone in your circle is a genius, right? They're all acting prodigies, aren't they?"
Zong Linhan patted the steering wheel. "Hmm?"
Wen Zhiling: "So you're really good at saying one thing to someone's face and another behind their back? Even if you don't get along in private, you can still maintain a respectable image?"
Zong Linhan glanced at her: "What do you want to say?"
Wen Zhiling remained silent.
Zong Linhan thought for a moment and assumed that she was concerned about the reputation of the previous seasons and worried about how to get along with them. "They are all adults. Whether there are cameras on or not, their basic personal qualities are all up to par. You don't need to think too much. You have no conflict of interest with them. Don't let the rumors on the internet affect you."
The sound of the air conditioner whirring echoed in the car. Wen Zhiling asked, "How good are your pantomime acting skills?"
Zong Linhan didn't understand how the scene could jump from a crying scene to an acting without props.
Wen Zhiling vividly described, "You and your non-existent sister went on a variety show together, facing the camera, sometimes crying, sometimes laughing, sometimes sad, sometimes moved, and sometimes heartwarming."
Zong Linhan: "..."
Wen Zhiling: "One person performing the effect of two people greatly increases the appeal of the show."
Zong Linhan: "Then I was disgraced, and the plane took off from the island and landed at Jingnan Mental Hospital?"
Wen Zhiling: "You have to trust the audience. They will only praise your dedication and your relentless pursuit of art."
"Are you awake?" Zong Linhan pressed her back into the passenger seat. "What kind of science fiction novel do you think this is?"
Wen Zhiling retorted, "This world already has vampires, so what's wrong with you putting on a reality show without props? Fire the first shot in a new concept of reality show performance."
A note from the author:
----------------------
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
