Chapter 76
The next day, Chen Zhiyi recorded the variety show "Happy Camp" on Hunan TV.
This variety show is a long-running show. Lin Ting remembers that when she was very young, every Saturday night at eight o'clock, her family would sit in front of the TV to watch this show. At that time, Qin Qiang had not yet cheated on her. He was still Lin Qin's loving husband and her own father.
When I was little, we didn't have a computer at home, so we could only watch programs on TV. Back then, there weren't many programs, and the programs available to adults and children were quite separate, so we basically watched them separately. But Happy Camp carved out its own niche, using various games both indoors and outdoors to keep the guests entertained and to make the viewers happy. They also developed new segments from time to time, such as science labs and knowledge quizzes, which were more educational and allowed students to absorb knowledge while having fun.
In short, the show is suitable for all ages and brings joy to the whole family, which may be the secret to its enduring popularity.
The Happy Camp host group has gone through several generations of ups and downs, but the core host He Rihuo has always been there. Lin Ting likes him very much. Although he is not tall, he is very talented and speaks eloquently. He has created many impromptu rescue scenes and is textbook-worthy.
His talent was exceptional, not limited to any one field, but encompassing a wide range of knowledge, from astronomy to geography, from ancient times to the present. He was knowledgeable about everything, capable of doing everything, and also adept at understanding human relationships and worldly affairs. He was a true sage.
Therefore, she admires talented men. When she was a child and still fantasized about love, she hoped to find someone as learned as He Rihuo, someone who could tell her about the five thousand years of history of this great nation.
In reality, the person who whispered in my ear never uttered a single cultured word, but they were quite adept at spouting vulgarities.
The string of lewd remarks from last night—just one sentence was enough to make Lin Ting feel utterly ashamed.
Where did they learn all this? Men lying in bed are wolves in sheep's clothing.
Moreover, I can't tell if he's exceptionally talented, but he certainly has some wealth, which is a nice coincidence.
No, it seems like all the "money" was poured into that villa.
Lin Ting rubbed his forehead, recalling everything that had happened last night. Now he had lost both money and people.
No wonder Chen Zhiyi had been clinging to her since she woke up this morning, looking all wronged and muttering, "Now you can't leave me."
They've gotten a good deal but are now acting innocent; it's impossible to say who actually benefited from whom.
Lin Ting took the admission ticket given to her by Chen Zhiyi and followed the other audience members through the ticket check to enter the studio. Her seat was in the middle of the second row inside the venue, which was also an excellent spot.
The studio was larger than she had imagined, with an audience seating capacity of two to three hundred people, and it was packed. Because it was a Lunar New Year special, there were many red decorations, making it look very festive.
Looking at the throngs of people around her, Lin Ting was glad she had disguised herself. Although her outfit was the same as when she appeared at the airport—all black, with only her eyes visible, hidden behind black-rimmed glasses—it was still better than being filmed and recognized by the audience during the recording. Recording a variety show is quite different from a live broadcast; the camera often pans to the audience to capture their immediate reactions and enhance the entertainment value.
She could sense that the two girls next to her were glancing at her from time to time, looking at her with strange eyes, after all, her outfit was indeed abnormal in a crowd of ordinary people.
These two experiences of disguising themselves gave me a profound understanding of how difficult it is to be an artist. They are all so good-looking, but apart from being able to show off their beauty in front of the camera, they are all quite shameful in private.
The recording officially began at 2 PM.
After a simple and cheerful opening dance, the five hosts walked from backstage to the front of the stage together and shouted the familiar opening line with the audience. They had said it countless times, but no one got tired of it and still shouted it out excitedly.
Because liking something involves sentimentality, this opening line alone brought tears to Lin Ting's eyes, bringing back memories of her childhood when the three of them sat in front of the TV to watch it—a brief but beautiful time of happiness that she would never have again.
She never imagined she would have the chance to watch it live, but now she was all alone, no longer feeling the pain and heartbreak of before. She just felt a sense of emptiness.
Time really can change a lot of things. From past resentment to present regret, perhaps we can let go of it in the future.
Chen Zhiyi made up for all the love she had lost; she longed to be loved and was certain that she was loved.
After the opening remarks, three guests appeared on stage. In addition to Chen Zhiyi, the other two were the male and female leads of Hunan TV's opening drama of the year, presumably for the purpose of promoting the drama.
To celebrate the New Year, Chen Zhiyi changed his usual monotonous black, white and gray style and wore a red cardigan over a white T-shirt, with black casual pants that made his legs look two meters long.
Lin Ting had never seen him wear red before. This sudden splash of red was like a fire in winter, instantly illuminating everything around him, making him shine brightly. Even amidst the starlight on the stage, he was captivating. This outward form released his inner vitality and passion.
After the guests introduced themselves and offered their New Year's greetings, the games began. They played several classic games, including a game that tested intelligence called "Who is the Spy?", a game that tested reaction speed called "Escape Through the Anywhere Door", and a game that tested physical strength with "special props" called "Chase".
Chen Zhiyi performed well in all these aspects, especially in the "Who is the mole" segment, where he perfectly concealed his mole identity from beginning to end. At the crucial moment, he used his reasoning and sophistry skills to successfully persuade another person to defect, thus securing victory for himself.
He was mentally sharp and articulate throughout, presenting his arguments logically and respectfully, which made him utterly convincing.
Even the host praised him, saying that he could fool people with his looks alone, so how could he possibly seduce them with his intelligence? That's inhumane.
This caused the entire audience to burst into laughter.
In the "Escape Through Any Door" segment, while other guests were still wrestling with each other to escape, their clothes and outfits all in disarray, he was able to find the corresponding door in the first instant and quickly slip out. Once, he was so fast that even the cameraman couldn't catch him.
The other guests were all panting heavily, their faces flushed, marveling at the advantages of youth.
Even after escaping, Chen Zhiyi continued to cause trouble, either grabbing the opponents' clothes, dragging their legs, or blocking the doorway to prevent them from escaping, creating maximum entertainment value.
Chen Zhiyi has recorded very few variety shows, and this kind of entertainment-oriented show is practically his first time. As a result, many of his fans came to the scene. Fans outside the venue could only learn about the recording through small behind-the-scenes photos posted by fans inside the venue on various media channels. After all, the production team required that recording was not allowed throughout the entire process. However, even with just a few behind-the-scenes photos, the fans caused a sensation and left messages on his official studio's page, requesting that he be given more opportunities to participate in reality shows.
After all, even Teacher He Rihuo has certified that Chen Zhiyi is a natural for variety shows, with a mouth full of nonsense, perfectly grasping the essence of variety show recording.
But Lin Ting wasn't surprised. At twenty-five, he was at the age where he should be having fun, and he had even injured his leg and had to take a year off from school because of it.
After the funny segments were finished, it got to the more heartfelt parts.
The show required participants to draw their ideal type, which is a major no-no for celebrities, as everyone knows. Other guests just gave a hasty answer, deliberately drawing a vague image, some even drawing something that didn't look like a human, in an attempt to get away with it.
Only Chen Zhiyi seriously drew a female figure, with a head and feet, and all four limbs, making her a complete person. He even labeled what clothes she was wearing: a white T-shirt. However, she was not the standard beauty everyone expected; she was a four-eyed beauty with a large black-rimmed pair of glasses perched on her nose.
Lin Ting knew that this was a drawing of her appearance when the two first met.
Everyone was a little surprised, and they didn't know if Chen Zhiyi did it on purpose or not. Judging from the painting, she was not a beauty, but rather looked silly and dull. With those huge glasses, if she wore certain clothes, she would be quite suitable to play Ultraman.
Are all handsome men's tastes so unique?
Chen Zhiyi didn't care about everyone's forced smiles and awkward expressions. Instead, he explained in a very serious manner, "The girl I like is just like a painting: a round little face, cherry red lips, clear and bright eyes, and most importantly, she has to wear black-rimmed glasses."
After he finished speaking, the atmosphere in the room became much colder.
Another host immediately chimed in with a joke, "Now that you mention it, I bet starting tomorrow there will be a whole bunch of girls wearing black-rimmed glasses. Then Zhiyi can just stand in the middle of them with a pair of glasses and shout, 'I endorse glasses!'"
The atmosphere, which had just cooled down, suddenly warmed up again.
He Rihuo: "I remember interviewing Zhiyi before and asking him about his ideal type. Zhiyi would either stay silent or dodge the question. Now, however, he has a very clear outline. Does this mean he has someone specific in mind?"
Lin Ting immediately shrank his head even further.
Chen Zhiyi saw this and tried hard to suppress his laughter. "I just think the girl with the black-rimmed glasses is very cute. Doesn't she look like a panda in the painting? Round eyes, dark eye sockets, so cute and auspicious."
Teacher He Rihuo is very perceptive and understanding. Although Chen Zhiyi's tone was casual, his eyes were full of tenderness, which clearly showed that he had someone he liked.
But he can't ask directly, because it's a matter of death and the artist's privacy needs to be protected. So how can he cleverly steer the conversation away from this topic?
"It seems our Zhiyi wants to be in a relationship? Do the fans here agree?"
The fans chanted in unison, "We disagree!" Another shout was heard, "Chen Zhiyi belongs to all of us!"
Chen Zhiyi met He Rihuo's gaze, and with a slight nod, he knew why He Rihuo had asked the question. He was reminding himself not to say anything inappropriate in public.
Looking at Lin Ting, she shook her head slightly, and one could imagine her brows furrowed at that moment.
My heart skipped a beat; it was a bit abrupt.
In the entertainment industry, where everything is subject to scrutiny and people are quick to judge, even the slightest disturbance can be traced back to uncover juicy details and cause a huge uproar.
Chen Zhiyi blinked, the tenderness in his eyes fading, and he put on a nonchalant attitude.
"Don't worry, I'm still focusing on my career right now. I haven't won all the Best Actor awards yet."
That's so sour and arrogant, cleverly avoiding the topic.
The last segment usually involves interactive games between guests and fans. This time, the classic "hug" game was played. Apart from Mr. He Rihuo, who needed to control the situation, the other four hosts and three guests had to select a fan from the audience to come up and play together.
Everyone else chose to pick up audience members who raised their hands high, seemed enthusiastic, and appeared cheerful and outgoing, but Chen Zhiyi had a clear goal and went straight to Lin Ting.
Despite Lin Ting's repeated winks and gestures indicating "don't come any closer" as she approached, Chen Zhiyi still reached out his hand to her.
Lin Ting paused, then glared fiercely at Chen Zhiyi.
But for Chen Zhiyi, it wasn't intimidating at all. It was like getting up at night to get a drink of water and accidentally stepping on the tail of a cat that was stealing food. The only thing it could do in response was to turn around and stare at you with its round, bright eyes.
She didn't seem angry at all; instead, she looked adorably innocent.
“This female audience member happens to be wearing black-rimmed glasses today, which is quite a coincidence, so I’d like to invite her on stage,” Chen Zhiyi said generously.
The people around them started to jeer.
Helpless, she had no choice but to place her hand in Chen Zhiyi's palm and follow him onto the stage.
When Lin Ting placed her hand on his palm, she scratched it hard a few times to vent her anger. Chen Zhiyi smiled, but his hand was clenched tightly.
The studio was quite warm, and Lin Ting took off her down jacket not long after the recording started. She was still dressed in all black underneath, but her black tight-fitting sweater and slim-fitting jeans perfectly showcased her shapely figure. Moreover, her elegant and upright posture made her stand out with a remarkable presence.
Of course, this is on the premise that your face is covered.
Even Professor He Rihuo couldn't help but ask, "Aren't you stuffy wearing a hat and mask all the time?"
Lin Ting pinched her throat, deliberately making a sound different from her usual voice, "It's muffled. It's just that I get nervous easily when there are too many people, so I need to hide it a bit; it makes me feel safer."
He Rihuo patted Lin Ting on the shoulder, his tone gentle, "Don't be nervous, Chen Zhiyi is standing right next to you. Let's have some fun together, okay?"
Warm-hearted people speak with a caring warmth in their words. Lin Tingxiang, no wonder he is the man I have admired since I was a child.
"good!"
Once the game started, no matter where Lin Ting stood, or how many people she was hugging, Chen Zhiyi always managed to hug her immediately. Like two magnets, no matter how far apart they were, as long as they could see each other, they would overcome all obstacles and be drawn together.
This was the first time the two had embraced so boldly in front of everyone and the cameras. Their hearts raced, their breathing quickened, and their bodies trembled slightly. With each embrace, their adrenaline surged, their heart rate soared, and all their senses were amplified—excitement, taboo, and pleasure.
This intense pleasure lasted until the early hours of the morning.
After a wild and passionate encounter, Lin Ting leaned against Chen Zhiyi, exhausted and panting, her voice hoarse and unable to speak.
Sure enough, once you do it once, you'll do it again and again. For Chen Zhiyi, who was just starting out and was full of youthful vigor, doing this was like an addiction. He would do it over and over again until he was completely exhausted.
Chen Zhiyi took a bottle of mineral water from the bedside table, opened it, and gave it to Lin Ting.
Lin Ting took a few big gulps of water, cleared her mind for a moment, and then her thoughts returned. After a moment of silence, she said softly, "If we date behind our fans' backs, wouldn't that be considered a failure as idols? When we were recording the show today, it was just a hypothetical scenario of you dating, and the fans reacted very strongly. If we are actually caught on camera one day, will it all be over?"
"So, you're saying people in the entertainment industry can't get married and have children normally?"
That's not what I meant.
Chen Zhiyi glanced at the person in his arms, put away the languid look on his face after the joy, and seriously discussed the topic with her.
"First of all, I am an actor, not an idol. I have my own life, and I have always regarded acting as a job, not as a supreme glory. I am just an ordinary working person, just like everyone else. It's just that my job requires me to be frequently in the public eye, so I have never thought about getting anything out of my fans through my identity as an actor. I don't accept any gifts other than letters from fans, nor do I allow them to pick me up at the airport or spend money to organize fan clubs to support me. I believe the best way to support me is to carefully watch each of my works and give me feedback after watching them, whether it's good or bad. The connection between me and my fans is supported by my work, not by those vague and ambiguous fantasies. I am not afraid of the filter being shattered, and I don't care about creating any boyfriend or single persona. I am who I am, and what they see is the real me."
"But the notion of idols failing to live up to their potential does exist. There are many idols who are trained through fan donations and financial support, gradually reaching the top. They gain material support from their fans, while fans project their unfulfilled dreams onto their idols, hoping to find redemption and a leap forward through them. They have a mutually dependent relationship. If an idol collapses, it means that the filters and dreams that fans have placed on them will all shatter. So fans can't accept it, feeling that all the money and energy they've invested has been wasted. Idols live for the fantasies of their fans, but I live for myself."
"So don't feel guilty. I have never received a single material gift from my fans. I put my all into every role I play. My work is my confidence. I can be real and comfortable with my fans without wearing any mask."
"You seem to know quite a lot?" Lin Ting asked.
"After all, I've been in this industry for several years now, and I've seen both the good and the bad. That's how it is in every industry; no one can only have the good side. Often, the more good you want, the more of the dark side you'll come into contact with. If I don't want to go along with the crowd, I can only keep to myself. I won't fight for things that don't belong to me. If it's mine, I'll take it; if it's not mine, I won't take it even if it's forced upon me. If I do things with a clear conscience, I won't give others a chance to gossip."
"If this had happened five years ago, I wouldn't have believed you could say such a thing?"
Chen Zhiyi rubbed his chin against Lin Ting's forehead. "Once my contract with Sister Fei expires and I start my own business, I plan to announce our relationship. Right now, I'm a little hesitant because I don't want to harm Sister Fei's interests, but believe me, I won't allow any other messy rumors to exist."
Lin Ting buried her face in Chen Zhiyi's chest, "But when I heard them call Chen Zhiyi 'everyone's,' it made me feel a little sad."
Chen Zhiyi smiled and said, "So someone's jealous?"
"Hmm, is that not allowed?" Lin Ting became arrogant, taking advantage of her favor.
"Okay, then I'll add some sweetness to my sister to neutralize the sourness."
Chen Zhiyi grabbed her hand, pressed her down again, and kissed her from her lips downwards, his tongue sweeping over her body from top to bottom, finally stopping at a shameful spot.
Lin Ting never expected it to be like this. She felt her whole body trembling, itchy and tingling, her head spinning, and she was so embarrassed that she kicked her feet twice, trying to escape, but Chen Zhiyi pulled her back.
"No, don't do this." Lin Ting trembled so much that she couldn't even utter a sound.
Chen Zhiyi pushed away Lin Ting's hand that was blocking her view. "I know you're tired, sister. You don't need to exert yourself anymore, just enjoy yourself."
The siblings played games really well.
Lin Ting couldn't resist Chen Zhiyi's enthusiasm. She was melted by him and became weak and powerless. In the end, she simply arched her back and let him savor her.
Lin Ting felt a tingling, swelling sensation under his tongue, like a small boat tossed about in the waves, not knowing where it would end up.
Later, Lin Ting only remembered his short, jet-black hair.
The constant whimpering sounds were really too much for Chen Zhiyi to bear.
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