Chapter 104: Ignorance
Li Chuyue and Han Tai sat silently on the outermost sides of the dining table, looking at the four guests including Shen Xingzhi who were chatting and laughing during the recording. They also had some smiles on their faces to suit the occasion.
It was hard for the two of them not to notice that the recording camera was mainly placed on the side of them, and only half of their side faces could be recorded in the camera. Perhaps in order to achieve effective harmony in the shot, the editing would directly zoom in on their figures passing by.
But in such important occasions, even if they are just background members, they must keep smiling.
Li Chuyue listened to everyone teasing Ren Limeng affectionately, pursing her lips awkwardly, her eyes wandering towards Guan He who was talking, and then she glanced around with some boredom. Suddenly, her eyes met Han Tai's in the air.
Across the distance of a dining table, they smiled silently, and their tacit gazes seemed to contain a bitter smile and helplessness that only they could understand. At least, Li Chuyue could only feel such bitter emotions from Han Tai's eyes.
Even though they were sitting at the same table, Li Chuyue still clearly felt that there seemed to be a clear dividing line between her and Shen Xingzhi and the other three.
They are the guests for the program recording that Meixiang Theater has prepared early and is waiting for them. They are the distinguished guests who are able to send two gold medal actors to accompany them to travel around the mountains and rivers during such a rare event as Huangmei Week.
Now, the four of them were teasing Ren Limeng. This harmonious scene had nothing to do with her. She was just a spectator.
Li Chuyue could easily see this point. She had also attended many grand occasions, but it seemed that only this time, the onlookers' words became a little harsh, time was so unbearable, and the hidden emotions in her heart were like undercurrents surging in the deep sea, spreading silently in her heart.
Li Chuyue's eyes unconsciously looked at Ren Limeng who was smiling gently beside her.
Even when facing top entertainment stars like Shen Xingzhi and Chen Xi, Ren Limeng did not show any fear or helplessness. She said "Just kidding" without changing her expression, with natural composure and a calm smile, as if she was born to belong to them, to the spotlight, and to the entertainment industry.
But Li Chuyue knew that this was not the case. Obviously... she and Ren Limeng were the same type of people.
They were both born in a third-tier small city like Meishi, and grew up together in ordinary families with little connection to the entertainment industry. In fact...she is now the mainstay of Meixiang TV with many national awards, while Ren Limeng is just a small-time host of the agricultural channel.
Before the show, Ren Limeng's Weibo was like a weed that had not been updated for a long time, and her number of fans was not as high as Li Chuyue, who often posted opera videos. Li Chuyue never mentioned it to others. Those nights when she secretly browsed Ren Limeng's account again and again, some of the secret past events were gone with the wind, while some were like endless torrential rain in her memory, forever shrouding her heart.
After so many years, Li Chuyue thought she had already moved on. She was an excellent actress in everyone's eyes and the recognized leading actress of Meixiang Theater. She was no longer the second place winner who worked in vain in the drama school.
But Ren Limeng's luck was too good, so good that it was hard for her to ignore it, and she couldn't help but be afraid and jealous.
"Brother Guan He, are you flattering me? Chu Yue, Brother Han Tai, please judge the situation quickly. If you keep talking, I'll lose track of last week's ranking."
Ren Limeng had a bright smile on her face, and her melodious voice was filled with a hint of coquettishness. She grasped the right level of familiarity. She did not directly respond to Guan He's invitation to be the third senior official, but changed the subject and evaded the question in the same joking manner.
As she spoke, she turned her head to look at Li Chuyue and Han Tai, who had always seemed like outsiders, and with the words "give your opinion", she cleverly and directly pulled them into the conversation at the table.
Taking care of everyone in front of the camera is a basic quality of a host. Even though the recording is not her own stage, Ren Limeng still threw the topic to Li Chuyue and Han Tai without hesitation.
It's not just that the host was subconsciously decent, more importantly, Li Chuyue and Han Tai are from Meixiang Theater.
Regardless of whether she is a native of Meishi or a "useless second generation" of the theater, she should take care of the two newcomers in front of her. Those who look at everyone talking without saying a word, except for absolute big names like Shen Xingzhi, will only become scraps of the picture.
"Li Meng, you ranked 13th last week. How about the others? Did Brother Xingzhi come in first? Brother Xingzhi, your debut performance of 'The End of an Autumn Hair' was so good! Actually... I'm so excited this time. I finally get the chance to meet you after all these years!"
Hearing Ren Limeng's question, Li Chuyue was slightly startled, and immediately quickly continued the conversation. She stood up and looked at Ren Limeng with some curiosity.
In any case, among the four guests, she... was only familiar with Ren Limeng. Even though she was reluctant to admit it, Li Chuyue could feel the kindness in Ren Limeng's eyes at the moment. As a well-seasoned member of society, she naturally would not miss this "opportunity" that came to her door.
After hearing Li Chuyue's question, Ren Limeng's smile froze for a moment, and she glanced calmly at Li Chuyue who was looking shyly at Shen Xingzhi from the side. Her ignorant eyes seemed to be full of gossip and excitement, and Ren Limeng lowered her eyes.
The program had just started the first leg of the trip, and Chen Xi could casually say her ranking in the first public performance, but she did not have the capital to directly reveal the ranking of the guests in the first public performance. According to the pre-match contract, if the unbroadcast rankings were disclosed privately, the program crew could make her lose everything if they were unhappy.
What's more, she is a host, and being rash and outspoken are both professional taboos.
"Captain is number one in my heart anyway. I'll leave the exact ranking a secret for now. You'll find out after watching the show on Wednesday or Thursday."
"Li Meng, we are good friends. This is too much. Why don't you tell me secretly? I won't tell Han Tai!"
Li Chuyue leaned forward and took Ren Limeng's arm in a somewhat coquettish manner. Their intimate appearance forced Ren Limeng to turn her attention to her.
"That won't do. Han Tai did something wrong. We can't isolate him. Chu Yue, since you like 'The End of an Autumn Hair' so much, have you asked Xing Zhi for an autograph? Why don't we shamelessly ask Xing Zhi to sign an extra copy of the lyrics for 'The End of an Autumn Hair'?"
As Ren Limeng spoke, she quickly withdrew her arm as if she was thinking about something, turned her head to the side, glanced at Chen Xingzhi, and then tried to take out a pen and paper from her backpack, as if she didn't notice that Li Chuyue's arm suddenly tightened after hearing her question.
Ren Limeng must have done it on purpose.
Li Chuyue couldn't help but think to herself that she had never been a fan since she was a child and had never been interested in these things. She didn't believe that Ren Limeng couldn't see that her fan attitude just now was just acting in front of the camera, and naturally she didn't ask for Chen Xingzhi's autograph.
Ren Limeng's question put her on edge.
The focus of the question is not the second half, but the first half.
If she was a fan, how could she not ask Shen Xingzhi for an autograph as soon as possible last night?
But if she wasn't a fan, her excitement just now would have been an over-acting, too fake.
Li Chuyue's eyes flickered, and she opened her mouth, but no sound came out. Her eyes were always on Shen Xingzhi, with some hesitation and temptation.
Everyone present should be able to see that Ren Limeng is deliberately making things difficult for her at this moment, so will Shen Xingzhi... be kind enough to help her out?
It's just a piece of cake.
Just a soft "hmm" will do. Li Chuyue looked at Chen Xingzhi, and a hint of hope unconsciously flashed in her eyes. She was hesitant to speak because she was worried about Chen Xingzhi's attitude. She was afraid that after she answered "of course", Chen Xingzhi, who was sitting in the highest seat, would express doubts on the spot. That would be too ugly to be slapped in the face.
Inside the box, the air suddenly became heavy and silent. Chen Xi and the others' gazes quietly wandered between Ren Limeng and Li Chuyue, while Shen Xingzhi looked in the direction of Ren Limeng and Li Chuyue, his eyes fixed on Ren Limeng, who was smiling.
He finally understood and saw clearly that Ren Limeng was using him to set a trap for Li Chuyue.
However, thinking about what he heard on the second-floor terrace of Meixiang last night, Shen Xingzhi could understand.
The description of Ren Limeng and Li Chuyue in front of him is very appropriate to use the phrase "appearance together but spiritless". Ren Limeng dragged him into this play like this, isn't she afraid that he will not cooperate?
Shen Xingzhi curled the corners of his lips, smiling but not saying anything.
"...Li Meng..."
Shen Xingzhi propped up his arms and leaned back slightly. His unfathomable silence seemed more like a rejection to Li Chuyue. It was as if he was just watching a show and wanted to wait and see how they would handle the matter.
In front of the camera, Li Chuyue forced a smile and called out in a low voice with some earnestness. She thought that Ren Limeng might not necessarily want to make things difficult for her. After all, they had been so good together before, and she would always... be reluctant to let go, just like before.
But Ren Limeng didn't seem to sense her embarrassment, with some confusion in her eyes, "What's wrong, Chuyue? Senior Xingzhi, you wouldn't be so polite as to not even give this to your junior, would you?"
Ren Limeng put the pen and paper on the table, tilted her head slightly to look at Li Chuyue with embarrassment in her eyes, then looked at Chen Xingzhi with a smile, and the sudden address of "senior" was deliberately shortened the distance.
It seemed like it was because he signed an extra to signature at this time, but Chen Xingzhi could hear that Ren Limeng hoped that he would continue to cooperate with her at this moment.
Just like when she suddenly looked at him before asking Li Chuyue a question, there was obviously no extra word, but he could understand the look she gave him in seconds.
Chen Xingzhi raised his eyebrows slightly and looked at Ren Limeng as if to say "Why?"
Ren Limeng just responded with a faint smile, and addressed him as "Senior Xingzhi", as if she had magic power and inexplicably controlled him.
The only thing that Shen Xingzhi was unsure about was Ren Limeng's attitude at the moment.
He didn't know whether Ren Limeng just wanted to warn Li Chuyue or to embarrass her in front of the camera.
It was as if he didn't know that she was so wantonly asking him to act with her, wasn't she afraid that he wouldn't agree?
How could she be so confident in "acting first and reporting later", certain that he would not say a word in response to Li Chuyue? Did she know... what she was relying on?
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