Dating My Drama Queen Girlfriend On A Slow-Paced Variety Show - Chapter 1

Before Yu Bilan’s car even entered the residential complex, she saw the person she was picking up standing by the roadside from a distance.

Long black hair in a high ponytail, a slim-fit white suit, holding a simple canvas bag worth two-fifty from a street stall, devoid of even a single pattern in her left hand, and her phone in her right, staring intently at the screen.

Passersby flowed back and forth, occasionally glancing at the woman standing quietly. Two young schoolgirls stopped in their tracks, covering their mouths as they stared for a long while, stomping their feet in excitement as if they couldn’t help but step forward.

Beep, beep.

Yu Bilan honked twice and opened the car door.

“Get in.”

Li Yue obediently slipped into the car.

Under the regretful gazes of the onlookers, the car slowly pulled away.

Seeing Li Yue about to put her phone away, Yu Bilan immediately said, “It’s fine, keep watching. It’s a long way to the company.”

Li Yue paused, smiled, and turned her phone back on.

Before long, the sound of a hit TV drama filled the car. Of course, “hit” was a relative term depending on the demographic because the lead actress was extremely famous, the drama itself was very well-known.

The catch was that the lead was famous because her looks and figure were the undisputed pinnacle of the entertainment industry.

Beauty has always been a scarce resource, yet someone had been uniquely favored by the Creator, the very essence of the “beauty mine,” the cream of the crop. Consequently, those who loved her flocked to her, intoxicated by her appearance, while those who hated her could find no fault with her looks, choosing instead to endlessly mock her “rotten” acting.

Indeed, this protagonist’s acting was “rotten” in a very specific way, it left people speechless. One could only say that if you wanted acting, you got beauty; if you wanted content, you got beauty.

Yu Bilan glanced at Li Yue through the rearview mirror and asked in surprise, “I didn’t expect you to like Teacher Luo?”

“Right, you mentioned during the signing that you like women,” Yu Bilan laughed, asking, “Could it be that you joined Huaguan because of Teacher Luo?”

“No.” The moment Li Yue spoke, the air in the car seemed to settle. The surrounding glitz and restlessness calmed down. Li Yue liked to look people in the eye when she spoke, she looked into the rearview mirror, meeting Yu Bilan’s eyes, and said seriously, “Because Huaguan offered the highest signing bonus.”

Yu Bilan: “…”

Well, that’s honest.

“It’s not just that our signing bonus was high, it’s that you have the talent. At Huaguan, the film department pops champagne every day while the music department drinks tap water but that was in the past! Everyone is looking forward to the surprises you’ll bring!” Yu Bilan smiled, raising a fist with determination. “I believe you have the strength!”

“Thank you.” Li Yue lowered her head humbly, returning her gaze to the screen where the protagonist was heart-wrenchingly expressing her emotions. The harder the lead cried, the more “Hahaha” appeared in the bullet comments. Li Yue apologized to Yu Bilan and pulled a pair of headphones from her canvas bag.

Yu Bilan waved her hand dismissively. “It’s fine, just watch. Don’t mind me. Besides, it’s our own Teacher Luo’s drama, hahaha.”

Teacher Luo….Luo Mingzi. Having debuted three years ago, she was already a top-tier star in China and the undisputed cash cow of Huaguan.

And she was currently shaking that money tree frantically.

Two hours later, Yu Bilan parked the car in Huaguan’s underground garage and breathed a sigh of relief. She massaged her neck and said, “Li…Xiao Yue, I’ll call you Xiao Yue from now on. The contract is signed, so we’re on the same team. How about finding some time to move out of that place of yours? I’ll have someone find a better complex near the company for you, the company will reimburse the rent.”

If she kept living out past the “15th Ring Road,” Yu Bilan might as well quit being a manager and go drive a tuk-tuk instead.

Li Yue didn’t refuse and nodded. “Okay.”

Yu Bilan smiled and led Li Yue toward the music production department.

Truthfully, she liked Li Yue very much, both her looks and her personality.

There are many beautiful people in the world, and many who think beauty alone can conquer the industry, but most beauty is generic and leaves no lasting impression.

The reason Luo Mingzi was so popular was that her beauty was too striking, too dazzling once you saw that face, you couldn’t forget it. When she was signed, people in the company said that being born looking like Luo Mingzi was a gift from the heavens, and it would be years before someone could surpass her.

Li Yue was indeed not as conventionally “stunning” as Luo Mingzi, but her temperament was such that while others might be dazzling and arrogant, she remained elegant and steady, a calm composure that stood out in a circle where beauty is a weapon.

This quality also translated into her voice.

To be a singer, it is incredibly difficult to make a living without a memorable vocal timbre.

When Yu Bilan accidentally met Li Yue in a recording studio, she was first captivated by her face and had already brainstormed countless debut plans. But the moment Li Yue opened her mouth, Yu Bilan threw all those plans into the shredder.

Heavens, Yu Bilan thought with tears in her eyes.

Huaguan’s music department is saved!

She then brandished the contract she had wrestled from the department, pushed aside countless other managers, and secured Li Yue for Huaguan.

Again: Huaguan’s music department is saved!!

Feeling like she was leading the new future of Huaguan Music, Yu Bilan swaggered into the elevator with Li Yue. Unfortunately, most departments had already clocked out. Only the “ghosts” musicians whose inspiration struck at the wrong time, were drifting around. Yu Bilan’s urge to show off was suppressed, leaving her feeling like a misunderstood genius. She crossed her arms and glared at the “ghosts” in the hallway.

Heh, useless lot! Go eat trash in the dumpster!

Li Yue, following behind, was confused. She looked at Yu Bilan’s back, stood awkwardly for two seconds, then hesitantly reached out to shake hands with a burly, bald man with full-sleeve tattoos standing nearby.

“Li Yue.”

“A-Qiang.” The bald man’s eyes darted around, not daring to land on Li Yue. His large body produced a tiny voice: “I’m in charge of the recording for Late Village. We’ll be seeing each other often. Please look after me.”

So, there were normal people here.

Li Yue relaxed and shook hands with A-Qiang. “Please look after me as well.”

The corners of her mouth curled into a polite smile. As she lowered her hand, she heard a matching sigh of relief from the tattooed, bald Brother Qiang.

Li Yue: ?

Brother “Baldy” Qiang sat down with lightning speed, his back to Li Yue as he cleared his throat. His voice suddenly boomed: “Right, you know the song Late Village is the theme song for the variety show of the same name, right? It’s a joint production between our company and Mingyue TV.”

Li Yue nodded. This was her first job after signing. While writing the song, she had spent time in the countryside for inspiration, which was why she was only just arriving at the company.

Brother Qiang continued without turning around: “I heard you wrote both the lyrics and the music. I was blown away when I heard the demo. I hope your live performance today gives me that same shock.”

People here didn’t seem to like eye contact. Li Yue felt a bit out of place, so she just stared at a poster on the wall and hummed an “Mhm.”

Qiang: “Also, one of the fixed guests for Late Village is Teacher Luo…Luo Mingzi, our company’s own Luo Mingzi. So I hope you give it your all and give the public a double dose of ‘Huaguan Shock.'”

Luo Mingzi is in “Late Village”?

Li Yue actually didn’t know this. She stopped “mhm-ing,” took her sheet music and water bottle out of her canvas bag, and walked toward the recording booth. “Let’s begin.”

Yu Bilan, having finished chasing away the “flies,” pushed the door open. Through the glass, she saw Li Yue putting on headphones.

Qiang, in his sleeveless T-shirt showing off his tattoos, muttered, “She looks very serious.”

“Who isn’t serious? Are you not serious!?” Yu Bilan slapped Qiang’s tattooed arm and crossed her arms, scolding him fiercely, “Our Yueyue is very serious about music! To sign her, I flew all over the country for three months to corner her in recording studios, and she never even cursed! She even wears a white suit when recording! If you corrupt her, I’ll kill you! I’ll hang your head from the chandelier in the Huaguan lobby on disco mode and let you shine in technicolor!”

Baldy Qiang shivered, the flaming roses on his tattoos trembling.

Sister, help! You’re the one who sounds the least ‘serious’!

Are they saying something? Li Yue lifted her headphones and looked over inquisitively.

Outside the glass, Yu Bilan and Brother Qiang smiled simultaneously and gave her a thumbs-up.

Li Yue smiled back and gave a thumbs-up too.

Brother Qiang: “Late Village official version, Take One. Begin!”

Li Yue was the songwriter and the singer, so the recording went smoothly. Her new colleagues were exceptionally cooperative. Even though the room gradually filled with people with strange hairstyles and outfits, everyone remained silent. Yu Bilan said nothing, so Li Yue simply ignored them until the session ended.

She took off the headphones, hung them up, and let out a breath of relief from finishing work. The moment she pushed the door open, she met several pairs of round, owl-like eyes.

“Ah! Ahhh…” A girl with her hair in numerous tiny braids pointed at Li Yue, making incoherent noises.

Li Yue’s eyes also turned owl-like as she stood there blankly, her entire body radiating awkwardness.

“Ahhh, ah!” The woman next to the braided girl also pointed and screamed “ah ah” randomly.

Soon, the whole group began “wa-wa-ing” and “ah-ah-ing.”

Li Yue: “…”

Is this why the signing bonus was so high?

Just as she was panic-stricken, a scream rang out. A man with dyed red hair bolted upright, hands raised high, shouting “I am trash, I eat trash!” as he ran out. However, his IQ was still intact, he remembered to push the door open.

One “I eat trash” ran out, followed by two, three, four… seven or eight “I eat trash” people running out with their hands up, leaving only a lingering chill in the recording studio.

Li Yue: “…”

She pursed her lips and looked at Yu Bilan.

Yu Bilan crossed her arms, looking at the open door, and said disdainfully, “Trash.”

“Um,” Li Yue started.

Yu Bilan snapped her head around, dropped her arms, and folded her hands over her stomach. The disdain vanished instantly, replaced by a radiant, enthusiastic smile. “Yueyue darling, what is it? Is there anything I can do for you?”

“…”

Li Yue remained wooden, clutching her water bottle. “About the contract, is there…”

Yu Bilan roared: “Don’t even think about it!!”

any room for negotiation?

NONE!!!

Li Yue was escorted home by Yu Bilan, listening to a whole lecture about how great Huaguan was, how evil other companies were, how honest and upright Huaguan’s managers were, and dark stories about how the outside world eats singers alive. She clutched her canvas bag, turning into a soulless “Mhm” machine.

As they neared the complex entrance, Yu Bilan remembered something and said quickly, “Right, now that you’re moving to the front as a singer, you’re an official artist. You must pay attention to your disguise when going out. Wear masks and hats, the outside world is very dangerous!”

She emphasized this again.

Li Yue understood this well and nodded. “Okay.”

Yu Bilan continued, “You’re definitely going to be famous. Many, many people will like you..normal people, and extreme people. These are the prices of fame. The company will protect you, but you must protect yourself too.”

As she spoke, Yu Bilan revealed her true intent, gripping the steering wheel. “Move tomorrow! I’ll send people to help you. I’ll find you a place tonight, a great house with guaranteed privacy and safety! More importantly, it’s close to the company, making it easier to record!”

Li Yue felt the last sentence was the real point. She smiled and agreed.

Yu Bilan felt relieved. The more she looked at Li Yue, the more satisfied she was. She glanced disdainfully at the dilapidated complex, wishing she could pack her up and take her away immediately. She shook her head. “How can you live in a place like this? It’s practically outside the city!”

Li Yue was as honest as ever: “It’s cheap here.”

Yu Bilan went quiet. “How cheap?”

“Three bedrooms and a living room, fifteen hundred a month.”

Li Yue’s words turned Yu Bilan into an owl. She pointed at the dark, old, ivy-covered gray building. “Three bedrooms… in Nanhai City… for fifteen hundred?”

Renting a three bedroom in Nanhai City usually cost at least fifteen thousand!

“Hiss…is it a haunted house?” Yu Bilan felt a chill.

Li Yue glanced at the display next to the steering wheel and said, “The AC temperature is too low.”

So that’s why.

Yu Bilan breathed a sigh of relief, adjusting the temperature while saying, “I was just talking nonsense, don’t listen to me. Living far out has its perks, but you living alone in a three…oh, you have a girlfriend!”

She paused, looking hesitantly at Li Yue. “Speaking of which, I haven’t seen your girlfriend once in these past few months. Are you two still together?”

Li Yue blinked. At the mention of her girlfriend, her smile suddenly turned tender.

“Yes, we’re still together.”