Dating My Drama Queen Girlfriend On A Slow-Paced Variety Show - Chapter 2

Li Yue’s debut path was set as a powerhouse vocalist. Her company’s requirements regarding her love life weren’t strict, as long as the partner was an adult, a normal person, a normal person, a normal person, and a law-abiding normal person, it was fine. As for gender… in this day and age, what did gender even matter?

“By the way, Sister Yu, my girlfriend is in the industry. She’s an actress,” Li Yue said, standing outside the car and looking down to deliver a heavy blow to Yu Bilan.

In the industry. An actress.

Yu Bilan felt dizzy, her vision blurring. She murmured, “Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”

“She’s been busy with an overseas schedule lately,” Li Yue explained. “She said I could tell you who she is, but she hopes you can keep it a secret.”

She definitely had to keep it a secret.

An overseas schedule? That sounds like someone high-profile! Yu Bilan’s head spun even more. She rubbed her forehead, inhaling and exhaling deeply, constantly telling herself: It’s fine, it’s fine. You’re good-looking, you sing well, you’re a star of tomorrow. Having a big-shot actress as a girlfriend is no big deal, no big deal at all… You go on inside, I need to calm down.

Yu Bilan habitually pulled a cigarette from her pocket.

Li Yue politely said, “Goodbye.”

She walked into the residential complex as night fell. Someone’s dog upstairs barked twice, and the motion sensor lights in the stairwell flickered on.

Standing on the third floor, Li Yue pulled out her keys. As she turned the lock, she paused, realizing she had forgotten to tell Yu Bilan exactly who her girlfriend was.

Next time.

In the car, Yu Bilan rubbed her forehead, thinking melancholically: Xiao Yue said she’s been with her girlfriend for a long time and the relationship is stable. I haven’t heard of anyone in the industry having a rumored girlfriend lately. It seems the other party is quite capable and has protected the relationship well. Fine, we’ll talk details another day. It would be best to meet her manager to discuss the relationship from both sides’ perspectives and see their attitude.

She had finally found such a promising talent in Li Yue, she couldn’t let her be played by someone else! In the vanity fair of the entertainment industry, true sincerity was far too rare.

Yu Bilan gloomily stubbed out her cigarette, rolled up the window, and began the melancholy drive back.

“Argh! It’s going to take two hours to get back! F**k!!”

The “other day” hadn’t been settled yet, as Li Yue’s schedule became packed immediately after signing. After recording the theme song for Late Countryside, she was whisked away to record a music program for Mingyue TV.

Mingyue TV was one of China’s top mainstream media outlets. The program Li Yue was joining was their heavy-hitter for the year, everyone from the director to the guests were heavyweights. Huaguan’s music department had pulled out all the stops to ensure Li Yue could debut through this show, clearly intent on pouring resources into this expensive, high-quality talent they had signed!

Getting her resume to the production team was the company’s job, but Li Yue’s immediate acceptance after the audition was due to her own strength. The director didn’t even tell her to “go home and wait for news” they signed the contract on the spot.

Back at the company, Yu Bilan sat on the lounge sofa, a cigarette dangling from her mouth. She held the contract up to the light, admiring it with a sigh of admiration.

“Am I looking at a contract? No! I am looking at the future of Huaguan Music! The hope of Huaguan Music! This is a brand-new starting point! Today is a milestone for Huaguan a beautiful future awaits us!”

People brewing coffee nearby whispered to each other, hesitant: “The artists from the music department were already zoning out and wandering the halls the other day. Has Sister Yu gone crazy today too?”

“I told you to stay away from the music department people! It’s contagious!”

Yu Bilan talked to herself amidst the clouds of smoke, looking mentally unstable, occasionally kissing the contract and pointing at herself: “My eye for talent is still the best!”

The crowd in the lounge began to disperse, fearing they would catch her “madness.” Just then, a woman with braided pigtails came over to make coffee. Seeing Yu Bilan, her eyes widened in accusation: “Why are you making us breathe second-hand smoke! But you never smoke in front of Teacher Li! Is this preferential treatment? Do you look down on us!”

Yu Bilan crossed her legs and gave a cold smirk: “Yes.”

The braided woman was briefly stunned by the audacity, let out a “wail,” and ran away covering her face.

Three seconds later, she ran back covering her face, she had left too early, the coffee wasn’t done.

“Why didn’t Teacher Li come back with you?” the braided woman asked tearfully.

“Oh, she has things to do, she…” Yu Bilan’s mouth suddenly snapped shut, her lips twitching.

After signing the contract, “Teacher Li” said she needed to go buy groceries and cook because her girlfriend was back from abroad. As her manager, Yu Bilan had driven Li Yue… to the wet market near the old apartment complex where Li Yue lived before moving, because only there could she find genuine free range chicken.

Supposedly, Li Yue’s girlfriend only ate the free range chicken from that specific stall.

Although she didn’t know the difference between this chicken and any other, she had driven for two hours!

Two hours!!

When they set out, Li Yue had gently said there was no need to drive her, she could just take the bus. Recently, Nanhai City had a public welfare promotion on two bus lines rides after 5:00 PM were free.

The “Future Hope of Huaguan Music” had seriously said: “The last bus is at 10:00 PM. There’s plenty of time for a round trip.”

Yu Bilan: “…”

Li Yue, the rising star! The future of the department! Not only did she spend two hours on a bus after work to cook, but she also wanted to save two measly yuan on bus fare!

How could such a frugal artist exist in this world?

And her!

The manager of this future star! The woman who was supposed to put Li Yue on a pedestal! After driving for two hours, she found herself struggling to carry a chicken and a fish through a crowd of grandmas and grandpas fighting over discounted vegetables.

Night had fallen, and the bundles of vegetables on the stalls were ridiculously cheap. Drenched in sweat, Yu Bilan asked Li Yue who had now left a deep impression of being “diligent and thrifty.” “Aren’t you buying vegetables?”

“No,” Li Yue said.

The market was messy but held a cozy, lived-in atmosphere. The overhead wires looked like musical staves to the untrained eye. Under the dim yellow lights, locals shouted in dialect, but it didn’t affect Li Yue in the least.

She was as clean as spring water melted from snow; just looking at her inspired a sense of longing and self-reflection. She was like a white cloud that should float in the sky, not weave through narrow alleys.

The “cloud” glanced briefly at the wilted leaves on the stall and shook her head: “Not fresh anymore.”

The auntie behind the stall, wearing an apron, skillfully bagged a cabbage for a customer. When she handed it over, her eyes “snapped” toward them, startling Yu Bilan.

A fight? You can’t even say the vegetables aren’t fresh! Oh god, I have no experience arguing with aunties. What if someone records this and puts it online? Li Yue hasn’t even gotten famous for her singing yet; is she going to hit the social news first?

God! This is so embarrassing!

Yu Bilan’s mind raced, already brainstorming a PR response. To her surprise, the auntie opened her mouth and asked: “Your partner is back?”

She was talking to Li Yue.

Li Yue: “Mm.”

“She, normally she just makes whatever for herself to get by, but if her partner comes back… Tsk!” The auntie put her hands on her hips and pointed at Li Yue, telling Yu Bilan: “Just you watch. She’ll be here before dawn to buy food, lugging back big fish and meat! She really knows how to treasure someone!”

“Found someone quite precious, haven’t you?”

Li Yue asked for a piece of golden ginger, replying in the same dialect: “What do you mean ‘treasure’? She’s seen things better than the stars, I don’t have anything grand to offer.”

“I’m an elder, I understand! What girl nowadays serves their partner like this the moment they get back! My daughter yells every day about ‘not having a romantic brain,’ but I see you’re the definition of a romantic brain.” The auntie bagged Li Yue’s ginger and tossed a handful of green onions inside. She threw the plastic bag over with a look of mock disdain.

Her tone matched: “Don’t be so eager to please! How long have you lived here? Two years! I’ve never once seen your partner come here with you. Be better to yourself!”

Yu Bilan took a sharp breath, looking at Li Yue, who was smiling despite the lecture. The profile of “Teacher Li,” as beautiful as a poem, softened as she said gently: “She is very good.”

“Just thinking of her being by my side makes me very happy.”

“…”

Yu Bilan snapped out of her memory and saw the braided woman’s face leaning in close. Startled, she pushed her away.

“What are you doing!!”

Stay back!!

“I was checking to see if you were dead, boohoo.” The braided woman wiped her eyes, holding her cup. “Has Teacher Li’s recorded song been sent over? No accidents, right? How was the reaction?”

Yu Bilan paused, then said: “What could go wrong! They’re beyond satisfied! The director personally came to add my WeChat. You know the director of Late Countryside, right? Very impressive! There were rumors she was going to do a mus…”

She stopped abruptly. Seeing the braided woman’s wide eyes, Yu Bilan pursed her lips and impatiently waved her off. “Anyway, it’s great! Get back to writing your songs! And everyone else, move it! If I see you playing dead again, you can all go eat trash in the dumpster!!”

So mean, so mean!

The braided woman covered her face and ran away again, wailing.

Yu Bilan watched her retreating figure, tilted her head with a helpless smile, and picked up the contract. Her expression gradually turned serious.

Once Li Yue became famous and Huaguan Music rose up, everyone would have more opportunities than they did now.

So…when would Li Yue become famous?

Yu Bilan gripped her phone.

In a high-rise apartment five kilometers away from Huaguan, Li Yue hadn’t even taken off her apron. Hearing her phone ring in the living room, she hurried to turn off the stove. The moment she pressed the call button, a dejected voice came through.

“Babe!!”

The woman’s voice through the speaker was soft and delicate, like honey squeezed from a flower, instantly entangling the listener. It was so sweet it could make one lose control.

Li Yue paused, her voice turning tender: “What’s wrong?”

“I’m so mad! I wanted to sneak out to see you, but I got caught by that horrible woman before I even made it out the door! Argh, how hateful!”

The venting voice was accompanied by the sound of fists thumping a bed.

“Come save me! I want to eat! I’m starving! That woman won’t give me food!!” The girl’s voice rose in protest. “Do you know what kind of life I’ve been living lately? Salad and steak! Steak and salad! Grass is for cows, and cows are for people! Cows can eat grass every day, but people can’t eat cow every day!”

“Help!!”

Li Yue rubbed her ear, then rested her hand on her waist. “Shall I bring you food?”

“Wait! Real…”

The excited voice was interrupted by a second person.

“No.”

The second voice was calm and strict: “She returned this morning. I originally wanted to let you two meet today, but there’s a change in the variety show schedule, she has to fly out tonight. She’s going to be very busy. The drama starts filming in mid-April for three months, and the variety show records from April to September. Which means…”

“That we won’t be able to meet from April to July at the earliest,” Li Yue said.

The person on the phone sighed. Amidst screams of protest from the background, they said: “Correct.”

“But we haven’t seen each other for three months already! Since New Year’s! You promised to give me a break after New Year’s!” The sweet voice flared up in anger. “Another three months, then another three months! Do you know how I’ve spent these last three months? Time zones and distance! How am I supposed to kiss and hug my babe through a screen? Are you the Queen Mother of the West?”

“Anyway, that’s how it is. Teacher Li, I’m sorry. We’re heading to the airport now. You two can talk on WeChat,” the woman said, suddenly lowering her voice and speaking quickly. “Please comfort her. She has many good opportunities right now and can’t afford to slip up. You’ll have to endure it for a bit.”

“Okay.”

The call ended. Soon after, WeChat started chiming. A contact with a heart and a panting dog avatar began spamming crying emojis, accusing the manager of being utterly shameless and the ultimate liar.

On the screen, it was a sea of exclamation marks.

From the slightly ajar kitchen door, the aroma of food drifted out.

In the quiet room, Li Yue looked at the lively screen, lowered her eyes, and slowly tightened her grip on the phone.