Dating My Drama Queen Girlfriend On A Slow-Paced Variety Show - Chapter 46

[Stunned! Shocked! Li Yue and Luo Mingzi are shooting a dual cover?!]

[A “Lychee Candy” fan, who felt their heart melting from the cold chill in the heat of July, suddenly struggled to stand up and questioned in disbelief: Is this for real?]

[It’s real! Look at the update Luo Mingzi posted, and Li Yue’s account even forwarded it!]

Li Yue_Audrey, Li Yue’s officially designated social media handle, had recently forwarded a post from MZ’s official account praising her. In a very official tone, she expressed her gratitude and looked forward to a pleasant collaboration.

A veteran fan of Li Yue pointed out that this response was extremely formal, likely posted by the management team. “Look, the device tag is different from the phone Li Yue usually uses!”

Less than five minutes later, the account Li Yue_Audrey sporting a profile picture of someone taken under a bridge, strolled over to Luo Mingzi’s post. She gave it a like, replied with a small pink heart, and then vanished, presumably logging off.

This interaction confirmed the news of the first-ever dual cover for MZ. Fans of both stars were ecstatic, and those who shipped the two together were over the moon.

As an ultra A-list star, Luo Mingzi’s fans were typically wary of anyone trying to use her fame for promotion. Experience showed that since her rise to stardom, most people trying to get close to her had ulterior motives, the most recent headache being the incident with Zhong Jiaquan.

However, in the recent show, fans saw a completely different Luo Mingzi. Unlike previous “friends” in the industry, Luo was incredibly proactive with Li Yue. Her face was full of smiles, her eyes sparkled, and she seemed inseparable from Li Yue, wanting to be together every second. It was Luo Mingzi who took the initiative to reveal they had known each other since university and that she often went to Li Yue’s house to “mooch” meals.

This was a genuine friendship. Seeing Luo’s attitude toward Li Yue compared to her past “industry friends,” the fans immediately embraced Li Yue. Though… some of Luo’s fans were starting to feel a bit nervous.

After all, they were… perhaps too close.

The internet was filled with celebration. The names of the two stars along with “MZ” trended consecutively. The positive publicity brought a win-win situation that satisfied both companies.

While fans eagerly awaited the cover, the Mingyue Video App released a special trailer after its long-form video update. Unlike the usual practice of placing trailers at the end of an episode, this was a formal standalone announcement titled: “You Yang Absent Due to Injury; ‘Evening Countryside’ Welcomes a New Permanent Guest.”

In the trailer, You Yang personally recorded a video explaining his accidental injury and asking fans to continue supporting the show until his return.

This caused a massive stir. You Yang’s company had recently been embroiled in rumors of high-level management shifts and internal turmoil. Concerned fans and curious onlookers swarmed the comments, but eventually, everyone’s focus landed on the identity of the new permanent guest.

To maintain the surprise, the identity remained hidden, set to be revealed in the seventh episode.

The first season of Evening Countryside consisted of twelve episodes, six of which had already aired. The show’s momentum was peaking, especially after the fifth episode featuring Li Yue broke historical viewership records for Mingyue Station. With talks of a second season already underway, the sudden addition of a new guest made many loyal fans skeptical.

“Please don’t let it be someone with a ‘backstage’ connection looking to boost their profile! I’d rather have three guests until You Yang returns!”

“Exactly! We finally got the chemistry right, and now a stranger is joining? It feels weird.”

“Office worker trauma: working hard on a project only for a ‘parachuter’ to swoop in and take the credit!”

“The current cast is finally warming up. If a stranger joins, will it take another six episodes to get comfortable? Sigh.”

The debate continued, but some fans noted that with You Yang gone, the show lacked a laborer. Among the young cast, only Luo Mingzi remained, and she was…

“Soft, squishy, useless, a total klutz.”

“Who allowed you to talk about our mascot like that! She’s the barometer of ratings and the queen of trending topics! Do you know how many viral moments Luo Shen has contributed?”

“Fans, don’t get mad. We’re just being realistic. Luo Mingzi isn’t exactly built for farm work.”

Amidst the chaos, some fans dared to hope:

“Honestly, rather than anyone else, I wish Li Yue would become a permanent guest!”

“You said what I was too afraid to say… but with all the news about them lately, if she joined permanently, I can’t imagine what the headlines would look like…”

“What would they say? ‘Ultra-Famous Same-Sex Artists Caught Cohabitating After Public Relationship Reveal’?”

“Hahaha! Friend, apply for a job at ADU Entertainment tomorrow!”

While the internet buzzed, Min Xueren started a live stream. She looked tired but smiled at the camera. Her fans immediately flooded her with comfort.

“I am a bit tired, but happy,” Min Xueren said. “You know why!”

Fans cheered for the success of her show Unstained Moon. Min Xueren watched the colorful comments, a smirk playing on her lips. She turned the camera toward the window, showing the bustling city traffic.

“I’m actually on my way to the airport for my next gig. I just suddenly thought of you all and wanted to chat.”

She turned the camera back to her perfectly made-up face. Scanning the comments, she read one aloud: “‘Is Xueren being mistreated?’… Well, it’s not exactly mistreatment. How should I put it?”

She paused, looking out the window, leaving her profile to the camera as she “muttered” to herself: “I just feel the world isn’t what I thought it was. Reality and truth are often just what people want you to see.”

“The people or things, you look up to… when you actually get close, you realize they aren’t that beautiful. Instead, they might hurt you…”

Her eyelashes fluttered. She suddenly turned back, gave a worried look toward the front of the car, and stopped herself. She laughed it off: “It’s nothing big! Just some recent thoughts. Don’t take it seriously!”

She then pivoted to her upcoming drama. “Anyway, Unstained Moon is about to air. I hope you’ll all watch it with me, okay?”

The fans were supportive, but some began speculating about her “mistreatment” comments. Eventually, the topic shifted:

“Xueren, have you seen the news? You posted about watching ‘Evening Countryside’ before. They’re getting a new permanent guest!”

“Wait, Xueren doesn’t usually post about variety shows. Could it be…”

Min Xueren’s heart skipped a beat. She was ready to lead them on, but the fans beat her to it: “Could the new guest be you?!”

Min Xueren’s expression stiffened. Hearing her manager clear their throat nearby, she gave a dry laugh. “No, it’s not me. You’re overthinking it. I haven’t been debuted long. I don’t have the seniority to be a permanent guest there.”

She then added with a mysterious smile, “But I can’t say anything more.”

The fans went wild, convinced she was at least a guest. They began comparing her to Luo Mingzi, fueling the hype.

At the filming site of “Inspiration Explosion” Episode 2:

The intern director from the first episode was frantically following Liu Xinran. Liu asked about the intern’s mentor at Huaguan. Upon hearing the name, Liu nodded. “It seems Huaguan takes this seriously. Director Mu is very capable.”

The intern director’s lips trembled as she watched a group of “musicians” (who looked more like monkeys) chasing each other with fruit on the beach. “Director Liu… please, take care of yourself!”

Liu waved it off. “I saw the first episode. I get it. I’ve dealt with difficult artists. I’ll teach you everything I know!”

The intern director’s tears flowed faster. Director Liu, you’re a good person! But the first episode… you didn’t see the stuff we had to cut! These aren’t people, they’re wolves in monkey skin!

Liu looked out at the Huaguan musicians, feeling like she was staring at the future of music variety shows.

Meanwhile, Li Yue, the “biggest wave” in that sea, was on the phone. “Fighting? No, we’re just discussing lyrics… Crossing the sea? No, we’d get eaten by sharks.”

She glanced back at Yu Bilan, who was currently grabbing Mahua Bian by the collar. Around them, others were sprawled out on the sand like corpses.

“Screaming?” Li Yue’s voice remained calm and gentle. “Oh, we’re about to record. Someone is just warming up their voice. Director Liu told us to keep the style of the first episode. I think she wants us to just be ourselves.”

She smiled into the phone. “We will. We’ll show everyone the true self and the persistence of Huaguan musicians.”