Everyone I Flirted With Says They Won’t Let Me Go (Quick Transmigration) - Chapter 18

Standing at the entrance of the dressing room, Xia Chengxi felt a wave of nervousness.

The thought that the person behind the door was the renowned film emperor made his hands tremble.

“Why aren’t you going in?”

A voice came from behind, deep and devoid of any fluctuation.

Xia Chengxi turned around, tilting his head slightly to look up at the impeccably handsome man who seemed to stand above everyone else. He nodded and bowed slightly, showing humility and respect without overstepping boundaries.

“Mr. Shu… This is your dressing room. I shouldn’t disturb you.”

Shu Wenjin wasn’t a petty person. Although Mango TV had prepared a private dressing room for him while recording the show, he saw no reason to make a celebrity squeeze into a shared dressing room with the staff.

“Come in.”

Pushing the door open, Xia Chengxi bit his lip, hesitated for a moment, then followed him inside.

[Little Green Hat, how was my acting just now?]

[Not bad! Looking forward to the acting showdown between you and Film Emperor Shu!]

[I’m looking forward to it too, hehehe.]

Mango TV was known for its hit shows and popularity, but it was notoriously stingy, with only two backstage dressing rooms available. One was shared by several big-name celebrities, and the other was reserved exclusively for Shu Wenjin.

Normally, a few celebrities of similar status wouldn’t mind sharing a dressing room, but with Film Emperor Shu Wenjin present, how could an unknown, low-tier celebrity possibly share the same space?

Inside the dressing room, Shu Wenjin’s makeup artists were already waiting. As he approached, the three artists efficiently began their tasks, each skilled in their respective roles.

Film Emperor Shu rarely participated in variety shows, but with the recent downturn in the film industry, even his stellar reputation couldn’t shield him from an unprecedented box office crisis. As a last resort, his entertainment company arranged for the main cast of his latest movie to appear on a variety show to attract younger fans and boost ticket sales.

Xia Chengxi, who had recently starred in an idol drama airing on Mango TV’s primetime slot at 8 p.m., was brought along to fill a spot and lighten the atmosphere essentially serving as a supporting role.

He had already reviewed the script for the variety show: ten minutes on stage, two hours in the background.

Even though it was just a brief ten minutes, the chance to bask in Film Emperor Shu’s spotlight was an immense honor. An opportunity that was hard to come by.

Xia Chengxi sat quietly, playing on his phone. Young and attractive, he had flawless skin, rosy lips, pearly white teeth, a high nose bridge, long thick eyelashes, and perfectly groomed eyebrows. Though he was merely an idol drama actor, he still boasted millions of fans on Weibo who adored his looks.

With no standout works to his name, his fans had little else to do but ship him with various celebrities, landing him on trending searches daily.

Strangely enough, Xia Chengxi’s face seemed compatible with anyone in the entertainment industry—male or female—there was no one he couldn’t be paired with.

On Weibo, news of his appearance on the show with Film Emperor Shu had already been announced by the program’s official account. Fans were going wild in his comments, declaring the “Shu-Xia pairing” a perfect match.

Xia Chengxi touched his face, indulging in the daily life of a face-appreciating fan.

Stealing another glance at Shu Wenjin, he saw him intently reading a pre-written script. The makeup artists around him seemed accustomed to the film emperor’s routine, working efficiently and carefully to avoid disturbing him as he reviewed his lines.

No wonder he’s an award-winning actor, even taking an entertainment show this seriously.

Shu Wenjin’s gaze flickered slightly, just catching Xia Chengxi peeking at him. Xia Chengxi’s heart raced, and he quickly lowered his head to look at his phone.

Caught staring—how embarrassing!

But the actor’s face is truly handsome—the epitome of restrained allure. Compared to his own delicate features, it’s on another level! A towering height of 1.9 meters, solid muscles—truly the god among gods among male idols!

If I were a woman, I’d pick him too. He’s just that incredibly handsome!

A knock sounded, and the dressing room door was pushed open. Someone walked in with a smile and said, “Mr. Shu, hello. The director sent me to inform you that the show will start in twenty minutes.”

Shu Wenjin nodded. “Alright, I understand.”

Shu Wenjin stood up and noticed Xia Chengxi still engrossed in scrolling through Weibo. Curiosity got the better of him, and he leaned over just in time to see a post Xia Chengxi had just pulled up.

“Ahhh! My Xia is going to share the stage with Actor Shu! The domineering Shu and the delicate Xia are such a perfect match! Long live the Shu-Xia CP! I’m stanning Shu-Xia, stanning Shu-Xia! A hundred years of unwavering devotion to Shu-Xia, wooo!!!”

Xia Chengxi looked up, and their eyes met.

Xia Chengxi: …

Shu Wenjin: Expressionless.

Xia Chengxi quickly put away his phone, stood up, wiped the smile off his face, and tried to make himself as inconspicuous as possible.

Shu Wenjin said nothing and simply walked away.

Xia Chengxi breathed a sigh of relief.

This entertainment show by Mango TV was a hit nationwide. The moment Actor Shu stepped on stage, the audience erupted. After a brief introduction of his films, the games began.

As professional actors with little experience in variety shows, their sense of entertainment was lacking. Even with a script, the coordination felt awkward.

Sitting in the audience, Xia Chengxi felt secondhand embarrassment to the extreme.

Helpless, the director called cut and pointed at Xia Chengxi, saying, “You, go lighten the mood.”

Being low in status, Xia Chengxi had no choice but to brace himself and step up. The moment he took the stage, the effect was phenomenal. The director slapped his thigh in approval and decided, “It’s him.”

So, Xia Chengxi, originally scheduled for ten minutes, ended up staying on stage for a full two hours. Without a script, he had to improvise, using every trick in the book and exhausting all his wits. He smiled until his face stiffened, nerves on edge, constantly ready to jump in, terrified that the actor big shots might suddenly fall silent and bring the entire show to a standstill.

By the end, Xia Chengxi’s back was drenched in sweat.

Phew—

The director patted his shoulder. “Not bad, Xia.”

Xia Chengxi smiled humbly. “Just doing my job.”

When he looked up again, Actor Shu and his entourage had long since disappeared without a trace.

Xia Chengxi felt a pang of displeasure. After working his butt off for two hours and saving them from embarrassment, was it too much to ask for a simple “Good job, young man, you’ve got potential” or something?

Standing at the entrance of Mango TV, his sharp eyes caught sight of Shu Wenjin about to get into a car in the distance. He sighed. The actor was just too cool—coming and going as he pleased, not even sparing a glance for others.

His phone rang in his pocket, and the name “Manager” flashed on the screen.

Xia Chengxi turned away to answer the call. “Hey, Brother Chen, what’s up?”

Chen Yue was his manager, who valued Xia Chengxi for his looks and treated him fairly, always offering him lead or supporting roles in idol dramas first.

“Xia, is the show done recording?”

“Just finished.”

“I’ll send someone to pick you up. There’s a gathering tonight. Go mingle a bit.”

Although he knew that social drinking was common in this industry, Xia Chengxi had always been kept out of it by Chen Yue.

Nowadays, fans of pretty faces are everywhere. Idol dramas make money easily. Good looks are enough to win people over. Once they fall for someone, they become fiercely protective, ready to start fights at the slightest provocation. They’re always shouting about wanting to have their idol’s babies. When a new drama airs, fans automatically buy trending spots and flood headlines, happily putting their favorites on a pedestal.

He was Chen Yue’s prized cash cow, so why was he being pushed out today?

Xia Chengxi spoke in an extremely troubled tone, “Brother Chen, didn’t we agree earlier that I wouldn’t have to go?”

“I have no choice. They specifically asked for you, and the higher-ups in the company have already agreed. What am I supposed to do? It’s not like I can just refuse.”

To protect his innocence, Xia Chengxi gritted his teeth and said, “Brother Chen, to be honest with you, I’m with Actor Shu right now. He invited me to dinner, and I really can’t turn him down. I’ve already agreed.”

“What?” Chen Yue roared on the other end. “Shu Wenjin? Impressive! You managed to get close to Actor Shu in just ten minutes. I underestimated you.”

Xia Chengxi stayed silent.

Chen Yue seemed conflicted again.

“But the people at this dinner are ones even the higher-ups can’t afford to offend. If you don’t go, I’ll be the one facing the consequences. Do you know Gu Cheng? No one has ever dared to stand him up.”

Gu Cheng, Gu Cheng.

Why does that name sound so familiar?

[Little Green Hat, why does this Gu Cheng sound so familiar? Is he another target to conquer?]

[First, based on your performance in the last world, I won’t reveal any information about the second target until you’ve fully conquered Shu Wenjin in this world. Second, I won’t unlock your memories from the previous world until you’ve completely finished your mission here.]

[…Oh.] So, what exactly did I do in the last world to deserve this treatment?

“Hey? Xia, are you still there?”

Xia Chengxi snapped back to attention. “I’m here. How about this—I’ll bring Actor Shu to the dinner?”

“Why bring him? Are you planning a threesome?”

…Damn it! You’re the one thinking about threesomes!

“It’s just that I’m tied up right now. Brother Chen, this is my first time, and my experience is limited. How about I learn a thing or two from Actor Shu tonight and visit Big Shot Gu another day?”

Chen Yue sounded suspicious. “You’re not pulling my leg, are you? You talk a big game, but who knows if it’s true.”

“I’m just a nobody, a small-time celebrity trying to make a living under your wing. How would I dare lie to you? It really was Actor Shu who invited me, personally. If you don’t believe me, after dinner, I’ll send you a photo of us together—a full 360-degree view, clothes off and all.”

Better to talk nonsense now and stabilize the situation first.

“Brother Chen, Wenjin is calling me. Let’s leave it at that for now. I’m hanging up.”

Xia Chengxi ended the call, stuffed the phone into his pocket, and turned around, ready to head to the garage. But then his body stiffened, and he shuddered all over.

About a meter away, Shu Wenjin stood quietly, blending into the night behind him. Beside him was a young assistant, head bowed, shoulders shaking so hard it looked like Parkinson’s.

—I’m with Actor Shu right now. He invited me to dinner.
—How about I learn a thing or two from Actor Shu tonight?
—It really was Actor Shu who invited me, personally. If you don’t believe me, after dinner, I’ll send you a photo of us together—a full 360-degree view, clothes off and all.
—Wenjin…
—My Wenjin…
—Oh, my Wenjin…