Everyone in the Entertainment Industry Thinks I’m a Flirty Diva [Entertainment Circle] - Chapter 27

The mountain air was fresh, carrying the scent of grass and trees as the wind blew. The occasional chirping of cicadas and distant barks of dogs in the afternoon only accentuated the surrounding tranquility.

However, this peace was soon disrupted by the approaching roar of an engine, followed by a mechanical yet clear female voice:

“Reversing, please be cautious. Reversing, please be cautious. Reversing, please be cautious…”

At the filming location of Our Little Cottage, Chu Xi expertly maneuvered the handlebars while glancing backward, stepping on the brake to execute a perfect U-turn. The tricycle, loaded with corn and one of the show’s regular MCs, Xiao Xingning, came to a neat stop in the courtyard.

Xiao Xingning, who had been sitting in the cargo bed, was flung from the left side to the right by the abrupt halt. Dazed, he barely had time to recover before Chu Xi parked the vehicle flawlessly.

Jumping off the tricycle, Xiao Xingning hesitated before finally saying to Chu Xi, “You… drive really well.”

Chu Xi grinned. “Hehe. Thanks.”

As for the show’s camera crew and directors stationed at the farm, they were collectively speechless upon witnessing Chu Xi driving the tricycle back with Xiao Xingning in tow.

They had underestimated her.

No matter how much they had planned, they never expected a seemingly delicate actress to handle a tricycle like an F1 racer.

Especially that final reverse—precise and swift—it took real skill to pull off.

Reality shows like this usually follow a script. The production team had specifically assigned Chu Xi and the youngest MC, Xiao Xingning, to fetch corn from the fields, intending to capture scenes of them toiling under the sun. They had hoped Chu Xi would reflect on her difficult past, perhaps even share tearful stories about dropping out of school to support her family—perfect material for emotional background music in post-production.

But the director’s carefully laid plans crumbled when Chu Xi spotted an elderly man passing by on a tricycle and successfully borrowed it.

Xiao Xingning didn’t know how to drive, so Chu Xi naturally took the driver’s seat.

Then, under the stunned gazes of everyone present, she sped back with the corn in record time.

Dong Wei and another MC, Teacher Cheng, soon returned from the market after buying meat. Dong Wei was pleasantly surprised to see the yard filled with neatly arranged corn and asked Xiao Xingning, “Xiao Xing, did you bring these back?”

Xiao Xingning timidly pointed at Chu Xi, who was chopping firewood nearby. “Chu Xi drove the tricycle to bring them back.”

The two looked over to see Chu Xi raising an axe high and swinging it down onto a sizable log.

With one strike, the log split into several pieces.

Their gazes then shifted to the towering pile of firewood she had already chopped beside her.

“………………”

It was the first time since the show began that they’d seen a female guest so capable.

Dinner was, as usual, prepared by Teacher Cheng, with the others assisting. Chu Xi sat in the yard with Xiao Xingning, washing and cutting vegetables. Dong Wei and Teacher Cheng smiled at the two youngsters.

Dong Wei came to collect the washed vegetables from Chu Xi and asked with a grin, “Chu Xi, aren’t you tired after working all day?”

Chu Xi smiled. “It’s much easier than the training we did at the base during ‘Brave Heart.’ I still get scared thinking about the drill sergeant.”

Dong Wei: “You did all of Xiao Xingning’s work today. Look how happy he is. By the way, how did you learn to drive a tricycle?”

Chu Xi answered while picking string beans, “I used to deliver water—those big barrels from the water factory. I’d load them onto a tricycle and deliver them door to door.” She spoke plainly, without any hint of self-pity.

“Oh~” Xiao Xingning, listening nearby, nodded as if suddenly understanding. He was the same age as Chu Xi.

Everyone knew this must have been during the time after Chu Xi dropped out of school. Hearing her speak so calmly left them in silence.

Teacher Cheng, who was stir-frying nearby, looked up and said, “It’s alright. Things are better now.”

Hearing the word “better” from Teacher Cheng, Chu Xi lowered her head slightly, focusing on the vegetables.

Everyone still had a long future ahead—except her. She didn’t have much of a future left.

The director monitoring the screens finally caught a whiff of something unusual. Was this the moment for emotional appeal?

Cameras from multiple angles focused on Chu Xi, only to see her suddenly lift her head with a faint smile. She then picked up a bowl of prepared beans and hurried over to the pot where Teacher Cheng was stewing meat, taking deep breaths. “Mmm, it smells so good, so good!”

The directors: “………………”

As Chu Xi inhaled the aroma of the meat, she thought, no matter how much future she had left, at least she’d earned a decent sum from these two variety shows to leave for her grandmother. She had also broken up with Gu Mingjing. Now, when people mentioned her, she was no longer that White Lotus kept by a sugar daddy who couldn’t get famous—hardly anyone was cursing her online anymore.

The day she found out about her illness, she cried for an entire day. Later, she was almost able to let it go, especially after her attempt to discuss feelings with Gu Mingjing ended in failure. Chu Xi felt that even if she were to die now, she would have no regrets.

Tonight’s dinner featured a hearty dish of braised pork with green beans. Teacher Cheng had been prepared to listen to Chu Xi pour out her sorrows and offer comfort, but to his surprise, the previously downcast Chu Xi had regained her lively demeanor. Smiling and shaking his head, he noticed the pork belly in the pot was tender enough to pierce with chopsticks. He then cut the meat into smaller pieces and cooked it with the green beans Chu Xi had prepared, creating the evening’s main dish—braised pork with green beans.

As night fell, the four of them sat under the small awning in the courtyard, enjoying the cool breeze while chatting and eating. Chu Xi, having worked hard all day, was clearly hungry and didn’t stop eating once the meal began. Xiao Xingning, known for his hearty appetite on the show, was no different. The two of them sat together, eyes fixed on Teacher Cheng’s braised pork with green beans.

“Teacher Cheng’s cooking is seriously amazing,” Chu Xi couldn’t help but praise sincerely after tasting the dish.

Cooks always appreciate compliments, and Teacher Cheng happily pushed the plate of braised pork closer to Chu Xi. “If it’s good, eat more. You must be exhausted today. Xingning, don’t you dare fight her for it.”

Xiao Xingning ate more of the meat, while Chu Xi favored the green beans. The evening passed quickly, and by the time they finished dinner and washed the dishes, it was nearly nine o’clock. The slow-paced variety show promoted a healthy routine, and with filming likely wrapped for the day, the crew and cameramen returned to the hotel in the town below the mountain. The guests, yawning, also prepared for bed.

Chu Xi had a separate guest room for women—a large communal bed that could accommodate several guests when needed. Tonight, however, she was the only one there. After showering and changing into pajamas, she slipped under the covers.

Exhausted from the day, she fell asleep quickly. It should have been a deep, dreamless night, and it was—until Chu Xi suddenly woke up in the middle of the night.

She slowly opened her eyes to pitch-black darkness, her head and stomach the most intensely uncomfortable parts of her body.

Her mind was foggy, her stomach churning with nausea but unable to vomit, as if it were being stretched and squeezed at will. Her head felt unbearably heavy, making it hard to even keep her eyes open. Struggling, she reached out from under the blanket to check if she had a fever, only to find her palm as hot as her forehead—no discernible difference.

The moment she realized how awful she felt, her first thought was that she was dying.

Hadn’t they said she had six months? It hadn’t even been half a year yet. How could she be getting sick now when she’d been perfectly fine during the day, with no symptoms at all?

Gritting her teeth, Chu Xi sat up and turned on the light, her voice weak. “Brother Dong, Teacher Cheng—”

She tried to get up and put on her shoes, but the moment her feet touched the floor, her legs gave way. Darkness flooded her vision, and she fainted on the spot.

——

Chu Xi’s planned itinerary—from B City to West Province for a day of filming Our Little Cabin, then back to B City—was publicly announced as a three-day trip.

Apart from the official photo of Chu Xi driving a tricycle with a male MC, there were no other leaks.

The program team’s post of Chu Xi speeding on a tricycle received an astonishing number of likes, comments, and shares. Instead of appearing tearful and emotional in front of the camera as expected, Chu Xi didn’t cry at all—instead, she rode a tricycle with the wind across the hopeful fields.

[I was all ready to cry, but seeing this photo made me burst out laughing hahaha]

[Go for it, Chu Xi!]

[So does Chu Xi actually know how to ride a tricycle…]

[This must be her real personality. Feels like she’s completely let loose after being dumped by her sugar daddy.]

[When is this episode airing? I can’t wait to see it!]

…

Although the program’s official account only released one candid photo, Gu Mingjing, the CEO of Yuanjing Group with countless subsidiaries, had already obtained many unedited, raw photos of Chu Xi from the previous day through certain special means and channels. Despite being unretouched, the beauty of the person in the photos remained undeniable.

There were shots of Chu Xi riding the tricycle, wielding an axe to chop firewood, rolling up her pants to catch loaches in the muddy fields, and sitting in the courtyard in the evening, chatting and eating with the other MCs.

These photos fully demonstrated how eventful Chu Xi’s time on the show had been. In every picture, she was smiling—soft smiles, toothy grins, and hearty laughter—making those who saw them involuntarily smile as well.

But soon, Gu Mingjing found himself unable to smile anymore.

He realized that Chu Xi had never smiled like that in front of him.

Of course, he had seen Chu Xi smile many times before—she always greeted him with a smile whenever they met. Yet, looking back, those smiles were clearly different from the ones in these photos, which radiated genuine happiness from the heart.

Especially the last photo, where she was smiling at that young male MC—Gu Mingjing found it unbearably irritating to look at.

Chu Xi had finished recording this morning and would be flying back to City B in the afternoon.

Gu Mingjing dialed his internal line to Assistant Gao, intending to inform him that he would be visiting Chu Xi that evening. But as soon as the call connected, he heard Assistant Gao’s panicked voice: “Mr. Gu, s-s-something terrible has happened.”

“What is it?” Gu Mingjing’s voice remained calm, though he began to frown.

Assistant Gao had reached his current position as a top-tier assistant largely due to one crucial professional trait: remaining composed in any situation, never letting his emotions show in front of his boss. No matter how turbulent the circumstances, his expression remained professionally stern without the slightest change.

If something could rattle the seasoned and experienced Gao Ming to this extent, Gu Mingjing knew it was not to be taken lightly.

Assistant Gao: “Miss Chu… Miss Chu is in trouble. She’s in the hospital now.”

On the other end of the line, Assistant Gao immediately regretted his stutter—had he been too flustered and hasty? What if it displeased Mr. Gu? He should have organized his words better before reporting.

Moreover, when he heard the news, he was genuinely frantic.

Given how many times President Gu had been dumped by Miss Chu and yet still cared so much about her current situation, he hoped his own urgency wouldn’t provoke Gu Mingjing.

Assistant Gao nervously clutched the landline receiver. The moment his words trailed off, Gu Mingjing eagerly asked, “What happened? Which hospital?”

“I’ll head over immediately.”

Even more impatient than him.