Everyone in the Entertainment Industry Thinks I’m a Flirty Diva [Entertainment Circle] - Chapter 66

After this ordeal, the Weibo blogger named “I Don’t Feel Like Wearing Makeup Today” gained another label besides being “a pretty girl who can kill cockroaches barehanded”—“someone with a great sex life.”

Chu Xi: “………………”

Just kill me now.

At least this was her alt account.

The entertainment industry had many cases of celebrities’ alt accounts being exposed. Reading about them sent chills down Chu Xi’s spine.

She had to keep this alt account tightly under wraps! No one could ever find out this was her alt account!

Meanwhile, filming for “Misty Abyss” had entered its final intensive phase. The crew was rushing through scene after scene every day, and after a while, even the actors were struggling—especially Chu Xi, who had the heaviest workload. She was so exhausted it felt like she’d shed a layer of skin.

However, after such prolonged filming, Chu Xi had transformed from the person the crew worried about most into someone everyone could rely on.

No matter the time or circumstances, the moment the director called “action,” she would immediately slip into character as if she truly were Han Yi from the script. Sometimes, even when the director had already approved a take, she would feel she could do better and request another.

Action scenes became even more frequent toward the end of filming. No matter how careful they were, Chu Xi kept accumulating minor injuries. Gu Mingjing was heartbroken seeing her covered in bruises. Watching her collapse into bed exhausted every night, he took it upon himself to apply ointment to her wounds, refraining from touching her otherwise. On nights when Chu Xi had a bit more energy, she would even ask Gu Mingjing to rehearse the next day’s scenes with her.

Chu Xi handed him another script: “Just read the lines I didn’t highlight—the ones for Suspect A.”

Gu Mingjing flipped through her script: “Is this your scene for tomorrow? What kind of scene is it?”

Chu Xi: “It’s the interrogation scene tomorrow. Hurry up and run lines with me.”

Gu Mingjing nodded: “Alright.”

It was just a rehearsal—Gu Mingjing only needed to read Suspect A’s lines, while Chu Xi delivered hers with full emotion, even acting out small movements as she recited them.

But as Gu Mingjing read Suspect A’s lines, something felt off. Phrases like “a few hundred per session,” “never met the escort before,” and “I have a wife and kids, please don’t tell anyone” made him frown.

He asked: “What crime did this person commit?”

Realizing he’d caught on, Chu Xi gave him a sheepish look and answered: “Soliciting prostitution.”

Gu Mingjing: “………………”

After over three months of filming, “Misty Abyss” finally wrapped.

In the group photo commemorating the wrap, Chu Xi stood at the center of the crew alongside Li Zhengxu, holding a bouquet of flowers. Her fair complexion and petite frame—her head noticeably smaller than the crew members’—made her stand out in the crowd. Her sweet, charming smile was so radiant that if not for the leads standing together, some might not have noticed Gou Meiru beside her.

The wrap-up photos were posted on the official blog. When everyone saw the pictures, even if they had been dissatisfied with the choice of the female lead before, they had to admit that her face and proportions—both the head-to-shoulder and head-to-body ratios—were impressive. They just hoped the director of Shen Ying could manage to make Chu Xi look decent on screen. While others needed at least ninety percent acting skills in Shen Ying’s dramas, when it came to Chu Xi, everyone would be grateful if she could just scrape by with sixty percent.

Fu Bai had already arranged Chu Xi’s upcoming schedule. After finishing Misty Abyss, she barely had two days of rest before diving into new work.

She was heading to Paris Fashion Week. With her acting career on track, she couldn’t afford to lag behind in fashion either.

In early September, models and designers from around the world gathered in Paris, where the next year’s fashion trends would be born in the dazzling runway shows. In recent years, more and more celebrities had appeared both on and off the runway. The entertainment and fashion industries were closely intertwined, and to curry favor with the aloof and elitist fashion circle, many stars would even pay for their own plane tickets just to snap a few photos with designers, shoot some stylish street shots, and then flood domestic media with self-promoting articles.

Thanks to her stunning photoshoot for Yue Xiu magazine last time, Chu Xi had been invited by the magazine to attend several shows in Paris and then shoot a fashion spread there.

Having endured Gu Mingjing’s frequent business trips abroad, Chu Xi was thrilled this time: “I’m going on a business trip abroad too.”

“Do your best,” Gu Mingjing said, kissing her goodbye at the airport.

Chu Xi’s Paris itinerary was packed. Barely over her jet lag, she was already busy with hair and makeup for the first show.

Typically, makeup artists would come to the hotel to prepare the look. As Chu Xi sat in the chair getting ready, a Yue Xiu editor recorded the process—one of the tasks for this trip. The magazine planned to document Chu Xi’s Parisian daily life and later release a few vlogs on their official blog.

Once styled, Chu Xi rushed straight to the show. By September, Paris temperatures had dropped below 20°C, and today, the weather was particularly uncooperative—overcast, windy, and threatening rain, with a forecasted high of only 15°C.

Chu Xi wore a thin C-brand dress for the season, layered under a thick camel coat. But the coat only reached her knees, leaving her calves exposed. The moment she stepped out of the car at the venue, a chilly wind carrying light rain hit her, and she immediately shivered, hugging herself tightly.

Around her, long-legged models in tiny tank tops and shorts breezed by, unfazed by the cold.

The photographer accompanying her had planned to snap a few shots outside the venue, but when he raised his camera and saw Chu Xi curled up, trembling, with her hair blown wildly across her face, a few exasperated lines creased his forehead.

It was time to enter. With cameras everywhere inside, the look was everything. So Fu Bai mercilessly tugged at Chu Xi’s coat: “Take it off.”

Chu Xi wasn’t afraid of heat, but she was extremely sensitive to cold. In winter, she’d layer at least three pairs of thermal leggings under her pants—thankfully, her legs were slim enough that three layers looked no bulkier than one on others.

Feeling that the perceived temperature today was definitely lower than the weather forecast, her teeth chattered incessantly as she wailed, “Wuwuwu… so cold…”

Fu Bai was utterly merciless: “Did I send you to Paris for style or warmth? Take it off now!”

Chu Xi sniffled, eyeing everyone else bundled up tightly with envy. “But I’m really cold.”

The makeup artist on set noticed her runny nose and quickly handed her a tissue. “Here, wipe your nose.”

“Thank you.” Chu Xi took the tissue, moved almost to tears. At least the makeup artist cared about her.

Makeup artist: “Hurry up. Don’t let your snot ruin the foundation under your nose.”

Chu Xi: “………………”

Fu Bai forcibly stripped Chu Xi of her coat and pushed her through the ticket gate. “Go, now.”

From the gate to the entrance of the show venue was still a long walk. Chu Xi hugged her arms against the biting wind, sprinting in her 10-centimeter heels.

Inside the venue, the air conditioning brought warmth, and Chu Xi sighed in relief as she checked her invitation for her seat.

Yuexiu, China’s top fashion magazine, had close ties with the brand hosting today’s show, securing Chu Xi a front-row seat.

As she located her spot, she noticed a familiar face already seated beside her.

Xia Qiao.

Since wrapping up The Peach Blossom Promise, Chu Xi had lost contact with Xia Qiao. The memory of how Xia Qiao had schemed to smear her for overusing stunt doubles while promoting her own professionalism was still fresh. Chu Xi had planned to cut ties for good, yet here they were, crossing paths again.

But their encounter made sense. Seating at fashion shows followed strict hierarchies—the more prestigious the guest, the better the seat. Guests from the same country or region were often grouped together.

Xia Qiao spotted Chu Xi too. Dressed in the brand’s latest season ensemble, her hair slightly disheveled from the wind outside, Chu Xi had been merely her supporting actress in The Peach Blossom Promise. Yet after a surge in popularity from variety shows and fan-driven hype, she landed the lead role in Deap Sea Film’s next project.

Neither pretending camaraderie, they silently ignored each other as Chu Xi took her seat beside Xia Qiao.

The show hadn’t started yet. Chu Xi pulled out her phone and browsed Weibo. Several fashion bloggers and gossip accounts had posted about Xia Qiao’s airport appearance yesterday, announcing her invitation to Paris Fashion Week.

Chu Xi scoffed. The show hadn’t even begun, yet Xia Qiao had already flooded the internet with press releases. She was clearly gearing up for a fierce competition.

This year, few Chinese artists had come to Paris. Among female celebrities, aside from a handful of A-listers, only four rising stars from the mainland were present: Chu Xi, Xia Qiao, and two others Chu Xi wasn’t familiar with.

Fashion Week was another high-stakes battleground for female stars, second only to red carpets. Here, they competed not just in beauty but in fashion sense. Bloggers and influencers were already sharpening their claws, ready to dissect this year’s fierce rivalry.

Among the four rising stars, who would be the fashion disaster, and who would emerge victorious?

The background music started, and the opening model strutted down the runway with bold, scissor-like steps.

Out of the corner of her eye, Chu Xi glanced at Xia Qiao, whose outfit today nearly outshone the models on the catwalk—her competitive spirit written all over her face.

Chu Xi focused intently on watching the fashion show.

By the time the show ended, the wind and rain outside had turned into a continuous drizzle.

The moment Chu Xi stepped out of the venue, a gust of wind made her shiver.

Wuwu, so cold.

At least she didn’t have to worry about smudging her makeup this time. Sniffling, Chu Xi looked around pitifully for a while, nearly crouching down from the cold, until she finally spotted Fu Bai and Xiao Yan running toward her from afar.

Fu Bai was holding an umbrella, while Xiao Yan carried her coat.

Tears welled up in Chu Xi’s eyes instantly. “Wuwuwu, why did you take so long?”

The group took a car back to the hotel.

Only after returning to the hotel did Chu Xi feel like she had come back to life.

Fortunately, apart from the morning show, there were no other arrangements for the day. After removing her makeup and changing clothes, Chu Xi curled up on the hotel sofa, wrapped in a blanket, and drank a large cup of ginger tea Xiao Yan had prepared for her.

The magazine’s accompanying editor shook her head with a smile when she saw Chu Xi frozen into such a sorry state.

Chu Xi secretly sent a WeChat message to Gu Mingjing: [Paris is so cold T_T]

——

At 8 p.m. Beijing time, the first-day coverage of various female celebrities’ Paris Fashion Week schedules began rolling out.

After admiring the stunning photos of the top actresses, almost everyone’s attention turned to the four rising stars attending Fashion Week this year, ready to rank and compare their looks while munching on metaphorical popcorn.

The photos of the first two young actresses were released one after another.

One exuded elegance, the other youthful energy—both styled impeccably and receiving unanimous praise.

Soon, Xia Qiao’s photos were also released. In a set of images shared by her studio, she wore a long white gown, looking both sexy and glamorous. The photos were immediately praised by major fashion bloggers. Among them was a photo taken during the show, edited to blur everyone except Xia Qiao. However, sharp-eyed fans still spotted Chu Xi sitting beside her, her head slightly turned.

So the two had been seated together during the show.

But where was Chu Xi? When would her photos be released? Everyone was waiting for her!

Chu Xi’s studio remained silent, leaving her fans anxiously refreshing their feeds. The blurred silhouette of Chu Xi in Xia Qiao’s show photo only intensified their anticipation.

Ahhhh! Our Xi Bao is so beautiful! When will her photos come out?

This, of course, displeased Xia Qiao’s fans. “Isn’t our Xia Qiao clearly the most beautiful?”

“And what’s the deal with Chu Xi’s team delaying the photos? Is the editing taking too long? Or are they trying to steal the spotlight by going last?”

Chu Xi’s fans fired back, and soon, fans of the other two actresses joined the fray. A massive online battle was about to erupt, already trending on social media, drawing countless spectators eager for the drama.

From the three already revealed, although all were good, Xia Qiao clearly stood out more.

Moreover, based on that blurry silhouette, compared to Xia Qiao’s elaborate attire, Chu Xi’s hairstyle and outfit seemed much simpler. Though the exact style couldn’t be discerned, judging by the runway photos, Xia Qiao’s eye-catching outfit appeared to have the upper hand.

Xia Qiao’s fans seemed to have already locked in their victory, with some even starting early celebrations.

Chu Xi’s fans grew anxious, bombarding the official Weibo of Yue Xiu with demands:

“Hurry up and show us our Xi Bao!”

“Xi Bao’s beauty reigns supreme!”

“No matter how simple the outfit, she’ll outshine everyone!”

Xia Qiao’s fans fired back:

“Our Qiao is the prettiest when she’s revealed! Fight us if you disagree!”

“No matter how much you photoshop, you still can’t compare to us!”

As both sides refused to back down, amidst the clamor of the crowd, Chu Xi’s photo was finally released.

The official Yue Xiu Weibo posted a single photo with the caption: “Cold.”

Yet, after all the anticipation, no one expected that in this grand showdown, what emerged wasn’t a glamorous shot—but a meme.

In the photo, outside the runway under a gloomy sky, Chu Xi was bundled in a thick coat, arms wrapped around herself, huddled into a ball. The wind whipped her hair wildly, strands flying across her face. Her nose was slightly red, eyes squinting against the wind. Even through the photo, one could almost hear her chattering teeth.

Small, pitiful, helpless—yet beautiful.

Not the flawless beauty of official retouched photos, but a candid shot where her red nose and disheveled hair felt utterly real, immersing viewers in the moment and evoking an irresistible urge to protect her.

In the comments, the magazine’s official account added: “It was under 15°C and raining today—bitterly cold. She clung to her coat no matter how we coaxed her. But since there were no scheduled shoots today, and everyone’s been asking, here’s a fan treat. Take it as it is. 😂“

Now, the four-grid collage of the fashion week’s rising stars was complete.

Three meticulously retouched glamour shots—and in the bottom right corner, a beautifully frozen, windblown meme.

Like all things in the world: three impossibly dreamy fantasies, and one heart-wrenchingly real moment.

While others were busy competing in beauty, only you honestly froze your butt off—a refreshingly oddball approach.

To steal the spotlight like this…

Well played!