I Won Over My Best Friend’s Idol - Chapter 12

“Mmm, the shaomai from this place is seriously delicious! Brother Liang, why are you glaring at me?” Miao Ke happened to overhear Kong Yinmeng mentioning how good the food was here and tagged along like a little shadow.

Niu Niuniao was already a massive fan of Zheng Yi. When the director announced they would be operating separately, she immediately glued herself to him. As a result, what was supposed to be three separate teams filming on their own turned into a single group of six.

Liang Sihan didn’t reply. Instead, he reached out and snatched away the remaining half of the shaomai right from under Miao Ke’s nose. “Song Xu specifically told me to keep an eye on you. You’re not allowed to overeat. If you gain weight by the end of this show, he’s docking my pay.”

Miao Ke shot her hand out anyway, snagged another shaomai, and popped it into her mouth. “Old Song is just tormenting me. I’ve told him a thousand times I’m the type who never gains weight, but he still worries. I can’t believe he actually got you to watch me.”

Their team was successfully generating content for the cameras, which left Xiao Hong watching with envy. It was obvious Liang Sihan and Miao Ke could play into a heartwarming “father-daughter” dynamic the strict, caring father managing a handful of a kid. Meanwhile, Xiao Hong had brought along her actual, biological niece, yet the girl’s entire mind was utterly consumed by celebrity chasing.

“Zheng Yi, do you really think these shaomai are that good? I think they’re just okay. The steamed dumplings near my apartment taste way better. When are you coming over to visit? You can try them then!”

Niu Niuniu was practically throwing her entire body onto Zheng Yi. This was her first time seeing him up close. She had been to his concerts before and had even tried to catch him at the airport once, but Zheng Yi had missed his flight, so she never saw him. At the concert, the tickets she bought placed her so far from the stage that she could only see his face clearly on the giant screens. Being this close to him now was something she hadn’t dared to dream of.

“Niuniu, stop bothering Little Zheng while he’s eating. If you’re full, we should head out on our own!” Xiao Hong felt like she was completely losing face. Her niece was truly an endless source of worry.

Zheng Yi had no idea how to respond. He simply offered vague, polite brush-offs. The only person at the scene focused entirely on eating was Kong Yinmeng.

She was currently a soulless eating machine. As long as she could survive these ten days, her blissful life would return. So, she just had to endure it!

However, she never expected Niu Niuniu to drag her into the line of fire. It was probably because Zheng Yi’s responses were so cold that Niu Niuniu gradually cooled down, and with Xiao Hong constantly nagging her, she was getting incredibly irritated. Once she was annoyed, looking at Kong Yinmeng made her even more furious. What right does this woman have to be on Zheng Yi’s team anyway?

“Hey, what do you do for a living? How do you know Brother Yi, and what’s your relationship with him?”

Since Niu Niuniu hadn’t explicitly used her name, Kong Yinmeng didn’t bother wasting her breath on a brat. She ignored her and calmly sipped her seaweed soup.

Out of nowhere, Niu Niuniu gave her arm a sharp nudge. The bowl tilted, the hot soup splashed out, and Kong Yinmeng’s shirt and pants were instantly stained.

Zheng Yi reacted the fastest. He immediately pulled out some tissues to help her wipe the soup away, while Kong Yinmeng set her bowl down and began dabbing at herself.

“What’s the big deal? I barely touched you,” Niu Niuniu muttered. “How can you not even hold a bowl steady? How are you supposed to be Brother Yi’s teammate?”

Niu Niuniu thought she was whispering, but everyone present heard her clear as day.

Kong Yinmeng had just finished wiping her pants. When she tossed the dirty tissue onto the table, she used a bit too much force, causing a loud thud. Niu Niuniu flinched slightly.

“Little Zheng, give me back all the cash I gave you earlier,” Kong Yinmeng said calmly. “After all, we’re filming a show, and walking around in dirty clothes looks bad. I’m going to buy a new outfit. I don’t know if this money will be enough, so let’s go check out some street stalls.”

Without a moment’s hesitation, Zheng Yi pulled out the cash and handed it over. Kong Yinmeng’s hand was completely steady as she took the money, stuffed it straight into her pocket, and gripped his sleeve to pull him out of the breakfast shop.

Only after they left did Xiao Hong step up to Niu Niuniu. “Give me your hundred yuan. I’m going to give it to Xiao Kong.”

“Why should I give it to her? I didn’t do it on purpose! She could just wash it. Buying new clothes, and using Brother Yi’s money… what a drama queen!”

Xiao Hong glanced at the camera and turned her back to it. After unclipping her microphone, no one could hear what she whispered, but the next shot showed Niu Niuniu reluctantly handing over her only hundred-yuan bill.

Out of the initial budget draw, she had pulled 288 yuan. Xiao Hong kept 188, leaving her with 100…which she hadn’t even warmed up in her pocket before having to part with it. She certainly didn’t give it up willingly, but Xiao Hong had threatened to kick her off the show if she didn’t comply, so she had no choice but to obey.

By the time Xiao Hong hurried outside, Kong Yinmeng and Zheng Yi had just stepped into a taxi. Before the car could pull away, she rushed over.

“Xiao Kong, I am so incredibly sorry. Niuniu is still young and willful, she caused you trouble. I don’t have any extra cash on me either since we’re filming, but please take this hundred yuan. Use it to get a temporary outfit, and once the show is over, I’ll buy you something nice!”

Normally, Xiao Hong wouldn’t be strapped for cash, but their luggage had been confiscated for the show, leaving her practically broke.

“You’re far too polite, Sister Xiao Hong. I was actually worrying that our money wouldn’t be enough for a new outfit, so this solves that problem. Niuniu looks like she’s still a minor, so it’s understandable for kids to make mistakes. But she really does need some proper guidance…after all, everyone has to grow up eventually.”

Kong Yinmeng accepted the money with a bright smile. She wasn’t foolish enough to politely decline; money delivered right to her doorstep was money she was taking.

Xiao Hong hadn’t expected her to accept it so shamelessly without even a hint of polite hesitation. Her expression stiffened for a fraction of a second. Anyone surviving in the entertainment industry knew how to play the game of superficial courtesy; she had fully intended to just put on a show of generosity for the cameras, but the other woman hadn’t hesitated for a beat.

Standing beside them, Zheng Yi hadn’t said a single word. It was only after the taxi started moving that he quietly murmured, “I’m sorry. If I knew it would turn out like this, I would have let someone else be my partner.”

“Haha, at least you know it’s your fault. But since we’re here, we might as well win the competition. That little brat actually reignited a competitive streak in me that I haven’t felt in years.”

Zheng Yi felt a massive headache coming on. If he had known there would be such difficult people on this show, he never would have agreed to join a variety series. “You shouldn’t have taken Sister Xiao Hong’s money just now. She doesn’t have much either.”

“Oh? Then should I sell you off to buy new clothes, or are you going to strip off yours and give them to me? Let’s get one thing straight: she’s the one who brought Niu Niuniu onto the show, and she did absolutely nothing to stop the girl while she was harassing you, which ultimately led to this financial consequence. Look at your face…do you think I’m being too aggressive? Zheng Yi, let me teach you a lesson: everyone must be accountable for their own mistakes. I’m not a part of your entertainment industry, so I don’t need to hand out empty favors. All I know is that right now, I need to buy clothes.”

She began counting the money right in front of the camera. Subtracting the twenty-five yuan they spent on breakfast and adding this unexpected windfall, she now had 163 yuan in her hands. After paying the taxi fare when they arrived at their destination, she was left with 155 yuan.

The moment they stepped out of the car, Zheng Yi was hit by a wall of shouting street vendors. He froze right in his tracks. Truth be told, he had never stepped foot in such a gritty, messy place in his entire life.

Right at the entrance was a seafood market. The ground was slick and wet, and the air was thick with a pungent, fishy odor. He genuinely didn’t even know where to place his feet.

“What are we doing here?” Zheng Yi knew he needed to control his facial expressions for the camera, but he truly didn’t know what face to make, so he settled for a blank, rigid stare. It was blatantly obvious he didn’t want to go in.

“Buying clothes! The clothes here are cheap. Hurry up!” She obviously knew he was uncomfortable, but if they didn’t go in, how could he experience the authentic life of ordinary citizens?

Zheng Yi found himself grabbed by the sleeve once again and dragged into the market. Most of the vendors running stalls here were older folks who had no idea who he was. Even if the old grandmas and grandpas were curious about what the camera crew was filming, they didn’t bother coming over to ask…they had businesses to run and no time to waste on trivial things.

“Auntie, how much for these two together?” Kong Yinmeng quickly picked out a yellow t-shirt and a pair of jeans from a clothing stall. After checking that the sizes would fit, she finally asked for the price.

“I’ll give them both to you for eighty yuan. It’s a small-scale business, so that’s truly my lowest price.”

“I’ll take them right now for fifty yuan. Auntie, I’ve worked in wholesale markets before; even at fifty yuan, you’re still making a profit.”

“Little girl, you drive a ruthless bargain! You’re filming a show, right? If I sell it that cheap, everyone else will demand the same price later, and I’ll lose everything!”

“No way, we’re basically giving you free advertising! If people see how kind-hearted you are, they’ll want to buy from your stall next time. Let’s settle on fifty yuan.”

“This is a tiny business… look, how about sixty-eight? I really can’t go any lower.”

Kong Yinmeng weighed the clothes in her hands for another moment before pulling out precisely fifty-five yuan. “Auntie, this is absolutely the most I can give you. If it doesn’t work, I’ll just have to check out other stalls. Who knows, maybe someone else will be even cheaper.”

Her budget was incredibly tight. If she spent a single cent more, they wouldn’t survive the day.

The vendor glanced at the camera one last time and finally accepted the fifty-five yuan. Kong Yinmeng even managed to haggle for two pairs of heavy-duty cotton work gloves as a bonus.

“Auntie, where’s the nearest restroom?” Kong Yinmeng took the plastic bag with her new clothes, asked for directions, and led Zheng Yi and the two cameramen forward.

“I never knew clothes could be that cheap,” Zheng Yi remarked, still entirely dazed. Bargaining an eighty-yuan outfit down to fifty-five and getting free gloves was a completely surreal experience for him. He instinctively reached out to feel the fabric. It actually didn’t feel bad, though the style was a bit outdated.

“Don’t touch it. If you ruin it, you’re paying me back. You should probably use the restroom too, but prepare yourself mentally. Good luck.” The restroom was right ahead. Leaving him with that warning, she slipped inside.

Zheng Yi naturally didn’t catch the underlying meaning of her words until he crossed the threshold. The market restroom was exponentially filthier and more chaotic than the market itself. He practically held his breath for the entire duration of his visit.

When he finally emerged, even the smelly market air felt remarkably fresh by comparison. After waiting for about five minutes, Kong Yinmeng walked out wearing her new clothes.

Compared to her previous outfit, this one was visibly lower in quality, but she still looked stunning. It really proved that when a person is beautiful enough, they could wear a bedsheet and still look incredible.

“Wow, you look incredibly pale, hahahaha… Come on, big sister is taking you to make some money!”

Because of that unexpected incident, they had wasted quite a bit of time. Now, it was time to earn some extra cash.

The director’s original instruction was for them to get through the day safely using only their initial funds, but did “getting through the day” just mean food and drinks, or did it include a place to sleep tonight as well?

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