My Wealthy Ex-Girlfriend Knelt and Begged Me to Come Back [Entertainment Industry] - Chapter 40

When she closed her eyes, the familiar scent of sandalwood lingered around her, giving her an inexplicable sense of comfort.

That night, Ji Jiayu slept very well, and her dreams were deep and heavy.

The next day, Ji Jiayu took her assistant, Xiao Yao, and boarded a flight to Kun City.

They grabbed their luggage and took a taxi to the location designated by the production team.

The variety show “Summer Youth Tour” was already in its third season. The first two seasons had high ratings and consistently stayed in the top five of variety show rankings.

The format of the show involved mixing celebrities and ordinary guests together, pairing them in teams of two. The recording process was streamed live online, and after editing, the full episodes were broadcast on the Youku app.

However, the show had some controversy. To create buzz, the production team sometimes inadvertently caused online harassment toward the ordinary guests. Season 2 had suffered from this issue.

The director knew the risks of live streaming but firmly refused to change the format…

Kun City was just a transit point; the production team’s final destination was Xiaozhu Village, about 50 kilometers away, and the nearby Fairy Lake.

Everyone first gathered at a hotel in the southern part of the city, arranged by the production team.

From the moment they stepped into the hotel, the variety show’s live stream had already begun—

[Ahhhhh, who are the guests this time?]
[This time they even have Actor Yu!! His legs are so long, sitting on the sofa he has to cross them hahaha. I wonder if there’ll be sparks with Brother A Yang, hehe~]
[Unbelievable… even before the “dog owner” appears, some fans are already causing a stir.]

A small figure opened a hotel room door and suddenly appeared on camera.

It was a young man dressed in a Japanese style, with very fair skin and a frail appearance.

He was a former trainee, recently starring as the male lead in a web drama, a bit of a rising star—Ayang.

Ayang wore a Korean-style suit, looking like the “little prince” from his web drama, flamboyantly dressed and very eye-catching.

He raised his hand and waved, greeting the guests already in the waiting room. Then, very naturally, he walked over and stopped in front of a female guest.

“Hello, is anyone sitting here?”

The female guest shook her head.

Ayang stepped forward, sitting between her and Actor Yu, completely separating the two of them.

—Perfect. Other than the two female ordinary guests, no one else is a major star. The camera would definitely focus on him and Actor Yu.

Ayang’s lips unconsciously curved into a smile as he started chatting with Actor Yu:

“Mr. Yu, I’ve always watched your films. Your movies are always so grand. I heard your latest TV drama was released recently…”

But it had been out for half a year! And the word “also” was very cunning—Ayang’s intention was to make Yu mention his recently released web drama for promotion.

But Ayang miscalculated… Yu completely didn’t know what drama Ayang had acted in.

Yu smiled awkwardly. He was only interested in acting and wasn’t good at dealing with people. He replied politely, “Yes, it’s out. As long as you like it, that’s enough…”

Bang— there was a knock at the door again.

Everyone turned to look.

A girl in a red knit vest and blue wide-leg pants appeared. Her outfit was simple and approachable, but her figure was perfect. Even with casual streetwear, she carried a unique style, pure yet slightly alluring.

Her thin shoulders beneath the delicate straps highlighted her snow-white skin. The knit fabric clung tightly, outlining her graceful curves. Even her slightly messy hair gave off a charm.

Everyone in the room was momentarily stunned, unable to look away.

Ji Jiayu smiled softly, nodded slightly, and waved her hand to greet the other guests on the sofa.

Ayang’s previously smug smile instantly froze.

Damn… (⊙_⊙ ) again, it’s Ji Jiayu…

When he debuted, Ayang’s real name was Feng Yangyang. He had been in the same batch of new artists at Lechuang Entertainment as Ji Jiayu, under the same manager, Sister Sun.

The most enviable part was that during a banquet hosted by producers and investors, Ji Jiayu had openly refused to drink in front of the top executives and even accidentally spilled red wine on one of them…

After that, Ayang’s script completely failed.

But Ji Jiayu, after that incident, thrived and now could appear on TV as a supporting actress.

He wondered if Ji Jiayu had leveraged that banquet to gain connections with a young female CEO at Qiushui Venture Capital.

And he, Ayang, could only act in low-budget web dramas.

Ayang clenched his fingers, staring at Ji Jiayu’s cute little face. She seemed more unbearable every time he met her, as if he was under a curse. Damn it…

—If he had known Ji Jiayu would come, he would have dressed fully, from head to toe, to outshine this little vixen!

Ayang smiled with narrowed eyes, waving at Ji Jiayu and patting the space between himself and the female guest.

“Ah, Jiayu, you’re here too? I didn’t know you’d come~”

He acted friendly, blinking at Ji Jiayu. “Do you remember me?”

“Oh,” Ji Jiayu glanced at him, her light brown eyes misty with a hint of confusion. “Excuse me, I forgot your name…”

She had forgotten—she was pretending…

Of course, she remembered Feng Yangyang, who had worked under the same manager, Sister Sun.

That night, he almost tried to get her drunk and sell her to a middle-aged man to gain resources… It was only the spiked drink that led to her first encounter with Qiu Miaoran—a fleeting, forbidden spring.

Her mind flashed back to that night:

In the hotel’s deluxe suite, only the small bedside lamp was on. The dim light illuminated Qiu Miaoran pinning her against the floor-to-ceiling window:

“Xiaoyu… you’re Xiaoyu, right?”

His long fingers brushed her lips, and he suddenly recited a poem: “Watching the fisherman, envying the fish…”

“I only envy… envy…”

Ji Jiayu’s bright eyes narrowed, her lashes fluttering, lips slightly parted, gently taking the fingertip pressed to her mouth.

She just thought Qiu Miaoran had gone a little crazy from the spiked drink…

It was indeed a wild night, almost until dawn…

……

Actor Yu waved at Ji Jiayu. “Xiaoyu, come sit~”

Ji Jiayu snapped back to reality. “Alright~”

Previously, she had worked with Yu in “How the Moon Shines in the Drain”. Yu had a good impression of her, seeing her as a hardworking, grounded young actress with potential.

Ji Jiayu smiled. “I didn’t expect to meet you here, Senior Yu…”

Yu turned, smiling warmly. Unlike his earlier polite responses to Ayang, he seemed genuinely kind.

“Thank you for sending me the specialty food from Nancheng. I haven’t had the chance to thank you yet~”

They immediately began chatting, bypassing Ayang entirely.

Ayang’s face turned red with anger.

[Ayang: How did it become like this? I came first…]
[Hahaha, look at Ayang, his eyes wide as copper bells~]
[Ayang probably didn’t know they had worked together, yet he tried to separate them, but no one paid attention. I’m dying laughing…]

Seeing the main character being ignored, Ayang’s fans went all out:

[Our little fish is beautiful even in Uniqlo. Don’t drag her down!]

Ji Jiayu quietly picked up a piece of paper, lowered her head, and read through the upcoming program schedule. Her long hair slipped over her shoulders. Her long lashes blinked lightly, as she read seriously, showing her beautiful side profile.

Meanwhile, the last guest arrived.

A young girl’s voice sounded, crisp and lively:

“Jiayu Sister, may I sit here?”

Ji Jiayu lifted her chin slightly, her amber eyes clear. Seeing Lin Qiaoxuan’s face, she was slightly surprised, raising an eyebrow. Her red lips parted: “Sure… you can sit.”

She moved slightly to make space for Lin Qiaoxuan beside her.

Surprisingly, in less than a month, Lin Qiaoxuan seemed like a completely different person.

She no longer imitated Ji Jiayu’s expressions or style and had fully found her own style.

Lin Qiaoxuan wore a cropped diamond-patterned top and black mid-length pants, layered with metallic necklaces that accentuated her long, fair neck.

Her makeup leaned toward the girl group style, with black eyeliner and subtle glitter on her lower lash line, giving her a sweet-cool vibe, completely unlike Ji Jiayu.

Lin Qiaoxuan’s red lips curved, revealing a small pointed tooth, giving her smile a youthful liveliness.

“Thank you, Jiayu Sister. I watched your role as Mu Qingyu… it was really beautiful~”

On camera, she didn’t show any stage fright but clearly knew how to act.

Ji Jiayu raised her hand, her nails painted strawberry jam with tiny glitter, making her hands appear whiter and delicate. She lightly covered her lips with her fingertips, showing slight surprise:

“Ah, you’ve seen it… didn’t expect to meet a little fan here~”

Clearly, Lin Qiaoxuan knew how to act, but Ji Jiayu acted even better.

The two sat side by side, a unique and eye-catching scene.

The live comments exploded:

[Whoa… is that Lin Qiaoxuan? Her style has changed?! Both beauties together, so pleasing to the eye…]
[Lin’s daughter being pushed to fame as a web celebrity?]
[Some people are just bored, who cares about the family’s status?]

……

The first round was determined by drawing lots for pairs.

Ji Jiayu drew number 3.

Actor Yu also drew a number, indicating “three” with his hand.

Ayang drew number 2, and saw Ji Jiayu making eye contact with Yu. He pouted.

“I want to ask, can we swap numbers? I don’t like this number…”

The host replied, “You may swap once, only once.”

Ayang quickly tugged at Jiayu’s sleeve, asking softly, “Can we swap?”

Ji Jiayu didn’t care who her partner was, as long as it wasn’t Ayang.

She placed her lot on the table. “Sure.”

Ayang’s grin stretched from ear to ear as he swapped lots. “Thank you, Jiayu.”

Yu slightly frowned. Seeing the smirking boy, he quietly swapped with a male ordinary guest with black-framed glasses.

Ayang’s smile froze. He hadn’t expected that, while he was looking down on the ordinary guests, Yu had quietly done the same.

Only Lin Qiaoxuan quietly sat, calculating her partner.

She leaned slightly and, with a mischievous smile, said:

“Jiayu Sister, we’re a team~”

A warm breath brushed her ear, slightly ticklish.

Ji Jiayu turned to meet her gaze. Lin’s large, dark eyes seemed to pierce her heart, giving an indescribable feeling.

“Alright,” Ji Jiayu said softly.

The first round was Pictionary-style guessing.

“Three words… a type of dessert,” Ji Jiayu asked.

“Cake,” Lin Qiaoxuan immediately answered.

“No, it’s soft, sweet, and can be steamed at home.”

“Double-skin milk,” Lin Qiaoxuan corrected.

“What do girls hate to drink but have to, while shopping?”

“Milk tea.”

“The most bitter but fragrant in the world, high in calories yet good for weight loss, three words.”

“Chocolate.”

Having imitated Ji Jiayu’s style for Lin Wan’s sake in the past, Lin Qiaoxuan shared a rare synergy with Ji Jiayu. Their coordination far exceeded other pairs.

The comments were amazed:

[OMG, Xiaoyu and Lin Qiaoxuan have such synergy! They’re crushing the other teams.]
[So cute, Lin Qiaoxuan calls her Xiaoyu Sister~]
[“Qiaoyu” is so visually pleasing, sweet-cool girl X sweet-spicy girl~]

……

After the indoor filming, the director and crew came over to assign cars for filming at Xiaozhu Village and Fairy Lake, roughly a two-hour drive.

The production team arranged large vehicles, like RVs, with small beds and tables.

The camera followed them. The assistant director in the front row suggested:

“Let’s play something? The ride’s long, live streaming needs some atmosphere.”

“Why not guess the song name?” suggested Yu.

“But none of us are professionals…” said a female guest named Xiao Tao.

“And our phones are with the director. How can we play the playlist?”

During filming, phones weren’t allowed on camera.

Ayang peered from the back, “Or play Truth or Dare?”

“No objections.”

The ordinary male guest Kai Kai sat at a small table and offered a stool to Ayang.

Ayang pouted, “No, I’ll sit at the edge.”

He wanted to sit next to Yu but saw Kai Kai take the spot. He disliked Kai Kai for being an ordinary guy with glasses, someone he wouldn’t even glance at on the street.

Yu knocked on the table: “If we play Truth or Dare, what’s the punishment?”

The crew in the corner brought some disposable cups and a bottle of vinegar.

Everyone: “…… Drink vinegar!? The production team is clever…”

“Who starts? How to ask questions?” Ji Jiayu suddenly asked.

“Let’s start with you, Xiaoyu. Answer clockwise. Then the last person asks,” Yu suggested.

It was Ayang’s turn to ask Ji Jiayu.

He asked softly, with a playful look: “Wow… what are Jiayu’s standards for choosing a partner… for example, anyone on this car you find appealing?”

He wanted to see if Ji Jiayu also wanted to ride Yu’s popularity for publicity.

His attitude toward Ji Jiayu was obvious—friendly on the surface, but with underlying malice.

Just after he asked, he half-covered his mouth, “Ah, sorry… this question… is it inconvenient to answer?”

Everyone turned to Ji Jiayu.

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