Pretending Not to Love You [Entertainment Circle] - Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Although both were preoccupied with their own thoughts after the kiss, they maintained their usual demeanor on the surface.

After breakfast, Zuo Qiu went to the kitchen to wash dishes, and Xiao Baijun returned to his room to play games. When Xiao Baijun came out to pour water, Zuo Qiu was no longer home.

Xiao Baijun waited for half an hour in the living room before he heard the door open. It was Zuo Qiu returning.

“Where did you go?” Xiao Baijun asked.

Zuo Qiu set down the various groceries he was carrying as he replied, “I went to the vegetable market. I told you before I left, didn’t I?”

Told me? Xiao Baijun was probably too engrossed in his game and had no recollection of it. “Why didn’t you wear a mask when you went out? What if someone recognized you?” Clearly, being recognized and blocked by fans at the airport a few days ago had left a lingering shadow on Xiao Baijun.

“You’re overthinking it. The market is full of uncles and aunties. It would be weirder if I wore a mask.”

Well, that sounds reasonable. Xiao Baijun didn’t say anything more.

In the evening, the two stayed in front of the TV to watch Come Along With Me. Zhao Zhixian had mentioned that there would be a preview for their episode today.

At the end of the show, the preview for the next episode aired. One scene struck Zuo Qiu as particularly odd: a group of female staff members were watching something on a computer, but the next second, all of them quickly stepped back, and the girl sitting on a stool fell directly to the floor. The subtitle posed a cliffhanger: “What did a group of female staff members see that horrified them so much?”

“Is there a horror part in the show?” Zuo Qiu hadn’t heard anything about it. He had also heard the other guests mention that, like them, most had found and shielded several cameras right after entering the house. Could a camera have been missed? And did it capture something horrifying?

Zuo Qiu turned to look at Xiao Baijun, who wore a meaningful expression. Zuo Qiu had a terrifying thought: “Could it be that there was an undiscovered camera in our room?”

Xiao Baijun glanced at Zuo Qiu. “Isn’t it too late to worry about that now?”

Zuo Qiu started pacing anxiously, blaming Xiao Baijun: “If you knew, why didn’t you give me a hint? I don’t even know if I did or said anything I shouldn’t have.”

“Don’t worry, you didn’t. When you almost did, I successfully stopped you.”

Zuo Qiu then remembered the time he wanted to change clothes in the room, and Xiao Baijun told him his figure was an eyesore and made him change in the bathroom. He slowly calmed down. “Then what did you do that scared those girls into falling to the ground?”

Xiao Baijun glanced at him. “When you worry about others, didn’t you wonder why I did that?”

Zuo Qiu shivered. “You… what do you mean? You slept naked in the room?” Given the production team’s willingness to cross boundaries, such a scene would likely be broadcast with mosaics. A male celebrity had been exposed like that in a previous season.

“It wasn’t that bad.”

Zuo Qiu suddenly remembered Xiao Baijun exercising in only his underwear the next morning. “Did you shield the camera?”

Xiao Baijun replied, “Of course. I destroyed it right after I woke up the next morning.”

Zuo Qiu was completely reassured. Some shocking moments were necessary for the show, like the preview showing Xiao Baijun shirtless—which Zuo Qiu considered relatively normal. But full nudity would have been too much.

Zhao Zhixian had been monitoring the trending list ever since the show ended. Sure enough, an hour later, “#Z.X Half-Naked Good Physique” had climbed to the 20th spot.

Lingqu really hasn’t given up on their plan, Zhao Zhixian sneered. He sat down at his computer and, following the original plan, immediately dropped a video of a certain Lingqu Best Actor cheating on his wife and responded individually to the internet trolls he had contacted earlier to fan the flames of the topic.

The public had a habit of joining in the excitement, especially with topics like infidelity. The media and the public loved to watch. After this, they wouldn’t need to do anything else; the media and netizens would spontaneously help find all sorts of evidence to confirm the truth of the matter.

With this major exposé, Lingqu would likely be busy for the next week.

Zhao Zhixian didn’t hide this matter from Xiao Baijun and Zuo Qiu. Zuo Qiu felt a little uneasy that they were receiving this kind of treatment only a few days after their debut, but the entertainment industry was this brutal. He couldn’t do anything for now but try to remain low-key.

On Monday, the two met Zhao Zhixian at the airport and were led through a special channel.

“Brother Zhao, since this channel exists, why are so many celebrities still photographed?” Zuo Qiu often saw news reports of celebrities being photographed by reporters or blocked by fans at the airport. He didn’t understand why, if everyone could use this channel to exit safely and unnoticed, so much candid photography still happened.

Zhao Zhixian smiled. “It depends on whether you want to be photographed.” Many celebrities treat the airport as a fashion show just to get exposure, and the staged nature of the photos is obvious. He didn’t deny that this channel wasn’t available to everyone, but if one truly intended to avoid candid shots and unnecessary crowds, there was a lot that could be done.

Zuo Qiu understood immediately. In many cases, it was a mutually beneficial arrangement where one side was willing to be hit and the other willing to oblige.

After a three-hour journey, Zhao Zhixian took Xiao Baijun and Zuo Qiu in the film crew’s car to the set of Fledgling Eagle.

The director of Fledgling Eagle had some connection with Zhao Zhixian; otherwise, he wouldn’t have extended an olive branch right after their debut.

Zhao Zhixian took the two to watch the set for half an hour. After the director called out, “Cut, break for 10 minutes,” Zhao Zhixian led them toward the director.

“Old Gong, long time no see.”

As soon as Zhao Zhixian spoke, Zuo Qiu couldn’t help but sputter out a laugh.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I couldn’t help it,” Zuo Qiu apologized for his rudeness.

Director Gong waved his hand at Zuo Qiu, indicating he didn’t mind, but then bitterly complained to Zhao Zhixian: “I told you to call me Director Gong, Director Gong!”

Zhao Zhixian and Director Gong had known each other for years and usually called each other that, but Director Gong was concerned about his reputation. Calling him that in private was fine, but with so many people on set, if some female star picked it up, he wouldn’t be able to explain himself even with ten mouths and would have to kneel on instant noodles at home again.

“Alright, alright, Director Gong,” Zhao Zhixian quickly complied. “I brought them over. Take a look.”

Director Gong looked at Zuo Qiu and Xiao Baijun, who stepped forward. One was smiling and genial, the other was cold and aloof. Okay, they fit the characters in his movie very well.

“Fine, you take them to get familiar with the set. Once they’re done, send them to the hotel. Little Chen will show you the way.” Director Gong was busy right now and quickly sent the trio away.

Zhao Zhixian understood Director Gong’s personality and didn’t mind his slight neglect. Fearing that Zuo Qiu and Xiao Baijun might take it to heart, he explained, “Director Gong is just like that. Don’t mind him.”

Zuo Qiu nodded, saying he didn’t mind. Xiao Baijun, as usual, was expressionless toward people he didn’t care about.

After walking around the set, Zhao Zhixian saw a man lying under a tree to cool off and told the two, “Come, let me introduce you to the main lead of this movie.”

Zuo Qiu had glanced at the man under the tree from afar and was already suspicious. Now that Zhao Zhixian confirmed he was the lead actor, Zuo Qiu’s heart started pounding rapidly as his suspicion was confirmed.

“Best Actor Ou, how have you been!” Zhao Zhixian greeted the man.

The man lying under the tree lazily opened his eyes. His overly handsome face, combined with the camouflage uniform he wore, made him look both heroic and rebellious.

This person was Ou Sheng.