The Whole World Is Waiting for Me and My Ex-Girlfriend to Remarry (Entertainment Industry) - Chapter 1

Her phone screen lit up, flashing the cover of Zhong Qing’s new song.

“Is Zhong Qing landing at this time too?”

When Dong Huaci heard her manager’s words, she was practicing her post-flight smile in the mirror. Her face was naturally only the size of a palm; when she furrowed her brows even slightly, that smile changed flavor, oozing a hint of surprised melancholy. “She’s arrived as well?”

“Yeah.” Compared to Dong Huaci, her manager Shi Xiaonan—sent by the entertainment agency that had worked with Dong Huaci for several years after her career transition—was the one anxious enough to jump out of her skin. It was as if she were the one who had dated for five years only to break up and run into an ex-lover. “Zhong Qing’s team is doing this on purpose, aren’t they? To have her landing time clash with ours just to pick up some minor award of hers—they’re just looking for trouble.”

Hearing this, Dong Huaci snapped her mirror shut and donned her sunglasses, leaving only the tip of her delicate nose and her freshly touched-up, luscious lips visible. She abruptly changed the subject: “Do I look good?”

Shi Xiaonan finally stopped mentioning Zhong Qing. Instead, she looked Dong Huaci up and down, and relying on the “revolutionary friendship” they had built over the years, she spoke with earnest concern: “Oh, take the sunglasses off. Let your eyes show, my beautiful eldest lady. You’re going for the ‘sweet but demanding’ vibe; those eyes are the most vital part. You know yourself that your eyes are your most recognizable feature.”

She then looked at the bag hanging from Dong Huaci’s waist. “Either don’t carry a bag in the future, or carry a real one. These so-called ‘niche designer’ knockoff patterns are neither fish nor fowl. Carrying them lowers your status and hurts your endorsements.”

Dong Huaci obediently handed the bag to Shi Xiaonan and took off her glasses, revealing a pair of soul-stirring peach-blossom eyes.

Yet, for some reason, Shi Xiaonan steered the conversation back to the person Dong Huaci least wanted to hear about: Zhong Qing. “Huaci, keep practicing your expression. Think about whether this outfit should be ‘cool and aloof’ or… never mind. We’ll probably run into Zhong Qing’s group anyway. You should stick to your ‘approachable’ style; you can’t out-cool her.”

You really have no qualms about mentioning my ex-girlfriend over and over again in front of me, Dong Huaci muttered inwardly, though her face immediately settled into a standardized, harmless smile.

As they spoke, the group approached the security checkpoint, but suddenly, they all went quiet.

The reason was that Zhong Qing’s team was walking just a few paces away. Coupled with Zhong Qing’s standout height and aura in the crowd, it was impossible not to notice her.

She really is wearing sunglasses, Dong Huaci thought.

A pair of branded sunglasses rested on the bridge of Zhong Qing’s perky nose. Only a layer of foundation and a classic red lipstick were visible on her face, yet nothing could suppress her overbearing celebrity presence. Although Dong Huaci couldn’t see her eyes, she had an inexplicable intuition that Zhong Qing’s gaze had flickered toward her.

Is she looking at me?

Dong Huaci disliked the ambiguity Zhong Qing always seemed to project, even though she couldn’t confirm if it had actually happened. She looked boldly toward Zhong Qing and, regardless of whether there would be a response, she pursed her lips into a smile and nodded.

There were no strangers around yet. By the time they actually cleared the security exit, Dong Huaci had long since withdrawn her gaze.

All of Zhong Qing’s expressions were hidden behind those large sunglasses, making it impossible to discern her current mood. Even the assistant beside her was a bit apprehensive, calling out softly, “Teacher Zhong Qing…”

Zhong Qing merely shook her head without saying a word.

When the two of them stepped outside, the long-waiting fans became like a pot of boiling water, swarming forward with a deafening roar.

The fans were clearly divided into two groups: one surrounding Dong Huaci and the other surrounding Zhong Qing. As for the trending searches, they had already exploded.

#ZhongQingDongHuaciAirport

There were also two other trending topics featuring their full names further down the entertainment charts:

#ZhongQingFans #DongHuaciFans

The latter two were only there because the fans of Dong Huaci and Zhong Qing had started bickering again, driving “black” searches against each other.

However, under the first trending topic—aside from the fan-controlled comments that few people liked—the comment section was unexpectedly harmonious rather than a bloodbath.

“I’m dying, I’m dying! This is the prelude to a remarriage…”

“My ‘Planting Trees’ (Zhong-Shu) CP in the same frame after a century!”

“Five years of friendship in the same group… she stayed by your side when you were nobodies. How could you let go so easily?”

Of course, there were also disgruntled voices.

“They broke up eight hundred years ago… I don’t know what CP fans are thinking. Do we need to list the timeline of what your idol did back then all over again?”

Meanwhile, Dong Huaci, who had finally carved a path through the fans, was sitting in her RV browsing the trending searches with a secondary account. All these comments—good and bad—fell into her eyes. But compared to the shock of meeting Zhong Qing again after a year of silence, these words barely stirred a ripple in her heart.

Tonight’s awards ceremony was exceptionally important. She had to arrive early to remove her makeup and re-apply it to match her gown. Fortunately, her complexion was good, and she had managed to catch some sleep on the plane—if not for the unexpected encounter with Zhong Qing, things would be going even more smoothly.

An artist’s status determines whether they get a private dressing room. Clearly, Dong Huaci’s status wasn’t quite at the top yet. She had to rush to the makeup area before the “big shots” arrived to get her look done, lest she be pushed to the back of the queue and end up with a sub-optimal result. Of course, she could choose not to use the organizers’ makeup artists and pay for her own styling team—

But Dong Huaci, who couldn’t even bear to buy a real designer bag, clearly didn’t have that kind of financial power yet.

On her way to the makeup area, Dong Huaci ran into Zhao Xuanxuan head-on.

Zhao Xuanxuan had wavy black hair and a heart-shaped face, but her almond eyes made her look less “vixen-like” and more likable. Her smile had a standard sense of purity that made her seem guileless. Dong Huaci was different; she had an enchanting face paired with “affectionate eyes”—a classic “femme fatale.” Because of this, her manager made her practice a pure and innocent smile to soften her face’s sharpness and gain more public favor.

Although their looks weren’t exactly the same, they were both new-generation starlets, so competition was inevitable. Zhao Xuanxuan was classically trained—a genuine graduate from a drama academy—whereas Dong Huaci had only graduated high school and was a “halfway” debutante. In this regard, Dong Huaci was naturally at a disadvantage. The opposing side frequently bought smear pieces about Dong Huaci’s education, exaggerated her private life, and tried to pin fabricated scandals on her.

However, ever since the matter between Dong Huaci and Zhong Qing was exposed, the audience clearly stopped buying or believing those rumors.

Today, Zhao Xuanxuan was also a nominee for the same award as Dong Huaci.

Even more than Zhong Qing, Dong Huaci truly did not want to run into her. Dong Huaci originally thought about yielding to avoid a scene, but before she could say a word, Zhao Xuanxuan quickened her pace toward the dressing room. She gave Dong Huaci a flippant glance, as if to say: I see you, but I’m ignoring you on purpose. This was worlds apart from the gaze she showed reporters; one could only say that when people are desperate, they do find some acting skills, let alone a classically trained one.

Dong Huaci felt a flash of anger, but just as she was about to limply walk away, Shi Xiaonan grabbed her hand at the door.

“You’re the next one on stage! Hurry up and get your makeup done, my lady! What are you doing?” Shi Xiaonan was frantic.

“Huh? Oh…” Dong Huaci reacted blankly for a moment. “So, the award is mine?”

Shi Xiaonan gave her a look of exasperated disappointment, winking and whispering, “My dear Teacher Dong, aren’t you going to get your look ready?”

For a moment, Dong Huaci was filled with surprise and a hint of trepidation. She frowned. “But…”

She wanted to say that Zhao Xuanxuan was inside. But then, as if making a decision, she didn’t say anything more. She simply nodded and pushed the door open.

Before Dong Huaci could even greet the makeup artist, Zhao Xuanxuan was already seated in the makeup chair.

Dong Huaci walked over to the makeup artist and said politely, “Sister, could you help me first? I actually arrived just before her.” She then whispered in her ear, “I have to get on stage urgently in a bit.”

The makeup artist was clearly in a difficult position.

There’s no “first-come, first-served” in the entertainment industry. These two had roughly the same status. While Zhao Xuanxuan was being unreasonable, she did have better connections and her company provided more resources.

However, despite Zhao Xuanxuan’s sweet looks, she just couldn’t seem to break through to major stardom. Over time, it became a matter of “metaphysics” in the industry; some people simply never get big no matter how many resources they are given. Dong Huaci was different—a “wild horse” contestant who seemed to carry natural traffic in her destiny. Every seemingly “bad” move she made somehow ended up appealing to the audience’s taste.

Was it worth offending Zhao Xuanxuan’s company? Zhao Xuanxuan was known for holding grudges openly… While the makeup artist was still hesitating, Dong Huaci added:

“Sister, do my makeup first. It’ll be worth it. I can take your work to the number one trending spot.”

“Number one? Do you really think you can trend whenever you want? Do you own the entertainment industry and the platforms?” Zhao Xuanxuan snapped back. She was not the type to take a loss quietly.

“Yes,” Dong Huaci nodded seriously. “As long as I take my phone with me to see the reporters later.”

She tapped her phone screen twice, and then the home screen displayed…

—Zhong Qing’s new song, Qing You Du Zhong (Uniquely Smitten).

The makeup artist’s breath hitched. She knew very well the popularity of Dong Huaci and Zhong Qing. Especially since the two had avoided each other for a year, if Dong Huaci “accidentally” showed reporters that she was listening to this song, it was entirely possible for her photos to hit the top of the trending charts today.

To a makeup artist, Dong Huaci’s face was a perfect canvas to showcase their skill.

Thus, the makeup artist said apologetically but firmly, “I’m sorry, Miss Zhao…”

Zhao Xuanxuan arched an eyebrow. “Aren’t you afraid I’ll tell the reporters you did this on purpose?”

“Oh, Xuanxuan, that would make you seem too obsessed with winning or losing,” Dong Huaci used an overly intimate nickname, her words equally sarcastic. “Besides, if I do it on purpose, it just makes me look like I have ‘lingering feelings.’ I might even stay on the trending list for an extra two days.”

With that, Dong Huaci sat down in the other makeup chair. “Let’s start. If I’m faster, you can be faster too—our competition doesn’t have to reach the point of tearing each other’s hair out.”

Zhao Xuanxuan snorted coldly, but after Dong Huaci’s last remark, she tacitly accepted the fact that the makeup artist would attend to Dong Huaci first.

Time flew by. Dong Huaci finished her makeup, walked the red carpet, and was soon sitting in the audience waiting for the awards.

As for the matter of her listening to Zhong Qing’s new song?

Well… it all depended on the timing.

Her manager, Shi Xiaonan, had reminded her that she didn’t have to cut ties with Zhong Qing completely. This “is it over or is it not” vibe was what teased the fans the most. But if one side clung too obviously or acted too proactively, it would look forced and cheap, which would actually drive fans away.

So, it seemed like a matter of fate. Dong Huaci had simply set the song as her lock screen. As for the timing… maybe sometime in the next ten years.

The pre-award process was always tedious and detailed, and Dong Huaci could only kill time by maintaining her smile. Her chance of winning this award was about 40%; truth be told, Zhao Xuanxuan’s chances were probably higher.

So, when the presenter announced her name, her expression froze for a second, followed by an uncontrollable, joyous smile. It was a look of innocence and purity, like a child receiving a candy and finding it to be their favorite flavor.

This expression is quite appropriate, Shi Xiaonan thought while watching the live feed.

After finishing her acceptance speech, Dong Huaci flashed a glamorous smile at the camera.

However, as she was stepping down, her high heel unexpectedly got stuck in a gap in the stairs.

Normally, she was very adept at wearing heels.

Whether they were chunky, stilettos, or sky-high platforms, she had worn them all. During her girl group days, her feet could adapt to any strange heel and center of gravity, performing a series of smooth and perfect dance moves.

So, even if Dong Huaci hadn’t trained in heels for a year, she should never have made such a rookie mistake as falling on the stairs…

—Unless the gap in the stairs was too coincidental, and the female staff member supporting her happened to step on her dress at the same time.

Even though she was being careful enough to lift the front of her gown with both hands and was walking slowly, Dong Huaci realized with horror that she had lost control of her center of gravity.

Luckily, as she fell, she landed right into someone’s arms.

It was a woman. The scent of cedarwood wafted straight into Dong Huaci’s nose.

The scent was too familiar. The relief of being saved was instantly replaced by a realization that made her heart pound. She quickly looked up at the person’s face and met a pair of eyes she knew all too well.

This scent… it really was her.

Zhong Qing.

There was no emotion in her eyes, and her movements were incredibly restrained. She didn’t reach out to steady her, yet she didn’t take a step back to let her fall completely. She just stood there, then averted her gaze, turning to look at Dong Huaci’s phone, which had fallen not far away.

At that moment, the phone screen lit up…

—Glaringly displaying the cover of Zhong Qing’s new song, Qing You Du Zhong.