Filming for the show Fashion began right outside the studio entrance. This decision was made because the design concept be...
Filming for the show Fashion began right outside the studio entrance.
This decision was made because the design concept behind all the outfits worn by participants could be summed up in one word: fashionable.
Whether it was the designers invited to the show or the sponsoring brands, they were all trendsetters in the industry.
Therefore, a short stretch of red carpet was laid out at the entrance.
From the very beginning, the cameras were there to capture the fashionable charm of the four celebrities and the designers' sense of style and craftsmanship.
For example, Bao Ruanruan's outfit today — a fitted little red dress — was once again from Teng, the domestic brand that had designed her previous red carpet gown.
But no one expected what came next.
She walked from her car to the studio wearing a pair of slippers.
All the photographers at the entrance were stunned.
Even the show's PD, who had come to greet her, was taken aback and hurried over.
"Teacher Bao, can we do that again?"
"This segment will be included in the final cut."
"Oh, really? Can't you just film me from the waist up?"
Bao Ruanruan looked a little torn.
Just as she finished speaking, however, a soft, stifled laugh came from behind her.
Bao Ruanruan turned around and saw Yang Xueni, dressed simply in a black tracksuit, standing with her agent, Jiang Zhengle.
The 'Assistant' show cameraman could also be seen filming behind Yang Xueni.
Yang Xueni had been far too busy.
While Bao Ruanruan had free time, Yang Xueni still had to join the filming crews for her dramas.
So, she could only insert a needle wherever there was a crack1 during the filming of this fashion design variety show to record the Assistant.
That was why Yang Xueni came running over today.
"Morning, Nini." Bao Ruanruan raised the hand that wasn't holding the high heels.
She was always polite.
Yang Xueni: "..."
Goosebumps crawled all over her first thing in the morning — so this is what that feels like!
And it had to happen in front of two TV stations' cameras.
In an instant, even Yang Xueni's urge to laugh at Bao Ruanruan disappeared.
"Teacher... Bao, good morning." Her face flushed as she handed Bao Ruanruan an indoor coat.
The sooner the shoot ends, the sooner I'll transcend reincarnation2.
Yang Xueni forced out a professional smile for the camera.
"Huh, so, this is Yang Xueni, the one acting as the rookie actor's little assistant?"
A teasing female voice suddenly sounded.
Yang Xueni frowned.
When she turned around, she saw a tall woman in a low-cut black dress, with voluminous brown curls and striking, sultry makeup.
"Qin Lu?"
Yang Xueni immediately turned to look at her agent, Jiang Zhengle.
He looked just as surprised — clearly, he hadn't known about Qin Lu's participation in advance either.
"……"
"Don't look at him — I was called in at the last minute," said Qin Lu, smiling as she flicked her hair. "Sister Fang was supposed to come, but her crew wrapped up a week late, so I came in her place."
Yang Xueni's expression darkened.
But, mindful of the cameras, she took a deep breath, forced a nod and turned away.
I don't even want to look at her again!
Among the celebrities from the same company as her, Yang Xueni found Qin Lu the most annoying.
Qin Lu debuted six months later than her.
But she had to compete with her in everything.
Competing was one thing, but she even had to copy her.
Yang Xueni was born with phoenix eyes📹, giving her a naturally alluring look.
Ever since she appeared on the big screen, she had focused on playing seductive and glamorous roles for three or four years.
However, Qin Lu, who clearly started with an innocent image, insisted on imitating her... always wearing heavy makeup and low-cut clothes…
However, the company didn't interfere with their rivalry; they were pretty happy to watch them compete.
Whoever won would get more resources.
Yet Qin Lu never admitted that she was imitating or stealing Yang Xueni's style.
She always claimed that this was what acting was about—becoming different people according to the script.
Those twisted arguments made Yang Xueni furious.
At the end of last year, Qin Lu even snatched away the leading role in a film that Yang Xueni had already secured.
And she forcefully managed to ride her way into a Best Actress nomination for it.
From merely disliking Qin Lu, Yang Xueni now saw her as a sworn enemy.
The one thing she wanted most was to tear off Qin Lu's disgusting mask!
"Sis Xueni, if I'd known earlier, I would've signed up for this Assistant show, too."
Qin Lu smiled unabashedly.
"I plan to take some advanced lessons soon by joining Director Zhou's directing class. If you were my assistant, we could even study together."
Yang Xueni took a deep breath.
This year, Director Zhou was filming a main melody film3 and was currently casting the female lead.
Qin Lu was trying to steal her spotlight again!
"Eh? Sister Xueni is working as an assistant—why isn't she carrying Teacher Bao's shoes?"
"Haha, well, that makes sense though. Sister Xueni has walked on so many red carpets, so it must be her first time carrying someone else's shoes! And it's also my first time seeing a celebrity wearing slippers on the red carpet~ Ah, I wonder if the M brand will be angry if they find out about this."
"The previous almost-spokesperson tripped on the red carpet while wearing their shoes."
"And now this ambassador refuses to wear the shoes they love on the red carpet."
Qin Lu let out a string of light chuckles.
"Haha, you two really are born to be one family4, huh?"
Yang Xueni was furious!
She clenched her fists.
She decided that any show she appeared on in the future must never include Qin Lu.
She'd stuck to that rule all the time!
She really wanted to tear this brat apart with her hands!
"Nini, could you get my mask for me? It's in the front pocket of my backpack."
Yang Xueni froze, her flushed face turning as she saw Bao Ruanruan frowning and covering her mouth and nose.
As Bao Ruanruan spoke, she turned to Qin Lu, her fair, bun-like face creased in displeasure.
"Please maintain a proper social distance of one meter, and lower your voice."
"Calm down."
"And don't spray saliva around."
"I just saw it—you got so worked up that your spit actually flew onto the staff member's face."
The PD who was pinning the microphone to Bao Ruanruan's clothing suddenly froze.
"Don't be afraid."
Bao Ruanruan looked at her sympathetically—she felt a little disgusted, too.
"Nini, while you're at it, take out our sugar daddy5 — King Disinfectant."
"Let the PD wipe with it—those germs will vanish instantly."
Pfft—
Yang Xueni covered her mouth.
She tried not to laugh.
But her shoulders still shook uncontrollably.
"Teacher Bao, I didn't expect you to have such a clever mouth6."
Qin Lu's face turned red with embarrassment and irritation as she looked at Bao Ruanruan.
"Oh, not at all, not at all. You're much better than I am."
Bao Ruanruan waved her hand modestly.
Pfft, pfft—
Yang Xueni shook even harder with laughter.
Glancing at Qin Lu, she cheerfully took out a mask and put it on Bao Ruanruan.
For the first time, she felt that being an assistant was such a great job!
She was genuinely enjoying herself.
"Here you go, PD. This is an alcohol sanitiser. You've got to rub it in for a full minute for it to kill germs effectively."
As Yang Xueni said this, she lifted her chin and glanced at Qin Lu.
Qin Lu let out an angry laugh. "Fine! I'll be waiting to see what score M Company will give7 you two later!"
With that, she stormed off with her assistant.
Yang Xueni snorted as she watched her walk away.
She used to be bad with words and could never outtalk Qin Lu.
But today, it felt so satisfying!
When she turned to look at Bao Ruanruan again, she found her much more pleasing to the eye.
Bao Ruanruan could be so infuriating sometimes.
But when she managed to annoy her enemy, it felt really satisfying!
Thinking of that, Yang Xueni's expression became more complicated, and she cleared her throat lightly.
"Teacher Bao, please put your shoes back on and walk the red carpet again."
"I'll hold your slippers for you."
Qin Lu was right — the M brand would definitely be upset.
However, Bao Ruanruan glanced out of the door.
It was already drizzling outside.
Her round 'bun face' scrunched up reluctantly. "Can we wait until the rain stops before changing shoes and reshooting that part?"
Yang Xueni: "..."
She's even more of a drama queen than I am.
A PD nearby, afraid they'd start arguing again, quickly nodded. "Sure, let's go meet the designer first!"
He hurriedly led them inside a separate clothing workshop.
"Which designer are we paired with?"
Yang Xueni couldn't help asking the PD.
"Which masters are here today, anyway?"
With Qin Lu here, she refused to lose.
She had to win!
Bao Ruanruan, please let her win!
The PD didn't hide anything from them.
"Teacher Bao has been paired with designer Cheng Shaogang, who has just returned from Australia."
Never heard of him.
Yang Xueni frowned.
"He's currently working at brand C."
Yang Xueni's eyes lit up.
A designer from a blue-blood luxury brand8!
"The other three are Zhao Ming and Lin Qianwen from brand P, and independent designer Chen Mo."
Yang Xueni felt suffocated for a moment.
Designers from two red-blood brands9!
There was even Chen Mo! Before 'Teng' went viral, Chen Mo was the most sought-after homegrown designer for red-carpet looks.
He was renowned for his many Guo-feng10 designs.
Because of this, he was extremely popular at international red-carpet events.
Even she couldn't book a custom outfit from Chen Mo anymore.
He was practically the exclusive designer for those top-tier celebrities.
Rumour had it that this year, he was collaborating with brand P to launch next year's spring/summer Guo-feng10 collection.
"Who is Chen Mo collaborating with?"
"Teacher Qin Lu."
Yang Xueni: "............"
Just let the world end already11!
Yang Xueni knew it — Bao Ruanruan's current ranking and influence in the entertainment circle still couldn't compare with Qin Lu's.
Clearly, this show had reserved the best designer for Qin Lu.
She had probably signed a contract that guaranteed her a place in the next round at least.
Ugh!
This variety show was ninety per cent scripted — they must have pre-booked the champion already!
"What's wrong?" Bao Ruanruan had already entered the sewing room, but when she looked back towards where she'd left her backpack, Yang Xueni hadn't come in yet.
"Nothing."
Yang Xueni just felt that the entertainment industry was so fake.
Now, when she looked at Bao Ruanruan, she found her features looking much more pleasant and refined.
After all, she had never deceived millions of viewers — except for causing a little commotion with that engagement ceremony (bushi12).
When their group entered the room, they saw the designer they would collaborate with.
They'd heard he was pretty skilled.
Bao Ruanruan greeted him politely, "Hello, Teacher Cheng."
The staff then announced the assignment: "The theme for today's first round is Summer Beach."
Designer Cheng Shaogang knew this was a collaborative project, so he smiled and asked, "Teacher Bao, do you have any ideas?"
Yang Xueni immediately perked up.
A summer beach theme — not a red-carpet gown theme this time.
Maybe they had a real chance to win!
Beaches and sunshine — of course, the look would have to be fresh, sweet, or sexy and alluring.
As for fashion trends, Yang Xueni thought carefully — bows and ribbons were definitely out.
Perhaps they could opt for a retro polka-dot swimsuit to complement fair skin and red lips.
However, it was Bao Ruanruan who spoke first, before anyone else.
"The summer sun is scorching, and it's easy to get sunburned. I think the clothes should be designed to be light and breathable, yet still cover a large area of skin. Also, since it's a beach, we have to consider swimming safety. Even if someone can swim, they could still get sudden leg cramps in the sea..."
After some thought, she suggested, "I think we should incorporate some safety measures into the clothing design."
Yang Xueni: "???"
Designer: "???"
In the adjoining room.
"I know all of these people. The hardest one to deal with is Cheng Shaogang. He returned from Australia after studying under some Italian designers. Although he seems polite, he hates it when others point fingers at his designs."
"If you give him too many suggestions, he'll flip out, throw up his hands and quit."
Qin Lu laughed when she heard that. "Then I'm lucky to be working with you, Teacher Chen Mo."
A moment later, Qin Lu's assistant quietly slipped in.
Lowering her voice, she said,
"I only caught one line — Teacher Bao told the designer to add life buoys into the clothes."
As she spoke, the assistant couldn't stop herself from laughing.
Qin Lu burst out laughing, too. "Seriously? That really happened?"
She could immediately picture it in her mind.
While all the other teams wore bikinis or bohemian-style beach dresses, Bao Ruanruan walked down the stage wearing a life buoy…
Haha!
Qin Lu just couldn't stop grinning when she remembered seeing Bao Ruanruan walk into the studio earlier, wearing hotel slippers on the red carpet.
Such a ridiculously low-class!
Yang Xueni was currently working as Bao Ruanruan's assistant, even if it was only for a variety show.
But the big fashion brands didn't care whether you did this for a show or something else.
"Did the show crew catch the moment she handed Teacher Bao her shoes on camera?"
Both Yang Xueni and Bao Ruanruan were tacky and low-class.
Once you were labelled as such, you just couldn't shake it off.
Yang Xueni had already lost a luxury shoe endorsement, and today, together with Bao Ruanruan, she would embarrass herself again.
The 'blue-blood' brand she'd been negotiating with would probably be gone, too.
Qin Lu laughed and turned to designer Chen Mo.
"Teacher, I think we can keep using the traditional Chinese style, like ink painting. What do you think?"
Victory in hand.jpg🖼️
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| Image Credit | IC千库网 |
The show had only been recording for half an hour, yet photos from various media leaks and fan photographers had already come out hot and fresh.
Yang Xueni's fan site master, Qin Lu's fan site master, and even the 'little fresh meats13' on Fashion each had their own photographers, too.
Even Bao Ruanruan now had a few 'mom-fans' knocking on bowls waiting14 for her photos, and the number of fan photographers has slowly increased by two or three.
Soon, the red carpet photos and videos of them entering the studio started circulating in all the fan groups.
Fans then chose the prettiest shots
and posted them on their idols' super topics.
[Sister Xueni looks so cute even as an assistant—she's carrying Bao Ruanruan's bag!]
[Haa, Sister Lu looks so beautiful today!]
[When the king doesn't meet the other king15—Xueni and Qin Lu in the same frame!]
Photos of Yang Xueni and Qin Lu together generated the most buzz.
And in the process, everyone started noticing Bao Ruanruan too.
On the short stretch of red carpet from the nanny van to the studio, Bao Ruanruan was dressed entirely in red, but she paired it with white hotel slippers.
The whole vibe changed instantly compared to Qin Lu's few photos in high heels.
The first photo exuded glamour and extravagance, while the next one looked as if a movie star had just finished work and was heading home.
Even if Bao Ruanruan held a bottle of makeup remover, it wouldn't look out of place.
[Did you walk onto the wrong set, Bao Ruanruan?]
[Hahaha, I think you could join the show on the next channel — 'Big Sister Removes Her Makeup'!]
[Our Kiddo Ruan has debuted as a comedian again.]
[Honestly, this is the first time I've noticed her calves.
Even in slippers, her legs don't look short — just how long are those legs?]
[Wow, did you guys notice her ankles? And her heels?]
You usually couldn't see a person's heels when they were wearing high heels.
But in slippers, everything was clearly visible.
Any rough or calloused skin would show up straight away.
However, Bao Ruanruan usually wore sneakers whenever she could and always chose breathable shoes whenever possible.
She rarely wore heels, so her heels weren't rubbed or worn down.
Other actresses have had their heels battered by countless pairs of shoes — a kind of baptism by footwear16".
Bao Ruanruan hasn't gone through that, though.
The skin from her ankles to her heels was almost as smooth and luminous as the pearly-white glow of her calves.
However, because she had briefly worn a pair of M-brand shoes in the car that morning, her dainty, snow-coloured heels now had a faint rosy tint from the friction.
[Those pinkish heels are way too cute!]
[Awoo! Even a tough girl like me can't help but feel my heart flutter at this level — can I have a cute, soft girl like that too~]
[Mama's good little girl — even her little feet are this cute, I'm done for.]
With slippers on her feet and an M-brand shoe in her hand, Bao Ruanruan somehow drew everyone's attention to her insanely good-looking skin.
[I'm convinced — she's truly a heaven-chosen beauty, not a makeup-made artificial one.]
[She's 100% natural — I don't believe anyone with plastic surgery would even bother perfecting their ankles, hehe.]
[That skin... I'm seriously so jealous.]
Inside the costume workshop.
Yang Xueni, who was the first to see the leaked photos, was worried about whether she looked ugly in them and if she had lost out to Qin Lu in comparison.
After realising everything looked fine, she finally breathed a sigh of relief.
But the next moment, she noticed that Bao Ruanruan's slipper photos were everywhere online.
Yang Xueni's head was full of black lines🖼️
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| Image Credit | IC千库网 |
"...Your manager hasn't called you about this?"
Bao Ruanruan was sitting amid a pile of fabric, helping Cheng Shaogang with his work.
"Nope," Bao Ruanruan replied, not pausing her work — she continued cutting carefully along the line with her scissors.
Yang Xueni's expression was complicated.
She really couldn't figure it out.
It was said that Bao Ruanruan's agent resources were not good, but he could still let her be Bao Ruanruan's assistant on the show.
However, when you thought this agent was competent, they didn't even handle the PR when this 'slipper crisis' happened.
And not a single phone call was made to their artist.
"What crisis?"
When Bao Ruanruan heard this word, she immediately became alert.
She even put down the scissors she was holding.
Yang Xueni replied, "...Just now, a photo of you wearing slippers was leaked. Even if you take new pictures, it's already too late."
Bao Ruanruan let out a sigh of relief.
That's all?
She had thought it was something more serious.
"It's fine."
Your nerves are really thick!
Yang Xueni felt that all the times she'd gotten angry with Bao Ruanruan before had been pointless.
Bao Ruanruan had probably never even noticed them.
Right then and there, she gave Bao Ruanruan a little crash course... on why what she'd done was unacceptable.
Luxury brands are incredibly proud.
You'd rather wear slippers than their shoes.
They can even make sure you'll never walk a red carpet in their brand again!
Upon hearing all that, Bao Ruanruan immediately took it seriously.
"Is that so?"
Things were different now — she had planned to work actively until she retired.
She was going to work hard to earn money for a house.
At that moment, Bao Ruanruan felt nervous, too.
She immediately checked her phone.
Sure enough, Chen Feng had posted several messages in the work group chat.
However, he hadn't tagged her; he was just chatting with Xue Xuejing.
[Brother Xue, Xiao Baozi's slippers are trending on the hot search list!]
[Brother Xue, three skincare brands want Xiao Baozi to endorse their body lotions!]
[Brother Xue, M Brand said they want to arrange a December magazine cover for her!]
Glancing at the messages, Bao Ruanruan was too embarrassed to pretend she understood, so she humbly sought advice from Yang Xueni.
"They said they want to give me a cover — does that mean they're angry with me?"
Yeah.
Definitely. I mean, who told you to wear slippers…
Yang Xueni froze. "Wait—what? A cover?"
"December cover."
"!"
"They're using this method to punish me," Bao Ruanruan said, confused. "What effect are they trying to achieve?"
Yang Xueni: "... "
To achieve the effect of… giving you more traffic.
"They actually want to punish me with traffic."
"……"
Yang Xueni took a deep breath.
She really wanted to grab some glue and stick her own mouth shut.
Why had she ever tried to explain the concept of 'luxury-brand temperaments' to this girl?
I'm sorry. It was presumptuous of me.
After all, even she didn't understand the temperament of luxury brands.
At that moment, Yang Xueni had a complete emotional shutdown.
She curled up in a corner and stopped talking.
She had now learned a bit of the 'low-key' virtue found in her temporary boss, Bao Ruanruan.
However, Yang Xueni didn't stay idle; bored, she passed the time scrolling through Weibo.
After scrolling for a while, she came across the third most trending ad on Weibo that day.
#What to do with such beautiful shoes on a rainy day#
Yang Xueni was intrigued.
The ad's title was actually quite clever.
As a beauty-loving woman herself, she immediately tapped on it.
And then—
She saw... Bao Ruanruan's video.
Yang Xueni: "!"
The first video in the post played automatically, without needing Yang Xueni to click on it.
A nanny van soon appeared in the video.
The van stopped.
When the door opened, Bao Ruanruan extended her long, shapely leg and stepped out of the car wearing M-brand heels.
However, once standing on the red carpet, she looked up at the sky, from which a drizzle was falling.
Right there on the spot, she took off the beautiful pair of M shoes from her slender, snow-white feet.
She held them in her hands' cherishingly,' and changed into a pair of hotel slippers.
She then dashed across the red carpet in the light rain towards the covered indoor area.
As the video came to an end, a line of text appeared on the black screen.
— M, meticulously crafted genuine leather.
— Remember to take care of it, even on rainy days!
Yang Xueni: "...!"
She finally looked up and saw the words on the video.
They were the advertising lines written by M's official Weibo account.
[@BaoRuanruan, thank you for your loving care towards this beautiful creation. Next time, let us be the ones to protect you.]
This sappy slogan made her feel like she was looking at an advert for sanitary towels promising 'night-time protection', rather than for a luxury shoe brand.
However, soon after, M released another post promoting that all their shoes were made from pure cowhide and sheepskin.
They even included useful tips on how to care for leather and what to do if it gets wet.
After reading it, Yang Xueni felt completely dazed.
Just now, she thought the luxury brand was crazy, but now it seemed their actions were right.
They had even seized the opportunity to emphasise the preciousness of their shoe materials — they were truly genuine and of high quality.
After all, genuine leather shouldn't really be worn in the rain.
"Nini, you were right — these luxury brands really do have a bit of a temper."
"..."
They promised to 'protect her next time' and gave her a magazine cover soon after.
Guess they really do have a bit of a temper!
Yang Xueni had 'black lines' running down her face🖼️
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| Image Credit | IC千库网 |
But soon, she received a message.
[Xue, Director Zhou's new film — the female lead is willing to give you an audition opportunity.]
[He said that the way you were helping as an assistant today, carrying the shoes, had made you look more down-to-earth and real.]
Yang Xueni: "!!"
Meanwhile, in the next room, Qin Lu eagerly searched 'Yang Xueni' on Weibo, wanting to see if people were mocking her for carrying shoes.
The result —
[Sister Xueni is so cute today~]
[She seems kind of approachable, hhh.]
[I'm changing today — I'm becoming her 'mom fan'!]
[Hehe, I wonder what kind of sparks will fly between Xiao Bao and Sister Xueni today, can't wait~]
[Mom said she knows they're on the show Fashion today, and she's letting me watch this episode — so happy!]
[La la la, me too, I get to watch an extra hour of TV!]
Qin Lu: "?"
It turned out that the reviews were overwhelmingly positive.
She had thought this incident would damage Yang Xueni's reputation.
"Lulu, Director Zhou said about that female lead role — he's going to wait a bit longer. After seeing Yang Xueni's behind-the-scenes photos today, he thinks she looks good, too. The final decision will depend on the investors." Her agent hurried over to tell her this.
Qin Lu: "!"
"Also, regarding the T Magazine cover shoot you did for next month, the magazine said that the release will have to be postponed by a month."
Qin Lu was stunned. "Postponed?"
She had never encountered something like this before.
"M Company is sponsoring it, so they want to cut in line—oh, the model will be Bao Ruanruan, who is recording the show with you today."
Qin Lu: "?!"
"Her move to protect the designer shoes on a rainy day made the company very satisfied."
"……!"
*
At the Deep Mountain film set.
[Yang Xueni's fan support rate: dropped by 1.2%]
Tang Yuxin, who was filming, suddenly froze when she heard the system's notification sound in her mind.
How could that be?
"Cut! Yuxin, have you forgotten your lines?"
Tang Yuxin: "...Sorry, Director. I need a short break — I'm a bit tired."
She forced herself to suppress her shock in front of the camera, barely managing to keep her expression under control — at least she didn't lose her composure on set.
But just yesterday, she had spent nearly forty minutes on the phone, finally managing to increase Yang Xueni's support rate by a small amount.
Why had it dropped again today?
What is Yang Xueni doing today?
[Sorry, Host. You don't have permission to view the other party's actions.]
[Access will be granted only when the support rate exceeds 95%.]
Tang Yuxin took a deep breath.
She also wanted to 'raise' her support rate that high.
However, whenever she wasn't on the same crew as Yang Xueni and couldn't interact with her daily, her support rate rose very slowly.
She had tried calling Yang Xueni every day before.
However, during that week, the first day gave the biggest boost in support rate; by the seventh day, no matter what they talked about, her support rate hardly rose at all.
So she simply decided to call Yang Xueni only once a week.
But recently… not only was it hard to raise, it even started to drop!
Tang Yuxin felt a wave of suffocation.
[That is normal.]
[Everyone's heart has a fixed amount of space.]
[When she starts to like someone else, her affection for you will decline.]
[When one rises, the other falls — support rates naturally fluctuate.]
Tang Yuxin drew in a deep breath.
Could Yang Xueni really like someone else?
If she hadn't had to choose someone to pursue back then, and if those around her had been more capable, she wouldn't have wanted to be friends with someone like Yang Xueni, who could explode with anger at any moment.
Yang Xueni's temper was really strange.
That was why it wasn't easy to get close to her.
But now, the other few targets were difficult to pursue.
Lu Wenyao's luck had hit rock bottom.
His younger brother, Lu Wenhao, could very easily be dragged into this situation.
Meanwhile, Tang Yuxin had no opportunities to work with Han Mo.
As for Qu Ji'en… unless she cancels her engagement, she can't keep boosting her support rate anymore…
However, once she did, the Lu Wenyao brothers' support rate would drop!
At this point, the situation had become a dilemma.
Even increasing the support rate by one per cent was much more difficult than it had been two years ago.
[Well, of course.]
[Host, you're now the youngest Best Actress, you've already stepping one of your foot into a wealthy family's marriage, and you're stunningly beautiful.]
[You've reached a level that ordinary people could never dream of. You're not the same girl you were three years ago.]
[From here on, every step forward will be as challenging as climbing up to the heavens.]
Tang Yuxin suddenly felt comforted.
Yes, that was true.
She had gained so much thanks to the system.
In fact, as long as she maintained her current support rate every month, her life was already pretty good.
It was just that recently, everyone's support rates had been dropping.
And she was filming right now and couldn't spare the time.
Once she had wrapped up the shoot and done some maintenance work, everything would balance out again.
[Due to Yang Xueni's drop in support rate, your beauty has decreased by 1.2% accordingly.]
Tang Yuxin: "!"
"Teacher Yuxin, let me touch up your makeup."
"Oh, there's a closed pimple on your cheek!"
Tang Yuxin: "!!"
Meanwhile, Bao Ruanruan was busy working in the clothing workshop.
She was helping the designer out.
According to the show's rules, each team had to produce a complete collection of six to eight outfits.
Time was tight.
This situation reminded Bao Ruanruan of a stage in the game where she had to attend an interstellar banquet, but her evening gown had mysteriously gone missing.
She had to cut the gown's fabric within the time limit, following the three design blueprints provided by the game.
If she failed, the people on the planet would see her as an outsider — someone pretending to be a celebrity who had infiltrated their society.
Then they would hunt her down.🦊
Thinking of that, Bao Ruanruan's hands moved a little faster with the scissors.
She barely looked at the lines, curves and measurements on the cardboard, only glancing at them quickly before cutting almost instinctually.
Focused.
Fast.
Bao Ruanruan's little face turned serious, as if she were engaged in a matter of life and death.
"......"
Yang Xueni, standing beside the show's cameraman, was practically sweating.
It was Bao Ruanruan who had personally offered to help Cheng Shaogang, but Yang Xueni could see a hint of disapproval and dislike in his expression as a response.
Since Yang Xueni herself could easily get riled up, meeting Cheng Shaogang felt like meeting her own kind.
Cheng Shaogang lowered his head and remained silent.
Not responding was his way of saying he refused to be helped.
However, when Yang Xueni looked over at Bao Ruanruan, she found her completely absorbed in her work in front of the camera, her hands moving in a blur.
She didn't notice Cheng Shaogang's expression at all.
Who knows how many pieces of fabric Bao Ruanruan had already ruined with her scissors!
Thinking of her own job as an assistant, Yang Xueni braced herself and walked over to hand Bao Ruanruan a thermos. "Teacher Bao… have some water."
Please, stop cutting the clothes already.
Yang Xueni froze at the thought.
She usually never paid attention to these little social details. Whenever she appeared on a show, she only thought about what to say and do, never considered about other people.
But now, standing in the assistant's shoes, she suddenly realised that sometimes, she was just like Bao Ruanruan!
She was too competitive and too eager to be on camera to notice others' expressions.
Her enthusiasm sometimes made her collaborators unhappy.
Yang Xueni stood there in a daze.
But Bao Ruanruan looked up and gave her a grateful look.
A person is supposed to drink eight glasses of water a day.
It's sure nice to have an assistant.
She took the thermos, her eyes smiling like water. "Thanks, Nini."
Since when did you turn into such a silly-sweet girl?
Yang Xueni held herself back again and again, glancing around — Bao Ruanruan really didn't have a manager or assistant with her.
If there had been someone experienced around, they would never have let her naively dance so recklessly on the edge of the designer's18 temper explosion.
Yang Xueni found it absurd — she was never the meddling type.
But right now, she just couldn't help herself.
Bao Ruanruan stood up to drink her water and set the fabric aside.
Then she carefully put down the scissors in her hand as well.
As expected, Cheng Shaogang noticed her movements.
"Teacher Bao, you can rest — I'll take care of the rest."
Cheng Shaogang wished he had four hands to do all the cutting and sewing himself.
He did need help, but only the kind that his assistant could provide.
If it were an actress — the one who couldn't even sew a button straight — came to 'help' and mess everything up, then he'd probably need eight hands, just to fix all the mistakes she made!
When he saw her stop what she was doing, Cheng Shaogang immediately made it clear that he didn't need her help.
"If you really want to help, Teacher Bao, you can take the fabric by the windowsill and make a small backpack."
Yang Xueni's eyes lit up.
That was actually a great solution.
It would give Bao Ruanruan some on-camera participation and allow her to contribute to the programme. At the same time, it would prevent her from clashing with the designer, sparing them both mutual annoyance.
As her assistant, Yang Xueni immediately went over to the pile of fabric scraps in the corner.
But, much to everyone's surprise, Bao Ruanruan smiled and waved her hand. "Actually, I don't really feel like doing anything."
Yang Xueni: "...!?"
When Bao Ruanruan heard Cheng Shaogang's words, the tense look on her face instantly relaxed.
Her smooth little face lit up with pure joy, every feature spelling out one phrase: Long live liberation!
It was as if someone had pulled her out of a sea of sewing misery — she was overwhelmed with joy.
"Can I really take a break?"
Even her soft voice was filled with gratitude and cautious hesitation.
It was as if leaving the designer alone to sew would be terribly inhumane.
Not only Yang Xueni, but even Cheng Shaogang — who usually disliked interference from others — was momentarily stunned by those dewy eyes and deeply grateful tone.
In the next instant, an intense wave of guilt rose within him.
Cheng Shaogang felt a pang of remorse in his heart.
She had kindly offered to help him, yet he had been disdainful about it.
"Teacher Cheng, are you really okay doing this all by yourself? You don't need my help with all eight pieces of clothing?"
A glow of admiration shimmered in Bao Ruanruan's eyes.
If she had that kind of hand speed, would she have failed the game so many times and been chased by aliens until she cried?
— She was genuinely worried she couldn't complete the mission.
Cheng Shaogang found this actress's sense of responsibility surprising and couldn't help but laugh on the spot.
Then, seeing the sheer admiration in her eyes, stirred something deep inside him.
"I'm used to it."
"The task's tough, so I'll have to stay up late to finish it."
He's even willing to work overnight.
What a good teacher.
What a great teammate.
Even if it costs him a bit of his health, he still insists on protecting his teammates until they clear the stage.
The admiration in Bao Ruanruan's eyes immediately turned into respect.
"Teacher Cheng, you're truly the finest role model I've ever met in the entire industry."
Cheng Shaogang's face flushed red for a moment.
Yang Xueni: "...!"
For someone who was hopeless at socialising, it felt like she was witnessing a walking textbook of 'social genius' in action!
"If you need my assistance, Teacher Cheng, please be sure to call me."
"For now, I'll step out and take a short nap at the hotel next door."
Cheng Shaogang was taken aback.
Yang Xueni: "......???"
But Bao Ruanruan had already stood up and started packing her backpack.
As she packed, the show's PD stopped her, asking,
"Teacher Bao... are you heading back to the hotel?"
The show is still filming!
"Of course." Bao Ruanruan blinked. "Teacher Cheng said he's staying up late to work, so as his teammate, I've got to make up for his loss of sleep."
"!"
Can that sort of thing even be done by someone else?
"Of course it can. If he runs out of energy in the middle of the night, I'll have to take over for him."
"Of course, right?"
Bao Ruanruan looked back at the PD earnestly, as if giving a serious explanation.
She openly and confidently slung her backpack over her shoulder, walked out of the costume-making room and waved at Yang Xueni, who was standing nearby.
"Come on, Nini."
Yang Xueni: "…………"
It was as if the gates to a new world had just opened before her.
Could variety shows... actually be done like this?
Ten minutes later, Yang Xueni felt like she was losing her mind.
In a suite at a five-star hotel, she looked at Bao Ruanruan, who had changed into dark green pyjamas embroidered with the characters' Longevity and Prosperity'. Then she looked around at the circle of cameramen surrounding them.
She was stunned.
She had been in the industry for so long.
Yet this was the first time she had no idea what to do in front of the camera.
Soon, however, the phone in the room started ringing.
A moment later came the astonished voice of the PD.
"Ah? Teacher Cheng Shaogang, are you personally coming to the hotel to apologise to Teacher Bao?"
"And are you saying Teacher Bao's fabric cutting was even more beautiful and precise than your assistant's?"
Yang Xueni: "!!"
Footnotes Full List
- 见缝插针 (jiàn fèng chā zhēn): A four-character idiom that literally means "to see a crack/gap and insert a needle." Figuratively, it means "to take advantage of every available minute," "to squeeze in time," or "to seize any opportunity."
- 早拍完,早超生 (zǎo pāi wán, zǎo chāo shēng) — It's a slang expression with a darkly humorous meaning: the sooner it's over, the sooner I'll be free from this suffering. It plays on Buddhist language ("超生 (chāo shēng)" = transcend reincarnation, i.e. be freed from suffering).
- 主旋律电影 (zhǔxuánlǜ diànyǐng) literally means 'main melody film', a Chinese film industry term for movies with official or patriotic themes that align with state-endorsed values.
- 天生一家人 (tiānshēng yījiārén) is a sarcastic idiom meaning 'you two are just the same' or 'birds of a feather'. Qin Lu is mocking them for sharing bad luck or embarrassment.
- 金主爸爸 (jīn zhǔ bàba) — literally "sponsor daddy" or "money daddy," is slang meaning a financial backer or major sponsor. Used humorously here to refer to the brand or product that funds the show.
- 一张嘴这么伶俐 (yī zhāngzuǐ zhème línglì) — literally 'your mouth is so clever', meaning you're quick-witted or sharp-tongued. It can carry both praise and a hint of reproach.
- 出几分 (chū jǐfēn) — means "what score they'll give," referring to evaluation or approval from a brand or sponsor.
- "蓝血奢牌" (lán xuè shē pái) means a top-tier, aristocratic-level brand. "蓝血" (blue blood/lán xuè) metaphorically refers to nobility, suggesting a brand with elite prestige (like Chanel or Dior).
- "红血设计师" (red-blood designers/hóngxuè shèjìshī) plays off "蓝血" (blue blood/lán xuè) — here it implies top domestic luxury designers (elite, but from local brands rather than international aristocratic ones).
- "国风" = "guófēng," literally "national style," meaning designs inspired by traditional Chinese aesthetics.
- "毁灭吧 (huǐmiè ba)!" literally "Let it all be destroyed!" or "Let the world end!" is slang for utter despair or giving up. It is used humorously or dramatically when something feels hopeless (like realising she can't compete).
- The "(bushi)" is an internet slang expression meaning "not really though" or "just kidding," used in parentheses to soften sarcasm or self-correction.
- "小鲜肉 (xiǎo xiānròu)" is slang for handsome young male celebrities
- Figuratively, the phrase "敲碗等" (qiāo wǎn děng) is used by online fans or audiences to express impatient and eager anticipation for new content, a sequel, or an update. It means they are so hungry for the next part that they are figuratively "banging their bowls" in demand.
- "王不见王" (wáng bùjiàn wáng) is an idiom meaning two strong rivals rarely appear together; if they do, sparks will fly.
- 经过无数鞋子的洗礼" (jīngguò wúshù xiézǐ de xǐlǐ) is a metaphor comparing years of discomfort from high heels to a ritual ordeal that polishes or toughens someone up.
- What kind of game is this?
- "在……临界点上跳舞" (zài … … línjièdiǎn shàng tiàowǔ) is a vivid metaphor for "flirting with danger" or "pushing someone's patience to the limit."
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