APCF -Chapter 6 (2)

On Friday, the programme team informed Qi Xingchen to go to MaimangTV for the first commentary interview.

Towards an artiste like him, who is practically so invisible that he cannot be seen, the company did not provide a minivan. Du Lanxin used her own car to fetch him there, then did not stop nagging in the waiting hall outside the studio:

“The one they are recording later is a short introduction video, mainly to let the audience become familiar with you. Any funny punchlines or baggage, vigorously shake them all out. You must not hide or tuck them away.”

“Tell them your age and height according to the Baidu encyclopedia — you should know it yourself; your age remains the same, but your height has increased by 3cm.”

“Say what you should say, don’t say anything you shouldn’t. Don’t reveal your working-class family background. The audience now likes the tall, rich and handsome type, and not the grassroots type. If you are asked about it, just shake your head; the host would not put you on the spot.”

“……I said so much, were you even listening?” Qi Xingchen remained silent and Du Lanxin got angry, “Are you turning a deaf ear to my words? And what about your face and hair, you didn’t do your hair and makeup?”

Du Lanxing was 30+ this year. Due to her visits to the red-light district year in, year out, her figure became extremely out of shape7; the fat on her face shook whenever she talked. Qi Xingchen glanced at her, then immediately turned his head.

“I don’t have a stylist.”

Du Lanxin choked, indeed, she had actually forgotten about this after not bumping into Qi Xingchen for more than half a year.

He must have his hair and makeup done for this, as she was still ordering this new money tree to earn income! She stopped the production assistant who was hurriedly pushing a light reflector screen towards the studio: “Hey chap, my artiste was in a hurry and didn’t do his makeup. Call your makeup artist over in a moment.”

“Sure,” the production assistant was blocked by the light reflector and did not even see who it was in front clearly. He carelessly agreed, “Just wait for me to set this thing — aiyoh!”

Right when he said that, he did not see the wires on the floor, accidentally tripping over them, and his body tilted forward together with the board!

Qi Xingchen was seated on the bench directly in front of him, and all he saw was a dark black mass plummeting towards his head. It was too late to think of dodging.

He raised his arms to protect his head, then thought to himself I won’t be crushed to death here because I changed the plot, right? But after waiting for a while, he realised he did not feel any pain.

Opening his eyes, he saw Bo Ye gripping the light reflector board with one hand, and supporting the production assistant with the other.

He probably just rushed over from another set and could not conceal the exhaustion in his voice: “Be careful.”

“Thank you, thank you.”

The production assistant promptly bowed. Only when he straightened up did he realise who was supporting him, and he immediately let out a groundhog-like scream: “AHHHHH Are you Bo Ye?! I saw Bo Ye with my own two eyes AHHH!!!”

With trembling hands, he fished out a pen from his pocket, “I- I really really like you…… Could- could you give me an autograph?”

Instead of replying, Bo Ye turned to Qi Xingchen, “Are you okay?”

Qi Xingchen: “I’m alright.”

“Good,” Bo Ye turned back, “Where do I sign?”

The production assistant did not have a notebook on hand, in the end, he let Bo Ye sign on his clothes. Qi Xingchen inspected the writing. It was exactly the same as the signed albums in his collection.

One could reckon that Du Lanxin wanted to worm her way into being friends with Bo Ye, approaching Bo Ye’s side after waiting for the production assistant to leave. However, as soon as she thought of how to phrase the words and was about to open her mouth, Bo Ye turned towards Qi Xingchen again: “No stylist?”

“……En.”

“Follow me.” Bo Ye walked around Du Lanxin and let his assistant lead the way straight to the lounge MaimangTV had prepared for him.

With Bo Ye’s level of popularity, no matter where he goes, there would always be a lounge labelled with his name for applying makeup, changing clothes, eating, waiting for the shoot, etc.

Right now, all the clothing and makeup items to be used were already fully prepared inside the room. The makeup artist was currently spraying mist onto a sponge.

Seeing Bo Ye enter, she was going to ask why he was this late but then saw someone else following behind Bo Ye.

“Boss, this is……?”

“Qi Xingchen,” Bo Ye replied indifferently, “Xiaoman, help him with his makeup. I’ll go to change first.”

“Oh, oh okay,” Xiaoman gave Qi Xingchen an astonished glance, “Teacher Qi, please sit over here.”

Men’s makeup was easier to do, especially those like Qi Xingchen who have a small face and skin without any blemishes; they only require a bit of base makeup and contouring to enhance his complexion.

While Xiaoman’s hands worked, her mouth was not resting either, asking in a whisper: “Teacher Qi, are you a friend of our boss?”

“…… I’m not,” Qi Xingchen did not know what they were considered as, “I’m also an artiste of Noah. I was not styled today and it just so happened that I met Senior Bo Ye, so he brought me over to do my makeup.”

Xiaoman was even more shocked. Bo Ye liked peace and quiet, and he hated socialising. He almost never brought people into his lounge.

Why did he suddenly behave out of character this time? Not only did he bring, but he even brought a youngster who was not even a friend.

Things were definitely not that simple. Xiaoman’s eyes shifted and thought of something, “Then Teacher Qi, how did you both get acquainted?”

“Are you also going to ask how many people there are in his family?” Just then, Bo Ye returned. He gave Xiaoman a warning look, “Work seriously.”

Xiaoman stuck out her tongue at Qi Xingchen, then wiped the corners of her eyes as she pretended to cry. Nevertheless, it could be seen from her expression that she was not actually afraid of Bo Ye.

Previously, a staff member who worked with Bo Ye revealed that although he looked cold on the surface, in actual fact he did not put on any airs at all in his attitude towards those around him.

Looks like it was true.

Xiaoman was still occupied with Qi Xingchen’s makeup, thus Bo Ye could only sit on Qi Xingchen’s left and do his hair first.

Qi Xingchen had never seen his idol’s behind-the-scenes look, even though he was a fake, his eyes could not help drifting towards his left for a bit.

And then he quickly retracted his gaze.

Again, it drifted to the left and got hurriedly retracted.

……Sh*t, he was really carried away, his idol was way too good looking! If one needs to be taxed on beauty, he estimates that his idol would be bankrupt already!

Qi Xingchen’s gaze drifted to the left for the third time……

Bo Ye finally could not take it anymore and returned his gaze through the mirror.

At the very moment the two lines of sight met, it was as if Qi Xingchen was a student caught copying his homework, he swiftly sat upright as if he did not do anything shameful!

His reaction was so obvious that Bo Ye raised his eyebrows, “Are you very afraid of me?”

“N-no.”

“Then why are you this frightened by me?”

Isn’t this all because you look exactly like my idol? Every time I see you, I can’t help but think you’re my idol, causing me to be nervous to death, Qi Xingchen thought.

“Don’t tell me it was because……” Bo Ye hesitated for a moment, “I whacked you too many times in the practice room, so now you’re scared of me?”

Qi Xingchen: “……”

Impossible! He didn’t even have enough time to like his idol, how could he be scared?

“I’m not scared! Really!” Qi Xingchen got so anxious that he forgot if the person in front of him was real or fake. Fearing that his explanation would not be understood, his fingers scratched his pants frantically, “Feel free to whack! No matter how you wish to whack, or if you want to just whack to your point of satisfaction, I would be very happy nonetheless!”

Xiaoman: “……”

The hairstylist: “……”

Bo Ye’s assistant: “……”

The crowd of people in the lounge seemed as if they just witnessed a large S&M scene and fell into silence all of a sudden.

“……” Only then did Qi Xingchen realise that his words were very inappropriate. Heat flushed towards his head, causing his face to burst into flames.

He opened his mouth wanting to clarify but registered that with the current situation, anything else would just make it worse. He could only forcibly bow his head and bury his head in the sand: They didn’t see me, they didn’t see me, as if I hadn’t been here, as if I hadn’t been here.

After a full minute of chanting, a low chuckle suddenly sounded from the left.

Bo Ye covered his mouth with a fist, with all the frost from his face melting.

A few days ago, a stage accident caused him to transmigrate into this space. The unfamiliar people and events have exhausted him physically and mentally.

He watched the furiously blushing youngster beside him. This was the first time he smiled from the bottom of his heart since he transmigrated here.