Li Xuan had never watched a talent show before, and this format sounded boring to him, like a group of dolls waiting to be picked out in a claw machine. But in order to cope with this notice, he still found time to double the number and watched one episode. He still found the one that Sheng Min participated in.
At the beginning, Sheng Min was not favored by the program team. He had no singing and dancing skills. Although he had been working in online dramas for many years, the poor production and plot made it difficult for him to accumulate fans. The company sent him to participate in the competition just to make up the numbers. No matter how good-looking he was, he didn't have many shots at the beginning. He just smiled every time he was photographed.
Even though they were already familiar with each other, looking at Sheng Min on the screen, Li Xuan found that he actually had no way of fully distinguishing whether those bright smiles with the perfect curves at the corners of the eyes and lips were genuine or fake.
"Okay, thank you for the performance." Li Xuan was actually a little distracted. Applause rang out behind him, and he began to recite his lines reflexively. He also picked out an ambiguous sentence from the comments written by Sheng Min in advance and recited it, then leaned back in his chair.
"In fact, I think this group is quite mature. Whether it's stage presence or performance skills, they work very well together." The next commentator was the vocal instructor. "I remember this song was sung by YIL. Two members are here today. Our initiator has just commented on it. What do you think, Zhengchen?"
YIL is the abbreviation of the group that Shengmin used to be in. But this song is from their group, and Li Xuan really doesn't know this. This is already the fifth group of contestants. Qin Zhengchen was quite polite before and didn't mention him much. But it can be seen that he has a strong desire to perform. When commenting on each group of contestants, he can't wait to go up and demonstrate it himself.
"Yes, I have a really good memory. This song was actually a relatively unpopular song at the time, but personally, I have always liked it. I was also surprised to see a contestant choose this song today. And the performance was very good." Qin Zhengchen smiled, "Especially the boy in white clothes. He danced to Xiao Min's part? It really felt like Xiao Min at the time, very beautiful and... ..., how to describe it? In short, it was eye-catching. I like it very much."
Not mentioning it before doesn't mean that he doesn't want to. Qin Zhengchen didn't let go of the opportunity, and his words were a little ambiguous. The audience who didn't know what was going on cheered and laughed, but it seemed to have caused dissatisfaction among Sheng Min's fans. A small-scale dispute broke out between the two sides, and soon a staff member stepped forward to appease them. The other mentors also looked at Li Xuan again.
The microphone turned around in his hand. Li Xuan didn't want to speak. Although he didn't know what happened between Sheng Min and this person, he didn't want to give them any chance to be linked together again. But all eyes were on him, waiting to speak. Li Xuan could only be thankful that it wasn't really Sheng Min who was here.
"Really?" He hesitated for a moment and put the microphone to his lips, looking at Qin Zhengchen, smiling, "Maybe my memory is not very good. I wanted to say a few words to reminisce about the past. But I really can't remember which part you danced at that time."
"Thank you for your hard work, today's recording ends here. Trainees, please exit from the left back door! Don't go to the wrong left back door! Tomorrow's recording time is..."
Unlike other variety shows, "Picking the Moon" takes three days to record and needs to be edited into two episodes of about three hours. The recording rhythm is actually more compact. There is only time for meals in the middle. After a day of recording, my back is stiff. Fortunately, Li Xuan is used to sitting in front of the computer for a long time. However, the continuous music makes his temples ache.
"Brother, come, have some water." Yang Xu had been sitting in the back row of the studio, thinking about the coffee Li Xuan had asked for but hadn't had before the show. As soon as the camera was turned off, he quickly brought it to him.
"Thank you." Li Xuan unbuttoned the button above his collar with one hand and looked behind Yang Xu. There was indeed no one else. "Where is the person?"
"Li Xuan? He should be in the lounge." Yang Xu said, taking the script from him. She took a step forward and opened the door. As she walked out, she called him awkwardly, "Brother."
"what."
"Today..." He stammered, "I was really angry today. I got mad when I saw him. In fact, you must be angrier than me. Blame me for being too impulsive and not considering your feelings."
Although she asked for an Americano, Yang Xu still bought a caramel macchiato according to Sheng Min's usual taste. It was too sweet for Li Xuan, and he frowned after taking a sip: "I'm not angry."
"Oh, brother you..." Yang Xu had a bitter face. As he was speaking, he heard someone calling Sheng Min's name in front of him. He looked closely and all the hairs on his body seemed to stand up: "What are you doing here?"
Li Xuan remembered that Qin Zhengchen left before him, and the assistant who had been following him also disappeared. It was obvious that he was waiting for him deliberately.
"Xiao Min." Qin Zhengchen ignored Yang Xu and looked straight at Li Xuan, "Can you say a few words?"
Yang Xu, who originally said that she was too impulsive, was so angry that she almost lost all her reflection when she saw Qin Zhengchen. She rushed forward and wanted to bite him: "Are you worthy of this?"
Li Xuan clicked his tongue, pulled his arm and yanked it behind his back. He ignored Qin Zhengchen and walked away. But the other party came to stop him again, putting on a very sincere expression: "I really only have two words to say. Xiaomin, we have known each other for so many years, you can't not give me this opportunity."
"No, I give you face and you still..."
"Yang Xu." Li Xuan pressed his hand down, signaling him to be patient.
"So many years? Okay." Li Xuan looked at Qin Zhengchen and smiled, "What do you want to say?"
"Brother!" Yang Xu shouted.
"Wait for me out front."
Yang Xu glared at Qin Zhengchen angrily again, and walked to the side unhappily. Not far away, about ten meters, he stood at the end of the corridor, as if on duty.
"Yang Xu is still the same as before, he gets angry easily. When he saw me today, he wanted to throw coffee at me. I didn't bother with him just because I was thinking about you."
The coffee fluff didn't say anything, I guess he didn't want to hide it. He probably thought it was natural.
"Actually, it's not good for you that he's so impulsive." Qin Zhengchen said, looking very concerned.
"You called me specifically to discuss my assistant? If you want to make a fuss, go ahead. No one is stopping you? You make it seem like I'm taking advantage of you." Li Xuan sneered.
Qin Zhengchen was not angered. He actually didn't look like a talent show artist. He was about the same height as them, but much stronger. Li Xuan remembered that the encyclopedia said that he was an experienced dance teacher before his debut. Compared with other contestants, his age was not an advantage. His facial features were not delicate, but rather tough.
"Xiao Min. You can even joke now."
"You think it's a joke. But since we're not familiar with each other, don't call me that. It's quite disgusting."
"You're still blaming me." Qin Zhengchen showed a sad expression. "I know I was wrong and I've apologized to you. I was obsessed at the time, but I had no choice. When you guys debuted, you were so successful, but I couldn't get any roles and the company didn't support me. I really don't want to be abandoned again. You've always been soft-hearted, and now you're popular again. I have to earn everything by myself. Why can't you pity me? Forgive me?"
Sure enough, something was wrong. Although he didn't know what it was. This feeling made Li Xuan feel aggrieved, and the person in front of him was even more so. He couldn't help but think of the duet he and Sheng Min had done, when his hand had rested on Sheng Min's shoulder. There were a few moments when he wanted to punch this person in the face.
"Xiao Min?" Qin Zhengchen noticed that something was wrong with his expression.
"I told you, don't try to get close to me."
"We used to..."
"You only need to reminisce about the past when you are about to die." Li Xuan looked at him coldly, "Are you here to ask me for a gift?"
"Xiao Min... Sheng Min." Qin Zhengchen looked disappointed. "What I actually wanted to say is that even if you don't forgive me, there's no need for us to be so awkward on the surface. What you said today made outsiders laugh at you and embarrassed both of us. You're the initiator, and it's not easy for me to get the chance to be a guest star. You don't have to target me."
Outsider? Are you qualified to be my wife? Li Xuan bit his back teeth.
Qin Zhengchen's intention was very clear. He felt that Li Xuan had insulted him in public today. He hoped that he would not be embarrassed in the subsequent recordings. It would be better if he could help him reminisce about the past and recall the team spirit.
Whether it was from Yang Xu or Zhang Zhihua, Li Xuan could feel that what happened at that time was definitely not a trivial matter.
Why could Qin Zhengchen come to negotiate peace with him so at ease? Was he too naive? Or was he sure that Sheng Min would be soft-hearted towards him
The latter possibility was like a thorn in my throat. I didn't know when, the hands hanging by my sides had been clenched tightly, and my nails were pinching the flesh of my palms, which were soaked with sweat and hurt.
"I'm targeting you?" Li Xuan took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down. "Are you still asleep? Stop making a fuss. You also said that I'm the initiator. It's not easy for you to get a flight. I'm targeting you but I'm afraid I'll be tied up by you and affect my reputation. Don't even think about such a good thing. Go to the hospital if you're sick, don't bark here."
Qin Zhengchen's face flashed a little humiliation, Li Xuan lowered his eyes. In fact, he was not much taller than Qin Zhengchen. When he looked at people, he had a condescending tone: "Whether it's funny or not, it's definitely not me. Anyway, I'm honest, if you are embarrassed..." Li Xuan pulled the corner of his mouth, "Why don't you reflect on whether you are guilty."
Just as they were about to reach the door of the lounge, Zhang Zhihua called. Li Xuan motioned Yang Xu to go in first, and then he pushed open the door of the emergency passage next to him and pressed the call button.
"You're right." Zhang Zhihua was a little excited. "I found out that the reason why Qin Zhengchen was able to replace the flying guest this time was because he was recommended by a vice president of a video website. Originally, his status was not high enough, so the program team didn't want to offend the senior management, and secondly, they probably thought that you two would have something to talk about together, so..."
"What can I talk about with him?" He asked Zhang Zhihua to check, but he was just suspicious and not sure. After meeting Qin Zhengchen, he felt that he had found out something fishy, and he was not surprised.
"Why are you so angry with me..." Zhang Zhihua choked up, "We are from the same regiment..."
Sometimes he speaks without thinking more than Yang Xu. Li Xuan is annoyed: "It's been disbanded for 800 years... What's his relationship with that vice president? Are they in love?"
"How can that be possible? His wife has already given birth to her second child. This guy is a gigolo who has climbed to where he is today thanks to his wife's brothers from her family. He only dares to play around in private."
"Male?"
"A man." Zhang Zhihua looked down on it, but he was not surprised. "It's a man this time."
"This time? There were women before?"
"You know that, don't you?" said Zhang Zhihua.
The light in the stairwell was not very bright. The walls had been repainted some time ago, and fine dust could be seen as he walked. Li Xuan walked down a few steps. There was a small window on the wall at the corner of the stairs, and a dusty tree branch peeked in from the outside.
"Are all the rumors on the Internet true?"
"That's what you said." Zhang Zhihua said ambiguously, "I didn't stay under his bed, but there's no smoke without fire..."
As he spoke, he felt something was wrong, and quickly said, "Now you are no longer related, so don't worry about it. I used to tell you these things as a joke, but you didn't like to hear them."
As a joke.
Li Xuan raised his hand to pick a leaf and kneaded it unconsciously. Since Zhang Zhihua thought Qin Zhengchen was Sheng Min's ex-boyfriend, who was he trying to make fun of by telling him these things
"Anyway, you asked me to find out, and I have done so. Let's just let this matter go," said Zhang Zhihua.
Li Xuan didn't respond. Zhang Zhihua's heart was beating fast: "No, Sheng Min. You don't want to do anything."
"What can I do?"
How would I know? Zhang Zhihua cursed him in his heart. Of course, Sheng Min couldn't do anything before. Recently, he was like he didn't take medicine... Now he didn't dare to speak loudly. Qin Zhengchen had cheated him so much in the past. If he couldn't get angry during the shooting tomorrow, it seemed possible that he would slap the other person twice in public.
Zhang Zhihua felt his scalp tingling just thinking about it, and hurriedly said, "Don't be impulsive and get yourself into trouble. Think about it, Qin Zhengchen is so ruthless, if you really do something, he will be so upset that he will take revenge on you. He is also very reckless, I heard that he is getting along very well with the vice president now, he gave this notice, and later he got him a TV series... Yes, you are famous, you don't have to be afraid of anyone now, but if it really involves you, it will be troublesome! There is no need... Sheng Min, are you listening to me?"
After calling several times, the only answer he got was a busy tone, so Li Xuan hung up the phone directly.