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“Brother Yu Yuxing, we’re about to start recording.”
The weather in the afternoon wasn’t great, so the production team took a break on the covered bridge. Now that the rain had subsided, an assistant came to call Yu Yuxing to begin filming.
Yu Yuxing was sitting on a small stool, engrossed in his phone.
The makeup artist had just touched up his makeup a few minutes ago, making his artificially enhanced face look more natural.
He was almost obsessively refreshing the Weibo hashtag for the reality show “My Days in the Apartment Building.”
Zhang Miya had a keen sense for reality TV, and in all her years of planning such shows, she had rarely made a misstep.
If it weren’t for careful consideration by the production team, Yu Yuxing wouldn’t have turned down Zhang Miya’s invitation.
Currently, he was committed to “Tonight’s Moonlight,” a reality show in partnership with a local TV station. It was a project that received significant support.
Coincidentally, Yu Yuxing was originally from a small village in the provincial capital, the very city where the TV station was located.
Without the system, he might have remained a small-town boy chasing the dream of becoming a star, looked down upon by everyone.
One of the reasons Sheng Xin could agree to work with Yu Yuxing, aside from the abilities exchanged before the system disappeared, was that Sheng Shi Group had recently initiated rural development projects.
Even though Sheng Xin was the designated heir of the Sheng family, Yu Yuxing knew that his inheritance wasn’t as straightforward as it seemed.
Hardly anyone knew that Sheng Xin wasn’t a biological child of the Sheng family.
Now, Sheng Xin had to complete this project, or else his current mother, Wen Chanjuan, would personally present a paternity test in front of patriarch Sheng.
On the other side of the covered bridge from where Yu Yuxing sat, the atmosphere was quite different from the harmonious one in the first half. It was almost silent.
The makeup artists stayed quietly on the sidelines, fearing to disturb the now highly popular celebrity.
Outside the bridge, there was a man standing under an umbrella, lost in thought.
It was only the second episode of the show, but the production team had already sensed something amiss in this supposedly affectionate couple.
They didn’t seem as close as they had appeared before, even displaying some distance between them.
Of course, it was one-sided; Yu Yuxing continued to dote on Sheng Xin daily. However, he kept a low profile, making himself seem somewhat subservient.
Yu Xing seemed as though he hadn’t heard a thing.
His screen was flooded with messages, and especially fast-fingered fans had already clipped videos. Even with excessive filters, it was enough to marvel at Chi Yizhen’s beauty and the handsomeness of the man beside him.
Under the video with the most shares and comments, the fans were unusually active:
[They match so well!!! From today onwards, I’m Chi Yizhen’s wife—come take a look!]
[Bold! How dare they call themselves e-god’s husband and wife!]
[I’m speechless. I’ve been watching their livestream for so long, and it’s never been this exciting!!! Chi Yizhen is so much fun! They just met, and there’s already so much push and pull!]
[isn’t this better than “Tonight’s Moonlight”??]
There’s always a comparison group whenever Chi Yizhen is involved.
Yu Xing clicked on the images in the comments where they compared him to Chi Yizhen from the same angle. Even if he had undergone cosmetic procedures to look more natural, he still couldn’t compete with Chi Yizhen’s naturally high and well-defined nose.
Moreover, Chi Yizhen’s mole wasn’t something he could replicate, and even if he tried to imitate it convincingly, Chi Yizhen was the real deal.
He even changed his name.
Yu Yuxing held his phone, and his knuckles almost turned white.
He thought, “Is he intentionally changing his character? Is he the genuine one, and I’m just a knockoff?”
The assistant cautiously called Yu Yuxing again, “Brother Yu Yuxing, we’re about to start shooting.”
The assistant asked, “Have you watched this variety show?”
Yu Yuxing muttered, “It’s just a resource I didn’t want…”
The assistant didn’t say anything and had to go through great efforts to coax him into continuing the recording.
He didn’t join the other staff members who had gone over.
“I swear, that look from Yu Yuxing is simply terrifying. It’s like he wants to devour someone.”
“Feels like he’s on the verge of divorcing Mr. Sheng. They haven’t even been married for long, and they haven’t even had a wedding ceremony.”
“What would your reaction be if you saw someone you’ve imitated come back into the limelight?”
“I want to watch that variety show too. I have a friend in that production team, and they say Chi Yizhen is really fun in person. That dynamic between him and the handsome gaming expert paired with him…”
Just then, Sheng Xin entered from outside, and the group of people dispersed like birds. As one of the heirs to the S City business empire, he was wearing glasses. However, some people naturally exude a gloomy aura, and even glasses couldn’t make him appear more refined.
Sheng Xin didn’t have a particularly delicate appearance, but he shared some resemblance with patriarch Sheng, which was one of the reasons he had been spoiled since childhood.
Unfortunately, his parents traveled frequently, and Sheng Xin had a closer relationship with his grandfather. This constant pampering made him unable to handle rejection.
Chi Yizhen’s rejection was like a thorn lodged in his heart, refusing to budge. It had been bothering him more and more lately.
He even felt like he had been controlled by some unknown force before, causing him to make promises to Yuxing and even go as far as getting married.
The light rain continued outside as Sheng Xin folded his long-handled umbrella and walked along the covered bridge. Rainwater slid off the umbrella’s tip and meandered on the ground.
He smiled at the group of staff, but his politeness felt superficial, sending shivers down their spines.
Once he had walked away, the staff members gathered together again.
“Mr. Sheng… not easy to get along with.”
“Haven’t you heard the rumors about him? He practically ruined Chi Yizhen before, but still managed to come out unscathed.”
“What’s most incredible is that Chi Yizhen still refuses to yield. He would rather participate in a reality dating show, living together and broadcasting with a complete stranger, than give Sheng Xin a second glance.”
“He’s really brave. It’s making me feel sympathetic for Chi Yizhen.”
“Do you think his name change has a rebirth sort of vibe? I can’t wait to watch this show tonight.”
…
Xianggua Entertainment’s promotion was extremely effective, sparking a new craze for the reality show overnight.
They were managed quite well, and at least Chi Yizhen and He Tiao were not disturbed when they went out to livestream their daily shopping for necessities after lunch.
After their nap, Chi Yizhen, armed with a thousand yuan, planned to take He Tiao to buy the necessary items to enhance their image as a couple.
However, they found that there weren’t many places to shop around.
The weather was pleasant in the crisp autumn air, and the pace of life in the old residential areas of the city was relaxed, far from the hustle and bustle of the inner city.
Chi Yizhen looked at the navigation on his phone while He Tiao stood by his side, acting overly gentle, as if he was revolving around Chi Yizhen.
Chi Yizhen: “About your barbecue stall, I mean, do you know how to barbecue? You’ll be running it for half a month, and if business is good, making over ten thousand a month isn’t just a dream.”
He Tiao hesitated, examining Chi Yizhen. He couldn’t help but feel that He Tiao’s refined appearance didn’t quite match the idea of running a rustic barbecue stall. “Do you really know how? It seems like you have to do everything yourself, like washing vegetables and cutting meat.”
He Tiao replied confidently, “I do.”
His response was so assured that it increased Chi Yizhen’s doubts. He turned to ask one of the crew members casually filming the scene, “Will someone teach him? There should be some recipes or something, right?”
After asking, he found himself worrying about it. How could they learn this quickly?
[+1 Are they suddenly an old married couple now?]
[It feels like their script changes every half-episode… In the morning, it was the socially awkward E-god looks CEO x quick-witted flirtation expert, and now it’s a transformed version of a married couple starting a business?]
[When Chi Yizhen gave that stern look, I felt like our E-god laughed!!]
Crew Member: “There will be someone to teach you, but in the evening, you need to familiarize yourself with the shooting location.”
Chi Yizhen sighed, “So busy, it feels like I’ve entered two Mondays.”
Crew Member: “Today is Tuesday.”
Chi Yizhen: “I meant I’m working now, tomorrow is the real Monday.”
Chi Yizhen: “Isn’t today a working day?”
He Tiao: “Yeah, it is.”
[I’m laughing so hard, E-god, what are you doing!!!]
[I’m actually looking forward to the socially awkward couple running a stall… They have flexible working hours for both going to work and getting off work, can they even find time for… you know?]
[Wake up, the person above! They’re not a real couple!]
[I don’t care, I think they’re real!]
The streets and shops in the old city area were quiet at this time. Chi Yizhen asked He Tiao, “Do you need to buy anything?”
He Tiao replied, “Let’s buy some groceries. There’s hardly anything in the fridge.”
Chi Yizhen asked, “Can you cook?”
He hesitated for a moment and said, “We’ll have to take care of ourselves in the future, won’t the production team provide boxed meals?”
The director off-camera chimed in, “You’re livestreaming all the time, and you want us to provide boxed meals? Is that reasonable?”
The comments in the live chat were filled with laughter.
Chi Yizhen sighed, “I can cook… but it’s not very delicious.”
In reality, he hadn’t cooked in many years. As an actor, he had enough money, and even during his resting periods, he would have food delivered to his home.
The kitchen in Chi Yizhen’s house was purely decorative; he had never used it.
He casually chatted with He Tiao, “Mr. He, you probably don’t cook much either, right? They say you’re a workaholic?”
[Why isn’t he calling him ‘husband’ now?]
[So, this is intentional teasing, right? What a heartless man]
He Tiao replied, “If I were your husband, I should definitely know how to cook, after all, it’s my profession.”
He spoke confidently but with a hint of shyness. He didn’t dare to look at Chi Yizhen as he said this, instead focusing on the greenery by the roadside.
Chi Yizhen turned to He Tiao and said, “Let’s just go to the supermarket. I can get what I need there.”
He Tiao replied, “Let’s go to the local market; it’s cheaper.”
Chi Yizhen teased, “Aren’t you afraid of people at the market?”
He didn’t give He Tiao any face at all, and it made the crew’s director and producer want to laugh.
He Tiao said, “I’m not afraid of people.”
Chi Yizhen continued playfully, “So, when you saw me, you ran away. Is it because I’m so ugly?”
Before he could finish his sentence, he suddenly jumped to He Tiao’s side, struggling to put his arm around He Tiao’s shoulders, causing He Tiao to bend over slightly.
Chi Yizhen’s face got close to He Tiao’s eyes, and the camera zoomed in.
The livestream showed the unexpected eye contact between the two of them. Chi Yizhen exaggeratedly blinked, with a mischievous smile playing on the corners of his eyes and lips.
[Don’t give me a critical hit every time!!]
[E-god looks nervous, he’s biting his lips!! Look at his Adam’s apple!!]
[Who can withstand this? I seriously suspect that Chi Yizhen is now using tactics from his previous idol dramas to deal with President He. He’s playing the delicate, socially anxious CEO, hahaha!]
[Why isn’t anyone sending gifts? I’m having a blast; I want to spend some money!! Doesn’t CEO He have enough money??]
He tiao couldn’t help but turn his head slightly and said, “Not bad-looking.”
Chi Yizhen let go of He Tiao’s shoulder and said, “You’re really good-looking. Why haven’t you shown your face in the livestream? Afraid everyone will feel unbalanced?”
Someone suddenly pushed their way between them, and He Tiao said, “There’s no need.”
“My livestream content was never about showing my face.”
He Tiao was a complicated person, displaying a blend of youthful innocence and an air of unapproachable charisma, which was even more captivating on camera. But the viewers in the livestream couldn’t handle Chi Yizhen’s playful reactions.
Chi Yizhen exaggeratedly exclaimed, “Hubby, you’re so handsome!”
[Damn, my inner fangirl is shattered.]
[Confirmed, calling him “hubby” is definitely intentional teasing  He Tiao. He never talks like this normally.]
[Is this guy for real or is he just playing around? He didn’t seem like much in terms of charisma before, but now… he’s got something.]
[Well, it’s all happening during a livestream. In novels, people like this are bound to get closer eventually…]
This time, He Tiao didn’t show the awkward expression he had earlier. It seemed like he had adjusted his attitude and even solemnly replied, “Wifey, you’re cute too.”
Chi Yizhen: …