Chapter 19: What is a Sensual Model? 2/2

Outside in the corridor, there were also production team members, and the building’s residents went about their business, seemingly unaware.

In the hallway today, there was an elderly person using a pressure cooker to braise pork belly, filling the air with a delicious aroma early in the morning, which made Chi Yizhen hungry.

With a crossbody bag slung over his shoulder, he placed his cup to the side and spoke to the camera, “I’m doing fine, thanks for asking. Drink hot water to prevent getting a cold.”

The morning was still chilly outside, and Chi Yizhen checked his navigation again.

He mumbled, “I’ll take a bus first, then transfer to the subway at Tianhua City, and change lines twice.”

This kind of slow-paced reality show format is quite challenging for the guests. If it were a recorded show, they could apply some light makeup before getting out of bed.

However, in a live broadcast, there’s hardly anything to conceal. Chi Yizhen simply applied a bit of facial oil for wind protection. He smiled at the camera, and then, off-camera, he murmured softly—

“You guys will be exhausted with our group.”

The cameraman didn’t quite understand, but in the next moment, it became clear as Chi Yizhen started running down the stairs.

“Ten o’clock? It’s already eight! I haven’t even been to the location for today’s work. I’m done, I’m definitely going to be late.”

He dashed down the stairs with his clothing – a T-shirt, a layered sweater, and a thin jacket. It might seem like a lot, but he was very slim, and the outfit didn’t make him look bulky. His long legs, combined with his rapid running, quickly put some distance between him and the camera, which was noticeably fast for the viewers on the live stream.

[Annoying… I feel so empathetic. Right now, the people on the 8 AM bus are probably thinking of themselves ten minutes ago…]

[How old is he… This is so amusing. Yesterday, I thought he was pretty melancholic, but now he looks quite lively.]

[Sob, I feel even more heartbroken. This youngster is so resilient.]

[It’s acting, isn’t it…]

[What’s wrong with acting! Life is like a drama. Honestly, I think this variety show is quite challenging. It offers too much flexibility with some occupational restrictions. If you can act, why not go all out? Isn’t there a place for everyone to play along?]

[It’s a mix of truth and fiction. Quite refreshing. We can’t tell what’s real or fake, and we’re not even sure if the guests can distinguish it.]

The morning sunlight was warm, but the wind was cold.

 Chi Yizhen’s carefully combed hair was tousled by the wind, but he didn’t mind.

He was worried that with this unscrupulous production crew, this job might not go well either.

It could get risqué.

The task was very real.

He couldn’t really handle getting fined.

Who would want to live in front of these cameras for half a month?

Like a mini version of “The Truman Show,” right?

The gentle voice of the navigation system reminded Chi Yizhen that he had reached the first destination of this journey.

The cameraman and accompanying crew members behind him were panting.

Cameraman: “You ran really… really fast.”

“Did you practice…before?”

Chi Yizhen, bending over with his hands on his knees, was checking the station sign while shaking his head. He also opened his phone to scan a QR code for payment as he replied, “Isn’t this all about making money?”

He took a photo of the station platform while looking at the estimated time of arrival shown in the navigation app.

The camera shifted from his phone to his face. It seemed like the lighting was well chosen; the sunlight bathed one side of his face while the other half remained in the shadow cast by the station sign. This created a dramatic contrast with the lashes on one side, making it seem like he was harboring countless secrets in his eyes.

[It feels like he used to come from a rich family, never had a hard time from childhood to adulthood… I wonder what he’s been through.]

[There’s no need for this; not all of us take public transport.]

[It’s as if he’s portraying his life as a real-life adventure game level, as if his previous world was fundamentally different from this one.]

[Even with the shaky camera, you can’t hide his good looks. It’s frustrating; I was mentally prepared to assume that good-looking guys wearing masks are scammers.]

In the next moment, Chi Yizhen stepped back and said, “It’s a bit sunny.”

He reached into his pocket, took out a pack of dried tofu, and was about to eat to satisfy his hunger when the bus arrived.

In a hurry, Chi Yizhen tore open the packaging, and while waiting in line to board the bus, he quickly consumed his snack.

[It’s just tearing open a bag… Why did I think of… Sorry.]

[The handsome guy in the mask… is not a scam.]

[I checked E-god’s position, and he’s still sleeping! What happened in the middle of the night? I remember in previous interviews, the creators of Star Trail said E-god rarely sleeps and has shallow sleep, except when he’s extremely tired.]

[What does “extremely tired” mean…]

[Xianggua, don’t force us to kneel down and beg you to release the video of him sleeping.]

The audience on Chi Yizhen’s side didn’t even notice when Chi Yizhen sneaked in. They only saw him being incredibly agile and finding himself a seat.

The camera was not carrying bulky equipment to avoid recording random people’s faces, and it went dark for a while.

When it came back, the viewers saw Chi Yizhen casually opening the bus window, smiling as he played with his phone.

[Wow, this guy is watching his own livestream!]       

[He’s switching to check out He Tiao’s livestream now…]

[What is he posting… why is he so entertained, even more so than us…]

[The cameraman is getting close-ups and it’s so touching how he switched places with someone. Xianggua, did you ever imagine this path?]

Indeed, Chi Yizhen was watching He Tiao’s livestream from his own seat. He suddenly found this reality show to be quite innovative. He Tiao was still sleeping, wrapped in a blanket, just like Chi Yizhen was when they left home.

Chi Yizhen typed slowly:

[Ah, the host in this livestream looks like my boyfriend.]

The viewers in his livestream had a crystal-clear view of the situation.

[Is he… really getting into character?]

[People with partners watching a male streamer sleep in the morning…]

[This character is getting spicier and spicier…]

[I really want to tag He Tiao right now; he’s killing me.]

Chi Yizhen took a three-stop bus ride, and along the way, he playfully interacted with his livestream viewers. When he transferred to the subway and made a hundred-meter dash to reach his destination, he discovered that his gig for the day was modeling for intimate apparel.

Chi Yizhen’s previously composed expression finally showed signs of cracking.

He was stunned for quite some time and finally asked the representative from the company he was working with, “Is this for real?”