Chapter 22: Don’t Kiss Me (Part 1/2)

Chi Yizhen didn’t expect He Tiao to have this kind of performance, leaving him momentarily at a loss for how to respond.

He was afraid that this incident would lead to the cancellation of the program.

In a hurry, Chi Yizhen hung up the phone, using the excuse of continuing the shooting.

[Haha, even the flirtatious fishing expert can be teased!]

[I was so engrossed in watching, I forgot to eat breakfast!]

[This brand has redefined what it means to be seductive… Maybe they should let Chi Yizhen be their spokesperson since they’re lacking one.]

Chi Yizhen still had a natural fear of the sound of camera shutters.

After returning from psychological counseling in the past, he had thought about why it couldn’t be something else, but specifically the camera shutter.

But the camera shutter marked the beginning of his career as a child model and brought about a drastic change in his impoverished family. It caused his parents to turn against each other, their love turning into animosity. They would rather perish together than let the other take away Chi Yizhen’s custody.

Because Chi Yizhen was no longer the fruit of their love; he was merely an invaluable cash cow.

After being adopted, Chi Yizhen thought he wouldn’t be involved in this industry anymore. After all, he had nothing to do with “childhood” and had no interest in being a model.

But he didn’t expect that his face would still catch the attention of talent scouts, as if luck had suddenly smiled upon him, and he was chosen for a movie role.

Before signing the contract, he emphasized his unique condition to the production team, who readily agreed.

When he joined the company, Chi Yizhen was honest and didn’t want his illness to be exploited as a marketing point.

By the time he became successful, this condition had become a well-kept secret, even becoming evidence that he was a top-tier celebrity.

Apart from his team, no one knew the effort he had put into overcoming his initial camera shyness.

Being cast as the best supporting actor in a film as a newcomer also introduced him to what he considered the best senior in the industry.

However, this senior was not sociable and claimed that even when they were the same age, they were already at the top. They had an exceptional family background and a successful career. Acting was just a side job, and the reason they won an award for a film was because they owed the director a favor. They gradually withdrew from acting afterward and slowly faded from the limelight.

Chi Yizhen maintained a lukewarm relationship with this senior, expressing gratitude but keeping a social distance.

Unfortunately, as time passed, their connection faded completely.

Just now, He Tiao’s words made Chi Yizhen think of that senior.

However, the phrase “if you’re afraid, then don’t act” made Chi Yizhen mistakenly believe that he was being scolded at the time.

It wasn’t until the later stages of the film that he realized his misunderstanding.

That senior didn’t say much, and Chi Yizhen later found that the affectionate eyes that his fans praised him for were nothing compared to that senior.

After all, it seemed like that senior was affectionate towards everyone, and even though he later explained it was due to nearsightedness, it couldn’t erase the expression of deep affection in the original affectionate eyes.

That year, the senior said, “Next time someone says something like that, don’t take it as an insult.”

Fifteen-year-old Chi Yizhen laughed and said at the celebratory banquet, while others drank alcohol, he drank milk, happily saying, “I shouldn’t have anyone say that to me when I become famous.”

The senior smiled and shook his head, saying, “How is that possible?”

But Chi Yizhen never encountered that phrase without mockery.

Instead, he didn’t hear any kind words.

Who could have imagined that the senior, who had retired, had predicted the future here.

He suppressed his discomfort and finished the morning’s work, but it was clear that he hadn’t met the quota, so he had to continue in the afternoon.

The audience originally thought watching someone work would be boring, but Chi Yizhen had his own sarcastic remarks. Coupled with the bold and spicy theme of the costumes, it ended up attracting many people who couldn’t leave.

He and He Tiao had lunch together. He Tiao even made a plan on paper for making breakfast for Chi Yizhen.

Even the recipes were listed. After eating, he drove his beaten-up pickup truck to buy groceries.

The barbecue stall wouldn’t open until evening, so He Tiao meticulously arranged all the preparations. In the live broadcast room, amidst the shocked expressions of the audience, he carried the meal he made and went to the address Chi Yizhen sent him in the morning to see his “wife.”

Even if it cost him gas money for the rickety old car, he was determined to see Chi Yizhen.

Riding the public transportation together.

[“I really didn’t expect that I would spend the whole day watching other people’s lives during the day…”]

[“While entertaining myself in the live broadcast room, it gives me a feeling of rushing to meet work targets. On one hand, I have to inspect the progress of Chi Yizhen’s pool, and on the other hand, I’m watching E-god skewer chicken feet.”]

[“Who understands!! I see E-god preparing ingredients at his barbecue stall, cutting small county livers and skewering chicken feet. I’m really afraid that the next game update will introduce more of these activities…”]

[“Don’t give the planners any ideas… I was already exhausted from raising pigs before. And no one is managing He Tiao. A martial arts online game turned into farming and construction for him, it’s really unfair! My in-game wife ran off to play Y-game next door because she had to raise pigs.”]

[“Y-game… also from Star Trail, hilarious, can’t escape no matter what…”]

He Tiao’s behind-the-scenes filming is currently very envious of Chi Yizhen’s team’s behind-the-scenes filming.

Because the amount of exercise in a day was too much, the cameraman almost shed tears in his heart. Clearly, it was a situational slow variety show, but it inexplicably gave him a feeling of a travel variety show.

He Tiao was like a fish in water in this old urban area, seemingly completely accustomed to the camera, or perhaps completely ignoring it. Although there were occasional suspicions of dodging the camera, at least Chi Yizhen didn’t unleash his 1000% bargaining skills on him. Instead, relying shamelessly on his own face, he managed to get a big bunch of green onions from the vegetable-selling old lady.

Many people tagged He Tiao in the comments under Chi Yizhen’s Weibo, reporting on him.

Mostly, they also tagged He Tiao’s Weibo, saying things like, “When are you going to let your husband give a tutorial on bargaining?”

The production team didn’t specify that the guests should open new Weibo accounts, but they did open new short video accounts for them.

This allowed the guests to update their daily lives for the next fifteen days.

It sounded casual, but there were actually regulations. In any case, they had to post more than two updates every day.

He Tiao appeared calm on the surface, but he was actually annoyed to death.

After failing to dodge the camera for who knows how many times, he went to find Chi Yizhen when he received a message from him saying he couldn’t finish work until it got dark today. He carried a lunchbox with him.

The subway, not in its peak hours, was relatively empty. He Tiao sat on the subway, openly watching Chi Yizhen’s live broadcast on his phone.

Seeing that the other person still seemed uncomfortable, he felt an urgency, especially considering what Chi Yizhen had mentioned about not wanting to film.