Chapter 57.1

Xu Yuan felt she had underestimated Meng Zhengrong.

Although he seemed to be afraid of ghosts and horror movies, this did not stop him from forgetting his fear after a short while.

When she woke up in the morning and saw something covering the TV, she immediately understood what had happened. Coupled with the dark circles under Meng Zhengrong’s eyes, it was clear that he had been scared by that horror movie.

Originally, she thought Meng Zhengrong might have learned his lesson and would remember his fear, but she was once again proven wrong.

He could only stay subdued for a day or two at most before he chose to forget again. Each time Xu Yuan saw his frightened expression, she naturally felt a pang of sympathy for him. After seeing it multiple times, she came to understand a fact: don’t expect to change a man’s unlimited tolerance for teasing, because that’s just how men are.

He was scared of horror movies, and maybe he knew that she was getting back at him, but the next time, he would still provoke her again. It seemed that the fun of teasing his wife outweighed the potential for retaliation.

The reality show was about to start filming, and even Meng Zhengrong admired Zhang Mian for not leaking a single hint. Unlike other variety shows that would start advertising before filming, Zhang Mian preferred to keep things under wraps until the show aired, at which point the official Weibo account would release the news.

A couple of days before filming began, Zhang Mian invited Meng Zhengrong and Xu Yuan out for dinner. On the way to the restaurant, Xu Yuan was scrolling through Weibo.

One marketing account had captured a photo of Zhang Mian dining with Song Chaowen and speculated that they might be going on the show. However, Song Chaowen had never participated in a variety show before. With his current status, would he even consider it? That seemed questionable.

The comments below made Xu Yuan laugh out loud.

—— “I can believe that Shen Li is going on a variety show, but how could Song Chaowen! He rarely even accepts endorsements, so why would he go on a show? The blogger is just trying to get attention with this nonsense.”

—— “Haha, Song Chaowen doesn’t even take Weibo ads. I really don’t believe he’d go on a show… although I’m secretly looking forward to it.”

—— “Maybe it’s possible. Otherwise, how would my hubby meet Director Zhang? I hope it’s not a couple’s special; I’m not really a fan of Shen Li… I still can’t accept their marriage.”

—— “If Song Chaowen really goes on a variety show, I’ll livestream eating sh*t.”

Xu Yuan shamelessly liked that comment.

She had very few followers on Weibo and rarely posted, so at first glance, her account looked like a zombie account. However, she believed that after this show aired, her Weibo would definitely be uncovered.

It would surely be amusing, she thought with a smirk.

“What are you looking at?” Meng Zhengrong leaned over to see what was making her laugh so happily.

Xu Yuan quickly hid her phone and calmly replied, “I’m reading ghost stories. Want to join me? I can send you the link.”

At first, Meng Zhengrong might have stubbornly pretended not to be afraid, but now he wouldn’t. He felt that admitting his fear of ghosts in front of his wife wasn’t too embarrassing, so he generously said, “No thanks. You know I’m afraid of this.”

He used to think he should be invincible in front of his loved one, and even if he had fears, he needed to show that he was unafraid. Now, however, Meng Zhengrong didn’t think that way anymore; he preferred to show his true self to Xu Yuan.

Even if it was childish or embarrassing, it was still the most authentic version of him.

Xu Yuan thought Meng Zhengrong was really dull. It had been so amusing and cute when he pretended not to be scared, but now he was openly admitting his fear of ghosts, which wasn’t as cute. Sigh.

Zhang Mian knew that Meng Zhengrong and Xu Yuan were not from the entertainment industry, and because they weren’t, he put in more effort with this couple than the other two pairs.

Before filming began, he had already met with Meng Zhengrong and Xu Yuan several times. Still a bit uneasy, he called them together again to share some experience and discuss what might happen in the show so they could be mentally prepared.

Even the station director had approached him, insisting that everyone should be extra polite to this couple.

The entire production team had been cautioned, as one was the CEO of the Meng Corporation and the other was the daughter of the Xu family, and they couldn’t afford to offend either of them.

“Director Zhang, what lesson are we having today?” Meng Zhengrong joked as he sat down.

Though he said that, both Meng Zhengrong and Xu Yuan were genuinely touched by Zhang Mian’s thoughtfulness and care.

Zhang Mian smiled awkwardly, handing the menu to Meng Zhengrong and Xu Yuan. “Bonuses just came in, so don’t be polite. Order whatever you want.”

“Even if you didn’t give bonuses, I wouldn’t be polite with you.”

After ordering enough dishes for the three of them, Zhang Mian finally got to the main topic. “We start filming the day after tomorrow. I’ve already informed the staff; you can rest assured that anything inappropriate for broadcast will be edited out.”

Meng Zhengrong nodded. “We trust your judgment.”

If it were another production team, they probably wouldn’t delete such scenes, as they relied on those moments to boost ratings. But Zhang Mian’s show had never been like that. Perhaps that’s why Song Chaowen and his wife felt comfortable joining a show planned by Zhang Mian.

Xu Yuan then asked, “Director Zhang, how do you think we should perform in the show? I mean in terms of our interaction as a couple and character setting.”

Xu Yuan had always thought of variety shows as a more casual form of scripted drama; they had a script.

Everyone would have their flaws in character because no one was perfect. Celebrities were usually smart and would define their roles and personas on the show, with only a few revealing their true selves.

Zhang Mian chuckled softly. “It seems some of today’s variety shows really mislead people.” He paused to pour Xu Yuan a drink and continued, “Our show also has a script, but it’s not so specific that you need to perform certain actions or say specific lines. My original intention for making this show was to keep it as real as possible, and that remains the same.”

Xu Yuan felt Zhang Mian was being elusive. “So how do we ensure that we won’t be heavily criticized?”

This was a rather direct question.

It was rare for someone on a variety show not to be criticized by trolls.

Xu Yuan was already mentally prepared to be disliked and attacked by many. What she wanted to know was how the couple should interact and what personas they should adopt to be more likable.

Meng Zhengrong hadn’t thought that deeply. Now that Xu Yuan had asked this question, he also looked at Zhang Mian with interest.

Zhang Mian sighed deeply in his heart. He didn’t blame Xu Yuan for thinking that way; it was the internet age, and everyone hid behind avatars. Because people knew that others didn’t know who they really were, they could speak freely.

Whether this was progress or regression in the times, who could really say?

Since others didn’t know who was behind the computer screen or what life experiences they had, they would speak without restraint.

Zhang Mian often wondered if those who criticized and mocked others online, even cursing them viciously, would be too timid to say a word in real life.

What did it matter if they could say whatever they wanted online? If they dared to act that way in reality, then he truly admired such people.

“My advice is to be as authentic as possible,” Zhang Mian replied sincerely. “Of course, specifically speaking, while maintaining your original personalities, try to stay grounded.”

Meng Zhengrong and Xu Yuan had watched many variety shows during this time, and they understood what Zhang Mian meant with just that one sentence.

Their identities were somewhat special in relation to the show.

They were “nobles” that ordinary people could only aspire to.

The audience might indeed want to see what noble couples are like, but ultimately, they definitely didn’t want to see an aloof “noble.”

It would be best if they could present themselves as relatable.

Ideally, aside from their family background, they should show that they were ordinary people striving for a living, as flaunting wealth was a big no-no. Even if they didn’t mean to flaunt it, it was something they needed to pay extra attention to.

Zhang Mian looked at Meng Zhengrong and Xu Yuan. “Honestly, I think you both are doing great as you are. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have asked you to participate in the show. Just keep being yourselves.”

He didn’t express it very clearly, but after Meng Zhengrong and Xu Yuan went home, they discussed it together.

Since they weren’t entertainers and had rarely appeared in front of the camera, they inevitably felt a bit nervous about going on the show. Even Meng Zhengrong couldn’t avoid this anxiety.

To look good on camera, not only Xu Yuan but also Meng Zhengrong was secretly working out and dieting. With their impressive physiques in real life, it would be heartbreaking if they appeared slightly overweight on screen.