Lan Xiao didn’t reply to the WeChat message. Instead, he called. Zheng Yi hung up immediately, texted back saying he was outside, and then left the beach, keeping his head down under his hat. It wasn’t until he was safely back in his hotel room that he called him back.
“Are you serious? You just renewed your contract with the company for another five years,” Lan Xiao asked directly the moment the call connected.
Both of them knew perfectly well that the bulk of Zheng Yi’s fanbase consisted of “girlfriend fans”…devoted female fans who viewed him as a romantic ideal. Going public with a relationship now would undoubtedly trigger a massive wave of fans abandoning him.
Their agency wasn’t a charity. If Zheng Yi’s fanbase took a massive hit, management would absolutely step in, which would be a devastating blow to his career.
“Right now, it’s not a matter of whether I’m serious or not. She rejected me,” Zheng Yi said, sounding thoroughly helpless. He had finally met a woman he actually liked, but she just didn’t seem to feel the same way.
He subconsciously touched his lips. Then again… maybe she didn’t completely lack feelings. At the very least, she hadn’t fiercely pushed him away.
Lan Xiao was only worried about Zheng Yi’s career; when it came to romance, he was completely clueless. Both of them were lifelong singletons who had poured all their youthful passion into the stage.
Granted, they did have a notorious player in their boyband…a guy who could twist wealthy older women around his finger. Not only did these women shower him with industry resources, but he also managed to break up with them peacefully without any dramatic public feuds. His skills were legendary.
“Zheng-ge, I don’t know the first thing about chasing girls,” Lan Xiao said. “But you’ve always been the level-headed one. I trust you to handle your own heart. No matter what happens in the future, I’ve got your back.”
Lan Xiao was making a promise: even if the media exposed the romance, he would stand by him without hesitation.
“Same here. Do whatever you want to do. I’m your safety net,” Zheng Yi replied. The other two members of their former group, R.S., didn’t need him to worry about them, but Lan Xiao had always been like a younger brother.
Lan Xiao fell silent for a long moment, still choosing not to ask for help. A man couldn’t live under someone else’s protective wing forever without losing the courage to face his own challenges. Besides, their group had already disbanded…
After hanging up, Zheng Yi called Chen Yuan to ask about Lan Xiao’s current situation. He learned that the only reason Lan Xiao and his manager, Mai Ya, hadn’t signed with a new label yet was because their current agency refused to let him go.
The agency had spent a fortune launching R.S. into stardom. Aside from Zheng Yi, who had dutifully renewed his contract, the other three members had all jumped ship to other companies.
Of those two, one had a wealthy benefactress backing him, and the other came from a well-off family. The agency, knowing they had to pick the easiest target, held onto Lan Xiao with a death grip. He came from an ordinary background, was entirely consumed by his music, and didn’t have many powerful connections in the industry.
In short, he was the perfect target to exploit. Even though R.S. had disbanded, Lan Xiao still had a fiercely loyal solo fanbase. Keeping him around was a much easier way to rake in cash than training a new idol from scratch.
Zheng Yi lay back on his bed, brainstorming ways to help Lan Xiao. His own relationship with the agency was mutually beneficial; if he personally intervened, management might back down, though they might still try to sabotage Lan Xiao behind the scenes.
He rolled over, his thoughts shifting to tomorrow. How was he going to face Kong Yinmeng for their team activities? Would she feel awkward around him?
Meanwhile, Liang Sihan and Xiao Hong had been playing cards in Xiao Wu’s room until late. When Liang Sihan returned and noticed Zheng Yi was still awake, he brought up a quick update.
“Niu Niuniu hurt her foot, so Xiao Hong brought in a new partner. He’s a beauty blogger named Xixi. I’ve met him twice. Character-wise, he should be a lot easier to get along with than Niu Niuniu.”
Liang Sihan deliberately left out one detail: Xixi was a guy, and he had a steady boyfriend. He figured it was better not to mention that to Zheng Yi to keep him from overthinking it.
After all, it was just a reality show. Once filming wrapped, they likely wouldn’t see much of each other again anyway.
When Kong Yinmeng hurried back to her hotel room, she walked right into the middle of Miaoke getting chewed out by her manager. The moment she opened the door, she heard the manager roaring through the phone speaker, demanding to know if Miaoke had gained weight. Miaoke was talking in circles, desperately trying to defend herself.
Just then, Kong Yinmeng’s own phone started ringing. She quickly ducked into the bathroom to answer it.
“Mengmeng, are you alone right now?” Lu Fangcao’s voice came through, checking her surroundings first. Only after learning she was safely hidden in the bathroom did she drop the news.
“Our fan group managed to track down the person who posted that leaked photo on Weibo. Isn’t there a guest on your show named Niu Niuniu? Apparently, she claims to be a fan of Zheng Yi.”
What followed was a five-minute-long, highly colorful tirade from Lu Fangcao, targeting Niu Niuniu for leaking Zheng Yi’s schedule.
What infuriated her most was that the girl claimed to be a fan, yet she was actively posting things that harmed him. With fans like that, who needed anti-fans?
Kong Yinmeng was at a loss for words. Waiting until her friend ran out of steam, she replied, “She’s just a kid, she acts before she thinks. But tell me… if Zheng Yi actually did start dating, would you guys honestly cry your eyes out?”
She was debating whether to tell Zheng Yi about Niu Niuniu’s Weibo leak tomorrow, and used this chance to test the waters with Lu Fangcao.
She had asked a similar question before, wanting to see how a hardcore “girlfriend fan” like Lu Fangcao would react if Zheng Yi got a girlfriend. Back then, she just wanted her friend to be rational.
Idols were human beings too, especially those who had been in the spotlight for years. Eventually, they would reach an age where they’d want to marry and have kids. She just didn’t want Lu Fangcao to lose her mind when that day came.
But asking it now, Kong Yinmeng felt a wave of nervousness. She was hiding a secret of her own.
She looked up at her reflection in the bathroom mirror. Her eyes looked soft, almost glowing. She pressed her lips together tightly…the warm, lingering sensation of his kiss still felt incredibly real. If it hadn’t been for that rowdy group of people interrupting them on the beach, she probably still wouldn’t have woken up from that dreamlike moment.
“Based on my years of knowing you, I highly suspect you’ve got feelings for my idol,” Lu Fangcao suddenly teased over the line. “Mengmeng, if that’s true, you better brace yourself. Personally, I don’t care, but his other fans definitely will.”
Even though Lu Fangcao jokingly called Zheng Yi her “husband,” she didn’t actually view him as a realistic romantic partner. To her, Zheng Yi was a god…the savior who had dragged her out of a dark place in her life.
“What nonsense are you talking about? If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t even be on this show,” Kong Yinmeng shot back defensively. “Anyway, look at the time. Go enjoy your nightlife, I’m going to wash up and go to bed.”
Lu Fangcao was a total night owl; this was just the start of her day.
When Kong Yinmeng finally stepped out of the bathroom, Miaoke had already hung up. She was splayed across the bed like a deflated balloon, but when she saw Kong Yinmeng, she flipped herself upright with a sudden burst of energy.
“Sister Kong! What is wrong with Brother Liang? A grown man gossiping like that! He actually complained to Director Song, telling him I haven’t been controlling my appetite these past few days. I am so mad!”
She had worked so hard trying to help Liang Sihan win those games. Even if they lost in the end, she had given it her all! How could he go behind her back and tattle?
Kong Yinmeng spent the next while soothing Miaoke’s ruffled feathers. Just as the younger girl’s mood began to lift, she suddenly blurted out a question.
“By the way, Sister Kong, was it really hot outside just now? Your face was bright red when you walked in.”
Kong Yinmeng: “…”
I should have kept my mouth shut. If she were still angry, she wouldn’t be paying attention to my face.
The beach filming from the day before had leaked Zheng Yi’s location yet again. After consulting with the director, Zheng Yi agreed to post a quick update on Weibo using the hashtag for In Search of Food, tagging the director to turn the leak into free publicity.
Consequently, the show’s official page and the director’s follower counts exploded. Xiao Wu, the assistant director, saw his personal account jump from a mere 1,500 followers (half of which were bots he bought) to over 10,000 overnight.
“The power of a top-tier superstar is really something else,” Xiao Wu muttered. He finally understood why some directors were willing to bankrupt themselves just to cast high-traffic idols. The return on investment could easily be tenfold. Who wouldn’t be tempted?
When Kong Yinmeng and Miaoke arrived at the filming location the next morning, the first thing they noticed was the person standing next to Xiao Hong…Xixi.
From his flawless outfit to his meticulous makeup, he exuded an aura of effortless, high-end style. Frankly, Xixi was a titan in the influencer world. His active engagement rate was second only to Zheng Yi’s, completely overshadowing everyone else on set.
Granted, they operated in entirely different spheres, so there wasn’t a direct comparison. But if he performed well on this show, his career would undoubtedly skyrocket.
“Since Niu Niuniu had to step away due to personal matters, we have a new member joining us as Xiao Hong’s partner. Please introduce yourself,” the director announced.
As Xixi formally introduced himself to the camera, Kong Yinmeng tried her best to suppress the awkwardness fluttering in her chest as she walked over to stand near Zheng Yi. However, she made sure to leave a noticeable gap between them…enough room for a third person to stand comfortably.
The camera operator was the first to sense the shift. Having tracked the duo closely for three days, he knew their usual rhythm. Today, something was visibly off with both of them.
“Due to unforeseen circumstances, today’s activities will take place entirely inside the hotel,” the director continued. “Your first task is to win your wardrobe for the day.”
Crew members stepped forward carrying three racks holding six swimsuits, color-coded and styled in pairs.
The first set consisted of black, tight-fitting wetsuits. They were incredibly unforgiving; any hint of a love handle or extra weight would be instantly obvious to the viewing audience.
The second set featured a bold bikini paired with men’s swim briefs. Because they left so much skin exposed, they required an equally flawless physique.
The third set was standard swimwear…a charmingly innocent style for the women, and a modest, traditional pair of swim trunks for the men.
“As you can see, these swimsuits are matched sets. Each set corresponds to a different challenge. You will choose the outfit you want, attempt the game, and if you succeed, the outfits are yours. If you fail, you lose your choice and will have to wear whatever is left over.”
The rules were straightforward, and the floor was opened for selection.
Miaoke’s eyes locked onto the bikini immediately. She desperately wanted to wear it…or rather, she desperately wanted to see Liang Sihan forced into those tiny swim briefs.
“I bet Director Song called you last night,” Liang Sihan muttered, instantly reading her mind. This girl was definitely out for revenge.
Xiao Hong was equally fixated on the bikini. She turned to check with Xixi, who offered a gentle, easygoing smile.
“I’m fine with anything,” Xixi replied. He maintained a strict fitness regimen; compared to the other men, he was probably the most qualified to pull off the swim briefs.
Meanwhile, Kong Yinmeng and Zheng Yi displayed a quiet, unspoken synchronicity. Both of them immediately gravitated toward the most modest, standard swimwear set. The skimpy bikini set that the other teams were fighting over held absolutely no appeal for either of them.