“Miss Xia Weige, congratulations on winning the Best Newcomer Award at the White Mist Film Festival this time.”
“You achieved such success right after venturing into film. Will you continue to develop in this direction in the future?”
The TV was broadcasting the scene of Xia Weige being surrounded and questioned by reporters at the film festival not long ago. She slightly turned her gaze, her delicate face aimed at the questioning reporter.
“I’m very happy to receive this award. It’s all thanks to the help of everyone in the crew, and the support of people who like me. As for future development, I haven’t given it much thought yet.”
After speaking, she slightly wrinkled her nose, a small gesture she makes when she’s a little nervous, which those close to her know.
The woman sat on the sofa watching Xia Weige on TV. The latter’s bright eyes always made people subconsciously follow her joy, and any bad emotions seemed to be soothed by her.
Fans said this was Xia Weige’s unique infectiousness.
However, at this moment, the woman was quite impatient with Xia Weige on the TV. She repeatedly raised her hand to look at her watch. The hands kept turning, and the woman’s furrowed brows deepened.
It wasn’t until the sound of the door lock finally rang that a face exactly the same as the one on TV appeared from behind the door.
“You’re an hour late, Xia Weige.” There was reproach in the woman’s tone, but upon closer listening, there didn’t seem to be much anger. “Mr. Xu has already left.”
The black-brown wooden door was pushed open completely. Xia Weige, dressed in a small white evening dress, walked into the room with a smile. It seemed she had just finished filming, as the exquisite makeup on her face had not yet been removed.
A crimson beauty mark, like a cherry, dotted her snow-white skin, making her look like a fairy from a peach blossom grove.
“I’m sorry, Sister Li, I really couldn’t make it in time for Mr. Xu.”
She apologized while walking towards Sister Li, but Sister Li didn’t hear any apology in her tone.
Exactly an hour late, not a minute more, not a minute less, right on the mark.
Although Sister Li’s face was displeased, she actually didn’t want to say anything more to her in her heart. As a manager, Sister Li understood the reason for her intentional tardiness. Mr. Xu was unhappy because Xia Weige wanted to fully transition to acting, and recently even threatened her with the contract.
It was simply because Xia Weige’s traffic value was too great. As a top idol in the country, even if the transition succeeded, she would only get a Best Newcomer Award, and the subsequent path, no matter how she walked it, would not catch up with her current popularity.
Moreover, Mr. Xu didn’t believe Xia Weige could achieve anything significant, after all, she was purely an idol from a girl group, and acting was something she picked up later. The reason she won an award this time was that the company spent money to get her into a famous director’s crew.
Rather than saying her acting skills were good, it was more accurate to say the director was good at coaching.
But in fact, both sides understood that using the contract to pressure her was just for show. Xia Weige had been nurtured with resources by the company since her debut. For seven years, both sides had been mutually beneficial, and the company had never treated her, their signboard, unfairly.
Otherwise, Xia Weige wouldn’t have dared to intentionally be late to avoid him.
“Why are you suddenly so insistent on acting? You used to listen to all arrangements, what triggered you this time?” Although Sister Li was annoyed that Mr. Xu was threatening Xia Weige with the contract, she herself didn’t really believe that Xia Weige’s path in the acting industry could be better than her current situation.
Xia Weige walked over and sat down beside Sister Li. A smile crept up her brows. She seemed to be in a very good mood and didn’t mind Sister Li’s sigh.
Holding her phone, she eagerly turned to look at Sister Li, her eyes shining like stars. “Sister, I want to participate in this.”
The phone was handed to Sister Li. It was a variety show invitation from a director. Sister Li examined it closely, her brows furrowed.
“A dating reality show? Inviting couples who have already broken up to participate together and find their new romance on the show?” Sister Li looked up at Xia Weige. The content on the phone combined with what the other party said made everything so absurd that Sister Li’s brain stopped working.
It took her a while to finally utter a sentence: “Where did you get an ex from?”
Xia Weige’s eyes were fixed, she just looked at Sister Li. Her light-brown eyes, a shade lighter than the average person’s, now looked like a crystal clear glass bead, overly brilliant, causing Sister Li to look away uncomfortably.
She was somewhat afraid to look directly into Xia Weige’s eyes.
There was undeniable seriousness in them.
Where did she get an ex?
Sister Li couldn’t help but murmur in her heart.
Xia Weige came out of the “Star Girls” survival show and was handed over to Sister Li as soon as she debuted. For so many years, she had never seen her date, not even an ambiguous interest.
Could it be a student-era first love or something?
“A long time ago, when I was a trainee. I want to see her again.” Xia Weige said.
Sister Li rubbed her forehead, a headache coming on. “In the industry or outside the industry?”
She then added, “Male or female?”
Xia Weige smiled upon hearing this. She looked even brighter when she smiled, her light-brown eyes seemed to have warm light falling into them. She pursed her lips and softly said, “Outside the industry, female, older than me.”
“Her name is Wen Rong.”
Xia Weige’s expression became gentler, carrying a hint of nostalgia.
This was the sixteenth floor. The floor-to-ceiling windows of the large apartment enveloped all the sunlight outside. The blazing sun shone on the transparent glass. Although the temperature wasn’t too high at the moment, Xia Weige seemed to have returned to that hot summer.
That small rented room, that enclosed, slightly stuffy room, also illuminated by the blazing sun.
21-year-old Xia Weige was somewhat closed off in personality. She looked very obedient, with a childishness mixed with the timidity of not knowing how to get along with people.
In the company’s training room, she was mostly alone, practicing dancing, singing, and rehearsing.
At that time, she couldn’t stand the whispers around her, couldn’t stand the envious gazes of her colleagues towards her talent.
Those malicious looks made her unable to breathe.
Only when Wen Rong’s gaze fell on her did she feel beautiful, because it was a look of affection.
Focused, intense, loving only her.
Xia Weige craved love because she hadn’t had it before, so she always loved it when Wen Rong expressed affection.
Wen Rong was a very gentle woman, 5 years older than her, with a maturity and tolerance that didn’t match her age.
They met that summer, and their relationship was as passionate as the hot summer.
Wen Rong was like gentle water. She was elegant and mature, like a well-bred young lady from a wealthy family in ancient times, every move carrying standard etiquette.
Yet, Wen Rong would respond to all of Xia Weige’s unreasonable requests.
Eating things she usually didn’t like, doing things she wasn’t so fond of. Even if Xia Weige was in the mood and asked her to make seductive movements on the bed, she would only look at Xia Weige helplessly, and then satisfy her every demand.
Xia Weige liked to test Wen Rong’s bottom line, but at that time, the other party’s pampering seemed limitless. Even once, she went too far and demanded Wen Rong to kneel in front of her in revealing clothing and lick-kiss her, the other party only frowned, and then knelt before her knees.
“Will you be happy?” Wen Rong asked her softly then.
Of course she was happy. She desperately needed love, the infinitely forgiving love of Wen Rong, to fill her broken heart.
Wen Rong got her answer and satisfied Xia Weige’s every request. Xia Weige could never forget the stunning look on the usually composed and gentle woman’s face that day, as she knelt before her.
Xia Weige took a deep breath, pulling herself out of the memory. Staring at Sister Li, she said gently but with unmistakable certainty, “Sister, I must participate in this show.”
Sister Li had an even bigger headache. She really wanted to refuse Xia Weige, but she understood perfectly well that while Xia Weige was usually obedient, once she made up her mind, no one could stop her.
“At least let me see a photo of what she looks like, so I can prepare myself.” Sister Li sighed helplessly, knowing she would have to argue with the people upstairs.
She just hoped the other party’s appearance and job weren’t too bad, otherwise the internet would be full of mockery and rejection from fans.
…
Only a month and a half passed from finalizing the contract with the production team to the show’s premiere. The show format was a full live broadcast first, followed by weekly edited episodes.
The production team knew Xia Weige’s star power and constantly released rumors that she would participate. Fans initially didn’t take it seriously. There were too many production teams that used her name for traffic, especially since this dating show required ex-partners to participate together.
Xia Weige had been active for 7 years and rarely had any scandals. She was like a workaholic, constantly on the go, almost always under the camera. How could she have time to date?
Didn’t this lousy show check its facts before trying to ride on her fame?
But for nearly a month, the rumors continued non-stop, and Xia Weige’s team never stepped forward to clarify.
Fans were also uncertain. On the day the show was to be live-streamed, they all gathered in the live broadcast room, waiting.
【It’s this time and neither the production team nor Xia Weige have clarified. I’m afraid it’s true.】
【Xia Xia is probably on vacation and doesn’t have time to deal with these traffic-grabbing shows. These people have no shame for traffic. Xia Xia can’t clarify everything, can she?】
【The one above, are you a Xia Weige fan? Even I, a passerby, know her nickname is ‘workaholic.’ Has she taken a vacation since her debut?】
【Hahaha, don’t say that, sisters. Isn’t the most panicked group right now Xia Weige’s fans? If she really shows up later… hahaha.】
【Why is everyone talking about Xia Weige’s fans? Zhuo Jingcheng is also on this show. I’m here for Xiao Zhuo.】
【Xiao Zhuo finally broke up with that old woman, thank goodness.】
【Didn’t Zhuo Jingcheng publicly say he admires Xia Weige? Could it be that he only came because Xia Weige is coming? Then is it possible…】
【Xia Xia is better off alone, thank you.】
【Still “better off alone”? Don’t cry when she actually appears later.】
As soon as the show’s live broadcast room opened, the number of viewers soared to ten million, with the screen full of scrolling comments.
The host was still introducing the rules: four pairs of guests would live together in the house prepared by the production team for two months. During these two months, guests were not allowed to explicitly confess to each other; they had to wait until the end of the show to express their feelings.
Xia Weige had already arrived at the small house in the production team’s car. She was the third to arrive. Reaching out, she opened the car door, lowered her head slightly, and stepped out of the car.
She had specifically asked the makeup artist today for a pure and youthful look, wanting to appear closer to her image seven years ago.
She had participated in many variety shows and didn’t mind the cameras everywhere. She walked into the house with a smile, yet her chest felt a burst of panic.
This feeling was not intense, just a slight hint, like a tiny pebble held in her hand, very light, so light she might ignore its existence if she wasn’t paying attention. But as soon as she slightly clenched her fist, the subtle touch immediately rushed through her.
Xia Weige wrinkled her nose and pushed open the door of the small house.