This Is Red

January 29th, 3 PM, Jing City, Wan Jia Deng Huo Supermarket.

"Sister Zhang, what are you looking at?"

"My daughter just messaged me saying a big celebrity came to our supermarket. Someone took a picture and posted it online. But the person who took the photo couldn't find her after a moment. Still, it's certain she hasn't left the supermarket yet. My daughter told me to keep an eye out, and if I happen to see her, get an autograph for her. She said she really likes this celebrity."

"She's still in the supermarket? Did your daughter say who the celebrity is?"

"She did, but what was it again? Look at my brain, I forgot! But my daughter said this celebrity is very popular recently. If she shows up later, she'll definitely be recognized. When we see a crowd gathering, we can go over and check, that'll be sure to work!"

"Our supermarket is so big, it has several floors. If the celebrity is on another floor, we won't even see her even if she's surrounded!"

"That's true. My daughter just sent me a picture. Look, the photo shows she's on this floor. I'll send you the photo later so you can keep an eye out too."

Just then, Cao Shiyu pushed a shopping cart to the weighing station.

"Hello, could you weigh this for me!"

She took out the cherries, large cucumbers, tomatoes, and other items from the shopping cart and placed them on the side of the weighing station.

Cao Shiyu usually shopped at the supermarket about every three days, and most of the time she came to large supermarkets like this. She liked the dazzling array of goods in big supermarkets, but in reality, she didn't buy much each time. She wanted to buy more snacks, but as an actress, especially an ambitious one, she had to constantly control her appetite.

Weigher Sister Zhang skillfully entered the barcodes to weigh the items while saying to Sister Liu next to her, "I glanced at the photo just now. She wasn't wearing sunglasses or a mask. You see, don't celebrities always wear sunglasses, a mask, and a baseball cap when they go out? Paired with a few bodyguards, assistants, and agents, it's quite a show! This celebrity is alone, and not wearing a mask. I suspect she's here for publicity. Just you wait! Soon, reporters will show up for impromptu interviews."

Sister Liu scoffed, "I don't know what's wrong with people these days. Aren't celebrities just like us, with two shoulders and one head? What's so great about chasing them! Does their farts smell better? If you ask me, even if a big celebrity stood next to me, I'd still do what I need to do. If I looked at her more than once, then I, Liu Cuiqin, haven't seen the world!"

Sister Zhang handed the weighed items to Cao Shiyu and said, "Alright, alright, you're so principled. Don't come asking me to take a photo with her and get an autograph later!"

Sister Liu said, "Don't worry, I definitely won't!"

Cao Shiyu asked curiously, "Hello, excuse me, are you talking about something that just happened? Is there a celebrity in the supermarket right now?"

Sister Zhang smiled, "It just happened. My daughter sent me a WeChat message five minutes ago."

Sister Liu also smiled, "What's so good about celebrities? I heard their lives are quite messy and improper! Young lady, I think you look even prettier than that big celebrity. If I were choosing a daughter-in-law, I'd definitely choose someone like you, not a celebrity!"

Cao Shiyu smiled, "Thank you, Auntie, you flatter me!"

"Flatter or not, the more I look at you, the prettier you seem! Look at this skin, it's like a freshly peeled egg, so tender! Auntie, let me ask you, what cosmetics do you use? Have you found a boyfriend yet?" Sister Liu said with a smile, as if she wanted to get Cao Shiyu's WeChat to introduce her to her son.

"Excuse me, please move aside!" At this moment, a customer behind them impatiently squeezed in.

Cao Shiyu's items were all weighed, so she smiled and nodded at the two weighers before heading to the checkout.

On the way, Cao Shiyu heard three separate conversations about a celebrity being in the supermarket.

"Could it be that a celebrity really came to this supermarket?"

"Who is it? Do I know them?"

"When will I be like this unknown celebrity, the center of attention for everyone?!"

Cao Shiyu bit her lip and thought.

Since she chose the Central Academy of Drama, since she chose the path of an actress, she was aiming for fame, aiming for overnight success!

She wanted to be a star, wanted to gain more attention, wanted to be liked by millions of people!

Perhaps her ambition was a bit too strong, but if her ambition wasn't strong, why would she have chosen the path of an actress in the first place?

Cao Shiyu chose a less crowded exit to queue and took out her phone while waiting to read the short reviews on Dou Miao for Young Bao Qingtian.

"Chang Yu is too pure. If I were Bao Heitan, I'd definitely choose Chang Yu!"

"Oh my god! Is the screenwriter's brain full of holes? Why did they have to kill Chang Yu? Why, why, why????"

"I don't accept this, absolutely not!"

"Don't stop me, I'm sending the screenwriter a knife!"

"It's too hard to be friends with Bao Heitan!"

"Chang Yu and her brother are so pitiful! Those four people deserve to die! They deserve to be cut into a thousand pieces! Bao Zheng is such a blockhead, couldn't he pretend not to find the truth?"

"Are there really no more scenes with Chang Yu later? I like this character so much, what should I do?"

At this moment, the cashier asked, "Do you have a membership card?"

Cao Shiyu heard this, put away her phone, and said, "Yes, 1378..."

The cashier looked down and entered the membership number.

Cao Shiyu arranged her items while thinking, "After the last two episodes aired, the number of mentions of Chang Yu in the short reviews has been increasing. Am I considered a little popular? But many people mention Jin Jiawei in the short reviews, yet almost no one mentions Cao Shiyu. Everyone only knows Chang Yu, but not the actress Cao Shiyu. So, am I experiencing the legendary 'popular show, unpopular actor' phenomenon?"

"Also, when will I need to wear a mask and sunglasses when I go out?"

"With assistants and agents following me?"

Cao Shiyu let out a scoff and smiled.

She thought, "Cao Shiyu, what are you thinking? Sister Lan has so many artists under her, and you're the least promising among them. You still want assistants and agents following you when you go out?"

Although she had filmed several commercials and anti-Japanese war dramas before, she never needed a mask when she went out. Even on her shopping trip three days ago, she didn't have to worry about being recognized at all. But now that Young Bao Qingtian is airing, and the parts she acted in have been broadcast for three days, and Young Bao Qingtian is so popular, is it possible that she might be recognized when she goes out from now on?

"Do you want a bag?" the cashier asked.

"One medium-sized bag, please!" Cao Shiyu replied.

The cashier took a bag and handed it to Cao Shiyu. Then, she looked up and was stunned!

"Are you? Oh my god! Everything in the group chat is true! You really haven't left yet!" the cashier said, so excited she was stumbling over her words.

Cao Shiyu's heart suddenly raced. So, I've been recognized? Am I... finally going to be recognized when I go out? she thought.

"Are you Chang Yu?"

The conversation between Cao Shiyu and the cashier caught the attention of a young man queuing behind them. He looked up and saw... who was that? Wasn't that Chang Yu from Young Bao Qingtian?

"Wow! I'm a huge fan! Can... can we take a picture together?" the young man asked, his face flushed, his voice involuntarily stuttering.

"Sure!"

Cao Shiyu happily agreed. She didn't find it troublesome at all, nor did she feel annoyed by being bothered. On the contrary, she was incredibly happy.

Why did she enroll in the Central Academy of Drama? Why did she become an actress? Wasn't it all for this very moment?

While Cao Shiyu was taking a photo with the young man, the cashier secretly snapped a picture and posted it to her Moments.

"Look who it is, everyone! Should I steal a cherry from her to show her the harshness of society?"

After posting on Moments, she also said in the work group chat, "That's right, the big star really hasn't left. I'm ringing her up right now!"

Cao Shiyu suddenly looked up, thinking, Could it be that the big star the two cashiers were talking about just now was actually me?

Her mind went blank, as if struck by lightning!

Have I become popular? Can I be called a star now? Three days ago, no one would have recognized me. Three days ago, I came to this supermarket to buy things, and no one recognized me then!

In just three days, only three days, I, Cao Shiyu, have become popular?!

I can also be called a star now?!

I've been unknown for two years since graduation. A month ago, I auditioned for a minor role with only a few lines, and I was still scolded for being stiff and disobedient—what nonsense about being stiff and disobedient? Don't they know what they want? Pfft! They dared to think that way for a role that wasn't even a supporting female lead!

It all happened so fast that she hadn't even prepared herself mentally. It was why, when she heard others talking about stars, she never thought it could be about her.

Clearly, no one recognized her the last time she came to the supermarket, so how did she suddenly become the big star everyone was talking about?

Cao Shiyu's eyes suddenly welled up.