Page 36

The two of them instinctively looked toward Cui Yujin and, sure enough, saw the guy excitedly pulling a notebook from his bag and rushing over to ask for an autograph. Unfortunately, before he could get close, two assistants roughly stopped him. The girl curled her lip disdainfully and said arrogantly to Qilu, "Is this one of your station's staff? He has no manners at all, does he?"

The manager following behind the girl also frowned and said disapprovingly, "Lin Xia has been busy rushing between appearances and promoting her new drama these past few days. She's exhausted from constantly flying around. As one of the country's most established television stations, Apple TV Station's staff should uphold professional ethics and not make things difficult for artists. If he wants an autograph, he can wait until Lin Xia isn't busy."

Her little speech left everyone present looking at one another. Cui Yujin, who had always had a fiery temper, could not help cursing, "So what if she acted in some lousy idol drama? What's so great about that? Even if she wanted to sign for me, I wouldn't care. Seriously, she thinks way too highly of herself. I asked Yun Liting for an autograph before, and he wasn't nearly as much of a diva as she is!"

At that moment, Qilu calmly explained, "This student is not one of our station's staff. He's simply a fan from Dance Miracle and came here today to take part in the program recording."

Cui Yujin had come with Li Mei's permission as an audience member for Qilu Gossip.

Qilu's words made Lin Xia and her manager's expressions change slightly. After a brief pause, the manager said awkwardly, yet still somewhat dissatisfied, "Then that's even more inappropriate. As one of the country's most established television stations, how can Apple TV Station allow unrelated people into the backstage area...?"

This time, no one paid her any attention. One of the assistants beside Lin Xia saw that things were going badly and quickly lowered her head in apology. "I'm sorry. Lin Xia specifically flew here today to record the program. She was on the plane for more than two hours, and it took over an hour to get here by car after landing, so she's a little tired. She didn't mean it."

After saying that, she hurriedly gave Lin Xia a meaningful look. Lin Xia also realized something was wrong and quickly apologized obediently. "I'm sorry. I was too tired just now, so I said nonsense. I hope no one is angry."

Seeing this, the manager was still somewhat displeased and was just about to say something when the assistant beside her tugged at her clothes, so she fell silent. In truth, she was not a professional manager at all, but Lin Xia's mother. Worried about Lin Xia, a young girl, struggling in the entertainment industry alone, she had quit her job to accompany Lin Xia everywhere. Everything she did was for Lin Xia's future and safety. Her heart was in the right place, but she lacked professional experience and sometimes offended people without realizing it.

Still, there were plenty of newcomers in the industry who became famous overnight and then got carried away, so everyone was used to it. No one bothered to remind her. Lin Xia's management company had brought it up several times because of business concerns, but to no effect. They wanted to replace Lin Xia's manager, but Lin Xia refused. In the end, they could only assign an experienced assistant to Lin Xia in the hope that she could offer guidance when needed.

Qilu smiled faintly. "It's nothing."

Then he checked the time and said, "There are only thirty minutes left before recording starts. Please hurry and do your makeup and change clothes."

As he spoke, he signaled for the makeup artist and stylist to work on Lin Xia. Unexpectedly, Lin Xia's manager spoke again. "Our Lin Xia has her own makeup artist and styling team, so there's no need to trouble yours."

Qilu curled his lips, glanced at Lin Xia, and smiled. "That's even better."

With that, using the excuse of not wanting to waste Lin Xia's time, he led everyone in the dressing room out in a rush. As Tang Shi stepped outside, his sharp ears caught Sister Sun, the one who had done his makeup earlier, letting out a cold, derisive snort.

While they were waiting at the recording venue, Tang Shi saw Sister Sun go over to one of the cameramen below and say a few words to him. Then the cameraman nodded with a strange grin.

Tang Shi lightly bumped Lu Hengzhi's shoulder, signaling him to look over. Brother Chen noticed their movements, frowned, and reminded them in a low voice, "Why don't you spend more time studying the script? What are you so curious about?"

Chapter 36

At exactly eight in the evening, Qilu Gossip officially began recording. Tang Shi, Lu Hengzhi, and Lin Xia waited quietly backstage as host Qilu delivered his opening remarks, briefly interacted with the audience, introduced the day's guests and recording content, built up the atmosphere, and finally invited the guests onto the stage amid applause and screams.

As a newly popular idol in the entertainment industry over the past two years, Lin Xia far surpassed the yet-to-debut Sugar Juice Duo in both status and popularity. Naturally, she was arranged to appear first.

So the Sugar Juice Duo waited behind the scenes and watched as Lin Xia walked gracefully onto the stage holding a microphone, singing the theme song from the idol drama that had made her famous, Summer of Love, while maintaining a sweet and innocent smile. Whether to emphasize Lin Xia's temperament or promote her new album White Angel, Lin Xia had chosen a knee-length white dress trimmed with lace that day. Her smooth, glossy black hair fell loosely to her waist as she sang and waved to the audience below.

Three minutes later, the song ended. She then greeted the host and audience in a soft, cutesy voice, chatting with them warmly. Her obedient, youthful appearance made her seem like an entirely different person from the arrogant little star backstage earlier.

It fit perfectly with the girl-next-door image she had always maintained on screen.

Tang Shi and Lu Hengzhi kept shaking their heads at the act. Tang Shi remembered that entertainment papers had been full of doubts about Lin Xia's acting last year, saying she was another pretty idol vase who had become famous on her looks alone. But looking at Lin Xia's performance now, Tang Shi felt that her acting was very good—at least much better than his and Lu Hengzhi's.

Just as his thoughts began to wander, a staff member nudged Tang Shi's shoulder. It was time for the two of them to go onstage. Tang Shi took a deep breath and walked onto the stage to brisk background music, only to be startled by the sudden eruption of screams from below.

Tang Shi stared at the few girls below who were wildly shouting, "Sugar Juice Duo, I love you!" and "Sugar Juice Duo, we like you!" He stood there blankly for a while before finally recovering and introducing himself with a smile. "Hello, everyone. We're the Sugar Juice Duo. I'm Tang Shi, and this is Lu Hengzhi."

That short, perfectly ordinary, rather dry self-introduction made the audience scream again. Even Qilu was somewhat stunned by the explosive display of popularity.

Although Qilu knew that the Sugar Juice Duo's popularity had skyrocketed after appearing on Dance Miracle, he had not expected them to be this popular. The screams they received when they came onstage were even more intense than those for rising star Lin Xia. Thinking this, Qilu discreetly glanced at Lin Xia beside him and found that she was still smiling sweetly and innocently. Her eyes were even shining as she stared at the Sugar Juice Duo, her face full of girlish excitement.

Qilu secretly laughed to himself but said nothing. He merely had everyone sit down casually before beginning the interview.

Since the focus of this episode's planning was Lin Xia, and Lin Xia had come to Qilu Gossip to better promote her new album, the first few minutes of the program consisted entirely of the host chatting with Lin Xia. They discussed the idol dramas Lin Xia had acted in last year, the well-received album she had released and won Best New Artist for, then brought up rumors about Lin Xia and a newly popular young king of pop. From there, they naturally segued into the rumors involving Tang Shi and dance-pop queen Qiao Lin.

Only then did Lin Xia look at Tang Shi with sudden realization. The rumor had been so explosive because, first, Qiao Lin had almost never been involved in scandals throughout all her years since debuting. Second, the other person involved was said to be a contestant from some talent show, someone who had not officially debuted and was even a student under eighteen. With all the rumors going around, even ordinary people who did not pay much attention to entertainment news had heard about it, much less someone like Lin Xia, who worked in the industry.

She had known such a thing existed before, but she had not known who it involved. Now that Qilu had said it, she suddenly had the feeling of, Ah, so it's him. Looking Tang Shi over carefully, she felt that he really was very handsome. His features were refined and pleasing to the eye, yet not so delicate that they gave people an effeminate impression. He was the sort of exceptionally beautiful young man who stood out at a glance.

Tang Shi neither knew nor cared how Lin Xia judged him. As for the topic Qilu tossed his way, Tang Shi responded directly. "I think the media outlets reporting this kind of rumor are completely insane. They don't care whether it's true or whether it makes any sense. They just report whatever nonsense they want. They're clearly manufacturing gimmicks for sales and fabricating facts to attract attention. They don't have even the slightest bit of the professional integrity that news media should have—seeking truth from facts and reporting honestly."

"I think they're treating audiences like idiots, without considering that audiences have brains too. They make up stories without checking the facts at all. I even read some so-called exposés in the tabloids. The plots were so melodramatic and vulgar, they were practically like Korean idol dramas. Anyone with half a brain could tell they were impossible. Yet they actually had the nerve to report them as serious news. Were they sent by monkeys to be clowns?"

Tang Shi's response made Qilu smile knowingly, while the audience below applauded in agreement. It was true that media reports, and even television dramas, had become increasingly idiotic and unreasonable. They were practically treating viewers in front of their televisions like three-year-old children.

As for Tang Shi's casual remark, following the internet habits of a later era—"Were they sent by monkeys to be clowns?"—it rapidly became popular after the program aired and was fortunate enough to become one of that year's most fashionable catchphrases.

Even Lin Xia, sitting nearby, looked over with great interest. She had debuted two years ago and had always heard people say that she acted like a diva, that she was foolish and did not understand social interaction. But at the very least, she knew that the news media could not be offended casually. Therefore, no matter how impatient she felt, Lin Xia always tried to present her most perfect, least temperamental side before cameras and the media. Even so, people still spoke ill of her behind her back.

She had not expected to encounter a newcomer even more reckless than herself today. While enjoying the show, Lin Xia felt a strange, inexplicable sense of pleasure rise in her heart. She could not wait to see news of this boy being attacked and cursed after angering the media. Wasn't there a mindset about building one's happiness on someone else's pain? Lin Xia now had exactly that sort of spectator mentality.

Qilu, on the other hand, smiled and said, "A few days ago, Qiao Lin also issued a statement clarifying that she currently has no plans to date. She said that you are merely close friends she gets along with well, and that she greatly admires your talent. She said you can dance, choreograph, write songs, and sing—that you're especially versatile..."

At this point, Qilu suddenly changed direction. "Actually, a major reason this became such a huge controversy and rumors spread about you and Qiao Lin was that you wrote a song to give her... Why did you think of writing a song for her? Did you know that your gesture was particularly romantic? No wonder people got that idea."

Tang Shi smiled and licked his lips. Whenever he felt a little troubled and did not want to speak, or did not know how to say something, he unconsciously made that gesture. Seeing it, Lu Hengzhi said in a low voice, "There is a reason behind it. We originally didn't want to say anything, because it involves some internal matters of Dance Miracle—"

The reason Lu Hengzhi was being so unconcerned and "frank" was that Li Mei had vaguely instructed them before the recording. Her meaning was that this rumor had had a major impact. If they did not offer some "evidence" worth examining and merely gave evasive official answers, the clarification would probably have little effect.