Less than a minute later, Ma Xianbei called again, coming in for the kill. "Shi Wei! What the hell are you doing? Who told you to repost it and throw shade at him like that?"
His roaring nearly deafened Shi Wei. "Don't worry, Brother Bei. He definitely won't dare leech off my popularity again."
"What popularity? Was I asking you to scare him off? I wanted you to gain fans!"
"I did gain followers."
"That's because you set your comments to followers-only!" Ma Xianbei sounded utterly distraught. "They must all be going there to curse you out."
"No, they're all calling me a mighty general in the war against green tea." Shi Wei kept scrolling through the comments. A few of Xu Xirui's fans had come to insult him, but even more people were praising him for throwing shade so beautifully.
The world had suffered under green tea for far too long. Now Hero Shi had raised the banner of rebellion, and voices supporting him rang throughout the comments.
"LMAO, finally someone dares to call out Xu Xirui. I've been putting up with him ever since he tried to manufacture drama with my fave."
"Sis above, same here!"
"Before, xxr played the victim and told people not to cyberbully anyone, but he was fanning the flames the whole time. Only his fans couldn't see it."
"Go die, Shi Wei! You ungrateful bastard! Repaying kindness with cruelty!"
"Oh look, Xu Chacha's dogs came over here to bark."
"Shi Wei really wasn't wrong. Some people and some fans have no fucking self-awareness."
Ah, those who green-tea others too often would bring about their own downfall.
Shi Wei was reading with relish when Ma Xianbei called again. "Have you memorized the script? I'm telling you, Director Zhang's productions don't allow dubbing. You can't just recite one, two, three, four."
"I've never done that before, have I?"
"Of course not. It's your only redeeming quality." Ma Xianbei sighed. "Besides, with your standing, replacing you would be cheaper than hiring a voice actor."
Shi Wei: ...Fuck!
Ma Xianbei continued his earnest lecture. "Getting a part in a big-shot director like Zhang's production is sheer dumb luck for you. Once you're on set, don't provoke Xu Xirui like you did today. Keep your head down and behave."
"Got it. I'll do it again next time."
Before Ma Xianbei could roar again in fury, Shi Wei immediately hung up.
Shi Wei read his script with his happy fat-otaku soda in hand and a bag of chips in his arms. His dedicated system couldn't resist reminding him.
[Host, shouldn't you show Ji Hanchuan some concern?]
Shi Wei was puzzled. "Concern over whether he's still alive?"
[No.]
"Concern over whether he'll have an accident crossing the road?"
[Don't go too far.]
"Concern over whether he'll accidentally get Xu Xirui pregnant?"
[That only happens in other worlds!] The system couldn't take it anymore. [Host, please be serious!]
"Then tell me what it is."
[You should be concerned about whether he's eaten!]
Shi Wei sucked in a breath. "I have to care about that too?"
[This system must remind you once again: you are deeply in love with Ji Hanchuan.]
"But he insulted me by saying my eyes look like two bananas when I smile."
[Bananas and crescent moons are the same shape.]
The system coaxed him patiently in its cool voice.
Heh. I'd be no petty villain if I didn't avenge this!
Shi Wei picked up his phone and sent Ji Hanchuan a voice message.
D zone!
After sending it, Shi Wei successfully disgusted himself.
[Now you look like the pregnant one...]
The system couldn't help thinking.
Meanwhile, Ji Hanchuan was sitting in his studio, discussing his work schedule with Feng Wan and the others, when he caught sight of Shi Wei's voice message out of the corner of his eye. He meant to exit the conversation, but accidentally tapped play.
The voice coming from his phone was outrageously affected. "Hubby, it's noon. Have you been eating properly? If you don't feel like eating, why don't you come home and eat me? I'll let Hubby see all my little bananas!"
Feng Wan and the others stared at him in horror.
Ji Hanchuan, who had died of embarrassment on the spot: ...
In his twenty-six years of life, Ji Hanchuan had always prided himself on his calm self-restraint and elegant composure.
But today, for the first time, he felt the urge to murder someone and nearly crushed his phone.
"H-Hanchuan." Feng Wan was so incredulous that the beauty started stammering. "Was that the minor celebrity, Shi Wei? You two..."
She had previously thought Ji Hanchuan would definitely divorce Shi Wei, only to be told later, to her utter surprise, that the divorce couldn't happen.
Now she had heard Shi Wei send Ji Hanchuan a voice message like that...
Could their relationship be...
Everyone had the exact same thought.
Was the ice and snow atop the Heavenly Mountains finally about to be rooted up by a pig?
Ji Hanchuan's handsome face was so cold it could shed ice chips. His stern gaze swept over them.
Everyone instantly sat up straight, all thoughts vanishing except their determination to stay alive.
Ji Hanchuan said evenly, "Apart from not being divorced, there's nothing between us. He won't affect me."
Since he said so, that was how it was.
Feng Wan still trusted Ji Hanchuan's word. It was a minor celebrity like Shi Wei she didn't trust. "You'll be working together on Calming the Wind and Waves. He really won't cause trouble?"
"He won't." Ji Hanchuan was certain.
If Shi Wei dared, he'd crush any thought he had of stirring up trouble!
With Ji Hanchuan's assurance, Feng Wan nodded. "Good, then."
His assistant, Li Xiaochen, suddenly waved a phone. "That Shi Wei just made big news again. He posted a meme mocking Xu Xirui for having no fucking self-awareness."
Faced with his subordinates' distrustful gazes, Ji Hanchuan could only remain silent.
He was joining the production today. Shi Wei had planned to act first and inform Ji Hanchuan afterward, but unexpectedly, Ji Hanchuan left even earlier than he did.
After sending Ji Hanchuan that voice message about looking at bananas the other day, Shi Wei had thought the Grim Reaper had come knocking when he next saw him.
Ji Hanchuan's expression had been so cold and fierce he looked ready to murder someone, and he warned Shi Wei not to send him random voice messages.
Shi Wei looked obedient and frightened on the outside, but inside he was already going, Pfft, hahahaha!
Although he didn't know what had happened, Shi Wei could already guess that Ji Hanchuan had definitely fallen victim to his prank.
His lips curved as he happily set off with his luggage.
Throughout the journey, Ma Xianbei kept nagging Shi Wei: no causing trouble, leave as soon as filming was over, and don't linger at all.
He sounded just like a heartless scumbag who pulled out and walked away.
Shi Wei had heard it so many times his ears were about to develop calluses when they finally reached the set.
Ma Xianbei took Shi Wei around. Perhaps many people had heard that Zhang Zixiang had added scenes for Shi Wei; now, seeing how well-behaved and polite he was, everyone treated him courteously.
People were finally no longer looking down on him and rolling their eyes. Brother Bei was happy. Brother Bei was pleased. He stayed with Shi Wei as he queued for makeup.
"Quick, get your script out. I'll take a few pictures of you."
"Oh." Shi Wei took out his pristine script and pretended to read it carefully.
Ma Xianbei frowned. "Are you kidding me? You haven't read the script?"
"I have."
"Liar! How could it still be this smooth if you'd read it?" Ma Xianbei snatched the script and flipped through it. "Not even any notes? At least write a few thoughts and impressions."
Shi Wei said, "Why?"
Ma Xianbei said, "Without writing your impressions, how can you look like you've read the script seriously? How will netizens praise you for being such a good boy?"
Shi Wei said, "Why?"
Ma Xianbei took a deep breath. "How will you gain fans if they don't praise you?"
Shi Wei said, "Why?"
Ma Xianbei clenched his fists.
Just as Ma Xianbei was considering how much fallout there would be from beating up his own artist here, a sudden commotion broke out at the entrance.
"Holy shit! It's Ji Hanchuan!"