"Under the Light" was the song that had made Zhao Jiayuan famous.
As someone who had transmigrated into a book, Jiang Mingxi had not originally known it, but the moment the song started, the original owner's DNA kicked in.
Almost without thinking, Jiang Mingxi joined in with a line-
"You asked me, how much love would be enough~"
[Holy shit, Jiang Mingxi's voice sounds amazing!]
[I was shocked too. He's every bit as good as Zhao Jiayuan!]
[He and Zhao Jiayuan have two different styles. When Jiang Mingxi sings, he gives off that school-days first-love white moonlight vibe. Fuck, that line he just sang hit me right in the heart. What do I do? I'm starting not to hate him.]
[Jiang Mingxi never did anything wrong to begin with. The clout-chasing bitch thing has already been cleared up. Jiang Ke is his older brother. People were just smearing him.]
"Xiaoxi is so amazing. He actually thought of such a good idea. Unlike me-I spent all morning chopping wood today, and my hands are blistered."
Jiang Mingle returned to the production team's courtyard carrying an axe, only to find Song Lan and the director sitting side by side in front of the livestream screen.
He leaned over and happened to see Jiang Mingxi singing.
All the scrolling comments were praising Jiang Mingxi.
Some were even saying Jiang Mingxi was better-looking than him?
The flames of jealous fury erupted instantly.
Why did a bitch like Jiang Mingxi deserve praise!
"So we don't have to chop wood? Singing on a livestream works too?" Jiang Mingle asked the director with an innocent expression.
After asking,
he gave a rueful smile.
"If I'd known, I would have done that too. My hands hurt so much."
[Uh, well~~~]
[The green tea act is so strong that even I'm put off, and I'm a fan.]
[Seriously. I never thought he sounded this much like a green tea before. Those lines were honestly so barf-worthy~]
[But Jiang Mingxi really is e-begging and holding out his hand for money. Lele didn't say anything wrong.]
[How do you have the nerve to say that? Jiang Mingle hacked that lady's wood to pieces and still had the nerve to ask her for fifty yuan. Fifty yuan is a lot in the countryside!]
[But Lele put in actual labor, unlike certain people who rely on being celebrities to beg like dogs.]
The comments were saying all sorts of things.
Song Lan leaned back in his chair, his expression cool, but his gaze never left the livestream screen.
The director, on the other hand,
instantly curled his toes in embarrassment.
Good heavens~
But Jiang Mingle had the backing of their big-money sponsor.
The director could only steel himself and explain to Jiang Mingle, "They're not livestreaming themselves singing. The three of them are taking tourists around the mountain behind the village."
Jiang Mingle's round eyes widened in shock. "So they're paid companions?"
Then, looking speechless, he hurriedly corrected himself. "No, I mean, taking tourists around for fun is allowed too? Then do they also have to..."
The director was terrified Jiang Mingle would do something stupid and say something else he shouldn't.
Then he would have to bust a gut trying to smooth it over.
He hurriedly interrupted Jiang Mingle and explained, "There weren't any tourists on the mountain behind the village to begin with. The three of them promoted it in town and brought tourists over, so it also counts as promoting tourism for Bridgehead Village.
"Besides, they're accompanying them the whole way. It's a two-hour outing, charged at 9.9 yuan per person.
"They brought in four tourists on their first trip. The three guests charged less than forty yuan in total."
[The director is being very fair.]
[Some people keep accusing Jiang Mingxi of e-begging, but the three guests charged less than forty yuan altogether. How is that begging?]
Seeing that even the director was taking Jiang Mingxi's side,
Jiang Mingle immediately grew displeased.
He bit his lip, looking a little aggrieved. "So you're saying they can earn money just by walking around and having fun with tourists?"
The director: ...
He nearly choked.
Are you sick in the head?!
You hacked their perfectly good wood to pieces, and they still had to give you fifty yuan. Does that make you look good?
You've bought off the production team. Can't you keep a low profile?!
Suppressing his anger, the director was still going to explain things to Jiang Mingle again for the sponsor's sake.
"If you don't like it, don't watch." Song Lan suddenly spoke, his tone cold.
Jiang Mingle's grip on the axe instantly tightened hard.
Just how had he offended Song Lan?
Every time Song Lan spoke to him, he was this merciless.
Clutching the axe, Jiang Mingle pouted. "Teacher Song, I just think taking other people's money without putting in any effort is disgraceful."
Song Lan's gaze left the livestream screen.
He looked at Jiang Mingle.
There was a trace of anger in his cool eyes. "And holding out your hand to ask villagers for money makes you look good? Was the wood you chopped made of gold bars? You didn't even chop half a sack, and you charged fifty? Does that make you look good?"
[Fifty yuan can buy three big sacks of firewood in our village.]
[So what? That lady was willing. She willingly let Lele help and willingly gave him fifty yuan. Song Lan is targeting Lele.]
[I don't know about anything else, but I do know that out of five guests, only Jiang Mingle held out his hand and asked the villagers for money.]
[What's wrong with charging villagers? Lele rubbed his hands raw! Unlike certain people who clearly put in no effort but still charge money under the pretext of sightseeing! So fucking shameless!]
The comments immediately erupted into an argument.
Jiang Mingle's fans did not dare curse Song Lan, so they all went after Jiang Mingxi instead.
Having delivered that remark, Song Lan did not look at Jiang Mingle again and turned back to the livestream.
As those comments scrolled past one by one, Song Lan's brows drew together slightly. Suddenly-
On-screen,
Jiang Mingxi looked into the camera with smiling eyes.
As he sang, "I said I love you, I'll give you everything I have. Do you want this sincere heart of mine~"
he raised a hand and touched his right shoulder.
The look in his eyes was so warm.
The spot his hand touched was where Song Lan had applied ointment for him yesterday.
In an instant, Song Lan felt as though something furry had brushed across his heart.
Through the screen, his eyes met Jiang Mingxi's.
"Oh my god, Jiang Mingxi, how did I not know you could sing this well!" Zhao Jiayuan was utterly stunned. He stretched out an arm and slung it around Jiang Mingxi's shoulders. "I'll write you a song when we get back!"
Jiang Mingxi laughed and pushed him away. "Writing me a song is fine, but keep your hands to yourself. I need to preserve..."
He had been about to say his male virtue.
But there were underage girls beside them, so Jiang Mingxi swallowed the words.
Chatting and laughing, the group reached the entrance to the mountain trail.
Sure enough,
the production team had set up a checkpoint at the entrance.
"There's a fee to go up the mountain here." A staff member stopped them, his face expressionless.
Jiang Mingxi smiled. "Are you charging tourists to go up the mountain too? Do you have admission tickets? Are you paying tax on the fees?"
The staff member froze.
He looked at the two mother-daughter pairs behind Jiang Mingxi.
Uh, well~
His task was to stop guests who wanted to go up the mountain.
Even Song Lan had paid a ten-yuan toll to go up.
Where had these tourists come from?
After hesitating for a moment, the staff member said, "Of course tourists don't have to pay to go up the mountain. But as guests on the show, you have to pay according to the rules. Ten yuan each."
[Hahahahaha, they charge the tourists 9.9 yuan, and the production team charges them ten. After all that work, they're still broke!]
[Given earnings of 9.9 × 4 and expenses of 10 × 3, calculate today's gross profit.]
[9.6, hahahahahahahaha! And they're still getting called e-beggars for this, hahahahahahahaha!]