Chapter 161: A Person Who Shouldn

Star City.

Bai Liang has come again~

But it's normal—when you're in the entertainment industry, it's hard to avoid Mango TV, this giant.

Just like how many writers of Huayu novels can't avoid Yang Mi.

They're both icons.

Bai Liang happened to be here at just the right time—this episode of "Grade One" is being co-hosted with the Golden Eagle Festival.

Or rather, they're using the Golden Eagle Festival's star resources to film one episode.

Bai Liang had a heads-up on some of the program plans; many guests attending the Golden Eagle Festival will make appearances.

Just these celebrity faces alone are guaranteed to boost ratings and clicks significantly.

Mango TV's producers know how to make shows!

Speaking of the Golden Eagle Festival, Bai Liang naturally thought of Di Li Reba. She's got a real connection to it.

The Golden Eagle Festival has a distinctive feature called the Golden Eagle Goddess—this year's is Tang Yan from the 85s, last year's was Little Zhao Sister.

Previous editions also featured well-known female stars from the entertainment industry.

Huh? Didn't Yang Mi ever win it?

I always thought she was so powerful, she must've been Golden Eagle Goddess before.

But when I checked, she really hadn't.

And next year—if I remember right—it'll be Di Li Reba.

The first 90s Golden Eagle Goddess.

At the same time, the nationwide backlash she'll face comes from that very Golden Eagle Festival, though Bai Liang isn't quite sure whether the addition of "Wei Wei" now will improve things.

But that's still two years away.

Because he's a guest star on "Grade One," Bai Liang—who originally wouldn't attend this Golden Eagle Festival—ended up getting picked as an award presenter.

The organizers went to great lengths to get him in.

But of course they were thrilled he'd come—he's hot right now~

Being hot means traffic, traffic means attention, and either way, it's a guaranteed win.

Bai Liang has shot plenty of dramas, but so far, the ones that have aired have earned him traffic and buzz, yet he's had almost no luck with awards.

So this is his first time attending a real award ceremony—he finds everything novel.

"Big Brother Dou Xiao Bai, we absolutely can't just squat by the red carpet staring at the female artists."

"Huh? How do you know what I'm thinking?!" Bai Liang said, startled, looking at Sister Yanzi.

"It's all written all over your face!"

"Can't I pretend to be press?"

"Who wouldn't notice? By the way, I still don't get how you and Huang Jingyu ever fooled people into thinking you were fans. Total nonsense—obviously fake!"

Hearing Sister Yanzi's complaint, Bai Liang suddenly realized the real reason he never got his full pay back then.

"Oh no, stop teasing me—I'm getting my makeup done?!"

Little Zhao Sister turned around and shot Bai Liang a fierce glare, but smiled at Sister Yanzi.

Bai Liang remained unfazed, rubbing his chin. "So, back then, we should've pretended to be fans for the female stars instead—would've made more sense, right?"

"Exactly!"

"Little Zhao Sister."

"Take 'Little Zhao' off your tongue!" The sister glared at him again. Who do you think you're calling 'Little Zhao'? So disrespectful!

"Oh, Sister, do you need someone to pretend to be a fan to meet you at the airport?"

Little Zhao Sister rolled her eyes, forcing her face to stay calm so the makeup artist could keep working, then fired back sharply: "If you want fake fans, you're not the kind I'd pick."

"Why not?"

"You're too conspicuous—like a lamppost~ No way. I need higher heels. Why did they pick you to present my award?!"

At this moment, Little Zhao Sister seemed to have reverted to her old self, Zhao Xiao Dao—her mouth never stopped, clearly annoyed by Bai Liang.

Yes, Bai Liang's guest presenter role this time is to present the award to Little Zhao Sister—she won… well, the award's not announced until tonight, so I can't say yet.

But the recipient clearly already knows—otherwise she wouldn't have immediately mentioned Bai Liang was presenting her award.

Right now, Bai Liang had nowhere to go and was about to return to his hotel to wait for the event to start when Little Zhao Sister called him over.

She claimed it was to get his opinion on her evening makeup and look.

But Bai Liang thought she probably just missed him~

Because she hadn't asked him a single question about his opinion—she just called him over to chat.

That's fine—he likes talking to people.

"By the way, have you wrapped up your drama with Yang Mi? You shot it fast."

"It was fine—the crew had a lot of familiar faces, so efficiency was high."

"Are you close to Yang Mi?" Little Zhao Sister said with implication.

"We didn't know each other before, but now we get along well."

More accurately, Bai Liang felt his relationship with Yang Mi was now above Little Zhao Sister's.

After all, Little Zhao Sister never hugged his neck and kissed him.

But there are some intimate scenes in the upcoming "Riding the Wind and Breaking the Waves."

"Getting along well?" Little Zhao Sister's tone turned sarcastic. "Hey, why didn't she ask you to present her award?"

"She can't win anyway," Bai Liang said plainly.

His remark was a clumsy, stereotypical dig—Yang Mi actually won the Most Popular Actress award at the 2012 Golden Eagle Festival and the 2011 White Magnolia Award for Most Popular Actress.

But this thing doesn't seem to be a TV Queen either.

"I recorded it. I'll play it for Yang Mi later and see just how good your relationship really is."

Little Zhao jiejie beamed and was about to take a jab at Bai Liang, deliberately waving her phone around.

After saying that, she turned to glance at Bai Liang, seemingly hoping to see the kid eat his words.

But he was completely unfazed. Bai Liang: Heh, you think a little provocation like this could shake my bond with Mi jie?

No choice—up on the rooftop, that jiejie had drawn him a big cake.

Although Bai Liang wasn't exactly desperate, nor was he a Cao thief, but he had a habit: he didn't really like wasting food, sometimes he'd eat every single grain of rice clean from his bowl.

A cake drawn on paper is still food.

This point is actually rather similar to General Yuwenchengdu, just in a different direction.

General Yuwenchengdu is truly a model for us—his level is something ordinary people can't achieve.

He's really willing to let his brothers line up!

But Little Zhao jiejie also started "giving out benefits."

She began letting Bai Liang enjoy a costume show, one gown after another, dazzling to the eye.

So this is the treatment of a top-tier actress? That many brands letting her pick and wear whatever she wants?

But Bai Liang's favorite was still a dark green deep-V wide-open low-back gown.

Because this dress was unscientific—how could it push things so deep?

Simply a cheat code, a hack.

But alas, divine skill can't defy fate. Even with Little Zhao jiejie's maneuvering, she probably still couldn't match Yang Mi's effect of casually grabbing a pajama and throwing it on.

This book's latest updates are on ##!! Update!

In the end she didn't pick that outfit. After staring at herself in the mirror for a long while, she asked Bai Liang for his opinion.

After he said he liked it, she decisively switched to it.

Bai Liang: So you brought me here to give the opposite opinion?

"Oh right, are you walking the red carpet? Want to come with me?"

After settling the outfit and styling, Little Zhao jiejie started caring about her little bro's situation.

"Huh? Jiejie, you don't even have a red carpet partner?"

". Huo Jianhua didn't come to this Golden Eagle—how about it, want me to bring you along and crash the red carpet?"

Zhao Liying, who earlier was complaining that Bai Liang was a tall guy like a pillar, now suddenly didn't mind him anymore.

But Bai Liang waved his hand. "What's a guy like me doing walking a red carpet? I'd rather find a spot backstage to rest."

Seeing him so "ungrateful," Little Zhao jiejie huffed and didn't say anything more.

She thought to herself: once we're in the production, I'll deal with you, kid.

On his end, things were relaxed and pleasant, chatting with Little Zhao jiejie to kill time.

On the other side of things, Meng Ziyi's situation was miserable.

Her recording of "Grade One" could truly be called "full of ups and downs"—she argued with people on the show, got sulky, and cried more than once.

The previously aired content even pushed her back onto the "controversially famous" path. Netizens these days don't have much tolerance for "drama queens."

So Meng Jie got roasted again~

The key was, her little brain mulled it over and decided she had no problem at all.

The problem clearly lies right here. As for the course of how to be likable on screen, she clearly hasn't cultivated it well enough.

Her personality—once you spend time with her privately, she's actually quite fun. But audiences don't have the patience to slowly get to know a small-time nobody.

On top of that, her company's marketing direction really was a bit off, leading viewers to dig up her "dark history"—and turns out she once "outshone" Lin Wener.

Tsk tsk, verdict: total bitch, get out of showbiz!

So Meng Jie's desire to quit the show had reached its peak!

Running away is shameful, but it really works~

But the production team said don't rush, record one more episode, just one more and we'll let you go.

"What do they mean? I've already been roasted so badly. Are they determined to make me embarrass myself again?"

"Meng Meng, uh, I got roasted pretty badly too. I really don't know how to comfort you on this. How about we eat something good?"

Yu Shuxin was clearly a bit better at this than her—her little clip-on girl's reputation wasn't great either.

She also got torn apart by netizens.

But she wasn't as anxious and conflicted as Meng Jie—whatever happens, happens.

Hearing Yu Shuxin's words, Meng Ziyi actually felt a bit better.

Fine then~ she can't get fat anyway.

But as she ate, she inexplicably started missing Bai Liang a little. Back when they filmed together, Bai Liang would always bring her all kinds of tasty treats~

Every now and then, like magic, he'd pull out little snacks and stuff them into her mouth.

Boohoo~ little hedgehog~~

"Huh? You cry while eating too?"

Comforting girls—even for a girl herself—is a real hassle.

Luckily Meng Ziyi's brain worked in strange ways. Before long she'd self-soothed again, not sure what she was imagining, even snickering to herself.

Her newly made good sister Yu Shuxin sighed. It's over, the kid's gone crazy, what do we do?

But hey~ in showbiz, looking crazy is still better than crazy self-destructive overthinking.

After all, once you're "crazy," you're the one tormenting others.

That Shuangzi walked down exactly that kind of path.

She used to be a bit insecure and sensitive before, but during this period she must have found some great master to bless her — now her whole thing is keeping the happiness for herself and leaving the pain for others.

According to unreliable gossip, this lady thoroughly tormented Peng Yuyan on the set of "Wu Kong Zhuan."

She probably left him with some lasting psychological shadow.

Still, it isn't very realistic for Meng Jie to go down this path — after all, at her core she's still a bundle of joy~

Yesterday, when she had just arrived in Star City to prepare for the show's recording, she was even seen on a video call with her own dog.

Yu Shuxin noticed it too — part of the other's discomfort might still be because of a certain someone.

Good sisters that they are, she even specifically went to look through this year's Golden Eagle Festival shortlist, and after going back and forth, she could ultimately confirm that that certain person definitely wouldn't be showing up.

She figured Mencius Yi had probably checked too and reached the same conclusion, which is why she's been affected again by all the annoying things about recording the show.

The show's recording is already past the halfway mark, and she heard that person is about to enter another production soon — no time!

No matter how upset she was, in her heart there was always something to look forward to.

She remembered that when the two of them had just started recording this show, Mencius Yi had said to her with a face full of anticipation: "Someone might come watch me later~"

A certain someone who could never possibly show up.

(End of Chapter)