Chapter 423: Thick Malice from All Directions

"fourtry" Trendy Collective Store.

This is the place where "Chao Liu He Huo Ren" was filmed; the show's crew really rented a storefront in Tokyo specifically for recording the show.

Besides the storefront, they also rented a separate villa for the guests to "stay at."

That was for filming some lifestyle footage; whether they actually lived there wasn't all that important.

Bai Liang had previously snuck off to a hotel to stay during "Xiang Wang De Sheng Huo."

And in a place like Tokyo, a luxury hotel was obviously more convenient and comfortable.

Right now a torrential downpour was raging outside, so the open-for-business portion was clearly not going to happen, but the guests of "Chao Liu He Huo Ren" were all still hanging around inside the store.

Because the crew said a flying guest would be coming by later to do drama promotion.

"Coming to Japan to do drama promotion in this weather—how dedicated!" Pan Weibo remarked casually.

"Truly very dedicated, but how is the guest even getting here? Didn't they say most flights were grounded? At the earliest, things would only gradually resume by tomorrow." The rapper Faker said from the side.

How is the guest getting here?

No idea~

Yang Tianbao and Zhao Jinmai exchanged a glance, sharing the feeling of co-keeper of a little secret.

Of course, the two of them were actually curious about this too, but if it was Bai Liang, then it didn't seem that strange.

After all, he had a "prior record" in this area.

That time at Reba's birthday party, even the typhoon turned into his helping hand—where could you even go to reason about that?

"Huh? Where's Fanfan?" At this moment Yang Tianbao noticed Wu Mou Fanren was gone and asked curiously.

"Got called away by the crew to chat, probably some task to brief him on." Pan Weibo said casually.

Task briefing? This is probably going to be a "lay out the facts and reason things through" session for him.

Indeed, Wu Wu Wu Moufan's state of mind was a bit explosive right now.

That damn ghost just won't stay dead!

When the crew told him that the flying guest coming today to do drama promotion was Bai Liang, his whole person just wasn't right.

He had just been over there admiring Zhao Jinmai, who was looking extra cute today.

And then they turn around and tell him "the ghost is coming"?!

Honestly, he didn't want to show in front of others that he was afraid of Bai Liang, but some things are just like a newborn baby unable to control its bladder.

The crew members clearly saw Wu Wu Wu Moufan seem to shudder.

Looking again, it seemed like an illusion—he was just wearing a dark, sullen expression.

However, what surprised the crew was that Wu Wu Wu Moufan didn't say anything like "either he's here or I am, either I'm here or he is."

Sensible.

Because if he had said it, the crew's side might have had to subtly apply some pressure on him.

Heh heh, you've got to be here!

They say half of a crosstalk comedian's earnings come from being scolded.

Actually, entertainers in the entertainment circle are pretty much the same—taking home fat paychecks, the malice online is one of the prices they have to bear.

As for Wu Wu Wu Moufan~ a top-tier star who has fallen behind the pack, all he has left now is variety shows.

He can't even sort out a proper billing dispute for TV dramas, so as long as he still wants to earn this money, some of it is just humiliation pay.

Of course, it's not asking him to bow down to Bai Liang on the show, just to record the show together.

That demand isn't too much, is it?

The crew said: We still respect you very much—didn't we come tell you in advance?

Wu Wu Wu Moufan: You're only saying this now that the person is already on the way? Damn it, how is this reasonable!

But looking at the faint smiles on those crew members' faces, he figured some things can be endured and some cannot—so he endured it.

However, after he learned that his own team had actually been notified in advance, he really felt like cursing his mother out loud.

Couldn't you have told him earlier?

Team:... The crew only notified us twenty minutes earlier than they notified you.

And in their view, recording a show together was no big deal.

After all, although Bai Liang had previously beaten Wu Wu Wu Moufan down—his combat power was terrifyingly fierce—the man himself was actually pretty mild-mannered offline.

Many people in the circle say the same.

Recording a show here in Japan, in the local parlance, he's very "yasashii."

Plus, during that basketball segment on the show before, Bai Liang's moves and everything were indeed very clean, and he was quite polite too—even after dunking on someone he didn't forget to pull them up and offered a word or two of encouragement.

Even competitors actually couldn't really say Bai Liang's character was lacking.

Mainly his skill level was just too high, giving Wu Wu Wu Moufan and Li Yifeng some psychological shadows.

In short, that capybara isn't going to eat anyone; in a non-competitive situation there's nothing to fear about him.

At most he'd just steal a bit of your spotlight.

Besides, they heard that Yang Yang and Lu Han, the two top-tier stars who had "clashed" with Bai Liang, actually still had pretty good relationships with him now.

The team members were also mulling: why can't we pull off a "no fighting, no making friends" story~

If they could really build a good relationship, become friends, who knows, they might be able to ride some of his popularity afterwards.

Wu Wu Wu Moufan had no idea his team was actually dreaming this prettily.

But he just felt inexplicably panicked! Dry mouth, parched tongue.

After finishing the chat with the crew, he sat down on the sofa and started putting on a brooding act, both hands crossed under his chin.

People beside him watching just thought he was being cool again.

But he knew perfectly well himself—somehow, for no reason, his legs were getting a bit disobedient again, starting to do a stomping exercise.

This time, the feeling was even stronger than before.

"The rain seems to have slowed!"

At this moment, Zhao Jinmai was clearly getting restless; after noticing the rain outside had lessened, she dashed to the shop entrance and peered out.

But the sky had already grown dim, and with the gloomy weather, she craned her neck for a long time without seeing a single living thing on the street.

There weren't even many cars.

"Has the flying guest arrived?" Yang Tianbao asked from inside, smiling.

"Not yet~" Zhao Jinmai said, slightly disappointed.

Then, Wu Mofan suddenly walked over and grinned at Zhao Jinmai, "Come inside and wait—the wind outside is still pretty strong."

Clearly, he had "come to his senses."

Let Bai Liang come if he wants—just shift my focus, avoid him as much as possible.

Isn't a cute little sister the best way to shift focus~?

It's really girls who are the best—just being near them, smelling their fragrance, makes your spirit feel refreshed.

Zhao Jinmai scratched her head, unsure what to say next.

But he was standing too close to her, making her uncomfortable.

Yet this level of "intimacy" didn't seem excessive—after all, the show's cameras were still filming; if she reacted too strongly, it would feel like overdoing it.

Fortunately, Yang Tianbao walked over just in time and slipped his arm through hers, "I'm coming out for some air too, and waiting for the guest—the sky's already dark; we can stand here so they spot us easily."

Why are you everywhere?

Wu Mofan glanced at Yang Tianbao, who looked back and winked with a smile.

Honestly, even though she's a mother, Yang Tianbao's face is still quite striking.

That smile made Wu Mofan momentarily stunned.

Good thing he's "firm in his Dao heart"—no matter how beautiful an "old woman" is, she's not his type.

Now that all three were standing at the door, the other two inside also felt a bit helpless; to fit in, they simply joined them outside.

The scene had become quite grand.

"So, when exactly will the guest arrive? Are we just going to stand here all night?"

"Oh no, the rain's getting heavy again!"

The rain, which had just lessened, surged back the instant the words left her mouth.

At the same time, a thunderclap boomed, making Zhao Jinmai flinch.

Wu Mofan sensed a perfect opportunity and leaned in again, adopting an air of trying to comfort the little girl.

He even reached out to wrap his arm around Zhao Jinmai's.

Don't be afraid, big brother's here~

Yang Tianbao: Did you eat something weird? Why are you suddenly acting like this?

Then, a bright light cut through the rain, and a black Maybach appeared, instantly drawing everyone's attention.

"Is he here?"

The car slowed to a stop about ten meters from the shop entrance; after parking, the door on the opposite side opened first.

A black umbrella "whooshed" open, and a pair of Dr. Martens boots stepped first into the rain.

Inside the car, Bai Liang watched Unlike Unlike Unlike Ni Ni putting on this show with a faint smile.

She rushed out first to open the umbrella, then came around to open his door.

"Is this really necessary?"

"Hey, I told you I'd pull out all the stops today~ Like it?" Unlike Unlike Unlike Ni Ni raised an eyebrow at him.

"I feel kind of awkward," Bai Liang said honestly.

"This would be so cool in a movie! I saw the show's cameras—they'll make it look super atmospheric. Come on, get out! Do I have to say, 'Prince, please step down'?"

Fine~ It's rare for her to get so imaginative.

Bai Liang couldn't let Unlike Unlike Unlike Ni Ni's "plan" hang awkwardly—he had to play along.

Sure, it felt a bit childish, but a man never truly grows up~

Occasionally acting childish isn't so bad.

Just pretend he was filming a movie—thinking that way, the feeling immediately came to him.

He stepped out, walked toward the shop, his movements smooth, without a single pause.

Unlike Unlike Unlike Ni Ni matched him perfectly—closing the door, holding the umbrella, following seamlessly.

Their conversation was down-to-earth, but from an onlooker's perspective, this scene was ridiculously over-the-top.

Especially Unlike Unlike Unlike Ni Ni, dressed in a cool, stylish outfit, holding the umbrella, willingly letting one shoulder get soaked rather than letting a single drop of rain touch Bai Liang.

Both wore black clothing, walking calmly and elegantly through the downpour—truly elevating their vibe and atmosphere to the max.

The regular guests were stunned; if not for the cameras, they'd have blurted out, "Holy shit."

The show's cameramen locked their lenses firmly onto the two of them.

Good good good—the combo of the viral image demon and the atmosphere queen actually sparked like this.

It feels like a new viral image is about to emerge!

But once they reached under the eaves, that magical atmosphere instantly shattered.

"Baby!"

"Babe! Long time no see! I missed you so much~"

Unlike Unlike Unlike Ni Ni, who had just been holding the umbrella for Bai Liang, casually shoved it into his hands, then rushed over to hug Yang Tianbao warmly.

They were "besties," after all~

At least so far, they've been actively interacting on Weibo every year, and their birthday wishes to each other have never been missed for several years in a row.

A classic idol industry female star best-friend duo.

It's just unknown how long this "goodness" will last.

Bai Liang, holding an umbrella, looked innocent—Unlike Unlike Unlike Ni Ni had casually shoved it into his hands and nearly soaked his pants.

Women are truly creatures who change their faces on a dime!

Fortunately, she has a "best friend," and he also has a "little kid" who's been waiting a long time.

"Big brother!"

Seeing Zhao Jinmai lunging toward him, Bai Liang flipped his hand and pinned her face.

He'd already perfected this move on the set of *The Wandering Earth*—nothing special, just practice makes perfect.

Bai Liang's hands were large enough to easily grip a basketball; catching Zhao Jinmai's tiny face was no challenge at all.

After stopping the little girl's flying tackle, Bai Liang casually pinched her cheek. "Trying to ambush me again?"

"Don't pin my face like that! So embarrassing~ I'm not a little kid anymore!" Zhao Jinmai said, sounding slightly "angry."

"Brat, think you've grown up? You're still not even legal."

Hearing Bai Liang's offhand remark, Zhao Jinmai couldn't help but sense a tiny hint of "disdain" in his tone.

She couldn't resist pouting, her face showing a touch of defiance.

At this point, anyone with sharp eyes had already noticed the difference.

Why was Zhao Jinmai's expression so vivid in front of this "big brother"?

And when Bai Liang greeted others, she instantly became quiet and even helped introduce them.

Mostly because she was afraid Bai Liang didn't know Pan Weibo or Foke Si.

Bai Liang: He didn't recognize the latter, but not knowing Pan Weibo was ridiculous—he'd loved his song "Happy Worship" since childhood.

But for a post-2000s contestant like Zhao Jinmai, she might have only faint memories of singers like Pan Weibo, who were huge when she was barely a toddler.

It's somewhat like the feeling toward the obscure singer Sun Yanzi.

As for the other rapper, Foke Si, Bai Liang had briefly checked his background before arriving.

Checking was the same as not checking—his resume had only one entry: *China's New Rap 2019*.

Just debuted.

But when Bai Liang mentioned the name of his song and said he really liked listening to it, the guy looked genuinely stunned.

Wu Youfan:???

This guy shows up and instantly turns all my "loyalists" traitors?

In his view, Bai Liang just stood there, did nothing but casually chat with people, and the entire show's focus instantly shifted to him.

The other guests seemed to have done it unconsciously.

Just moments ago, Wu Youfan had thought: Pan Weibo had been his co-host, Foke Si came from *New Rap*—even with Bai Liang here, he could still rally his "brothers" for a showdown.

But his "brothers" defected so fast.

Still, after greeting everyone, Bai Liang finally stood before Wu Youfan.

The moment their eyes met, the air around them seemed to fall silent.

Seeing Bai Liang's half-smiling expression, Wu Youfan's heart tightened, and he instinctively stepped back.

After making that move, he couldn't help but feel angry—damn it, why was he scared?

Bai Liang: I saw it on the car ride—where the hell were you planning to stick your paws?

Usually, he didn't bother targeting Wu Youfan—he knew the guy and his team had backed down, and they hadn't clashed in a long time.

But this time…

Zhao Jinmai suddenly called him over, and what his eyes had seen, combined with his super brain's analysis, made the reason perfectly clear.

Little toothpick, you're not being honest.

Then why pretend with him?

After this thought arose, Wu Youfan suddenly felt that the Bai Liang standing before him now was very different from before.

Before, the pressure Bai Liang gave him came mostly from his career.

Bai Liang's career was like a cheat code—he crushed Wu Youfan with no chance to fight back.

And during that basketball variety show confrontation, Bai Liang hadn't shown any clear malice—more like he didn't take him seriously, treating it like a joke.

Though later analysis made him feel ashamed, at least Bai Liang hadn't wanted to destroy him.

But this time was truly different!

Wu Youfan suddenly felt a chill run down his spine. Bai Liang still showed no obvious malice, but his expression was no longer as gentle as before.

Yet he himself felt overwhelming hostility coming from all directions!

Just now, as he'd been distracted upon entering, he'd crashed into the glass wall with a *duang*.

The impact of his head against the glass made him clutch his head and crouch down in pain.

Clearly, the glass won—and won decisively.

This thing's quality is really good!

"You okay?" Bai Liang asked, tilting his head casually.

"N-no, I'm fine."

Fine? That's too bad.

At this moment, Yang Tianbao said he wanted to order takeout and asked Bai Liang what he'd like.

He said he wasn't picky, but added: "I don't want beef today."

(End of Chapter)