Chapter 333: with translation of chapter title

On Saturday there was naturally no time to meet Xu Yanfeng's parents; Lu Mingji, who had signed Xia Xi up for that variety show, said they'd start recording, and they did.

Regarding meeting the parents, Xia Xi gained some buffer time, but filming the variety show brought her considerable pressure, making it unclear whether it was a good thing or a bad thing.

The night before recording began, Xu Yanfeng specially gave Xia Xi psychological reassurance: 'Relax, it's just facing the camera, nothing to be nervous about. When you chased me in school, you faced real audiences of hundreds or thousands and never showed fear. It's just a variety show—piece of cake.'

In return, Xia Xi punched him and added: 'Shut up!'

Xu Yanfeng wrapped his palm around her fist, his thin lips brushing her ear as he spoke softly: 'How about I try another way? I guarantee it will relax you.'

Just from his tone, Xia Xi knew what he was thinking; without him saying it, she firmly refused: 'I have to record the show tomorrow, don't mess around.'

Xu Yanfeng ignored her, his warm lips moving downward. Xia Xi cried out and pushed his head. Xu Yanfeng raised his hand in an oath, swearing he would absolutely not leave any marks where people could see.

Xia Xi didn't believe the nonsense men spout in bed, yet she still pushed him.

In the pushing and shoving, her initial resistance gradually weakened, turning into a tight cling.

Before giving in, Xia Xi thought her willpower was growing weaker; fortunately she was now a working adult—if she were still in college, Xu Yanfeng constantly tempting her like this would surely make her unable to resist, skipping class to hang out with him, eventually failing courses and not graduating… too terrifying.

After a series of thoughts, the sweat-drenched Xia Xi pinched Xu Yanfeng's arm and gasped: 'When we were dating before, why didn't you seem this…' She paused, choosing a slightly more elegant phrase: 'like famine and thirst.'

After many years, she accused him: 'Every time I have to use all my wiles to flirt with you. I often feel like a female temptress luring you, a scholar rushing to the capital for exams.'

Xu Yanfeng embraced her, pressing close: 'Because I'm afraid.'

'Afraid of what?' Xia Xi, her head fuzzy, spoke without thinking: 'Afraid I'll drain you dry?'

……

Xu Yanfeng laughed, rubbing his nose against her cheek, and said in a low voice: 'I'm afraid you'll get me too easily and lose interest in me.'

Xia Xi's lips parted slightly, stunned; she never expected that answer. Her initial shock gradually turned to bitterness, with a hint of heartache. Saying he's smart—he's smarter than anyone—but in love he's like a weaponless soldier, hopeless, more like an idiot, his mind mere ornament, unable to discern or think.

Was her love for him back then not fervent enough? She would have loved to give him her heart, yet he still doubted she would lose interest in him.

Idiot.

'Then why aren't you afraid now that I'll lose interest in you?' Xia Xi said in a muffled voice.

Xu Yanfeng smiled without speaking.

It's not that he's completely unafraid; after a long seven years, he's seen much. If a feeling stays fresh for seven years without expiring, he's confident he can let her retain that initial freshness for a lifetime.

Xia Xi stared at his jaw, dazed, waiting until she felt sleepy, but he still hadn't answered. She poked his prominent Adam's apple with her fingertip: 'Speak.'

What time is it now, and she still isn't sleeping? Xu Yanfeng picked up his phone from the bedside table, lit the screen, and showed her: 'We still have to record the show tomorrow; it's time to sleep, Xia Xi.'

'When you were just tossing and turning me earlier, how come you didn't think I have to record the show tomorrow?'

……

When she called him 'senior' in a soft voice, Xu Yanfeng felt a tingling down his spine; he struggled to suppress his urge, closed his eyes to inhale the fragrance of her hair, and whispered: 'Go to sleep.'

Xia Xi was indeed sleepy; without another word, her eyelids closed, and soon she was pulled into dreams. Her brow slightly furrowed, she vaguely remembered he still owed her an answer to a question.

Not hearing the answer, she slept uneasily.

Xu Yanfeng placed the pad of his thumb between her brows, gently rubbing to smooth out that faint furrow.

The next day, at nine in the morning, Xia Xi drove to the recording site designated by the show's crew.

Before getting out of the car, Xia Xi took a round mirror from her bag, checked her reflection from all angles to make sure nothing was amiss. Xu Yanfeng's words from bed also counted—he had left no visible marks on her.

She put the mirror away, took a deep breath, opened the car door, and stepped out in her high heels with composure.

At the elevator entrance, a girl with a work badge looked around, holding documents to verify; after glancing at Xia Xi a few times, as if confirming something, she lowered her head and dialed on her phone.

The next second, Xia Xi's phone rang; the girl heard it, her eyes lit up, and she hurried over: 'Are you Teacher Xia from Broad and Elegant Design?'

Xia Xi nodded and smiled: 'Yes, it's me.'

'Come with me.' In the elevator, the girl's eyes fixed on Xia Xi; seeing the photo on her résumé, she marveled at how someone could be so beautiful, and meeting her in person confirmed she was even lovelier than the picture, dressed in a neat, elegant white professional suit: 'Why did you do your own makeup? We hired a professional makeup artist; we'll take promotional photos shortly.'

Xia Xi kept smiling: 'I don't know.'

'No problem,' the girl chuckled, waving her hand, 'Doing your own makeup actually saves our makeup artist some work.'

The girl introduced herself as He Minzhen, told Xia Xi to call her Xiao He, and said she handled miscellaneous matters during recording and could be contacted if needed. Xia Xi added her on WeChat for future communication.

Five designers participated in the show—two women and three men—from several well-known design firms; by comparison, Broad and Elegant was rather obscure. As Lu Mingji said, if it weren't for his friend being the show's chief director, Broad and Elegant wouldn't have gotten a chance to appear.

Xia Xi didn't need makeup; she waited in the lounge while Xiao He gave her a cup of warm water in a paper cup, then went next door to the makeup room to check the progress of the other designers. The men's makeup and hair were easy, nearly done, leaving only the other female designer, still curling her hair with irons.

Xiao He ran back to the lounge, bent down, and gently said to Xia Xi: 'How about you come with me to do the pre-interview first? The host is waiting over there. After the other designers finish their makeup, we'll take the promotional photos together; otherwise you'd have to wait a long time.'

Xia Xi wasn't familiar with the process: 'Pre-interview?'

'It's an interview,' Xiao He said. 'They'll ask some questions to be placed at the start of the first episode, letting viewers quickly get to know the designers—more interesting than just flashing a résumé. That's what Director Li said.'

Xia Xi followed Xiao He, still dazed, into a more spacious room resembling a studio, where seven or eight staff members each did their jobs; a slightly elevated platform held a white round table, with a high-backed chair on each side. The female host, wearing a blue dress, sat in the left chair preparing.

Xiao He ran to the director and said something; the director approached to greet Xia Xi, speaking softly: 'You're Old Lu's friend, right? Don't worry—our show is quite proper, we don't do those silly gimmicks.'

'Thank you for looking out for me, Director Li.'

Xia Xi smiled faintly and sat in the other high-backed chair.

At the director's cue, the host, smiling, first had Xia Xi give a self-introduction, then asked about her alma mater, work experience, any particularly memorable incidents in her career, the biggest challenge she'd faced so far and how she'd overcome it, and what she hoped for from the show—all very proper questions.

As Xia Xi handled things with ease and relaxed, the host suddenly gave a sly wink to the camera: 'The next question I'm asking on behalf of the audience; I'm sure after our show airs, someone will wonder—Xia Gong, you're so young and beautiful, are you single?'

Xia Xi: '……'

What happened to the proper show we were promised?

This is just the beginning; Xia Xi could never have guessed what bizarre things would happen next.