Chapter 58
Yun Suxin pinched the incense ash and rolled her eyes.
“If this was the work of Qingyun Sect, I’d eat the incense ash myself.”
Looking around, she found no one from the Sword Pavilion, which made her think of their pitiful situation.
Yun Suxin had a pretty good idea.
“Hmph, Sword Pavilion, you’re robbing even from Lingxi Valley now?”
“Let’s see how this plays out!”
…
…
“Bro, you look amazing!”
Chen Huai'an’s lips twitched. As soon as he stepped out of the airport, he got into the program’s designated car.
The driver had already said this three times.
The first time was when they first met.
The second time was when he got in the car.
And now, the third time.
“Honestly, bro, I’m just a driver, and I’ve seen my fair share of stars—at least eight hundred, if not a thousand,” the driver said earnestly, one hand on the steering wheel and the other giving Chen Huai'an a thumbs-up. “But I’ve never seen anyone as impressive and handsome as you, even if you’re bald. I can’t imagine how stunning you’d be with hair! A lot of male and female stars have had work done on their faces, like that guy Cai Yifan from this season’s show. You’re naturally more handsome than him!”
“I think I’m just average,” Chen Huai'an said, feeling a bit embarrassed by the praise.
“Not average at all!” the driver exclaimed. “It’s all about the aura, you know? Forget about looks for a second; your aura can overshadow all the male stars. There’s this… how should I put it? A kind of purity, like a high monk! You should play Tang San in a drama; you’d be a hit!”
Chen Huai'an took the driver’s words as a joke and couldn’t help but laugh. “So, if that’s the case, I might steal the spotlight from those stars in this show?”
The driver’s expression changed, and he smacked the steering wheel. “Don’t say that! That Cai Yifan has quite a reputation and is not to be messed with. This show is basically to promote him. When you meet him, just keep a low profile and avoid any conflict. We’re just ordinary folks; there’s no need to clash with those stars.”
Chen Huai'an took note of that.
But he thought to himself, he was just a cancer patient—what kind of conflict could he have with a star?
On the other hand, would that star dare to pick a fight with him?
After being labeled as a mysterious T0 version alongside the quirky old Deng and the little fairy, he should be considered a hidden super version answer.
If that star dared to trouble him, he’d make sure they knew what “I really should die” meant.
…
“Heavens! Cai Yifan has finally arrived!”
“Good evening, Brother Fan!”
“Yifan ge, you’re getting more and more handsome, and your career is taking off!”
At the foot of Tianmen Mountain, the crew of the “Adventure with Coffee” program gathered.
A handsome guy dressed in a custom outfit and wearing an expensive brooch walked in, surrounded by admirers.
Cai Yifan, a rising star.
Though he couldn’t compare to the real big names, he was on the rise and had limitless potential ahead.
He didn’t join the show because he loved it; his company told him it would help him build a better public image and attract more fans, paving the way for his upcoming role as a movie lead.
After all, his acting skills were non-existent, and he even needed voiceovers.
If he didn’t build some rapport with the audience, wouldn’t he be ridiculed after the movie was released?
From Cai Yifan’s perspective, he had no interest in the show and even felt a bit disgusted.
First, he didn’t like hiking; it was exhausting and would leave him drenched in sweat. Second, the show was live-streamed, meaning he’d have to endure the unfriendly behavior of many artists, like cursing, smoking, and picking their noses.
So, when the filming was set to start at nine, and he was required to arrive by seven, he deliberately showed up at eight-forty. Besides him, there was a washed-up star and three unknowns who all arrived early and had already filmed some behind-the-scenes footage.
For a variety show like “Adventure with Coffee,” behind-the-scenes footage was essential.
Although the show was live-streamed, they would still edit it into a pseudo-documentary later.
After all, there were so many working people; not everyone had the time to sit in front of the TV at seven in the evening.
“Hey, Xiao Fan, you finally made it,” the director said, nearly pulling his hair out. He was angry but didn’t dare to say anything too harsh. “You need to get ready now; we’ll shoot some random behind-the-scenes footage in the meantime.”
Cai Yifan glanced at the director and rolled his eyes. “Make sure to choose the right angles; you have to capture my best side. After you’re done, let me review it. If it’s not handsome enough, don’t upload it.”
“Sure, don’t worry,” the director replied, gritting his teeth internally while maintaining a friendly facade.
Cai Yifan went to change clothes and do his makeup.
Even though he was going to hike Tianmen Mountain at night, he had to look good to cover up his dark circles.
The photographer responsible for capturing behind-the-scenes footage looked bewildered.
The entire behind-the-scenes segment would just be filming Cai Yifan changing clothes and doing his makeup. Other artists would introduce themselves, showcase their preparations for the night hike, and share survival knowledge, predicting potential difficulties and their solutions or secret weapons.
But when it came to Cai Yifan, the style completely changed.
Was he just going to strike a few cheesy poses and call it a day?
Was he on a runway or something?!
At eight-fifty, everyone took their positions.
The director was about to announce the official start of filming when a staff member rushed over and whispered, “Director Zhang, there’s still one person missing…”
“Who?” The director squinted, his long-simmering anger flaring up.
“It’s the mysterious guest you invited.”
“Oh, the mysterious guest.” Director Zhang snapped back to reality.
He thought to himself, “I can’t believe I almost forgot about the mysterious guest because of Cai Yifan.”
“Find out where they are!”
“I already asked; the driver said they ran out of battery…”
“What?! Damn it! Not a single reliable person! Ask them for their exact location and send a car to pick them up!” Director Zhang’s face darkened as he raked his fingers through his hair, but he still announced the start of filming. After all, five minutes wouldn’t hurt them, but for the TV station, it would be a live broadcast disaster.
However, being a seasoned director, he noticed the comments in the live chat starting to roll in.
He quickly whispered to a few artists to be a bit more chatty and do more self-introductions to buy some time.
…
To avoid being surrounded by tourists, the filming location was not on the usual tourist route.
Instead, it was a path that had been replaced by a cable car, rarely chosen for hiking. Walking up was akin to self-torture, and with the night shoot being secretive, there weren’t many tourists on that path.
Right now, Chen Huai'an’s car was stuck on that road.
There was still a distance to the meeting point.
“Sorry, little brother, this electric car really isn’t as stable as a gas car. It loses power quickly in the cold at night,” the driver said.
Both he and Chen Huai'an stood in front of the car, feeling helpless.
Chen Huai'an glanced at the time.
The program was set to start at nine, and he was a very punctual person.
The straight-line distance from their current position to the crew wasn’t far, but the height difference made it a hassle to navigate. He reached out to touch the steep rock wall beside him and tested it with his foot; it felt solid and sturdy. He thought that if he just climbed straight up, he could get there quickly.
“Why don’t I just go up myself?” he suddenly turned to the driver and said.
“What?” The driver was taken aback. “Little brother, don’t joke around. Just wait for the crew to come pick you up. This slope is so steep; it may look close, but even if you run, it’ll take you at least ten minutes.”
The driver didn’t know Chen Huai'an’s exact situation.
He only knew that Chen Huai'an walked with a slight limp.
In that condition, he’d probably arrive just as the program was wrapping up.
After finishing a cigarette, the driver waited for a while without hearing any movement from Chen Huai'an, thinking he might be feeling unwell. Reluctantly, he pulled out his last cigarette. “Here, kid, have one. What’s done is done; we just need to keep a calm mind…”
He turned to hand Chen Huai'an the cigarette, only to find that he was already gone.
“What the hell? Where did that big guy go?!”
…
The wind on Tianmen Mountain was fierce, and the night was dark.
On the steep cliff, Chen Huai'an was moving swiftly with his cane.
“I can hear the echoes of cancer cells and life potential!”
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