Chapter 13: Rivals Meet
Before the official recording of “Unlimited Escape Room,” individual posters of the guests needed to be shot for the official announcement.
The night before the poster shoot, the dedicated fake fan specifically opened his fan account and posted a Weibo update.
@WinterSunshineForZhi: Will see Min-shen in person again tomorrow ^_^
The dozens of followers were all bots, yet they managed to be pushed out by the algorithm thanks to a certain incredibly popular keyword, attracting a few “like-minded” individuals.
【Does Min-shen have a public schedule tomorrow?】
【Huh? The fansite masters haven’t posted anything, is there something I don’t know?】
【Seeing everyone daydreaming makes me feel at ease, I’ll join in the dreaming】
There were also a few new comments under the previously posted pencil sketch, some praising it, some politely asking for permission to use it as their profile picture.
Interacting with Min Zhi’s real fans wasn’t part of the fake fan’s job description, so he didn’t reply to any of them. Even on his main account, he never replied to those clients asking to buy his paintings or hold exhibitions, maintaining a consistently aloof attitude.
The next morning, he went to the photography studio arranged by the program team.
The general director, Sheng Jiao, created a group chat. The producer, screenwriter, and all the guests except Min Zhi were in it. Filming notifications were sent in the group in advance. Only Min Zhi, unconventional as he was, didn’t join the group, preferring private communication.
Xi Leng wasn’t sure if he would come today, but he figured since the protagonist shou, Luo Jiayan, was here, the protagonist gong definitely wouldn’t be absent.
Xi Leng and another ordinary person guest arrived the earliest. The other guest was a student from a top university, Chu Qiao, Qiaoqiao. A 20-year-old girl, already a member of Mensa at such a young age.
Xi Leng exchanged a few pleasantries with her, introducing himself: “I’m 21. Graduated. CAFA. I started school early.”
Qiaoqiao hadn’t added her colleagues directly through the group chat. Now, after greeting him in person, she politely asked if he wanted to add her as a friend. The girl was well-mannered and considerate, leaving a good first impression on Xi Leng.
A ding sounded as they scanned each other’s QR codes and exchanged WeChat contacts.
Qiaoqiao was lively and cheerful, with braided pigtails and a smiling mouth, looking playful and cute. She quickly became familiar with Xi Leng, opening up: “By the way, when you arrived just now, I thought you were one of the celebrity guests! I was wondering, racking my brains trying to figure out which celebrity you were from the group chat. I even checked photos online, but none of them matched, I was so confused…”
Not long after, two celebrity guests arrived: the newcomer Luo Jiayan, and the popular actor Jiang Songnan.
Back when Min Zhi was still a musician, he had encountered Jiang Songnan at an offline event. They didn’t get along then, and later, after Min Zhi entered the acting industry, their paths became similar, competing for the same endorsement resources, gradually becoming recognized rivals.
Xi Leng glanced at Jiang Songnan, thinking that this domineering and unhinged villain gong did have a flamboyant and unrestrained appearance, with fiery red short hair, but compared to the protagonist gong, Min Zhi, he was still a bit inferior.
The real reason for their animosity was rarely known. Xi Leng only learned about it through the novel’s outline.
The old master of the Jiang family had two sons, but his heart was completely biased towards the younger son, who grew up spoiled, becoming a good-for-nothing playboy. The elder son, however, was an outstanding individual, calm and disciplined.
And Jiang Songnan was the eldest grandson of the Jiang family, the only heir of the third generation.
Over a decade ago, the Jiang family’s younger son passed away unexpectedly. The old master was heartbroken and, after finally finding his former girlfriend, was overjoyed to discover that she had a seven-year-old orphaned son, whose age coincided with their relationship timeline. After a DNA test, the child was confirmed to be of Jiang blood.
That child was Min Zhi.
From then on, he became the young master of the Jiang family, becoming another legal heir alongside Jiang Songnan, who had grown up in luxury.
With two generations of resentment and conflicting interests, it would be strange if Jiang Songnan didn’t hate and envy Min Zhi. Min Zhi, on the other hand, hated the Jiang family, equally disliking and rejecting every single one of them.
After staring for a few seconds longer—
Jiang Songnan, never one to hide his unpleasant nature, glared in the direction of the gaze and snapped: “What are you looking at? Never seen me before?”
Two ordinary people were sitting side by side, a man and a woman, but his gaze fell on the man, with his rare medium-long hair, sitting upright, fair-skinned, with a cold and aloof demeanor.
He paused, suddenly doubting his own intuition.
After a few more seconds, he confirmed that the man was indeed looking at him.
The pre-production work for “Unlimited Escape Room” was complex and arduous. The official recording took place every two or three weeks, and the guests had other work during this period. Jiang Songnan, for example, was filming a drama, and his hair was dyed red for the role.
“Never seen red hair before.” Xi Leng replied calmly to his question. “It looks good.”
Jiang Songnan choked.
He was being rude, yet the other party praised him magnanimously. As if infected by the strange train of thought, he inexplicably thought, long hair looks good too, which made him even angrier, blurting out: “Are you fucking sick?”
Xi Leng didn’t plan to continue the conversation, but Luo Jiayan suddenly rushed forward, sticking his neck out, seemingly ready to defend his friend.
“Why are you cursing!?”
In the novel, the protagonist shou and the villain Jiang Songnan’s dynamic followed the classic romance trope of bickering lovers. The female lead slaps the male lead, the male lead responds with a domineering kabedon, saying with a mixture of coldness and nonchalance: Woman, you’ve caught my attention.
Just like now.
Xi Leng rubbed his temples.
With the tension escalating, he could only try to persuade the familiar Luo Jiayan: “Don’t make a fuss, Jiayan.”
Just two simple words, but Luo Jiayan seemed to have received a great gift, his eyes lighting up.
Jiang Songnan was instantly furious. What the hell, was he just a prop in their flirting?
His anger immediately shifted target, his fierce tone directed at Luo Jiayan: “And who the fuck are you?”
He had sharp, upturned eyes, his red hair and sideburns giving him a delinquent vibe, each strand of hair seeming to carry thorns, making Luo Jiayan flinch and retreat step by step.
Looking back, Xi Leng was unexpectedly looking away, as if unconcerned, not looking at Jiang Songnan, nor at him.
Fortunately, the general director, Sheng Jiao, arrived in time to smooth things over, calling out to everyone: “Hurry up and get your styling done, don’t just stand there. Jiang-laoshi, come and sit here.”
The makeup room was large, with mirrors, lights, chairs, and various makeup tools lining both sides, more than enough space for five people to get their makeup done simultaneously. Sheng Jiao had Jiang Songnan sit on the other side, drawing a clear line between him and the unknown guys, separating them across the room, back to back.
Unfortunately, there were only two makeup artists. Jiang Songnan occupied one, and the other was given to Qiaoqiao, ladies first.
Xi Leng wasn’t in a hurry, while Luo Jiayan wanted to talk to him more. The two sat side by side on the small sofa, watching the girl get her makeup done. Qiaoqiao felt a little uncomfortable, finding the right angle in the mirror to glance over, only to realize they weren’t looking at her.
Jiang Songnan could also observe the sofa opposite him through the mirror. His gaze lingered on the long-haired young man’s face. He had a lot of questions to ask, but his manager had disappeared. By the time his manager returned, he had lost interest in inquiring.
With a darkened face, he only asked: “Is Min Zhi coming?”
“He should… be coming, right?” The manager wiped the cold sweat from his brow. The situation was still relatively calm now, if Min Zhi actually came, who knew what kind of chaos would ensue.
“Heh.” Jiang Songnan’s upturned eyes, accentuated by the black eyeliner, narrowed in a sneer. “He just said he wouldn’t see me outside of filming, I thought he actually had some backbone.”
Jiang Songnan then noticed the cold and quiet long-haired man in the mirror again, changing the subject: “Right, that ordinary person…”
What was his name?
But his question was interrupted by another uninvited guest.
“Little Jiayan, Xiao Leng.” The affectionate address carried a smile. His floral shirt was tucked into his belt, the perfect image of a frivolous scoundrel. “Don’t just wait there, come and take a look at the clothes.”
“Jackson!” Luo Jiayan stood up in surprise. “Are you our stylist today?”
Qiao Yusen hooked his finger in response, his fox-like eyes curving into crescents behind his glasses: “Mm-hmm, come on.”
Jiang Songnan’s gaze lost its focus, the rest of his words disappearing in his mouth.
The slow-witted manager then asked: “Right, Jiang-ge, what were you just saying?”
Jiang Songnan: “I told you to fuck off.”
Manager: “…”
A low pressure surrounded Jiang Songnan, and the late arrival made his face darken even further.
The newcomer wore a formal white shirt, the rolled-up sleeves hinting at a touch of rebelliousness and casualness, his collar slightly open, the row of cold, shimmering earrings on his left ear completely incongruous with the “formal” attire.
Seeing him, Jiang Songnan immediately went on high alert, and his manager also fell silent.
However, Min Zhi only glanced around the makeup room, not even pausing at Jiang Songnan, his gaze fixed as he found a staff member, only concerned about one thing: “Where’s my fan? Where’s Xi Leng?”
Xi Leng was an ordinary person participating in a filming activity for the first time; he shouldn’t be late. Moreover, he might see his idol today, wouldn’t he be excited and arrive two hours early?
He rushed over immediately after finishing his previous engagement to deliver fan service, so his little fan wouldn’t have to wait too long and be disappointed. But who would have thought, where was Xi Leng?
The busy staff member casually replied: “Oh, him? Jackson took him and Luo-laoshi to the wardrobe.”
