Over the next few weeks, Xia Ruyun watched as Li Feiling went on a huge publicity tour. The variety shows she appeared on pumped out the episodes only a week after filming. Delighted, Xia Ruyun tuned into these shows with a newfound perspective.
I know her now!
If anything though... it’s just more impressive how true to her own personality she is on these shows. Makes me feel a little better inside...
She nodded to herself with these praises floating around in her head. They kept cropping up, she couldn’t help it. One scene, in particular, kept triggering them as her mind kept wandering back to it every hour or so.
---
[What are you on? Why are you here?] Li Feiling’s berating questions streamed in one after another as she confronted a stalker-like, disrespectful reporter who had snuck onto the set. The woman’s camera shutter had exposed her as she tried to take unflattering pictures of the cast. [Are you a rat? Your hair certainly implies it, but why do you have to have the mindset too? Perhaps you weren’t raised with a proper respectful mindset? What would your ancestors think if they saw what you wer-]
The actress who had been targeted the most, by this point, had run over. Still dripping wet and still wearing the pool floaties from the variety show’s log-balancing challenge, she pulled Li Feiling away from the reporter. [N-No need to go further, it’s fine now that she’s been caught. I recognize her, she’s a persistent reporter who’s been targeting me, you don’t need to argue with her, she won’t listen anywa-]
[All the more reason to!] Li Feiling raised her fist as a dazzling smile spread across her lips. She turned and poked the nose of the dripping woman in front of her. [You’re still young. Your feelings are understandable, but certain things, like your own privacy, comfort, and dignity are still worth fighting for. Don’t worry, it’s my job as a senior to take care of things like this!]
Xia Ruyun watched as the chat, by now, exploded into messages praising Li Feiling. Logged into her own private account—one without her name attached to it—she decided to participate and send a couple of her own. Her fingers danced across the keyboard, each comment they sent blending into the pack like another fish in the ocean.
[Glory to our teacher Li!]
[Nobody smiles as beautifully as our teacher Li!!!! <3333]
A few seconds later, the sound of her typing faded, giving way once more to the video broadcast’s audio. With her eyes still glued to the screen, they, along with the walls of her small apartment’s walls lit up and flashed as the premiere marched on.
[Teacher Li, no need, we’ll have our legal department look into it,] The director jogged over and patted Li Feiling on the back. [This is illegal trespassing after all. You two can go back on set.]
[Ah... I suppose we should,] Li Feiling sighed as she guided the actress beside her back towards the set. [On a different note though, that’s minus five points for you. You broke the rules, you left the pool in the middle of the challenge. As a definitely fair, and never impartial guest judge, I can’t let that slide.]
A couple laughs broke out from the surrounding crew, and the actress’s shoulder’s loosened while her eyes brightened. Seconds later, though, she began clinging onto Li Feiling’s arm begging for her to give the points back. Li Feiling, with a teasing grin dancing across her lips, didn’t let up and shook her head. [I must embody our shared values of accountability and community! Nobody would respect me otherwise. I’m sure your teammates would lose all respect for me if I did that, you know?]
[I-I’m sure they wouldn’t...] The actress sighed as a few chuckles slipped out under her breath. The rest of her team too, joined in, reassuring Li Feiling they’d never lose their respect for her.
By this point though, Li Feiling tapped her ear and furrowed her eyebrows. [A... Ah... it suddenly seems like age is getting to me... I can’t quite hear what you all are saying... That reminds me, I seem to have forgotten my reading glasses by the judges’ seats, seems like I’ll have to get going...]
Xia Ruyun couldn’t help but snort watching Li Feiling. I know for a fact she has perfect vision! Her vision’s the best I know, better than everyone else I know with perfect vision too!
Everyone else in the chat seemed to agree with her too. Some fans even added in their own estimates on Li Feiling’s vision and... seeing capabilities...
[Li Feiling has never shown difficulty with reading, so we know she probably doesn’t have reading glasses, especially considering her age. Then, from episode two of Shopping with Stars where she made a guest appearance two years ago, her long distance vision becomes clear.]
[She, twenty minutes into the episode, is able to see a sign that we can estimate the distance of (a block away) and from how the sign is a standardized electroni...]
The message just... kept going. Xia Ruyun had paused the live feed just to get a glimpse at the hulking behemoth of a message. Some of these people are... a little creepy...
Shaking her head, she returned to watching the broadcast. Smiling and laughing throughout different parts of it, she texted Li Feiling a [Congratulations!] and [Absolutely amazing job!] once it finished.
---
Her broadcast watching though marked her return to lazing around. Putzing around in her own little apartment, she wasted away another couple days until Gao Qian came to her with a few more contracts.
One... mind-numbing, ‘my bones have already decayed by now’ conversation about contracts, general work vision, and future goals later, Xia Ruyun agreed to join the project Gao Qian had brought to her: The Dragon’s Maw. Due to Zhang Jingsong’s recommendation, she even earned the spot of supporting female lead without even having to audition!
“I’m dying again, right?” Xia Ruyun asked while leaning back in her chair. Her phone sat on the desk in front of her, on speaker mode. “You mentioned how they’re still not sure on the finer details of the plot but that detail is set in stone, right?”
“Hmm, not quite, I believe there’s a chance you’ll instead fall into ruin, you’re playing a character who betrays the protagonist in favor of the antagonist,” Gao Qian’s voice came over the phone. “You will not have a good ending, I can tell you that much.”
“Good... to know,” Xia Ruyun sighed, staring off into the dim space of her room. “For a business world drama, having someone die would be a little weird I guess... One day I hope to get a real lead role though, Gao Qian.”
“It’ll come with how much effort you’re putting,” Gao Qian reassured. “This project is a fair bit more mainstream than the last. If both these go well, I’m sure you’ll have people knocking on your door in no time. Keep in mind, the movie hasn’t even come out yet.”
“You’re right, you’re right,” Xia Ruyun clenched her fist as she took a few deep breaths. “I’ll keep working hard.”
“Good to hear,” Gao Qian’s chuckles came over the phone. “I’ll be hanging up for now. Don’t worry though, I’ll let the director know we’re joining the project in just a few minutes, so expect an email soon. Also, heads up, I know I mentioned this earlier, but it's an important reminder. Just like the last one, they’re planning on starting shooting as soon as possible, I’m not... quite sure why though.”