Chapter Forty-Three: Truly Unlucky

The thought of running away wasn’t exactly wrong, but Bai Ling still had to consider the consequences of such an action. While she hesitated, the others had already arrived one after another.

Just as he had welcomed her, Director Wang greeted them all with enthusiasm. And so, the show officially began.

Of course, the program wasn’t limited to just the four of them as guests. Other guests would arrive later, not at this time.

Once everything was ready, the show truly started, and at that moment, the owners of the guesthouse—a man and a woman—appeared.

They weren’t celebrities, but locals from Zhoujia Village, playing the role of hosts inviting the stars to celebrate the New Year at their home.

For the next several days, the couple would lead the celebrities in experiencing life in Zhoujia Village and savoring a different kind of New Year atmosphere.

After the narrator finished, the honest and simple couple looked at the stars with anticipation.

Then came the segment where the celebrities introduced themselves to the hosts.

The process was rather dull, but for artists, it was quite important. After all, introducing oneself was a chance to present their persona and establish their image.

Bai Ling, however, had no interest in putting on a show; all the performance fell to Wen Yan.

She was clearly a wealthy heiress, yet she went out of her way to appear gentle and approachable, brimming with enthusiasm. Even as she introduced herself, she volunteered to help with chores, hoping to make things easier for the hosts.

Though she was rather over the top and conspicuously unnatural, at least the two sincere hosts didn’t see through the act.

The couple simply beamed with delight.

But Bai Ling noticed something odd in the way Lin Yubai, Zhuge Ming, and Ouyang Ruofeng looked at Wen Yan.

According to her understanding of the original novel, all three should have had feelings for Wen Yan at this point.

Yet, from her observation, the three men only showed the most basic courtesy and respect.

Wasn’t this odd?

“Could it be that some unexpected change has occurred?”

“Has the butterfly flapped its wings?”

To be honest, Bai Ling felt this was entirely possible.

After all, in the novel, these three never participated in the show.

If they had, Bai Ling wouldn’t have chosen this program in the first place.

What rotten luck!

After briefly introducing themselves, Bai Ling and the others followed the couple into the guesthouse.

The husband, Zhou Fangkai, was a straightforward, honest man, with thick calluses on his hands—a sign of much farm work. His wife, Zhou Huamei, was just as simple, dressed plainly.

Once inside, the couple began pouring tea for the four guests.

The cameras were already rolling, so Wen Yan eagerly jumped in to help.

“Wow, this girl is so polite.”

“She seems like a lively young lady, but she’s kind-hearted. Thumbs up for her.”

“But where is she from? How did she get on this show?”

“Zhuge Ming and Ouyang Ruofeng—never thought I’d see them on the same show. I can’t wait to see their collaboration.”

“And our darling Bai Bai—Yubai is the most handsome!”

“If the three of them work together, it’ll be really exciting.”

“Come to think of it, the three seem to know each other, so Bai Ling appears a bit out of place.”

“Yes, she’s been quiet since the start. Is she not used to variety shows?”

“Honestly, based on her performance alone, Bai Ling is a bit disappointing. Why let the hosts do all the work? Why not help, like Wen Yan?”

“What nonsense! Is Bai Ling unwilling to help? Didn’t you see her actions? Wen Yan was simply faster.”

“Besides, the guys are just sitting there, doing even less than Bai Ling. Why single her out?”

“Let’s not be biased, okay?”

“Hey, where are my fellow Little Universes? Someone’s slandering our idol—let’s go!”

…

Even though it was just the beginning, the livestream chat was already ablaze. Arguments, discussions, debates, and counterattacks filled the screen.

It was lively, to say the least.

If Bai Ling knew what was happening, she’d be dying to push everything aside and watch the drama unfold in the comments.

Of course, Director Wang and the production team were delighted.

The barrage of comments and the number of viewers far outstripped previous episodes.

“As expected, Lin Yubai and Bai Ling really generate buzz.”

As for Zhuge Ming and Ouyang Ruofeng, their main professions were a bit awkward—one was a writer and screenwriter, the other a new-generation director. Unless they reached the very top, they were the type that didn’t attract much attention.

So naturally, their buzz was limited.

Of course, some of their fans did their best to show their support, but their voices were lost in the flood of comments.

After the tea, Zhou Fangkai said, “There’s nothing fancy at home, just this tea from our own village.”

“Hope you like it.”

“We’ve already prepared your rooms.”

“Come, let me show you.”

Since they’d be staying several days, the hosts had arranged the rooms in advance.

“But,” he continued, “the two guys might have to squeeze in a bit. Among the girls, one room is single, while the other will be shared with a female guest who’s arriving later.”

Upon hearing this, Lin Yubai immediately said, “I prefer a room by myself.”

“Zhuge Ming, you and Ouyang can use the time to discuss the new script.”

As the youngest Best Actor winner, he barely needed to act at all, simply claiming the solo room.

Ouyang and Zhuge Ming clearly weren’t pleased, but the three seemed to be on friendly terms. After some thought, they agreed.

Then, everyone turned to look at Bai Ling and Wen Yan.

Bai Ling didn’t really care, as long as she didn’t have to share with Wen Yan.

But to her surprise, Wen Yan spoke up, “If we take the single rooms, then the guest who arrives later won’t have a choice, will she?”

“How about I share with Sister Bai Ling and leave the single room for someone else?”

The moment these words were spoken, the comments flooded with praise for her thoughtfulness and high emotional intelligence.

Bai Ling, on the other hand, wanted to bang her head against the wall.

Wasn’t this also taking away the newcomer’s chance to choose? What if she liked late-night conversations with a roommate?

But none of that mattered. The real issue was that Bai Ling didn’t want anything to do with Wen Yan.

Yet things had progressed so far that she really had no say in the matter.

She couldn’t possibly declare outright that she didn’t want to share a room with Wen Yan.

That would be far too offensive.

And in the eyes of the livestream audience, it would probably be seen as low emotional intelligence.

In an instant, Bai Ling’s mood plummeted.

All the credit was going to Wen Yan; Bai Ling was left to play the bad guy—a role she had no desire to fill.