"Fine, if you're not afraid, why should I be?"
After hanging up the phone, Chen Qianqian, who was covering her mouth, leaned closer and asked, "Cha, are you really going?"
Xu Chacha handed her a dried sweet potato, "Don't you want me to go?"
“Go! I support you going!” Chen Qianqian handed the dried sweet potato back to her with both hands and said in a kind voice, “I just don’t know if Teacher Xu can help me get Zhang Wuyao’s autograph when she goes. I love you forever.”
"Thank you, I can have your autograph, but I don't need the 'love for a lifetime' part." Xu Chacha bit into a sweet potato.
"Oh~ Teacher Xu only wants so-and-so's love, of course she wouldn't look down on us ordinary girls."
"What are you saying, Chen Qianqian?" Xu Chacha glared at her.
“That’s how it is.” Chen Qianqian chuckled and leaned closer to her, whispering in her ear, “Tell me, how far have you two gotten?”
"What step?" Xu Chacha turned her head to press the remote control.
"You kissed him, didn't you?"
Xu Chacha blinked rapidly, unable to hide her nervousness at all. "I won't tell you."
"That means you kissed. If you hadn't, you would have definitely punched me." Chen Qianqian rested her chin on her hand and asked mysteriously, "I've heard that the more detached and indifferent someone seems on the surface, the more..."
"The more what?"
Chen Qianqian smiled ambiguously and winked at her, "What do you think? Aren't you the one involved? Haven't you experienced it?"
"Cough cough cough—" Xu Chacha finally understood what Chen Qianqian was talking about.
She stood up, her body as straight as a steel plate, but the stiffness in her voice was still undeniable. "I'm going to sleep now. You two should go home early after you finish eating."
"You're asleep already?"
The only response Chen Qianqian received was the crisp sound of the door closing.
...
The recording of "Super Rookie" was scheduled for Thursday. Xu Chacha took leave to go, and Wen Mubai picked her up.
It was cold sitting outside, so Xu Chacha simply nestled in Wen Mubai's dressing room to rest. She was watching the third episode of the show on her phone, holding a cup of hot tea and sipping it slowly.
Wen Mubai's makeup was always simple. She had already done her own foundation and eyebrows before going out, and finished in just a few minutes. She turned around and waved at Xu Chacha, "Aren't you going to do your makeup?"
"No need, I'll have to take it off again when I take pictures with them later, it's too much trouble."
Each episode consists of two parts: a photo shoot, which is mandatory in every episode, and a challenge that tests the contestants' comprehensive abilities in other aspects. For example, the first episode tested catwalk skills, the second episode tested clothing matching, and the third episode tested teamwork.
The person who wins first place in the challenge will not be eliminated in that round, even if their score for the still photo is low.
Zhang Dingding is looking for all-around talents, which is evident from the program's purpose, and Xu Chacha admires her quite a bit.
She was invited as a guest to help the contestants take photos for the fourth episode, and the theme of the photoshoot was already revealed at the end of the third episode.
The photoshoot was conducted by Yang Zhou, a master of traditional Chinese style, who also designed a themed story for the two of them to take a group photo.
The story is set in the Republican era, and follows a noblewoman who has left home and her maid. With little money left, they are struggling between the idea of returning home to surrender and the idea of continuing to uphold their freedom.
The filming location was a small alleyway in an ancient building complex that the program specifically chose. Xu Chacha hadn't seen the specific appearance yet, but she could imagine that shooting a couple's photo in a narrow alley would definitely be a great test of the model's expressiveness.
Whether she, as a guest mentor, shines or is relegated to a supporting role is hard to say, as many contestants on this show are indeed very strong.
The role of the noble lady was assigned to Xu Chacha, and her character was already fixed: a stubborn, beautiful young girl with an air of nobility.
The contestants had to take turns filming with her, and their interpretation of the servant character in the story was also up to them. "She" could be an innocent white rabbit or a venomous snake lurking beside her master, ready to bite back at any moment. Yang Zhou did not restrict their performance or ideas, and she felt that this was precisely where the fun lay.
The official filming didn't start until noon, so the contestants had all gone out early in the morning to do challenge activities.
Wen Mubai, the temporary judge, still had to make an appearance, while Xu Chacha was happy to have some free time. She leisurely ate a salad and only slowly showed up when it was her turn.
Since it was an outdoor shoot, only Zhang Dingding and Yang Zhou needed to be present. Wen Mubai didn't originally need to come, but she drove herself to come.
Zhang Dingding repeated the shooting theme and rules, then put his arm around Xu Chacha's shoulder to introduce her.
"This is our guest performer today, Xu Chacha. My teacher, Mr. Lang Shu, has praised her to me. She debuted at the age of five and rode on the EV that many people envied back then. She is your senior. Today, you are going to work with her, so please try your best not to be outdone."
Xu Chacha smiled and bowed to the contestants, saying, "You don't need to treat me as a senior, just as a work partner. I hope you will all give me your guidance in the future."
The contestants were obviously unfamiliar with Xu Chacha, or rather, they had never even heard of her. They compared her to the previous guests in their minds, and the sense of disappointment was immediately apparent, but they still clapped and applauded to show their respect.
"Welcome, Teacher Xu!"
Among the participants were young newbies who hadn't even graduated yet, as well as seasoned veterans who had been in the industry for five or six years. The former were still humble, while the latter felt that they had achieved some success in the past and were inevitably a bit arrogant, looking down on Xu Chacha, an unknown nobody.
Cai Yuan is one of them. She debuted at a young age and walked in many big shows. However, she later decided to have plastic surgery, which ruined her face so badly that she could no longer appear on camera. It took her two years to recover and she was almost presentable. However, her comeback was not as smooth as she had imagined. That's why she came to the talent show to boost her popularity and achieve her goal of making a comeback.
Not to mention the contestants, she doesn't even show much respect to the mentors. The production team often edits in scenes of conflict with her to boost ratings.
I remember she was severely reprimanded by Zhang Dingding in the second episode, and she toned it down a bit afterward, but today, when she faced Xu Chacha, she snorted and that contemptuous attitude came back.
"It's true that anyone can be a guest these days," she whispered to the person next to her.
Standing next to her is Wu Yao, whom Chen Qianqian adores. She is also a seasoned contestant with work experience, talent, but lack of fame. Compared to Cai Yuan, she is more reserved and steady, never engaging in unfair competition, and has even helped other contestants during competitions.
She never speaks ill of others behind their backs, let alone speaks ill of them to their faces. Upon hearing Cai Yuan's words, she silently turned her head away and moved to the side, indicating that she wanted to sever ties with her.
"Alright, let's go do our makeup first. We don't know how long it will take to shoot with ten people, and the lighting won't be good once the sun goes down."
The contestants nodded and left, and Xu Chacha was also taken to the styling room.
Her dressing room was a one-person-one-booth. She had just changed into a cheongsam and sat down while the makeup artist was working on her hair when Wen Mubai led Zhang Dingding and Yang Zhou in.
"How are you feeling now? You shouldn't be nervous anymore, right?" Zhang Dingding was over forty, but she was still as well-maintained as a young woman in her early twenties, and her tone was very gentle and approachable.
Xu Chacha smiled at her, "Being nervous is good too, you can't let the show down."
"Hahaha, you're too modest, kid." Zhang Dingding laughed. "Sister Hua and Teacher Lang Shu have praised you to me a lot, and even the cold-faced editor next to me always says good things about you, but you yourself are so modest."
Xu Chacha shook her head, "They just have a childhood bias against me, and they only think I'm good because they have such low expectations of me."
Wen Mubai curled his lips and said, "Your words sound like you're implying something about me again."
Xu Chacha glanced at her sideways, her meaning written all over her face without her saying a word.
She just hoped these people would stop praising her in front of Zhang Dingding. The greater the expectation, the greater the disappointment. She originally had some confidence, but after what they said, she became more and more unsure.
"Okay, Ms. Xu, please take a look and see where it needs adjustment, and I'll help you fix it."
"Thank you." Xu Chacha stood up and walked to the full-length mirror.
Her long hair was unusually tied up, forming a neat bun at the back of her head, revealing her slender neck.
The fitted cheongsam accentuated her superior figure, her slender waist appearing as if it could be easily grasped with one hand. The cheongsam reached her calves, and her two fair and delicate ankles connected to her intricately patterned high heels.
This was the first time Xu Chacha had dressed like this. Just by looking at her back, one could see the gentle and soft temperament of a woman from Jiangnan. When she raised her eyes again, the fierce determination in her eyes, like a red plum blossom falling on a snow scene, instantly elevated the artistic conception of the whole picture.
Yang Zhou's expression revealed admiration. Although the photos hadn't been taken yet, she seemed to already see how amazing Xu Chacha's performance would be.
Chapter 57 is finished filming.
The order in which contestants take photos is determined by drawing lots. There are two makeup options to choose from, depending on the contestant's understanding of the servant role.
Wu Yao didn't know if she was having bad luck or if she had swapped cards with someone, but she was assigned the first card.
She was a little taller than Xu Chacha, and when she wasn't wearing makeup, she always had a stern face and looked more aloof than others. She also knew what suited her better, so she chose dark makeup, which made her look more composed.
"Teacher Xu, please give me your guidance." She bowed to Xu Chacha, her voice softer than she looked, still like a young girl.
Xu Chacha bowed to her in return, saying, "I am."
The first shoot will inevitably suffer some setbacks. The photographer will need to find the right lighting and get into the right mood, and the models won't be as cooperative.
Besides, it's a photo of two people, and this is their first time meeting and working together.
"You stand in front, I'll stand here." Wu Yao was quite assertive and took the initiative to tell Xu Chacha her thoughts.
Xu Chacha nodded in agreement, and after confirming their positions, Yang Zhou also gave an OK sign.
“Um…Ms. Xu, may I put my hand here?” Wu Yao pointed to her shoulder.
Xu Chacha laughed, "How could I not have this much professional ethics?"
"I'm sorry, that's not what I meant."
"I know." Xu Chacha pulled her hand and placed it on her shoulder. "You can put it anywhere."
As filming officially began, Xu Chacha took a deep breath and exhaled. When she opened her eyes again, she seemed to have completely changed.
She leaned against the wall, her slender, pale fingers contrasting sharply with the dark gray. The jade bracelet on her wrist, which looked extremely expensive, seemed similar in color to the moss on the wall, yet one symbolized a life of luxury and ease, while the other could only blend into the mud beneath her feet.
Yang Zhou chose this location for the shoot precisely because he was drawn to the satirical tone revealed through the contrast.
In the video, Xu Chacha stands upright, her watch showing fatigue as she leans against the wall, yet she refuses to relinquish the pride ingrained in her bones. She tilts her chin up and turns her head to face the camera, her gaze seemingly casual and indifferent, yet possessing an undeniable sharpness.
The "noble lady" she understood was such a proud woman, whose eyes were always firm and unyielding, no matter how down on her luck she was.
Wu Yao, who was following behind Xu Chacha, had her right hand on Xu Chacha's shoulder, seemingly as if she was helping her up. However, her lowered dark eyes and intriguing expression sent a chill down one's spine.
This is not helping her up; she is a clump of dark energy parasitizing the master, suffocating her. Once the master is exhausted, she can steal everything that belongs to her and fly away.
Wen Mubai rarely saw Xu Chacha like this, so he leaned against a lamppost with his arms crossed and watched with great interest.
Such a professional and excellent work ethic is completely unlike that of a model who hasn't had any events in the last two or three years. She was indeed amazed by Xu Chacha's abilities before, but she never expected that she had made so many silent efforts without her noticing.
Wen Mubai stared intently at the increasingly intimate physical contact between the two, whose condition was improving. Wu Yao's hand had somehow encircled Xu Chacha's waist, embracing her from behind, while another hand rested on her chin.
At this moment, Xu Chacha looked like prey caught in a spider web, dying and vulnerable, yet her spine remained straight and her face still held an unyielding stubbornness.
The scheming servant and the haughty yet somewhat naive young lady—without Wu Yao uttering a word, others could guess the story she was describing.
Yang Zhou was very excited about this scene, as evidenced by his lighter and more brisk steps.
Didn't this little princess say before that she favored Wu Yao the most among these contestants?
Wen Mubai unconsciously rubbed his thumb together twice with his right hand, which was folded on top, then looked away and suddenly wanted to smoke a cigarette.
On the other end, Yang Zhou excitedly called for a stop.
"Cha Cha, you're in such great form! Quick, quick, let's have the next contestant come on while we're still feeling this good."
When Wu Yao was filming, everyone else, except those who hadn't finished their makeup, was watching from the sidelines.
It has to be said that they were indeed amazed by Xu Chacha's performance. Unlike other seniors, she didn't exude a powerful aura that would overwhelm people. Sometimes, it was even clear that she held back, not wanting to steal Wu Yao's spotlight.
Even confined to her own little territory, her face and eyes were undeniable. Wu Yao was already considered one of the best among them, and even she could only match Xu Chacha, who was in a restrained state, to a standstill. The other contestants couldn't help but start to get anxious.