She grabbed the thermos from her bag and took a couple of sips of warm water, which gradually calmed her wildly beating heart.
Ono was scrolling through her phone in the driver's seat when Gu Yueyue woke up. She noticed this the moment Gu Yueyue woke up, but before she could ask if Gu Yueyue was having a nightmare, she saw Gu Yueyue drinking water with a flushed face.
"Sis." Ono leaned halfway over and laughed, "What...dreaming about this again? Your face is all red."
Gu Yueyue reached out and touched her burning cheeks. She coughed lightly twice. "What beautiful dream?" In fact, she didn't remember what she dreamed about. She just felt that she had slept very well, and the fatigue in her heart had been soothed.
"Why didn't you wake me up?" Gu Yueyue then realized that five hours had passed and it was almost dark.
"I don't want to wake you up. It's so rare for you to fall asleep."
As Ono spoke, he put away his phone and went to help with the luggage.
The two had arrived at the parking lot of the Star Idol Base. By now, the trainees' training camp had basically ended, and given the variety show's format, they should be starting to interact with the audience now.
Gu Yueyue returned to her dormitory, tidied up briefly, and then went to the conference hall as instructed by the production team to be interviewed.
When Gu Yueyue arrived, Fan Weiwei was being interviewed inside.
Fan Weiwei was beaming in front of the camera, as he had received an invitation to be a guest on the next episode of "Walking Towards the Sun," one of the most popular variety shows in China. This show has launched the careers of countless artists, and it boasts a high level of star power, with many industry heavyweights having participated. Being invited to appear on this show is a testament to an artist's talent and ability.
He was all smiles during the interview with the production team, and even his prepared script was delivered with great intonation and conviction, making for a very engaging speech that drew screams of excitement from his online fans.
The production team learned from him that he was going to participate in "Walking Towards the Sun". Although he mentioned it very vaguely, all the information he provided confirmed that he had been invited to "Walking Towards the Sun".
However, the producers of "Walking Towards the Sun" actually required the guests to keep the filming completely confidential before it started. Fan Weiwei's actions can be considered a breach of contract.
The interview with Fan Weiwei ended quickly. He stood up, straightened the wrinkles in his clothes, smiled brightly and cheerfully, and said goodbye to the camera.
He had just stepped outside when he saw Gu Yueyue waiting to record her broadcast. He walked up to her, sneered, and then left with an arrogant expression, looking down on her.
When Gu Yueyue entered the meeting room, the production team asked her to greet the audience in the live broadcast room.
"Hello everyone, I am Gu Yueyue, the instructor of the Star Idol Project."
Gu Yueyue sat with an elegant posture and spoke in a gentle tone, just like her fans always knew her. She was pretty much like that in private, after all, when she debuted, it wasn't popular to create a persona, so people generally presented themselves as they were.
As before, the production team prepared a large screen to display the comments sent by netizens, and then selected the most popular questions to ask the mentors.
Gu Yueyue could also see the content on the bullet screen.
When the production team brought the screen over and placed it in front of Gu Yueyue, it was quickly filled with questions from viewers and fans, as well as friendly Q&A.
"Wife, let's kiss!" (74,000 views)
Has Yueyue's ideal type been updated? Do I have a chance? (58,000 views)
'Teacher Gu, who do you think has the most potential among this year's students?' (56,000 views)
Host: "We have one minute to see what the final question is!"
Because the popularity of this bullet screen comment can also be increased by the amount of money donated, this popularity reflects how many people care about this question, and also how much money the person who asked the question donated.
Within a minute, fans were busy asking questions they were interested in and spending real money to do so.
Soon, the question "Who do you think has the most potential in this year's trainees?" was placed at the top of the list.
Gu Yueyue saw the ID that asked the question. It looked familiar. It seemed to be her manager Lao Yao's alternate account. It seemed that the company had sent an online army to ask the question.
The company's motives were too obvious, directly targeting Zheng Wan.
However, doing so was too obvious. Directly stating that Zheng Wan was his favorite could easily make variety show fans and casual viewers question his abilities as a mentor.
With one minute almost up, just as the host was about to ask the question, a wealthy patron appeared out of nowhere and sent hundreds of large spaceships in the last five seconds.
The total value exceeds two million RMB.
And this question about the nouveau riche is also at the top of the list.
The host was dumbfounded when he saw the million-dollar question, and he read it out haltingly.
"Ms. Gu, would you like a very cute daughter?"
This question was so abrupt that even Gu Yueyue herself was almost caught off guard when she saw the comment.
Online speculation about this question has gradually arisen, with many influential figures analyzing that perhaps a wealthy man with a woman has taken a liking to Gu Yueyue, which is why he asked such a question.
Another supposedly plausible theory is that Gu Yueyue became pregnant out of wedlock and had no intention of marrying into a wealthy family, but was pressured to get married on the spot by the rich man!
There are many conflicting opinions online, and Gu Yueyue, as the person involved, is currently completely unaware of the situation; she is simply struggling with how to answer this question.
Liu Dai is a well-known host. The reason why he is highly respected in the industry is not only because of his own status and strength, but also because of his excellent professional skills as a host.
Seeing that Gu Yueyue couldn't answer, Liu Dai quickly stepped in to save the day.
"It seems this friend is quite curious about whether our teacher Gu will actually like the youngest daughter. Teacher Gu, would you mind telling us?"
He changed the problem unintentionally, which is worthy of Liu Dai, who has been in the industry for nearly 30 years.
Gu Yueyue breathed a sigh of relief, maintaining a calm and gentle smile. She said, "Actually, I think this question is a bit too early for me. After all, my viewers know that I haven't dated any close friends yet, so talking about having children now makes me quite embarrassed."
Gu Yueyue: "But since some viewers are interested, I'll share my thoughts on this issue. Actually, boys and girls are the same; I don't think there's any difference. However, personally, if I had a cute daughter and a naughty little boy, I would prefer the cute baby."
The concept of having a child out of wedlock has secretly shifted to whether you prefer a boy or a girl, and then this concept has been changed to a choice between cuteness and naughtiness.
I believe many people would choose a cute little girl.
Taking the opportunity, Liu Dai said, "I have a son who's naughty all day long, often driving his mother and me crazy. Sometimes when I get home from get off work, my wife says, 'Liu Dai, look at your little rascal, he's always causing trouble. You two should reflect on yourselves.' Oh dear..."
Liu Dai looked very troubled and said, "I really envy other people's sweet little cotton-padded jackets. My family's leaky and tattered coat is really hard to bear."
As the two bantered, the topic was quickly moved on.
Then we moved on to the next question.
Unlike before, Gu Yueyue didn't relax as she watched the comments scrolling across the screen. Instead, she silently prayed for a normal Q&A session. She really couldn't handle another awkward question like the one she had just faced.
'Can Yueyue tell me about her upcoming work arrangements?' (129,000 views)
Which student does Teacher Gu think has the most potential? (128,000 views)
Is Yueyue going to take on the role in "Walking Towards the Sun"? (96,000 views)
Gu Yueyue breathed a slight sigh of relief as she looked at the rapidly increasing number of questions. Compared to the previous question asking if she liked her daughter, this one was much simpler.
Liu Dai: "Okay, only ten seconds left. Everyone hurry up... 6, 5, 4... 1, 0! Okay, let's see the number one question—Miss Gu, would you marry a stupid, dull, and dull old woman?"
"..."
Gu Yueyue has been in the industry for almost ten years. What kind of big occasions hasn't she seen? But she really hasn't encountered this problem before.
Liu Dai secretly wiped the sweat from his forehead. It was that same tycoon again, who spent a million RMB to ask questions, but what kind of questions did she ask? Was she referring to herself as that stupid, dull, and wooden old woman?
"I..." Gu Yueyue tried to smile, but then realized that her lips were too heavy to even manage a smile.
This question is brilliant; it covers the person's gender, age, and personality in just one sentence.
Gu Yueyue hasn't had a good rest these past few days, and she's been working non-stop. She was just forced to answer a very difficult question, and now her brain is almost completely fried.
Liu Dai wanted to salvage the situation, but his mind was starting to wander.
"I haven't thought about marriage yet, so I really can't answer that question. If I ever meet my soulmate, I will definitely let everyone know as soon as possible."
Liu Dai's heart skipped a beat, thinking to himself, 'You really dare to make such a promise.' Then he smiled and asked, 'Does Teacher Gu mean that you won't hide your relationship from your online friends?'
"That's how it is." Gu Yueyue forced a smile.
Asking two questions in a row was really overwhelming. Other celebrities usually had five questions, and they answered them easily. I don't know why, but when it came to Gu Yueyue, the rich guy suddenly started throwing money at her.
Liu Dai and Gu Yueyue engaged in a verbal sparring match, and after a certain amount of recording time, Liu Dai abruptly announced that Gu Yueyue should end the broadcast, as he dared not continue asking questions.
After Gu Yueyue left, Liu Dai wept bitterly, lamenting that he had missed out on the remaining three million.
Ono was waiting for Gu Yueyue outside, while she herself was watching the live stream on her phone. She never expected that today's live stream would go wrong.
"Sister, how are you feeling?" Ono went to greet her as soon as she came out, and then noticed that her face was pale and her forehead was covered in fine sweat.
Gu Yueyue leaned against the wall in the corridor and rested for a while before leaving with Xiao Ye.
On the way back to the dormitory, because there were public live-streaming cameras everywhere, Xiao Ye didn't dare to ask too many questions. When they arrived at the dormitory, Xiao Ye asked her worriedly, "Sister, is Zhao Sheng up to something?"
"It shouldn't be him."
Zhao Sheng pursued her a few years ago, but was taught a lesson by his older brother Zhao Yuan, and has been much more obedient since then. The reason she asked Xiao Ye to keep an eye on Zhao Sheng this time was because Ma Youcai said that Zhao Sheng had his eye on Xu Yi, so she asked Xiao Ye to help keep an eye on him.
The girl was young and naive. In this chaotic circle, she just wanted to earn some tuition fees and pursue her dreams. She couldn't bear to see the girl encounter those bad things.
The girl Xu Yi, whom she was worried about, had just been interviewed by the program team about the trainees. When she returned to her dormitory, she saw a cute little baby sitting cross-legged on her bed.
She looked about three or four years old, wearing a little red bib, with two little tufts of hair on her head. Her whole body was covered in chubby, fair skin, and she looked like a little guy who had just stepped out of a New Year's painting.
What distinguishes her from other children is a pendant around her neck, featuring a small, exquisite sword—exactly the same as her natal sword, which has been with her for millennia.
Xu Yi silently turned around and locked the door.
The little girl jumped off the bed and rushed into her arms like a cannonball, then started crying.
"Why are you crying?" Xu Yi was puzzled. He picked her up, but before the girl could explain why she was crying, Xu Yi stabbed her in the heart again. "How did you end up like this? You are a Heavenly Rank Divine Sword. Back in the day, when the Demonic Sword was unleashed, it was invincible in the Three Realms. How majestic it was!"
The little girl, nestled in her arms, looked at her own fair and tender arms and legs, and burst into tears as if her own mother had died.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Xu Yi held her in his arms and casually set up a magic array to prevent people outside from hearing the sounds coming from her room.
"Were you bullied?" Xu Yi asked her.
The little girl pouted, tears streaming down her face, and refused to utter a single word.
"Failed cultivation? I told you long ago that your spiritual energy in this world is weak, why did you choose this time to take human form?"
The little girl was still crying, and Xu Yi was getting a little impatient. He directly activated his connection with his natal sword, read the little girl's thoughts, and made Xu Yi laugh out loud.
She placed the little sword spirit on the bed, then took the eight small animal wool felts that Miss Gu had given her and placed them one by one in front of the little sword spirit.
"Okay, now that your eyes have grown back, you can look whenever you want."
The little one stopped crying, sniffled a bit, reached out to touch the little wool felt, and found a cute little rabbit. The little one sat on the bed and giggled.
Xu Yi stood beside her, watching her play, and felt a little strange. Many years ago, she had wondered what her natal sword would look like after it took human form.
She'll probably be as arrogant as Wang Xiejian, perhaps tall and slender, fond of heavy makeup and flamboyant style, and often exuding a mysterious and alluring sexiness.
That was the image she imagined based on the true nature of the Demonic Sword, much like the first life of Miss Gu she had seen. She was always so playful and mischievous, with a calm and collected demeanor that left no trace, and a captivating beauty that shone through her composure and leisure.