Chapter 47

After returning to Beijing and resting for a while, Zhao Yu dove back into her hectic schedule.

Over the past few years, the domestic entertainment industry had grown increasingly prosperous, with countless new idols emerging one after another. As China’s idol ecosystem matured, fan culture had also solidified into its own distinct form.

But no matter how many newcomers appeared, the three top idols standing atop the industry remained insurmountable peaks.

However, at their level, their previous positioning was no longer viable. The first to blaze a new path was Huo Xi. He’d just turned twenty-nine and, after finishing a modern crime drama, announced he was going abroad for further studies.

Taking a hiatus like that was the most obvious signal of a career transition in the industry.

He’d be gone for the better part of a year, completely surrendering his share of the domestic traffic market and resources. Zhao Yu genuinely admired his courage. With Huo Xi gone, the resources belonging to the three top idols were naturally split between the remaining two.

Zhao Yu was busy, and Shen Junyi was even busier.

After all, he was the only one who shared the same type and caliber as Huo Xi. With Huo Xi absent, many of those resources tilted toward him. Lately, he’d been so swamped he often sighed that his biggest problem was being too famous.

Summer in Beijing was scorching and dry, the sun baking the ground until it was nearly black and blistering.

Tomorrow he had a brand launch event for an endorsement. Under his assistant’s supervision, he’d put on a face mask early and gone to bed, barely managing to drift off when his phone started vibrating like crazy.

It was Bi Zhou.

As soon as he picked up, he got an earful: “Didn’t I tell you to stay away from Sheng Qiao?! What the hell were you thinking—going out for late-night food with her and getting caught on camera?!”

Shen Junyi shot up in bed. “It’s trending?”

Bi Zhou was livid. “It’s exploded! Those gossip accounts are saying you two already got married!”

Shen Junyi pressed his hand to his forehead and sighed wearily. “Contact Sheng Qiao’s side and put out an official statement.”

Bi Zhou snapped back, “They already did—practically tripping over themselves to distance from you! But who’s going to believe that? Just… ugh, you’re impossible!”

Shen Junyi reached over and turned on the bedside lamp, rubbing his brow. “It’s not a big deal. I’ve got the launch event tomorrow, right? I’ll just clear it up myself during the media interview.”

Bi Zhou grumbled a bit more, then asked, “So what’s the deal with you and Sheng Qiao anyway? Don’t you know she’s a Huo Xi fangirl? First she leeches off Huo Xi, now she’s leeching off you?”

“Don’t talk nonsense.” Shen Junyi’s hand paused, his tone dropping. “I reached out to her. She doesn’t even have my number. I was in a bad place after Grandma passed, and she happened to be filming in Hangzhou, so I asked her out for a meal.”

Bi Zhou was always hyper-vigilant about his interactions with female celebrities. Hearing that, he didn’t press further. He gave a few reminders about clearing things up at tomorrow’s event, then hung up.

Both sides had issued swift denials, and by morning, the buzz had died down considerably. The next day, Shen Junyi attended the launch event as scheduled and then headed to the media area for interviews.

Reporters naturally asked about the previous day’s gossip. Shen Junyi gave a brief explanation of the whole situation. With the celebrity himself addressing it directly, calmly and candidly, there was little room for misunderstanding.

Sure enough, once the video was released, the rumors were effectively put to rest.

As Shen Junyi left the event and got into the car, Bi Zhou had also tracked down the source of the leaked photos.

It was a sasaeng fan who’d been following him.

Ever since the car plunging into the river incident years ago, he’d never again publicly spoken out against sasaeng behavior. He’d never mentioned that event to anyone—acting as if nothing had happened—but from that day on, he’d quietly tolerated the stalking and harassment.

Bi Zhou had tried to talk him out of it many times. He’d heard all the advice, reasonable or not, but getting past his own mental block would take more time.

Bi Zhou pulled the car door shut and glanced at the man reclining with his cap pulled over his face. Recalling what he’d said at the press conference, Bi Zhou nudged his arm uneasily.

“Look, is it really how you said it was? You’re not actually dating anyone, are you?”

Shen Junyi’s voice was lazy and relaxed: “Dating, my ass. She doesn’t like me anyway.”

Bi Zhou caught the undertone: “And you? Do you like her?”

Shen Junyi rested his arms behind his head and turned to smile at him. “Does it matter?” Bi Zhou was taken aback. He sat up straight, stretched, and patted his shoulder reassuringly. “Don’t worry. I know where I stand. I won’t let this kind of thing affect my career.”

Over the years, he’d handled himself well—Bi Zhou had always been reassured.

Yet seeing his artist like this made him uneasy. He grumbled, “That Sheng Qiao is just a crazed Huo Xi fangirl. I don’t see what you like about her.”

Shen Junyi folded his arms, leaned back, and pressed his cap down with a lazy laugh. “It’s not really ‘like.’ I just feel at ease with her. Xiao Qiao is pretty down-to-earth—doesn’t have all the scheming that’s so common in the industry. At the end of the day, don’t you just want to be comfortable with the people you’re around?”

Bi Zhou sighed. “As long as you know what you’re doing. Huo Xi is transitioning now, but you don’t have his acting chops. You’ll still be on the idol track for a few more years—don’t slip up.”

Shen Junyi waved a dismissive finger.

Summer was peak season for commercial performances.

Most of the shows Huo Xi would have done now fell to Shen Junyi, while Zhao Yu’s music commitments overseas had never stopped—she was flying between countries, busier than ever.

She told Lin Zhinan to turn down all film and variety offers for the next few months, intending to focus entirely on the stage. But then, in mid-month, an issue cropped up with Jiang Yu’s variety show.

Jiang Yu had been filming a travel slow-variety show called The World Is So Big—exactly what it sounded like: guests backpacking through different countries, visiting famous landmarks.

Things had been going smoothly until, two days into filming, one of the guests clashed with the production team and threw a tantrum, refusing to continue.

This guest was a wealthy heiress from a powerful family with a massive fanbase. After walking out, she led a smear campaign against the production team. Jiang Yu tried to find a replacement, but anyone with availability couldn’t match her caliber, and those who could match her caliber had no availability.

After searching high and low, he ended up looking to his own niece.

When your uncle’s in trouble, how can you not help? Even if you’re busy, you have to make time.

So Zhao Yu had Lin Zhinan rearrange her schedule and flew out to step in.

The show was already in its second episode, this time filming in Arles, France. Zhao Yu arrived in the morning, while the other guests were still at the previous location. Jiang Yu arranged for staff to meet her. After lunch, they took her to the train station.

The staff explained: “They don’t know who the new guest is yet. You can hide somewhere for now—if they don’t find you within ten minutes, there’ll be a penalty.”

Arles’ train station still retained its rustic charm—weathered tracks, lush greenery, and sun-drenched platforms like something out of an anime.

It was Zhao Yu’s first time here, and she looked around with genuine curiosity. “What kind of penalty?”

The staff knew she was the director’s niece and a big-name star here to save the day, so they didn’t dare give her a hard time. They answered honestly: “Their group budget will be docked.”

Zhao Yu raised an eyebrow at them. “So that means you’d be docking my money?”

Staff: “…………”

She pulled her cap down over her head and winked at them. “Alright, I got it. I’ll hide well.”

The staff left, glancing back nervously multiple times.

The train hadn’t arrived yet, so Zhao Yu wandered around. She’d been on so many variety shows over the years, but this was her first time on a travel slow-variety show.

This was the life—sunshine warm, breeze carrying the scent of leaves, comfortable climate, pleasant scenery. Stroll a bit, snap some photos—relaxing the body and mind while getting paid. She’d have to tell Lin Zhinan to line up more shows like this.

An elderly woman with silver hair and a floral shawl walked onto the platform, carrying a basket and slowly climbing the steps. In that moment, she looked like a figure from a French oil painting.

The elderly woman struggled with the steps. Zhao Yu crossed over in two quick strides and gently supported her arm.

She didn’t speak French, so she smiled and said in English, “Let me help you.”

The old woman smiled and nodded at her, whether she understood or not. Once she reached the top, she took a bright orange tangerine from her basket and handed it to Zhao Yu.

Zhao Yu’s eyes crinkled with a smile as she accepted it. “Thanks.”

The old woman gave a small wave, turned, and slowly shuffled away.

In the distance, a train whistle sounded. Zhao Yu glanced at the time and guessed it was probably the guests’ train arriving. She looked around, then crouched down by the platform.

Hiding didn’t really matter. She just wanted to eat her tangerine.

The train pulled in, and the platform grew crowded. Zhao Yu peeled the tangerine and popped a segment into her mouth. The juice burst—so sweet!

From behind a distant cylindrical pillar, the staff watched and silently bit their handkerchief.

We told you to find a place to hide, and you just crouch right there on the platform edge eating a tangerine—are you afraid they won’t find you?!

But the platform was crowded. Even though she wasn’t hiding, she wasn’t easy to spot, especially since the others didn’t even know if the new guest was male or female.

Zhao Yu ate her tangerine with total ease. Just as she popped the last segment into her mouth, a polite female voice came from beside her: “Excuse me, are you our new companion?”

Zhao Yu turned around with the tangerine still in her mouth and smiled up at her. “You guys are so slow—I’ve already finished my tangerine.”

The woman in front of her smiled back and extended her hand. “Hi, I’m Sheng Qiao.”

Zhao Yu stood up, stuffed the peel in her pocket, and grinned as she shook her hand. “I know—Huo Xi’s wife-fan, right?”

Sheng Qiao covered her face with a look of mock dismay.

After the greetings, the other guests gathered around one by one.

Besides Zhao Yu and Sheng Qiao, there were four other guests: sketch comedian Qi Lian, singer-dancer idol Li Yao, timeless TVB beauty Liang Qiuyu, and rookie idol Hu Ruiwen.

None of them expected the new guest to be Zhao Yu. They were surprised and thrilled—with her top-idol status, the show’s buzz and appeal would get a major boost. And she had a good personality, so there was no worry about another walkout.

Hu Ruiwen happened to be a Zhao Yu fan. The moment he saw her, he squealed in excitement: “Ahhhhh—it’s my idol!”

Zhao Yu still didn’t understand why she kept attracting kid fans—first Xia Yuan, now Hu Ruiwen.

Hu Ruiwen was even younger than Xia Yuan, a fresh newbie. He could barely contain his excitement but was also shy, his face red as he fidgeted and dared not come closer.

Zhao Yu grinned and threw an arm around his neck, pulling out her phone for a selfie with her little fan. “Say cheese—one, two, three!”

Before she arrived, the five guests had already filmed one episode. The diva who walked out had left everyone in a tense, awkward mood, so Zhao Yu’s arrival was crucial to turning things around.

She set the tone immediately with her warm, outgoing nature. With her cheerful greetings, the atmosphere was no longer awkward. Everyone quickly bonded and continued filming the new episode.