ITOTIABSAM | Entertainment Industry | 4
Gu Cong's acting skills were quite poor, at least that's how Xie Ye perceived it.
Nevertheless, he accepted the young man's tender gesture, lowering his head and pretending to be tired.
In pursuit of more interesting content, the production team assigned seats for the guests only after the live broadcast of the team-splitting. Xie Ye's seat was on the outer side, with Xue Minglang on the other side of the aisle – a clear setup for mischief.
However, Xie Ye only had one thing in mind: sleep.
There was no direct flight from China to S Country, and the entire journey would take about twenty hours. Having been accustomed to being airborne, he naturally understood the importance of conserving energy.
Half an hour later, the black-haired youth, covered with a small blanket, opened his eyes gently, "I can't sleep."
It wasn't due to the hushed conversations of other guests and main crew members; rather, it was the feeling of his mind being on edge, like having consumed too much coffee – both exhausted and alert, tossing and turning.
【Um, maybe you need some alcohol?】 When watching horror movies, the scariest moments are when someone suddenly makes a sound, causing post-fright relief. 1101 pressed pause, "Or I can secretly switch a few melatonin pills."
Trying to recruit someone into the team, especially in a quick-transmigration scenario, requires some sincerity. Moreover, basic supplies have always been inexpensive, and even if Xie Ye is a bit indifferent, he still enjoys some privileges in each small world.
Taking medication was certainly not an option, especially with so many people watching. In full view of everyone, Xie Ye, who had been suffering from a persistent headache since the beginning of his transmigrations, calmly ordered a glass of white wine.
He wasn't particularly interested in alcohol, but this body was accustomed to it. After drinking it in small sips at regular intervals, Xie Ye raised his hand, placed the glass down, and wiped his lips.
Beside him, Xue Minglang furrowed his brows.
He didn't like Xie Ye in this state – smoking, drinking, unable to endure even in front of the camera, emanating an aura of decadence from head to toe.
Su Qingyue, who was chatting with Jiang Lingling, also followed Xue Minglang's gaze. He had been bullied by Xie Ye a few times, and seeing this, he remained silent, just pursing his lips.
The guy who formed a team with Wei Yan was quite easy-going, named Qin Cheng. He was a newly promoted host for a fruit-themed variety show and was known for being straightforward in various entertainment programs.
Thinking that the timing was just right, he smoothly brought up a topic, "Xue-ge and Teacher Xie knew each other before?"
"Yeah." Understanding the routine of variety shows, Xue Minglang didn't want to elaborate too much, but he succinctly explained, "High school classmates."
The other protagonist in the conversation, however, showed no reaction. With closed eyes, his cheeks had a faint blush, resembling someone who was either drunk or asleep.
Still wearing the same shirt from the afternoon live broadcast, the black-haired youth had the collar slightly open. A large expanse of crimson seemed to spread along his neck to the collarbone. His forehead had a bit of disheveled hair, and yet his hands were clasped on his knees, in a manner that was hard to decipher – whether it was by design or just casual.
Only 1101 knew that its host, this insecure "lazy fish," needed to hold onto something to fall asleep.
Qin Cheng unconsciously lowered his voice, "Not in the same class?"
Xue Minglang: "Yeah, he had good grades."
After several rounds of hot searches, the label of "high school dropout" had already been attached to Xi Ye. Although what Xue Minglang said was true, it sounded somewhat sarcastic to outsiders.
Xi Ye "pretended to sleep." Whether it was true or not, discussing each other was never a good thing. Qin Cheng hinted at this and then shifted the conversation to other topics.
Among the eight guests, the most popular one was, of course, Su Qingyue. He was currently on the rise, and his family background was excellent. In comparison, the corner where Xi Ye was seemed even more desolate.
——This is also one of the reasons why Gu Cong's fans are dissatisfied with the pairing of the two. Being used as a stepping stone for debut and pushed out by the manager to make quick money is already pitiful enough. Now, being paired with a so-called senior with a dark past, there seems to be no worse situation than this.
What's even more frustrating is that Gu Cong chose this partner voluntarily, and there is no evidence of behind-the-scenes manipulation, leaving the fans with no outlet for their anger.
While fans are worried about Gu Cong, he is currently holding a pen and scribbling in a small notebook. His left hand is tapping almost silently, seemingly searching for a melodic rhythm.
When he comes back to reality, the cabin lights have already dimmed, and there is no more chatter around. The reclining chairs suggest that everyone might be asleep.
After several hours without drinking water, Gu Cong's throat feels a bit dry. However, he doesn't want to wake up Xi Ye, who is sitting on the outer side. So, he turns his gaze to a wine glass with a shallow layer of remaining liquid.
It should be fine if he doesn't drink where his lips touched, right?
However, just as Gu Cong cautiously touched the wine glass, a hand faintly stopped him:
"Little friend, no drinking."
How could a throat meant for singing be casually mistreated like his?
In the late-night cabin, Xi Ye's voice was very soft. Although Gu Cong wanted to retort that he was already an adult, when he met the narrow and sharp eyes of the young man, he couldn't say anything else.
Honestly, Gu Cong nodded, "Oh."
It was also because of this eye contact that he finally noticed the bloodshot veins scattered like a spider web in the young man's eyes under the dim light: "Brother Xi, did you not sleep well?"
Xi Ye: "More or less."
To be honest, his situation should not be described as not sleeping well; it's more like not sleeping at all. The insomnia that had troubled him for many years seemed to become even more severe with Gu Cong's arrival.
But Xi Ye was accustomed to such developments. With the label of a villainous character, who would have a good ending? Especially since each time he awakened was in the later stages of the plot, nearing the end of his life.
1101 was both anxious and distressed, "You just rely on being able to numb the pain."
Xi Ye rarely affirmed, "Indeed, because I don't want to love or please the protagonist."
1101: "You can act!"
Xi Ye: "I can't act it out."
1101: "I don't believe you, this is infuriating."
As for fighting against the protagonist, Xi Ye had played the role of the antagonist too many times and had grown tired of such clichéd plots. Just as Xi Ye was contemplating whether having a couple more drinks would help, Gu Cong suddenly handed him an earphone, "It's the sound of rain."
"How about we switch positions?"
Sharing earphones, even if they were wireless Bluetooth ones, seemed a bit too intimate. However, Gu Cong's gaze was open and straightforward, as if he had completely forgotten about the camera.
The relatively enclosed space on the inner side did indeed give a sense of security. After hesitating for a moment, Xi Ye nodded, "Thank you."
The young man, who had a serious expression just a moment ago, immediately broke into a smile.
The first-class cabin was spacious enough, and there was no extra noise when the two changed seats. Once the reclining chairs were unfolded, they turned into small beds. Xi Ye closed his eyes, leaned against the inner side, and listened to the gentle sound of rain. His limbs were no longer as stiff as they were before.
Although they were lying side by side, there was a highly private curtain between the reclining chairs, which could be chosen to be opened or closed. It happened to be at a distance that seemed close yet not too intimate, making it comfortable even for people of the opposite gender.
Both Xi Ye and Gu Cong were males, so they didn't use this feature initially. However, after a few dozen minutes, Gu Cong, who returned from the bathroom, noticed that the young man beside him had changed his sleeping position to lie on his side with his legs slightly curled up. Frowning and looking pleasing to the eye, he resembled a beautiful sleeper who was afraid of the cold.
Instinctively, Gu Cong bent down and reached out to help straighten the askew blanket for the sleeping youth.
But before he could touch the furry fabric, the sleeping young man accurately grabbed his wrist.
Having just washed his face with cold water, Gu Cong's skin felt cool. With his eyes lowered, he was regretting waking Xi Ye up by meddling in his affairs. However, under the soft night light, he saw the young man's furrowed brow gradually relaxing.
Even 1101 was shocked.
After encountering Gu Cong, Xi Ye's mental fluctuations were slowly stabilizing. It was no longer the kind of semi-conscious state that the body forcibly executed after excessive fatigue, but a genuine deep sleep.
Where did this kid come from?
It's not even a world with ABO dynamics.
And Gu Cong, being clueless as ever, was trapped by its host. Yet, he didn't struggle free. Instead, he maintained this awkward posture, sitting beneath the reclining chair's solid part with his back turned, foolishly offering his arm to someone else.
When Xie Ye regained consciousness, he didn't know how much time had passed. The sweet-smiling flight attendant was softly confirming everyone's meal choices.
The long-limbed young man sat on the floor with his legs crossed, looking somewhat like a large, pitiful dog. As soon as the "owner" woke up, he happily approached, "Teacher Xie."
"Are you hungry?"
With his palm against a pulse that was warm but didn't belong to him, Xie Ye finally realized what he had done.
He was very sensitive to gaze and could naturally sense many pairs of eyes watching them, either openly or covertly. Shaking his head, Xie Ye released his fingers, "Sorry."
Having slept for a full two hours, his complexion was much rosier than before, but his voice had a hint of hoarseness, as if there was a little hook hidden in it.
"No..." As Gu Cong began to speak, he stumbled, "My legs seem a bit weak."
"Xiao Gu treats people so well, it's tough for him with such a tall figure," with a teasing tone, Qin Cheng leaned forward from the front row, "Teacher Xie, are you feeling uncomfortable? You don't look very spirited."
Summing up Gu Cong's care for him as having a good personality, if Xie Ye were a fan of Gu Cong, he would surely be grateful.
In appreciation for the other party’s effort to help the little guy beside him speak, Xie Ye calmly responded, "I'm fine."
The director, desperately trying to reduce Xie Ye's low profile, was becoming increasingly anxious.
He spent a hefty sum to invite Xie Ye to participate in the program, hoping that Xie Ye would clash with Xue Minglang and Su Qingyue. However, unexpectedly, Xie Ye seemed like a different person, spending most of his time either sleeping or still sleeping.
Even Qin Cheng, a rising star in the hosting industry, found it difficult to extract more than a few words from him. What to do in the next few days?
The contract was signed, the live broadcast was aired, and at this point, they could only grit their teeth and continue filming. After the program team smoothly arrived at the hotel in S country, Gu Cong finally got the reward he had been eagerly anticipating:
The right to choose his room.
From standard rooms to presidential suites, there were a total of four categories, and according to the tasks provided by the program team, there was a chance to switch every two days.
If this reward fell into the hands of someone else, there would be no controversy. However, the director handed the small card representing privileges to Gu Cong instead of Xie Ye. As the youngest and least experienced among the guests, no matter how Gu Cong chose, he was likely to face criticism.
1101 couldn't help but sigh, "You two really share the same troubles."
As soon as it spoke, the host, who was usually indifferent to everything, suddenly approached, pinched two fingers together, and took the card from Gu Cong.
Indifferently, Xie Ye said, "Choosing a room, right?"
"I want the best one."
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