Three Lives and Three Worlds [18]

Time flows like water, and soon the winter snow has faded away, replaced by the chirping of summer cicadas.

A production team for a variety show, accompanied by seven or eight big celebrities, ventures into the countryside. This year has seen a surge in the popularity of reality TV shows. It all started with “I Took My Parents on a Trip,” which shattered people’s idealized image of celebrity parents. Watching the aged faces of these actors and singers, who are usually seen as distant figures, cozying up to their parents like children, and enjoying the warmth of an ordinary family, gradually won the acceptance of netizens.

Gradually, some reality shows that shed pretenses and play pranks on celebrities began to emerge. One such show is “Yearning for Peach Blossom,” a large-scale documentary-style program focusing on daily life services. After the news of inviting Chu Run as a guest spread on Weibo, discussions erupted instantly.

Everyone knows the premise of this show – celebrities going to the countryside, embracing a rustic life, and becoming self-sufficient by farming, fishing, raising animals, hosting guests, and taking turns cooking, among other tasks.

Chu Run, a renowned celebrity who has been in the industry for ten years, known for his outstanding acting skills and a prominent position, has been a hot topic of discussion. However, he has often been criticized by the media for his temperament. Despite being capable of speaking politely, he never wraps his words in sweet honey, and his arrogant attitude has polarized opinions. Many people love him, but there are also many critics, and sometimes the number of fans and critics seems evenly matched, creating a unique phenomenon in the industry.

Everyone is wondering if this show will challenge the preconceived notions people have about him. Additionally, with a group of young and attractive men and women spending a month together in the countryside, it’s hard to believe there won’t be any romantic rumors. Among these four girls, three look at Chu Run with hopeful eyes, while the fourth maintains a cold expression but occasionally glances in his direction, revealing her true feelings.

Chu Run is unaware of what others are thinking. He walks along a muddy country road, pulling a suitcase behind him, followed by a young assistant. A cameraman walks in front of him, capturing his every move.

The young man on camera has single eyelids and narrow, attractive eyes. When he casually lifts his eyelids and gazes at someone, it’s easy to make that person fall for him, unable to resist the charm.

However, the next moment, his sharp-tongued remarks can break hearts. Afterward, there are three possible paths: first, those who accept this setup will like him more; second, those who can’t accept it will quietly step back and become casual fans; third, some may develop a love-hate relationship and become haters.

It seems that the third path is the one most people take.

“Chu Run, the countryside house we’re staying in only has six rooms, and the production team decided by drawing lots. You can only share a bed with someone else. Have you decided who you want to sleep with at night?”

Both the production team and netizens understand the situation. With seven people (three men and four women), Chu Run could have chosen to share a bed with two other male celebrities. However, it turned out that one of them had a previous conflict with him, and the other was known for snoring and grinding his teeth loudly while sleeping, disrupting others’ sleep. Considering Chu Run’s sensitivity to sleep disturbances, it’s evident that he wouldn’t choose either of them. Since the two male celebrities also refused to share a room, they had to draw lots to decide.

Chu Run unfortunately drew the only lot that meant sharing a room with someone else, making the upcoming choice all the more intriguing. Choosing a female celebrity would imply a constant stream of ambiguous rumors, while choosing a male celebrity would mean he’d have to tolerate a great deal. Given his usual temperament, could he handle it? This was undoubtedly a tantalizing point of interest for the show.

It’s unclear whether the drawing lots process was manipulated by the production team, but as soon as the news broke, fans erupted in anger and criticism online, directing their frustration toward the production team.

The cameraman seemed to understand the situation very well. If he happened to focus on a particular female celebrity even for a moment, it would likely lead to capturing their interactions, causing Chu Run to coldly smile. Just as he was about to retort to the camera, which was almost in his face, a youthful voice sounded.

“Chu, the big star, can I have your autograph?”

Both he and the cameraman simultaneously looked down to see a cute child. The child was looking up at them with sparkling, black, and bright eyes, holding their cheeks in their small hands. The radiance in their eyes was blinding, nearly blinding Chu Run.

“Do you know me?” Chu Run was surprised that a child from such a remote area recognized him. He wondered if the production team had sent a child actor.

He carefully observed the child in front of him. The child appeared well-groomed and had fair, translucent skin. They wore a pair of flip-flops, and their chubby arms were wrapped in a swim ring. They didn’t look like a rural child at all.

Chu Run didn’t mean to belittle rural areas, but this place was known for its poverty, with many left-behind children and empty-nest elderly. The children there were mostly aged between three to four years old, with dark skin and frail frames. It was said that only a few households in the entire village owned televisions. Since their arrival in the mountains, the villagers knew they were celebrities but often couldn’t recall their names. The child’s demeanor and appearance clearly set them apart from the local children.

“I do! I watch your TV dramas every year, and I really like you!” The child’s eyes were filled with stars, and their tone was exceptionally sincere.

However, the child’s older brother quickly approached, taking the child’s chubby hand and furrowing his brows. “Don’t talk to strangers. Haven’t you seen in TV shows how a piece of candy or a lollipop can lead a three or four-year-old child away, causing their parents to search frantically for them for more than ten years without any trace?”

“Big brother, he’s not a stranger; he’s a big celebrity!” The child became disobedient, struggling to free their hand from the young man’s strong grasp.

The young man raised an eyebrow, having more reason to advise, “You’re so young, why are you chasing after celebrities?”

The child was taken away like this, perhaps because they didn’t get an autograph. The little child’s white and tender face looked disappointed, being led by his older brother. He kept looking back as they walked away, but they could still hear their conversation.

“Follow me, don’t wander off,” the young man instructed, not feeling at ease. Even though this place was close to the county town, the public safety was only average, and there were many illegal activities happening. Traffickers liked to target children like Yin Minglu, who looked white and tender, as they could make a good profit by abducting them.

The child said earnestly, “Brother, do I look like the kind of three-year-old who would wander around aimlessly?”

The young man chuckled and ruffled the child’s small head, comforting him, “You’re right, you’re not three years old, you’re four.”

Hearing the young man’s casual response, the child immediately furrowed his delicate eyebrows and turned his small face into a pout, continuing to look back longingly at his favorite celebrity, his face filled with reluctance.

Yin Zhongyuan owned an entertainment company, and he had unclear connections with female celebrities and models. Moreover, his(YJ) birth mother was also involved in the entertainment industry, so even though Yin Jiyu didn’t pay much attention, he still knew a lot about the industry. It was the first time he had seen his younger brother Yin Minglu behave like such a devoted fan, and he couldn’t help but find it intriguing. He asked, “Do you really like him?”

“Yes! He’s handsome, kind-hearted, talented in acting, and has a good temper. He’s a very outstanding and inspiring person!” In the previous owner’s memories, Chu Run had played a significant role. He had not only helped when it was needed the most but also invested in a game when no one else believed in it, all without seeking anything in return. Even in the third life, he had spoken up for the struggling original owner, enduring attacks from the admirers of Yin Mingqin, which forced him to leave the country.

The original owner deeply remembered this kindness and vowed to repay it in the next life. Yin Minglu had promised to make Chu Run his lifelong idol.

The group of people following behind them were all stunned by what they heard. Yin Jiyu couldn’t help but ask, “When did you start wearing glasses?” They found his fan filter a bit too heavy, and he bent down, looking concerned at his brother’s big, bright eyes. He thought it would be a pity if he actually needed glasses.

Chu Run himself hadn’t expected to have such a glorious image in the eyes of a four-year-old child. For a moment, he didn’t know how to react—surprise, astonishment, but mostly indifference. He knew that this strong fan aura would gradually fade away as the child got to know him better. He had already gotten used to it.

And how could the words of a four-year-old child be taken seriously?

He had thought their meeting was a coincidence and had left a deep impression on the child, but little did he know that he would encounter him again just a few hours later.

It turned out that the child’s home was the only three-story villa in the village, located right next to the residential house they had chosen. It was really quite a coincidence.

When the group of people arrived, the child was still waving to them from the balcony, catching the attention of the production team. When they learned that the child was a fan of Chu Run, they were all surprised. They couldn’t believe that this guy not only had female fans but also had a live male fan, and one so young.

What surprised them even more was what happened next. The child pulled his tall father over and showed him some photos on his phone, apparently explaining something to his father.

The handsome father nodded, and soon an assistant came down to welcome them. They were offered plates of cut fruits and drinks, as well as a bunch of fresh vegetables and fruits, along with some practical daily necessities. There was also a butler-like figure who warmly welcomed them. In their daze, someone quietly searched Baidu for information and exclaimed, “That man is Yin Yunqiu!”

“Who is this? It sounds a bit familiar.” They were part of the entertainment industry and only knew the names of producers and big bosses.

“Take a look for yourselves; he’s a big shot!” The person excitedly showed their phone, revealing the name of the Chairman of Yinshi Group Limited, which invested in domestic smartphones, chain stores, mining, and gambling, and was ranked third on last year’s global Chinese wealthy list. “That child is the big shot’s son.”

And he’s the only heir! After inheriting the family fortune in the future, he’ll be a big shot too.

The person was astonished and full of envy towards Chu Run. To have such a significant and impressive young fan, everyone in the industry knew that younger fans could sometimes be the most loyal. As long as this young fan was willing to showcase his support, Chu Run would undoubtedly have a wealth of resources at his disposal in the future. He might even break through national boundaries and go international.

Chu Run’s young assistant held his phone, also displaying an excited expression, almost about to faint. In his free time, he loved playing games, and he had played “I Love Eating Fish” and other games by Yinshi. He had a favorable impression of Yinshi in general, but he never expected that he would encounter his idol and the idol’s young son just by accompanying his artist on a trip to the countryside. What kind of magical place was this? Even more astonishing was that the child’s idol was their own artist. What a dreamy connection! It was so heartwarming!

Chu Run paid no attention to the excited group of people around him. He lowered his head and looked at the child in front of him, who was blushing and gazing at him. Despite wearing a pair of small slippers, the child could still run over quickly. Chu Run asked warmly, “Would you like some fruit juice? I just made some!”

“Are you hungry?” Without waiting for an answer, he ran off again, opened the refrigerator, and rummaged inside. He returned with a bunch of ice cream and snacks, saying enthusiastically, “Help yourself.”

The scene was adorable, but because the other person was just a little baby, it made people feel that he was cute, lively, and sincere.

In reality, Chu Run didn’t like these kinds of snacks, but in order not to disappoint his young fan’s expectations, he silently accepted an ice cream from a foreign brand. Just as he was about to open the packaging, he heard the considerate words of the child, “I overheard your crew saying that there are no rooms available tonight. How about you sleep in my room? It’s very spacious!” My family has a three-story villa!

Chu Run: ???

Something seemed off about this whole situation. If it weren’t for the fact that the person in front of him was only four years old, he would have every reason to suspect that he had stumbled upon some invisible, obscure, and mysterious industry practices.

—

Author’s Note:
A typhoon is coming, and I’m a bit scared, so I’m going to the supermarket to stock up on food!
Thank you to the angels who voted for me or provided nourishing nutrients~

 

Love what you read? A little donation can go a long way!