Kan Hai watched nervously from the sidelines. Seeing Yan Qing like this, he couldn’t help but wonder if Yan Qing had failed to read any of the guest profiles he had given him earlier.
He had emphasized the importance of going through them before heading home, precisely to avoid any embarrassing situations like this. After all, he had been out of touch with this era for five years, and while he recognized Ni Li, this renowned actress, he might have had trouble with the other guests.
An assistant from the production team turned to him and asked, “Are you okay?”
Kan Hai wiped his forehead, which had broken into a cold sweat. “I’m fine.”
Ni Li was known for being difficult to approach. She had a commanding presence and a face that naturally commanded respect.
News reports had even mentioned that a few actors who played opposite her in films had nightmares because of her intimidating aura. Now, facing her questions, if Yan Qing couldn’t come up with an answer, it would be terribly awkward.
Ni Li’s expression carried a hint of amusement as she asked, “You don’t know, right?”
Yan Qing hesitated for a moment before answering, “I’ve watched your movies almost every year, and each one has its unique qualities. There isn’t one I didn’t like… But if I had to pick a particularly memorable one, it would be ‘Blue Mountains.'”
Ni Li was surprised, arching an eyebrow. “You like that one? I didn’t win any awards for ‘Blue Mountains.'”
Yan Qing replied, “While that may be true, compared to other movies with similar themes and genres, ‘Blue Mountains’ was truly eye-catching and outstanding. The underlying themes it subtly expressed felt profound. Especially the part where you played An Lanti during her emotional outburst – that performance was textbook level!”
As Yan Qing continued to speak, he became more animated, pointing out several impactful scenes from the movie. It was as if in his eyes, this avant-garde and exceptional film deserved an Oscar.
Not only did Ni Li’s expression change upon hearing this, but the audience watching was also stunned.
[I thought Yan Qing was just buttering her up… I didn’t expect him to have actually seen it?]
[He’s talking in such detail, it’s impossible that he knew Ni Li would ask him this in advance, right?]
[‘Blue Mountains’? I remember when that movie came out, it was harshly criticized by so many second-rate film critics in China. It didn’t even reach a billion at the box office. Yet, Yan Qing can discuss it in such detail. It seems he’s a true fan.]
[Yeah, others say ‘Blue Mountains’ is a disgrace to Sister Ni’s career.]
[Yan Qing’s comments are surprisingly reasonable. The themes ‘Blue Mountains’ tried to convey were already quite avant-garde. Listening to him, it actually sounds pretty good.]
[Added to my movie watchlist!]
After listening to Yan Qing’s remarks, Ni Li’s gaze toward him changed, and she smiled, “Well said.”
“It turns out that ‘Blue Mountains’ is my favorite too. I didn’t expect our tastes to align so well.”
“Really?” Yan Qing blushed slightly and awkwardly reached for his notebook and ballpoint pen. He asked, “Um, Teacher Ni Li- Sister Ni, can I have your autograph, please?” Perhaps it was because he was facing his most admired senior that he felt so bashful.
Ni Li smiled and asked, “Don’t you want a group photo?”
Yan Qing replied eagerly, “Yes!”
Ni Li glanced at Yan Qing’s phone screen and casually asked, “Is your phone wallpaper a family portrait?”
Yen Hing nodded and explained, “It’s a picture with my mom and dad. Actually, my mom has been a big fan of yours since she was young, so I had the chance to watch your movies from a young age—”
Ni Li’s temples twitched. “Alright, alright, I know you’ve been watching my movies since you were a kid. Hurry up and take the picture.”
They took several photos together, and after they finished, Yan Qing showed them to Ni Li to make sure she was satisfied before sending them to his mom.
When Yan Qing looked up, he saw Ni Li gazing at him with an appreciative expression. He was taken aback and asked, “What’s wrong, Ni Jie?”
Ni Li examined him seriously and said, “You’re very handsome.”
Ni Li found herself unable to get enough of Yan Qing’s face. His features, whether it was his eyes, nose, or hair, were harmonious, and when combined, they maximized each other’s strengths, creating a perfect balance. He was photogenic during the photoshoot, but compared to the photos, he was even more stunning in person.
Ni Li couldn’t help but smile and ask, “Can you tell me where you had this done? Your appearance looks so natural. Did you have any minor adjustments, or did you just get some botox or facial contouring?”
Yan Qing blushed and replied, “No! It’s all natural!”
Ni Li raised an eyebrow skeptically. “No? Then who did your makeup today? It looks like you’re not wearing any makeup at all.”
Yan Qing insisted, “I really didn’t wear any makeup today.”
Ni Li was half-believing, half-doubting. “Really?”
Yan Qing explained, “I’ve looked like this since I was a child. Let me show you some of my childhood photos.” He took out photos from his primary school, middle school, and university graduation, and his appearance in those photos almost perfectly matched his current look.
Ni Li couldn’t help but sigh with a hint of envy and said, “Kids these days are so good-looking… If you hadn’t said so, I would have thought you had some work done somewhere.”
The last two sentences she muttered under her breath left Yan Qing blushing even more vividly.
[Fvck, Ni Jie is truly fearless! She can say things that could offend half the entertainment industry!]
[Hahaha, Ni Jie’s status is unmatched. Even if she shook the heavens, Mr. Gu would probably be there to help clean up the mess.]
[Leaving everything else aside, Yan Qing is really handsome and stunning! *sobs* I don’t know whether to envy Mr. Wen or Yan Qing.]
[Have you seen the airport photos? They’re unbelievable!]
[Being here in person, I’ll say objectively that the photos of Yan Qing can’t capture even one-thousandth of his beauty! Everyone must see him in person!]
…
The two of them were meeting for the first time, but their personalities clicked, and they had a smooth conversation.
Ni Li, who had always been reserved and aloof, even went on to show her phone wallpaper and said, “This is a photo taken during my first date with Lao Gu.”
Yan Qing exclaimed, “Wow, Ni Jie, you haven’t changed at all. You’re still so beautiful!”
Ni Li smiled and then asked, “Do you have a photo with Jueli?”
A photo with Wen Jueli…
Just then, a voice rang out from afar and drew closer, saying, “Li Li, we’re ready.”
Ni Li turned her head and replied, “Okay.”
Yan Qing followed the voice and saw a middle-aged man walking ahead. It was the other person in the photo Nie Li had shown, her husband, Gu Siwei.
When Gu Siwei saw Yan Qing, he wore a friendly smile and said, “You must be the ‘Little Gentleman’ of Jueli, Yan Qing, right?” He extended his hand. “Hello, I’m Gu Siwei, Ni Li’s husband. Just call me Lao Gu.”
Yan Qing quickly shook his hand and said, “Hello, I know you. I’m Yan Qing.”
His gaze went past Gu Siwei’s broad shoulders and landed on the few people behind him. Yan Qing’s mind instantly froze. It was no surprise that he didn’t recognize anyone except Wen Jueli.
This was a problem. The guests on “5+28 Love” were all prominent figures from various fields. Not recognizing them was not only impolite but also very strange.
While Yan Qing was still thinking about how to introduce himself without embarrassing himself, the production team sent help.
The Chief director held a task card and said, “All the guests have arrived, so now I’ll officially announce the rules for the journey.”
Yan Qing breathed a sigh of relief.
Director Zhang distributed eight printed travel manuals to the guests.
“Next, the 28-day journey is about to begin. The plane will depart at 2:00 PM and arrive in the UK at 9:00 PM local time. The address of the hotel we’ve booked for you is in the envelope. As for how to get there, you’ll have to figure it out yourselves.”
Director Zhang waved the envelope in his hand and continued, “Inside, there’s a total of two thousand pounds, which will cover all your expenses for the first seven days in the first city.”
Someone couldn’t believe it and exclaimed, “Two thousand pounds? There are eight of us, won’t it be insufficient for food, accommodation, transportation, and entertainment?”
Director Zhang grinned and replied, “That’s why you need to allocate it reasonably among yourselves.” He handed the envelope to the guy who had raised the question. This guy had vibrant red hair.
Director Zhang added, “You’ll have to manage this two thousand pounds yourselves, and during the journey, you can only use the travel funds we provide. If you use your own money, it will be deducted from the travel funds.”
“By the way, during the 28-day journey, we will visit four different cities in different countries. If you have any funds left over at the end of the week, you can exchange them with our production team for euros, which will be added to the budget for the next city.”
Yan Qing opened the travel manual provided by the director. The itinerary was similar to the first season, and they had to check in at the designated tourist spots according to the instructions in the manual. Looking at the colorful silhouette photos, Yan Qing felt quite excited. Wasn’t this like going on a honeymoon with Wen Jueli?
However, his excitement was short-lived as Director Zhang brought out two basic cellphones.
“Now, please hand over your smartphones, tablets, or laptops from your person or bags to your respective agents. For the next 28 days, you can only communicate using these two basic cellphones.”
“Now, you have some time to contact your family and friends to make necessary arrangements,” Director Zhang added. “The plane will depart at 2:00 PM sharp.”
This rule of confiscating electronic devices was not present in the previous season. Some guests might be unwilling, but they had to comply. The guests dispersed in pairs and contacted their loved ones. Yan Qing also took the opportunity to breathe.
He first contacted Brother Wu, and fortunately, Wu had just woken up. Yan Qing briefly explained the situation and took down his overseas phone number, promising to contact him later. Then he posted a message on his social media: [No access to my phone for the next 28 days, don’t miss me too much. quq]
Afterward, he called his parents.
His mom had just finished a spa session and was surprised, saying, “What? What did you say?!
Yan Qing moved the phone a bit farther away. “The production team wants us to hand over our communication devices, Mom. I know both you and Dad will miss me… But this is my job, and I’ll miss you too.”
Mom, “No, you’re participating in a TV show, why didn’t you tell us about such a big thing beforehand?”
Yan Qing was a considerate son. “You and Dad were on a vacation on a remote island at that time. When I mentioned it, I didn’t want to spoil your vacation.”
Mom replied, “What could be more important than our son being on TV?”
Yan Qing was touched by her words, but then Mom said, “I’m going to check right away. Jueli is with you, right?”
Yan Qing: “…”
This was love spreading to the whole family, wasn’t it?
