Huayu Chunqiu, starting from being adopted by a fairy mother

Chapter 356 Game Black Hole (Seeking Monthly Tickets)

Liu Jing was drinking water when he choked on it.

When he saw Fan Bingbing crying during filming, he was indeed shocked and somewhat lost in thought.

Sisi has already argued with him about this.

If she weren't there, Liu Jing wouldn't care what she thought.

But with her around, Liu Jing's gaze lingered on other women for longer, which made her jealous.

"Director Jing, I suggest you get your Adam's apple speed tested," Li Weijia added.

Yang Mi added insult to injury, "Poor thing, it must have been tough on you. Everyone else on variety shows tells lies, but she tells the truth as a joke. She's really targeting you."

Tang Yan turned her head, pursed her lips, and looked at Liu Jing with a sympathetic expression.

She had long noticed that when Liu Jing looked at a beautiful woman, his Adam's apple wouldn't move, but his lips would purse. The tighter his lips were pursed, the more restless he felt inside.

Liu Shishi muttered, "I thought I was the only one who knew."

The host on stage cracked jokes, but Xixi was even better than He Jiong, keeping everyone on the edge of their seats.

Fan Xiaopang chuckled, "You know what, Xixi likes to test things out on set. Once, she took a magnifying glass and studied the direction of my tear stains. I was crying pretty hard, but she made it so I couldn't cry at all."

"No, it's just that when you cry, your left eye blinks a beat slower than your right. I was just curious," Sisi said with a smile.

Fan Xiaopang feigned anger and patted Qianqian, "You satisfied your curiosity and made me peel three pounds of onions."

The curiosity of the vast audience in front of the TV was also satisfied. The news of the discord between Fan Bingbing and Liu Yifei a few days ago was rampant, with all sorts of interpretations.

It seems that the two get along very well now, like sisters.

She is aloof and ethereal within the entertainment circle. She neither forms cliques nor makes enemies.

Rumors are just rumors, they can't be believed.

Zhao Shiyao, a member of the cast and crew of "Chinese Paladin 3," lamented, "For the first half of the month, they hyped up the discord between Liu Yifei and Fan Bingbing. Now, for the second half of the month, they're hyping up their sisterly relationship. They've taken all sorts of promotional tactics to a whole new level in terms of publicity."

"Haha, Mimi, Shishi, when we launch the 'Chinese Paladin 3' promotion, you two can also do some hype." Cai Yinong had an idea in mind and came up with a brilliant publicity plan.

The relationship between Liu Shishi and Yang Mi is complicated, so there shouldn't be too much hype surrounding them.

Yang Mi is now far more famous than Liu Shishi. If she were to create hype, it would benefit Liu Shishi more, and it wouldn't damage Liu Shishi's reputation.

"I'm afraid Shishi can't argue with me." Yang Mi smiled. It's good to create hype; as the hype goes on, her fame will rise.

Fan Xiaopang was still complaining, "I cried my eyes out, and Qianqian even asked me, 'Sister, how many tissues do humans use to wipe their tears?'"

Tang Yan laughed again, suspecting that the question wasn't about wiping away tears, but rather that Fan Xiaopang was using a more polite way of putting it.

“What’s that compared to what she sent me in the middle of the night? She sent me a PPT titled ‘Analysis of Human Micro-expression Vulnerabilities,’ with a very popular science title: ‘On the Weakness of a General: The Betrayal of the Adam’s apple and heartbeat.’” Liu Jing sighed.

Liu Jing found the interview rather boring, full of empty talk and little truth.

The audience listened with great interest. "Fairy Sister, I never knew you were like this! This isn't a celestial being, she's clearly a mischievous little devil!"

Liu Jing made some minor changes. Instead of sending it to him in the middle of the night, Qianqian placed the documents right in front of him and held his head to look at them.

The title wasn't even that; it was something like "On the Flaws of Wood: The Betrayal of Lips and Heartbeats," written like a graduation thesis.

Sisi's Adam's apple bobbed as she pointed to her neck. "Next time you're acting out a heartbeat scene, when the frequency exceeds the threshold, remember to cover it up with your hand. Scratch your head, touch your nose, or something, so I don't notice anything amiss."

"Is that so?" Fan Xiaopang touched her nose. She hadn't noticed Liu Jing's habit and thought he was joking. Not only her, but everyone else thought it was a joke.

Many people stared intently at Liu Jing's Adam's apple, which barely moved for several minutes and was barely noticeable when he spoke.

Wu Xin clutched her head, "My God! This demon must have a PhD!"

Xie Na rolled on the ground wailing, "My God, is this film crew from the Marvel Cinematic Universe? I want to join the crew too! I want to film 'Painted Skin'! I want to go and exorcise demons..."

He Jiong steered the conversation back to the topic, "Yifei, legend has it that a demon's eyes can bewitch souls. How did you act on set?"

“Sisi’s eyes don’t need acting,” Fan Xiaopang laughed.

"The director didn't think so, you know? He kept saying, 'Sisi, your eyes need to look like silk threads.' Then he demonstrated it for me, and oh my god, I felt like I'd been struck by lightning. A bewitching gaze can bewitch, but a director's gaze can kill," Sisi complained, suddenly making a dead fish-like face. "I was practicing, and then it turned out like this. The director even said to me, 'This isn't silk threads, it's Lanzhou noodles.' Mu Tou said I looked like I was about to have a stroke, Zhen Ge said this is what filming 'Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio' should be like, and Bingbing Jie said I..."

Fan Xiaopang laughed like a goose, rushing to answer, "Is this a soul-reaping device? This is an ambulance call."

"You can roll your eyes so beautifully? I need to call an ambulance too." Hai Tao looked dumbfounded.

"Nana, quickly call him a police car," He Jiong joked.

"Okay." Xie Na pretended to make a phone call, "Hello! Is this ***? There's a pervert here..."

"No! I can't bear to part with you all!" Hai Tao cried and wailed, and the audience laughed, seemingly enjoying his performance.

Liu Jing didn't quite understand, nor did he laugh.

Sisi's gaze was strange; it didn't look like she was looking at a pervert, but rather like she was looking at an idiot.

He Jiong asked Liu Jing, "The most ruthless aspect of 'Painted Skin' isn't the demon's claws, but the wavering of the human heart. Wang Sheng, the 'wooden man,' is arguably the most conflicted general in history. He loves Pei Rong, yet he harbors lust for Xiao Wei. How did you balance the torn feeling of responsibility and desire while acting?"

He Jiong initially called Liu Jing by his real name, but as time went on, his private nickname for him was gradually revealed.

Xie Na quickly asked, "I've always had a question, and many viewers are curious about it too: why do you call Liu Jing 'Wooden Head'?"

Everyone turned to look at Xixi. Xixi looked a little confused, and her baby voice betrayed her, "He... he was dull when he was little, like a block of wood."

Sisi was indeed confused. "Yeah, why is he called 'Wooden Head'? It seems like he's always been called that since he was little, and I've never thought about the reason."

"Parents all have high hopes for their children, hoping their sons will become dragons and their daughters will become phoenixes. They want me to become a pillar of the country, and they'll take me wherever there's a need for me," Liu Jing said as if it were the truth.

Sisi didn't know the reason, but that was definitely not the answer. You're not made of wood, you're a brick. You just waltz into whichever woman needs you.

"Their wishes have come true. They are young and promising, bringing glory to the country. You are now a pillar of the nation," He Jiong said with a smile.

"Let's talk about Wang Sheng instead," Qianqian said, unable to bear the conversation.

If He Jiong continues to promote him, Liu Jing will only further bolster his own image. The show has a lasting memory; if morals collapse one day, people will come back and watch this segment, and the criticism will be even harsher.

“Wang Sheng’s pain lies in his clarity, in knowingly sinking into depravity. He knows Pei Rong is his haven, but Xiao Wei is a raging storm, a temptation that is fatal. I often imagine myself standing on the edge of a cliff, one step forward is an abyss, one step back is shackles.” Liu Jing pondered for a moment, his eyelids lowered, and he gave a bitter smile. “So every time I look into Xiao Wei’s eyes, I am struggling, not enjoying it.”

Sisi fell silent, and those last few words seemed to be her true feelings. But you treat me like Pei Rong, and they're the real Xiao Wei, aren't they? When you're facing the Xiao Weis, you often take a step forward, and a big step at that.

"When Pei Rong realized you were wavering, there was a scene where you smashed a mirror. Bingbing, were you really smashing the mirror, or were you smashing the trust that had been betrayed?" He Jiong pressed.

Fat Bing organized her thoughts, her tone filled with grief and indignation, "That mirror is Wang Sheng's heart. It reflects my despair and also the shadow of a demon. Pei Rong smashed it to tell him. Look carefully, is there a human or a ghost under this skin? But the most painful thing is that even though the mirror is broken, she still wants to pick up the pieces, because that's the person she loved her whole life."

The entire room fell silent, seemingly moved by Fan Xiaopang's emotions.

"Yifei, when you smashed the mirror, was Xiaowei sneering in the shadows? Or do demons also feel pain?" He Jiong turned to Qianqian and asked.

"I don't know if the demon is in pain, but the mirror must be in a lot of pain," Sisi smiled.

Liu Jing let out a soft breath, and the atmosphere in the room relaxed again because of Qianqian's words.

"Haha, Sister Bingbing, what would you do if you met a man like that in real life?" Xie Na laughed.

"Get him as far away from me as possible..."

This segment ended with Liu Jing on tenterhooks, fearing that the two might have said something they shouldn't have. However, he was overthinking it; both of them were very sensible and far more experienced than him in the world of television programs.

He silently vowed never to participate in such interview programs again; they were just too exciting.

He didn't know whether the questioner was unintentional or whether the answerer was intentional, but he, the listener, took every word to heart.

He Jiong showed a prop, "This is the wine glass you used in the play, it contains poisoned wine."

Sisi leaned closer and smelled it. "This seems to be Sprite, right?"

"I mean...what if." This almost stumped He Jiong. Did your crew really use poisoned liquor?

"Hey Bingbing, how did you manage to act out that scene of drinking poison so tragically?" He Jiong asked.

"Sissi poured out White Flower Snake Grass Water, how could I not be tragic?" Fan Xiaopang even rolled his eyes at Sissi.

“Aren’t you from Qingdao? Everyone there loves to drink this. I specifically asked the director for it,” Sisi explained.

"I don't want to care about you."

"Yifei, I heard your special effects makeup takes five hours to do?" Li Weijia asked.

“Yeah, someone said my special effects makeup looks like a flattened soup dumpling.” Sisi glared at Liu Jing.

"Haha, whose soup dumplings look so good?" Xie Na laughed.

Fan Xiaopang revealed, "Every time Xixi put on special effects makeup, Liu Jing would sing to amuse her. 'Monster, monster, so strange, your face is covered in glue like a pot lid.' After he sang it so many times, when I was acting opposite Xixi, seeing Xixi's face would make me laugh out loud."

As soon as she finished speaking, the program played an audio recording of Liu Jing singing. Hearing the strange tone, everyone burst into laughter.

Liu Jing covered his face. Who provided these materials? I'm going to make things difficult for him.

With each person chiming in, interview programs are Sisi's comfort zone. Perhaps influenced by Teacher An since childhood, and with Liu Jing as her practice partner, her language expression skills are quite distinctive.

This is different from Yang Mi. She is not quick-witted, but has depth of thought, sincere expression, and a unique linguistic aesthetic, which forms her own distinctive identity.

His expressive style is calm yet powerful, with precise word choice and a knack for elevating the overall meaning.

It combines gentleness with firmness, employing both offense and defense to resolve sharp issues.

This is under normal circumstances. If he really goes crazy, Shu Chang is just a younger brother.

"Yifei, you have a few scenes with explicit content in the movie. Aren't you worried about it affecting your image as the 'Fairy Sister'?" Xie Na asked with some concern.

As soon as this question arose, the cheerful atmosphere in the room suddenly cooled down considerably.

The audience strained their ears, waiting for the answer.

The audience at the scene were fine, but when the program was recorded, "Painted Skin" had not yet been broadcast.

Viewers at home were very interested. In the two weeks since "Painted Skin" aired, it has sparked countless online debates due to its several explicit scenes.

When Li Guoli and Zhao Shiyao were discussing publicity and distribution, they consciously avoided this topic.

"Image? What image? I'm not some fairy goddess, nor am I an innocent beauty. I'm just an ordinary person. What ordinary people can accept, I can accept. What ordinary people can't accept, I can't accept either. Those few scenes in the play weren't that explicit. At most, I showed a shoulder and a thigh. Doesn't everyone experience summer? There were two scenes where I wore special costumes that made it look like I was naked, but they were actually more covered up than if I were wearing clothes." Sisi smiled.

“But many people call you ‘Fairy Sister’ and don’t want you to act in those kinds of dramas,” Wu Xin said.

“Labels are given by others, but the way we live our lives is our own choice. An actor's job isn't to live within those labels, but to use roles to unlock new possibilities.” Sisi, now quiet, gave a calm answer. She respected the audience's established memories while also demonstrating her desire to break through limitations.

Liu Jing was somewhat surprised; the production team had indeed discussed some of these questions before recording. Xixi didn't mind the host asking these questions, and she had prepared beforehand. This answer, however, was far more brilliant than any pre-prepared response.

"When Rush Hour 3 didn't do well at the box office, some people blamed you. When The Forbidden Kingdom was released, some people said it was because of you that the box office was affected. Some people even mocked you as box office poison. With Painted Skin about to be released, are you worried?" Xie Na asked.

"It's impossible not to worry. But before a seed sprouts, who cares about its journey underground? Everyone only remembers the brilliance of the flower." Sisi looked away, her gaze somewhat vacant. Liu Jing patted her arm, still a little concerned. However, the success of "Painted Skin" after its release was the best proof.

"Sisi has suffered a lot of abuse online. At her age, she has endured a lot that she shouldn't have to endure. But she has a good attitude and has always faced everything calmly." He Jiong's expression was full of heartache.

"Having received honors that many people don't have, I naturally have to endure insults that many people don't have. It's not that I have a good mentality; what they're saying is all false. Why should I let other people's faults make me sad?" Sisi tossed her hair and smiled brightly. "The wind may mess up your hair, but it can't shake the foundation of a mountain. No matter what they say, I'll remain steadfast."

"Didn't you take any measures against those haters and rumor-mongers? Did you just let them do this?" Wu Xin asked.

"What can you do? I eat while filming, and they eat too. My mother once asked me if we should take any measures. Later, I found out that this is a common profession for many people, and some are just unreasonable students. Later, I got too lazy to care. The innocent will clear themselves, and there's no need to waste time and energy on this. Even if you release more press releases, try to defend yourself, or try to guide people, those who like you will still like you. Those who dislike you will still dislike you. Everyone is a distinct individual, so just let them be."

The audience at the scene applauded, while viewers in front of their televisions sighed.

Some pondered, some praised, some scoffed; everyone has a vibrant world within their heart.

The appearance of the advertisement also signifies the end of the first stage.

The cast and crew of "Chinese Paladin 3"—twenty or thirty people in total—only then began to exchange words, having been attentively listening to Liu Yifei's answers to questions.

The interview was recorded for more than two hours, but only about twenty minutes were edited out.

There were quite a few questions, but not all of them were interesting; the production team only edited out a portion of them.

It could be a highlight, a funny moment, or a scene that sparks conversation.

The little lion sighed softly, deeply envying Liu Yifei's effortless performance on stage. If it were her, facing so many audience members, she probably wouldn't even be able to speak coherently.

"You have your own unique qualities. Don't envy others, and don't force yourself to become someone else." Liu Jing saw through his junior sister's thoughts, patted the little lion on the shoulder, and went outside for some fresh air.

He had just lit his cigarette and taken a couple of puffs when Tang Yan leaned closer, "Wood, is there any more down there?"

"Sister-in-law, did you not know last night?" Liu Jing flicked his cigarette ash.

Tang Yan's face instantly turned red. She had been sleeping soundly last night when she suddenly felt like she was being paralyzed by a ghost. After waking up, she didn't scream; someone had secretly gotten into bed again.

That's how it was the first time; afterwards, this guy seemed to have found it fun. He never came up with a fair fight, always resorting to sneak attacks.

Sometimes she was sleeping soundly, but the rogue's methods were so skillful that she wouldn't even realize it until they had already done *that* to her.

"If you call me sister-in-law again, believe me, I'll lock the door!" Tang Yan gritted her teeth; she was really into calling me that.

"Next is the game: finding Wang Sheng's true heart." Liu Jing stopped his antics; if he really locked the room, the room card in his hand would be useless.

"Tch! You really need to look carefully for your true feelings; I bet only Xixi can find them," Tang Yan mocked.

"You don't understand." Liu Jing exhaled a smoke ring, his expression leisurely.

"How did Sisi do?" Tang Yan asked curiously.

"Sister-in-law, it's a long story," Liu Jing sighed.

He thought back to the recording session; after an entire afternoon of filming, Sisi was practically a game black hole. He wondered how the production team would edit it; he figured many viewers would be quite surprised.

After the recording of the show ended, Sisi stated directly that she would not participate in variety shows with game segments in the future, as it would damage her image too much.

Liu Jing was puzzled. "Don't you care about your image?"
Sisi sighed, "I don't care about the image of the fairy sister, but I do care about Liu Yifei's image."

"Just kill yourself." Tang Yan snorted lightly, turning the eldest sister-in-law into the sister-in-law, and locking half of the door from the inside at night.

The two returned to the house just as the commercial ended.

"Dear viewers, welcome back. You're not mistaken, this is the recording studio of 'Happy Camp'." He Jiong's voice rang out, and the discussion in the room came to an end.

Everyone was surprised because Happy Camp has always been recorded indoors, usually on a stage with some props or simple sets.

"What is this?" Tang Yan was also surprised. She watched almost every episode of "Happy Camp" and this was the first time she had seen something like this.

"A maze that was built." Liu Jing didn't explain in detail, because He Jiong would explain it.

"Wow! The production team really went all out!" Wu Xin exclaimed.

“That’s Liu Jing.” Xie Na said with a smile.

"Behind me is a maze, divided into three areas: the Demon Mist Forest, the Human Dwelling, and the Hall of Choice. Clue points and mission points are set up inside," He Jiong explained, pointing to the maze behind him. Then he took out a card. "General Wang Sheng's true heart is trapped and he has become lost. You all need to help him find it, but some of you have been demonized and want to destroy it. Your mission is to find this heart and find the demonized Heart Destroyer."

"Everyone?" Hai Tao asked, puzzled.

"That's right! Not only will the three guests participate, but you will too. Liu Jing, as the key figure, has the task of finding true love, but initially he is confused and has limited information. Yi Fei and Bing Bing each represent a faction, and all the guests and hosts will be divided into two teams to join, then enter the maze to find clues. Finally, based on the descriptions of the two female guests and the clues they have, Liu Jing will determine who the Heartbreaker is. Whom he gives his heart to also represents Wang Sheng's final emotional inclination." He Jiong explained the rules.

"I choose Liu Yifei, she's a heartbreaker!" Xie Na shouted.

"Oh! Time to get off work..." He Jiong cheered.

"Let's go, let's go, Mu Tou is treating us tonight." Xie Na pretended to leave the stage.

"They're so stingy, there's no reason for them to let their guests pay," He Jiong said with a laugh.

"Nana, wait for me! Let's go see a movie tonight. I'll treat you to 'Painted Skin'." Wu Xin followed after her.

“You’re back. The main actors are all here. Where are you going to watch ‘Painted Skin’?” He Jiong quickly went over and pulled the two back. “Nana, the draw hasn’t happened yet. Anyone could be the Heartbreaker.”

"Teacher He, finding a heart is so difficult, can I apply to stop looking?" Liu Jing joked.

“You, Liu Jing, agree, but Wang Sheng disagrees,” He Jiong responded.

"Report, I want to be on the same team as Yifei..." Hai Tao quickly raised his hand.

"Sorry, our team is full." Xie Na stood next to Qianqian.

Amidst the playful banter, a beautiful woman carrying a box came onto the stage. Everyone drew lots randomly, but Liu Jing and He Jiong did not participate.

Liu Jing is a lone traveler, and He Jiong is an NPC.

After the draw, no one knew the results. Disputes arose regarding the team assignments, leading to quite a few dramatic scenes, making it impossible to determine the winners.

Finally, at He Jiong's suggestion, another draw was held. Xixi's team included Xie Na and Haitao, while Wu Xin and Wei Jia went to Fan Xiaopang's team.

After the division ended, He Jiong shouted, "Xiao Wei and Pei Rong, please escort General Wang Sheng to the maze. Make sure to protect his safety."

Liu Jing, watching TV, covered his eyes.

Just as Yang Mi was about to ask, she heard a cry of "Oh dear!" and quickly looked up at the TV.

On TV, Sisi was very confident, patting her chest, "Don't worry, Woody, you can't go wrong by following me. I have the latest navigation, I definitely won't lead you astray... Oh dear, there's another door, is this door trying to scam me? Woody, it's bullying me..."

There's a leather curtain at the entrance to the maze, behind which is a door, which is naturally closed.

She was too confident, forging ahead without hesitation. She lifted the leather curtain, ducked, and rushed in, only to bump her head into the door.

Everyone quickly asked Sisi how she was doing. She was fine; she had just bumped into something.

“This is the entrance to the maze, there’s a curtain, sister.” Liu Jing sighed.

"I'm not stupid, who would bang their head against a wall for no reason?" Qianqian said, feeling that Liu Jing was making sarcastic remarks.

"Hey lady, whose door has a hole in it?"

"Go by yourself. Teacher He, General Wang Sheng is capable enough, he doesn't need an escort."

(End of this chapter)