Uneasy daily life

Bai Ying shook her head and sighed, saying, "If you want an interview, come with me. The director's dilapidated version of the dark room is quite suitable."

Without giving the other party a chance to reply, the white figure had already strolled away, and Nanjo Fumika quickly followed.

Mai Sakurajima rubbed the corner of her mouth and continued to ponder the lines and characters.

This reporter is in for a rough time if he runs into a hater.

……

At the table in the small dark room, Nanjo Fumika and Shirokage sat facing each other.

As soon as Nanjo Fumika sat down, she got straight to the point: "I heard from the director that Bai's younger brother seems to have had some interaction with the original author in a foreign country?"

Yes, the bait thrown out by the director of "The Untamed" is very tempting.

"Aunt Nanjo, there are actually some things I want to ask you. How about we exchange questions?"

Bai Ying said, "I want to know the specific details of Mai Sakurajima's family, the kind of information that isn't available on personal wikis online."

“Oh…” Nanjo Fumika said meaningfully, “This is a private matter that Ms. Sakurajima cares about very much. When we weren’t close before, I mentioned it casually and she immediately gave me a yellow card warning and then a red card and sent me off.”

"You mean it's not a good time to talk here?" Bai Ying said knowingly. "I didn't expect Aunt Nanjo to be so bold as to want to talk in front of the Hero Pluko. Then let's set off."

"Hero Plus?"

"Mai Sakurajima."

Nanjo Fumika stared intently at the white figure. "Are you really that thrill-seeking?"

Bai Ying said in a deep voice, "Want to give it a try? Let's bet on who she kills first."

"Ms. Sakurajima comes from a single-parent family; her parents are divorced."

"Guan Gu encountered trouble after going abroad, and I happened to save him."

"...Sakurajima's father remarried, while she has always lived with her mother."

"What led to Brother Guan Gu going abroad was precisely the content of this movie."

Fumika Nanjo decided to drop a bombshell: "The child born to Sakurajima's father after his remarriage is only one year younger than Sakurajima."

The white figure began to think as quickly as lightning.

The woman carried the child for ten months and gave birth, meaning Mai Sakurajima was only a few months old... It's almost a definite case of infidelity... Sakurajima's mother is now around thirty-seven years old, and she gave birth to Mai Sakurajima at the legal marriage age of twenty. It can be described as premarital pregnancy, shotgun wedding, and her husband cheating on her and divorcing her shortly after she gave birth...

The expectation in her eyes, and that deep-seated resentment... what was she competing against? She didn't remarry, raising Sakurajima Mai alone, and was exceptionally strong-willed... She worked hard to cultivate Sakurajima Mai into a star idol... Competition is inevitable among peers...

[Sakurajima Mai and her junior who is one year younger than her].

Bai Ying took out her phone, tapped a few times, and raised an eyebrow, saying, "Feng Bin and Hua?"

Nanjo Fumika's brow twitched, and she mumbled, "What are you talking about..."

"Hmm, it seems to be Toyohama and Hana—her favorite actress is Sakurajima Mai… Her surname is Toyohama, not Sakurajima. Is Sakurajima Mai's father a serial cheater who divorced and married into the family?"

The internet is so convenient.

Bai Ying tapped her phone and pulled out the people from the blacklist.

[Bai Liang Bai Ying: Feng Bin and Hua.]

[Sakurajima Mai is the best: What are you talking about?]

[Bai Liang Bai Ying: My name is Feng Bin He Hua.]

[Sakurajima Mai is the best: Nishi-chan!]

Chapter Nine: Who Understands Mai Sakurajima?

Was I scammed?

Nanjo Fumika's eyes twitched. No, she should say that she had underestimated the other party's deductive ability and the amount of information the other party possessed. Her own words, which implied that Sakurajima Mai's father had cheated on her, directly became the piece of the puzzle that led to the deduction of everything.

"Ahem, why did Brother Bai become a screenwriter? Was it because of his relationship with the original author, Guan Gu Jun?"

Bai Ying chose to temporarily set aside a certain fan and replied, "It's mainly because the director paid a lot."

"Director Okita's films are not well received in various community reviews. What are your thoughts on this?"

"I admire the first person and countless others who ate shit. They knew it was shit, they called it shit, they bravely ate it, and after eating it, they cursed how disgusting it was."

"...Um, does that mean Brother Bai doesn't think it's a good idea?"

"Aunt Nanjo, do you really care how much your own TV station makes? Everyone's just doing things for money, who cares about that kind of thing?"

"Alright, let's get back to the original question. I've given you some exclusive news, so how about you give me some exclusive news in return?"

"The director became obsessed and reported his father for hiding money in order to squeeze more investment in the film."

"This isn't the kind of news that will get me a cease and desist letter..."

"I understand, why risk your life just to make a living?"

"Ahem! The original novel for this film is 'Them.' As the screenwriter, what do you think of the adaptation?"

"At least the names are the same."

"?"

……

Nanjo Fumika finished the interview, feeling she had gathered a lot of information, but it wouldn't be suitable to publish it without some editing. She put away her pen and paper, rubbed her forehead, and asked with considerable curiosity, "Why does Shiro want to know about Miss Sakurajima's family issues?"

Bai Ying said, "Because I'm a hater of Mai Sakurajima."

Fumika Nanjo: "?"

Have I suddenly become an accomplice?

“Unfortunately, there’s nothing to criticize about this kind of news,” Bai Ying said with a hint of regret. “Even if it’s posted online, it will only bring more sympathy and pity to Sakurajima Mai, enhancing her aura as an idol. People will say she’s really beautiful, strong, and tragic—tsk, foolish humans.”

“Younger Brother Bai is really a strange person,” Nanjo Fumika said subtly. “Knowing Sakurajima as I do, if this kind of news were to circulate online, she would definitely be very angry and upset…”

"Of course." Bai Ying said in shock, "Are you going to expose this online? Could you please say it again? I'll record it now so I can prove my innocence later."

"No, no, no, how could that be!" Nanjo Fumika quickly said, "When this kind of thing came to light, I kept it to myself. Didn't Shiro-kun consider himself a hater?"

Bai Ying asked curiously, "Of course I'm a hater. As a hater, how can I allow a celebrity to have positive labels attached to them?"

Nanjo Fumika paused, thinking about it and it seemed to make sense, but something still felt a little strange.

There's no need to worry about the information you release causing you any trouble. In fact, for such a popular celebrity, it's not a problem for industry insiders to uncover some of their family issues, but if it spreads through newspapers and radio stations, then it becomes a problem for them. As an individual, knowing this kind of information doesn't have the influence to cause much trouble.

"Thank you, Brother Bai, for accepting the interview."

After saying goodbye, Fumika Nanjo left the small, dark room with a hole in it. After a moment's thought, she raised her hand and took a picture of the room.

Director Masashi Okita and his little dark room is quite an interesting anecdote in the industry.

"Mr. Okita, why is there a hole in your little dark room this time?"

Fumika Nanjo interviewed a director who was reviewing materials on her way to the interview.

“Hmm…” Okita said in a deep voice, “Miss reporter, is there a hole in the little dark room? That’s not a hole, it’s a door.”

Nanjo Fumika said without changing her expression, "I'm all ears."

"Dreams, love, perseverance, courage, and enlightenment—that's not a hole, it's a door with so many other names. If the door disappears, those things will also disappear, leaving behind an ugly, deep, and unfillable void."

"Mr. Okita, you're in even better shape than before. I'm really looking forward to your film this time. Is Mr. Okita planning to release it this summer?"

"Yes."

After briefly interviewing the others, Fumika Nanjo noticed it was almost lunchtime and focused her attention on today's key tasks.

Interview with Mai Sakurajima.

On set, Mai Sakurajima, her mother, and Fumika Nanjo temporarily left together.

Bai Ying withdrew her gaze and turned her attention to the fan who had been left unattended for quite some time and whose message had nearly reached 99+.

[Sakurajima Mai is the best: Answer me! Are you dead or not?!]

[Bai Liang and Bai Ying: He Hua, don't get so excited.]

[Sakurajima Mai is the best: Don't call me that so intimately! Who are you? What's your relationship with Mai-san?!]

[Bai Liang Bai Ying: My relationship with Mai is definitely closer than that with Ms. Feng Bin.]

[Sakurajima Mai is the best: You're lying! You're just a stupid hater of Mai-san! How could you possibly be close to Mai-san?!]

[Bai Liang and Bai Ying: Miss Feng Bin doesn't understand Mai at all. Where does she get the audacity to be so arrogant? Ridiculous.]

[Sakurajima Mai is the best: You don't understand! I'm my sister's sister!]

[Bai Liang Bai Ying: My half-sister, rationally speaking, should be even further from Mai than I, a hater, am, right?]

[Sakurajima Mai is the best: You're a reporter?!]

[Bai Liang Bai Ying: No. What I mean is, I know more about Mai than you do. Just give up and stop spouting nonsense.]

[Bai Liang Bai Ying: Mai stepped on me, but did she step on you? Hahahaha!]

[Sakurajima Mai is the best: I've watched all of her shows and movies!]

[Bai Liang Bai Ying: I not only watched it, but I also discussed it with Mai!]

The attack begins with 'your performance in this movie, blah blah blah'.

[Sakurajima Mai is the best: I've written so many letters to my sister!]

[Bai Liang Bai Ying: Writing letters? I always talk to her in person.]

[Sakurajima Mai is the best: I'm my older sister's biggest fan!]

[Bai Liang Bai Ying: Then let me show Mai your past statements for her evaluation. Tsk tsk tsk, look closely, we even had a keyboard battle before... Wow, what "so beautiful," what "most dazzling," what "Miss Mai is my faith for life"... You're so powerful.]

[Sakurajima Mai is the best: No!!]

[Bai Liang Bai Ying: "The Story of My Sister Being My Obsessive Fan"—if it were written as a light novel, it might become a hit?]

[Sakurajima Mai is the best: I'm not Toyohama Kazuka! You guessed wrong!]

[Sakurajima Mai is the best: Who the hell are you?!]

[Bai Liang Bai Ying: I am Feng Bin He Hua.]

[Sakurajima Mai is the best: I'm not kidding you!!]

[Bai Liang Bai Ying: You're not Feng Bin He Hua, how do you know I'm not Feng Bin He Hua?]

There was a moment of silence on the other end. Bai Ying did some quick calculations and estimated that three cups must have been smashed or rolled ten times before the other party sent a message.

[Sakurajima Mai is the best: I'm Toyohama Kazuka! Who are you? What's your relationship with my sister? Tell me the truth!]

[Bai Liang and Bai Ying: Just a moment.]

Who is this guy?! Which young idol who worked with the older sister and then fell for her? A talented but immoral and shameless villain? A seemingly mature and composed but actually scheming old director who wants to seduce a younger woman? An investor who tries to humiliate people with money?!

During a break from dance practice, Toyohama and Hana sat in a corner, gritting their teeth and trying to figure out who the other was.

Judging from this account's past posts, it's clearly a hater. Approaching the older sister definitely harbors malicious intentions!

The account belongs to a male!

Feng Bin and Hua were worried when suddenly they saw that the other party had sent them an audio file. She frowned, put on her wireless headphones, and clicked play.

Mai, are you free?

Feng Bin and Hua scrunched up their little faces like dried plums. "Is he really a man?! How dare you! Who gave you permission to call me 'older sister' so intimately! So greasy!"

[I'm working on the character... And you! What strange thing are you doing now?]

Without a doubt, this is my sister's voice! Why is her voice so gentle, her emotions so affectionate, and her words so intimate?!

The alarm bells rang loudly inside Feng Bin and Hua's brains.

Hehe~ Let some people be a little jealous, you keep busy.

The audio stopped abruptly, but the echo lingered in my mind.

Toyohama Kazuka spoke with the force of someone about to smash their phone.