Superstar and Ordinary People Chapter 16

Author: Su Youbing

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Aaron Feng's scandal made Yimate gloomy from top to bottom.

At Yimate, Aaron Feng was a brother. Outside, he was the face of Yimate. When he had a scandal, it was the same as Yimate getting slapped hard on the face by people.

Ma Rui's mood these past few days was like falling to the bottom of a valley. The secretary was trembling in fear everyday. Going to work was like going to prison and getting off work was like escaping from prison. She had not updated in QQ for a long time for fear that she would accidentally get herself caught.

Xiao Bai was still running around TV stations, the company, the hospital, and home.

Although Gao Qin mentioned that he should check in a hotel, Xiao Bai refused.

This was because he thought that there was no information that could be scooped out from him. Even if he was blocked by reporters, they would have to stand by the doorstep for a while. He also decided to get up early in order to set this time aside and even those reporters had to follow suit.

However, the reporters were not able to uncover anything after several days. He repeatedly answered them with ‘I don't know', ‘Is it?', and ‘Really?!'…Even sages would get mad hearing these. As a result, after three days had past, it became peaceful and quiet downstairs of Xiao Bai's apartment.

Because Jia Zhiqing was hospitalized and Aaron Feng was detained, Xiao Bai and Gao Qin temporarily teamed up.

Gao Qin was obviously more efficient in work than Jia Zhiqing. Not only was the work methodical, but even the time on the road and the meals were counted and measured quite accurately. Xiao Bai apparently found that he had less and less time to use his brain in his life and his work schedule suddenly became tighter. Occasionally, he would even participate as a guest or whatnot in variety shows. It was a kind of show where many people participated. Even if he just stands on the side and not talk, he would not affect the entire guests of the show.

For instance, in the show ‘C-c-come', he had recorded in it twice in just two days.

Outside of the recording studio, Xiao Bai was getting ready to make a phone call to Gao Qin to report his whereabouts then he would go home.

Gao Qin's voice snapped from one end of the line to the other end, as if it was sprinting, “Go immediately to the studio on the third floor to participate in the show ‘Ping-Pong King'. Director Chen, the one who collaborated with you in ‘GO！GO！SU……SUPER STAR' before, is waiting for you. After that, he'll tell you what to do. Remember, don't refute the hosts, talk less, and smile more. Just smile and laugh all throughout the show.”

Gao Qin originally did not want him to substitute. After all, Yimate had been in a bad shape since Aaron Feng was detained. If Xiao Bai offends anyone, Ma Rui reckoned that he would really need to go and lie low god-knows-where.

However, the original guest stars, the Bagua Boys, met a car accident on their way there. It was said that their injuries were not minor and it was absolutely impossible for them to rush to the scene. One of the two hosts of ‘Ping-Pong King' was Li Mo, who was no less prestigious than Xiao Fuping's senior, and the other one was a popular entertainer, Zhong Yao. They were not some random figures, who could be treated lightly. They made a request and he was not able to reject it. On top of that, the live broadcasting was about to begin and it was really impossible to find a second suitable replacement.

After thinking it over, he still felt uneasy. He hung up the phone, immediately put his coat on, and went outside.

Ever since Aaron Feng became king, Gao Qin had rarely been as concerned as these days.

When he thought about this, he could not help but curse again——that fellow who was doing prison time.

Gao Qin hurried to the studio and the recording had begun.

Xiao Bai was a little nervous when he was sandwiched between the two hosts. The first time he became a host, he was like a newborn calf that was not afraid of a tiger. Now, the deeper he dove into this, the more that he realized that there were many things that he needed to pay attention to.

‘Ping-Pong King' was divided into two segments.

One was a ping-pong dual match between the guests and the hosts.

In the role setting, Li Mo was the king of lousy games; basically playing in ten rounds and losing in all ten. Zhong Yao was the king of war; often playing the role of turning defeat into victory.

The game adopted a three-game-two-win system. Li Mo and Zhong Yao each played a game with the guests. If there was one victory and one defeat, Zhong Yao would make it to the final battle. Since Li Mo had never won and Zhong Yao rarely lost, the segment generally could be dragged into three games.

However, Xiao Bai was an exception.

He even had a hard time serving, but Chen Fei did not worry about the time at all because Xiao Bai spent a lot of time in picking up the ball.

Li Mo and Zhong Yao were laughing there on the side as they looked at his awkward posture. They laughed until they fell down.

Xiao Bai remembered what Gao Qin said. When they laughed, he also laughed. When they fell down, he continued to laugh.

Eventually, Zhong Yao could not help but ask, “Xiao Bai, what are you laughing at?”

Xiao Bai replied, “Nothing.”

Zhong Yao opened his eyes wide and asked, “There's nothing to laugh at but you're still laughing?”

Xiao Bai replied, “Because there's nothing that I laugh.”

Li Mo, on one side, laughed at Zhong Yao and said, “It's because you're really nothing, that's why he's laughing.”

Zhong Yao retorted, “Unlike how you behave. You have everything you could ever dream of, but you have a mistress yeah?”

Li Mo fumed with anger. “Is this how you talk to your senior? Don't you know your Sister-in-law's watching every episode? If she happens to hear this, it'll cause an uproar in our family!”

Zhong Yao laughed and said, “That's alright. Just now, Sister-in-law was watching Xiao Bai pick up the ball and had fallen asleep. “

Li Mo asked, “Then what should I do if she watches the replay?”

Zhong Yao responded, “If that's the case, she'll just fall asleep once again.”

The game was unsurprisingly won by the host team.

Zhong Yao sighed and said, “This one's the easiest win for me.”

Li Mo spoke, “This one's the hardest win for me.”

Zhong Yao asked in astonishment, “Hardest?”

Li Mo answered, “Because I've never won before. I thought I've no more chance in this lifetime…” Speaking of excitement, he suddenly knelt on the ground and shouted, “Thank God! Thanks to Xiao Bai's dad and mom! Your son's a good person.”

Zhong Yao asked, “Aren't you afraid that Sister-in-law's watching now?”

“Didn't you say she's already sleeping?” He stood up.

“But she was just awakened by your roar.”

Li Mo shrugged and said, “Let it be. I often kneel at home anyway. She should feel nothing new.”

Zhong Yao turned to Xiao Bai and asked, “Do you know what will happen if you lose in ping-pong?”

Xiao Bai nodded. “I must accept the punishment.”

Zhong Yao touched his chin. “What's a good punishment for you?”

Li Mo urged, “Let him run to the streets, jump around, and striptease. What do you think?”

Zhong Yao responded, “Our show should be pure, positive, progressive, healthy, and educational.”

Li Mo almost fainted. “What educational significance can playing ping-pong have?”

“It teaches us that no matter if we wanna fight or not, we must fight well. Don't give up on doing things halfway. Strive for the top or you'll end up miserable.” Zhong Yao clenched his fist and his face was resolute.

Li Mo sighed with emotion and said, “You really can swindle.”

Zhong Yao laughed and said, “I rely on swindling to make a living.”

Li Mo asked, “Then what about me?”

“You rely on putting on a show and exposing your and Sister-in-law's secrets.”

Li Mo forced a smile and asked, “Why do I have to get mixed up in such tragedy?”

“This is the difference between someone with a well-developed mind and someone with well-developed limbs.”

“I seem to be your senior. Wouldn't it be going too far if you talk like this?”

Zhong Yao immediately bowed solemnly and said, “My apologies.”

Li Mo placed his hand on top of his head. “I forgive you on behalf of God.”

“Can't we begin punishing Xiao Bai already?”

“Yeah, what punishment have you prepared?”

Zhong Yao answered, “This is Xiao Bai's first visit here. We shouldn't overdo it so that he won't avoid us if he sees us in the future.”

Li Mo said, “Yeah, throw a long line to catch a big fish.”

“I decided to…let him call a friend of the same gender casually, then confess to him. And he can't disclose that he's doing a show.”

Li Mo added, “You're not allowed to call your manager.” He pointed at Gao Qin. “Look, the manager's in here.”

The cameraman immediately gave Gao Qin a shot.

Zhong Yao took a phone speaker from the staff and said, “Hurry up and think it over. Who are you planning to call?”

Xiao Bai opened the phone book in his phone and found that there were only four lone numbers in it.

Jia Zhiqing: a manager—crossed out.

Gao Qin: a manager—crossed out.

Aaron Feng: in the detention center—crossed out.

Only Yan Su'ang's number was left. This was saved when they finished eating malatang. Yan Su'ang, himself, saved his number in Xiao Bai's contacts.

Zhong Yao snuck a peek, immediately gasped, and then stomped his feet in excitement. “Our ratings will soar today!”

Baffled, Li Mo asked, “Why?”

Zhong Yao responded, “I saw that person's name.”

“Who?”

Zhong Yao sneakily got close to Li Mo's ear and whispered it.

Li Mo exaggeratedly gasped. “Do you think he'll call him?”

Zhong Yao snickered. “He only has four numbers in his phone book, two managers.”

Li Mo said, “Then there's a fifty-percent chance.”

Aaron Feng's incident was a scandal. Of course, Zhong Yao would not speak out in front of Yimate's top manager and artist. He only vaguely said, “I feel very, very hopeful.”

Li Mo asked Xiao Bai, “Are you ready?”

Xiao Bai nodded.

Zhong Yao plugged the phone into the speaker, and said excitedly, “Then hurry up.”

Xiao Bai tapped on Yan Su'ang's name, and then the call key.

The phone rang twice and was picked up.

Yan Su'ang clear voice came through from the other end of the line, “Xiao Bai?”

Zhong Yao and Li Mo hugged and danced tango together.

Xiao Bai hesitated to speak, “Hmn.”

“What's the matter?” Yan Su'ang's pronunciation was very clear.

Zhong Yao grabbed the reminder board from Chen Fei's hand and pointed out the word ‘confession' on it.

Xiao Bai blushed inexplicably. “I…I wanna, I wanna say…”

Zhong Yao and Li Mo desperately used hand gestures to urge him.

“You wanna?” Yan Su'ang paused, then he laughed and said, “Wanna invite me for a meal?”

Zhong Yao and Li Mo faced each other and desperately mouthed the word ‘meal'.

“No.” When Xiao Bai saw Gao Qin frown slightly, his heart tightened and the words rushed out of his mouth without even realizing it, “I wanna confess to you.”

Zhong Yao and Li Mo once again hugged each other.

Yan Su'ang was in a trance for six seconds before hesitating to ask, “Are you participating in a variety show?”

Zhong Yao and Li Mo exaggeratedly opened their mouths, and then desperately raised their thumbs.

“Don't tell me it's ‘Ping-Pong King'?” Yan Su'ang laughed.

Xiao Bai stared blankly, then he instinctively said, “Yes.”

Zhong Yao asked, “Yan Sua'ang, how do you feel about Xiao Bai's confession?”

Yan Su'ang laughed and answered, “Don't you think it's missing some roses and a candlelight dinner?”

Li Mo answered, “I'll make a call now to have it prepared right away.”

The sound of the TV came through from the other end of the line.

Zhong Yao immediately waved to the camera, “Do you see me?”

Yan Su'ang laughed and said, “Yeah, your clothes are a bit big. They aren't yours, are they?”

“Yeah, it was Xiao Fuping's, thirty years ago.” Zhong Yao turned around. “It's still in a very good condition, huh.”

Li Mo exaggeratedly said, “You actually wear antiques when filming shows. Be careful not to get robbed.”

Zhong Yao touched his forehead and sighed, “Even if it's not antique, there are many people who strips my clothes off on the road. I'm used to it.”

Li Mo asked, “There are many people who strip your clothes off. Then what should we let Yan Su'ang do?”

Yan Su'ang laughed and said, “I'll go there to take his clothes off.”

Zhong Yao acted coy and said, “You don't have to be so direct. Xiao Bai will get jealous.”

Li Mo covered his face and said, “God, why did I ever become your partner.”

Zhong Yao stuck his tongue out, then he laughed and said, “Thank you, Yan Su'ang. Do you wanna confess one more time, Xiao Bai?”

Xiao Bai quickly shook his head.

After hanging up the phone, Yan Su'ang's heart could not calm down for a long time.

What he had to admit was that when Xiao Bai made his confession, he was moved. It was more nerve-racking and intense than falling in love for the first time. His mind went blank. If Gao Qin had not texted him in advance and told him that Xiao Bai was doing a show, he might have exposed his true feelings.

Fortunately…fortunately, Gao Qin was in the studio.

He stretched his hand out to grab the red wine bottle with some fear, but he slipped it all of a sudden. He spread his hand out, only to find that his palm was already wet.

Chapter end