Bian Li first glanced around. He Xuyi had his head down and wasn’t paying attention. A couple of assistants in the dressing room were sitting on low stools nearby, playing with their phones. No one seemed to care about this corner.
After calming herself down, Bian Li cleared her throat and coughed lightly. “No… absolutely not. I didn’t even know you’d still be participating in this show,” she said, nodding as if to convince herself.
She wasn’t so well-informed as to know everyone’s schedules like a fan would.
Bian Li thought her explanation was airtight, but she didn’t realize how many loopholes it left open.
He Yunxing raised an eyebrow slightly. “From your tone, if you had known it was me, would you still be hiding?”
His outfit today was striking. Because they were filming a variety show, his makeup further accentuated his already sharp features. His sword-like eyebrows and starry eyes stood out even more, and the cool angles of his face seemed chiseled.
When his eyes were slightly narrowed, they resembled a deep, icy pond reflecting faint starlight.
When he looked at someone directly, it felt like peach blossoms bursting forth, each gaze hitting its mark.
Bian Li’s face grew warm as a sudden thought surfaced. Without hesitation, she grabbed her small bag from the dressing table, rummaged through it, and pulled out a thick, brick-like item as if offering a treasure.
She extended her hand toward He Yunxing. “Here, this is the limited edition of our new album, signed by me. It’s for you.”
She had kept a few signed copies ready to give away for moments like this. Today was the perfect time to use one as a shield.
He Yunxing said nothing, reaching out to take the album. It was thick, with a light gold casing and a sturdy shell. The design was beautiful, pink accents blending into the gold.
The limited edition packaging was far more luxurious than the standard version. At the top of the cover was Bian Li’s signature.
Unlike the flamboyant scrawls of most celebrities, her handwriting was neat, round, and meticulous, with every stroke carefully done. She had even added a tiny, adorable pear at the end.
He Yunxing looked at her for a moment before speaking slowly. “Are you trying to bribe me with this?”
“Can’t I?” Bian Li asked, sneaking a glance at him after finishing her question.
“Sure,” He Yunxing replied smoothly. “But if you try to avoid me again next time, I won’t be so easy to talk to.”
“Do you think I’m that easy to deal with?” He added, flexing his wrist lazily as he leaned back in his seat. His relaxed, casual demeanor carried a hint of mischief.
Bian Li pouted slightly, muttering internally, ‘If only you were that easy to deal with.’
The makeup artist soon returned, her gaze flickering briefly to He Yunxing sitting nearby before she busied herself with Bian Li’s final touch-ups.
Bian Li tilted her head slightly upward, letting the makeup artist work. Her elegant swan neck formed a graceful arc under the lights.
He Yunxing seemed to be watching but not fully. He propped his head on one hand, his posture languid and his eyes half-closed, as if he were about to fall asleep.
When the makeup was done, the makeup artist smiled, tapping Bian Li lightly on the head. “You really deserve the name ‘human peach’. I love working on little faces like yours.”
Bian Li laughed. “I love hearing compliments like that, sister. More, please?”
The makeup artist chuckled, patting her arm before packing up. “I’d love to, but I’m busy. Off you go now.”
Once the makeup artist left, Bian Li turned, only to find He Yunxing staring at her blankly.
Gone was the sleepy, disinterested look from before. His gaze was sharp, focused, and unreadable.
Summoning her courage, Bian Li asked, “Why are you always staring at me?”
He Yunxing smiled faintly, his tone light, almost floating. “Because you’re beautiful.”
***
He Yunxing’s parting words still echoed in Bian Li’s mind when the variety show began recording.
The first segment was team selection: three to five people per team for later challenges.
Team leaders were determined by off-site fan votes. The rankings would reveal the top half of the list, and those outside the rankings would be chosen next.
Predictably, the popular boy group members dominated the upper ranks, leaving little chance for the girls.
Unsurprisingly, He Yunxing ranked first.
The host stood center stage, gesturing toward the screen behind him with a smile. “Our Little He will go first! Pick someone who isn’t in the rankings.”
He Yunxing nodded, taking the microphone and sweeping his gaze across the group.
Except for a few boys, the remaining participants were girl group members.
Around Bian Li, there were audible gasps of anticipation, followed by an almost eerie silence. Everyone held their breath, waiting for his choice.
Bian Li stared at her toes, unable to look up. A strange premonition gnawed at her—she felt like he was going to call her name.
The moment stretched, and then He Yunxing spoke.
“I want Bian Li.”
His clear voice, amplified by the microphone, resonated across the recording studio. The words traveled through the stage’s sleek floors, up into her headset, sharp and unmistakable.
So close. So clear. So unambiguous.
The field fell into silence for two seconds, followed by thunderous applause and a fresh wave of excited cheers that seemed to reverberate through the air.
The envious gazes and murmurs of admiration surrounding her were hard to ignore. Bian Li couldn’t deny that in this moment, amidst the applause and attention, being chosen felt exhilarating.
She loved beauty, both in herself and others, and she enjoyed being appreciated. To be recognized by someone like He Yunxing wasn’t bad at all.
But “want”? Why use that word?
Suppressing her inner thoughts, she walked toward He Yunxing. Thankfully, the distance wasn’t far, and she reached him in just a few steps.
The host, with his usual bright smile, looked between the two. “So, Yunxing, why did you choose our Fei Fei?”
He Yunxing held the microphone casually and answered without much thought, “From the same company.”
The host chuckled knowingly and shifted his attention to He Xuyi, who stood ranked second. “And what about you, Little He? Do you have a partner in mind?”
He Xuyi’s expression remained calm as he declined to choose anyone new.
When pressed for a reason, he replied simply, “We already have enough people. No need to add more.”
Bian Li nodded in agreement. “Makes sense,” she murmured, echoing his sentiment. She then added confidently, “Yes, we’re from the same company, so working together will be easy for us.”
The host seemed amused, throwing another question her way. “You all seem to get along well. Is that the secret to your teamwork?”
Bian Li smiled brightly at the main camera, her tone sincere. “Not quite. It’s more about not wanting to embarrass our company. Our boss always emphasizes unity, after all.”
Her answer made the host laugh heartily, and after lingering on them for a while longer, he moved on to briefly interview the other contestants. It seemed likely that during the final edit, most of the others would barely get any screen time.
With the cameras momentarily focused elsewhere, Bian Li lightly tapped the ground with her toes and turned to He Yunxing. “But what if we can’t cooperate well later?”
He Yunxing glanced down at her, his gaze steady and unyielding. “Do you think I’m difficult to work with?”
Caught off guard, Bian Li vaguely nodded, then quickly clarified, “No, that’s not what I meant. I just… I’m worried I might mess up when it really matters.”
Although she had prepared thoroughly, she knew her performance often hinged on nerves and luck.
Collaborating with a popular boy group brought added pressure. One slip, and she could already imagine the fans picking her apart mercilessly.
“It’s just a game. No need to take it so seriously,” He Xuyi interjected unexpectedly. Though he had been silent before, his calm tone offered a sense of reassurance.
Bian Li’s shoulders relaxed. “Okay, I’ll just stick close to you guys. Big brothers, please protect me!”
He Yunxing raised an eyebrow, the teasing smirk playing at his lips returning. “Protect you? Fine…”
He deliberately dragged out the last word, his voice taking on a playful edge. “But only if you beg me.”
Bian Li froze for a moment, incredulous.
‘Beg you? Beg for what? A shovel?!’
She snorted twice in response, refusing to dignify his comment with a reply.
Before He Yunxing could push further, an assistant director hurried over to brief them on the next phase of the competition.
The task was to select a team uniform that matched their group’s characteristics, making it easier for others to identify them during the challenges.
As Bian Li listened, she couldn’t help but whisper, “All this prep work for just a few minutes of screen time? What a waste.”
Still, she understood that it was part of the process.
Initially indifferent to the uniforms, her interest was piqued when the staff laid out the options. Each one was cuter than the last, with vibrant colors and appealing designs.
Bian Li’s eyes sparkled as she picked up a few pieces, her excitement evident. She turned to the two boys, her gaze landing on them like dandelion seeds finally finding a place to rest after drifting through the breeze.
He Yunxing once again felt that familiar, dangerous edge—the feeling of being on the verge of losing control.
In the next second, as if on cue, Bian Li picked up a piece of clothing and held it up against herself. “Let’s choose this for our team uniform! It’s super beautiful and a little cute!”
The design featured a colorful, hollowed-out image on the front: a soft and adorable little rabbit digging for a carrot. The carrot was still half-buried in the soil, and the rabbit, with its innocent expression, seemed to be trying its best.
But, of course, none of this was the main point.
The ‘super beautiful and a little cute’ uniform Bian Li had chosen was a delicate tender pink.
The girl’s excitement bubbled over as she clasped her hands together, practically begging. “This is it! This is it! Let’s go with this one!”
He Xuyi frowned, his disapproval evident. “I don’t—”
Before he could finish, he was cut off.
He Yunxing spoke slowly, his tone steady and deliberate. “Okay, this one.”
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