Chapter 26 – The scene of death from embarrassment

Translator: kirie

Proofreader: celare

Editor: alexie

Taking advantage of the favorable situation from the trailer, Yang Yi reached an agreement with the platform again to have Ji Zhinong appear in front of the media as the male lead of Treading on Orchids.

She told Zhinong to do well and prepared answers to interview questions for him. The front-row reporters had also been warned not to purposefully make things difficult for him. As long as Ji Zhinong cooperated well, he would complete the first step of the “whitening process” properly.

Wen Che really didn’t want to admit that he was “whitening” himself; after all, that dark history had nothing to do with him to begin with. But not going through the whitening was equivalent to him being unable to raise his head like he had a criminal record, so he could only obey Yang Yi’s arrangements.

Before he went onstage, Yang Yi went over the script with him again. Because of Ji Zhinong’s disastrous last public appearance from last year of him blabbering, Yang Yi warned him again and again, “Answer according to the script. Don’t improvise on your own. This is a live stream. If you say something wrong, it’ll be very troublesome.”

Ji Zhinong: “Don’t worry, I won’t mess up.”

Yang Yi called the makeup artist to tidy Zhinong’s bangs again.

There were also some other celebrities with no lack of the most outstanding of the recently popular ones backstage.

Yang Yi paid special attention to the other assistants’ profound expressions when they looked at Zhinong. So they were all paying attention to Ji Zhinong’s outfit today.

Today, he’d worn a white poplin shirt with an openwork collar. Fastened on his front chest pocket was a blue gem triangle. The logo was too eye-catching, and with a sideways glance, passersby could tell that this was from the international high-end luxury brand QW’s new season.

This brand was famous for being picky. Even Wen Che might not have been able to borrow their clothes back then.

But now the complete set was being worn by Ji Zhinong, the tentative no-name celebrity. They were probably suspecting that Ji Zhinong wore a high quality replica, but the texture and lustre of the gem didn’t seem like those of an imitation.

At this time, Qin Xiaohuo brought a gift box over, a bracelet from the QW jewelry branch inside. When the makeup artist helped Zhinong wear it, Yang Yi intentionally warned her, “Be careful. That’s several hundred thousand on his hand.”

This was spoken for the ones watching the excitement to hear, naturally.

She wanted them to know that Ji Zhinong wasn’t just the true young master of the Ji family, but also that everything he wore was from top high luxury brands——no one could look down on him.

Zhinong felt like it was a little overdramatic, but Yang Yi simply thought that he didn’t understand as a kid. She advised him earnestly, “Li Shaoyao borrowed these high luxury things precisely to keep up appearances. Of course they should be made the best use of.”

Yang Yi had good intentions. In the previous years, when Wen Che still had unremarkable supporting roles, he was bullied backstage quite a lot. She’d come across every kind of evil while following Wen Che the entire time. Naturally, she understood the ways of the world best.

She said quietly, “Don’t be fooled by the beautiful appearance. You don’t know what sort of filth is hidden beneath.”

When she said this, she never would have thought that in the next moment, it would directly happen to Zhinong.

According to the original arrangements, Ji Zhinong would go on stage when the investment meeting came to its middle.

When there were only ten minutes left before he went onstage, Li Shaoyao called him.

Zhinong picked up, and a caring voice came from the other side. “You’re not nervous, right?”

Wen Che had experienced this kind of occasion hundreds, if not thousands, of times. Even though he had become Ji Zhinong, he still didn’t know what nervousness was.

But he felt some warmth well up in his heart being cared for by Li Shaoyao like that.

“No. I’m going on stage soon.”

“Uh-hm. I really can’t make time today.” Li Shaoyao’s voice suddenly became farther away, seeming like he handled some resolution verbally. Afterwards, his voice became clear again. “Did you like the clothes and accessories I sent?”

“It was pretty nice. But how did you borrow it? Or maybe I should ask, why were they willing to lend it to me, an….”

An unqualified no-name celebrity.

“I’m friendly with QW’s Director of Design. They’ve seen your photo before, and they also think you’re fitting. How is it? Do you like it?”

“I do. It’s just that it’s a little too eye-catching.”

“Exactly, I wanted you to shine today.” Li Shaoyao seemed to be in a good mood. “If you like it, I’ll have someone buy this set.”

“!!!” Buying this set would require at least ten million yuan¹approximately 1,550,000 usd!

“I’m not that particular about my clothes normally. Don’t randomly waste money.”

Li Shaoyao answered while smiling, “Okay. I’ll listen to you.”

“When it comes to your part, I’ll watch the livestream.” He hesitated, then urged him, “Listen to Yang Yi obediently. Don’t blabber like you did before.”

“…okay.”

Wen Che agreed properly on the surface, but he was actually complaining crazily in his mind. How unreliable was the original Ji Zhinong for so many people to expect him to mess up?!

At least, the Ji Zhinong he was in control of definitely wouldn’t mess up!

“Next, let’s welcome Ji Zhinong on stage.”

The emcee’s voice drifted backstage. Ji Zhinong took the microphone, making an “OK” gesture behind his back at Yang Yi and the rest.

Yang Yi received this message and smiled knowingly.

No matter how insiders who had interacted with Zhinong evaluated him, at least, her current perspective was that Ji Zhinong wasn’t as “immature” as they said he was nor was he as “unpresentable.”

Most of the time, interacting with him made others feel comfortable. Yang Yi only felt that kind of comfort during the years she followed Wen Che.

In reality, Yang Yi really wanted to establish a “rich young master” persona with his Ji family background.

But this child liked to improvise freely and occasionally take advantage of being a flop to do whatever he wanted. He was too down-to-earth, but not without cuteness and sincerity, so she didn’t force Zhinong to act in front of his fans.

On stage, after the emcee chatted briefly with Zhinong, they entered the segment of media freely asking questions.

The reporters picked by the emcee to ask questions were only the reporters in the first row who were all on his side. All the questions weren‘t boring nor were they sharp. Besides, Ji Zhinong had prepared standard answers beforehand.

The reporter asked, “Are you getting along well with your colleagues in the production crew?”

The standard answer was, of course, to speak positively.

The reporter asked again, “In regards to the recent matter of Zhang Yunan changing his name, do you have anything you want to say? Did your family members express their opinions on this?”

Ji Zhinong smiled innocently. “I only heard about that a day after it happened. But I don’t think this is bad; after all, Yunan changed his surname under grandfather’s orders very early on. It’s just that he didn’t have the chance to share it publicly, that’s all.”

The implication was that no one forced Zhang Yunan to do it——although he did force Zhang Yunan to change his surname.

Reporter: “How is your relationship with Zhang Yunan?”

Zhinong put on a fake smile. “We’re all friends.”

Wen Che could still maintain the necessary bearing in front of others. But in front of Zhang Yunan, being able to smile while responding was already a lot of consideration.

The interview successfully ended, but just as the emcee was preparing to end this segment, the sound of a phone vibrating suddenly sounded.

It had been requested of all the reporters at the scene to silence their phones, but the twenty something phone vibrated without missing a second off stage one after another. The commotion directly overshadowed the emcee’s voice.

The emcee was also dumbfounded and glanced backstage in confusion. The staff were also baffled.

The reporters off stage first glanced at each other, and then a few reporters couldn’t resist the curiosity to check their phones. After seeing the contents, one of them gasped. This gasp was like a signal bomb, and all the reporters were sparked one by one. Very soon, it exploded into a frenzy.

Ji Zhinong was still standing on stage, confused about what was happening.

One of the reporters in the back row suddenly stood up and raised his phone, asking loudly, “Ji Zhinong, explain this video.”

Ji Zhinong’s vision was maintained very well because he was forced to drop out in high school. He could see small letters five meters away extremely clearly.

But at this moment, Wen Che wished that the original Ji Zhinong was blind!

“Is this person you? Mr. Ji?”

Wen Che’s mind was blank. Even if he had great experience, he had never faced this kind of extremely embarrassing situation!

He really wanted to grab the original Ji Zhinong and shake his shoulder wildly.

Ji Zhinong, just how many troubles have you left for me?!!!!

Author’s Note:

Little Wen Che’s mental journey after rebirth:

Stage 1: I seem to be a serious flop

Stage 2: I am a serious flop. I’m starting to let myself free

Stage 3: I’m becoming popular again?

Stage 4: I’m becoming a flop again？

Stage 5: Block it, hurry! I’m tired!

Translator’s Note:

Hello! Sorry this update is late 🙁 I was busy yesterday.

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  approximately 1,550,000 usd