Hearing this familiar voice, the four of them turned their heads and saw Shen Tingyan and Old Gao standing not far away.
The two of them seemed to have just passed by here.
Old Gao's plaid shirt was wrinkled, and the stubble on his chin was overgrown. He hadn't been home at all in the past few days and had lived here at camp. He hadn't bathed or changed his clothes, so he looked sloppy.
The man beside him was still dressed in clean and simple clothes. His long body stood tall in the sunlight after the rain.
In the next second, Gu Ling felt a shadow flash in his field of view.
By the time his mind returned, the young man who was still in front of him had already rushed up to Shen Tingyan.
The young man's voice called out excitedly, "Director Gao… Teacher Shen!"
...
Huang Xiaolin whispered, "He smiles and runs over as soon as he sees Teacher Shen…"
Meanwhile, he trembled when he saw this man.
Dou Mingjian coughed lightly. He nodded and deeply agreed.
Shen Tingyan might have a good-looking face and never raised his voice when scolding people, but people didn't dare get close…
Most participants only dared to stand a few steps away when seeing this man. No matter how well they performed during the rehearsal, they always felt like they had acted badly in front of the other person. They could only call out 'Teacher Shen' with a smile and a guilty conscience.
Only Xue Xiao would fly over without hesitation like a bird returning to his nest.
Gu Ling didn't speak.
He turned and looked ahead.
From a distance, under the dazzling sunshine, Shen Tingyan's expression was a bit difficult to distinguish.
Gu Ling felt that the other person glanced at him.
Then Shen Tingyan lowered his eyes and started talking to Xue Xiao in front of him.
...
Xue Xiao greeted the two of them and asked, "Teacher Shen, are you looking for me?"
Shen Tingyan glanced at the corner of the young man's lips in front of him. Xue Xiao's big eyes were looking at him expectantly, curious, and in a good mood… Shen Tingyan couldn't help his eyes wandering.
He was fine.
He passed here just now and inadvertently saw that scene. He didn't know why, but he stopped and called out.
Shen Tingyan was thinking again about what type of scene 'that scene' was.
This little light bulb just stood face to face with that man surnamed Gu and said something. What was so strange about it?
Why did he call the little light bulb over?
For the first time, Shen Tingyan even felt that he was strange.
His gaze drifted back, and he calmly dealt with the question in a casual manner, "It's nothing. Do you guys plan to go to rehearsal?"
Xue Xiao didn't think much about it and quickly nodded.
Old Gao remembered the problem of their group and said, "Oh yes, Fan Xue in your group has retired from the competition. You have to hurry up and rehearse again. Tomorrow, someone will appear to help play the role of Fan Xue in your group!"
Sure enough.
Xue Xiao nodded again. "Sorry to trouble you, Director Gao."
"Hey, what is the trouble?" Old Gao was very proud at this moment. Even if the General Administration talked to the show's crew, he could finally film this show well. "It is just that we disturbed you. You must not have been resting well these days, right?"
Before Xue Xiao could answer, Shen Tingyan suddenly looked at him and wondered, "You lost weight?"
Old Gao trembled and took a closer look.
It was really the case!
He was wondering why Xue Xiao was different from usual. He thought it was because the little guy didn't have a good rest. Then a closer look revealed that Xue Xiao's face was paler than usual, and his chin was also a bit pointed.
The original feeling of slight baby fat faded, and his face really became the size of a palm.
People felt pity when looking at him.
Old Gao's heart skipped a beat.
Did the things on the Internet in the past two days have such a big impact on him?
But yes… this time, it wasn't a one-sided scolding, but it still contained cyber violence. Xue Xiao wasn't a seasoned veteran of the entertainment industry. The psychological pressure he felt could be imagined.
Old Gao felt guilty.
At this moment, Dou Mingjian and the others came over and said, "Yes, he has been on a diet for the past few days for the next play."
Huh? Diet?
Old Gao was stunned.
Shen Tingyan also paused.
Xue Xiao said in an embarrassed manner, "Yes… it isn't because I didn't sleep well due to the things on the Internet. Old Gao, don't look at me like this…"
Shen Tingyan tilted his head slightly and asked in a lazy voice, "Is it because of the role of Lu Yu?"
Xue Xiao nodded.
Lu Yu was a terminal cancer patient who only had a short time left.
The illness was torture, and the treatment had also become torture. Under the torment of these days and nights, he had long lost his human form.
The effect that makeup could achieve was limited. Therefore, the actor who played Lu Yu in the original work had to adjust his image to a certain extent before filming started.
Xue Xiao's preparation time was only one week. No matter how he dieted, the effect he could achieve was limited. Even so, he still wanted to try it. This way, he would fit the role better.
Old Gao was a bit surprised when he heard this.
He knew that Xue Xiao was very serious about acting. He just hadn't expected Xue Xiao to be so serious. After all, this was just a variety show. What artist would toss his body like this for a short play that only lasted a few minutes?
Shen Tingyan was silent for a moment.
Xue Xiao was slightly startled.
He always felt that there was something wrong with Shen Tingyan's expression.
…Could it be that he was putting his efforts in the wrong direction?
He became uneasy.
This look fell into Shen Tingyan's eyes.
He finally opened his mouth and said, "I don't object to actors making certain changes in their living conditions in order to fit the role. However, it is impossible to become like the original actor, Teacher Li, within a week. You should pay attention to doing it in moderation."
Xue Xiao was stunned.
A sense of warmth emerged.
He sighed with relief and nodded with a smile. "I know… I'm not going to starve myself to the point where I can't act!"
In the last half of the sentence, he approached Shen Tingyan and spoke very quietly.
He was obviously an obedient person, but he had such a ghostly side.
But with such vitality, it didn't look like he would starve himself to death.
Shen Tingyan stared at him. Finally, he smiled. Almost without thinking, he raised a hand and rubbed Xue Xiao's head.
The moment this natural action came out—
Dou Mingjian, Huang Xiaolin, and Old Gao instantly had crossed eyes.
Gu Ling's gaze froze.
Xue Xiao's eyes widened, and his ears turned red.
Shen Tingyan himself froze.
He glanced at his hands calmly and then saw everyone's reactions. He wanted to take back this conditioned reflex action but…
His slender fingers moved.
He rubbed Xue Xiao's head twice until Xue Xiao's hair was a mess.
Xue Xiao couldn't help blushing and shouted, "Teacher Shen!"
He raised his hands, looking like he wanted to pull Shen Tingyan's hand down. However, he didn't dare to move Shen Tingyan.
Shen Tingyan instantly felt that his considerations were a bit redundant. What was wrong with rubbing the little lightbulb's head?
It felt good, and the reaction was cute.
He kneaded and rubbed. Then he really remembered something related to Xue Xiao and said lazily, "By the way, I have to pay you back later for that electric fan. I took it to the studio last time and left it there. It might take some time before I can go back and get it."
Xue Xiao replied while Shen Tingyan was still rubbing his head, "You can keep that small electric fan for your own use, Teacher Shen. But those clothes you let me borrow…"
Shen Tingyan raised an eyebrow. "If you give me the electric fan, you can keep those clothes to wear yourself."
"!' Xue Xiao instantly shook his head. "That isn't good… those clothes must be very expensive…"
Shen Tingyan said deliberately, "It isn't good to give me that electric fan. It must be very expensive."
Xue Xiao exclaimed, "That electric fan isn't expensive!"
Shen Tingyan told him, "Those clothes aren't expensive."
"!" Xue Xiao was shocked again. "Teacher Shen, I have checked this brand…!"
"Oh. Then I also checked the brand of that electric fan."
Xue Xiao: "??!!"
Where did the brand of the electric fan come from? It was simply bought by his mother at the night market. There wasn't even a trademark!
Xue Xiao struggled to push Shen Tingyan's hand up, panting while looking over. The man was watching him with a smile. There was a playful expression, and he was simply teasing Xue Xiao.
Xue Xiao complained again. "Teacher Shen…"
A faint voice came from the side. "Can the two of you not flirt like no one else is here?"
Xue Xiao was startled and turned his head. He saw that Huang Xiaolin and Dou Mingjian were crossed-eyed to the point where their eyes were stiff.
He belatedly blushed. He realized that he and Shen Tingyan were a bit like… um… like what?
In any case, they definitely weren't flirting.
Shen Tingyan glanced at them, completely unimpressed by the Old Gao's words. He turned back with a sneer and smiled at Xue Xiao. "Keep the clothes and talk about it later. Wear those clothes back and forth throughout the day and change them occasionally."
Xue Xiao didn't dare to resist now. He said, "Oh."
The 'barter' contract was successfully extended. Shen Tingyan was finally satisfied.
It seemed it was only at this time that he remembered what Xue Xiao and the others were here for. He said casually, "By the way, you guys have to rehearse, right? Then go for it."
Huang Xiaolin and Dou Mingjian suddenly woke up. "…Yes, there seems to be such a thing!"
The dumbfounded expressions of these two people made Shen Tingyan's amusement deepen.
At the same time, Xue Xiao felt… the hand covering his head was finally pulled away.
The moment when the fingertips were about to completely recede, the fingers finally ruffled his forehead hair gently.
It was like rubbing his head in the beginning.
It seemed inadvertent, a natural movement.
The fluffy black hair slid back along with this small movement. It followed the inertia of the hair roots and gently fell back on Xue Xiao's forehead.
For a moment, Xue Xiao was stunned by the scattered touch and closed his eyes.
He didn't see Shen Tingyan's expression clearly. He only heard the man say to him in a low voice, "Act well. Try to get the invitation card."
There was no need to be forced to abandon this path due to the squeezing of external forces.
Act well and stay here.
Rely on your own ability to rise up.
...
Xue Xiao watched the backs of the two people leave and couldn't recover for a long time.
…Did Shen Tingyan read all the public opinion on the Internet in the past two days?
He raised his hand and gently touched his hair.
He always felt like that touch was still there.
Xue Xiao lowered his head slightly, the corners of his lips curled up. It was a bit difficult to describe how he felt at this moment.
…Then he felt a hot gaze from the side.
He turned his head and found Huang Xiaolin and Dou Mingjian staring at him intently.
Xue Xiao asked again, "…Why are you looking at me like that?"
Huang Xiaolin told him, "Xiao Xiao, you are simply a brave man who has subdued the evil dragon!"
Xue Xiao: "?"
Dou Mingjian added, "Xiao, if I touch your head, can't I indirectly feel the evil dragon? Will Teacher Shen's touch kill me?"
Xue Xiao: "??"
The two of them pounced on Xue Xiao like hungry wolves. Xue Xiao screamed, turned around, and ran away.
The three of them laughed while playing around.
Gu Ling took one last look at Shen Tingyan's back before turning around silently.
...
On June 20th, the rehearsal for the second round of the competition officially began.