Qin Ran could tell that the group of girls weren't the type to be obsessive star-chasers, but they were too young. At their age, they were already daring enough to wander around hand-in-hand without any adults, and their destination was none other than a film studio. Clearly, they were infatuated with the world of celebrities. Since that was the case, she decided to offer them a "Star Experience Day," giving them a glimpse into the lives of celebrities. More importantly, she wanted them to understand that being an actor wasn't as easy as they might think.
The young fans exchanged glances, clearly tempted by Qin Ran's proposal.
Yu Shuman tugged at Qin Ran's sleeve, but Qin Ran, now in high spirits, brushed her off. Yu Shuman tried again, poking at Qin Ran. In the end, Yu Shuman grabbed Qin Ran's hand, holding it firmly in hers.
It didn't take long for Qin Ran's assistant to arrive. She wasn't alone. As a highly efficient assistant, she had already contacted a well-known director who was familiar with the older generation of stars. The assistant had swiftly negotiated a cooperation plan and brought the director over. The young fans each called their parents, and the assistant presented her identification and resume, followed by the director's introduction. After some careful verification and a real-time video call, the parents finally agreed to the plan.
Under normal circumstances, the parents wouldn't have been so easily convinced. Qin Ran had been prepared to step in herself. Although she wasn't particularly famous, there were photos and introductions about her available online. As the CEO of a company, she had a certain level of credibility.
However, the director's reputation clearly outweighed Qin Ran's. After the director made her appearance, the parents visibly relaxed.
Qin Ran entrusted the young fans to her assistant and the director, while she and Yu Shuman continued their day of shopping.
As they walked, Yu Shuman couldn't help but ask, "What made you think of doing this?"
"I just felt that they're too young and, since they're your fans, it's dangerous for them to be wandering around like this. Plus, now that they've had such a positive star-chasing experience, they might take it too far next time. I've already instructed the director to treat them like real actors, and not go easy on them just because they're young."
Yu Shuman laughed at Qin Ran's response. "You sound so mature. You're only a few years older than them."
Qin Ran blushed slightly, embarrassed. "Oh right, I'm still a young one too!"
They continued walking, stopping occasionally for snacks. Yu Shuman bought some stinky tofu, a small box with six black tofu cubes that cost her 20 yuan. She was almost heartbroken by the price. She took two skewers, one for herself and one for Qin Ran.
In the end, they only used one.
Yu Shuman offered a piece to Qin Ran, who simply pulled her scarf down and leaned forward, taking the tofu directly from Yu Shuman's hand. The tofu, sprinkled with sauce, garlic, and green onions, tasted surprisingly good despite its strong smell.
As Qin Ran ate, Yu Shuman took a piece for herself.
Though the price had been steep, the taste wasn't bad, which somewhat eased Yu Shuman's heartache.
They visited several iconic locations from popular childhood dramas, taking a few photos along the way. Yu Shuman, naturally photogenic, looked stunning even in the most unflattering selfie angles. With one hand holding her phone and the other pulling down her scarf to reveal her beautiful face, she snapped picture after picture.
Qin Ran wasn't as fond of taking photos, but since she was with Yu Shuman, she went along with it. Holding a new snack, some spicy potato wedges, she flashed a toothy grin for the camera.
After wandering around for a while, neither of them had eaten lunch. The street food they'd been snacking on had filled them up. Yu Shuman, feeling a bit worried about the young fans, suggested they check on the filming location.
Naturally, Qin Ran agreed. She asked her assistant for the address, and they walked there together.
When they arrived, the young fans were already deep into filming. Judging by the costumes, it was a palace drama. It was clear that the director wasn't going easy on them—their headpieces were ridiculously heavy and likely straining their necks.
Yu Shuman, having worn similar costumes when she played a princess, could sympathize. Despite Qin Ran having custom-made her headpieces from lightweight materials, the strain had still taken its toll after consecutive days of filming.
These young girls, with no prior experience, must have been struggling even more, barely able to move their heads. And, of course, they couldn't move much, given that the director was watching their every move.
The director, who had been friendly on the phone, was now all business. Any slight misstep resulted in sharp rebukes. "You! Stop moving your head so much! Every time you move, your jewels shake! Is that how a princess or noblewoman should behave? Even a maid's hairpiece wouldn't shake that much!"
"Do you even know what a 'buyao' is? It's supposed to not shake, so why are you moving so much? Where's your poise?"
Nearby, Qin Ran's assistant was multitasking, running a remote meeting on her laptop. Her camera was the only one on, while the others remained muted with profile pictures. But the parents in the chat were very active, snacking on seeds and enjoying the show.
The parents had realized this experience wasn't just a fun day on set, but a valuable lesson that would hopefully curb their daughters' fantasies about the entertainment industry. Plus, their girls were all dolled up, playing significant roles. The parents were already imagining how proud they'd be when they shared the edited footage in family group chats.
By now, they had likely already bragged to friends and family: "You know that famous director from that one drama? My daughter happened to be at the film studio and got cast in a small role! I have to say, she looks just as good as the stars once she's dressed up!"
Standing on the sidelines, Qin Ran and Yu Shuman saw the group chat light up with messages:
[Director, don't hold back. If she doesn't listen, I'll discipline her!]
[The director's right. If you're going to act, you need proper posture. How can you act without it?]
At this point, even if the young fans wanted to escape, they couldn't. Yet none of them seemed eager to run. In fact, they were quite serious about their roles. They were acting out a palace drama, seemingly a remake of an old show. Some played concubines, others princesses, and some noblewomen. The director had indulged their desire to play important characters, not assigning any small roles.
He had even hired extras to play their maids, and the extras were all fully made-up, dressed in bright greens and reds. Some of the extras were even more attractive than the fans, further emphasizing the gap. These extras, many of whom aspired to break into the industry, were stunning, even as background actors.
It was hard to say whether the director wasn't doing this on purpose. Perhaps he had deliberately chosen these beautiful extras to show the young fans that the entertainment world wasn't all glitz and glamour—it was full of beautiful people, many of whom never made it. They were too young to be chasing stars like this, barely in middle school, sneaking off during winter break to wander so far from home without any parents.
Luckily for them, they had encountered people with decent intentions. Qin Ran and the director were willing to guide them through this experience, even teaching them some life lessons along the way. If they had run into the wrong crowd, they might have just been sent home by the police.
The fans hadn't had much time to review the script, so their lines were delivered awkwardly. One of the girls even started to tear up after being scolded by the director, her eyes turning red. Before the tears could fall, Qin Ran coolly remarked, "Don't cry. If you ruin your makeup, we'll have to redo it, and that'll just slow everything down."
Her words snapped the girl out of it, and she held back her tears.
Qin Ran and Yu Shuman stayed for a bit before leaving. Later that evening, they had dinner with the young fans, who were noticeably more tired and less excited than when they had first met. Still, the meal lifted their spirits. Qin Ran hadn't picked an overly expensive restaurant, just something in the 300-500 yuan range per person. Even so, the girls were delighted.
During dinner, Yu Shuman spoke to them directly. "I'm honored that you're all my fans, but I hope that, for now, you'll focus on your studies. Since you're my fans, you probably know that I'm a student at one of the top universities in the capital. As my fans, you've got to keep up!"
The young fans all promised to study hard once they got home.
As for whether they would ever sneak out to visit a film set again, it seemed unlikely. If they ever encountered another "helpful big sister" like Qin Ran, they might just end up with another unexpected lesson in life.
On the flight home, the fans chatted non-stop about their unusual experience, writing it all down and sharing it in their fan groups. Many expressed envy, while others, particularly the older members, gently reminded them, "Sister Man is right. You should focus on your studies first."
Watching the plane carrying the young fans take off, Qin Ran felt like she had just encountered not only Yu Shuman's five little fans but also the future leaders of the Qin-Yu CP fandom. She was sure she had left a lasting impression on them, and in the future, whenever they saw Yu Shuman, they would undoubtedly think of her too.
In a great mood, Qin Ran and Yu Shuman returned to their hotel.
Yu Shuman wasn't entirely sure why Qin Ran was so happy, but seeing her smile so brightly, she couldn't help but smile as well. In the elevator, they stood side by side, and Yu Shuman gently brushed Qin Ran's fingers with her own.
Qin Ran's ears turned red, but she still hooked her pinky around Yu Shuman's. When someone else entered the elevator, they subtly shifted closer to the back, exchanging a smile.
Qin Ran was beaming with joy now, but she had no idea that those five fans might just be thinking: I never want to run into Sister Man's "good friend" again.