When they arrived at the filming location, they happened to run into someone who had just finished their shoot.Zoe recognized her—Qingqing, the permanent MC of The Weather is Great. Qingqing had become quite famous in recent years, largely due to the popularity of this show. She was extremely beautiful, with delicate features, the type of star that shone brightly on red carpets.Qingqing was surrounded by several people, and the two sides met at the door.Zoe stepped aside and smiled.Unexpectedly, Qingqing stopped and gave her a thoughtful look before smiling. "You're the flying guest today, right?"Zoe didn't expect Qingqing to greet her first.In this industry, there were clear hierarchies. Famous stars typically only mingled with other famous stars. Someone like Zoe, a third-tier artist, wasn't even in the same world. On camera, they could pretend to be friends, but off-camera, polite small talk was all that happened—anything more would be quickly forgotten and they'd become strangers again.Zoe had heard that Qingqing wasn't known for her good temper, so it surprised her that Qingqing would be the one to make the first move."Hello, Qingqing Jie, I'm Zoe." Zoe spoke up, addressing her as "sister" (Jie).Qingqing nodded and asked, "Are you here for the promo photos?""Yes," Zoe nodded and smiled sweetly.Qingqing responded, "Then hurry up and get them done. The recording will start soon, don't delay."With that, the pleasantries ended.After leaving the shooting site, Qingqing's smile faded."I heard that some paparazzi impersonated program staff and barged into Zoe's dressing room earlier," Qingqing's assistant shared the gossip.Qingqing's lips curled into a hint of a sarcastic smile. "Rumors about her dating Song Chi will definitely boost her popularity."...Before the formal recording began, the director arranged for all the guests to meet.There were four flying guests this episode—two were long-established celebrities, while Zoe and another young newcomer were still early in their careers.In the scene, everyone exchanged greetings in a friendly manner. When the cameras started rolling, they acted more warmly, as expected, since the greeting had to be re-enacted for the show. When it was Zoe's turn to appear, she ran into the frame with a sweet smile."Wow, I'm in love!""She's even more beautiful than in the photos!"
"She reminds me of my first love."
"Qingqing, get out of the way, I want to team up with Zoe today!"
The permanent MCs started making exaggerated gestures. Qingqing pretended to be annoyed and playfully hit someone. Zoe just smiled shyly, her sweet expression like that of a young girl walking through a campus, with sunlight streaming down on her."Welcome, Zoe!" the others cheered with laughter.After the opening segment, they all changed clothes and prepared for the first game segment.The program provided a temporary dressing room on set. There was a men's area and a women's area. This episode had two female permanent MCs: Qingqing and Yan. The flying guests were also two women: Zoe and the well-known singer, Quanying.The four women changed into workout clothes and gathered in front of the mirror to check their makeup and hair. Zoe was the last to emerge, and Qingqing was chatting and laughing with Quanying."Ying Jie, you've lost a bit of weight since I last saw you."Quanying, known for her straightforward personality, was applying lipstick. "Nonsense, I haven't lost any weight."Qingqing's expression faltered slightly, but she smiled and said, "No, you really look slimmer."Yan, casting a disdainful smile, glanced at Qingqing through the mirror. "Ying Jie isn't the type to like flattery. You should save your energy."Zoe's eyes widened in shock. She didn't dare step forward immediately.She had heard about the tension between Qingqing and Yan, but she didn't expect their relationship to be so bad off-camera, so much so that they openly exchanged barbs, no longer pretending to get along.Qingqing feigned innocence with a smile. "I wasn't flattering her. Ying Jie really looks slimmer."Zoe figured it was best to stay out of it and keep quiet.Just then, Qingqing turned to her. "Zoe, what do you think?"Zoe awkwardly smiled, only to notice that Yan was looking at her as well. Yan's gaze seemed to be testing her, curious to see which side she would take.Situations like this were the most troublesome.Even though Zoe had no stake in their argument, she was being silently pressured to take a side.In that brief moment, Zoe realized no matter what she said, she would offend someone. The only choice was to play dumb, acting clueless. "Huh? What?"She feigned ignorance, as if she hadn't heard their conversation."Aren't we leaving soon? The director said we should be ready in ten minutes." Qingqing and Yan both smiled slightly, but didn't speak further.At this moment, Quanying finished fixing her lipstick, placed it in her bag, and turned toward Zoe. "Oh, you're the one with the dating rumors about Song Chi, right?"Zoe politely stepped forward. "Ying Jie, hello, I'm Zoe."Quanying asked, "Are you two really dating?"Zoe shook her head, a bit helpless. "It's all made up by the paparazzi. I don't even know him."Quanying laughed heartily. "I knew it! These paparazzi have no shame, making up such nonsense."She waved it off. "Let's go once we're all ready. Don't keep everyone waiting." Zoe nodded and followed Quanying out of the small dressing room. Before leaving, she glanced back at Qingqing and Yan.Yan looked at her coldly, her gaze slightly rejecting.Was she being blamed for not picking a side earlier?Zoe chose to ignore it, smiled, and said to the two of them, "We'll head out first."