Zoe had no intention of analyzing the pros and cons brought by the changes of the times.
Caught in the tide, there's no way to turn back, only the full effort to ride the waves.
Once they arrived, Zoe got out of the car, met the host of the live stream in advance, exchanged pleasantries, and then went to do her makeup and styling.
The makeup artist was arranged by Lan, who had hired them through the company, and they waited for her in the lounge. As soon as they arrived, they immediately started working.
Lan stood nearby, going over the script with Zoe, explaining the live stream process.
Zoe silently took note while thinking about the kind of state she should present during the live stream.
Every opportunity to appear in front of the camera was an opportunity to face the public. In this information age, no one knew which moment would suddenly hit the pulse of the times and lead to fame.
So, the only thing to do was to be ready every time, so as not to miss the opportunity when it came. This was the attitude Zoe had when she was in school.
The live stream began that evening. Zoe only needed to read the script and cooperate with the host by answering some questions. The host was very experienced and was one of the hottest hosts at the time. Zoe stayed energetic, chatting and laughing with the host, joking while introducing products and completing the tasks.
The contract she signed required her to participate in the live stream for thirty minutes.
By the twentieth minute, most of the scripted content had already been covered.
The work was done, and Zoe relaxed a bit. There were just a few games to play with the host, and then they could wrap up.
"Xiao Zoe, a beauty like you must have a lot of people chasing you, right?" the host suddenly asked.
This wasn't in the script, and it took Zoe by surprise, leaving her momentarily unsure of how to respond.
The camera was right in front of her, and any reaction would be exposed to the live audience. Zoe didn't dare speak carelessly. In the blink of an eye, she sweetly smiled, her eyes sparkling like clear water, and replied, "What's the matter? Are you asking if I'm single? Want to confess to me?"
This time, the host was stunned.
Zoe's response was clearly unexpected, and the host awkwardly chuckled, "I... Xiao Zoe, you caught me off guard. I don't know how to respond to that."
Zoe smiled brightly, "Well, looks like I misunderstood. I thought you were falling for me at first sight."
The host: "...."
Finally, Zoe ended the live stream gracefully with a smile.
As soon as the stream was over, the bright smile on Zoe's face faded. She turned and looked around for Lan. Lan was talking to someone, her expression serious and determined, as if in a heated discussion.
"Zoe, your performance in the live stream was great! The fans in my live stream said you looked even better in person than in your photos." the host said while packing up the mic.
Zoe gave a slight smile, "Thank you." Her tone a little distant.
At that moment, Lan seemed to have finished the discussion and walked over. Seeing the host, her brows immediately furrowed, but she didn't say anything. Instead, she turned to Zoe and said, "It's over. We have other work to do. Let's go."
Zoe nodded, smiled, and waved goodbye to everyone present.
Once in the car and the door closed, Lan spoke with a serious expression, "The question that person asked you during the live stream wasn't in the script. It was something they improvised. I've already talked to their company's representative about it, but it didn't violate any clauses in the contract. They just said it's normal improvisation, nothing to worry about. This happens quite frequently in live streams. I'll report this to the company. I recommend that our artists avoid this person's live streams in the future."
Zoe listened and gave a slight smile.
She knew, and Lan knew, that this was impossible.
In the end, this was just a non-issue. Zoe hadn't been affected in any substantial way. Even if the script wasn't followed exactly, it wasn't a big deal.
The current entertainment format, whether it's variety shows or live streams, relied on surprise and unpredictability.
Once this incident went public, the audience would simply discuss how Zoe was acting like a diva—not following the script, even though they had already reviewed it beforehand and the other side had promised to stick to the script.
The host was one of the hottest in the industry right now, and it was a great platform for exposure. There was no way the company would blacklist this live stream because of this minor incident.
"We just won't go there ourselves next time," Zoe said in a calm voice.
Her tone had softened, losing the energy and radiance she had during the live stream.
Lan lowered her head, looking at her phone. "During the live stream, the feedback on you was quite positive. A lot of people praised your beauty."
"They were just passersby," Zoe said, looking up at her.
Zoe gave a small smile, "Only passersby praise your beauty. True fans call you 'hubby'."
Lan looked at her with a mix of amusement and disbelief. "I thought you were going to say something else, but honestly, your reaction was impressive. A lot of people praised your calmness under pressure."
"Calm under pressure? Haha," Zoe nodded, her eyes narrowing in a smile. "I like that compliment."
"I'm thinking of promoting this angle, saying you reacted quickly and outsmarted the host."
Zoe hesitated for a moment, "Would promoting this now make people think I'm always marketing myself through men? First Song, now this host."
Zoe instinctively shook her head, "Lan, I don't want to always be associated with men for marketing. It'll give the impression that I'm always entangled with them."
Lan nodded, agreeing, "That is a downside. But right now, you're at your hottest. If we don't strike while the iron's hot, the momentum will pass. You know, the work rewards you're getting these days are already equivalent to what you earned in a year before."
Zoe fell silent.
Money had always been her soft spot, and right now, she needed it badly. Marketing generates heat, and heat translates into money.
This was the unspoken rule in the current entertainment industry, and even the biggest stars couldn't avoid it. Zoe stayed silent for a moment, then nodded and said, "Okay, go ahead and do it."
Lan said, "I'll focus on highlighting your quick wit and avoid making it about relationships."
That night, thanks to Lan's efforts, Zoe hit the trending topic again. The hot search topic was: Zoe asks Hu: 'Do you like me?'
Hu, the popular host in that live stream, was a bit handsome and had a lot of female fans. After Zoe finished her work, she soaked in the bathtub for a long time until her skin became red. Only then did she get out. A message notification appeared on her phone from an unknown number: "Do you know who I am?"