After We Broke Up, She Started Pursuing Me [Entertainment Industry] 28

Chapter 28

“Is Teacher Zhou here?”

Zhou Jinsi was still focused on her homework. Hearing her name, she looked up. It was actually the dean of instruction calling for her.

“What is it, Director Tang?” Zhou Jinsi walked over and asked politely.

Director Tang was a middle-aged woman. At this moment, she glanced at the other teachers in the office, then pulled Zhou Jinsi into the hallway with a mysterious expression.

She looked up at Zhou Jinsi and smiled. “Teacher Zhou, someone who says they’re a representative from a variety show is here to see you. I had her wait for you in the lounge.”

The lounge was a separate tea room, usually used for receiving parents or leaders from other schools, a place for rest and conversation.

Zhou Jinsi’s eyes widened slightly. “Huh?”
“A variety show?”

Director Tang also asked with some curiosity, “Yes. Teacher Zhou, are you going to be in a show?”

“No, no…”

Seeing Zhou Jinsi’s stunned expression, Director Tang continued to tease, “If you get famous, remember to promote our school, hahaha.”

Filled with confusion, Zhou Jinsi followed Director Tang to the lounge.

On the way, she remembered the strange email from a few days ago.

Come to think of it, that day, Zhou Jinsi had been working on her presentation when her inbox, which hadn’t had a new message in ages, suddenly showed a new email.

Zhou Jinsi opened it. It was an invitation from a variety show.

It also included a brief introduction to the show and a contact person’s information. But Zhou Jinsi had only skimmed it and hadn’t taken it to heart.

After all, there were so many online scams these days. What if it was a new type of scam?

Besides, she was just an ordinary person who didn’t even use social media. What variety show would find her in a sea of people?

And yet, today, they had really come.

When Zhou Jinsi entered the office, the person who claimed to be the show’s representative also stood up.

The representative was a woman, wearing glasses and simple clothes, who didn’t look much older than Zhou Jinsi.

“Hello, may I ask if you are Teacher Zhou Jinsi?”

“Hello, I am,” Zhou Jinsi nodded.

The woman smiled slightly and extended her hand to Zhou Jinsi. “I’m the director of the variety show that contacted you two days ago. My surname is Ning.”

Zhou Jinsi was completely stunned. Did I hear that right? Why would a director come all the way to the school to find me?

After a long moment, she finally stammered, “Hello… Director Ning.”

Seeing Zhou Jinsi’s awkwardness, Ning Lan said, “Let’s sit and talk. Sit down, don’t be so formal.”

“Teacher Zhou, actually, I wanted to talk to you today about that variety show.”

“Let me ask, did you read that email?”

Zhou Jinsi nodded. “Oh… I received it. I thought it was a scam message, so I didn’t reply. I’m really sorry.”

Ning Lan was amused by her serious explanation and laughed. “It’s okay. So, I’d like to ask, is Teacher Zhou interested in participating in our show?”

“Um, I…” Zhou Jinsi thought about how to phrase her refusal. “I’m really sorry. I’m just an ordinary person, so I don’t think being on a show is very suitable for me.”

Ning Lan immediately added, “Oh, by the way, our variety show is a collaboration between artists and non-celebrities. You can just think of it as a trip. In the wild, there won’t be many cameras, so you don’t have to feel uncomfortable.”

“And, we will also provide corresponding remuneration to the guests.”

Ning Lan thought that mentioning money would entice an ordinary person. But she didn’t expect that the person sitting in front of her was the daughter of the president of Tianyu, who had grown up in a wealthy family. Zhou Jinsi didn’t even have much of a concept of this.

Zhou Jinsi lowered her eyes and cleared her throat twice before looking at Ning Lan seriously again. “I’m sorry, I really don’t think I’m suitable.”

“And, I’d like to ask, why did you find me?”

“I think there must be many people more outstanding than me.”

Faced with this question, Ning Lan became a little nervous, avoiding Zhou Jinsi’s direct gaze.

After all, this was a person designated by someone else, but that someone else had also forbidden the production team from revealing this fact.

That someone else was, of course, Shi Qin.

That day, after Shi Qin had gotten Ning Lan’s contact information from Jiang Nuo, she had directly said she could participate, but on one condition: she wanted to personally designate the non-celebrity she would partner with.

Shi Qin had been Ning Lan’s first choice when she was drawing up the guest list. After all, Shi Qin had a lot of buzz around her, so she was naturally happy that she was willing to participate.

Although the non-celebrity had already been arranged—a young man from a certain company who was preparing to debut, as Ning Lan had originally intended to create a pseudo-dating show format—it was obvious that having Shi Qin join was much more beneficial.

Besides… Ning Lan carefully sized up Zhou Jinsi. Her face was cool and stern. Although she couldn’t compare to the artists packaged by companies, she was still quite refined.

Moreover, she had done a simple background check. Zhou Jinsi’s academic credentials were not low. Compared to the newcomers sent by other companies, she had her own outstanding points. Perhaps they could create an ascetic “study-god” persona for her.

There was also a niche audience that loved shipping female-female couples. She and Shi Qin were acquaintances, so perhaps they could create different sparks and bring some other kind of buzz to the show.

With this in mind, Ning Lan’s determination to persuade Zhou Jinsi grew even stronger.

She looked at Zhou Jinsi and said with great sincerity, “Teacher Zhou, as for why we found you, I think you will definitely understand when you are filming the show.”

“But, our show sincerely hopes you will join us. We also want to create a novel variety show for the public, so your participation for our production team…”

“…is also a form of support.”

Ning Lan spoke with such emotion that Zhou Jinsi was stunned. Seeing Ning Lan’s hopeful gaze fixed on her…

She was, after all, a soft-hearted person. Thinking that if it was filmed in the wild, there really wouldn’t be a bunch of cameras following them around…

“Teacher Zhou, are you interested in learning more?”
Ning Lan’s gaze was fervent. After all, winning over Zhou Jinsi was equivalent to winning over Shi Qin.

Zhou Jinsi couldn’t quite bear her gaze and lowered her head.
After a moment of thought, the little figure fighting in her mind finally fell.
She sighed softly. “Then… after I get off work, can we talk again?”

Ning Lan’s eyebrows shot up. Knowing there was a chance, she quickly smiled and agreed.

“Okay, okay. I’ll send you the location then.”

.

At first, Zhou Jinsi thought that participating in the show meant she would only have to prepare on the day of filming.

But a week before filming, she received a notice from Ning Lan, asking her to go to the production team’s interview room for a pre-interview, and to meet the partner she would be working with.

As for meeting her partner, Zhou Jinsi didn’t have high expectations. She just thought of it as a travel companion. After all, she didn’t really pay much attention to artists.

When she arrived at the pre-interview hall, Zhou Jinsi was pulled into the makeup room for basic makeup and styling for the interview, a preparation before going on camera.

Sitting next to her was a young girl of similar age, who looked pretty and sweet, but her figure was exceptionally outstanding, perfectly fitting the current “pure and desirable” aesthetic.

The girl had just finished her pre-interview and was resting in the makeup room. Seeing Zhou Jinsi, she curiously struck up a conversation, “Are you also here for this variety show?”

Zhou Jinsi was about to nod when the makeup artist said, “Don’t move.” She could only give a light “mhm” in response.

“So, which company are you from? I’m from Haisheng. I just signed.”

Which company?

Zhou Jinsi was a bit confused, but still explained, “Oh… I’m not an artist. I’m just a teacher.”

It was the girl’s turn to be dumbfounded. She repeated blankly, “A teacher?”

She thought all the non-celebrities invited by the production team were preparing to debut like her. It seemed she had been too narrow-minded; there really were actual non-celebrities.

The girl couldn’t contain her curiosity and continued to ask, “Then who’s your partner?”

“I’m not sure. They didn’t tell me. They only called me here today and said I would meet my partner by the way.”

“Huh?” The girl was deeply confused. After all, the production team had told her who her partner was from the beginning and had asked her to do some basic research on him so that the two of them could get to know each other more quickly later on.

At this moment, the door to the makeup room opened, and a woman wearing sunglasses walked in, with curly hair and red lips, looking bewitching and glamorous.

Zhou Jinsi was having her hair styled and couldn’t look, but the girl next to her was staring straight at her.

“Mo Li, help me see if my takeout has arrived.”
“OK.”

The familiar voice made Zhou Jinsi’s whole body stiffen. Her peripheral vision turned in that direction in disbelief.

But the woman walked over very calmly. Looking at Zhou Jinsi’s ashen face in the mirror, she placed a hand on her shoulder, a light smile on her lips.

“Long time no see, Teacher Zhou.”

Zhou Jinsi was speechless, but with someone else present, she couldn’t not respond to Shi Qin. She could only force a smile. “Long time no see…”

“What a coincidence, you’re here too.”

As if to confirm her thoughts, Shi Qin took off her sunglasses and leaned in close to Zhou Jinsi’s face. Zhou Jinsi’s hairs immediately stood on end.

In the mirror, Shi Qin’s profile was turned, her full red lips just a fraction of an inch from her ear, and her face, against her will, flushed red.

“It’s not a coincidence. I’m your partner, Teacher Zhou.”
“Happy to be working with you~”

Shi Qin had practically whispered it in her ear. Her soft, slightly hoarse voice was like a weeping willow, landing on a calm lake, creating shallow ripples. And Zhou Jinsi’s heart was already in chaos.

“Happy to be working with you…”

With that, Zhou Jinsi pressed her lips together and said no more. Shi Qin looked at the resentful little face in the mirror and couldn’t help but laugh, her mood very cheerful.

And the makeup artist looked at the mirror with some confusion, then back at Zhou Jinsi.

Seeing her frown, Zhou Jinsi asked, “What’s wrong?”

The makeup artist picked up her blush and said, puzzled, “Hey… did I put on too much blush just now?”

“Why does your face look so red?”