After We Broke Up, She Started Pursuing Me [Entertainment Industry] 30

Chapter 30

“Best Partner” consisted of four pairs of guests, with artists paired with non-celebrities. They would work together in pairs and spend a week surviving in the wild in four different regions.

On the day of recording, Zhou Jinsi and Shi Qin got up early to catch a flight. After landing at noon, they went to the hotel arranged by the production team to rest. The recording was scheduled for the afternoon.

There wasn’t much time to rest. After a short nap, the two of them went downstairs at the arranged time. The production team’s car was already parked in front of them.

According to the production team’s instructions, the recording of the variety show would officially begin as soon as they got in the car.

Inside the car, Zhou Jinsi sat on the inner side, feeling a bit lost, while Shi Qin, upon seeing the camera, greeted it very naturally.

“Hi~ Hello everyone~”

Zhou Jinsi glanced at her, feeling a little baffled. “Who are you talking to?”

“Huh?” After realizing, Shi Qin couldn’t help but laugh and lightly tapped her, pointing a finger at the camera. “Did you forget? We’ve already started recording.”

“Oh…” Zhou Jinsi awkwardly retracted her gaze.

Shi Qin: “What do you mean, ‘oh’? Say hello to everyone.”

Hearing this, Zhou Jinsi looked up at the camera, parted her lips, but then hesitated.

Thinking that her every move might be displayed in front of the public, Zhou Jinsi felt even more uncomfortable.

She leaned her head closer to Shi Qin and said as softly as possible, “Do we have to do this?”

“Ahem… talking to the air… is a bit strange…”

The space in the car was small. The staff member driving in the front heard this and couldn’t help but chuckle, while Shi Qin also covered her mouth and waved her hand with a smile. “Forget it. It’s okay. You can just sit there.”

And so, for the next stretch of the journey, Zhou Jinsi sat very obediently, motionless and silent.

This also made the atmosphere in the car inexplicably awkward.

Shi Qin looked helplessly at the person beside her, a worried expression on her face.

She thought to herself that she must have been impulsive to bring a blockhead like Zhou Jinsi on a variety show.

Variety shows were all about the entertainment effect. If they really had no interaction at all, what would the post-production team have to edit?

Moreover, before the recording, the director had specifically instructed her that she could have some intimate actions occasionally. After all, this was also a pseudo-dating show. They were the only same-sex pair among the four guest pairs, and the director, thinking outside the box, wanted to create a different effect.

With this in mind, Shi Qin leaned close to Zhou Jinsi’s ear. The latter was startled by the sudden proximity and subconsciously tried to pull away.

“Don’t hide,” Shi Qin chided her, pulling her back and whispering, “Teacher Zhou, we’re recording a variety show. We have to chat.”

Zhou Jinsi frowned, not understanding. “Why?”

Shi Qin was exasperated. What a stubborn mind.

“No chatting, no interaction. What do you want the audience to watch?”

Zhou Jinsi was still silent, her brow furrowed as if she were contemplating a difficult problem.

Shi Qin knew she was a quiet person and thought she was unwilling. She leaned close to her ear again and whispered, “Then just treat it as acting. Do you know how to act?”

Acting? Zhou Jinsi glanced at Shi Qin, a deep meaning in her eyes.

Seeing that Zhou Jinsi still didn’t respond, Shi Qin finally gave up. She would leave the editing to the post-production team. She figured that once they arrived at the location, Zhou Jinsi wouldn’t be able to stay silent forever.

She had caught a flight in the early hours of the morning and had slept for less than two hours during her nap. After sitting in the car for a while, a wave of drowsiness washed over Shi Qin. Looking at the scenery outside the window, her eyes were about to close.

After trying several positions, Shi Qin still couldn’t get comfortable. She glanced at the person sitting upright beside her. A thought stirred in her heart, and she tugged on her sleeve.

Just as Zhou Jinsi was about to turn her head, Shi Qin had already leaned over, her fluffy head resting on her shoulder. She heard Shi Qin mumble softly, “Let me lean on you for a while. I’m so sleepy.”

Zhou Jinsi: …

A strange feeling rose in her heart. Zhou Jinsi’s previously clear mind was now a bit muddled. She picked up her phone and sent a message to Shi Qin.

Zhou Jinsi: Do we have to act like this?

Seeing the message, a smile appeared on Shi Qin’s lips. She lifted her chin, her soft lips almost brushing against Zhou Jinsi’s ear. “That’s right. So, Teacher Zhou, please cooperate.”

So this is acting…

The strange feeling from just now turned into a sour ache. Zhou Jinsi felt inexplicably displeased. Why can she always tease people so naturally?

Shi Qin had intended to tease her, but she didn’t know what switch she had flipped in Zhou Jinsi. Just like last time at the hotel, the hand that had been resting peacefully suddenly wrapped around Shi Qin’s waist, instantly turning the tables.

“Ah…” Shi Qin was suddenly embraced, a flicker of surprise and panic in her eyes.

She looked at Zhou Jinsi. The other’s face was turned to the side, her expression indifferent, without a ripple, but the ear peeking out from her hair was a little red.

Although Shi Qin had been leaning on her shoulder, there had still been some distance between their bodies. Now, being held by Zhou Jinsi like this, due to her height advantage, there was a clear size difference between them. Shi Qin’s entire body was directly buried in her embrace.

Surrounded by warmth, Shi Qin pressed against Zhou Jinsi’s shoulder and neck. With each breath, she was filled with the scent of baby’s breath, light and fresh. As Shi Qin inhaled deeply, a rare sense of shyness welled up in her heart.

“Ahem…” The staff member in the front suddenly coughed twice.

He had heard the noise from the back just now and had curiously glanced at the rearview mirror, only to see the two of them embracing. Although they were both women, it seemed a bit too intimate…

“What are you doing?” Being held like this, Shi Qin, who was used to taking the initiative, suddenly felt a little uncomfortable.

And Zhou Jinsi was not much better off. A faint blush had already crept up her face. The competitive spirit in her heart was still at play; she just wouldn’t admit defeat.

She said in a deep voice, “Didn’t you say we were acting?”

It’s not like she’s the only one who can act. It’s just pretending. Who can’t do that!

Shi Qin paused, then immediately understood her little thought and glanced at her.

Flushed cheeks, a tense jaw, and the hand around her waist, which was abnormally stiff—all of it proved how nervous this person was at this moment. Shi Qin couldn’t help but laugh inwardly.

She said no more, closed her eyes, and leaned quietly into Zhou Jinsi’s warm embrace. She couldn’t be bothered to explain the misunderstanding anymore. Suddenly, she felt that letting the mistake be wasn’t so bad after all.

She was really tired, and she was really reluctant to leave this incredibly soft embrace.

.

Because they were in the wild, the journey took nearly two hours. By the time they arrived at the recording location, Shi Qin was still a little sleepy-eyed.

The recording location was decided by the guests’ draw. Zhou Jinsi and Shi Qin had drawn the rainforest area in Beichuan.

After getting out of the car, they were greeted by a vast expanse of green forest. The staff member from the car would serve as their cameraman for this wilderness trip.

But the show’s main focus was on highlighting the guests’ interaction, with showcasing their wilderness survival skills as a secondary objective. So, naturally, they would provide the guests with some supplies.

While Shi Qin was still sizing up the environment, Zhou Jinsi went to the trunk of the car and took out the travel backpacks and tent prepared for them by the production team.

Carrying a large pile of supplies, Zhou Jinsi walked over to Shi Qin. The two of them looked at each other, then at the surrounding bushes, not knowing what to do.

But when it came to serious matters, Zhou Jinsi’s mind was still clear. The first task was to find a safe, flat area to set up the tent. Otherwise, when it got dark, they wouldn’t even have a place to rest.

“Let’s go. Let’s find a place to set up the tent first,” Zhou Jinsi said to Shi Qin, lifting the tent bag in her hand.

Shi Qin agreed and took her travel bag from Zhou Jinsi. Just as she was about to put it on, she heard a muffled grunt from Zhou Jinsi.

“Ah-hiss…”

Shi Qin turned to look at her, her brow furrowed with worry. “What’s wrong?”

Zhou Jinsi looked down, silently clutching her left shoulder. She had just tried to stretch, and a numb, aching pain shot through her shoulder, like being pricked by small needles. It was very uncomfortable.

Seeing her action, Shi Qin immediately understood.

She had been leaning on Zhou Jinsi’s shoulder the entire way. But a woman’s shoulder, after all, was not as broad and strong as a man’s, especially after holding the same position for a long time…

For a moment, a faint warmth welled up in her heart. She walked up to Zhou Jinsi. “How about I carry it for a while? Why didn’t you say anything just now…”

At this mention, Zhou Jinsi coughed lightly twice, adjusted the position of her backpack strap, and looked up at her. “It’s fine. Let’s go.”

Seeing that she was unwilling, Shi Qin didn’t insist. But just as she was about to turn back, she heard the person beside her say lightly, “It was just acting, anyway…”

Shi Qin froze. Looking at the person walking ahead, a faint smile appeared in her eyes. The moment she lowered her head, she hid the upturned corners of her mouth and silently followed the tall, slender figure.

Why is she still holding onto that?

The two of them walked side by side on the muddy ground. Zhou Jinsi looked at the surrounding terrain as she walked. Seeing that the path ahead was becoming flatter and the vegetation was gradually thinning, she quickened her pace.

As she had expected, after walking for a while longer, she saw a small, flat area with many large rocks around. Not far away, there was also a small stream. Setting up camp here would be close to a water source.

“This place is nice. Let’s set up here?” Shi Qin observed the surroundings, her mind in sync with Zhou Jinsi’s.

Zhou Jinsi nodded, took out the parts of the tent, and prepared to assemble it.

Seeing her nimble actions, Shi Qin asked, “Do you know how to set it up?”

Zhou Jinsi: “Mhm, I watched some related assembly tutorials before I came.”

Not just tutorials. She had truly treated this show as a wilderness survival experience, searching online for a pile of survival skills to learn.

“Then let me help you with your bag. It’s too heavy, and it’s not convenient for you to carry it,” Shi Qin said, walking behind her and hooking her finger on the handle of her backpack.

Zhou Jinsi subconsciously refused again, “No need. I’m fine.”

What a stubborn mule.

Shi Qin helplessly squatted down beside her and whispered in her ear, “Zhou Jinsi, this isn’t acting right now. And I’ve never acted with you.”