Chapter Two: Sister Meng, Meng Ziyi (Please add to favorites and follow for updates)

In truth, Xu Xiu had never paid any attention to the variety show "Peach Blossom Dock" before; he had only encountered some superficial promotional material online. However, in preparation for his appearance, he spent all of yesterday watching the entire first season.

Between the "nine minutes of awkward, soul-crushing silence" and the bewildering performance art, he had seen it all. By the time he finished, Xu Xiu felt no psychological pressure at all. It turned out everyone involved was a suffocating genius, and the competition was simply about who could be more stifling than the next. In that case, wouldn't he be like a fish in water, catching turtles in a jar—or rather, closing the door to beat the dog?

There was one thing that bothered him, though: for this second season, the production had changed locations. Instead of the suburbs of the capital as in the first season, they were now in a rural village in Hainan. Xu Xiu was a man from the Northeast; if he were visiting Hainan in winter, he would have been all for it. But it was July!

As the sea breeze blew, Xu Xiu felt his corpse warming up. If he hadn't been clutching a chilled watermelon to his chest, he might have put on a live performance of "dropping dead on the spot" for the audience.

He waited in the car for a while before finally seeing someone approach. The person wore a baseball cap and sunglasses, making it impossible to tell who it was, though he could at least distinguish that it was a woman. It might sound ridiculous, but even if he could see her face clearly, he wouldn't recognize her. Xu Xiu only recognized national-level actors—the likes of Teacher Benshan, Teacher Fan, Wu Jing, Zhuge Liang, Song Jiang, Tianxian, and the "85-flower" generation. As for the "95-flower" generation and those who came later, he didn't recognize a single one. Mostly, it was because these people rose to fame too quickly; a single drama could make them an overnight sensation. Furthermore, he had no connections with them. If he had the chance to get to know them deeply—from the shallow to the profound—perhaps he would remember them soon enough. After all, distance creates beauty, and negative distance is still distance; that would certainly leave a lasting impression!

Although Xu Xiu didn't recognize the woman, the audience certainly did. As soon as she appeared, the chat feed went wild.

"Sister Meng! Finally waiting for you! I only tuned in for you!"
"Ahhhhh! Sister Meng! A ten-year veteran fan has arrived uninvited!"
"Ahem, let me grandly introduce everyone to this person. Her name is Meng Ziyi, and she is also my wife."
"Get lost. Someone give me some yellow urine to wake him up; he’s starting to dream in broad daylight."
"My urine is pungent; let me do it!"

Er... how to put it... Meng Ziyi started her entertainment career in 2013 after being voted the "School Belle" of the Beijing Film Academy on Weibo. She made her mark in 2014 with a small supporting role as Shi Yan in "Zhao Zilong," and later gained fame for her role as Mu Nianci in the 2017 broadcast of "New Legend of the Condor Heroes."

In 2018, her role as Ye Hongyu in "Ever Night" officially brought her to the attention of major costume drama directors. The 2019 drama "The Untamed," where she played Wen Qing, brought her massive attention and a legion of fans, but controversy followed. The fans of the two male leads weren't having it, and they argued incessantly. Those who know, know!

By 2021, Meng Ziyi had already established herself as one of the new generation of "95-flower" actresses.

"Is anyone there? Help me, I'm exhausted, these two suitcases are too heavy," Meng Ziyi called out from outside the car.

Xu Xiu stuck his head out and saw Meng Ziyi hauling one large and one small suitcase. She spotted him in the car, but his current appearance made her squint. This guy wasn't "handsome" in the way that typical internet heartthrobs were—he lacked that cosmetic, polished look—and he was even on camera without any makeup. But had he offended the makeup artist? Why did he come out looking like this? It was almost too much to bear. Especially the way he was blowing on his side-swept bangs—that gesture was just... something else.

"Pfft~ Sister Meng's little expression is too funny. She looks stunned; she's never seen anyone so bizarre, right?"
"Meng Ziyi: 'Isn't this "Peach Blossom Dock"? Did I accidentally wander into the Peach Blossom Spring? Why has a prehistoric creature popped up?'"
"Think this guy will help? After all, Sister Meng's pouting is famously sweet; most people can't resist it."
"I bet a spicy strip he won't last a second."

[Ding! Detected the host's abstract behavior gaining exposure. Acting +0.0069... Singing +0.0069... Cooking +0.0069... Constitution +0.0069...]

"Handsome~~ You're here for the show too, right? Could you help me move these suitcases up? They're just so heavy." Meng Ziyi pitched her voice into a sweet, high-pitched whine. She didn't believe anyone could refuse her request; after all, she was so cute and kind. Any normal man, seeing her delicate state, would surely feel a protective instinct, right?

"Oh, I'm afraid I can't. You'll have to carry them yourself; I'm holding a watermelon."

"???" Meng Ziyi wore a look of utter confusion, as if she hadn't heard him correctly. What did he just say? His reason for refusing was that he was holding a watermelon?

"Umm~ It's too hot here. I can hold the watermelon for you, and then you can move the luggage for me, okay?" Meng Ziyi asked, biting her lip.

Who would have thought that upon hearing this, Xu Xiu would hug the watermelon even tighter? He looked at her with guarded eyes and said, "What are you trying to do?"

This Meng Ziyi was quite pretty, but her intentions were even "prettier"! Help him hold the watermelon? It was obvious she had her eyes on his watermelon and wanted to claim it for herself. That was like lighting a lantern in a latrine—looking for death!

This chilled watermelon was Xu Xiu’s life. He could lose anything else, but this watermelon was non-negotiable. For a Northeasterner in summer, life without a chilled watermelon is like the West without Jerusalem.

Meng Ziyi froze, three giant question marks appearing over her head. She only wanted to hold the watermelon so he could lift the luggage! Why did he hug it tighter? Did he really think she was plotting against his fruit? No way, right?

The audience was once again stunned by Xu Xiu.

"I can only give you a 9, because brother, you are a solid 6. You really are immune to all charms!"
"I admit you're quite something, Xu Xiu, but what if I start performing an exorcism and bring out the song 'Cancer'? How would you handle that?"
"Xu Xiu, stop acting so bizarre! I'm telling you to cut it out!"
"Faced with Sister Meng's pouting, your first thought is to protect your watermelon? You're a real legend. [Thumbs up]"