Chapter 57: The New Guest, Wang Shuran

Under the moonlight, the seashore was dotted with strolling couples. Some held hands, while others embraced, and the air was thick with a heavy scent of hormones.

"Pfft! The cloying stench of romance!"

The two walked along the coastline.

Meng Ziyi skipped along behind Xu Xiu. When Xu Xiu suddenly turned around, it startled her, and she hurriedly backed away a few steps in a panic.

"What are you doing?"

"Oh~ I'm stepping on you! I can't beat you, but I can step on your annoying shadow! Stepping on it is the same as stepping on you!"

Xu Xiu smiled faintly, reached out, and pulled the hair tie from Meng Ziyi’s bun, letting her cascade of dark, beautiful hair dance in the wind.

"Ah! My hair! You're so annoying, it took me forever to tie it up!" Meng Ziyi gestured with mock aggression, claws out.

Yet she didn't dare actually touch him, having already experienced Xu Xiu's strength firsthand—he had almost crushed her with his weight when he was drunk!

Unfazed, Xu Xiu calmly said, "I think you look better with your hair down."

These words instantly brought the smile back to Meng Ziyi's face, and her cheeks even grew slightly warm.

"Really? Do you really think I look better with my hair down?"

"Really. You look like an ethereal fairy floating by."

"Hmph~ I suppose you have some taste, kid."

While she was speaking, Xu Xiu suddenly leaned forward, closing the distance and bringing his face close to hers.

This sudden movement left Meng Ziyi utterly astonished, her heart racing like a trapped deer.

*Oh no, oh no~ What is he trying to do? Is he going to... kiss me? Is this really a good idea?*

When there was only thirty centimeters left between them, Meng Ziyi instinctively closed her eyes.

In her mind, she was already pondering: What should she do if he actually kisses her? Should she hit him?

*Though I probably can't win against him anyway~ Should I put up a bit of resistance just in case? I mustn't look too easy!*

*Yes~ That's it!*

"Ah~ You..."

Meng Ziyi cut herself short because she saw that Xu Xiu was holding a feather, which apparently had fallen onto the top of her head.

So he was just trying to pluck a feather from her hair? She actually thought...

"What's wrong with me?" Xu Xiu asked with a puzzled look.

"N-nothing! I just meant it's getting too late, we should head back right now!"

Meng Ziyi felt excruciatingly awkward, her toes curling continuously inside her sandals.

"If nothing's wrong, why are you curling your toes like that?" Xu Xiu delivered a classic oblivious strike.

Under the streetlight, Meng Ziyi’s feet—resembling carved mutton-fat jade—were fair and delicate, with slender ankles and smooth, graceful curves, looking like a work of art carefully sculpted by nature.

Her rounded toes were adorable, like a string of translucent pearls, and her toenails gleamed with a faint pink luster, neatly trimmed to reveal a touch of playfulness and refinement.

The skin on the soles of her feet was smooth, without a single flaw, with faint blue veins subtly visible like natural patterns in jade, adding a layer of genuine charm.

Yet at that moment, all ten of her white, rounded toes were tightly clenched, making her look profoundly shy.

Actually, it wasn't shyness—Meng Ziyi was simply dying of embarrassment, so embarrassed she was curling her toes into the floorboards.

She had suffered a complete social death in front of Xu Xiu!

Back at the hotel, Meng Ziyi dived straight under the covers like an ostrich, her face burning hot.

She clutched a throw pillow in her arms, pounding it repeatedly with her tiny fists as if it were Xu Xiu.

Meanwhile, Xu Xiu felt rather perplexed. Why did the system notification keep chiming incessantly?

*Ding! Detected that the host's abstract behavior has gained exposure. Exposure value +91... Exposure value +91...*

Could it be that his approach was wrong? Should he have used his hand to straighten her toes for her next time?

But wouldn't people mistake him for a foot fetishist if he did that?

After all, for some people, feet are indeed a part of their sexual fetish!

Late at night.

In the dead of night, Xu Xiu's songs "If the Moon Didn't Come" and "Old Boy" quietly climbed up NetEase Cloud Music's trending search charts.

"If the Moon Didn't Come" and "Old Boy" claimed the fourth and fifth positions respectively.

Miraculously, Xu Xiu's track "Little Apple" actually ranked first on the NetEase Cloud dance music category chart, leading by a landslide margin!

Countless grandmothers, middle-aged aunts, and young wives had almost blown the charts up with the popularity of this song!

Meanwhile, Xu Xiu received a phone call from Director Gao.

"You brat, having a great time shooting the movie?"

"Hehehe~ It's great! Both my body and mind are refreshed!" Xu Xiu smiled shyly.

"I've had someone sort out the music matters for you. Exclusive contract with NetEase Cloud Music, a 60-40 split with you taking sixty percent and them taking forty. Besides, the response to your songs has been great—one of them even hit number one."

"Really? Is it that popular? And I get sixty percent? That must be a decent chunk of change, right?"

Xu Xiu's eyes lit up.

That was all hard-earned cash!

"Do you think I'd lie to you? You really don't care about anything at all, not even bothering to make a call to ask in all these days. Handle it yourself from now on; I'm not your father!"

"Wuwuwu, Director Gao, you know I'm an orphan and have never felt the warmth of a family. If you don't despise me, Lü... Xu is willing to swear allegiance to you as my adoptive father!"

"Get lost, get lost, get lost! Do you think I haven't read *Romance of the Three Kingdoms*? Adoptive father is a high-fatality profession!"

Director Gao laughed and scolded before hanging up the phone. Although he cursed Xu Xiu out loud, the corners of his mouth curled up slightly the moment the call ended.

Secretly thrilled!

The next day.

At eleven o'clock in the morning, Xu Xiu came downstairs.

This time, he was sharing a car with Meng Ziyi again. While waiting, Xu Xiu spotted a figure who felt both familiar and unfamiliar.

First of all, she was a woman; secondly, she was a stunning beauty!

The woman possessed a dignified and majestic face, and among the rising generation of young starlets, she was the actress with the highest potential to become the next generation's leading dramatic actress.

Beneath her pert, refined nose were lips as red and alluring as cherries, and the slightly upturned corners of her mouth carried an ambiguous, lingering smile, resembling the brightest sunshine of spring that could dispel all gloom in the world.

A cascade of dark, glossy long hair fell smoothly down to her waist like a waterfall, swaying gently with her movements and exuding a charming luster.

Her figure was tall and well-proportioned, and a minimalist white dress outlined her slender waist and long legs to perfection.

As she walked, her skirt fluttered like a fairy descending to earth, graceful and nimble.

Wherever she passed, the surrounding air seemed to become fresh and sweet, making people unable to help but cast sideways glances, completely captivated by her peerless grace.

As for why Xu Xiu found her both familiar and unfamiliar, it was because he had seen this woman's photos before—in group pictures with Meng Ziyi.

"Hello, you must be Xu Xiu, right? I'm Wang Churan. I've heard Mengmeng mention you. Nice to meet you, here's a fruit tea for you." Wang Churan introduced herself with poised grace.

Xu Xiu accepted the fruit tea and shook her hand. Her skin was delicate and smooth, and her palm possessed a boneless softness to the touch.

"I'm Xu Xiu. You couldn't possibly be this week's guest, right?" Xu Xiu asked, puzzled.

That didn't seem right, did it? Why hadn't Meng Ziyi mentioned it to him yesterday?

Actually, Meng Ziyi had wanted to mention it yesterday, but Xu Xiu's remarks had derailed all her train of thought, leaving her no choice but to run back to the hotel and act like an ostrich.

"I'm not even sure how many episodes my agent signed me up for. I heard Xu Zisheng was quarantined in Shanghai, so Mengmeng recommended me to the director, and I didn't expect the director to actually let me come."

As she spoke, Wang Churan stuck out the tip of her tongue, looking extremely playful.

She was lying. In truth, if the reception was good, she intended to stay for the entire season; since Xu Zisheng couldn't make it out, she was here to fill his vacancy.