Chapter 107
After the performance ended, Xu Shuangrong sat in the backstage lounge scrolling through Weibo.
The response to tonight’s performance was quite good—the deafening applause and screams from the audience were the best proof.
As the female lead with the most highlight scenes in the show, she was definitely supposed to be the one who shone the brightest…
#Who is the real protagonist of this play?#
Xu Shuangrong’s fingers froze, her thoughts coming to a halt when she saw this trending topic.
“?”
Her brows furrowed tightly as she continued scrolling in disbelief.
Video of Xie Mi using ninjutsu to blast away assassins — 274,000 shares.
Video of Shen Yanqing emerging from a black coffin — 243,000 shares.
Video of the UFO turning Lai Bingxuan into an alien — 225,000 shares.
Scrolling down further, she saw all sorts of bizarre, meme-like clips going viral. Yet she, the supposed female lead, seemed nameless—forgotten by the internet.
Unwilling to accept it, Xu Shuangrong stubbornly kept scrolling until she finally came across her own clip.
She was wearing an ancient-style gown embroidered with twin butterflies and cloud motifs, dancing gracefully beneath a crabapple tree as petals filled the air and her layered skirt rippled with each movement.
She looked like she had stepped right out of a painting.
Satisfied, Xu Shuangrong curled her lips into a smile and opened the video to see what netizens had said.
The caption read: [Question: What role does Xie Mi play in this video?]
“…?”
Only then did she notice that in addition to her dancing under the tree, the video also captured Xie Mi standing behind her, earnestly gesturing with her hands.
[Honest question—is the maid doing a hand-sign dance?]
[Old Xie is getting more and more abstract. I’ve watched this ten times and still don’t know what she’s doing.]
[Is she acting as a backup dancer?]
[No, she’s performing a sign-language version of The Most Dazzling Ethnic Style as accompaniment for the young miss.]
[Huh?]
[Having seen the show, I can confirm the sister above is correct. At the time, Xiao Jingxi asked what she was doing, and Sister Xie seriously said she was singing.]
[Huh??]
[Stop arguing, I’m at a barbecue.]
It turned out the real reason this video went viral wasn’t her beautiful dance, but Xie Mi’s “accompaniment.”
Dark waves surged in Xu Shuangrong’s eyes as her grip on her phone turned her fingertips white.
It wasn’t supposed to be like this. None of this was supposed to be like this.
Ever since she was young, she had used every means necessary to get whatever she wanted.
After debuting, she schemed her way into acting alongside Xiao Jingxi, piqued his interest, created a CP scandal with him, and successfully used that CP hype to step into the A-list.
In her plans, this show was supposed to be her key to the very top.
By pairing up with the hottest film emperor in the hottest romance variety show, she was destined to sweep the nation.
But Xie Mi had ruined everything!
All of this… was because of Xie Mi.
[Ding!]
[Female Lead Awakening Progress: 80%]
“Sister Shuangrong”
Her young assistant pushed open the door carefully. “The other guests are outside interacting with the fans… aren’t you going?”
“Just a moment.”
Xu Shuangrong took a deep breath. The shadows in her eyes quickly vanished, replaced by her usual gentle smile. “I’ll head out right away.”
Outside the theater, it was fan carnival time.
When Xu Shuangrong stepped out, her fans, who had been waiting a long time, instantly raised their signs and screamed excitedly.
She smiled warmly as she greeted them, but her gaze subtly swept across the crowd.
Too few.
Compared to the massive crowd of fans that Xie Mi had earlier, the number welcoming her was pitiful.
“Ahhhh Shuang Shuang! Can I get your autograph?!”
“I came all the way from Lin City just to see you! I have school tomorrow, but I’m so thrilled to meet you!”
“Can we take a selfie, baby?!”
Smiling, Xu Shuangrong took the pen and paper and signed for them. “Don’t wait up for me so late anymore, okay? I know many of my Bunny-Rong fans are still students—you need to focus on your studies. While you love me, make sure to love yourselves too.”
“Ahhhh Shuangshuang I love you!!”
She kept smiling gently, patiently signing autographs, taking photos, and showing her most perfect side.
Suddenly, deafening screams erupted from the side.
Instinctively, she looked over—and saw an enormous, terrifyingly large crowd.
At the center was Xie Mi.
This segment was originally just supposed to be simple—autographs, photos, a bit of interaction. But Xie Mi insisted on singing a song.
And so, this scene unfolded.
Xie Mi sang Let This Heavy Rain Fall with an intoxicated, passionate expression.
The fans surrounding her were holding their heads, tears streaming, faces full of anguish.
It looked like they were deeply moved by the sorrowful ballad.
In reality, they were all screaming:
“Sister Xie, stop singing! Stop singing! Ahhh!”
“My ears! My ears!!”
“Nobody told me stanning an idol meant gambling with my life!!”
“Old Xie, you misunderstand! We’re not captivated by your talent, we’re really not!!”
Because of the noise, Xie Mi couldn’t hear them clearly. She thought they were enraptured by her beautiful voice.
Excited, she even pulled over Shen Yanqing, who was laughing like crazy beside her, to sing a duet.
The “Little Shen Golds” (Shen Yanqing’s fans) struggled into the circle surrounding Xie-bro. Seeing their idol singing passionately with Xie Mi, they erupted in outrage.
“Family, did you see that! I knew he’d be here!”
“Please let Old Shen walk independently! We’ve been searching for you so hard!”
“Mr. Shen, we looked everywhere for you, and you’re here with Xie-bro?!”
“Whose idol are you really?!!!”
The Little Shen Golds collectively went mad, but soon—though complaining—they still joined the screaming star-chasing mob around Xie-bro.
From then on, a saying spread in the fandom:
Wherever Xie-bro is, Little Shen Golds will surely be.
Because wherever Xie Mi is, Shen Yanqing will surely be too.
And of course, another group was never absent in such moments.
“Mom! Dad! I’ve been reborn again!!!!”
“I knew my CP is real!!!”
“Mom! Dad! Mom! Dad! Ahhhh!!!”
With the arrival of the “Xie-Shen Kill-the-Donkey CP” shippers, the chaos reached its peak.
In the middle of the madness, Shen Yanqing turned his gaze toward the girl passionately singing beside him. In his dark eyes, laughter spilled out like a night sky filled with stars—so dazzling it was impossible to look away.
When Xie Mi turned her head, she accidentally met his gaze. She didn’t understand why he was smiling so charmingly, but instinctively responded with a radiant grin.
“Then the next song—The Most Dazzling Ethnic Style!!”
“Ahhhhhhhhh!!!”
The fans’ wild screams surrounded them.
Encircled by the crowd, the two looked at each other and smiled.
[Ding.]
[Female Lead Awakening Progress: 100%]
