Transmigrated into the Film Emperor’s Death-Seeking Fiance

 Chapter 56 – Joining the Variety Show Cast and Production 

Sponsored Content

On October 15th, Come Fight! Friend! officially began recording.
This time, the program would be recorded in f University of f City.
Yan Qingchi followed Guan Mei and He Fe in disembarking from the plane.
As soon as he got off the plane, he heard his name being called.
He looked up in the direction of the source and saw ten-something girls who looked very young; they seemed to still be students.

The temperature in October in the North wasn’t that cold, so the fans who came to await his flight were all wearing shorts and dresses.
They seemed to be brimming with youthfulness yet lively and adorable.
The young lady at the head had her hair up in a tall ponytail.
When she spotted them (YQC, GM, HF) coming over, she held out the flowers1 she was hugging to him.
Yan Qingchi accepted the flowers and thanked her.  

That girl sweetly replied, “It’s no problem.
Fighting, gege.”

 Just as he was speaking, there was the sound of camera shutters going off.
Some of the girls who had come to greet him at the airport had brought SLR cameras2 and were currently taking pictures of him nonstop.
Yan Qingchi had also secretly observed Weibo and the forum for a good while, so he knew that these young ladies who carried SLR cameras and took pictures the whole time were called “cannon older sisters”3.
They were in charge of taking and editing pictures for the celebrity who they liked, which they would then post on Weibo to share with other fans in the fandom. 

Although he knew about them, Yan Qingchi was still not really accustomed to being furiously photographed without any warning by others.
Nevertheless, he was someone whose horizons had been broadened before he had transmigrated.
Hence, he merely smiled slightly, covering up the awkwardness he felt, and walked towards the exit with Guan Mei and company.

There weren’t many girls who had come to await his flight; there were about thirteen or fourteen of them following beside him.
Some girls had relatively outgoing personalities, so they struck up a conversation with him, “Gege, is this your first time coming to f City?”

“Yes.”

 “There’s a lot of good food and fun things to do in f City.
You can take a stroll around when you’re free, Gege.”

 “Okay.”

 These girls seemed to understand the rules of chasing stars very well.
They didn’t ask anything else.
They simply engaged in idle conversation with him.
When they reached the door, He Fei helped him open the door4 to the nanny van.
Yan Qingchi turned around and told them, “Thank you.”

 “It’s no problem, Gege.
Good luck at work!”

 “Okay.” Yan Qingchi said.
He boarded the car and closed the door.

He let out a sigh, remarking with deep emotion5, “It’s really not easy to be a celebrity.”  

 “There were only so many people, and you’re saying that it’s not easy?” Guan Mei laughed at him.

 Yan Qingchi asked her, “How did I have fans to greet me at the airport? Did you hire them? How did they know what flight I was on?” 

“You’re underestimating fans too much.
If they want to know, there are a hundred ways for them to find out.” 

Yan Qingchi was quite concerned, “Then, do I have to face this in the future as well? How about we walk through the vip passage in the future?” 

Guan Mei looked askew at him, “Dream on.
If you make it big in the future, there will naturally be brands collaborating with you and seeking you out to carry their products.
Walk through the vip passage? Do you think that you’re earning too much money?”

Sponsored Content

Yan Qingchi looked at her and confidently stated, “Jiang Mochen must appreciate you a lot.” 

“Oh?” Guan Mei questioned.

“After all, the two of you share the same economic ideology6; you are both very knowledgeable in the Dao of exploitation.”

Guan Mei laughed.
She turned her head around while chuckling.
Soon, she seemed to suddenly think of something.
She turned her head back to look at Yan Qingchi, “Hold on, how do you know about the practice of hiring people to await [celebrities’] flights?”

 Yan Qingchi shook his phone, “The forum said so.”

 Guan Mei’s head hurt, “I haven’t said this to you before, right? Then let me tell you now: stop browsing the forum and stop looking at Weibo.
If you have an alternate account on Weibo, give me the account password right now.” 

“So strict?”

 “To prevent you from blowing your cover.”

 “Then you can rest assured,” Yan Qingchi leaned back, “I have a super good habit.
I only lurk; I don’t comment.
No matter what I see, I only look; I don’t say anything.
So there is no cover to be blown.”

 Guan Mei was skeptical, “Really?”

 Yan Qingchi nodded, “Really.” Not to mention that he had joined that ChéngChí cp groupchat.
Aside from the ‘Thank you’ that he had said in the very beginning when everyone was welcoming him (the newcomer), he hadn’t said anything since.
After all, with so many people in the groupchat, it was very normal for some people to be chatting while others lurked.
No one would go out of their way to pay attention to a specific person.

 Seeing this, Guan Mei finally let out a sigh of relief, “Then you control yourself, to the point where you are a long-time lurker.” 

Yan Qingchi made an ok hand gesture in response, “no problem.”

 Like before, they went to check in at the hotel they were staying at during the film shooting first.
Yan Qingchi had just walked into the hotel when he heard someone calling his name.
He turned around and noticed that it was Sun Xun.  

Sun Xun had previously asked Yan Qingchi about the time (that he was arriving) and purposefully picked a flight that was close in time to his so that he could help Yan Qingchi better assimilate into this program crew when he arrived. 

 “Rest first.
Later, when everyone’s here, we’ll go eat together.” Sun Xun said.

 “Okay.”

 And yet it was only at 10 PM that everyone had arrived.
The director gathered everyone for a short meeting, distributing the schedule for this season’s filming into the hands of everyone there.
He spoke simply about the main points of this season as well as the running gags that must appear in the show.
The rest was up to them.

Yan Qingchi sat next to Sun Xun.
He looked at the filming schedule in his hands and then at the one in Sun Xun’s hands, feeling that the thickness of his schedule was only about half that of the other man’s schedule.

Sponsored Content

Just as he was puzzling over this, he heard the director say, “Due to some reasons, Guan Jingshen’s future filming will be made up for by Yan Qingchi.
You guys familiarize yourselves (with each other) on your own.”

Then she7 looked at Yan Qingchi, “You perform as you normally would first tomorrow.
We’ll create a persona for you after we see your unique characteristics.
This way, it’ll be more natural.
You’re the youngest here; they’re all your seniors.
If you have anything you don’t understand, then humbly ask for their advice.
Don’t be too tense8.”

“Okay.
Thank you, Director.” 

“Then that’s all.
Everyone, go rest.” 

The director said and left.

 Seeing that the director had left, Sun Xun looked at his watch.
It was ten-thirty PM.
People in their line of business tended to sleep late.
To them, it wasn’t considered a late time.
Thus, Sun Xun smiled and said, “Since it’s this time, let’s all go eat a late-night snack.
It’ll count as a welcome to our new comrade who’s joined us.”

 At this, everyone subconsciously exchanged glances.
In the end, Chen Xuanlang was the first to open his mouth, “Sure.
As it happens, I haven’t eaten and I’m kind of hungry.
Are you treating us, Xun-ge?”

 “Of course.”

 Sun Xun and Chen Xuanlang had been the designated team captains since the beginning of the program, as well as the most popular two figures in this variety show.
Since both of them have spoken, the rest naturally agreed.
However, when they all sat in a circle in the hotel restaurant and Sun Xun sat very naturally next to Yan Qingchi, no matter if everyone had their suspicions before this, they now all understood: they had thought that a little nobody had come, but this was actually someone with a supporter9. That makes sense.
How could a true nobody be able to get this kind of gig?

The meal could be considered as a joyous and harmonious one.
Yan Qingchi even said a few words with everyone.
When they finished their meal and left the scene, everyone left one by one and Yan Qingchi and Sun Xun–whether purposefully or unintentionally–were left behind.
When the two of them walked towards the guest rooms in the hotel, Yan Qingchi saw that no one was around and asked him in a low voice how much the meal cost.

Sun Xun looked at him helplessly, “You want to bother about this small amount of money10? Take it as me treating you.”

Yan Qingchi had never been the unreasonable type, so he said, “Then I’ll treat you next time.”    

“Sure.”

 The two of them split ways at Sun Xun’s room door, each returning to their respective rooms.

   Jiang Mochen’s phone call had come at this time, “You’ve met the other regulars?”

“I have.”

“How were they?”

Yan Qingchi thought about it, “They’re okay.
They’re like normal colleagues.”

“What persona did the production team give you?”

Sponsored Content

“They haven’t given me one yet.
They had said that they’ll determine one after seeing how I perform first.”

“Then you better give a good performance.”

“Don’t worry, I will.” Yan Qingchi laid on the bed, “You’re so concerned about what I’m up to.
Is it because you miss me?”

Jiang Mochen snorted coldly, “Do you know how much money Nan Cheng had virtually lost just so that you could get on this show? I’m here to give you some pressure in case you cause me to squander my money on a bad investment.
After all, it’s my money that would be lost.” 

Speaking of money, “I had transferred 500 thousand to you.
Have you received it yet?” Yan Qingchi asked him.

“I did.
I had called to ask you about it.
Why’d you suddenly transfer money to me?”

“Because I’m paying you back.” Yan Qing Chi said very naturally, “Didn’t I borrow 50 million11 yuan from you before we got married? I had told you that I would pay you back with interest.
But I don’t have that much money on me right now, so I’ll pay back a portion of it first.
I’m doing installment payments.
The next time I have money, I’ll pay the rest back.”

That was exactly what Jiang Mochen had been afraid of.
He supported his forehead with his hand, “Yan Qingchi, there’s no need to be like this between us.
You and I are husband and wife now.
If we talk about these things, it would inescapably make us too estranged12.”

Yan Qingchi turned over, “It’s completely natural to repay a debt.
I told you before that I would pay you back so I will.”

“Yan–”

“But you’re right,” Yan Qingchi interrupted, “if we were to only talk about money, it would inescapably make us too estranged (for our current relationship).
So, if you want to, you can use it to buy a present for me.” He smiled, “That way, I’ve paid you back your money and it wouldn’t cause us to become too estranged.” 

Jiang Mochen hadn’t thought that he still had such a move.
He unconsciously smiled, “You hadn’t harbored this kind of thought since the beginning, have you? Just waiting for me to take the bait and give you a present.”

“Well, no.
I had only thought of this idea because you felt that this way wasn’t good.”

“Well, I don’t believe you.”

 Yan Qingchi sighed, “You are truly a difficult person to talk to.
I pay you back your money, and you say that I’m putting some distance between us.
I tell you to exchange it for a present and give it to me again, but then you say that I’ve prepared the fish bait beforehand and have just been waiting for you to take the bait.
And you say that all the reasoning in the world shares a surname with me13.
The way I look at it, it clearly shares its surname with you.”

Jiang Mochen was practically brought to laughter because of him, “You see? I’ve only said one thing, and you’ve said a whole bunch.
And you still feel no shame in falsely claiming that all the reasoning in the world shares a surname with me? The way I look at it, you’re the only one in the whole world who’s grown a mouth, ‘blah-blah-blah’ talking nonstop.”  

Yan Qingchi smiled, “Anyway, I’ve given you the money.
Handle it however you want.”

Jiang Mochen thought about it, “Then I won’t buy a present for you first.
I’ll help you save it.”

Sponsored Content

“What are you helping me save it for?”

“Didn’t you say that this was all of your savings at hand? I’ll save it for you first; keep it as your little private fund14.”

When he heard that, for some unknown reason, Yan Qingchi actually felt that this way of speaking of his (JMC) was quite cute, with some warmth passing through (in the way he spoke).
Hence, he grunted and didn’t say anything more. 

Jiang Mochen checked his watch.
Seeing that it was 11-something PM15, and thinking of how Yan Qingchi still had to film his variety show, he said, “Then you rest well.
I’ll hang up first.
Don’t push yourself too hard tomorrow during filming.
Be careful.
If you have anything you don’t understand, ask Sun Xun.”

“Alright.
You rest early too.”

“Mn.” Jiang Mochen said and hung up the call.

After a while, he heard the ringing notification sound of his WeChat.
Jiang Mochen opened it to see that Yan Qingchi had sent a voice message. 

He lowered his head and tapped it.
Two very gentle words were transmitted through the electric current, “Good night.”

Jiang Mochen looked at the phone, pressed the voice message button, and said, “Good night.”

Thank you for reading this translation.

Footnotes

I’m assuming it’s a bouquet single-lens reflex cameras- “a camera having a single lens that forms an image which is reflected to the viewfinder or recorded on film” (Merriam Webster).
Wikipedia link here. “炮姐” (pào jiě).
炮 (pào)- cannon / CL: 座 / firecracker.
姐 ( jiě)- older sister.

 

Visual example:  (from this source).
After some research, it seems that their English equivalent is “fansite (camera)”? As the term was defined on koreaboo, “A fansite is a photographer, often dedicated to a particular idol, who takes HD photographs and videos of that idol using a professional camera, such as a DSLR.
They capture moments from events such as award shows, fan meetings, and perhaps most controversially, concerts” (Lyons).

In the raw, it just said that He Fei “helped him open/drive the nanny van” but He Fei was walking with YQC so I assumed it was supposed to be the door. Not exactly accurate (深深感慨着) but we’re going with this 经济理念 The pronoun used here was masculine but I remember in a previous chapter, the director had been referred to with a female pronoun (ta) so I had translated it as “she”.
I’ll keep it like this for now until I can confirm that the director is male. or uptight Actually the raw says something along the lines of “有靠山的 (has a support/mountain to lean on)” so basically that YQC wasn’t a nobody with no connections or anybody behind him.
Note that YQC wasn’t said to have a “gold owner/master” (literal translation of “金主”), which leaves room for the people/power/authority behind or supporting YQC to be something like a rich and influential family instead of something like YWC being a kept man. I know this sounds awkward but you get the point.
Raw: 这点钱你还要和我计较 The raw had said “500万” (1万 = 10 thousand = 10,000 so 500 x 10,000 = 5,000,000 = five million.
I think the author forgot a zero… 未免过于生分 (wèimiǎn guòyú shēngfen).
未免 (wèimiǎn) -unavoidably / can’t help / really / rather.
过于 (guòyú) -too much / excessively.
生分 (shēngfen)- estranged. Reference to a previous chapter that I can’t find right now.
Let me know if you remember 小金库 (xiǎojīnkù) -supplementary cash reserve / private fund / private hoard / slush fund Think something like a time after 11pm but not yet 12am