Let Me Meet You chapter 38
Sunrise (Part 1)
Similar to the typical slow-paced variety show format, apart from the flashy gimmicks, the core of Around the World was still short trips combined with interviews.
The host, Yu Fuying, was a veteran celebrity in the industry. She had acted in dramas, released albums, and hosted more than ten shows, gaining great popularity in the entertainment world. In Around the World, she invited three to four friends per episode to visit a secluded scenic area for a two-day, one-night trip.
The location for this episode wasn’t far, just by the seaside in a neighboring city. It used to be a wild beach, but a few years ago, it was unexpectedly photographed with sightings of sperm whales, which attracted attention from photography enthusiasts. It gradually gained some fame, though it was still considered a niche spot, making it suitable for filming.
“Are you familiar with this host?” Li Xuan asked softly as they were on the early morning flight. The plane had just landed, and it was still dim outside. The drive to the seaside would take about an hour. He had read through the program introduction and schedule on the announcement sheet.
They were in a seven-seater business vehicle, sitting in the last row. Since the recording was short, Yang Xu and Zhang Zhihua didn’t accompany them. Aside from the driver, there was only one staff member from the program team sitting in the front, likely still asleep from the early hour.
“Not exactly very familiar,” Sheng Min glanced ahead, raised the partition, and confirmed the soundproofing before answering, “When I was a child, I played her son in a drama. We didn’t stay in contact much after that. The last time we met was probably at an award ceremony two years ago… Ying Jie has a lot of hosting experience, so she generally doesn’t bring up uncomfortable topics. But…”
He hesitated a bit, then noticing Li Xuan’s curious look, he added, “She got divorced last year, so when recording, don’t mention her husband or children.”
“I don’t care about that,” Li Xuan replied indifferently.
“The program team might guide the conversation,” Sheng Min thought for a moment before adding, “But you’re smart, so you won’t fall for it.”
“Smart” was the most common adjective Li Xuan had heard about himself from childhood to adulthood, from classmates to teachers. Even Li Mingge, who looked down on him, had to admit that his IQ was higher than most people’s. Li Xuan never cared about others’ evaluations and usually found praise boring, rarely even bothering to say “thank you.”
However, when Sheng Min said the same thing, it seemed to have a rare impact on him.
“Stop with the flattery,” Li Xuan said, opening a bottle of water and taking a sip.
Sheng Min chuckled, “I didn’t say anything untrue.”
It wasn’t about whether it was true or not. Li Xuan thought, but he couldn’t quite put his feelings into words. He casually changed the topic, “Have you been tricked many times?”
“Not really.”
Sheng Min shook his head. He hadn’t eaten anything on the plane and felt a bit hungry, so he took out a sandwich from a paper bag. “Do you want some?”
“No need.”
Sheng Min then tore open the transparent wrapper and slowly took a bite.
“Why are you so quiet all of a sudden?” Li Xuan asked, noticing that Sheng Min was now focused on eating.
Sheng Min paused, then smiled when he realized what had happened. “Oh, I haven’t been tricked. There’s nothing to say… I debuted pretty early, and back then, I was young and unknown, so no one really cared. It wasn’t about being set up. But I’ve seen others suffer. That’s how it is in the industry. Sometimes, you say the wrong thing without realizing it, and when the spotlight shines on you, it gets blown out of proportion. But if you stay vigilant, you can avoid it.”
He spoke lightly, without any complaints, as though sharing a trivial matter. After speaking, he lowered his head to deal with the lettuce in his sandwich. It was as if he really hadn’t suffered any injustice or misunderstanding.
Li Xuan looked down at him, his gaze drifting over the partition in front and then to the program announcement sheet in his hands. When he received it, Sheng Min had already made detailed notes, marking everything that needed attention. Despite this, his phrasing was very restrained, so even if someone found it, no one could pick out any mistakes.
“Is there something on my face?” Li Xuan didn’t realize that his gaze had once again landed on Sheng Min.
“Mm.” Li Xuan suppressed his mixed-up thoughts that he couldn’t explain and casually said, “There’s something on the left corner of your mouth.”
“Is it salad dressing?” Sheng Min instinctively opened his mouth slightly and used his tongue to swipe at the corner, “Is there more?”
“No, that’s it,” Li Xuan said vaguely, but his gaze didn’t move away. It wasn’t until Sheng Min looked a bit puzzled that Li Xuan finally looked down and muttered, “I think I said something wrong just now. I’m hungry too. Give me a piece of that sandwich.”
The car went down the overpass, and right after, they entered a long tunnel. It wasn’t until they emerged from the dim tunnel and light poured back in that the view outside the window changed.
At first, there was a faint, distant strip of white on the horizon, like a thin ribbon tied at the end of the green forest. Gradually, the ribbon spread, and the trees were replaced by sand and rocks. The sound of the waves could be faintly heard as the car stopped.
“Mr. Sheng, we’re here.” A young girl opened the car door from the outside and smiled brightly, “It’s been a long journey. Thank you for your hard work. I’m your follow-up PD. You can rest for a bit. We’ll start filming in an hour, and then we’ll need you to walk over here again for some exit shots.”
“It’s fine, thank you for your hard work,” Li Xuan responded.
The car had parked in an open area, with a set of metal stairs leading down to the coast below. The area had been cleared in advance, with wide caution tape set up, and colorful tents from the filming crew were crowded together. Staff members were moving back and forth, adjusting equipment. When they saw Li Xuan walking by, they greeted him.
In order to match Sheng Min’s usual approachable and down-to-earth demeanor, Li Xuan nodded and greeted everyone as he passed. The walk wasn’t long, only about fifteen minutes.
“Why are there so many people?” Li Xuan lagged behind a step and whispered to Sheng Min, his brow slightly furrowed.
Sheng Min pursed his lips and smiled, lowering his voice as he leaned in to whisper to him, “Like a nodding doll.”
“What?” Li Xuan didn’t catch it.
“A nodding doll,” Sheng Min explained seriously. “You know, the kind with a spring in its neck that keeps nodding when you push it.” He even helpfully added, “Like the cinnamon dog on my car’s dashboard.”
A mental image of that blue-and-white big-eared dog flashed through Li Xuan’s mind. He thought it looked incredibly silly and replied irritably, “Whose fault is that?”
“Mine.” Sheng Min admitted cheerfully, taking the blame. He reached out a finger to lightly poke Li Xuan’s forearm and smiled, “I pushed you.”
The spot where Sheng Min’s fingertip touched felt as if it had been brushed by a spark—warm and slightly itchy. Li Xuan knew it was just an illusion and cleared his throat, “You’re in a good mood, huh?”
Sheng Min nodded, seemingly without context, and said, “We’re by the sea, after all.”
But it was clearly an overcast day. The sky was foggy, the smell of the sea was particularly strong in the air, and the wind carried fine yellow sand that grazed their exposed arms. It was far from a pleasant seaside view.
“You like the sea? Why?” Li Xuan voiced his thoughts directly.
However, before he could hear Sheng Min’s answer, another voice cut in: “Xiao Min.”
Li Xuan turned toward the voice. A woman lifted the sunshade flap of the nearby tent and walked toward them with a smile.