LWDC Chapter 27

Chapter 27 – Episode 1!

Chapter 27 – Episode 1!

Chapter 27 – Episode 1!

During the show’s recording, Ning Fei waited backstage, watching the live broadcast with everyone else.

The first segment was a 30-to-20 elimination round, which sounded brutal. The show opened with 20 beautiful women and 10 handsome men walking the runway. The judges sat at the front of the runway with screens displaying side views. The audience sat on both sides and behind the judges. The girls in the front row were fully made up and fashionably dressed, really looking like they were attending a fashion show.

The models went on stage one by one, just like in a formal brand launch, walked to the front of the runway, posed, and then returned. Unlike a launch event, the background music during the show was accompanied by the model’s personal information being announced.

Name, age, height, weight, measurements, leg length, arm length, head-to-body ratio… these terrifying yet real figures echoed through the show venue. Even though the clothes made these handsome men and beautiful women look tall and slender, the string of numbers revealed the models’ most naked aspects.

These figures were measured on-site during the initial filming by the production crew; the numbers the newcomers provided during registration were disregarded. Of course, the show also filmed other scenes of these newcomers, including their interactions. This made it easier to piece together the needed narrative during post-production editing.

“How cruel!”

An unknown assistant was watching TV backstage. Seeing these newcomers walk on stage with their body measurements exposed, and still having to show their best without changing their expressions, they couldn’t help but sigh, “If my data were exposed like that, I wouldn’t know what to do with my hands and feet, let alone walk the runway in such scary high heels…”

“Because these numbers were measured by a group of people, announced publicly on the spot, they’ve already been publicly criticized once,” a staff member from N’s family replied from the side. “Having gone through that scene, they should have some pressure resistance now.”

“Yeah, that’s normal. After all, their ‘clothing rack’ value is what matters,” an ST-branded staff member echoed. “To enter this industry and fight, reporting data is the most basic thing. Especially the body data of famous models and supermodels, it’s considered a public secret in the industry. You can get it by asking around.”

Listening to their conversation, Ning Fei thought, “This is nothing yet.” Data is good, but it is nothing if people can’t wear the clothing. If the clothes are too tight somewhere or don’t fit at all during fitting, the designer and brand’s expression would make the model doubt their life.

—Of course, the idea that “is the designer’s design too heaven-defying, too contrary to the natural laws of the human body” would never exist in those people’s minds.

To minimize the occurrence of this, Ning Fei was very strict about Su Cenxi’s figure management. The scale in Su Cenxi’s house was connected to Ning Fei’s APP, weighing twice a day, morning and night. Ning Fei also made surprise checks, and if the fluctuation exceeded the limit, he would immediately start dieting. Su Cenxi used to hate this strict management of “being scolded for eating even one extra bite,” but now he obediently accepted all management and even took the initiative to report everything he ate, as well as all the fitness projects he did every day.

And Su Cenxi obviously remembered his own experience, chatting with Lin Man, who was also a guest observer, in the observation room, “They are all so thin! Surely no one is eating the snacks and refreshments in the lounge area, it looks like no one has touched them.”

Lin Man nodded, “I saw photographers wandering around the lounge area. If they are caught eating snacks, they might get points deducted.”

Su Cenxi said, “What, there are cameras! Then I don’t dare to go, I’ll be finished if I get caught…”

What he said was quite interesting. Later, when the show aired, many fans AT Ning Fei to check the surveillance to confirm whether Su Cenxi had sneaked food. Ning Fei replied with a comment from the studio’s official account, saying “currently investigating,” which brought Su Cenxi a small hot search during the first episode of Starlight, but that’s a story for later.

The live broadcast footage then cut to the judges’ panel.

Ning Fei saw Duan Yunhong in his serious working state. No matter which newcomer stood in front to show off, no matter how good the data announced, this man had a serious expression. Whenever he followed the newcomer’s movement and constantly flipped through the materials, circling and drawing on the paper with a pen, it made the audience feel an unspeakable sense of tension.

Looking at this serious face, Ning Fei had an impulse to “deliberately sabotage.”

He took out his phone again and took two pictures of the man on the screen, then sent all the photos he took on the red carpet, along with these two, to Duan Yunhong, and attached two messages.

First message: [Director Duan’s expression management is so strict, you should debut, why are you always instigating me to do it.]

Second message: [By the way, was the runway show with data reporting your idea? That’s too evil, bro!]

Of course, these messages didn’t get a reply quickly.

Ning Fei knew Duan Yunhong would be very busy today and was prepared not to receive a reply all day. But in reality, Duan Yunhong’s reply came not long after the runway show ended.

Ning Fei was surprised when he saw the small red dot light up in his message bar. Because after the hour-plus-long runway stage ended, the audience had already dispersed, but today’s recording was far from over. According to the schedule, the production crew would prepare slightly, and then enter the judges’ discussion segment. This segment only filmed the four judges, who would select 19 advancing spots based on the newcomers’ data and runway performance. The remaining spot would be selected from the remaining newcomers after joint discussion by the guests. Finally, the judges and guests would go to the models to announce the advancing list, and the first episode of the competition would end.

In other words, although Su Cenxi was temporarily resting and relaxing, it should be the time when the judges’ segment was in tense preparation, so how could Duan Yunhong have time to reply to messages?

Ning Fei clicked open his message bar, there were three new messages in total.

First message: [The presentation segment was discussed and decided upon by the production team together, not my personal dictation.]

Second message: [Why are you secretly filming me?]

Third message: [Did you receive flowers just now?]

“Ah…?” Ning Fei was a little confused when he saw the last line. After receiving the fans’ gifts outside the venue, he directly sent the two bouquets of flowers to Su Cenxi’s van, and then entered the studio center. Naturally, he didn’t have time to take or post any promotional photos. How did Duan Yunhong know he received flowers?

Ning Fei directly replied: [How do you know I received flowers?]

Duan Yunhong: [I saw it.]

Ning Fei: [??? Where did you see it?]

Duan Yunhong: [Ning Feifei. Echoed throughout the venue.]

Ning Fei: …How did he hear that!

Ning Fei: [Weren’t you on the red carpet at that time?]

Duan Yunhong: [It was too loud.]

Ning Fei didn’t want to recall that segment with him anymore, so he changed the topic and said: [Aren’t you busy right now? Haven’t filmed the judges’ segment yet?]

Duan Yunhong: [In ten minutes.]

Duan Yunhong: [After the show ends tonight, come to my place?]

Ning Fei was drinking water, and almost choked when he saw Duan Yunhong’s question. Holding the phone in one hand, he quickly typed a reply: [Director Duan, I’ve discovered you have a strange habit! How do you always like to secretly talk about this kind of thing in serious occasions!]

Duan Yunhong: [I just said it when I thought of it. We haven’t spent the night together in a while, are you busy tonight?]

He was so frank, that Ning Fei felt his hesitation was a bit pretentious, so he had to reply: [Okay then.]

Duan Yunhong: [See you tonight then, Ning Feifei.]

Ning Fei couldn’t help but imagine Duan Yunhong’s tone when he saw those three words again, and immediately felt his hair stand on end.

[Don’t call me that!]

*

In the evening, the production crew filmed the segment of announcing the advancing list.

Some were happy, some were sad. When the judges were discussing before, they said a lot of poisonous and sharp comments, like too old, neck too short, leg proportions weren’t good, but during the announcement segment, they gave a lot of warm and encouraging comments, moving some newcomers to tears. Especially the “guest saving” part at the end, was full of suspense, obviously a good opportunity to insert commercials.

After filming this segment, this work was over for Su Cenxi. Ning Fei had him take photos with the bouquets in the van, then logged into Su Cenxi’s social media account, posted the closing message with the photos, and then got out of the van himself.

Carrying the small bouquet of flowers given by fans, he drove to Duan Yunhong’s house.

Duan Yunhong still had a short meeting with the production crew after the recording, so Ning Fei arrived at his house first. Ning Fei also bought some late-night snacks on the way, like grilled skewers and stir-fried noodles, completely ignoring whether Duan Yunhong would eat them, and whether that minimalist and stylish home was suitable for them. After he entered the door, he couldn’t find a suitable vase for the flowers for a long time. In the end, he could only open a new bottle of mineral water and twist the bottle to make it a vase.

So when Duan Yunhong came home, the first thing he smelled when he opened the door was a strong smell of grilled skewers; when he entered the dining room, he saw a table full of “brown” street food, and a beautiful bouquet of flowers inserted in half a mineral water bottle.

“…” Duan Yunhong didn’t know what to comment on first for a moment.

Ning Fei very naturally put down the chicken wings and greeted him, “Good evening. Why did you come back wearing the same outfit you wore for the show, don’t tell me you’re trying to show off to me… Ah, is this your private clothes?”

“Yeah, I came back after taking off my makeup,” Duan Yunhong took off his coat, unbuttoning his cuffs as he approached the dining table. “Today a model fainted from hunger backstage, but you’re eating so openly. So much, can you finish it all alone?”

Ning Fei said, “I even counted your share in.”

Duan Yunhong: “I don’t eat it.”

“Oh. I thought your figure management should be very strict.” Ning Fei wasn’t surprised by this answer at all and didn’t continue to persuade him. “I worked a full day on the show today, and I didn’t eat much either. I only realized I was hungry at night, so I have to eat. If I can’t finish it, I’ll put it in your fridge and take it away tomorrow. Don’t worry, I’ll brush my teeth properly later.”

Duan Yunhong held the back of his chair with one hand, leaned over and smelled his shoulder, “But you’re covered in this smell now.”

Ning Fei waved his hand impatiently, “I know, I’ll wash it off before coming to find you, okay? Get away, or you’ll be marinated too… um.”

Duan Yunhong kissed him directly.