Chapter 13 Letter to Future Self

The three guests exclusively watched He Jinxia answer two questions and couldn't sit still any longer—they rushed to take the questions for themselves regardless of whether they had prepared any answer or not.

This resulted in He Jinxia not managing to answer a single question during the next five seconds of free-for-all buzzing.

After this round of the game ended, the female host, following instructions, asked He Jinxia for her thoughts.

He Jinxia stretched out her hand, touched her chin, and sighed melancholically, "They are all jealous of my talent."

"Hahaha!" The audience below burst into laughter.

The other stars laughed along too, including Zhang You, who, however, began to think deeply and became more alert.

This was, after all, a variety show that focused on fun and entertainment, and regardless of He Jinxia's external image was not good, based solely on her action at the start of the free-for-all buzzing and what she had just said, he was sure that it would definitely be included in the show.

He Jinxia, she's no simple character...

Zhang You had debuted through a popular talent show and was on his way to the top tier after winning the championship. His IQ and EQ were nothing like the old He Jinxia's.

Subconsciously, in the segments that followed, Zhang You often steered the topic towards He Jinxia, interacting with her frequently.

Ji Jiawen was sitting next to Zhang You, and just as she was about to respond to Zhang You's question with her lips slightly parted, he threw the question to He Jinxia, causing her to feel annoyed and her face to barely conceal her irritation.

With a stiff forced smile on her face, her hands clenched tightly on her lap.

She didn't resent Zhang You, but rather He Jinxia; why did she take her question, why did she steal her screen time!

A fatso, even if she hogged more camera time, could she make it to the top tier?

If it hadn't been for He Jinxia, and her interactions with Zhang You on the show, she definitely could have been hyped up as a show couple with him. Damn that He Jinxia!

No particular reason was needed other than the fact that He Jinxia had more camera time, and instantly, she became Ji Jiawen's sworn enemy.

For this very reason, in the last segment, Ji Jiawen was the most aggressive in confronting He Jinxia, and of course, later, she was the one who had her face most resoundingly slapped.

Time stealthily passed, and soon they arrived at the third major segment of the show, which was the "Letter to Future Self" reading segment.

This segment was the most explosive of the entire show. The director used the segment's name as the variety show's title, which alone indicated how important this segment was; moreover, it also had the highest viewer ratings.

Stars' letters to their future selves written well and their adept responses to other guests' questions could win them fans.

If they underperformed in either of these two components, they would have varying impacts, but whether it turned viewers into fans or turned fans away, ultimately it still boosted their popularity.

So, the stars had a love-hate relationship with this segment.

The earlier letters could be faked, but the latter part, facing questions from the guests, really tested the stars' EQ and IQ.

Previously, this segment followed a script, and everyone just had to put on a show superficially, but once, two stars with a personal grudge went off-script on the show, sparring brilliantly with each other.

At that time, the production team worried about whether to air it but ultimately chose to do so. The result was unexpectedly well-received, and "Letter to Future Self" managed to jump from a third-tier to a second-tier variety show because of it.

Since then, no scripts were provided for this segment by the production team.

After a brief break, the guests resumed recording.

The first one to recite on stage was Ji Jiawen; she held her letter, eloquently narrating her past difficulties as a trainee and the stumbling blocks she faced after debuting. Nevertheless, she managed to prevail and maintain her current status.

In conclusion, she expressed her hope to herself five years into the future, wishing that she would still hold true to her original aspirations and reach greater heights in her career.

I must say, this was a very clichéd recitation. In the words of netizens, it was — so fake it could pass.

But it was precisely this kind of fake recitation that wouldn't cause any trouble.

Because...

It's all just a memoir expressing emotions, what's there to tear apart?

It didn't reveal any secrets, at most people would accuse her of playing the victim, but that's about it.

During the long ten-minute recitation, Ji Jiawen used up all her time and then deeply bowed to the audience below the stage, her eyes slightly red as she returned to her seat.

He Jinxia looked at Nan Ming beside her, trying her best to evoke a natural yet moved expression.

Zhang You saw Ji Jiawen come down from the stage, unable to hold back her tears any longer, and quickly handed her a tissue while softly comforting her.

Female stars crying on the show was not uncommon, and the production team was no longer surprised. A woman crying was one thing; male stars also cried, even weeping directly during their recitations!

After so many stars had showcased their variety of methods, the production team was very calm, as were the viewers watching.

The camera switched, and the recording of the show continued.

The next to recite onstage was Nan Ming.

Compared to Ji Jiawen's official presentation, Nan Ming's "Letter to Future Self" was much more sincere.

He seriously reviewed his current career shortcomings and also expressed his melancholy about the future—

"My path in the acting industry is getting narrower. I can't play the important roles, and it's hard to find suitable minor roles that fit my image."

"I want to switch roles, from playing the hero to the villain, but my face is too masculine. Every time I put great effort into playing a villain, the result isn't good, and the audience straightforwardly says my face looks awkward as a villain."

"Every time I see the audience's comments and the media's pessimism, occasionally, a thought crosses my mind — would it be better if I just slashed my face?"

"If my features were destroyed, my face would no longer look heroic and righteous. Then, wouldn't people's impressions change when they see my face, not thinking it looks so masculine?"

Nan Ming spoke these words very earnestly, with a sincere attitude. In the end, he hoped that all the viewers and directors would give him a chance to try playing more diverse roles.

It could be a nonsensical comedy, a villainous film, or even a horror movie...

Finally, Nan Ming expressed his hopes for his future, wishing to remain true to his original aspirations. He bowed and then left the stage.

He Jinxia raised her hand and clapped along with the audience, not deliberately controlling her facial expression, but guessing that it must be more natural than before.

Her eyes scanned the audience's reaction below, noticing a few who were moved to tears, prompting a thoughtful look in her eyes.

She could imagine that when the show aired, Nan Ming would probably experience a surge in his fan base.

Soon, the host began to wrap up the speech, and according to the program's schedule, the next star to appear was He Jinxia.

He Jinxia slightly adjusted her clothes, readying herself.

Onstage, the female host smiled at the camera and said, "Nan Ming expressed a firm determination to transform in his 'Letter to Future Self.' Here, we also wish him success in breaking his own boundaries and going further in his future path."

"Next, please welcome the next star—Zhang You."

The scene suddenly became quiet, but quickly, the audience regained their senses, screaming and calling out Zhang You's name.