Chapter 026: Second Watch

The stirring music unique to the Miao language suddenly resounded, immediately drawing everyone’s attention to the stage. The fans, who had just calmed down thanks to Lou Yao and Xi Yao’s playful banter, also took their seats.

Song Wan entered the stage together with the second male lead. Since their characters had no romantic entanglements in the drama, they couldn’t make their entrance in the same playful way as Chen Yi and the others. In the story, the second male lead is driven by intense curiosity—wondering about the true face behind Miao Yu’s embroidered mask. Because of this curiosity, he constantly pesters her, to the point that others mistake his interest for affection. In the end, however, upon discovering that Miao Yu is actually Qin Feng’s sister, he is killed by her.

He’s a comic yet tragic figure, which leads to many amusing scenes between him and Miao Yu. Thus, the production team decided Song Wan and the second male lead would reenact their first encounter.

Song Wan’s debut scene takes place in a bustling inn. Her distinctive attire—a black gauze veil—catches the curiosity of the second male lead, who pretends to want to share her table. Seizing the opportunity, he lifts her veil. In the very next moment, he’s so frightened he bolts out of the inn, forgetting to pay for his meal.

Song Wan held a shallow wine cup in one hand and gracefully lifted the veil with the other, elegantly bringing the wine to her lips. Every movement was fluid and natural; even though her face remained unseen, the audience found the scene mesmerizing.

The audience below couldn’t help but hold their breath, eyes wide so as not to miss a single detail. Just as she was about to refill her cup, the second male lead tapped a folding fan on the wooden table—procured specially for the show—knocking rhythmically: “Hey, miss, you’re taking up a whole table by yourself. Look, everyone else coming in has nowhere to sit. Don’t you think you’re being a bit inconsiderate?”

Song Wan acted as if she hadn’t heard him, her movements unchanged. The amber wine swirled in her cup, its color dazzling. As she raised the cup to drink, the second male lead seized the brim of her hat and pulled it off—

“Good heavens, I’ve seen a ghost!” he shrieked, stumbling away and screaming as he fled.

The audience, swept up by their performance, gasped in surprise and then burst into laughter. The laughter thundered through the studio, threatening to shake the walls.

Xi Yao turned back, smiling, “Looks like we’ll be working with Song Wan a lot in the future. You won’t have to worry about missing her once the show ends.”

Xi Yao’s judgment was never wrong; Lou Yao’s eyes narrowed in a delighted smile.

From start to finish, Song Wan remained in place, slowly sipping her wine...

“Wow, Song Wan, your acting was phenomenal!” Lou Yao ran onto the stage, bypassing the second male lead to stand before Song Wan. “For a moment, I thought I was actually seeing Miao Yu in person.”

Song Wan smiled faintly and then walked over to stand beside the second male lead.

“But your makeup is really scary—I was actually startled just now.” Lou Yao patted her chest, still shaken.

Xi Yao laughed in agreement, “When Director Zhou said you were a great actress, I didn’t really believe it. Turns out I was proven wrong so quickly.”

“How so?” Lou Yao blinked.

Xi Yao covered his face, “Because Song Wan’s acting is even better than Director Zhou said. My face stings from the slap.”

Lou Yao leaned closer, “Wow, you really did get slapped!”

“Get lost!” Xi Yao glared. “So what if you like Miao Yu?”

“So what? Of course, it’s amazing!” Lou Yao laughed, turning to the audience and handing them the microphone. “Don’t you all agree?”

The audience responded in unison, “Yes—”

Xi Yao placed his hands on his hips, “If it’s so amazing, should I become a Miao Yu fan too?”

Lou Yao led the audience, “You must—”

“Pfft!” Xi Yao burst out laughing. “Alright, alright, I’ll join you and become a fan. Isn’t that good enough?”

“That’s more like it!” Lou Yao gave him an approving look. “So now, when I’m catching up on the drama, I won’t have to hear your complaints. As a host, how can you not understand what the audience wants? Right, Miao Yu?”

Song Wan, exasperated, said, “My name isn’t Miao Yu.”

“Who says it isn’t?” Lou Yao pretended to be indignant. “You’re absolutely Miao Yu—the Miao Yu in my heart!”

Xi Yao interrupted, “The Miao Yu in your heart? As if you’ve even read the original novel.”

Lou Yao replied confidently, “I haven’t! But even without reading it, I know Song Wan’s Miao Yu is spot on!”

“How can you be so shameless?”

“What do you know, you fossil?” Lou Yao retorted. “I’m all over Weibo—you should see how the original fans under ‘Celestial Among the Clouds’ official account praise Song Wan’s portrayal of Miao Yu. They’re clamoring for her every day!”

“What are they clamoring about?”

Lou Yao faced Song Wan, making a fist and gazing at her in mock adoration: “Miao Yu, I want to sleep with you—”

“Wow, that’s dirty!”

Lou Yao, now haughty, declared, “I’m just voicing the fans’ wishes, right everyone?”

The audience laughed and responded, “Right! Miao Yu sleep with us!”

“Go ahead and sleep with your Miao Yu, but Mo Yan is mine alone!” Xi Yao grinned triumphantly and handed the mic to Zhou Fan, who played Mo Yan. “What do you say, Mo Yan?”

But Zhou Fan joined in the mischief: “No, no, I want Miao Yu too.” He nudged Song Wan with his shoulder, grinning mischievously. “Since we’re in the same crew, why not take me in, Miao Yu?”

Song Wan barely held back a laugh. “How could that be? Miao Yu belongs to me!”

Lou Yao exclaimed, “You? Miao Yu belongs to us all!”

“Who says so?” Song Wan spun around, putting on a particularly sinister expression. “Don’t think I don’t know about all the fans online pairing Miao Yu with Qin Qin.”

She dropped the act and gave the audience an enchanting wink. “I think that pairing is perfect—Miao Yu should be with Qin Qin, no doubt about it!”

Despite the makeup that could frighten a child, Song Wan’s words carried an unexpected charm.

Several male audience members reflexively touched their noses, embarrassed when they realized.

Zhou Fan feigned horror, “Then what about me? I die alone in the show, and now no one wants me offstage either?”

The audience burst out, “Mo Yan, we want you—”

Zhou Fan wailed, “No, I want Miao Yu!”

Song Wan stared at him in mock shock, “Don’t tell me your next line is ‘Mo Yan fell down and needs a kiss from Miao Yu to get up’?”

Zhou Fan looked even more shocked. “How could you steal my line?”

At this, not only the audience but also Xi Yao and Lou Yao doubled over with laughter.

“Alright, enough clowning around,” Xi Yao said, cutting them off with a smile. “I had no idea before today how much fun Song Wan and Zhou Fan could be—you two are real comedians.”

The laughter swelled again.

Lou Yao added, “I think both Song Wan and Zhou Fan are toxic, hahahaha…” She laughed so hard she couldn’t stand straight, draping her arm over Mo Yan’s shoulder.

This was an action they’d agreed on during rehearsal, but Mo Yan’s expression froze for a moment.

Song Wan quickly picked up the thread, “Who says Zhou Fan and I are toxic? Clearly, Brother Chen and Sister Zhao are the real comedians!”

Xi Yao grinned, “Since our Miao Yu put it that way, we have to see what ‘legendary comedians’ are like, don’t you agree?”

Thanks to the lighthearted banter, the audience temporarily forgot Zhao Meng’s earlier mishap and shouted, “Yes!”

Lou Yao nodded vigorously. “You’re handsome, whatever you say is right!”

Laughter filled the stage again.

Xi Yao turned, “Let’s welcome Chen Yi and Zhao Meng—the ‘legendary comedians’!”

Zhao Meng quietly breathed a sigh of relief, smiling as she stood and tried to take Chen Yi’s hand so they could walk center stage together. Unexpectedly, Chen Yi subtly dodged her touch.

Catching her off guard, Zhao Meng’s expression froze.

Fortunately, after taking a few steps away, Chen Yi turned back, caught Zhao Meng’s left hand, and—with a look of deep affection—said, “Xiao Yu, if I don’t hold your hand, you always forget how to walk. How can I trust you to go anywhere alone?”

This line came straight from the script, but Chen Yi’s low, gentle voice made it sound both doting and seductive.

For the sake of the scene, Zhao Meng should have blushed and looked down to pick up her next line. But for some reason, she couldn’t utter a single word.