After Being Blackened All Over the Internet, I Ruled the Military Variety Shows-Chapter 37: The First One

The atmosphere inside the car was awkward yet tinged with a bit of tension.

The car was an ordinary small sedan, Jiang Lingxi sat in the back seat, turning her head to look out the window.

Ever since Lu Zhengzheng once casually mentioned that playing on the phone or reading in the car could harm her eyes, she has disciplined herself not to touch her phone while in the car.

Luckily, the fleeting scenery outside the window was enough to feast her eyes.

Two staff members sat in the front, one focused on driving, while the other sat upright in the passenger seat.

They were so frozen after looking through the rearview mirror at the figure quietly watching the scenery, that they didn’t dare move at all.

They swore they had never been this focused while driving or riding in a car.

It felt less like they were picking up a guest from the show and more like they were transporting someone of paramount importance.

It was truly uncanny!

Meanwhile, inside another car, a silent atmosphere was spreading.

After waiting for almost an hour, during which they even confirmed the address with a colleague, they finally saw the villa gates open.

Afterwards, not to mention being invited in for a sit and a sip of water, from the moment they saw the person to when they started heading back, they only heard Jiang Xiyu say two words to them, "Get in."

And once in the car, as the two of them wanted to explain that it was already a bit late to set off and that they’d drive a little faster, they turned back to see a face that screamed ’I want to sleep, don’t bother me,’ so they quickly swallowed back their words.

The two exchanged glances for a moment, only they knew what was going through their minds as they listened to the increasingly deep breathing from the back.

Before filming began, the production team had called to remind every guest, it was impossible that Jiang Xiyu didn’t receive it.

But looking at Jiang Xiyu now, it was clear she stayed up late last night, causing her to wake up late this morning, making them wait in the cold at the gate for almost an hour, and now she needed to catch up on sleep in the car.

They remembered there was a time online when Jiang Xiyu was praised for having a regular work schedule and her dedication akin to being overly competitive, but seeing is believing, they now had to hold a somewhat reserved attitude.

*

Inside a spacious VIP lounge at the airport, equipment for filming and live streaming had already been set up, and the director and a group of staff were waiting outside the camera, all tense and ready.

"I wonder who will be the first to arrive?"

"It should be Jiang Xiyu, her house is pretty close to the airport, but I’d bet the last to arrive will be Jiang Lingxi, not only is she the furthest, but she’s probably not even awake yet."

Director Li Shuo turned back, glaring at the two whispering, then looked down at his watch, furrowing his brow.

This was his bold attempt as the chief director of the survival show, and naturally, he hoped the participating guests would maintain stable conditions.

He was most worried about Jiang Lingxi among them.

When he first learned that Jiang Lingxi was also coming, he even wanted to persuade his boss to remove her; how could such a troublemaker possibly adapt to Wilderness Survival?

Unfortunately, his suggestion was rejected, and since the artist agreed to participate, he had to accept it.

After all, he was just a director!

The room fell silent again, just then, the door to the lounge was pushed open from outside.

Everyone immediately looked up, eager to see who the first arriving guest would be.

A face as fresh as a lotus in clear water soon came into view.

"Jiang, Ms. Jiang?"

The first speaker’s tone was somewhat incredulous.

Li Shuo’s brow relaxed as he stood up, "Ms. Jiang, you arrived first, please sit and rest. Have you had breakfast?"

In fact, the moment Jiang Lingxi entered, she took in the expressions of everyone in the lounge; it seemed they didn’t expect her?

What they didn’t expect would be much more to come.

"Director Li and everyone, good morning. I’ve already had breakfast, thank you for your concern." She glanced at the equipment in the corner flashing its green light, presumably already recording, and smiled, carrying her bag unhurriedly to an empty sofa and sitting down gracefully.

Upon sitting down, she discovered a pleasant surprise; she had regretted not having time to watch the morning news, and here on the table was a brand new newspaper, alleviating her regret somewhat.

Seeing no one claim the newspaper and no interest in talking with her, she reached for it and quietly began to read.

Li Shuo looked at Jiang Lingxi, then at the two staff members who went to pick her up, and as he sat down again, he couldn’t help but glance at the figure naturally flipping through the newspaper.

He had never worked with Jiang Lingxi before, after all, he dealt with niche genres like survival shows.

Now seeing her in person for the first time, he couldn’t at all connect this quiet young lady reading the paper with the trouble-stirring little ancestor from online.

Did his two subordinates pick up the wrong person?

Meanwhile, the two staff members responsible for picking up Jiang Lingxi were surrounded silently by others.

Since it wasn’t convenient to talk quietly in person, their phone group chat suddenly became lively.

"What’s the situation, Jiang Lingxi was the first to arrive!!!" frёeωebɳovel.com

Three exclamation marks were enough to express shock.

"Good thing both of them are surnamed Jiang, I almost called the wrong one just now!"

"Zhouzhou and Xiaoliu, how did you guys manage to get there so fast?"

Zhouzhou and Xiaoliu were the two staff members sent to pick up Jiang Lingxi.

They were eagerly waiting for a chance to brag when they saw the question, and immediately perked up.

"We were nervous too, worried about being late. But guess what, we barely pressed the doorbell when the door opened right away."

"Ms. Jiang had already finished breakfast, and when she went back to change and get her luggage, she even had her assistant pour us two cups of hot milk."

"You were actually invited inside?"

"Yeah, and we got to enjoy the luxury of the celebrity’s big house, and the hot milk was delicious too."

After sending this message, there was a momentary silence in the group chat.

If asked, they’d say they’re jealous.

Zhouzhou, a female, pursed her lips and continued typing, "It’s my first time interacting with Ms. Jiang, and I felt she was nothing like what people say online. Though not super approachable, since she does have that celebrity aura, during this meeting, I felt a sense of being respected."

Xiaoliu followed her message with, "Feeling confirmed, I think everyone should get to know Ms. Jiang afresh. She’s really different from what we’ve heard online."

Jiang Lingxi turned a page in the newspaper, suddenly looking towards the door.

The others who were secretly observing her followed and looked at the door as well.

The next moment, the door to the lounge was pushed open, and a voice was heard before the person arrived, "Am I not late, right?"

Jiang Lingxi slightly raised her eyes, looking at the tall young man standing at the door.

With decent casual wear, the hair seemed deliberately styled, sunglasses perched on a high nose bridge—a natural image of a pampered rich kid.

Yu Hui, a fan of Jiang Xiyu, had come for her.

She retracted her gaze and continued reading the paper.

Knowing there’s such a person, it wasn’t worth her attention even for a second.

Yu Hui’s smile stiffened a bit, he took off his sunglasses and nodded to the crowd, glanced around the lounge, then chose a spot farthest from Jiang Lingxi.

Li Shuo noticed the position Yu Hui selected but said nothing, "Ms. Jiang was first, you’re second, not late."

Yu Hui maintained a smiling face and nodded, but his fingers impatiently pinched the hem of his clothes.

Damn, Jiang Lingxi was the first to arrive, he thought his goddess would be the first, so he rushed over without even having breakfast!

The atmosphere in the lounge quickly quieted down after a brief bustle.

Watching the two figures in front of the lens standing far apart, everyone exchanged glances.

With two guests here now, from the same company no less, they thought some chatter might liven up the lounge, but now, anyone could see Jiang Lingxi and Yu Hui weren’t getting along; they weren’t even willing to engage in small talk, not even bothering to pretend.

Li Shuo’s brow, which had relaxed, slowly furrowed again.