Chapter 112. Laughter nights (2)10 minutes before the broadcast.
All lights were lit up like the scorching sun, illuminating the set.
Ren could see all the seats filled up by the audience on his side. They all had excited faces and some staff members were giving them instructions.
He could also see the host, Bai Zhu carefully reading his cue cards, hurriedly memorising his lines and the questions he"s going to ask today.
"You don"t have to be nervous on the stage. Just be casual and answer the questions the host will ask of you. Oh, if you can, you can make some jokes of your own but only if they are good. Just remember the script we have given you and everything would be fine."
On his left, a producer was carefully giving the instructions to Ren, Xiao Rin and Chen Mei, especially Xiao Rin as it was her first time on a reality show.
"I think I will do fine, now."
"Then, please enter the set when we give the signal."
The producer left after a.s.suring that everything was alright and as the time for them to enter the set came close, the expression of Jiang Wan who was accompanying them on the shoot was getting more nervous.
"Chief Jiang, you look nervous. Are you fine?"
"I am fine. Just take care of Xiao Rin and don"t say something unnecessary. That Bai Zhu will surely try to ask you about your next drama. Don"t reveal much."
"I know. I will not reveal anything unnecessary."
Jiang Wan was saying that because the full cast of the «Heirs» was still not announced yet and it would be trouble if Ren can"t keep his mouth shut.
"Don"t worry about it."
Ren said hurriedly as he saw the program team giving the signal to go on the stage.
* * *
"h.e.l.lo, ladies and gentlemen, I am your host Bai Zhu here again to talk with your favourite celebrities."
As the music began, Bai Zhu energetically started introducing himself and made a few jokes to make up the mood.
After some talk, he finally started to call out to Ren, Chen Mei and Xiao Rin.
"Today our guest are going to be really special, our program team had worked really hard for them to appear on our show."
The audience started making noises and some even started clapping.
All the audience members already knew about the guest that were appearing today.
"Their drama was a big hit with over 3% ratings. Please welcome Xiao Rin, Chen Mei and….Xin Ren."
With the loud music and enthusiastic claps of the audience, Ren, Xiao Rin and Chen Mei appeared on the stage.
The audiences claps were really louder as it was the first time they had appeared today.
«The stars above» was still being re-watched by many of its fans and there were various clips of it on the internet.
After some small talks and jokes, Bai Zhu started asking some questions.
His first choice was obviously Ren.
"Mr. Ren had been rapidly climbing the stairs of stardom. From debuting in a hit thriller to going on to become the lead in a record breaking drama. You have been only taking the right steps till now, what do you want to say about that?"
"Stairs? I think you should say that he is on a elevator instead."
Before Ren could answer the question, Chen Mei chimed in as she made a joke and Bai Zhu laughed as he replied.
"Maybe I should say that. So, what is your take on that?"
"I think my life is really a elevator right now but I don"t know which floor it would stop."
"So you don"t know how high you will go?"
"Yeah, I don"t know. I always aspires to be an actor. I struggled for it and then, I finally received a role and people liked my acting. If people will keep liking my acting, I think my elevator will not stop."
The audience cheered when they heard that and Bai Zhu was impressed by Ren"s answer.
He was reaching his 40s currently and he had interviewed many young stars but he felt that Ren was the most mature of them all.
Instead of praising himself for his choices, he was thanking the audience for liking him.
It was a smart choice because in the entertainment industry, you can only make a place for yourself if the people have a place for you in their hearts.
"Do you think that you will achieve success with «Heirs» too?"
"I still don"t know it. If the people will like it, then it will be a success. I can only give my best in my acting to ensure it"s success."
"That was a really vague answer, you know. Don"t you think you can give us some more details on the drama?"
The audience again started shouting and Ren was able to hear "Yeah" and "Please reveal something!" from the audiences stands.
"I think the information will be revealed soon enough. For the time, I can"t say anything about the drama."
"You are surely playing hard but you know our program team got some rumours about the drama as you know we are from the same TV station."
Laughed nights and Ren next drama «Heirs» would be broadcasted on the same public network CTS.
"What kind of rumours are there?"
Chen Mei was also interested in the rumours as she tilted her head and asked.
"We founded some information like how Xie Yujing was going to be a part of the cast. Is it true?"
The audience erupted in noise when they heard that. Xie Yujing was a big star in the whole country and she had not been in any dramas or movies for a year.
It would be a big news if her next project will be going to be «Heirs».
"That"s a question I want to know the answer of too. I wish she would be in the drama."
"You really don"t know or are you playing innocent?"
"I really don"t know. I would be too excited if that was true. Being able to act with Xie Yujing would be a honour."
"Are you a fan?"
"You could say so."
Ren said as he thought about Xie Yujing. She was regarded as the queen of acting before Xiao Rin.
As she was not only popular in China and Korea but the in most of the South Asian countries.
She later went into Hollywood but surviving there was hard for her and she eventually retired from acting after her failure.
No one knew what happened to her after that.
"It would be nice to act with her!"
Ren thought as he continued with the talk show and the barrage of questions Bai Zhu was asking him.