On December 5, 2017, Yi Xing was sound asleep at his home in Xing City when an urgent doorbell rang outside. He picked up his phone, saw it was past 10 o'clock, and secretly thought, "This isn't good."
The time he had agreed upon with the production team yesterday was 10 o'clock, but it was already past that. No wonder the doorbell was ringing so urgently, and he also had several missed calls. He quickly put on his slippers, walked to the door, and said to the outside,
"Just a moment, please. I'll be ready very soon."
Then he immediately rushed into the bathroom, brushing his teeth with one hand and tidying his hair with the other, essentially doing several things at once. Finally, he rinsed his face with clear water, dried it with a towel, and returned to the door with a smile.
He suddenly opened the door, stepped aside to provide ample space for the staff to enter. Guilt for oversleeping was visible on his face. Director Liao, who was leading the group, frowned and said to him,
"You really made us wait, opening the door only now."
"I'm so sorry, Director, I accidentally overslept, and my phone was on silent. I'm truly sorry!" Yi Xing clasped his hands together in a sincere apology. Sleeping at home was much sweeter than at a hotel.
Although he wasn't particular about where he slept, his sleep duration in hotels was much shorter than at home, and he also lacked that sense of security. The bed at home was simply more comfortable.
"Don't oversleep on the day of the gathering like you did today."
"I won't, I promise!"
"Alright, I believe you. After they finish filming the layout of your room, there will be a pre-interview. Where do you think would be most suitable?" Director Liao explained his purpose.
He wasn't just there to film the guests' living situations; he also had several questions prepared for each guest, wanting to ask them thoroughly to be used as a pilot episode later.
"On the sofa, I think. The lighting is better there."
"Okay."
After talking with Director Jiang, Yi Xing took a kettle, filled it with water, and put it on to boil in the kitchen. He wanted to find some tea leaves but searched through cabinets and drawers without finding anything. So, he could only offer plain hot water.
Even though he wasn't particularly fond of hot water himself, it was for entertaining guests, so he'd make do. He washed a few cups, poured the water into each, and placed them in the living room.
Suddenly, a staff member called out to him.
"Teacher Yi Xing."
"What is it?"
"Could you lead the camera and introduce the layout of your home?"
"No problem." Yi Xing put down the cup he was holding and took on the role of a tour guide, leading the cameraman through each room, answering his questions along the way, such as whether he lived alone or with family, and similar inquiries.
Before long, the house tour was over. Next was the pre-interview. Thanks to 'Accelerating,' he had experience handling such situations. He naturally sat on the sofa and gave a bright smile to the camera.
"Hello, Yi Xing. I'm Director Liao. Welcome to the Divas Hit the Road journey. Below, I will tell you some relevant information about this trip."
"Hello, Director Liao. Please go ahead."
"Our trip will traverse two countries in twenty days, and you will have six companions joining you on this journey. Before departure, you need to hand over your personal items such as your mobile phone, wallet, bank cards, etc., to us for safekeeping."
"Ah?!" He couldn't control his expression, looking very troubled. The living conditions were a bit too harsh. Everything had to be handed over. Did that mean he only needed to bring clothes?
"Furthermore, this trip will be entirely self-guided. The production team will not respond to any requests for help. All expenses and affairs will be subject to the guide's arrangements. Many unexpected things may happen during this trip. Are you fully prepared?"
"I'm ready! Can I ask if the guide is one of our guests?"
The main reason was that the production team kept the guests' identities too secret. So far, only the number and gender had been revealed, but not a single name of who was invited, building up a lot of mystery.
"He is one of you, and like you, he is also a male."
Yi Xing nodded, indicating he understood.
After a brief introduction to the trip's information, it was time for the Q&A session. Director Liao pulled out a stack of cue cards from his pocket, each marked with a specific question for each guest. He found the one with Yi Xing's name and began to ask.
"What are your thoughts on this trip?"
"I feel it will be very interesting. I usually go traveling when I have nothing to do, but it's always just me enjoying the scenery alone. Now that I have companions with me, I won't feel so lonely. I'm actually quite looking forward to discussing the subsequent travel plans with everyone."
"Also, I heard I might be the youngest among the guests. I want to say here, my elder brothers and sisters, you don't need to take too much care of me. If there's anything that needs discussing, you can all come to me. Don't worry, I'm very resilient."
Yi Xing's smile in front of the camera was incredibly bright. Just thinking about being able to travel made him unable to stop smiling. First, he wouldn't need to spend his own money; someone else would prepare everything. Second, not only would he not spend money, but he would also get paid. He wished for more such jobs; he wouldn't mind.
"Then, what role do you think you can play in the team?"
"A porter or a translator, either is fine. For boxes that the ladies can't move, I'd be happy to help. And I've studied abroad, so communicating with foreigners isn't difficult for me."
"If needed, I can also moonlight as a listener. If anything unhappy happens during the trip, you can tell me. I'll provide plenty of emotional support."
He was no longer a newcomer to the entertainment industry, having recorded several shows. Although only one was a major hit, he understood the importance of establishing a persona beforehand to attract fans.
"When the place you want to go differs from where some others want to go, what will you do?"
"We'll vote. The minority will abide by the majority. Since we're traveling together, we are a team. I will respect every decision made and absolutely will not be the spoilsport."
Although Yi Xing had never traveled with others, he knew how much a spoilsport could ruin the overall atmosphere during a trip, affecting everyone's mood and easily leading to conflicts.
"Thank you for your answers, Yi Xing. It's getting late, so we'll be leaving now. See you in Jingcheng then. Remember, you absolutely cannot be late!!!" Director Liao repeatedly reminded him. He was truly afraid that the other party would be like before; making a few people wait could be forgiven, but making the entire team wait would be unforgivable.
"Don't worry, don't worry, absolutely not!"
After seeing off the divas hit the road staff, Yi Xing returned to his bedroom and collapsed onto the bed. The feeling of being forcibly woken up and then forced to work was truly unbearable; he needed a good while to recover.