Top Chinese celebrity: Debuted from Running Man

Chapter 230 Tang Monk's Flesh (4k words, fourth update)
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"Please welcome our 11th idol!"

The male voice from the voice changer sounded again.

"what?"

Zhang Hanyun was the first to be stunned, and subconsciously stretched out her fingers to count, "Weren't there only ten people?"

Her round, doll-like face was filled with confusion, and she gestured with her fingers in the air, which made her look rather cute.

Everyone looked at each other, a sense of confusion filling the air.

Is there anyone more famous than Sister Qingxia?

The iron gate slowly opened.

A familiar figure walked in with a signature warm smile.

Teacher He was dressed in a well-fitting suit and looked very energetic.

"I knew it was you!"

Xie Na immediately burst into laughter, pointing at Teacher He with an expression that said, "I saw through it all along."

"You knew all along, yet you acted so convincingly?"

Teacher He laughed and retorted, his face showing the warmth of seeing an old friend.

He first walked to the right and gave Zhao Liying a light hug, then turned to the left and gave Zhang Hanyun, who was still a little dazed, a comforting hug.

While in the surveillance vehicle,

Teacher He carefully noticed a detail:
When Zhang Hanyun saw Brigitte Lin, her fingers were trembling with excitement, but she only dared to look at her from afar, silently shedding tears.

At that moment, he gently turned his gaze to Zhang Hanyun:
“Han Yun,”

His voice was encouraging, "Were you too excited just now and forgot to introduce yourself to our Sister Qingxia?"

"I...I've always wanted to hug Sister Qingxia, but I..."

When Zhang Hanyun was called out, she immediately stood up nervously, her face flushed red, her hands twisting together helplessly, and her eyes began to redden again.

"Don't be nervous, go quickly."

Teacher He's smile was like a warm spring breeze. "Sister Qingxia is very gentle."

Zhang Hanyun mustered her courage and almost ran to Brigitte Lin, bowed deeply, and finally hugged her childhood idol as she had wished, tears streaming down her face once again.

But this time it was pure happiness. He Jiong looked at her contented expression and nodded with satisfaction.

Then,

Teacher He turned his gaze to Ning Jing, speaking in a tone that was somewhat like coaxing a child: "Our Jingjing has had it the hardest. She's the first one sitting here all alone, and no one has spoken to her for so long. It's so pitiful."

This precise expression of "empathy" instantly soothed Ning Jing's barely perceptible little emotions.

She raised her chin proudly, but couldn't help but smile, clearly enjoying the pleasure of being successfully stroked.

With just a few words, Teacher He created a warm and harmonious atmosphere.

"Alright, everyone,"

Teacher He's face returned to that mysterious and excited smile. His gaze lingered on Zhao Liying's face for a moment, then he stretched out his arm and pointed to the tightly closed iron gate:

"Next up—let's welcome our twelfth idol of this season's 'Up Idol'!"

"Twelve? There are more?!"

"It must be Brother Han."

Xie didn't take it seriously and showed no surprise.

Zhao Liying tilted her head, leaned slightly forward, and looked towards the door, preparing to symbolically stand up and applaud.

However, as the door slowly opened, the blazing afternoon sun flooded in, outlining a tall and slender figure—

Zhao Liying's signature round almond eyes widened in disbelief, as if in slow motion!

The light inside instantly shifted from curiosity to immense surprise, and their mouths opened slightly.

The scattered sunlight formed a dazzling halo behind Gu Qing.

Unlike Teacher He's calm and composed black,
He wore an exquisitely designed white traditional Chinese style coat, with subtle dragon patterns inlaid on the collar and cuffs, and the matching slim-fit trousers made him look as elegant as a jade tree in the wind.

This outfit perfectly blends nobility, elegance, and the freshness of spring and summer, truly embodying the phrase "a white-clad, snow-white, handsome young man."

The visual impact of that fleeting glimpse is deadly!
Ouyang Nana was completely stunned, her mouth slightly agape. She had only officially entered the entertainment industry today.

I've never seen a guy this handsome before in Taiwan.

Naza immediately covered her mouth, her beautiful eyes filled with surprise.

She never expected to see her former husband here!
Empress Cai Shaofen made no attempt to hide her admiration, exclaiming loudly in her distinctive Cantonese-accented Mandarin: "Wow! Handsome guy! He's such a good-looking guy!!"

"Gu Qing?! It's you?!"

Xie Na suddenly stood up, pointed at Gu Qing, and looked around in shock, "Where's my brother Han? Did he quit?"

"'Sister Na, Brother Han is enjoying family time at home taking care of the kids,'"

Gu Qing explained with a smile, his voice clear and bright. He strode towards the "Angry Team" with a clear goal in mind, saying, "I was drafted to fill in for a few episodes as the host."

He had just approached when

"...Little brother, what brings you here?"

Sister Zhao's voice was filled with unbelievable surprise.

She stood up almost immediately, her heart brimming with joy:
'He must have come specifically to see me!'

Without hesitation, she opened her arms and went to meet her.

The familiar, crisp scent enveloped her, and she instinctively wanted to bury her head in his shoulder, drawing comfort from his presence.

"I came for Sister Qingxia."

Gu Qing's voice, tinged with laughter, reached her ears clearly. At the same time, he politely and restrainedly gave her a light hug before letting go.

This rational answer was like a small hammer, gently tapping on Sister Zhao's heart, instantly bringing her to her senses, but her joy did not diminish.

He skillfully bypassed Xie Na, who was baring her teeth and pretending to pounce on him, and walked straight up to Brigitte Lin.

Facing this legendary senior, he bowed slightly and extended his hand with just the right amount of respect and a hint of nervousness, like a young person meeting their idol:
"Hello, Sister Qingxia, I'm Gu Qing. Do you remember me?"

Lin Qingxia's smile was warm and kind, and when she saw the handsome young man in front of her, her smile deepened.

She was completely unpretentious, reaching out to hold Gu Qing's hand and even giving him a warm, elder-like hug.
"Of course I remember you, Gu Qing, right?"

Her voice carried a unique gentle magnetism, “I watched your portrayal of Sha Qianmo, and you have a lot of the charm I had when I was young!”

This statement certainly made Gu Qing very grateful, but the original owner personally acknowledged his efforts.

Lin Qingxia then laughed and said, "My two daughters love your variety shows. They often play your songs for me, especially those opera excerpts, which are sung very beautifully."

They gave a lot of praise.

She liked handsome men when she was young, for no reason, but she doesn't like them anymore now that she's older.

In addition, after retirement
She also became fascinated with writing books and singing operas, and admired Gu Qing's appearance and songs.

Not to mention, there's also the sentiment of paying tribute to her acting.

This also allowed Brigitte Lin to become active again after a long hiatus from the film industry, gaining her a great reputation among young audiences.

"Hey! Gu Qing! What do you mean?! Can't you see me?"

Xie Na deliberately stomped her feet behind Gu Qing, pretending to be angry and about to punch him on the back, creating a great comedic effect.

"Sister Na, I'm mainly worried that Brother Jie will get jealous."

Gu Qing smiled and turned around to tease her. He then turned to Zhu Ying and Cai Shaofen of the Annoying Team, bowed slightly, and shook hands politely.

Finally, he turned around and gave the "drama queen" Sister Na a brief but firm brotherly hug, then quickly walked to the hosting position next to Teacher He.

To his right sat Nazha.

Their eyes met inevitably. Gu Qing smiled and nodded.

"Brother Gu Qing, it's been a long time."

Naza's face instantly lit up with a bright smile, and she stood up to give him a hug.

Her hug made Xiao Zhao, who had just been immersed in joy, suddenly lose her chubby face.

As a woman, she instinctively felt that something was wrong with Nazha.

After giving Nazha a polite hug, he naturally had to consider the feelings of others.

"Hello, Brother Gu Qing."

Ouyang Nana blushed with nervousness, her voice carrying the distinctively sweet and coquettish tone of a Taiwanese girl. Her hands were unconsciously folded in front of her, making her look like a perfectly obedient girl.

Hello, Nana.

Gu Qing's deepest impression of her was Lu Xiao Kui, and she smiled politely.

Then, he walked up to Ning Jing, the central figure of the occasion.

"Senior Ning Jing."

Gu Qing prepared herself and put on a very positive attitude.

Unexpectedly,

"Hey! Don't call me 'senior,' just call me 'sister,' don't make me sound old!"

Ning Jing's smile at this moment was a bit dazzling, completely different from her previous "aloof" demeanor.

She stood up very proactively, opened her arms generously, and looked at him with undisguised admiration in her eyes, "Come on, handsome boy, give me a hug."

She's a total looks-obsessed person, but only with men.

She liked Gu Qing's appearance and temperament very much.

Finally, after exchanging greetings with everyone, Gu Qing breathed a sigh of relief and returned to Teacher He's side.

He casually placed one hand behind his back, acting as a decorative vase.

Gu Qing knew nothing about the procedures; she simply left it to Teacher He.

"Everyone, our production team conducted a real popularity survey."

Teacher He understood immediately, picked up his cue cards, and began to reveal the show's dirty tricks: "The top five female idols will be placed in the popularity group, while the bottom five will be placed in the annoying group."

These words were like a thunderclap out of nowhere, instantly freezing the previously relaxed and pleasant atmosphere.

Everyone's expression was a fascinating mix: some had stiff smiles, some looked flustered and guilty, and some seemed at a loss.

The most nervous group was Ning Jing and her four friends from the popular group.

If you were publicly chosen to be in the "annoying group," wouldn't you be incredibly embarrassed?

Naza, Ouyang Nana, and Zhang Hanyun currently have the most awkward expressions.

They are well aware of their popularity.

No one spoke.

Just as this suffocatingly low pressure was about to explode,

Gu Qing suddenly moved. Without saying a word, he strode straight toward the iron gate, his steps as fast as if he were fleeing the scene of a crime.

"Hey?! Little brother, where are you going?"

Teacher He was bewildered by his sudden action and instinctively shouted.

"Well... I think the weather outside is pretty nice, I'm going to go out and get some sun. Teacher He, call me when you're done distributing the papers."

Gu Qing ran towards the iron gate without looking back, saying, "I'm here to fill in for you, not to die."

Is Huang Guotai crazy? Why does he have to pull this kind of stunt?

"No, how can I be left here to get yelled at? Lock the door right now!"

Teacher He immediately realized what was happening, suppressed a laugh, and gave frantic instructions.

Several burly men carrying cameras at the entrance moved their bodies very "cooperatively," blocking Gu Qing's way like a wall.

Gu Qing struggled to no avail and could only be "escorted" back with a look of utter despair, wailing as she was led away:
"Teacher He... why did you have to make everyone so awkward? Isn't it better to be loving and caring towards each other?"

His helpless and sincere complaint was like a needle, instantly puncturing the tense atmosphere and easing the tension in the room.

"Oh, it's alright, little brother, what's there to be embarrassed about!"

Ning Jing truly lives up to her nickname "Quiet," her temper flares up quickly but subsides just as fast.

She crossed her arms, reverting to her usual domineering "I'm not afraid of anyone" attitude. "When I first sat down here, I knew perfectly well that the production team was up to something!"

Her words carried a hint of self-deprecation, which ironically made her seem carefree.

Brigitte Lin shook her head slightly, a hint of helplessness and disappointment in her smile, her voice gentle yet firm, "Who cast this vote?"

No wonder her daughter was so against her going on the variety show.

They even cited Gu Qing as an example, saying that he was ostracized and that the production team was inhumane, not even protecting the safety of the artists.

"that is!"

Xie Na immediately took over, as the core of the team working from both inside and outside, she had to bring the atmosphere back on track.

She stood up, hands on her hips, looking ready to "demand an explanation," her anger directed at the production team:

"Did you survey my fan base—my vast number of Gen Z friends—in this poll?!"

She deliberately made the term "post-00s" sound incredibly loud.

Teacher He, with perfect chemistry, immediately picked up on the joke, saying in a serious tone, "Don't even mention those born in the 00s! We've even asked that black goat munching on grass by the door."

The staff handed over two mobile phones at the right time, which showed the final voting results.

Gu Qing took one first, and after only glancing at the screen, her brows furrowed almost imperceptibly.

Then, he did something that no one expected—

Gu Qing pressed the power button with a serious expression, then shook the phone vigorously after a few seconds and said:

"Oh dear, Teacher He! My phone... seems to have run out of battery and shut down automatically?"

That expression was so innocent that no one could find fault with it.

"..."

Teacher He watched Gu Qing's smooth and natural "power outage" performance, his lips twitched, and he barely suppressed the urge to roll his eyes.

She snatched the "prop" phone from his hand and said irritably, "Next time I'll get you a power bank, okay?"

He said he was speechless, but in his heart...
His affection for Gu Qing had reached its peak:
"This kid has such a great sense of humor and knows how to defuse awkward situations. With just a few small gestures, he relieved a huge amount of the pressure of announcing the 'death list.'"

She's a natural at variety shows.

Teacher He composed himself and began announcing the list of members who needed to be moved from the "Annoying Team" to the "Popular Team":

"First of all, congratulations to the following four goddesses. You are sitting in the wrong place. Please move to the popular team—Xie Na, Brigitte Lin, Zhu Ying, and Zhao Liying."

The four people who were named (except for Cai Shaofen) all stood up with expressions of "I knew it" or "I felt relieved" and walked behind the corresponding popular team members.

Zhao Liying walked briskly behind Nazha and stood still, playfully patting her shoulder.

The atmosphere on set tensed subtly once again; everyone knew that the real "main event" was about to begin.

—Who will fall from the pedestal of "popularity" to become "annoying"?
Teacher He took a deep breath, his face filled with reluctance and difficulty. He paused for a few seconds, his gaze sweeping over the five faces of the "Popularity Team," some tense and some trying to appear calm, before slowly speaking, his voice carrying a hint of heaviness:
"So next... the first one who sat in the wrong seat and needs to be moved to the Annoying Team is..."

He paused again, then clearly pronounced the name:

"Nazha!"

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(End of this chapter)