Hi, Wifey! [Entertainment Industry] - Chapter 2

It wasn’t that Fu Xia was overly sensitive—this was simply the reality of the modern entertainment industry. Even standing around doing nothing could invite scrutiny, let alone if something actually happened. The slightest incident would inevitably become public knowledge.

Fu Xia disliked that kind of attention, so the moment she noticed she was wearing the same shoes as Cheng Wanyu, she knew she had to stay far, far away from her.

As far away as possible!!!

A hundred and eight feet away!!!

The distance between life and death!!!

Cheng Wanyu seemed to sense something. She looked up, locking eyes with Fu Xia. Her fair complexion bore light makeup, and the slightly upturned eyeliner gave her a mesmerizing allure. Fu Xia noticed her deep, dark eyes—whether from colored contacts or natural, they were pitch black like ink, resembling a bottomless pool that could ensnare one’s soul with just a glance.

There was no denying it—Cheng Wanyu was the kind of artist who struck people as beautiful at first sight, and the more they looked, the more flawless she appeared. When she debuted, she was marketed as the “Perfect Goddess,” and years of refinement had only enhanced her striking beauty.

Their gazes met, but Fu Xia was the first to look away. She pulled her white baseball cap lower, shielding her eyes, and continued walking with her assistant.

“What’s wrong?” the assistant whispered. “Why were you staring at Cheng Wanyu just now?”

Fu Xia lowered her voice. “We’re wearing the same shoes.”

“Same shoes? What do you mean? Did you step on something dirty?”

“No, not that—our shoes match.” Fu Xia tapped her foot, signaling for the assistant to look. “Same pair as Cheng Wanyu.”

“Oh no,” the assistant muttered, glancing at Cheng Wanyu. “We don’t have spare shoes in the car. What should we do?”

Fu Xia pressed her lips together. She briefly considered borrowing the assistant’s shoes, but their sizes didn’t match. Finally, she resigned herself, tugging her cap down further. “It’s too late now. No avoiding it.”

The urban romantic comedy City: Little Seasons was a dual-female-lead drama, following the story of Fu Xia’s character and Cheng Wanyu’s character as they became unlikely roommates.

In the series, Fu Xia played a fashion-forward woman who cycled through boyfriends as often as outfits. After moving to escape her numerous exes, she ended up sharing an apartment with Cheng Wanyu’s character—a career-driven woman waiting for her boyfriend to return from abroad. Their clashing personalities, lifestyles, and views on love sparked a series of comedic and dramatic moments. The 32-episode series was slated for a six-month shoot, with a planned release the following summer.

When Fu Xia initially signed on, she only knew it was a dual-lead project—not that the other lead was Cheng Wanyu. By the time she found out, the contract was already signed, leaving no room to back out. The realization sent Fu Xia into a panic. She had even confronted her assistant, demanding to know why she hadn’t been told earlier. After all, the two were constantly pitted against each other online—wouldn’t working together just fuel more gossip?

To these concerns, her assistant and agency had one response: “Be grateful you got this role. Stop being picky—unless you’d rather keep starring in flops?”

Fu Xia had no rebuttal. But if she were honest, she’d rather take another bad film than share the screen with Cheng Wanyu.

But it was too late for regrets now. Fu Xia resigned herself to following the director forward, then trailed behind the energetic fifty-something director as they offered incense. Since the subsequent proceedings were primarily for the director and lead actors, the assistants had already packed up, leaving time and space for Fu Xia.

Before leaving, her assistant reminded her: “Whatever you do, don’t stand in the wrong position.”

Fu Xia nodded obediently, thinking to herself—how hard could it be to stand beside the director for photos? It’s not like she could mess up something so simple. There should be space on either side… right…?

Standing before the backdrop, Fu Xia felt her head throb as she looked at the spot next to the director. She had forgotten this drama had dual female leads, which meant the person standing beside the director would be Cheng Wanyu.

Once again, Fu Xia and Cheng Wanyu locked eyes. From the moment they entered the temple until now, the two hadn’t exchanged a single word, each wishing they could disappear. Standing face-to-face now, Fu Xia felt nothing but awkwardness, but the director seemed oblivious, enthusiastically calling out, “Xia, come over here! Stand next to me!”

Fu Xia forced a bitter smile and stepped forward.

Director Chen cheerfully made space, saying, “This spot is perfect. You actresses need to watch out for sun exposure—this area’s shaded. You and Wanyu can stand together.”

No! Absolutely not! I’d rather die than stand next to her!!!

Fu Xia’s inner voice screamed: Standing together means I’ll get torn apart online again!!! Director Chen, are you doing this on purpose?!?!

But Director Chen clearly didn’t hear her mental outcry, happily arranging them side by side while beaming, “This drama’s success rests on you two! You’ll need to get along well from now on!”

Seeing Director Chen’s smile, Fu Xia could only mirror it weakly. At this point, she had no choice but to grit her teeth and endure.

Cheng Wanyu also seemed reluctant to stand beside Fu Xia—her gaze had turned frosty. But with Director Chen’s enthusiastic insistence, Fu Xia couldn’t bring herself to refuse. Steeling herself, she took her place beside Cheng Wanyu and murmured a quiet greeting: “Hello.”

“Hmm.”

Cheng Wanyu’s dark, luminous eyes studied Fu Xia as she shifted slightly to make room. Fu Xia stepped into position. Perhaps because of the crowd, Cheng Wanyu’s left shoulder kept brushing against Fu Xia’s—not forcefully, just light, fleeting touches so subtle most wouldn’t notice.

But Fu Xia was already on edge. Even her conversation with Director Chen became halting as her gaze kept drifting toward Cheng Wanyu. And every time she glanced over, she’d meet Cheng Wanyu’s eyes, sending chills down her spine.

Outside the frame, her assistant was frantic, mouthing exaggeratedly: Wrong spot! Wrong spot! Wrong spot!

Fu Xia obviously knew she was in the wrong position. Originally, she and Cheng Wanyu were supposed to flank Director Chen on either side. But now the director had placed them together while happily chatting with the screenwriter and assistant director, leaving no opening to switch spots.

By the time the photographer arrived with his DSLR, Fu Xia had given up resisting. She stood beside Cheng Wanyu and flashed a practiced, professional smile at the camera.

With a few clicks of the shutter, the opening ceremony concluded smoothly.

On the way back, Fu Xia tossed her cap carelessly onto the backseat and fiddled with her sleeve. “Zhou Wen-jie, can I have my phone back?”

Zhou Wen leaned her cheek against her hand unhappily as she gazed out the car window, answering indifferently, “Why should I give it to you?”

“I want to check if anyone’s messaged me.”

“Here.”

She didn’t refuse Fu Xia’s request. After handing over her phone, Zhou Wen continued propping her head up and said, “I hope you don’t trend today.”

Fu Xia knew she was referring to the incident where she’d stood in the wrong position. She’d already explained—Director Chen had insisted on placing her next to Cheng Wanyu. It really wasn’t her fault, but Zhou Wen seemed unsatisfied with that answer and had already instructed the company to prepare damage control.

The thought weighed heavily on Fu Xia’s heart. She recalled the look Cheng Wanyu had given her earlier—was she also upset about the trouble Fu Xia had caused?

With a sigh, Fu Xia unlocked the phone. She never set a passcode, so the home screen appeared immediately.

Ding-ding—

Green WeChat notification bubbles popped up. Opening them, she saw Director Chen creating a work group chat.

In the City: Little Seasons cast group, Fu Xia spotted the director, assistant director, screenwriter, and several actors—some familiar, some not—including Cheng Wanyu.

Cheng Wanyu’s profile picture was a custard bun, likely a photo she’d taken one morning. The clean tablecloth and round white plate framed the plump, adorable bun perfectly.

Fu Xia’s heart skipped a beat. Her own profile picture was a salmon photo taken during her recent trip to Sanya. Though different from Cheng Wanyu’s, the pairing of a custard bun and salmon would undoubtedly look like a deliberate match.

As Fu Xia debated changing her picture, Director Chen posted several edited photos from today’s shoot in the group. Most considerately, they’d retouched Fu Xia’s legs in her shorts to appear slimmer and longer, her skin fairer—if not for her forced smile, she might have thought the photos turned out well.

Director Chen: Photos attached
Director Chen: Rest up today. Official filming starts tomorrow at 8 AM. Ask the crew or assistant director if you have questions. Location shared below—don’t be late!
Director Chen: Location pin

Tapping the pin, Fu Xia saw it was just 20 minutes from their hotel.

Supporting Actor 1: Got it, thanks Director Chen!
Supporting Actor 2: So close to the hotel—no chance of being late tomorrow!
Supporting Actor 3: …

Seeing the chat carry on without her, Fu Xia saved the photos and turned off the phone.

Looking up, she noticed the car had entered the hotel parking lot. At 3 PM, with nothing else to do, she retreated to her room, curling up on the sofa by the floor-to-ceiling window with her tablet to browse news.

Ding-ding— A notification popped up: City: Little Seasons begins filming today. Lead cast revealed: Cheng Wanyu and Fu Xia…

The rest was truncated. Fu Xia’s heart raced—she dreaded seeing her name paired with Cheng Wanyu’s—and hurriedly opened the Weibo post.

“City: Little Seasons” Begins Filming Today, Main Cast Revealed: Cheng Wanyu and Fu Xia to Play Female Leads in the Drama, Exclusive Coverage of the Opening Ceremony—A Refreshing Urban Rom-Com to Beat the Summer Heat!

Fu Xia looked at the photo from the opening ceremony and noticed her legs had been photoshopped to look long and straight, which eased her initial anxiety. But soon, her unease returned as she saw the comments section erupting into arguments again.

“What the hell? How can our Wanyu be in the same drama as this talentless pretty face, even standing together? Has the production team lost their minds!!!!”