Chapter 23: National Sensation, Constant Trending Searches

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——Friday, Night: 8:50.

Xiao Kui was a veteran "face con," an internet "casual passerby," and a "fanatic believer" in the creed that beauty is justice.

From the massive hit Professor Du last year, down to the boy group XO and the domestic "Three Little Ones," she had poured heavy money into supporting them all.

Posters, albums, concerts, fan signings... if she could go, she went!

However, something that happened recently had left Xiao Kui extremely depressed.

She had been expelled from her "fandom status"!

The reason was

In late 2014, the rising top-tier "Three Little Ones" in China and the fanbase of the era-defining boy group XO ignited a [War of the Century]!

It started when a video recorded by a primary school student fan of the Three Little Ones accused XO, triggering a massive online brawl between the fans of both sides.

This mere few-minute video saw its views on Weibo soar to 33 million within 24 hours, instantly hitting number one on the Weibo Hot Topic List.

The two massive fanbases attacked each other, with undercover members infiltrating the opposing fan groups to stir up trouble and relentlessly posting dirt on one another.

Because of her "universal love," Xiao Kui had joined both fanbases and even held a decent position as a minor moderator.

As a result, she was exposed!

The consequences were predictable.

Since ancient times, fence-sitters have been the most despised.

"Traitor! Han traitor!!"

Those were actually the polite insults; there were much more vile and disgusting slurs that gave Xiao Kui nightmares just thinking about them.

Afterward, she was violently blocked and kicked out of the group chats. She was then used as a negative example, pinned to the announcements of every XO and Three Little Ones fan group to be repeatedly "flayed" as a warning to potential "universal love" traitors!

*This is the fate of those who collude with the enemy!*

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"Fandoms are just a bunch of psychos!!"

Xiao Kui sat cross-legged on the sofa, cursing loudly. "As if I actually care about stanning you guys. Tomorrow I'm getting a new husband, and from now on, I'm just a casual passerby."

She irritably pressed the remote, naturally switching to Huangguo TV.

Ever since Huangguo TV pioneered hit talent shows and variety programs like *Super Boy* and *Super Girl*, it had become the national television station in the hearts of almost every young person.

Wang Han: "You are now watching, exclusively sponsored by Tebedu—"

All hosts (in unison): "Tian Tian Xiang Shang!"

"We are—Tian Tian Brothers!"

*Click—*

Xiao Kui switched channels in a second. Who wanted to watch these old men? Her favorite show, *The Big Base*, wouldn't air until tomorrow night.

Xiao Kui had no choice but to switch to her backup, "Moonlight Channel," to see if there were any new variety shows airing.

As luck would have it, she caught the opening promo for the first season of *Running Man*.

"Running Man? Isn't that just the Korean version?"

Xiao Kui became interested.

Her former crush, Professor Du, had participated in the Korean version of *Running Man*. Xiao Kui had also searched for resources online to watch that episode. The celebrities in it were uninhibited and full of laughs; she quite liked it.

"The only problem is that there wasn't a single handsome guy in the Korean version. I couldn't even finish it."

"I hope the domestic version brings some good-looking faces."

Xiao Kui pressed her hands together, praying to heaven to send her a true soulmate.

As the program aired on schedule, Old Deng made his first appearance.

"Deng Chao?"

"How did he get so old?"

Xiao Kui frowned. Her memory of Deng Chao was stuck on *Detective Di Renjie: The Empire of Heaven*—that stunning Pei Donglai with the white hair.

Following him, Wang Baoqiang, Li Chen, Chen Chichi, Wang Zhulan... appeared one after another.

Xiao Kui was utterly disappointed. Just as she picked up the remote from her pale legs to change the channel, a close-up of Gu Qing falling into the water flashed before her eyes like a fleeting glimpse of a goddess, etching itself into her mind.

*Clatter—*

The remote dropped onto her pinkish-white thighs, her flesh trembling like ripples in water.

"Who... who... is he??"

Using both hands and legs, Xiao Kui scrambled off the sofa and sat in a "duck sit" in front of the TV, her eyes locked onto the screen without blinking.

As the camera zoomed in on the water's surface, a soaked white shirt clung to the youth's lean waistline, and droplets of water from his hair slid down his Adam's apple into his collar.

Beneath his water-drenched eyelashes, his amber pupils shimmered with a gilded luster under the bright lights.

The most lethal part was when this handsome guy wiped the water from his face; his skin glowed like pearls under the lights, looking exactly like a beautiful boy stepped straight out of a manga.

"Husband!!!"

Xiao Kui cupped her reddening cheeks with both hands. She had found her true love.

What XO? What Three Little Ones?

Sorry!

From this day forward, I am divorcing all of you!!

The content of the first episode of *Running Man* officially began.

The scene where Gu Qing took off his helmet gave Xiao Kui another visual shock.

Immediately following that was the acupressure mat challenge.

Deng Chao used a sneaky trick with a jump rope, causing Zheng Kai to fail his initial challenge and then be chased around the field by the rope.

The "Mount Tai Press" from the chubby auntie, Wang Zhulan's "Leap of Faith," Chen Chichi's "Weakness and Frailty"...

Everyone's painful and agonizing expressions while stepping on the acupressure mats were so funny that Xiao Kui laughed hysterically, completely losing her composure.

After that, the "Big Baby's" stunning bare face and Gu Qing's viral moment in the car—where he was being patted on the head and helplessly/despairingly said, "Only kids make choices; adults want it all"—pushed the cheerful atmosphere to a climax.

Then came the moment Xiao Kui had been waiting for: "The Beauty Falling into Water."

When a gloating Deng Chao asked Gu Qing about the order of the ingredients, Gu Qing replied with strength: "Meat!"

Afterward, Gu Qing innocently stated that he only remembered the order of the meat.

The next second, a thunderbolt struck as Deng Chao was sent flying.

Xiao Kui almost cried from laughing so hard.

"Husband is so cute, so adorable!"

"He actually only remembers the order of the meat. Looks like he's a big foodie, just like me, hee hee."

"This is true couple resemblance!"

As the players rotated, Xiao Kui watched with great interest as Yang Ying and Gu Qing held hands, creating a pink, romantic scene accompanied by the show's BGM.

As an extreme "face con," as long as the visual chemistry of the CP was high enough, she could ship them better than anyone! Moreover, Xiao Kui was skilled at discovering "hidden sugar" in the details.

"Wow~ Baby reached out her hand first."

"They're actually interlocking fingers!!"

"Is Husband blushing? Hahaha, surely he hasn't been tainted by bad women yet?"

"Then I'll be coming over tonight~"

Xiao Kui hugged her pillow tightly, looking forward to going to sleep.

Unknowingly, the program reached its end with the exciting and intense "Name Tag Ripping" segment.

"This muscular guy is too fierce."

"He actually lifted Wang Zhulan up with one hand!"

"Who can rip his name tag?"

Xiao Kui watched intently, even holding her breath in shock at Jin Zhongguo's appearance.

After that, the oppressive atmosphere turned hilarious again.

Gu Qing was cornered by Li Chen and Ma Su while trying to snatch a briefcase containing the password. In the end, after all that effort, he only found empty numbers.

Gu Qing washed his face with water; those who avoided the bells were eliminated. Right on his heels, Deng Chao buried his head in a drink, complaining, "The water is a bit salty."

Then Baby was caught by Jin Zhongguo, and Zheng Kai poked his head out of an elevator only to jerk it back and flee.

Finally, Gu Qing played the hero to save the beauty, only to be ruthlessly ripped.

After being resurrected, he ran out only to encounter Jin Zhongguo again; they stared at each other before he was ripped a second time—the ultimate bad luck.

Xiao Kui's laughter never ceased.

"Is this girl trying to start a rebellion?!"

Her parents, who were preparing to rest in the room, were provoked into walking out to see what was happening. They found their daughter with zero ladylike decorum, rolling around on the blanket and giggling incessantly.

They deeply doubted whether this child was truly their biological daughter.

At the end of the program, as Li Chen and Deng Chao teamed up to rip off Jin Zhongguo, the first episode of *Running Man* came to a close.

Xiao Kui had never felt time pass so quickly.

Her spirits were high, and she couldn't wait to pick up her phone to recommend the show to her besties and roommates.

However, she discovered that in the four-person dormitory group chat, the discussion messages had already reached 99+.

And in the class group, everyone was discussing and recommending the *Running Man* variety show on Moonlight Channel.

The girls' focus was mainly on looks—stunned by the appearance of Gu Qing and Yang Ying, and obsessed with the romantic atmosphere between the two.

The boys' focus was entirely on the final name-tag ripping, intensely debating whether there was any rigging involved.

Whenever any variety show can spark such discussion among the youth, there is, without exception, only one sign

*Running Man is going to be a massive hit!!*

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(End of Chapter)