The next morning, Song Jixing drove out alone to attend a commercial performance.
Song Jixing and Xiao Wang met in the waiting room of a shopping mall, where there were also makeup artists and costume designers waiting.
After simple makeup and costume change, Song Jixing walked out of the dressing room under the escort of security guards to meet the still crowded audience.
Song Jixing was quite aware of her own popularity. The vast majority of people present had come for the event's prizes. She was just there to make up the numbers.
As she had imagined, the host was warming up the audience and introducing her while the chatter from the audience below kept coming into her ears.
"Song Jixing? I haven't heard this name before. I've seen Beige Song but Ding Jue was the lead!"
"Let's see, a female actor. Was she the little girl who appeared later in the movie?"
The host spoke in a practiced broadcaster's voice, introducing the villain Song Jixing played. The topic of the audience's discussion instantly changed.
"Oh, that villain! I remember now. The good looking one!"
"Let's welcome the famous actress Song Jixing to the event..." said the host with a sweet smile.
The moment Song Jixing appeared on stage, everyone saw her wearing a fiery red dress and was stunned for a moment, which also extinguished much of the applause.
"Here she comes!"
"A female celebrity!"
Although the movie's publicity at the time promoted Song Jixing's crossdressing as one of the selling points, not everyone pays attention to movie news and the audience for movies is limited, let alone star chasers.
There were many middle-aged and elderly people who had come just to participate in the prize draw!
But she did still have fans!
Some young people in the audience were holding up signs with Song Jixing's name on them, shouting vigorously.
Those people held signs in one hand and phones in the other, mostly with their heads down.
Song Jixing had reason to suspect they were atmosphere groups hired by the mall - pure scaffolding fans.
"Oh, I knew when I watched the movie that the guy was so handsome. Turns out it was a female actress playing him!"
"She is quite handsome!" Someone took out their phone to take a picture.
More and more onlookers gathered, squeezing the space around the stage completely packed.
Even those who didn't recognize Song Jixing before had at least heard of her now.
During the photo session segment, many young people rushed to the front to take pictures and get autographs from Song Jixing.
Some fashionable young girls recognized Song Jixing. They came up with their phones to take selfies and asked her to sign them.
After the group of girls crowded around, a few tall men came up behind them, also holding paper and pens.
But their opening lines were a little different from the others.
Man A: "Teacher Song, I'm your fan. I'm from the Z City sports team. I really like you. May I ask if I can see you compete professionally in the future?"
Man B: "Teacher Song, may I ask what kind of training you usually do? Any tips for long distance running?"
Man C: "Teacher...As a celebrity you have to maintain your figure and train as well. What is your diet like...?"
These questions stunned Xiao Wang, who was standing next to Song Jixing. This was not part of the training content!
Song Jixing's professional smile on her face did not change as she enthusiastically answered her male fans' doubts, "My job now is acting and that's what it will continue to be. As for sports, I think it's mainly natural talent, nothing else matters much..."
"Ouch, Teacher Song aren't you being a bit too discouraging?" The male fan said, somewhat heartbroken.
Song Jixing comforted them for a while and wished them the best results in future competitions. Her male fans were reasonably satisfied having received their idol's blessings.
Song Jixing, who had been working all afternoon, sent Xiao Wang back to his hotel after changing out of her little dress.
Just before getting out of the car, Xiao Wang was very embarrassed, "Sister Song, I should be sending you. You've sent me several times!"
"It doesn't matter, it's more convenient for me to send you." said Song Jixing.
"Then tomorrow I'll go first to check out the venue. When it's ready there I'll contact you!" Xiao Wang took out his tablet and conscientiously went over the work schedule.
Song Jixing nodded.
After all, Song Jixing had come in a rush, the partner company hadn't prepared the photographers and other supporting roles yet, so it would take some time. It wasn't a big problem.
-
When Song Jixing returned to the lodging house, the sky had just darkened.
Everyone was busy doing their own thing indoors. Shen Feixian sat at the coffee table tapping on his computer. Bai Ling and Xiang Zhi had their heads together, heads down looking at content on a tablet.
Out of a virtuous respect for teachers and elders, Shen Feixian had found Bai Ling quite a few mobile games to pass the time.
After playing alone for a while, Bai Ling felt bored so pulled Xiang Zhi to join her. Occasionally they would include Shen Feixian as well, like when they lacked a player for Dou Dizhu.
The picture and sound on the TV screen in the middle of the living room wall were a bit different from usual, attracting Song Jixing's gaze to linger for a few seconds.
Shen Feixian looked up, "Junior sister, you're back! Come and see, I got a dedicated line!"
Song Jixing sat on the sofa and had already figured out what Shen Feixian meant by a dedicated line.
A live feed of the reservoir.
The reservoir nestled deep in the mountains should have been calm waters. But now huge waves surged, churning incessantly, occasionally spinning in whirlpools - like an aged washing machine broken and spinning randomly.
The picture occasionally panned to the area around the reservoir, packed densely with personnel in combat uniforms and special vehicles, as well as tents set up encampments with bright floodlights on.
The last time Song Jixing went to the reservoir, it had been surrounded by thick sturdy trees that were decades old.
But now it was as if midlife hit, suddenly bald and bare.
The camera couldn't capture formations. The people there couldn't see formations either. Although they knew something was in the reservoir, they were completely helpless and could only surround the reservoir for now.
Shen Feixian peeled his eyes away from the computer to explain the situation to Song Jixing.
"These people came this afternoon. They brought underwater drones but were totally blocked by your formations and couldn't go down. But that fish has been very proactive, churning the surface all afternoon. All the shots needed have been taken and spread the news."
"They're currently scratching their heads over how such a huge fish could have grown and curious about what materials are at the bottom. Feathers can't sink and they can't collect water samples either. This afternoon I listened to them arguing angrily on calls for half a day, even pissed off Newton..."
Newton probably never imagined there would come a day when his physics became inapplicable somewhere on this planet.
The computer ding-danged. Shen Feixian peeked back at it.
"Oh, they've called reinforcements now! And some seem to be familiar faces!" Shen Feixian said, stroking his chin.
