That night, Yan Xi didn't return to her dorm.
It was already summer vacation, so there were no classes. Plus, her roommate wasn’t going home for the break and would be staying in the dorm. Worried that Yan Xi might feel emotional seeing the familiar surroundings, Zhou Qingyu took her to her own spacious apartment.
That evening, Yan Xi and Zhou Qingyu slept together.
The next morning, Yan Xi was woken up by the sound of the doorbell. Zhou Qingyu, who was still groggy and full of morning grumpiness, rolled over and buried herself deeper into the blankets, showing no intention of getting up to answer the door.
Yan Xi, still half-asleep and disoriented, glanced at the clock. It was 7 a.m.
The doorbell continued to ring, growing more urgent.
With no other choice, Yan Xi got up and went to the living room to open the door.
Outside the apartment stood a group of people—staff from the show *Let’s Travel Together*. The camera crew, led by the PD (Production Director), stood at the front, ready to start filming.
The scheduled filming time was 8 a.m., but the production team had deliberately arrived an hour early to capture the guests in their most natural state—like the female celebrities without makeup or the male celebrities in their sleeping poses.
Viewers of the show were particularly interested in this kind of content, and despite the early hour, the live stream already had a sizable audience.
[I’m ready! Can’t wait to see Zhou Qingyu embarrass herself!]
[Zhou Qingyu definitely doesn’t know about the surprise filming. Without makeup or filters, her so-called “goddess of the entertainment industry” image is about to crumble!]
[She’s so average-looking, yet she dares to meddle in Luo Yi and Second Young Master Pei’s relationship. Disgusting!]
[She’s just jealous because Luo Yi has Second Young Master Pei and is prettier than her. That’s why she slapped Luo Yi!]
Everyone was eagerly anticipating the moment Zhou Qingyu would appear on camera without makeup. As soon as the door opened, the camera crew and staff rushed in.
But what appeared on screen wasn’t the disheveled Zhou Qingyu the viewers had imagined. Instead, it was a young girl wearing a bunny-themed nightgown. Her skin was as smooth as snow, her arms as slender as lotus roots, and though her hair was a little messy, she had a charming, just-woken-up look.
[Wow, Zhou Qingyu looks this good without makeup?]
[She’s so cute, like a little bunny! I just want to pinch her cheeks!]
[Wait, she doesn’t look like Zhou Qingyu at all. Is the makeup in the entertainment industry really that transformative?]
[Are you blind? That’s not Zhou Qingyu!]
The staff who had rushed into the apartment were momentarily stunned. After a moment, they finally spoke up, “Excuse me, is this Zhou Qingyu’s residence? We’re from the *Let’s Travel Together* production team.”
This was Yan Xi’s first time facing a camera, and she couldn’t help but feel a little nervous. She awkwardly tugged at the hem of her nightgown. “Qingyu is still sleeping. I’ll go get her.”
The apartment was over 500 square meters, spacious enough to accommodate the entire production team. The PD followed Yan Xi toward the master bedroom while the rest of the crew set up their equipment in the living room.
The PD couldn’t help but ask curiously, “Are you a celebrity too? Are you Zhou Qingyu’s partner for this trip?”
Yan Xi patiently replied, “No, I’m not.” She glanced at the camera. “Hello everyone, my name is Yan Xi. I’m Qingyu’s friend, and I’ll be joining her for this show.”
[She’s not a celebrity, but she’s this pretty?]
[Zhou Qingyu is also beautiful. Do all pretty people just hang out together? Can I join?]
[Don’t be naive. She’s definitely a newbie from Star Entertainment. They’re pushing her to replace Xu Yangyang!]
[Exactly! How else would Xu Yangyang coincidentally get injured right before filming? And now this new friend of Zhou Qingyu’s just happens to be so stunning? There aren’t that many beautiful people in the world!]
[Poor Xu Yangyang, she got sacrificed for this!]
When they entered the bedroom, Zhou Qingyu was still buried under the blankets, fast asleep.
Yan Xi pulled open the curtains, and the morning sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows, filling the room with a golden glow.
The staff were eager to capture Zhou Qingyu’s bare face. Known as the “goddess of the entertainment industry,” Zhou Qingyu was the epitome of a classic beauty. However, she had never participated in reality shows, and no paparazzi had ever managed to photograph her without makeup.
The production team had arrived early specifically to use the hashtag #GoddessWithoutMakeup as a marketing gimmick to dominate social media.
If Zhou Qingyu’s bare face turned out to be beautiful, everyone would be happy.
If not, well, that would be even more interesting.
Based on the production team’s experience, most classic beauties didn’t look as good without makeup.
Yan Xi sat on the edge of the bed and gently shook Zhou Qingyu. “Qingyu, the production team is here. Time to get up.”
Zhou Qingyu hated being woken up. Once, while she was taking a nap on set, a crew member had disturbed her, and she had unleashed a torrent of curses that reduced the poor guy to tears.
This incident had made headlines and was one of Zhou Qingyu’s many scandals that netizens were well aware of.
[Oh no, Zhou Qingyu’s definitely not awake yet. Yan Xi’s about to get an earful!]
[Didn’t Yan Xi say she’s Zhou Qingyu’s friend? How come she doesn’t know about her morning temper?]
[Confirmed. Yan Xi is definitely a Star Entertainment artist. They’re using Zhou Qingyu to promote her.]
[Someone like Zhou Qingyu would never have real friends!]
Yan Xi shielded Zhou Qingyu’s eyes from the sunlight, making it less harsh as she opened them.
Zhou Qingyu showed no intention of getting up. “I’m so tired! Leave me alone!”
Yan Xi replied, “You said yesterday we had to get up at 7. We still need to do makeup, eat breakfast, and pack. If we don’t get up now, we’ll be late!”
Zhou Qingyu was clearly annoyed, but just as she was about to snap, she saw it was Yan Xi and swallowed her words. She buried her face back in the blankets.
Two seconds later, she rolled over and got out of bed. Her cheeks were puffed up in frustration, and without even glancing at the staff at the door, she headed straight to the bathroom to wash up.
The staff and the live stream audience were stunned:
[Zhou Qingyu just got up like that? No drama?]
[I thought she had a terrible temper in the mornings and would curse anyone who woke her up?]
[She seemed pretty calm just now. She only stayed in bed for less than a minute before getting up. I would’ve stayed for at least ten!]
[And isn’t Zhou Qingyu bare-faced right now? She looks amazing! Her skin is so fair, like milk, and her eyelashes are so long!]
[I’m genuinely envious. Zhou Qingyu’s bare face is stunning. I’m switching sides for a minute!]
The PD, who had recently been promoted from an intern, was thrilled to be assigned to an S-tier show. But when he found out he’d be filming Zhou Qingyu, his enthusiasm waned.
After all, Zhou Qingyu had a bad reputation in the industry. Aside from her scandals, she was also known for being difficult and arrogant. The PD had been nervous about meeting her, fearing she might even smash his camera.
But to his surprise, Zhou Qingyu hadn’t thrown a fit. In fact, she seemed... approachable?
The PD’s camera captured every detail of Zhou Qingyu’s morning routine, from getting out of bed to washing her face. Some viewers in the live stream insisted that Zhou Qingyu’s “bare face” was actually makeup, but when they saw her rinse her face, they fell silent.
Zhou Qingyu was genuinely beautiful. The water droplets on her face only emphasized how flawless her skin was—so smooth it looked like you could pinch it and water would come out.
The PD had filmed many celebrities before. Most claimed to be bare-faced on camera but secretly had their makeup artists work overtime to create a “natural” look. Very few female stars dared to appear truly bare-faced.
After washing up, Yan Xi and Zhou Qingyu returned to the living room, where the housekeeper had already prepared a lavish breakfast.
There was more than enough food, and Yan Xi couldn’t finish it all. As a celebrity, Zhou Qingyu had to watch her figure, so she ate very little. Yan Xi invited the staff to join them.
The PD hesitated. “Is that okay?”
The breakfast the housekeeper had brought was high-end, with a variety of delicious-looking dishes. The staff were clearly tempted but felt a little awkward about accepting.
Zhou Qingyu waved off their concerns. “Why are you being so shy? This is way better than your usual boxed lunches. Just eat! If it’s not enough, I’ll order more. It’s not like you’re going to bankrupt me.”
With Zhou Qingyu’s permission, the staff didn’t hold back.
Most of them had arrived too early to grab breakfast and were starving.
The table was soon filled with an array of dishes, from savory to sweet. When it became clear there wasn’t enough for everyone, Zhou Qingyu ordered another round.
【Wow, these pastries are so exquisite! They look just like the ones I had at Yanshan Residence before!】
【They only look similar. Yanshan Residence is a high-end private kitchen. Just breakfast there costs thousands!】
【If this really is takeout from Yanshan Residence, Zhou Qingyu would be losing a fortune treating so many people to such an expensive breakfast!】
【I just called and asked. Yanshan Residence doesn’t do takeout.】
【So it’s just putting on airs. If you can’t afford a breakfast that costs thousands, just buy a cheaper imitation. Otherwise, who could be so generous to treat so many people to such an expensive breakfast!】
