Chapter 45: Unexpected Fan Encounter

“What’s wrong?”

Her gaze, perhaps too direct, caused Qin Yu to involuntarily cast a questioning look her way.

“Director Chen, let’s hurry and head out to record the song!” Lin Ziyao shook her head, swiftly changing the subject. She didn’t want Qin Yu to notice her scrutinizing gaze.

Without a second thought about Lin Ziyao’s suggestion, Director Chen immediately led the group toward the reserved recording studio. Its location, near the city’s edge, bordered the suburbs, allowing for significant rent savings.

Director Chen, having arrived first, went to find the recording studio’s contact person, leaving the guests to wait. This place had been recommended by an old friend who had vouched for its ability to meet his requirements.

However, it was their first visit, and someone was needed to guide them in. Thus, Director Chen went ahead to make contact.

“Don’t you guys feel like everyone around us is staring?” Standing at the entrance of the recording studio, Yang Tian whispered to the others.

Although the studio was situated near the city’s outskirts, it was still within a commercial district. Lin Ziyao had come to this very place last time to buy groceries. Tourists and residents from nearby areas were still visible, occasionally casting curious glances their way.

“You’re overthinking it. We’re a group standing near a car, acting a bit strangely. It’s not unusual to attract attention,” Xu Li, as their senior, offered reassuringly. He was now acting as their pillar of stability.

“We haven’t been recognized after the show aired, have we?” Tang Wenjie, who had the most experience in such matters, was instantly wary. He quickly pulled out a pair of sunglasses from his clothing and put them on.

“I’ll go find a spot nearby where I can see this place. I’ll come back immediately when Director Chen returns.”

“There’s no need. Aren’t you making a mountain out of a molehill?” Fearing Tang Wenjie might leave without permission, Dai Wen joined the chorus of persuasion.

Just then, a few girls, after glancing at Lin Ziyao several times, mustered their courage. They quietly approached her and politely asked, “Hello, excuse me, are you Lin Ziyao?”

This startled everyone who had been chatting, and those who had been holding onto a sliver of hope suddenly became noticeably uncomfortable.

“Uh, I just happen to look a lot like her,” she stammered, completely unaccustomed to dealing with fans, only able to offer a fumbling explanation.

Several girls nodded, their eyes, however, clearly conveying, ‘We don’t believe your nonsense.’ Yet, they were gracious. After exchanging a few words and taking some photos with her, they bid farewell and left.

Once the girls had departed, Lin Ziyao’s taut nerves finally relaxed. She let out a sigh and said, “Thankfully, I wasn’t found out.”

“Actually, you were discovered. They were just playing along with your act,” Qin Yu’s voice drifted from inside the car. She had remained seated in the vehicle from the very beginning.

This startled Lin Ziyao. She quickly asked, “Really?”

Upon receiving Qin Yu’s confirming nod, a wave of embarrassment washed over her. She clutched her head in her hands, suppressing the urge to scream.

“Perhaps, soon enough, the internet will be plastered with titles like, ‘I Met Lin Ziyao in Person, She’s So Easy to Trick!’” Feng Qiqi, seeing her reaction, delivered a finishing blow.

At that moment, the music playing throughout the commercial district was abruptly cut off, replaced by the melody of “Invisible Wings.” Everyone was instantly electrified, turning their gazes toward Lin Ziyao’s location.

“N-No way it’s such a coincidence, right?” She was now trembling, wanting nothing more than to retreat back into the car.

However, as soon as the song concluded, Qin Yu’s new track, “The Original Dream,” began to play. The others could sense that even Qin Yu, sitting in the car, was growing restless.

“Perhaps we should just stay in the car?” Dai Wen suggested, observing the increasing number of eyes fixed on them.

“I think it’s too late!”

Before Xu Li could finish, the melody of “The Most Dazzling Ethnic Style” blared from the broadcast. This song ignited the surrounding crowd, who surged toward the parked vehicles, enveloping them in an impenetrable mass.

Fortunately, they were quick enough to scramble back into the car, or they would have been trapped by the enthusiastic crowd, unable to move forward or back.

“Lin Ziyao! Qin Yu!”

“Yang Tian! Tang Wenjie!”

“Teacher Xu! Dai Wen! Feng Qiqi!”

Listening to the fervent shouts of fans outside the car, the group could only try to persuade them to calm down, urging them not to disrupt the shopping mall’s order or inconvenience others.

“Xiao Li, quickly call Director Chen. Tell him to come back soon and bring some security!” Lin Ziyao urged Xiao Li, who was on the phone in the driver’s seat.

The current scene reminded her of celebrity outings she had only ever seen on television.

‘What’s going on? Didn’t it say I only had ten thousand fans? How did it turn into this?’

Just as Lin Ziyao found herself caught in a flurry of questions, Director Chen finally arrived at the car with a team of security personnel. They formed a protective circle, ultimately carving out a space for the group to stand.

“Director Chen, we’re saved!” Feng Qiqi was the first to step out, expressing her gratitude to the returning Director Chen.

“My apologies, I wasted some time with the recording studio staff, but now, it’s quite a mess to clean up,” Director Chen said with a wry smile, looking at the enthusiastic crowd. He hadn’t anticipated that this recording trip would cause such a stir. It seemed he had underestimated the impact of *A Week with Celebrities* after its premiere.

“But the longer we drag this out, the more people will likely gather here,” Xu Li analyzed the situation. Currently, only the shoppers at the plaza had surrounded them. As time passed, news of their presence would spread, causing more people from nearby areas to flock in, making it even harder to manage.

“How about we hold a temporary mini-meet-and-greet here? Around thirty minutes should be enough to handle these fans,” Qin Yu suggested, offering a solution.

Thirty minutes would effectively control the number of gathered fans and directly deter others from rushing over, all without consuming too much time.

“I have no objections!” Lin Ziyao was the first to agree, after all, she had the fewest fans; the others would surely be the busiest.

The others nodded in agreement. After all, spending thirty minutes to resolve the current situation was far better than dealing with an even larger crowd after recording. They would likely have to drive around and find a back entrance to the studio later.

Thirty minutes later.

“Why did so many people come for me?!” Lin Ziyao slumped onto the table like a ball of dough. She had initially imagined herself sitting to the side, simply watching them sign autographs.

Instead, numerous people approached her, eagerly shaking her hand, asking for autographs, and taking photos. Her line was essentially the longest throughout the entire meet-and-greet. Even after other celebrities’ fans had left, satisfied, Lin Ziyao was still taking photos with hers.

‘This system’s statistics are seriously off!’