ca-book Chapter 600 Yao PD Wants to Be Famous
Chapter 600 Yao PD Wants to Be Famous
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The next morning.
"Knock knock knock—Teacher, it's time to get up!"
"Knock knock knock—Recording countdown, teachers, get ready!"
The crew members, wearing windbreakers with the classic "R" logo, smiled and entered from both ends of the corridor, knocking on each member's door one by one.
The staff carried bags of neatly folded team uniforms and distributed them to each member.
The uniforms for this episode of Running Man are a set of blue and black school uniforms.
A dark blue suit jacket paired with a white shirt, and a thin blue and white striped tie at the collar.
The boys should wear a pair of neatly tailored black trousers with slightly tapered cuffs, which makes their legs look straight and long.
The girl wore a blue and black plaid pleated skirt, the hem of which swayed gently two inches above her knees. As she walked, the pleats opened and closed, like an iris flower being blown by the wind.
The entire team uniform is designed to be youthful and vibrant. Wearing it makes everyone feel like they've stepped back ten years and returned to the best years of their university days.
The staff were extremely efficient, distributing everyone's clothes and daily schedule cards in less than twenty minutes.
The veteran members are already very familiar with the recording process of Running Man.
Get up, change clothes, get on the bus, enter the venue, form groups, and play games.
These processes are ingrained in them, as natural as breathing.
Han Han and Dong Zijian, who were not very familiar with the process, were looked after and supervised by Gu Qing and Deng Chao throughout the process.
The vehicles departed from the hotel first, driving along the winter streets of Suzhou and Hangzhou towards the recording venue.
……
"Little brother, we're rowing a dragon boat... will we fall into the water?"
Sister Zhao sat in the car, her hands tightly clasped around Gu Qing's arm, looking somewhat uneasy.
Her complexion was indeed much better than before.
After being fed high-protein and high-quality carbohydrates by Gu Qing for so many days, her skin, which had become sallow due to excessive dieting, regained a healthy light pink hue, and her cheeks regained some plumpness, so she no longer looked like that shriveled little potato.
But on this face, which had regained its vitality, a trace of fear that could not be suppressed was clearly written.
Does Sister Zhao still remember the pool battle segment when she was filming "Running Man" last year?
She wasn't very good at swimming to begin with, and the moment she was pushed into the pool, she lost control.
The panic of not being able to touch the bottom of the pool gripped her like an invisible hand choking her.
She struggled and thrashed about, choking on several mouthfuls of water. The burning, suffocating sensation she still remembers vividly.
If Gu Qing hadn't noticed her distress nearby and immediately plunged into the water to pull her out, she might have struggled in the water for much longer.
As the saying goes, "Once bitten by a snake, twice shy."
Having nearly drowned once, Zhao Liying truly experienced the terror of being surrounded by water with nowhere to escape, and she still doesn't want to recall that moment.
"Liying, don't worry,"
Old Deng turned his head from the passenger seat, put one hand on the back of the seat, and grinned as he comforted her.
He participated in the recording today as a guest, representing the "Riding the Waves" team.
“I specifically asked PD Yao, and the water depth at our dragon boat racing area is only a little over 1.5 meters. What are you afraid of?”
"But Brother Chao,"
Zhao Liying looked miserable and used one hand to gesture on her body.
"I'm only 1.6 meters tall. If 1.5 meters of water reaches me, won't I drown?"
"Haha, you know what, it's actually quite possible."
Laughter inevitably broke out inside the car, and even the driver's shoulders twitched.
"Sister Liying,"
Amidst the laughter, Gu Qing noticed that Sister Zhao looked even more troubled.
He understands how real and stubborn a person's fear of the shadows can be; it cannot be dispelled by a few words of comfort from others, but is an instinctive reaction etched into the body's memory.
He gently patted the small hand that was tightly gripping his arm.
"You sit next to me. If the boat capsizes, immediately move closer to me. Don't flail around or panic. I'll be watching you."
The voice was soft and unhurried, without any exaggerated promises, simply stating a fact calmly.
"Uh-huh."
Zhao Liying nodded vigorously, finally feeling a weight lifted from her heart.
The 20-minute drive passed quickly, and the convoy turned into a spacious stadium.
This is the filming location that the production team set up a week in advance. You can see the huge Running Man poster hanging at the main entrance of the venue from afar.
The iconic blue logo with white lettering shines brightly at the entrance, surrounded by colorful advertising flags that flutter in the morning breeze.
Gu Qing and his group were the first to arrive.
On the Running Man team's side, Chen He was so happy about Gu Qing's return last night that he drank a few more drinks and didn't leave until midnight. He had to be knocked on the door three times by the staff before he finally got out of bed this morning.
Huang Zitao arrived at the hotel at 2 a.m. because of her relationship. She was so sleepy that she could barely keep her eyes open. It is said that she is still lying in bed in her room.
Therefore, the Running Man cast's car lagged slightly behind.
Entering the venue,
It was a densely packed group of young people, all wearing team uniforms of various colors.
Over a hundred students, dressed in sportswear bearing their respective school logos, were rehearsing in formation in the field, divided into more than a dozen groups.
For today's dragon boat race, the Running Man production team spared no expense, inviting fifteen student dragon boat teams from well-known universities both domestically and internationally to participate in this challenging event.
"Gu Qing? He's Gu Qing's younger brother?!"
"Oh my god—oh my god—I saw her in person! She's even more beautiful than on TV!"
"Can I get an autograph? Just one!"
"It seems not. The staff specifically said that asking for autographs during recording is not allowed, as it would disrupt the process..."
Students from domestic universities almost simultaneously turned their heads, their gazes fixed on Gu Qing and his group as they entered the venue, as if drawn by a magnet.
The ranks instantly erupted into chaos. The once neat and orderly formation resembled a wheat field blown by the wind, with people bumping into each other and whispering amongst themselves.
The female students were so excited that their cheeks turned red, and some even stood on tiptoe and held up their phones, trying to take more photos within the staff's permission.
The foreign students, however, presented a completely different picture.
Most of them didn't recognize these celebrities, but that didn't stop them from joining in the commotion.
For a moment, exclamations and laughter in various languages filled the venue, creating a lively and bustling atmosphere.
Good morning, everyone. You've worked hard.
Gu Qing walked into the venue and politely raised his hand to wave to the excited students who were almost unable to contain themselves.
He wore a gentle smile, his gaze sweeping from the left to the right of the queue, trying to take in every look coming from every direction, without bias.
As soon as he made that move, the female students' cheers rose another octave, and their suppressed screams rose and fell like a pot of water about to boil.
Gu Qing paused slightly and looked at the nearest student formation.
Several girls stood at the front of the line, holding up a light sign that read "Gu Qing," their lips trembling with excitement.
He hesitated for half a second, then turned slightly to their side, as if he wanted to go over and greet them up close.
"Little brother, over here, over here!"
PD Yao, who was directing operations in front of the main stage and holding a walkie-talkie, looked up and noticed Gu Qing's inclination.
He sprang up as if his tail had been stepped on, his voice instantly reaching the highest register.
"The show is about to start recording, so don't shake hands yet. Security—security, come quick and escort my brother and the others backstage."
Yao PD was extremely worried.
This is Gu Qing, not anyone else.
This group of students is like a pile of dry tinder. If Gu Qing goes over and shakes hands, it's like throwing sparks onto that dry tinder.
If these excited and out-of-control girls swarm forward and the scene becomes chaotic, then he will be the second Wu Tong.
He certainly didn't want his name to be posted on Weibo for three days and three nights.
After much difficulty, they finally got Gu Qing and the others inside.
PD Yao turned around, picked up the walkie-talkie, and began urging the other members: "Chichi, where are you guys? Kaikai, Chen-ge, hurry up!"
Recording is about to begin! Has Huang Zitao woken up yet?!
Another ten minutes passed.
Two black vans bearing the Running Man logo finally came to a smooth stop at the venue entrance.
The remaining members of the Running Man cast poured out of the car, officially arriving at their destination.
Yang Ying lagged behind. Today she was wearing her blue-black school uniform and plaid skirt, her slender, straight legs peeking out from under the hem.
Her long hair was tied into a high ponytail at the back of her head, and she looked fresh and clean, like a senior student who had just stepped out of a university campus.
But her mind was clearly not on her appearance at that moment.
From the moment she stepped into the venue, her eyes darted quickly through the crowd, searching for something.
My gaze swept past the student formations, across the billboards, and over the faces of the staff.
"Baby, please stop watching."
Chen Chichi yawned widely and sidled up to Yang Ying with a cheeky grin, "Your Qingqing is backstage. Don't worry, she can't escape."
"Chen Chichi!"
Yang Ying's secret was exposed, and her pretty face flushed red in a fraction of a second.
She glared at Chen Chichi, clenched her fists and shook them at her sides, grinding her back teeth together, and squeezed out a sound from between her teeth.
"You're almost five years older than me, can you please stop calling me 'sister'? It doesn't sound right to me."
"Yes, yes, I'm not qualified to call you 'sister',"
Chen Chichi pinched his pinky finger and made a face.
“My calling her is nowhere near as sweet as Xiao Gu’s. She’s the one who’s your baby. If I call her ‘Baby Sister,’ I’m just asking for a beating.”
"Get the hell out of my way!!"
Yang Ying no longer cared about maintaining her image. She raised her foot, which was wearing a sneaker, and kicked Chen Chichi hard in the butt.
"Hahaha--"
Chen Chichi didn't care at all. Instead, he covered the spot where he had been kicked and laughed so hard that his laughter was so exaggerated that it could be heard throughout the entire stadium entrance.
"What the heck? What's going on?"
Huang Zitao, who arrived at the venue last, had his golden hair sticking up in all sorts of mess due to his unrestrained sleeping posture. He walked over while rubbing his sleepy eyes.
The makeup artist following closely behind him quickly adjusted his hairstyle.
Huang Zitao grabbed Wang Zulan, who was tiptoeing forward, and leaned half her weight on him without hesitation. She lowered her voice, her tone filled with surprise and uncertainty:
"Hey, Zu Lan, did you hear that? Those two are talking about Gu Qing?"
"Baby and Gu Qing aren't...you know, mortal enemies, are they?"
Huang Zitao couldn't contain her gossip and curiosity.
"Oh~ Zitao, don't talk nonsense," Wang Zhulan was pressed down so hard that she tilted three inches to one side, her small body almost breaking on the spot, "Baby and Xiao Gu are fine, what grudge do they have?"
"what?"
Huang Zitao let go of Wang Zhulan, her hand unconsciously clutching her freshly styled hair.
"I have amnesia? How come I don't remember anything?"
He wanted to ask something else,
PD Yao was already shouting over the megaphone on the main stage: "All members—assemble on the main stage immediately! Three minutes until recording begins! One last check of the uniforms and microphones!"
The staff quickly cleared the center of the venue.
More than a dozen cameras lit up their recording lights simultaneously from different angles, and the on-site director raised his hand and began to count down.
"Three, two, one—Go!"
Accompanied by the rousing theme song of Running Man, the recording of the first episode officially began.
"Huh? Why is there music but no one here?"
Wang Zhulan was the first to get into the rhythm. He stood on tiptoe and looked around, then spread his hands out.
"It's so quiet,"
Chen Chichi cooperated very well. "Why do I have a bad feeling? It's too quiet, abnormally quiet—is the production team up with something bad again?"
The two veteran MCs skillfully took charge of guiding the opening rhythm.
Given Deng Chao's special appearance today as a guest and his lack of support for the rest of the group, Chen He naturally stepped in to take charge of the situation and lead the team.
His rhythm was steady and smooth, and he showed no fear in his singing and singing.
The other members also cooperated and joined in the rhythm.
Huang Zitao stood with her arms crossed, head slightly lowered, her face filled with boredom.
He occasionally turned his head to look to the left, then to the right, like an outsider who had been forcibly dragged in to make up the numbers.
Even after yawning, he didn't bother to cover it up, just standing lazily at the very edge of the line.
"What happened to Zitao?"
Sitting behind the monitor of the filming crew, PD Yao raised his hand to adjust his round-framed glasses, his brows furrowing slightly.
"Shift the camera slightly to the left and give the center position to Chichi and Zulan. If he doesn't want to react, don't film him. Don't let him ruin the atmosphere of the whole opening."
"Wait a minute, where did Old Deng go?"
Li Chen spoke up at the right moment, glancing around and raising his thick eyebrows. "I'm not used to it without him. He used to be the one to get everyone in place with his shout at the start, but today there's not a soul in sight."
"Where did you go? You ran away!"
Chen Chichi waved his hand dismissively, "Deng Chao can't be the captain, you all know that, right? Without a genius brain like mine, who can be the captain? Hmm? Who else?"
The laughter hadn't even subsided when
PD Yao's voice came through:
"Welcome everyone to Suzhou and Hangzhou. In 2014, the Running Man team members ran here for the first time - that year, you left behind countless unforgettable memories here."
"So, three years from now, you will face the most impossible challenge in history! Please come and collect your mission cards!"
His speaking speed, tone, and pauses were all perfectly controlled, clearly indicating that he had practiced repeatedly.
After reading the lines,
PD Yao glanced at the nearest cameraman out of the corner of his eye, the message in his eyes was crystal clear—"Film me! Front view! Close-up!"
The cameraman, feeling rebuffed by that look, silently turned the camera around.
PD Yao immediately straightened his back, tilted his head slightly, revealing an angle he had practiced many times in front of the mirror beforehand.
He has a strong desire to be on camera, and his longing for the screen is almost overflowing.
He is the youngest chief director in the history of Running Man, a title he wants to solidify, rather than just having it as a line of text on his resume.
He wants to become one of the face of this national-level variety show, and an inseparable soul figure in the eyes of the audience and the Running Man team.
Just like the Men's Gang and Yan Min, just like the tacit relationship between the audience and the director of "Go Fighting!", where they can't tell who is the MC and who is the director, but only feel that they are a whole.
Yao PD doesn't just want to be a behind-the-scenes operator; he wants recognition both in front of and behind the scenes.
Thus,
Only then can his identity and status as the director of Running Man be truly recognized by the audience.
He can also completely transform from a "temporary firefighter" into the "true executive director of Running Man".
"Brothers, you will compete against 15 internationally renowned schools' teams over two days in a 2-kilometer circuit race."
After reading the task card, Li Chen immediately looked up, his eyes wide, and his mouth agape, "NO~~ This is impossible!"
"Director, are you kidding me? Two kilometers, just us?"
Chen Chichi also looked like the sky had fallen, "I can't even walk 2 kilometers, and you want me to row 2,000 meters?"
"Haha, that's such an over-the-top performance."
Huang Zitao turned his head away, trying to suppress his laughter. He thought these people were like idiots; it was too funny.
He found the variety shows unreal and authentic, and found them very boring to film.
"Now, let's get to know the representative teams from various universities."
Yao PD continued to follow the procedure, and the camera crew consciously gave him a close-up of his profile, aiming it at the passageway.
A total of 10 student dragon boat teams from various universities came to the scene and made their appearances to liven up the atmosphere.
"Director, they have too many people, and we only have a few. How can we compete?"
After all the teams had finished introducing themselves, Chen Chichi immediately shouted.
"Don't worry, our production team has also found you a really strong external support team."
PD Yao gave his son, Tien Hsin, a thumbs up and smiled, saying, "Next up, please welcome the 'Riding the Waves' team!"
The curtains behind the brothers were pulled open from both sides.
Gu Qing and the other four struck their respective poses and made their appearance amidst screams and cheers from the audience.
"Brothers, did you miss me?!"
The pose he struck at the designated spot had barely lasted three seconds when Old Deng broke character, unable to hold back for even a second.
He ran over with his arms outstretched in a joyful frenzy.
"Hahaha, I didn't leave! Aren't you surprised?! Surprised? Unexpected!"
He opened his arms, waiting for his brothers to rush up and hug him.
Chen Chichi opened his arms and went to meet him, then suddenly changed direction, swerved past Old Deng, and headed straight for Gu Qing.
"Oh, Xiao Gu? You're back?!"
"Little Gu, welcome back. Let me see if you've grown taller."
Li Chen, Zheng Kai, and Wang Zhulan completely ignored Deng Chao, who was still standing there with his hands raised.
"Brother Chen, Brother Kai, Brother Zulan—long time no see."
Surrounded by several people, Gu Qing greeted each one with a genuine, unpretentious smile.
Yang Ying hesitated slightly behind the group, her body leaning forward a few degrees. She took a small step and fell behind the crowd, wanting to move forward, but it was too late.
"Baby, did you come here especially to wait for me?"
Deng Chao's eyes suddenly lit up, and he looked at Yang Ying with almost tears in his eyes, "You're the best, you're the best—"
"Uh... Brother Chao, I'll come find you later."
Yang Ying gave an awkward laugh, covered her forehead with her hand, and continued walking towards Gu Qing.
Old Deng was left behind once again.
He looked up, utterly dejected, and caught a glimpse of Huang Zitao watching the show from the corner of his eye.
The moment their eyes met, Deng Chao desperately tried to wink at Huang Zitao.
Peach! You're getting a role!
No matter what.
Huang Zitao completely failed to grasp the complex message that Deng Chao was trying his best to convey.
He just looked at Deng Chao's pitiful appearance, abandoned by the group, and found it particularly funny. He stood there with his arms crossed and laughed to himself, gloating.
He is the typical "everyone has to revolve around me" type of artist.
If everyone is willing to appease them
Or perhaps Teacher Huang himself will come to tease the fool, and Shuai Lei Lei will set a trap for him, making him a punching bag for the little sheep, which might even spark some variety show moments.
But clearly, Huang Zitao cannot do that.
The other members of the Running Man cast couldn't do it either.
On the other side.
"Chichi, Zulan, Chen Ge, Kai Ge..."
After Gu Qing finished hugging the last person, he lowered his arms, lowered his head slightly, and his gaze naturally went past Zheng Kai's shoulder to look behind him.
The crowd had mostly dispersed, and the other members of the group consciously moved aside to make room.
"Hi…"
Yang Ying's lips were slightly pursed, and the natural curve of her smiling lips was now slightly reduced due to nervousness, making them look even softer than usual.
The moment Gu Qing's gaze met hers, the smile on his face remained unchanged.
She greeted him with a bright and cheerful voice, as if seeing any old friend: "Hi, Baby, long time no see."
"Yes, Qingqing, it's been a long time."
A thin blush rose on Yang Ying's delicate oval face, and a smile uncontrollably bloomed on her lips.
It's true. It's true.
In front of so many cameras, in front of so many people, in front of the entire nation…
Qingqing smiled and called me Sister Baby.
Has he really let go?
Is he really willing to make up with me?
This scene was captured completely by seven or eight cameras from different angles.
PD Yao was so excited behind the monitor that his face turned red.
"Get all the cameras up and take pictures from every angle, don't miss a single one!"
This is absolutely a meeting of the century that will be recorded in the annals of the Chinese entertainment industry.
Gu Qing and Yang Ying's first face-to-face interaction on the Running Man camera, and their first greeting after many years.
As long as it airs, it'll occupy at least three of the top five spots on the trending topics list. He's even already decided on the background music for the editing in his head.
Chen Chichi, Deng Chao, Li Chen, and Zheng Kai, the four grown men, all wore the same maternal smile.
Old Deng was also heartbroken.
Starting from the third season, his biggest wish was to allow these two people to coexist peacefully in one scene.
It's finally happening!
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(P.S.: More long chapters to come) (End of this chapter)