Honestly, when Xia Qingtian first woke up, she felt quite refreshed.
A glass of wine before bed did help her sleep soundly.
However, as time went by, Xia Qingtian couldn't recall what happened after she drank that glass of milky liqueur.
She only remembered feeling a bit thirsty, finishing the drink in one gulp, and mobius urging her to eat some food, which she did.
And then?
Wait, did she eat?
Xia Qingtian was no longer sure.
Standing on the balcony, Xia Qingtian wanted to brush her teeth while enjoying the crisp morning breeze to clear her head.
"Morning." The greeting from the neighboring balcony startled Xia Qingtian.
"Morning!" With a jolt, Xia Qingtian saw a small, sparkling bubble spray from the corner of her mouth and drift towards mobius.
Mobius clearly saw the floating bubble too, reached out and touched it, and the bubble popped, leaving a faint scent of toothpaste on mobius's fingertip.
Seeing this, Xia Qingtian's cheeks flushed slightly, and she sheepishly smiled, her toothbrush still in her mouth.
"Come over for breakfast later," mobius said with a faint smile.
Xia Qingtian instinctively wanted to refuse. She couldn't even remember what happened last night, and going over again would be awkward, wouldn't it?
What if last night was brought up, and she had done something foolish? That would be so embarrassing.
"Breakfast is Zha Jiang Mian, made with the spicy flavor you like," mobius replied. "There will also be sunny-side-up eggs and freshly brewed soy milk."
"Okay, I'll be right over." Xia Qingtian shamelessly surrendered to her rumbling stomach and gave an OK sign.
With an involuntary swallow, Xia Qingtian felt a cool sensation of toothpaste travel down her throat and along her esophagus. Her face immediately changed, and she rushed back to the bathroom.
Seeing this, mobius just smiled and returned to the room from the balcony.
While eating breakfast, Xia Qingtian was still searching for "What to do if I accidentally swallowed toothpaste foam."
Xia Qingtian breathed a sigh of relief after confirming that swallowing small amounts infrequently wouldn't cause any major issues.
"Is there anything you want to eat? Once you're done filming, I'll make it for you." Mobius placed a packaged box in front of Xia Qingtian. "A birthday gift, I didn't have time to give it to you last night."
"Thank you," Xia Qingtian gave a dry chuckle and took the gift. "I'll open it."
Seeing mobius nod in agreement, Xia Qingtian unwrapped the gift and saw a ladies' watch.
Tiny diamonds were embedded in the enamel dial, making it look elegant, exquisite, and very dazzling. The Swiss quartz movement emitted a subtle and pleasant ticking sound as the hands turned. The feel of it was warm and refined, and its weight wasn't as exaggerated as it looked. The soft leather strap had natural graining and fine stitching, along with a solid gold clasp.
Although Xia Qingtian didn't know much about enamel watches, her discerning eye and touch, honed in the luxury goods sector, told her that the watch's value was definitely no less than six figures.
"Thank you, I really like it." Xia Qingtian thought about the wallet she had given to mobius, which was also six figures, and then said her thanks and accepted it generously. She then hesitated, "Yesterday..."
"The wine yesterday wasn't chosen very well. It was a gift from a friend, and I didn't expect it to be so strong," mobius said as if nothing had happened. "I accidentally got drunk, and when I woke up, you were already gone."
"Is that so?" Xia Qingtian understood that mobius was likely saving her face, and in her heart, she praised mobius for her high emotional intelligence and gentlemanly demeanor. It was wonderful!
After that, she didn't dwell on her drunkenness any further. She just said that time was getting close and she should go back to prepare.
As soon as Xia Qingtian left mobius's place, she received a call from Li Mengxiao. The car picking her up was already downstairs.
Hurrying back to her room to pack and carefully putting away the watch mobius had given her, Xia Qingtian put on a waterproof smart watch and headed out with her suitcase.
"First Step to Love" could be considered a veteran dating reality show. It had one season per year, and this was already the fifth season.
Initially, it became hugely popular as the first dating reality show in the industry. The second season also garnered much attention, the third season had a lukewarm reception, and the fourth season didn't create much of a splash. This fifth season was meant to be a comeback for "First Step to Love."
And as it turned out, it was quite successful.
Of course, this was something that those heading to participate in the dating show didn't know.
"Qingtian, 'First Step to Love' is quite interesting this time. They've made quite a few changes, adopting a fully live broadcast format for the first time. Don't feel any pressure; just be yourself." Li Mengxiao fanned Xia Qingtian at one moment and handed her water at another, clearly trying her best to manage Xia Qingtian's emotions.
Xia Qingtian's current position was rather awkward. She had buzz, popularity, and fame, but her demonstrated abilities were quite limited.
Since entering the industry, besides variety show live broadcasts, the only drama she had taken on was still unfinished, and there was no news about any subsequent projects. Although the fashion endorsement she secured before the new year was quite well-known, the advertisement was still in production and was slated to be released along with the product on Valentine's Day, February 14th.
Therefore, the company arranged for her to participate in this almost-defunct variety show. Although it was just a transitional step, if it were another celebrity with a bit more pride, they might not have been willing to deal with the hassle during the New Year.
"Don't worry, I'm not thirsty, not hungry, and not tired." Xia Qingtian knew Li Mengxiao's kind intentions and simply gestured for her to rest.
This filming allowed assistants, which she was already very grateful for. She realized how clueless she was about daily life without Li Mengxiao.
Besides, others were here to film for publicity and variety shows; she wasn't.
She was here to witness the shipping of couples from the front lines!
She recalled that in her past life, "First Step to Love" had four couples. After the show aired, two couples went straight to the altar, becoming rare sweet couples in the entertainment industry. They were always showering fans with affection whenever they appeared together.
Xia Qingtian had also really liked the fifth season of "First Step to Love" in her past life, but she never imagined she would have the chance to be on the front lines, shipping couples from the center stage.
Moreover, her idol Ling Feng Han was also participating this season, which gave her even more motivation.
Soon, the car arrived at the filming location.
It was evident how much the "First Step to Love" production team valued this comeback. The small villa was even more luxurious and beautiful than the one she had stayed in for "Best Partners." The seasonal decorations with fresh flowers created a romantic ambiance.
The production team had clearly put in effort.
As Xia Qingtian was looking around, she heard a surprised voice from behind her: "Qingtian, long time no see."
Xia Qingtian turned around and saw Qiu Xinxue, who had played her maidservant in "The Most Cherished Spring," running towards her. "We meet again so soon, we really are destined!"
Seeing Qiu Xinxue, Xia Qingtian was a little confused. She didn't remember seeing Qiu Xinxue on "First Step to Love" in her past life...
Could it be the butterfly effect caused by her rebirth?
It couldn't be that she was here specifically for her...
Xia Qingtian gave a self-deprecating smile in her heart and then showed Qiu Xinxue a cheerful smile. "Happy New Year, Xinxue."
"Happy New Year." Qiu Xinxue looked at Xia Qingtian and smiled meaningfully.
This time, her schedule was tight. She had to gain Xia Qingtian's complete trust in the next filming session.
She would personally unmask the mysterious mobius!