Chapter 23: The New Lineup Makes a Stunning Debut

To be honest, Blueberry TV was in a rather awkward position at the time. It was not yet the powerhouse it would eventually become; in terms of variety programming, it really had nothing to show off. Surprisingly, its highest-rated show was "I Love Lyrics." Of course, in this day and age, variety shows across the major satellite channels had yet to reach the point of chaotic over-saturation. Still, there was a significant gap between Blueberry TV and Mango TV.

The promotional push for "Let's Go Watch Meteor Shower" was scheduled for this show. This particular episode had been hyped up long in advance because Blueberry TV had actually invited the F4 and the lead actress Shan Cai from the original Taiwanese "Meteor Garden," alongside the cast of "Let's Go Watch Meteor Shower." It was a special episode, and it certainly attracted quite a few viewers. After all, nostalgia is a vintage wine—the older it gets, the better it tastes—and Blueberry TV had invested significant effort into the publicity.

In truth, regardless of the format, as long as the guests are compelling enough, any program can shine. The biggest draw of this episode, ironically, turned out to be the comparison between the old and new generations of "Meteor Garden" actors. At the same time, audiences were particularly curious about the cast of "Let's Go Watch Meteor Shower," as the production had kept things completely under wraps until the broadcast date was finalized, ensuring a sense of mystery.

As the director, Chen Mo was naturally invited, though he was never the focus of the promotion; he was, at best, a side note. After all, when it comes to television dramas—especially idol dramas—audiences rarely care about who the director is. The initial promotional focus of this episode had been the debut of the new F4 and the new Shan Cai. Chen Mo agreed to attend primarily to provide a final quality check.

The male leads didn't really need much guidance from Chen Mo; they were already archetypal heartthrobs. While their styles differed, they generally just needed to appear as they were styled on set. Chen Mo was mostly worried about Zhao Xiaodao. To be honest, she was a unique girl. Chen Mo found her beautiful and quite distinct in the entertainment industry, precisely because of her petite and delicate frame. You would hardly believe that someone like her wore size 33 shoes—the same size as a primary schooler. Furthermore, she had a round face. In an industry where the standard for beauty was a sharp, V-shaped or oval face, many people perceived her as someone who would struggle to stand out—the type cast as a maid for life. A round face is prone to looking "puffy," like Zhang Hanyun, who became famous on "Super Girl" but ended up looking a bit too round over the years.

Moreover, a key issue was that, initially, Zhao Liying lacked self-confidence. Chen Mo had asked her why, given that she was clearly pretty. The answer he received was that her years in the industry had eroded her confidence. She had constantly heard that a round face couldn't play a lead role because her look lacked the "grandeur" required for important parts, limiting her to playing maids, daughters, granddaughters, or younger sisters—roles she had indeed been relegated to for years. Hearing such things repeatedly, combined with her own experiences, had taken a toll on her. Consequently, she never considered herself a beauty.

However, after filming "Let's Go Watch Meteor Shower," she suddenly discovered that she could actually look quite beautiful. This made her appear somewhat constrained whenever she saw Chen Mo. While he had helped her realize that her round face could be an asset rather than a flaw, he couldn't resist teasing her. "Your temperament is lacking!" "Can you stop your eyes from darting around?" The harshest remark was: "Sigh, some people just don't have the palate for fine dining!" It broke her defenses every time, and she would often want to bite him in frustration.

Today's look for "Little Zhao" was the result of collaboration between Chen Mo and the stylist. Chen Mo didn't know much about makeup or fashion, but he had vivid memories of the stars' iconic looks from the future. His advanced aesthetic sense left the stylists and makeup artists stunned. In fact, it had a transformative effect, especially on Zhao Xiaodao.

The biggest change in her look today was the hairstyle: a non-traditional messy bun with "dragon whisker" bangs—thin strands of hair left to fall naturally along her cheeks. Paired with her small, round face, it gave her a unique, feminine charm that was both chic and fresh. She wore a black-and-white checkered dress, clean and sharp. She stood there nervously, letting Chen Mo inspect her, terrified he would say something about her "lacking temperament." Yet, she was also expectant; after all, a woman dresses to please those she cares about. Especially with Chen Mo, who had turned her from an ugly duckling into a swan, his opinion mattered to her in a way she couldn't explain.

"Relax, am I really that scary?" Chen Mo asked, feeling both helpless and amused at her tense posture. He wondered if he’d been too harsh before.

"Phew! How about now?" Zhao Liying asked, looking at him expectantly.

This time, Chen Mo didn't resort to a sharp tongue. The current look suited her perfectly; she was still young, so she couldn't pull off the sophisticated, mature style of the future. This youthful, vibrant, and fresh look was exactly right for her. Furthermore, she was appearing on the show as "Chu Yuxun," a role that fit her perfectly.

"Not bad. Keep it up, and watch your speed of speech—don't talk too fast," Chen Mo nodded, adding a reminder.

"Am I pretty?" Zhao Liying asked with a playful flick of her tongue.

"Yes, very pretty. Go on, be confident. Don't get outshined and lose face for me," Chen Mo nodded, and seeing her look smug, he couldn't help but add that final jab.

"I know, 'lose face for you.' It's not like I'm anyone to you," she muttered under her breath.

"What did you say?" Chen Mo hadn't heard clearly.

"Nothing, I'm heading out," Zhao Liying said quickly.

"Go on!" Chen Mo said dismissively.

As she turned away, her cheeks flushed, and she couldn't help but fan her face with her hand. Watching her petite, retreating figure, Chen Mo felt a strong sense of accomplishment. He could tell the girl had feelings for him, and if he wanted, he could easily pursue it. But he preferred to let things take their natural course, adhering to a philosophy of "don't initiate, don't refuse, and don't take responsibility." Thus, he rarely gave her positive feedback.

As it turned out, Chen Mo's efforts were not in vain. His advanced aesthetic sense ensured that as soon as the episode aired and the main cast appeared, many viewers were instantly captivated. Especially when compared to the "standard" style of the original "Meteor Garden" F4 and Shan Cai, his new F4 and the round-faced beauty Zhao Xiaodao felt like a dimensional strike. Zhao Liying, who had only had a few tens of thousands of followers, saw her fan base grow by over a hundred thousand in a single night after the broadcast.