Chapter 74 The Destination
Under Kieran's guidance, everyone successfully got into the program team's vehicle.
As they exited the airport, some passersby did notice them, and a few even recognized Ezra and Mia and tried to approach for autographs. However, the program team was prepared and had security guards block the fans before they could get close.
The vehicle prepared by the program team was a luxurious commercial van.
After Mia got in, she chose the best position for the camera in the front row. When she saw Kendall enter, she smiled brightly, deliberately showcasing the most beautiful angle of her face to the camera, and greeted Kendall.
"Kendall, do you want to sit with me?"
"No need," Kendall replied coolly. Her footsteps didn't falter as she walked to a window seat in the back two rows.
She had stated when she left the Hansen family that they would be strangers if they ever met again.
She knew Mia's intention was simply to maintain her 'good sister' persona in front of the camera, and Kendall refused to play along.
The viewers in the live stream were bewildered by Kendall's cold attitude.
user @SmileyFace: "Ah, no, is Kendall sick? Our Mia is being so nice to her, actively caring for her, and she's still unhappy? Who does she think she's giving attitude to?"
user @BloodSuckingParasite: "Holy moly! Trash program team! Watching this makes my blood pressure skyrocket!"
user @RoadSick: "Does the program team even have any decency? Our Mia condescended to come to your show, and this is how you treat her?!"
user @ChatterBox: "Getting upset right at the start, ahhhhh, I feel bad for Mia!"
user @PuppyLove: "Wait... what's wrong with all your comments? Kendall didn't seem to do anything wrong?"
user @EarthIsNotFlat: "I saw the news online before. Weren't Kendall and Mia always on bad terms? Why would Mia actively smile at someone who always tried to use her fame to debut?"
user @BlackHeart: "Can't our Mia just be beautiful and kind-hearted? People with dark hearts see everything as dirty!"
user @InfiniteLove: "Don't argue, don't argue! You're blocking my view of Elijah!"
While the comments were noisy, the actual hosts in front of the camera seemed to get along relatively well.
The male guests were all carrying luggage. Following the principle of 'ladies first', they waited for Mia and Kendall to board before slowly getting in.
Ezra and Elijah, a singer and an actor, already knew each other. After Ezra sat down, Elijah, following behind him, naturally sat next to Ezra.
Liam took a long time dealing with the four suitcases. He was the last one in and, seeing an empty seat next to Mia in the front row, he sat there without a second thought.
Kieran was only picking up five guests this time. Closing the car door, Kieran smiled. "The count is complete, driver. We can depart."
The commercial van slowly pulled out of the airport and drove smoothly onto the highway. Kieran proactively energized the atmosphere by asking everyone to greet the viewers in the live stream one by one.
"Hello everyone in the live stream! I'm Mia, and I'm honoured to participate in this variety show..." Mia spoke first, her smile bright and her demeanor generous. After speaking, she sweetly flashed a finger heart sign to the camera.
user @ObsessedWithMia: "Ahhhhhh, Mia's smile is so sweet!"
user @HeartEyes: "Mia is so good! She doesn't hold a grudge about the program team tricking her."
user @PrettyMia: "Beautiful, beautiful!"
Following Mia, Liam, Ezra, Elijah, and Kendall all greeted the live stream viewers according to their seating order.
Even though Liam was a civilian, his handsome features and six-foot height gained him quite a few fans. Because he was Mia's brother, some of Mia's fans also liked him by association.
Ezra and Elijah were already artists in the industry. Although Elijah wasn't as famous as Ezra, both had their own fan bases. When they introduced themselves, the comments in the live stream burst into cheers.
However, the moment the camera landed on Kendall, the screen's comments completely changed tone.
user @HateEverything: "Ahhhhhh, shut up, shut up, shut up!"
user @DogShit: "Don't talk, don't talk, don't talk!"
user @IAmBlind: "So annoying. I came to watch sister Mia, so why do I have to put up with this disgusting presence? Is there any way to kick Kendall off the program team?"
user @DynamoGirl: "What? This girl sitting by the window alone is Kendall?
I've been staring at the live stream for two or three minutes, and my eyes kept being drawn to her.
So she's Kendall?! Why did those online photos make her look so ugly!
They didn't capture even one percent of her beauty and aura!
Ahhhhh, I take back everything I cursed about her.
God, can I look like this in my next life? !"
user @CrazyAboutYou: "To be fair, with Kendall's looks and aura, she could have signed with an agency and debuted herself. She really didn't need to use Mia's fame."
user @IAmNumberOne: "You people defending Kendall, aren't you disgusting?!"
user @FatBitch: "All you paid commenters defending Kendall, get out!"
user @NeutralFan: "Mia's fans, can you please stop arguing? Will you die if you just quietly watch the live stream?"
Out of the five people, three were celebrities. Ezra and Elijah's popularity in the entertainment circle wasn't as high as Mia's, and naturally, they didn't have as many fans. However, having fewer fans didn't mean they had none.
Ezra and Elijah's fans just wanted to quietly watch their idols. But after only a short time since the broadcast began, Mia's fans were acting as if they owned the live stream, which naturally caused annoyance and spoiled the experience for casual viewers.
user @NobodyLikesMe: "You watch your stream, we're not bothering you. Why don't you just turn off the comments?"
user @IHateMyLife: "What's the matter? Do you think the public screen is your house? It's our right to speak freely, and we don't need your opinion."
The viewers continued to quarrel in the comments.
Kendall, sitting in the back seat, raised her eyes and looked directly into the camera.
Those clean, clear eyes gazed straight ahead, black and white distinct, her expression calm and steady.
In that instant, viewers who were arguing in the comments couldn't help but feel a jolt inside, and a hint of doubt flashed through their minds regarding the online rumours. 'Did she really do those things?'
Kendall's self-introduction was extremely concise.
"Hello everyone, I'm Kendall." Only four words.
Even Kieran was stunned for a moment before reacting.
It was well-known that when recording a variety show, to make the audience remember you and to gain more exposure, you had to keep the camera on yourself as much as possible.
Actively participating in conversations and talking a lot was the most effective way to deepen the audience's impression, as the camera would follow and focus on the person speaking.
Mia, Ezra, and Elijah's self-introductions had taken two or three minutes, and even the civilian Liam briefly introduced his interests and the reason for participating in the program team, successfully establishing a 'good older brother' persona in just a few minutes.
After Kendall finished speaking, Mia blinked and curiously asked Kieran. "Why is it just the five of us here? Where are the other guests?"
Kieran, sitting in the co-pilot seat, was not visible on camera but could turn and talk to everyone. "The other guests are also on their way. We split into three routes to pick up people separately. The other two groups of colleagues should have picked up their guests by now."
Ezra looked excited when he heard this. "What?! So, Daniel has arrived too?" Kieran nodded. "That should be the case."
"Wow! That's great!" Ezra faced the camera, his expression extremely excited.
"I'm a fan of Movie King Daniel. I grew up watching his shows. I've been looking forward to meeting him for a long time! Would it be against the rules if I ask him for an autograph when we meet?"
user @EzraIsTheBest: "Hahaha, Ezra is so cute when he's fangirling!"
user @KingDaniel: "Hehe, I like Daniel too. When Ezra asks for an autograph, can you please ask for one for me too?"
user @WillDieForEzra: "Ezra's fangirling is exactly like mine, but the star I'm fangirling over is Ezra!"
"What a coincidence, I also want to ask Daniel for an autograph," Mia chimed in. "I've watched the show 'Night Walker' that he starred in at least five times."
user @MovieFan: "Night Walker! It's Night Walker!"
user @HiddenFan: "I didn't expect to suddenly hear that name. That was one of Daniel's works before he became famous. It's relatively obscure, and the copyright seems to have expired and been taken down now. Mia knows even this, so it seems she's a dedicated fan of Daniel."
Using the topic of Daniel, everyone started chatting. Ezra's appearance was that of a sunny boy, leaning towards the 'pretty boy' type. Coupled with his cheerful and lively personality, fans affectionately called him 'Ezee'.
Elijah, who was with him, was tall and thin, with handsome features and an elegant appearance. He didn't talk as much as Ezra but occasionally joined the conversation.
Just as Mia had reviewed the information of the other celebrity guests before the show, Ezra and Elijah also looked through the information of the other celebrity guests before the show.
They were well aware of the online rumours about Mia and Kendall.
Since Kendall didn't proactively speak to them, they naturally wouldn't deliberately look for Kendall to chat with, lest they upset Mia.
Instead, Mia brought up Kendall twice in the car, both times being shut down by Kendall's cool attitude, which made the fans watching the live stream feel a pang of sympathy for Mia and naturally intensified their cursing of Kendall.
It was a good thing Liam was sitting in the window seat and couldn't see Kendall even if he turned around. Otherwise, with his fiercely protective nature towards Mia, he would have long since turned around to glare at Kendall and vent his frustration on Mia's behalf.
In this relatively harmonious atmosphere, the commercial van slowly came to a stop after an hour. Kieran turned around and smiled at everyone. "Everyone, we've arrived at the destination."
(End of Chapter)