After getting a taste of success, Guan Yunning wanted to try the same trick again, but a sign suddenly appeared in front of them.
Zou Yuxing's attention was instantly diverted. "Is this pointing us in the right direction?"
Meng Jingxiu finally found a chance to join the conversation. "If we follow this direction, we should find the treasure the client mentioned."
He had become famous by flaunting his wealth and promoting himself as a rich young master, but beside two people from truly wealthy families, Zou Yuxing and Su Shangting, he was utterly outshone and had to tone down his swagger.
Zou Yuxing nodded in agreement. "I think you're right."
But he was only agreeing and didn't look at Meng Jingxiu directly. The extremely sensitive Meng Jingxiu misinterpreted this as Zou Yuxing looking down on him and trying to put him in his place.
Meng Jingxiu didn't dare lash out, but his smile became strained, subtly affecting the atmosphere among the five of them.
As a result, the livestream was not only dull but also uncomfortable to watch. The viewer count dropped further, and the director paced anxiously around the room before picking up the walkie-talkie. "Whatever it takes, hurry them along and get them to the next stage!"
But the five guests were on a deserted island, so the staff couldn't simply show up. Su Shangting also threw a tantrum and nearly went back the way they had come. After a great deal of effort, they finally set off again at a sluggish pace.
A journey that should have taken a little over ten minutes dragged on for more than half an hour, and the viewer count and popularity hit new lows. Just as they were about to reach rock bottom, the scene before them brightened, and the view opened up.
Wen Feiran found such a deliberately staged entrance painfully awkward and had been nervous the entire time he waited. Zou Yuxing and the others had dragged this stage out even longer, and Wen Feiran had exhausted himself overthinking it, leaving him emotionally drained. When he heard their voices, he turned around blankly.
His hair no longer needed an entire bottle of hairspray, and he had also gotten rid of the bulky black-framed glasses and the dirty, patchy makeup. It was as though a thin layer of dust had been blown off him, revealing the lustrous white jade beneath.
A beam of light happened to fall on him, giving him a soft, fuzzy golden outline. He looked as beautiful as a dream, with an unreal quality about him. He was so handsome that people could automatically overlook his stiff lips and blank gaze.
All five people there froze. Only when a cool breeze swept past did Zou Yuxing's eyelashes flutter slightly.
"This is..." His mouth was open so wide that a gust of cold air rushed in, and he couldn't help hiccuping before continuing, "Where did this handsome guy come from?"
Before he could recover, Su Shangting ran over with a beaming smile. It was the first time he had seen Su Shangting smile so happily and take the initiative like this.
"Feiran!" Su Shangting could barely maintain his proud young-master image. He huffed twice through his nose and complained, "Why didn't you tell me in advance? I thought you weren't coming."
Wen Feiran was just about to answer when Zou Yuxing suddenly rushed over and buried him under a torrent of words.
"Feiran, what are you doing here? I knew the production team couldn't be so nice as to put up a sign just to help us finish the task. So it was leading us to you! What's your role, then? A mystery guest? I get it. The production team often makes arrangements like this to surprise people, and I really was surprised..."
Wen Feiran didn't know where to begin answering and closed his open mouth. Su Shangting squeezed his eyes shut, unable to take it any longer, and kicked Zou Yuxing in the butt.
"Do you know what 'first come, first served' means? I haven't finished talking to Feiran yet!" Su Shangting looked utterly fed up. "You're so annoying. I really want to sew your mouth shut!"
Zou Yuxing was about to bristle on the spot, so Wen Feiran could only play peacemaker. "Stop arguing. We still have to work together on the task later."
The familiar scene played out again, and the viewers in the livestream were nearly dying of laughter.
[It finally feels right. I just love watching the three of them bicker together!]
[Hahahaha, you call this bickering? You really don't care whether Wen Feiran lives or dies, huh?]
[Holy shit, is that really Wen Feiran? How is he so handsome?!]
[My destined wife, slurp slurp]
[Even standing next to five celebrities, he still outshines them. Tsk tsk tsk tsk, I have a feeling the domestic entertainment industry is about to change!]
[So this is what love at first sight feels like. Just for that face, I'll be his fan forever!]
Wen Feiran's entrance stole all the limelight, making the three new guests, including Guan Yunning, look like decorations. They had never been treated so coldly since their debuts, and they nearly failed to maintain their composure.
Guan Yunning was more skilled at handling the situation. Smiling, Guan Yunning went over and forced a way into the conversation. Although still like an outsider, at least Guan Yunning managed to make a bit of a presence. The other two guests followed suit, but their attempts backfired, and viewers in the livestream shouted that they were in the way.
Wen Feiran's unusual entrance, his look that was completely different from the previous episode, and his striking good looks sent him straight onto the trending searches. Just as the production team had expected, the viewer count kept climbing, nearly matching the previous season's record.
The assistant director concealed his contribution and wore a calm expression, but inside he was thrilled.
I really did back the right person. Inviting Wen Feiran back was the best decision!
After chatting for fifteen minutes, Zou Yuxing and Su Shangting finally calmed down enough to continue to the next stage.
They each picked an end from a tangled mass of ropes, and after pulling them straight, those holding the same rope formed a group.
The three of them were too many for a group, so someone was bound to be left out. In the end, Wen Feiran and Zou Yuxing were paired together. Su Shangting was so furious his nose nearly went crooked, and he almost hit Zou Yuxing.
Wen Feiran was miserable, caught between them. He finally managed to calm Su Shangting down, only to turn around and meet Zou Yuxing's smiling gaze.
He rubbed his nose. "Why are you looking at me like that? Is there something on my face?"
Zou Yuxing shook his head, but he behaved himself for only three seconds before staring at Wen Feiran with a smile again.
The viewers in the livestream understood. They too found it hard to take their eyes off Wen Feiran's face.
Although Wen Feiran's features were exquisite, his beauty was not flamboyant or aggressive. Rather, he was like lustrous mutton-fat jade, giving off a soft glow. He was stunning at first sight, and the longer one looked, the more charm he revealed. Both his bone structure and his outer features were perfect.