[So it didn't happen the way the rumors said, and Wen Feiran wasn't the other man. Otherwise, why would Fu Changze be willing to show up?]
Fu Changze paid no attention to his image. Like a fierce dog, he held Lin Lin in his arms. "If you accept my proposal, I'll agree to let you go film the variety show."
Lin Lin knew Fu Changze too well. That look meant he wanted a kiss, so she pushed his annoying face away first. "What makes you think you can set conditions for me? Have you forgotten how our argument started that day?"
Lin Lin had wanted to clear things up anyway, so she continued, "I told you we were still young, but you insisted on proposing. When I turned you down, you acted shamelessly, and I got so angry I threw the ring away. Wen Feiran happened to be passing by and accidentally cut his hand. You fainted at the sight of blood, and we were the ones who took you to the hospital. This was all your fault, and you dragged Feiran into it too."
Fu Changze was indignant. He muttered under his breath, "I offered him three million in compensation, but he wouldn't take it."
The truth behind the gossip no longer mattered. The livestream viewers' attention instantly shifted elsewhere.
[Wen Feiran, what were you thinking? Why didn't you take the three million?!]
[There's a deal like that? Next time you argue, tell us where beforehand. I want to happen to pass by too.]
[Looks like Wen Feiran really was innocent. So he's single too. Lick, lick, my delicate little wife. Slurp, slurp.]
[Hahahaha, even though this drama had nothing to do with you, Wen Feiran, ask yourself: why do you happen to pass by every time?]
Now that everything had finally been cleared up, Wen Feiran let out a long sigh of relief. Zou Yuxing trailed awkwardly behind him like a child who had done something wrong, too frightened to make a sound.
Wen Feiran was still angry and ignored him. Su Shangting deliberately let out a cold snort, swaggered up to Wen Feiran right in front of Zou Yuxing, and raised his chin at Zou Yuxing provocatively.
Furious, Zou Yuxing waved a fist at him.
With that little interlude over, the livestream continued. They were still surrounded by wilderness. They rode into a cave, where it was pitch-dark, and when light suddenly appeared, the scene before them was completely different.
Instead of the sparsely populated wilderness, there was a thriving village, with traces of human habitation everywhere.
The island's geography was rather unusual. A mountain range ran through its center, and the villagers who lived there had moved to the other side through a tunnel carved into the mountain. The place where they had originally lived had been abandoned for so long that it had turned into a wasteland. All it took was a trip through the tunnel to pass between the two completely different scenes. The contrast was striking, so it was no wonder the director had used time travel as a gimmick.
Zou Yuxing was so stunned he lost the power of speech and could only keep saying "wow." Su Shangting rolled his eyes. "Have you turned into a frog?"
Zou Yuxing ignored him and showered the production team with praise for their ingenuity. The livestream viewers were equally awestruck, and they sent the show trending.
To boost participation, the director had gone to great lengths, setting the official livestream's cameras at the task locations. The viewers all became supervisors, able to decide whether the tasks had been completed and interact through the scrolling comments.
This was a huge treat for the fans, and even the spectators who were just there for the fun were excitedly looking forward to what came next.
"The client says the truly important treasure is hidden in this village. The seal has already been handed over to the village director."
"All you need to do is gain the approval of several inheritors. Finally, bring their seals back here, and you'll receive the treasure."
This time, they were each on their own. Everyone was given a map, but it showed no specific directions and looked more like a child's casual scribble.
Su Shangting had once again failed to team up with Wen Feiran. He gave two snorts and walked away without looking back. Zou Yuxing was afraid Wen Feiran still hadn't forgiven him, so he could only offer a timid greeting.
Once the timer started, Wen Feiran studied the map for a while before setting off to look for the locations.
To his surprise, the local culture and architecture were full of distinctive features. There were countless little paths, like a maze. Wen Feiran walked into three dead ends and was on the verge of breaking down.
Just then, he finally spotted someone on the empty street.
Wen Feiran hurried over and said politely, "Grandma, sorry to trouble you, but could you point me in the right direction?"
The old woman was wearing a navy-blue qipao. She turned around with a smile, and Wen Feiran froze.
Time had not defeated this beauty. Although her skin had grown loose, Wen Feiran could imagine that this was what a person looked like at their most beautiful in old age.
There was charm hidden in every one of the old woman's wrinkles. She looked at Wen Feiran kindly and took the map from his hand, her smile deepening.
"I know where this is." The old woman looked around and said in confusion, "I only came back to visit my relatives today. Why isn't there anyone around?"
Wen Feiran thought for a moment and explained, "It's probably because they're filming a show. The director asked everyone to stay at home."
So that was it. A hint of mischief unbecoming of her age appeared between the old woman's brows. "I thought they were all hiding from me."
Wen Feiran hadn't heard her clearly. He gave a puzzled "Huh?"
"It's nothing. I'll play here with my little grandson for a while. Hurry along and finish your task."
Wen Feiran said goodbye to the old woman and followed her directions to the first task location.
He looked around outside the door, but he was still unsure, so he asked tentatively, "Excuse me, is this Black Bear's house?"
"Black Bear" was the name the old woman had given him. Wen Feiran felt it wasn't polite enough when he said it, and his voice grew quieter and quieter.
A few seconds later, a sprightly old man charged out at a speed Wen Feiran couldn't fathom.
"What did you call me?!" The old man's tone was stern, and Wen Feiran stepped back twice.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend you." Before he could finish explaining, two withered hands gripped his shoulders. "Quick, tell me, who told you that?"