The villains had long mastered tricks like speaking in veiled sarcasm and taking digs at people. Every one of them was an expert, and they saw right through Xie Ran's little scheme at a glance.
Too lazy to pay him any attention, they simply ignored his saccharine remarks and said to Xie Chen, "We all agree. When we get to the dorms, you two can pick your spots first."
Having gotten the answer he wanted, Xie Chen lazily got to his feet and continued collecting the farm fertilizer, efficiently filling the buckets, sealing the lids, and pushing the ox cart.
After that series of actions, he quickly completed the first task Director Li had assigned.
When he pushed the ox cart in front of the village chief, he looked perfectly composed, as though unaffected in the slightest. Yet even the tightly sealed blue buckets could not contain the overpowering stench, causing Li Jingfei—who had endured it again and again—to finally dry heave a few times in front of the cameras.
She did not look like she was faking it, and the viewers in the livestream began to find it strange.
[Didn't they say Xie Chen had been pampered ever since he was brought back to the Xie Family? That he couldn't carry anything or do any work, just a sweet, obedient little white flower? Looking at him now, rumors really can't be trusted!]
[I grew up in the countryside and suffered deeply from farm fertilizer. I'm still traumatized by it. Wherever I go, I feel like I can smell pig shit. Just watching Xie Chen make one round, I want to cover my mouth through the screen, yet he can keep a straight face?! I seriously admire him!]
[What's there to admire? Isn't he just being opportunistic because he wants to gain something? He used to put on such a proper act in the Xie Family, but now that he's been kicked out, he can't even be bothered to pretend anymore?!]
[The person above is right. If he had even a little conscience, shouldn't he be grateful to the Xie Family? How could he keep snapping at Xie Ran? What, now that the real young master is back, he's started getting jealous and resentful?!]
[I keep seeing people in the comments say Xie Ran is fake. Has kindness become an act these days? Do you have to be a villain before people think you're genuine?! What kind of logic is that?]
[Anyway, I really like Xie Ran. He's not as irritable as the other guests. He's like a green lotus rising unstained from the mud!]
[...]
New accounts began flooding into the livestream, constantly posting comments with different opinions.
Xie Yuchen, the second son of the Xie Family, looked at the screen in satisfaction while holding his phone in one hand. "Don't worry, Big Brother. This batch of paid commenters is quite professional. No one will notice. Getting Xie Chen dragged onto the trending searches will be easy!"
"Mm." Xie Zhenting's voice was low and muffled. Only after responding did he say, "It would be best not to expose any information related to Xie Group."
Xie Yuchen smiled. "Big Brother, I've run a marketing company for so long. Do I need reminding about something this simple? Just wait. Before long, Xie Chen will obediently come back and admit his mistakes!"
The two brothers finished their discussion and hung up.
On-screen, Xie Chen and the others had already arrived at the communal dormitory.
Speaking in the local accent, the village chief introduced the place with particular pride. "This here is the best guesthouse in our village. It was built back when educated youth went up to the mountains and down to the countryside. You're really lucky. Normally, we only bring visiting leaders here!"
As he spoke, he pushed open the courtyard gate, revealing a dilapidated two-story building.
Since it was already late at night, the gray building could not be seen clearly. It looked like a secret base hidden in the darkness, carrying an eerie, spine-chilling air.
"It's not haunted, is it?!" Wei Mingqi was the shortest and the most timid. His feet involuntarily shuffled backward, as if he were ready to run at any moment.
Xie Chen glanced sideways at him. "What, do you think this is some fantasy novel? Haunted?"
"I need my beauty sleep. Nobody better get in my way!" Li Jingfei ignored their conversation and rushed straight into the guesthouse courtyard.
Compared with ghosts, she was more afraid of staying up late. Staying up late meant wrinkles, wrinkles meant aging, and aging meant...
How long could a female star's prime possibly last?!
Li Jingfei did not want to start playing the protagonist's mother at such a young age!
Dragging her suitcase along at a rapid pace, she led the other guests into the first-floor lobby in the blink of an eye.
After casually checking a few rooms, Li Jingfei pointed at the only one with an attached bathroom. "I want this room."
When she turned around, she did not look at anyone else. Her bright eyes were fixed solely on Xie Chen, and her tone softened slightly. "Is that okay?"
"Sure." Xie Chen shrugged indifferently. "Ladies first. I'll go upstairs."
The upstairs and downstairs had the same layout, with only one single room that had a bathroom.
No wonder Xie Chen had made that request. So it was because...
Wait, did he know beforehand?!
Didn't that count as cheating?!
Xie Ran clenched his fists, suddenly understanding. No wonder Director Li favored Xie Chen at every turn. There was actually another layer to their relationship!
Just as he became convinced of that thought, he was assigned to a double room with Wei Mingqi.
Before he had even finished unpacking, arguing broke out next door.
"Why do you get to sleep in that bed?! I want the one inside!" It was Luo Mingyu. His voice was a little hoarse, probably from vomiting.
Li Sifan refused to back down. "You think you can decide where we sleep just because you say so? Who do you think you are?"
"Do you believe I'll beat you up?!"
"Come at me!"
"Fine, I will!"
"Then come on!"
Watching the two men in the surveillance feed, red-faced and thick-necked, Director Li smiled so broadly his eyebrows practically danced.
Yes, this was it!
First, let them turn on each other. Then the task would fail, and the group or individuals would be punished.
Anyway, since they had come to record this show, no one was going home without being put through the wringer!
He opened his mouth, about to discuss with Huo Wenye whether they should raise the stakes tomorrow, when he suddenly spotted another figure outside the room of the hot-tempered playboy and the edgy singer.
His stunning looks were impossible to ignore. Loose pajamas draped over his body, his slender neck and delicate collarbones faintly visible, his figure lean yet toned...
Of course, if one ignored the pancake clutched in his hand and his careless posture, it would have been an absolutely pleasing scene.
Director Li could not help being drawn in, completely missing the subtle change in the movie emperor Huo's expression beside him.
"When are you fighting?" Xie Chen took a hard bite of the yellowish pancake. "Don't just flap your mouths. I'm still waiting to watch the show."
His crisp voice mingled with chewing sounds, making the two people who had been arguing turn their heads in unison. They froze for a moment before shouting together, "Who said we were going to fight?!"
"You're not fighting? What a waste of anticipation." Xie Chen curled his lip in disdain, then took another bite of the pancake and said somewhat unclearly, "Remember this. Next time, if you can throw hands, don't waste time arguing."
Watching his carefree departing back, both Luo Mingyu and Li Sifan were a little dumbfounded.
Fight?!
Even the two of them would not dare be that direct in front of the cameras.
Had Xie Chen gotten too immersed in filming Villains Variety Show? Did he really need to be this arrogant?
Was he really not afraid of getting criticized?
After their brief bewilderment, Luo Mingyu and Li Sifan came to their senses, glared at each other, stopped arguing, and began unpacking their own luggage.
The livestream viewers erupted in surprise at the sight.
[Holy shit, those two difficult people got straightened out by Xie Chen?! How did he do that?! Is this some alternative therapy?! If persuasion doesn't work, just add fuel to the fire?!]
[Come on, Xie Chen didn't try to persuade them at all, okay? He just wanted to see the world burn!]
Before you continue