He Really Had Changed

Jiang Tingxu really hadn't brought any body wash, and Spring Heartbeat didn't allow assistants unless the production team arranged one. Otherwise, the guests had to handle everything themselves.

It was too late to go out and buy some, so Jiang Tingxu came to borrow some from Si You.

"Thanks." Jiang Tingxu shook the bottle of body wash. "I'll return it tomorrow morning. Get some rest first. Good night."

"Good night," Si You said.

The cameraman stood nearby. Though he hadn't caught any explosive material, he had picked up on a faint hint of something unusual.

Unfortunately, it poured the next day.

The blankets were warm. Rain struck the windows in a soft, rapid drumbeat, mingling with the rustling sound of rain washing over the trees. Si You turned off his six o'clock alarm and didn't wake up until seven.

After freshening up, he had barely stepped outside when a staff member told him the rain was too heavy and the guests could rest a little longer.

Si You nodded, then asked, "What about breakfast...?"

The task couldn't begin for the time being. They couldn't just leave the guests hungry while waiting for the rain to stop, could they?

"The production team has already prepared it."

The livestream filming ran from the moment the guests woke up until the tasks ended. Even when Si You went to breakfast, cameras followed behind him.

Si You filled a bowl with pumpkin porridge and took two large meat buns, one tea egg, and one plain boiled egg. Of the several split-screen livestream rooms, his was the only one with anyone awake, so early-rising viewers naturally crowded in.

[Did Si You ever get up before ten in the previous season?]

[No... There was one time he got up at ten-thirty, and Shen Chuan's fans were almost moved to tears.]

Si You couldn't see the livestream chat. He was busy filling his stomach. He ate without making a sound, but he made the food look delicious.

[I'm leaving. Going downstairs to buy buns.]

Ten minutes later, Si You put down his chopsticks and turned to ask a staff member, "Do you have a high-performance laptop? Could I borrow one?"

The staff member's expression remained flat. "No."

Though it wasn't too obvious, Si You could still sense a trace of exclusion and hostility directed at him.

"I wondered why no one answered when I knocked on your door. Your body wash is still with me." Jiang Tingxu came downstairs. Even fresh out of bed, he looked flawless. Dressed in a casual outfit in cool tones, he wore a gentle expression. "A laptop? I brought one. You can use mine first."

[Body wash? What body wash?!]

[Why did they stop filming once the task ended? Film it! I have enough data! Film inside the room!]

Si You was a little pleased. "Is that okay?"

"Of course." Jiang Tingxu glanced at the staff member before heading to the kitchen for breakfast.

By the time the guests gradually got up, the rain still showed no sign of stopping.

What was that saying again? There was no such thing as a free breakfast. Once everyone had eaten their fill, the director finally stepped forward to announce the task: the guests would follow nearby villagers to gather wild mountain produce.

Xu Ke chuckled, having expected this already. He had eaten his fill!

With enough rain, a kind of wild vegetable would sprout at the foot of the mountain. It was delicious whether tossed cold or stir-fried, and it sold for a decent price. The production team had already found several local households and were only waiting to assign the guests before setting off.

The prizes would still be determined by the quantity of mountain produce gathered, nothing more than daily necessities like food and supplies. The guests understood now: the production team had kept the news tightly under wraps from the start because they were afraid the guests would prepare in advance. To travel light, everyone had only brought enough supplies for a few days. If they wanted more afterward, they would have to complete tasks to earn them. So that was what they had been waiting for!

Song Yalin and Jiang Yao exchanged a look. Thank goodness! They could go without anything else, but not cosmetics!

Although the guests had been selected, in rain this heavy, those with better stamina and endurance naturally had to go first.

Unable to bear seeing Song Yalin go, Shao Ancheng was the first to raise his hand. Song Yalin looked at her boyfriend with a sweet expression, and the comments all said that real couples were indeed far more enjoyable to ship.

Fei Chang signed up second. Xu Ke sometimes stumbled even on level ground. With the mountain paths so slippery after the rain, Fei Chang was worried he would fall into a ditch.

"Thanks, Brother Fei Chang~" Xu Ke said, hugging Fei Chang's arm.

Si You increasingly felt that these two might truly have feelings for each other. Some of their actions came too naturally.

Xue Boyu didn't need to be chosen. He was the only one in his group, so he had to go no matter what. Although Jiang Tingxu had said he would coast along with them, some rules couldn't be changed.

Zhang Jianlin smiled and asked Jiang Yao, "Do you want to experience it?"

The moment he said that, everyone looked over.

The effects team was on point, instantly popping a huge "what?!" onto the screen.

Jiang Yao stared at Zhang Jianlin without speaking.

Zhang Jianlin continued, "I'm joking. Didn't you say you haven't had much inspiration lately? A rainy day, the foot of a mountain... I thought musicians like you would enjoy that."

Even so, Zhang Jianlin showed no intention of signing up himself.

Fei Chang was about to smooth things over when Jiang Yao said in a low voice, "I'll go!"

Zhang Jianlin looked somewhat surprised. "You really need inspiration?"

Who was he trying to fool? Si You thought.

Song Yalin asked carefully, "Yao Yao, you're going?"

Jiang Yao had already seen through what a useless man Zhang Jianlin was. This wasn't the first time something like this had happened. It was fine. She would do it all. Once this season's filming ended, she definitely wouldn't renew for the next one.

Zhang Jianlin was still saying, "You don't have to force yourself."

Jiang Yao had already quickly put on her raincoat. She didn't even spare Zhang Jianlin a glance, instead saying to the director, "I'm ready."

Si You raised his hand as well. "Count me in."

Jiang Tingxu frowned. "Stay here. I'll go."

"Don't." Si You lowered his gaze to Jiang Tingxu's left ankle. It had once suffered a severe fracture during filming, and though it had been repaired four times afterward, it definitely couldn't return to how it had been before. Si You was worried that soaking it in cold water would cause problems with Jiang Tingxu's left foot. When that happened, Ginger Powder would tear him apart.

Besides, Jiang Tingxu was a little different to Si You. Si You was willing to look after him a little more.

Jiang Tingxu still wanted to object, but Si You suddenly leaned closer and said in a voice only the two of them could hear, "Let me prove myself, or I'll have to sacrifice myself to the heavens."

It was a problem he couldn't avoid.

Jiang Tingxu thought for a moment, then nodded. "Fine. Come back if you get tired. I'll take over."

The familiar string of ellipses drifted through the comments, and the armchair analysts began to speak—

[Si You just looked at Best Actor Jiang's left foot. He knows it was injured before, right?]

[Move aside. I don't even care about that question anymore. What I care about is that Jiang Tingxu usually never changes his mind. What did Si You whisper to him that made him give in?]

[That's not even the point. The point is, they were standing really close just now.]

[I almost thought they were going to kiss... I even knocked over my cup.]

The staff member stared at the backend data, deep in thought. The comments whenever other guests appeared were not even a tenth of what they were now. He had a feeling Si You was about to turn his infamous popularity around.

With the guests selected, they followed the local residents out to begin the task.

Though she had mentally prepared herself, Jiang Yao was still caught off guard by the fierce wind and rain pelting her face the moment she stepped outside. She had a slender build, and the stronger the wind became, the farther it pushed her back. Si You grabbed her wrist and pulled her behind him, using himself as a shield so Jiang Yao would catch less of the wind.

"Brother Si You, this wind is so strong." Xue Boyu copied Si You's stance and blocked the other side as well. With Jiang Yao following behind them, the wind resistance immediately lessened by quite a bit.

"Yeah." As he spoke, Si You took off his own cap and placed it on Xue Boyu's head.

"I don't need it!" Xue Boyu said.

"Wear it," Si You said. "My raincoat has a hood."

Xue Boyu stole a glance at Si You, certain now that this man really had changed.