Many people didn't sleep that night.
The Directors trapped in the cave had gone three days without food and were numb with hunger.
One young woman burst into tears.
"Director, is anyone really coming to save us? If nobody comes, we're all going to starve to death here."
Director Wang was miserable too. "Tell me, how did it come to this? Is filming a variety show easy for me? I haven't made a cent, and now I've dragged all these people into it."
Now he could only pin his hopes on Tang Xueqing. She had a decent reputation in the industry. Surely she would come to save them.
Someone cried out in surprise. "Director, something seems to have landed on my head. I felt it, and I think it's a rope."
"What? Grab it! Someone must have come to rescue us!"
Director Wang jumped up excitedly, then simply snatched the rope and tied it around himself first.
"I'll go up and take a look. If there's danger, I'll fall back down. If there isn't, that means someone has come to save us."
The dozen or so people were deeply moved by the Director's actions. They hadn't expected the Director to lead the charge himself. Following him had been worth it.
"Director, please take care of yourself."
"Yes, if you fall again, you'll end up disabled."
As he was hoisted upward, the Director's mouth twitched. Well, thanks a lot.
Soon, after several days without seeing daylight, Director Wang finally breathed fresh air. He was so moved that he nearly cried.
Once Tang Shiba and Si Wuyu hauled him up, he dropped straight to his knees and sobbed.
"Mom, Dad, I'll finally be able to look after you in your old age! Your son almost didn't make it!"
He looked up again, but it was so dark that he couldn't tell who had saved him. He thanked her anyway. "Thank you, Tang Xueqing. If it weren't for you, we probably would've starved to death down there."
Tang Shiba was speechless. He actually thought Tang Xueqing had saved him.
"My name is Tang Shiba."
Director Wang jolted in surprise!
Tang Shiba might have been a bottom-tier celebrity, but her notoriety surpassed even the A-listers.
His smile grew even more touched. "So your younger sister sent you to rescue us. Thank you! And who's this beside you?"
"The Film Emperor!"
"Oh, the Film Emperor—what?"
The Film Emperor? Director Wang hurriedly leaped to his feet, his tone becoming much more respectful. "So it's the Film Emperor! I can never repay you for saving my life. If you ever run into trouble, I, Wang Gang, will do anything in my power to help."
"Tang Shiba did the work. I just lent a hand."
Film Emperor's voice was flat, betraying no emotion.
[This Wang Gang talks like some literary scholar, even though he studied science.]
[Tsk, tsk. This Director Wang is something else. He's even had a fling with Zhao Tiantian. A classic casting-couch Director, with an endless supply of flattery.]
[I wonder what color his face would turn if he knew Tang Xueqing thought they were the Scammers.]
They then hauled up the remaining people. Once everyone was out, the survivors clung to one another and wept.
"Boohoo, we've finally seen daylight again!"
"Light has finally broken through the darkness."
"Mom, I've really achieved something! I came face-to-face with the Scammers and lived!"
Tang Shiba cut through their chatter.
"All right, we're not out of danger yet. We don't have phones, so we can't contact anyone outside. Find somewhere safe to hide for now. Just make sure you don't starve."
The group started wailing again.
"Why can't we contact anyone? Those Scammers have phones. Can't we just borrow one?"
"What have you been eating all these days? Can you give us some?"
"It's only been three days, right? We still have to wait another four? Who can hold out that long? If we get caught again, we'll be sold off!"
What was wrong with Tang Shiba? Was she just going to abandon them after rescuing them? Leaving them to fend for themselves was heartless.
Director Wang didn't feel safe either. They might have been better off in the cave.
"Tang Shiba, this island is tiny. There's no way we won't be discovered. Think of something. If nothing works, we can go back into the cave. Even if the Scammers come, they can't do anything to us as long as we don't come up."
Tang Shiba snorted. "Then go back into the cave and starve. I've said my piece. If you refuse to cooperate and get caught, you'll have only yourselves to blame."
"Hey, how can you say that? We're all in the same boat. Do you have to be so heartless?"
Someone unhappy with Tang Shiba's words jumped out to accuse her.
[Oh, another brainless Film Emperor fan.]
Si Wuyu was speechless...
"Suit yourselves. If you're so badass, swim back. These waters are pretty safe. I hear there aren't any sharks or whales."
That was a lie.
It was just an excuse Director Wang had made up to reassure the celebrities about taking the small boats.
Tang Shiba stopped bothering with them and left with the rope.
Si Wuyu said nothing and followed close behind her.
Once the two had left, the group looked at one another, at a complete loss.
None of them had ever encountered anything like this, and they had no idea how to handle it.
After thinking it over, Director Wang said, "Let's leave this place first and find something to eat. Then we'll find a Cave to hide in."
"Director, do we really have to hide for four days? We might as well go out and fight the Scammers."
Director Wang was speechless. "Fight? With what? Your fists?"
That person fell silent.
When Tang Shiba and Si Wuyu returned the rope, Fake Director and his group still hadn't come back.
They were probably still picking up Bomb Fish.
Si Wuyu woke Fang Cheng in the tent and told Tang Shiba to go to sleep.
Tang Shiba hesitated. What if Si Wuyu slept beside her again once she fell asleep?
But she was too exhausted to care anymore.
At daybreak, a startled yell woke everyone.
Tang Shiba, in particular, ran like the wind, afraid she would miss the gossip.
A familiar line rang out.
"Which bastard stole all the pots and pans?!"
It was Fang Cheng's voice.
She hurried out of the tent and saw Fang Cheng furiously shouting toward Tang Xueqing and the others' tents.
"Shameless! Stealing other people's things! If you needed them, you could've asked to borrow them. What kind of man sneaks around stealing?"
Fang Cheng had finally grown up. His poor old dad had worried himself sick over him.
The livestream viewers were howling with laughter.
[Our little brother knows how to curse now.]
[Tang Shiba's been a bad influence on my little brother.]
[It's all Tang Shiba's fault for making enemies, causing my little brother's things to get stolen.]
Tang Shiba put her hands on her hips and joined in. "Exactly! Some people are born thieves. With that shifty face, his mom probably stole him too."
[Huh, actually, Zhao Shen really was conceived when his mom cheated. Now that's some juicy gossip!]
[Who's his dad? Oh, his dad is the Zhao Family's chauffeur. Fuck, that's a pretty big bombshell.]
Si Wuyu was speechless... That really was a big bombshell.
Over on the other side, Zhao Shen couldn't take it anymore and emerged from the grove.
"Fang Cheng, Tang Shiba, who are you insulting?"
"You! What, aren't you a man?"
Tang Shiba covered her mouth and laughed gleefully. "I forgot. You only last three seconds. That hardly counts as a man."
Zhao Shen took a deep breath and held himself back.
"Curse all you want. I don't care."
As he spoke, he took out the stolen pots and pans to cook. He even brought out the mushrooms Tang Shiba had picked to show them off, infuriating Fang Cheng so much that he nearly cried.
"He even stole the mushrooms I spent ages picking!"
He should have slept with them in his arms last night. That bastard Zhao Shen had just made an enemy.
Tang Shiba watched Zhao Shen fry the mushrooms with an indescribable expression, then turned away and clutched her stomach as she laughed.
Si Wuyu asked her, "Why are you laughing?"
"Because... I can't help it."
Good grief, they're about to eat the poisonous mushrooms we picked. Should I stop them or not?
Before you continue