Tomorrow was the day filming officially began for Desert Island Survival. The show's promotional post had barely gone up on Weibo before online discussions exploded.
[Aaaaaah, it's my husband, Lu Shiyan! Hubby, I finally get to see you on a variety show!]
[Look at the announced cast list! This is the first time I've heard that Best Actor Lu has a sister! He never used to talk about his family in public, and now he's bringing his sister on a variety show? Can't wait!!!]
[Hehehe, did you haters see that? The non-celebrity our Shiyan is bringing is his own sister, not some random lover. No more spreading rumors~]
[Now that I look at it, there are a lot of people named Lu on the list. Is that Lu Jiaoyue girl Lu Shiyan's sister?]
[Are you blind? Lu Shiyan said when he reposted it on Weibo that Lu Xiaoxiao was his sister. As for Lu Jiaoyue, she's the daughter the wealthy Lu Family in the Imperial Capital recently found. Their welcome-home banquet was so high-profile a while back. Don't any of you remember?]
[Ohhh, now I remember. I wonder if an Eldest Miss like her can handle the hardships of surviving on a deserted island.]
[Hey, I heard she had a pretty rough life before they found her. She might even be the best at handling hardship out of all of them!]
[Aaaaaah, Bai Xinyan is one of the female guests too! So she has a gap in her schedule right now?]
[I remember Bai Xinyan and Lu Shiyan did a drama together before. They were an onscreen couple! Now they've signed up for the same variety show too. Let me ship them just a little, hehe.]
[Hey, can you stop randomly shipping people? Our Shiyan has never liked publicity stunts. Let him shine on his own.]
Lu Xiaoxiao glanced over the list and initially felt no surprise.
After all, aside from her taking the spot of a non-celebrity guest who had barely featured in the Original Novel, the other guests were exactly as she remembered.
What surprised her was something else-the show had suddenly switched from a prerecorded format to a livestream.
According to Lu Shiyan, a deep-pocketed investor had apparently appeared at the last minute and doubled the show's existing budget. Their only condition was that it be broadcast live.
Although it seemed like a minor request, it actually had a significant impact on the guests.
With a prerecorded show, plenty of undesirable footage could be cut afterward. It might be called wilderness survival, but once each day's filming was done, the director certainly wouldn't make things too difficult for the guests. The shortage of supplies only needed to exist on camera.
Once the cameras were off, they could enjoy whatever supplies they wanted. Nobody would actually be left thirsty, hungry, or freezing.
But switching to a real-time livestream left much less room for fakery. Not only would the guests have to maintain their public personas on camera at all times, they would also have to endure far more hardship.
As far as Lu Xiaoxiao knew, several of these guests really weren't cut out for roughing it. She wondered who this investor who had appeared out of nowhere was trying to make life difficult for.
Still, she personally had no trouble accepting the change. Desert island survival was only interesting when it was real! It was right up her alley!
Lu Xiaoxiao could hardly wait to return to the primeval jungle and be a monkey!
Well... if there was a jungle on the island.
Before they left the Lu Family home for the filming location, Lu Yubai escorted Lu Jiaoyue all the way from the villa to the car.
The boy was usually unreliable himself, yet now he delivered his reminders to Lu Jiaoyue with utter conviction.
"Jiaoyue, the weather's going to get colder soon. Make sure you stay warm on the island! Wear extra layers at night! Tell the crew right away if you don't feel well!"
"And another thing, there are bound to be tons of bugs on the island! There might... there might even be wild animals! Be careful, Jiaoyue!"
The more Lu Yubai spoke, the more worried he looked. Then he caught sight of the utterly relaxed Lu Xiaoxiao out of the corner of his eye, and his eyes suddenly lit up. Pointing at her, he told Lu Jiaoyue, "If you really run into a wild animal, run toward her. She'll definitely know what to do!"
Lu Xiaoxiao: "..."
Lu Xiaoxiao gave Lu Yubai an expressionless look and let out a cold laugh.
What? Lu Jiaoyue's life matters, but mine doesn't? Looks like you're itching for another beating.
Lu Yubai's gaze flickered, and he tried to backpedal in a less confident tone. "Lu Xiaoxiao, you... you're good at coming up with ideas. I just think you're really capable."
"Really? Then why aren't you calling me your big sister today?"
Lu Yubai's ears reddened a little, but he stubbornly lifted his chin. "L-last time was a special case! I never agreed to keep calling you that. Your name rolls off the tongue better."
Lu Jiaoyue looked curiously at the two of them talking in riddles and asked, "What happened last time? Xiaoxiao, Yubai, did something happen between you two?"
Startled, Lu Yubai hurriedly shot Lu Xiaoxiao a meaningful look.
But Lu Xiaoxiao had already picked up the conversation with a smile. "Last time? That's a long story. Basically, Lu Yu-"
She was only halfway through Lu Yubai's name when he sprang over in a panic and clapped a hand over her mouth. "Sis, sis, sis! Xiaoxiao! My big sister! I'll say it, I'll say it! I'll call you that, okay!"
After calling her that, he turned to Lu Jiaoyue with a sheepish smile. "Just a little thing happened last time. Nothing worth talking about! Jiaoyue, there's no need to be curious!"
Although Lu Yubai trusted Lu Jiaoyue, it was safer for as few people as possible to know about this.
Besides... there was no need to broadcast such an embarrassing episode from his past!
To stop Lu Jiaoyue from digging any further, Lu Yubai abandoned his nagging and hurriedly ushered her into the car. "All right, all right! Get going! You'll be late at this rate!"
Lu Shiyan had already taken the front passenger seat. He fastened his seat belt and waved at Lu Yubai. "You should head back inside too. Don't worry so much. I'll take good care of both your sisters."
"All right, let's go."
The driver pressed the accelerator as instructed. The car left the Beishan Villa District and soon disappeared from sight.
Unnoticed by Lu Xiaoxiao, Lu Bochen stood by a second-floor window, watching them leave with his lips pressed together and an unreadable look in his eyes.
It would be another month before he could see his little sister again...
Until then, he would once again have no one to talk to.
The location for Desert Island Survival had been chosen with great care. The island stretched far and wide, with rolling mountains rising one after another in the distance. Their dark green silhouettes met the brilliant blue sky, painting a magnificent panorama.
Mist curled around the mountains, draping the island in a thin veil. At their feet, dense jungle stretched all the way to the shore, complementing the beach and sea in a scene as beautiful as a painting.
The sea breeze brushed past, bringing a hint of coolness along with the salty scent of the ocean.
There was none of the city's noise or bustle here, no trace of human activity-only nature's most primitive, pure beauty and tranquility. Yet countless unknowns and challenges also lay hidden, waiting for the guests to explore and conquer them.
It was already evening when Lu Xiaoxiao and the others arrived on the island.
The show wouldn't officially go live until tomorrow. For now, the director gathered everyone together and said with a smile, "Our guests this time include both people from the entertainment industry and non-celebrities from all sorts of professions. To help filming run smoothly later, let's get to know one another tonight!"
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