Were you lying when you said you fell on your own? Did I push you?

Only after Jiang Shu and He Gu had gone far away did Yan Feizhuo say, "I think I know what the clue is."

Sheng Nian froze. "You do?"

"Yes. Remember how the staff said when we came in that they'd already given us a hint about the task's clue?"

Realization struck Sheng Nian. "It was the whale symbol on that card!"

"You're very clever, young master."

Yan Feizhuo praised him, then continued, "That orca should be something like the mascot for Sea Demon Castle's water attractions. The pearls should turn up in places with orca statues, plush toys, and things like that."

Sheng Nian said, "That should be it. We finally have something to go on instead of searching everywhere at random."

[President Yan and Sheng Nian are both so smart!]

[So they knew the clue? Why didn't they say anything earlier?]

[I'm starting to think Jiang Shu's and He Gu's fans really have something wrong with them...]

[Please. Never mind that Sheng Nian genuinely didn't know the clue before Yan Feizhuo reminded him-even if he did, was he supposed to offer it up to your idol like tribute? They're competitors, okay?]

[But He Gu wanted to share his clue with Sheng Nian earlier. He was very generous.]

[??? Did he actually share it in the end? Seriously, he talked a big game but did nothing, and you're shameless enough to praise him for it...]

With a clue to follow, Sheng Nian and Yan Feizhuo set off to find pearls after resting enough at the milk tea shop.

The pearls were much easier to find once they had a clue. They found three pearls in succession: in an orca keychain at the souvenir shop, an orca cake at the dessert shop, and an orca statue at a photo spot in the Sea Demon Tunnel. Including those three, they now had five pearls.

"That's enough to complete the task. We'll leave the rest to chance. I'm not that interested in summoning a divine dragon anyway. It's bound to be another flashy gimmick the Production Team came up with."

Yan Feizhuo had no objections to what Sheng Nian said, so the two of them stopped deliberately searching for pearls.

The Sea Demon Tunnel was very long, and the lead they had built up in the first attraction soon disappeared. Most of the guests behind them finished their tasks and caught up. As they walked through the tunnel toward the exit, they ran into practically every other group.

Yan Feizhuo's assistant came over with a phone for him. Sheng Nian happened to be getting tired from walking, so he found a seat around a corner to rest.

He kneaded his calves and looked around in boredom.

That was when He Gu came over.

He and Jiang Shu had split up to search for pearls. Seeing Sheng Nian alone, he thought this was a good opportunity to provoke him.

He walked over and greeted Sheng Nian. "Sheng Nian, what a coincidence. We've run into each other again."

Sheng Nian gave a perfunctory response. He Gu didn't mind and remained enthusiastic. "Why are you here alone? Where's President Yan?"

"He went to take a call. Did you need something?"

He Gu made some small talk before bringing up what had happened that morning. Looking very apologetic, he said, "It's all my fault that you and Jiang Shu got into another argument."

Sheng Nian was momentarily speechless. Is he putting on another act?

He Gu waited expectantly for him to lose his temper.

Instead, Sheng Nian refused to take the bait. He lowered his head dejectedly. "You two are so close now. Jiang Shu never used to snap at me..."

He Gu hadn't expected Sheng Nian to keep his temper even after that. In the past, he would already have started hurling abuse.

He immediately felt a little awkward. "I'm sorry. I only said that because I wanted you to know Jiang Shu still cares about you. He wanted to come apologize too, but President Yan was always around, so..."

Sheng Nian shook his head. "You don't have to comfort me."

For a moment, He Gu didn't know what else to say.

[He Gu really seems to be showing off to Sheng Nian...]

[Yeah, I get that feeling too. Like he's flaunting his victory and subtly staking his claim. My opinion of him just plummeted.]

[Sheng Nian really is moving up in the world. He even has fans controlling the comments now. He Gu was kindly comforting him and trying to ease their relationship, only for you to twist it so maliciously. People with dark hearts really do see darkness everywhere.]

[I wasn't going to say anything until you argued back. He Gu is a fake innocent, okay? He looks all gentle and mild, like he's above worldly concerns, but he's actually the best at stirring up trouble with his words. Weren't those remarks clearly meant to provoke Sheng Nian?]

The live comments erupted into another argument.

Sheng Nian shook his head, but inwardly he was delighted. He didn't know why, but the system had just notified him of another 1% increase in progress. He was at 10% now, one-tenth of the way through his task, and he was already imagining the wonderful future in which he escaped his tragic fate.

As he reveled in it, he seemed to spot a little black-and-white toy beneath the bench opposite him. Its shape looked a little like a whale. Hidden so well, it very likely contained a pearl.

He stopped shaking his head and walked past He Gu toward the opposite bench. Now he was sure: it really was a wooden orca carving.

As Sheng Nian walked over, He Gu also noticed the carving beneath the bench. He immediately hurried over, trying to overtake Sheng Nian and pick it up.

Sheng Nian bent down, and He Gu immediately bent down too.

But Sheng Nian got his hands on it first. He Gu was a beat too late.

He Gu's eyes shifted, and he took the opportunity to pretend to lose his balance and fall to one side.

Sheng Nian: "???"

Trying to frame me again?

After He Gu fell, Jiang Shu came over from the shop right beside them.

Seeing He Gu on the ground, he immediately crouched to help him up, then raised his head to give Sheng Nian a cold look.

I thought he'd learned to behave. Turns out he still likes pulling tricks like this!

"How is it? Are you okay, He Gu?" Jiang Shu asked with concern.

He Gu glanced at Sheng Nian before turning to explain, "I'm fine. Sheng Nian and I were picking up that wooden carving, and I accidentally fell."

After hearing He Gu's words, Jiang Shu's voice turned colder. "Sheng Nian pushed you?"

He Gu shook his head, looking extremely understanding. "No. Jiang Shu, don't always be so harsh with Sheng Nian."

The more he acted as though he were swallowing his grievances, the more it seemed as though Sheng Nian had pushed him.

Sheng Nian was genuinely impressed. Not just anyone could play the innocent victim. He Gu's expression showed no trace of acting at all. It really deserved careful study so he could improve his own acting.

He looked at He Gu and asked with concern, "He Gu, are you okay? Don't be so careless next time. Falling really hurts. My knee's still bruised from my last fall."

Jiang Shu's expression darkened further, his voice carrying a warning. "Sheng Nian!"

Sheng Nian pouted aggrievedly. "Jiang Shu, you scared me."

"Apologize to He Gu!"

Sheng Nian first looked astonished, then put on a deeply wounded expression and staggered back two steps, his voice tinged with tears. "Jiang Shu, what do you mean?"

Jiang Shu said, "You can't keep doing this. You used to be so well-behaved..."

Sheng Nian interrupted him. "Jiang Shu, do you think I pushed him?"

Jiang Shu remained silent, tacitly admitting it.

Sheng Nian looked as though his heart had died, no longer hoping Jiang Shu would believe him.

"You don't believe me. Fine. Then you tell him, He Gu. Tell him in front of everyone watching the livestream: were you lying when you said you fell on your own? Did I push you?"

Jiang Shu was a little bewildered. Had he really accused him unjustly?

Seeing Sheng Nian turn the question over to him, He Gu clenched his teeth. How was he supposed to answer that?

What could he say? Could he really say his earlier claim that he had fallen on his own was a lie, and Sheng Nian had pushed him?

Wasn't framing someone supposed to involve keeping things ambiguous, letting the viewers use their imaginations and then go after Sheng Nian? How had the focus shifted to whether he had lied about falling?

He Gu finally understood the frustration of having no choice but to swallow his grievances.

He forced a smile. "No, I fell on my own. Jiang Shu, don't snap at Sheng Nian."

Even after he said that, Jiang Shu still looked suspiciously at Sheng Nian, as though He Gu only feared telling the truth because Sheng Nian had pressured him.

[Calling President Yan! Calling President Yan! Sheng Nian is being bullied!]

[Jiang Shu is going too far! Sheng Nian clearly didn't do anything, but he decided Sheng Nian pushed him.]

[Maybe he really did push him. It wouldn't be Sheng Nian's first time doing something like this.]

[You can't accuse someone just because of their past behavior. Besides, He Gu himself said Sheng Nian didn't push him, and Jiang Shu still won't let it go. If Sheng Nian didn't like Jiang Shu, he could sue him for defamation!]

[Sheng Nian has so many prior offenses. Jiang Shu was only making a reasonable guess, okay? Besides, he sounded so aggressive when he questioned He Gu. Who knows if he was threatening him not to tell the truth?]

[Do you people have a persecution complex?]