Xu Wang led Xia Yu toward the orchard entrance at a run.
The moment they reached the orchard entrance, Xu Wang noticed something was wrong.
Xu Wang grabbed Xia Yu.
"What is it, Brother Xu?" Xia Yu's eyes were full of trust in him.
"Footsteps." Xu Wang's expression was serious.
"What do we do? Did the director send people to catch us? He really doesn't play fair." Xia Yu panicked at Xu Wang's words.
Xu Wang looked around, his gaze finally settling on the enormous plane tree beside them.
"Come with me." Xu Wang pulled Xia Yu over to the tree.
"Brother Xu? This doesn't seem right. If we stand here, won't anyone who comes spot us right away?" Xia Yu scratched his head in confusion.
Without speaking, Xu Wang walked straight up to the tree and crouched down.
Xu Wang patted his shoulder with his right hand. "Come on, step on my shoulders and climb up."
???
Three enormous question marks appeared over Xia Yu's and the two cameramen's heads.
"Is... is that really okay?" Xia Yu looked helplessly at Xu Wang and the tree before him.
"Get moving. Up you go." Xu Wang's tone was firm.
"Then... I'll take you up on that." Xia Yu rolled up his sleeves and trouser legs, took off his shoes, and stepped onto Xu Wang's shoulders, struggling to climb up.
Sitting on a thick branch, Xia Yu looked down at the ground and couldn't help clinging to the tree. The branch was nearly three meters above the ground.
After taking a moment to recover, Xia Yu remembered that Xu Wang was still below and was about to reach down to help him, but the moment he lowered his head, he saw something that stunned him.
Seeing that Xia Yu was up, Xu Wang stood up beneath the tree, loosened up his body, and climbed up in a few quick moves.
"Brother Xu, you're so cool!" Xia Yu instantly became Xu Wang's little fanboy, letting go of the tree with both hands in his excitement.
"Careful!" Xu Wang's gaze sharpened, and he swiftly reached out to catch Xia Yu as he tipped backward.
Below the tree, a cameraman who had just found a hiding spot raised his camera and caught the scene perfectly.
[!!!]
[President Pei! Hurry! Your man's been stolen!]
[Am I seeing things, or is there something wrong with my eyes?]
[Two omegas will never work out!]
[President Pei: ...]
[Hou Yunqi: ...]
[Whatever you guys say, I still want to say this: Xu Wang is kind of hot.]
"Th... thank you." Xia Yu clutched Xu Wang's arm, his face turning pale as he thought of the danger a moment ago.
"It's fine. Someone's coming." Xu Wang looked down below the tree.
The two of them heard footsteps approaching.
From the footsteps alone, Xu Wang could tell quite a few people were coming.
"Brother Xu, we won't get spotted, will we?" Xia Yu covered his mouth nervously.
"I don't kno..." Xu Wang stopped halfway through his sentence, staring intently at the face not far away that he had been missing all this time.
"Brother Xu? What's wrong?" Xia Yu looked up in confusion.
"Xia Yu, hold on tight to the tree. Don't let go."
"Oh, okay." Hearing Xu Wang's words, Xia Yu instinctively obeyed, wrapping both arms tightly around the thick tree trunk beside him.
Once he saw that Xia Yu had a firm hold, Xu Wang braced both hands on the branch behind him, pushed off lightly, and jumped straight out of the tree.
"Pei Yanchuan!!!"
Pei Yanchuan, who had just walked up beside the tree, instinctively looked up at the sound.
Pei Yanchuan couldn't describe how he felt at that moment. His body moved faster than his mind could react, and he strode forward to catch Xu Wang as he leaped toward him.
They held each other tightly in their arms.
[Aaah! I'm rolling around like crazy on my bed right now!]
[That's nothing. My bed's already collapsed.]
[Xia Yu and Hou Yunqi: Are we part of your little game too? (bitter clown smile)]
[Hahahaha, I'm dying. Those two probably never dreamed things would turn out like this.]
[Does this count as being set up?]
[The production team were the ones who got set up, hahaha.]
[So sweet, so sweet. I'm passing out from shipping them.]
"Are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere?" Holding the man in his arms, Pei Yanchuan finally felt his anxious heart settle.
"I'm fine. Look, I'm perfectly okay. I just couldn't find you anywhere, and I was a little scared." Xu Wang hugged Pei Yanchuan's waist, his voice much softer than when he had been on his own.
"I'm sorry I'm late." Breathing in the faint mint scent on Xu Wang, Pei Yanchuan couldn't resist gently kissing his forehead.
Beside them, Xia Yu, who had been helped down by his own husband, looked utterly bewildered at Xu Wang's words.
Scared? Scared?? You, Xu Wang, get scared???
The viewers in the livestream were also taken aback by Xu Wang's sudden frailty.
[People really do have two faces. That saying didn't lie.]
[In front of President Pei, he can't even unscrew a bottle cap. Behind President Pei's back, he can do parkour and climb trees. Impressive, Xu’s Wife.]
[I really can't underestimate you anymore, Xu’s Wife.]
[Oh my god, this is way too shippable. You're the only one who gets to see my vulnerable side.]
[I'm flying the pink flag for President Pei and Xu’s Wife!!!]
By the time the director got the news, the four of them were almost back at the house.
Meanwhile, Gu Yunlan finally completed all three challenges and received three specific clues.
When Gu Yunlan found Qin Huai, the first question Qin Huai asked him was whether he still had the money.
With a proud expression, Gu Yunlan handed Qin Huai the envelope containing the money. Seeing that every cent was still there, Qin Huai nodded in satisfaction.
Leng Yifan had been stuck at the physical challenge for ages.
Apart from catching one glimpse of Pei Yanchuan, Zhong Ran, who was being guarded in a courtyard, hadn't seen another soul.
At the village chief's house, Yun Xi sat on a chair and looked up at the sky. Half the day had passed, and every household had begun preparing lunch. The delicious smells made his stomach growl.
"Hey, can't I leave yet?"
"Mr. Yun, one pair of guests still hasn't cleared the challenges." The cameraman handed Yun Xi a peach.
"Seriously? Which pair is holding everyone up like this? They still haven't found one person after all this time? They're going to be the death of my stomach."
Before you continue