Xu Wang watched the expression flash across Zhong Ran's face and was inwardly speechless.
"Mr. Xu, I'm sorry. Please don't misunderstand. I just..." Zhong Ran looked ready to explain.
"Stop right there. What's there to misunderstand? Yanchuan was with me the whole time yesterday. How could I not know? Also, since when did my husband have a younger brother named Zhong?" Xu Wang warmed up as he spoke, not taking the other man's words to heart at all.
"Big Brother Pei and I were neighbors growing up." Zhong Ran took a deep breath and turned toward the camera to explain.
Beside them, Yun Xi discreetly pricked up his ears. Was there gossip?
[So Ranran and President Pei really were neighbors.]
[All that online debate about this has finally been settled.]
[Am I the only one who thinks what Zhong Ran said sounds odd?]
[Count me in. Before, I just thought he was a bit fake. Now he's both fake and manipulative.]
[I love my sweet little schemers, but not him.]
[These two finally clashed. I knew they'd go up against each other sooner or later.]
The comments in the livestream began scrolling rapidly.
"That makes even less sense. I remember there aren't any neighbors around Grandpa Pei's house. Did your family sleep out in the open?" Xu Wang reached up and rubbed his chin, looking puzzled.
Zhong Ran clearly hadn't expected Xu Wang to pick up on that.
"Not next door to Grandpa Pei's house. Next door to Uncle Pei's." Zhong Ran spoke very softly, but Xu Wang was close enough to hear him grinding his teeth.
"Ohhh." Xu Wang's delivery of that single word was quite something.
[Uncle Pei? President Pei's father? That should still count as being neighbors, right?]
[Oh dear, the person above is clearly behind on the news. What father? He's worse than an enemy.]
[It was trending just a few days ago. That father went to the company and cursed out our President Pei.]
[And President Pei's half sister hired people to ruin his reputation.]
[Industry insider here with some unofficial news. Pei's father treated President Pei terribly. Chairman Pei took President Pei under his wing when he was very young and personally groomed him. After President Pei came of age, the old chairman passed over his son and handed the position straight to his grandson.]
[My god, can they even count as childhood sweethearts, then? A certain someone's fans should cut back on all this flashy publicity. With that kind of determination, they'd be better off urging their idol to make some good work.]
Whatever the viewers argued about in the comments, the livestream continued.
In front of the sofa, the game officially began.
"I can go a month without leaving home." Xia Yu's expression was solemn.
Qin Huai, Zheng Weiguang, Tian Xiaowu, and Leng Yifan each folded down a finger at the same time.
Pei Yanchuan's five fingers remained perfectly straight.
Everyone looked at him.
"I once went a month without leaving my office because I was dealing with work. My assistant brought up breakfast, lunch, and dinner."
"Impressive."
Behind the sofa, everyone managed the first step easily, while Xu Wang alone remained comfortably where he was.
"I once pushed it to the limit and flew to three countries in one day." Qin Huai looked around at the others.
Zheng Weiguang, Tian Xiaowu, and Xia Yu each folded down a finger at the same time.
Leng Yifan and Pei Yanchuan didn't move.
"I did that for work." Leng Yifan smiled smugly.
"My record was four countries in one day by private jet." Pei Yanchuan's expression was calm.
"Damn it, I've lost to the rich." Xia Yu looked sorrowful. The reason he'd never been abroad definitely wasn't that he was lazy. It was simply that he didn't have a private jet.
At the back, just two squares apart, their legs were already spread rather far.
Pei Yanchuan turned to look at Xu Wang behind him.
Xu Wang made a big heart at him.
The corners of Pei Yanchuan's mouth rose visibly.
[Finger hearts, finger hearts.]
[My wife made a heart at me! Ah, I'm dead.]
[That heart was obviously for me.]
Leng Yifan was the third to speak.
"I have a racing license."
One after another, four went down, leaving only Pei Yanchuan unmoved.
"I got mine in college."
After three steps, someone was already out.
Hou Yunqi was the first eliminated because of his clothes.
"Are you all right?" Xia Yu jogged over to Hou Yunqi and supported him.
"I'm fine." Hou Yunqi shook his head.
"My turn. I can repair televisions." Zheng Weiguang let out a laugh.
Pei Yanchuan folded down his first finger of the day.
Xu Wang took a small step with ease.
The others didn't escape having to fold down a finger either.
Gu Yunlan looked close to his limit, his hands trembling as he braced them against the floor.
"Are you still okay?" Qin Huai looked at Gu Yunlan worriedly.
"I-I'm fine. Keep going." Gu Yunlan felt he ought to lose fifty grams by the time this game was over.
Thanks to her excellent flexibility, Qu Rou looked completely at ease.
Zhong Ran and Yun Xi could both still hold on.
"I don't have a driver's license." Tian Xiaowu was the second to last to speak.
This time, everyone went down.
Gu Yunlan finally couldn't hold on any longer and collapsed on the fourth square.
Next came the final showdown between the remaining players. As soon as one more person was eliminated, the game would end.
Everyone turned to the last person to speak, Pei Yanchuan.
"My husband once cooked me dinners made with love for an entire week straight." Obvious delight showed on Pei Yanchuan's face.
!!!
Dinners made with love?
For an entire week straight?
"I've lost." Zheng Weiguang voluntarily folded down a finger.
Leng Yifan folded down a finger too.
Seeing this, Tian Xiaowu put on a helpless expression. "I'm at an inherent disadvantage here. I don't have a partner."
Unable to hold on, Yun Xi dropped onto the floor and raised a hand in surrender. "I can't, I can't. I give up, I give up."
Before you continue