Ji Giant Baby, could you shut up?

Kyoto's high-society circle was only so big, and secrets and scandals spread especially fast. When it came to the top family businesses, everyone tried every possible avenue to curry favor, hoping to glean useful information that amounted to scraps to those families but enormous benefits to themselves.

The Lu Family stood at the very top of that elite. With a century-long legacy, they kept a low profile and rarely dealt with outsiders, yet their business interests extended into every field.

People were often astonished to discover that the Lu Family held shares in every booming business-and substantial ones at that, giving them near-total control.

Naturally, Yu Fengyi knew something about such a mysterious, legendary family.

He had also tried to contact them through various channels to seek cooperation, only to be politely turned down every time. No member of the Lu Family had even shown their face; they had merely sent a so-called butler or special assistant to exchange a few polite words.

He knew Lu Yanting belonged to the Lu Family, but not how close his blood ties were. Whether he was related by marriage or a close relative, no one could find out for certain.

In the end, Yu Fengyi had given up too. As long as they stayed out of each other's way, coexisted peacefully, and did not encroach on each other's interests, there was no need to insist on working together.

So this was his first direct encounter with Lu Yanting.

"You want to share a room with Jian Ran?" Yu Fengyi narrowed his eyes, watching Lu Yanting's expression.

The man before him was even more breathtakingly handsome than he appeared on television. His lips seemed to curve upward, yet he looked colder than the depths of winter.

Even having weathered countless major occasions himself, he had to admit that the pressure radiating from Lu Yanting was difficult to withstand.

"Don't you know his reputation? Aren't you afraid he'll latch on to you? I seem to remember Emperor Lu hates rumors more than anything," Yu Fengyi said very slowly.

Lu Yanting raised an eyebrow. "What reputation? Do you mean his many ex-boyfriends?"

At those words, something immediately occurred to Yu Fengyi, and his expression darkened. He opened his mouth to speak, only to be interrupted by an irate voice behind him.

"Who did this? Why are the sheets this red? Is this some prank?!" Ji Yuanming charged out of his room and roared down the hallway.

Qi Rui, who had been frozen in place watching the "gods" clash, belatedly turned around. "Oh, Ji, you've got it wrong! Our show doesn't play pranks. When we went to your room this morning, it was already like that when we opened the door."

He explained as he ran over, his face full of apology.

"You mean I did it myself?! Did I slit my wrists? Bleed all over the bed?!" Ji Yuanming refused to let it go.

He simply could not understand how the room had ended up like that.

Just as he could not understand why he had opened his eyes to find himself lying in a graveyard, with a red bridal veil lying nearby.

It had been so bizarre that when Jian Ran came looking for him, he had not known how to face him and had simply pretended to be unconscious.

With little standing or influence, Qi Rui could only bow and scrape. "Ji, I'm really sorry. It was our oversight!"

The fear in Ji Yuanming's heart made him irrationally irritable. He was about to shout some more when Jian Ran's door opened from inside, revealing a beautiful face with a disgusted frown between his brows.

"Ji Giant Baby, could you shut up?"

"Don't you have a fucking clue what you did?"

"Don't you feel guilty, howling away and pinning it on other people?"

"I can't even get a little extra sleep this early in the morning. If I'd known this would happen, I should've left you in the graveyard to fend for yourself!"

"Now get the fuck out of here and stop yapping!"

Jian Ran fired off his barrage, then slammed the door shut.

The four men in the hallway fell silent for a moment as a strange, eerie atmosphere slowly spread.

Ji Yuanming opened his mouth, forcing the words through a tight throat. "What... what did he call me?"

"Giant baby," Lu Yanting helpfully supplied.

Yu Fengyi snorted with laughter.

Qi Rui was so embarrassed he wanted to crawl into a crack in the floor, terrified he would be silenced for good.

With that brief appearance from Jian Ran, the room dispute subsided for the time being.

Yu Fengyi settled for his second choice and took the room diagonally opposite.

There were two reasons.

First, he did not want a direct confrontation with Lu Yanting.

Second, he did not want Lu Yanting moving into Jian Ran's room.

After putting down his suitcase, Yu Fengyi looked around, taking in the shabby, dilapidated surroundings. The smell of moldy wood filled his nose, as though he were still circling through the thick forest fog, with a ghostly feeling that followed him like a shadow.

With a look of distaste, he took the sheets he had prepared out of his suitcase and tried to spread them out, only to make a complete mess with his clumsy efforts.

Eventually, he gave up. Lying on the uneven bed, Yu Fengyi began to contemplate his life.

"What exactly made me give up personally overseeing projects worth hundreds of millions to come out into the middle of nowhere for a variety show?"

After sleeping for two hours, Jian Ran was ravenous, and his stomach began to protest.

So, without washing up, he left his room with his hair like a bird's nest and went downstairs in search of food.

Du Yunmeng, who was busy in the kitchen, spotted Jian Ran and immediately lit up. "Jian Ran! You're awake?"

Jian Ran said, "Isn't it obvious? Do you need to ask?"

Used to his swaggering way of answering, Du Yunmeng could now respond with perfect composure. "Lunch is ready. Want to come have a taste first, Jian Ran?"

Jian Ran nodded and took the central seat in the dining room.

The camera operators had all gone to the bedrooms, preparing to follow the three big names from different fields throughout their stay.

The kitchen was much quieter, and the atmosphere was relatively freer too.

Yang Ruoxi temporarily set aside her hotheaded persona and brought over a few side dishes, smiling warmly like an older girl from next door.

Shen Jiafei busied himself setting out bowls and chopsticks, his face stern and serious, nothing like a comedian. On closer inspection, he was rather handsome.

As for Du Yunmeng, she had fully revealed her bootlicking nature. Sitting beside Jian Ran, she handed him chopsticks and served him food, attending to him with the utmost care.

"Stop fussing. Sit down and eat." Jian Ran lazily tipped up his chin.

At his words, the three guests immediately sat obediently in their reserved seats, moving in perfect unison like trained soldiers, with Jian Ran as their commander-in-chief.

Jian Ran picked up his chopsticks, the afternoon sunlight making his face look carefree and bright. He took a bite, chewed and swallowed, then paused briefly before saying slowly, "Tastes pretty good."

The three of them immediately relaxed.

Jian Ran picked up a stem of water spinach and suddenly asked, "With filming turning out like this, haven't you thought about quitting?"

Yang Ruoxi, Shen Jiafei, and Du Yunmeng exchanged looks, hesitating to speak.

"You'd risk your lives over that little cancellation penalty?" Jian Ran lifted his eyes, a sharp gleam flashing through them, as though his gaze could pierce straight into people's hearts. "Or..."

"Did you come here willingly in the first place?"

The question choked off their words. Their expressions froze and their eyes shifted evasively, as though he had suddenly struck upon some hidden secret. Guilt was written all over their faces.

Jian Ran's expression did not change as his piercing gaze swept over each of them. Suddenly, his lips curved into a sly smile, his voice laced with dangerous amusement.

"What connection do you have to the Deserted Village behind the Mountain Villa?"