You have to play the punishment game

It certainly wasn't illegal.

But what were they supposed to do?

Everyone stared at Qi Yu, dumbfounded.

Unfortunately, Qi Yu didn't pay them much attention.

He rolled up his trouser legs and followed Bai Luochuan into the river.

The water wasn't deep.

It only just reached their calves.

The two of them soon reached the opposite bank.

Looking back to find everyone else still standing where they had been, Bai Luochuan asked curiously, "Why aren't they coming over? Is going into this river forbidden?"

He had specifically checked before setting off.

He didn't remember any signs like that nearby.

Qi Yu shook his head.

People were indeed allowed into the water here.

Afraid Bai Luochuan wouldn't believe him, he added, "I've been here before. If the production team hadn't booked the whole place today, there would be lots of kids playing in the water."

That completely reassured Bai Luochuan.

But he was still a little puzzled.

Pointing across the river, Bai Luochuan asked, "Then why aren't they coming over yet? Didn't they say we had to cross the river?"

"Them..." Qi Yu thought for a moment. "Maybe they're just kindhearted, deliberately giving us some time alone together."

[Kindhearted, my ass! I'm dying! Bai Luochuan, look what you've done. Now only you and your husband are happy, huh?]

[Brother Bai isn't happy. Brother Bai just wants to finish the task and get paid.]

[What are the kindhearted others supposed to do? Is the production team still going to run the game normally?]

[Of course they have to play the game! The regular guests are normal people, not some damn monkey like Bai Luochuan! I can't bear to see my Mu Xing wading through water! The production team had better know what's good for them!]

[One real couple watching four people act their hearts out... well, how does that not count as a dating show?]

[I think Chengxing is a real couple too!]

[Stop kidding yourself. Your favorites are the fakest actors of all!]

No matter how fiercely the live comments argued, the activity continued.

Now that Bai Luochuan and Qi Yu had already crossed, the production team couldn't very well call them back.

They could only discuss things with the remaining guests.

Everyone decided to go ahead with the game the production team had prepared.

The game itself wasn't complicated.

It was another one that required cooperation.

There were plaques hanging from a nearby tree.

After forming teams and drawing a plaque, they only had to cross the bridge according to its instructions.

This time, the teams would be decided by Lan Muxing, who had the most support among the four of them.

He could choose his own teammate.

The two people he didn't choose would naturally form the other team.

That hadn't actually been the production team's original plan.

The problem was that they were two people short.

The arrangements had to change accordingly.

Now that the requirements had been announced, there was no need to choose. Chu Zhu had already moved over to He Gui's side.

He knew Lan Muxing was about to start acting again.

Sure enough.

Lan Muxing still chose Yan Cheng.

It made it seem as though he really didn't care at all about the incident on the glass walkway earlier.

The eyes he turned toward Yan Cheng were filled with the same tenderness as before.

The plaque they drew was particularly fitting, too.

It required one member to carry the other across the bridge.

Lan Muxing wrapped his arms around Yan Cheng's neck.

Yan Cheng easily scooped him up into a bridal carry.

As they crossed the bridge, the two of them even exchanged soulful looks from time to time.

The production team filmed a flurry of close-ups to capture the highlights.

They had finally made up for all the footage they had wanted.

Sitting beside Bai Luochuan on the riverbank, Qi Yu watched the two people in each other's arms in the distance.

Qi Yu clicked his tongue twice. "I'm getting a little jealous."

Bai Luochuan asked, "You want to carry Lan Muxing too?"

Qi Yu's smile froze. "...What are you thinking?"

Bai Luochuan rubbed his chin. "You want Yan Cheng to carry you?"

Qi Yu: "..."

"Just kidding." Bai Luochuan laughed, his eyes curving beautifully.

Then he lowered his head to inspect his own physique.

Bai Luochuan shook his head. "But I don't think it's very realistic for us. I'm not strong enough right now. I probably couldn't lift you."

Qi Yu: "..."

No, wait.

Has the possibility never occurred to you

that I should be the one carrying you?

[Who said my Brother Bai wasn't top material! He's an absolute top, okay?! Look at that answer! Being the bottom has never even crossed his mind!]

[But doesn't he call the characters in his games his husbands?]

[Husband is just a feeling. It has nothing to do with anything else.]

While Bai Luochuan and Qi Yu were talking, He Gui's pair had also drawn their instructions.

Theirs were a little simpler than Yan Cheng's pair's.

They only had to walk across the bridge holding hands.

There was no further intimate contact.

Chu Zhu wasn't satisfied, but he cooperated in the end.

Holding He Gui's hand, he crossed the bridge as quickly as possible.

Then they both let go at the same time.

It was plain to see.

After more than a day of filming, they still had no feelings for each other.

Everyone finished gathering.

The production team came over to Bai Luochuan and Qi Yu again.

They had originally thought they were being called to gather.

Unexpectedly, the host said with a face full of regret, "According to the rules of the game, we were supposed to give a little punishment to the team whose performance fell short. But since you didn't participate in the task at all, the punishment falls to you."

Bai Luochuan: ???

He looked utterly bewildered.

Wasn't the task just to cross the river?

Who had done it faster or better than him?

But before he even had a chance to argue, Qi Yu was already nodding beside him in wild delight. He immediately took over the conversation. "We're willing to accept the punishment. What is it?"

He was so enthusiastic.

Anyone who didn't know better would have thought he was about to receive an award.

Seeing how cooperative he was, the production team naturally brought out the prop they had prepared beforehand.

It was a box of Pocky.

The punishment was simple.

It was the Pocky game.

One person would take a stick and put one end in their mouth.

Then, without using any other assistance, they had to use their mouth to feed the other end to their partner.

Bai Luochuan frowned.

While he was agonizing over it, he watched Qi Yu take the box and, right in front of him, forcefully snap it in the middle.

There was a series of crisp cracks.

Qi Yu let out an aggrieved, innocent "Ah."

It was as though he hadn't anticipated this outcome at all when he did it.

First, he said, "Sorry, I used too much force."

Then he openly offered Bai Luochuan the packet in his hand.

Smiling, he said, "Go ahead and pick one, bro. I'm fine with any of them."