The livestream's bullet comments:
[Lmao, Xie Huan wasn't born in the Year of the Dog, was he? More like the Year of the Police Dog!]
[I'm dying. The director has probably never seen a guest find things this accurately in his life.]
[Husky: suddenly feeling threatened...]
[Seriously, where do you find such an all-rounder of a boyfriend as Xie Huan?]
With the fishing rods found, the five members of the Roaming Group finally began their sea-fishing trip.
Since the husky got seasick, they didn't bring him along.
Besides the five of them, there was also a sea-fishing instructor aboard.
Actually, the production team's original plan had been-
Before departure, they would have the Roaming Group complete a few game challenges, then provide them with a driver and a sea-fishing instructor.
However.
Given how capable Xie Huan had proven so far, and the other members' indifferent, lying-flat attitude.
There really wasn't much point in following that plan.
So they simply invited the sea-fishing instructor aboard.
Otherwise, the professional the production team had hired might very well never get a chance to appear at all.
Watching Xie Huan familiarize himself with the wheelhouse equipment on the monitor, the director heaved a deep sigh.
This season's guests were positively cursed!
Setting traps had worked perfectly well in the first two seasons!
Why couldn't they stir up a single conflict this season?
They really shouldn't invite normal people as guests!
Then again.
In a certain sense, Xie Huan didn't seem to count as a normal person either.
What normal person could do absolutely everything under the sun?!
Aaaah-
Accompanied by the director's silent marmot scream, the boat slowly pulled away from the dock.
The guests' boat led the way.
The production team's boat followed close behind.
Xie Huan was an excellent helmsman.
The boat sailed so steadily that even Pei Tingyun, who was usually prone to seasickness, felt no discomfort.
Aside from Xie Huan in the wheelhouse, the other four guests all stood on deck, leisurely enjoying the sea breeze.
For some reason.
Even with people beside him, Pei Tingyun inexplicably felt a little lonely.
As though something was missing...
He looked at the rolling waves, then glanced back at the wheelhouse behind him.
Then he decisively turned and headed toward it.
He simply felt that, as the tour guide, he needed to confirm their course with the helmsman.
There was nothing else to it.
Really!
When Pei Tingyun left, the three laughing and joking on deck suddenly paused.
Tang Keni: "Why did he suddenly leave?"
Yao Xuan shook his head. "No idea."
Gu Lin had worked with Pei Tingyun before.
Although he didn't know him well, he knew a little about Pei Tingyun's habits.
So he said, "Tingyun likes quiet. Does he think we're being too noisy?"
While the three were still wondering, the shippers in the livestream had already figured out the truth:
[It's not that you're too noisy. It's that a certain someone isn't beside him!]
[That's my ship for you! They're going both ways toward each other!]
[Aww, so Peipei is this clingy! He can't even bear to be away from his wife for a moment!]
[Didn't the person above get the roles backward? How does a rugged guy like Xie Huan look like a wife?]
[Who says a rugged guy can't be someone's wife? I don't care! Even if the sky falls, our Peipei is still the top!]
The bullet comments' debate over who was the top in White Clouds and Black Soil was quite heated.
As for the two men themselves...
One was troubled by the possibility that the other might like him.
The other had always treated him as a brother to look out for.
In any case, neither had the slightest interest in that direction.
They couldn't have been straighter.
Pei Tingyun pushed open the door and entered the wheelhouse.
Xie Huan's tall, straight back came into view.
Xie Huan didn't even turn around, yet he seemed to have eyes in the back of his head and knew who had come in.
Then his signature thick northeastern accent rang out:
"Well, hey there! Whatcha coming in here for? Ain't it nice enjoying the sea breeze outside?"
At the sound of Xie Huan's voice.
That hollow feeling in Pei Tingyun's heart actually vanished for no apparent reason!
But before he could think much about it.
He had already delivered the line he'd prepared:
"I forgot to ask about our route earlier. Where are we headed?"
Xie Huan shrugged. "The director told me to head five nautical miles north. Said it's a good spot for fishing."
At the mention of the director, Pei Tingyun's right eyelid suddenly twitched.
A bad feeling swept over him.
The director had actually planned their route!
Surely he hadn't dug another pit and left it waiting for them to jump in?
Pei Tingyun sighed almost imperceptibly.
Forget it. Might as well cooperate with the director and give him some entertaining footage first.
Otherwise, if the director doesn't get the footage he wants, he might set even nastier traps later.
Before long.
Xie Huan brought the boat to the designated location.
Once the boat had stopped securely, the sea-fishing instructor took out a fishing rod and began teaching everyone the basics of sea fishing.
After some instruction, the five members of the Roaming Group confidently began casting their lines.
However.
Half an hour passed.
The five of them hadn't seen so much as the shadow of a fish.
Pei Tingyun wasn't surprised by this.
After all, the production team had designated this fishing spot.
The production team had always delighted in setting up the guests. How could they possibly let them catch fish so easily?
As Pei Tingyun's thoughts wandered, he stopped gently twitching his fishing rod.
The sea-fishing instructor was quite conscientious.
Upon noticing, he immediately walked over to stand slightly behind Pei Tingyun's side.
He held Pei Tingyun's rod in a half-embrace, gently twitching it as he said:
"You won't catch any fish holding still. You need to do this, make the lure imitate a little fish swimming."
The instant the instructor's hand touched Pei Tingyun, his entire body went rigid.
Even through his gloves and clothes.
Pei Tingyun still felt as though something had crawled over from the instructor's fingertips and burrowed deep into his skin.
His stomach churned.
Cold sweat broke out.
His breathing began to quicken too.
He wanted to push the instructor away.
But the cameras were rolling.
Don't move.
Don't!
A sour bitterness rose in his throat.
Nauseating.
That familiar nausea was back.
In fact, the instructor hadn't crossed any boundaries.
He was merely standing close to guide his movements.
But Pei Tingyun's aversion to physical contact was too severe; all his resistance was an unconscious, instinctive reaction.
Yet to people who didn't know.
It became a top star throwing his weight around and losing his temper for no reason.
Even refusing to continue recording or performing.
Over the past year, Pei Tingyun had landed on the trending searches for negative reasons over this more than a few times.
Getting bashed was an everyday occurrence.
If they hadn't kept failing to reach an agreement over the termination penalty, he would have ended his contract with the company and left the industry long ago.
Pei Tingyun reached the limit of his endurance and was about to push the instructor away regardless of the consequences.
But the instructor moved away before he could.
Along with that came a voice:
"Well, hey! No need to trouble the instructor over this little thing! I'll do it!"
Approaching along with Xie Huan's voice was a faint scent of soapberry.
Xie Huan pulled the instructor away, only to take the very spot where the instructor had been standing.
Unlike the instructor, however, Xie Huan completely encircled Pei Tingyun with his strong arms.
He seemed afraid Pei Tingyun couldn't stand steadily and wanted to give him a little support this way.
This position clearly looked even more intimate.
But...