That helpless sense of collapse Pei Tingyun had felt actually began to fade with Xie Huan's movements!
Even Pei Tingyun himself found it unbelievable!
So his lack of aversion to Xie Huan's touch earlier really hadn't been his imagination!
He really was different!
Pei Tingyun had always been excellent at managing his expressions.
He was certain he hadn't shown any sign of discomfort just now.
So.
Had Xie Huan suddenly come over by coincidence, or...
Meeting Pei Tingyun's puzzled gaze.
Xie Huan calmly pulled a piece of chocolate from his trouser pocket:
"See, what'd I tell ya? Told you to eat more. Your blood sugar's low, and your face has gone white."
With that, he tore open the wrapper without another word.
Like a domineering CEO, he stuffed the chocolate straight into Pei Tingyun's mouth.
Pei Tingyun had never liked sweets.
Chocolate was even on his food blacklist.
But today...
Why did he actually find Xie Huan's chocolate rather tasty?
Xie Huan had fed him the chocolate far too naturally.
So much so that, for a moment, the livestream comments were filled with the groundhog screams of ship fans getting their fix:
[Ahhh-this is way too sweet! I want to bring the marriage registry straight to them!]
[Ooh~ Xie Huan's so jealous! He won't even let the instructor touch Peipei!]
[Xie Huan: let go of that man! Let me do it!]
[Pei Tingyun's face went pale for a second, and Xie Huan rushed right over. This little couple really does keep their eyes on each other every moment!]
[Oh no! This ship's feeling more and more real! Could they actually be dating?]
[You above, drop the "could"! I bet one spicy strip they'll announce it sooner or later!]
[Count me in. I bet two!]
The chocolate slowly melted on his tongue.
Pei Tingyun's taut nerves relaxed along with it.
He looked into Xie Huan's eyes, which held a hint of worry.
They were filled with sincerity.
It seemed Xie Huan really did think his blood sugar was low.
"Thank you."
Although nothing seemed unusual about Pei Tingyun's expression as he thanked him.
His mind was already flooded with the words [I'm doomed].
Because Xie Huan had brought chocolate specifically out of concern that his blood sugar might drop, and had even fed it to him himself.
All of this once again confirmed Xie Huan's feelings for him!
Good heavens!
He was a straight man!
A straight man!!!
Of all the people Xie Huan could like.
Why did he have to fall for him?
While he was brooding.
Xie Huan suddenly slapped him on the shoulder:
"Aw, c'mon! We're buddies, ain't we? What're ya being so polite for!"
The slap startled Pei Tingyun.
He lowered his eyes, gripped the railing in front of him, and sighed silently.
Dealing with someone whose social confidence came in unpredictable bursts really was an introvert's hell sometimes...
Seeing that Pei Tingyun had finally stopped staring at him.
Xie Huan breathed a small sigh of relief, while his brows creased slightly.
The low blood sugar excuse had passed muster.
But what exactly had he been through over the years?
How had his aversion to touch gotten so severe?
Just then.
On another boat, the director picked up his personal megaphone and began calling over to them:
"All your instant noodles have been confiscated, so your lunch today will depend on your fishing results. You'll eat whatever you catch. Good luck!"
As soon as he finished speaking.
Tang Keni, Yao Xuan, and Gu Lin all felt their vision go dark again and again.
Pei Tingyun had already guessed the director was setting a trap.
So he wasn't surprised.
Besides, he had intended to make lunch out of their sea-fishing catch anyway.
He just hadn't expected the production crew to be this ruthless.
They had actually designated a patch of sea with no fish for them to fish in.
They weren't giving them any chance of having lunch at all.
Since the director was being this unscrupulous.
He couldn't keep playing along.
Pei Tingyun narrowed his eyes slightly.
He beckoned to Xie Huan with a finger.
Wrapped in a black glove, that slender finger actually took on a hint of wicked charm.
Xie Huan happily leaned over:
"What're your orders, tour guide?"
Xie Huan didn't get too close.
So Pei Tingyun took the initiative to lean up to his ear and whisper a few words.
Afraid the production crew would listen in, he even deliberately covered both their microphones.
After hearing him out, Xie Huan slapped his chest:
"Leave it to me, bro! I'll make sure you're satisfied!"
With that, Xie Huan turned and left.
Leaving the other three on the boat utterly confused.
What were they discussing so secretively?
At this sight.
The White Clouds and Black Soil ship fans in the livestream grew excited:
[Ooh, ooh, ooh, are the husbands teaming up to rebel against the production crew?]
[I've noticed that around Pei Tingyun, Xie Huan seems like that big dog Xie Huan has wrapped around his finger. Is this what they call every creature having its match?]
[Peipei narrowing his eyes and beckoning with his finger is way too swoon-worthy! If it were me, I'd run over wagging my tail too!]
The production crew also realized they were about to fight back.
They braced themselves.
Waiting for them to negotiate.
But after waiting ages.
They saw Xie Huan simply drive the boat away!
The cameraman from Ultimate Roaming knew how to capture someone losing their composure.
The camera that had just been following Pei Tingyun whipped around and zoomed right in on the director's face on the opposite boat.
And so.
On the livestream.
With the director wearing a spectacularly dumbfounded expression, Xie Huan's boat receded farther and farther into the distance.
By the time the director finally realized the guests had all made a run for it, Xie Huan's boat was almost out of sight.
The director hurriedly grabbed his radio. "Xie Huan! Where are you taking that boat?"
Keeping one hand on the helm, Xie Huan picked up the radio squawking beside him with the other and said:
"Where else? Somewhere with fish."
The director was frantic. "Don't go driving around! Come back!"
Xie Huan wasn't the sort of guest who obediently did as he was told.
Hearing this, he immediately said:
"Go back for what? That crappy spot you picked ain't got a thing! What, ya trying to starve us? Save your brain cells. Ain't gonna work!"
With that, Xie Huan stopped paying attention to the director's roaring.
He steered the boat farther out to sea, following Pei Tingyun's directions.
Meanwhile, the director, raging helplessly, could only turn his fire on the colleagues watching the show beside him:
"What are you all standing around for? Hurry up and follow them! If we lose the guests, we'll all be in deep trouble!"
There was no chance of them getting lost.
Xie Huan had merely taken them to a stretch of sea with more fish.
By the time the production crew's boat caught up.
Pei Tingyun and the others were already standing on deck, fishing.
Only after seeing everyone safe and sound did the director breathe a sigh of relief.
They had scared him to death!
In all his years in the industry, he had never seen guests act so recklessly!
What if they drove into international waters and ran into pirates?
He didn't want his career to end here!
While the director was still shaken.
A sudden cry came from the guests' boat.
The director had only just managed to settle his nerves.
The fright made him leap up, nearly sending him into a stress response:
"What happened? What happened?"
The assistant director beside him reminded him to look at the monitor.