The director continued calmly:
"The local chef we invited is a fan of Mr. Pei's. He's waiting for you at the summit right now. Mr. Pei, could you bear to break your fan's heart?"
Tang Keni raised his hands in shock and slowly clapped twice:
"Well, well, well. Openly guilt-tripping a top star. You're really brave, Director. Aren't you afraid his fans will tear you apart?"
Yao Xuan said, "Director, didn't you just say we had to finish the photo check-in task before we could go up to the summit to eat? If our youngest can't finish the task, he won't go anyway. There's a problem with how you designed this show!"
Gu Lin said, "Actually, you could invite that fan to meet our youngest at the villa. It's not like he's rooted to the summit and can't move."
Pei Tingyun hadn't even said a word yet, and the director already had a headache.
It felt like these guys were using all their group spirit against him!
Comments in the livestream:
[The director is seriously out of line! He can't win an argument against the Roaming Group, so he uses a fan to threaten Pei Bao!]
[We Little Clouds all care so much about Pei Bao. Director, doing this is what really breaks our hearts!]
[Everyone in the Roaming Group is so nice! They're all speaking up for our baby!]
[Pei Bao is young. He was the youngest in his group when he debuted, and now he's still the youngest in the Roaming Group.]
[Exactly! Our youngest is the group's darling wherever he goes!]
Pei Tingyun himself hadn't expected everyone to speak up for him like this.
They'd covered practically every possible argument.
They'd left him with nothing to say.
In the end, he could only shrug and sum it up. "See? It's not that I don't want to go. There really is no need."
The director said, "..."
In that case, he could only bring out his trump card!
The director said, "If you don't finish today's photo check-in task, your right to use the villa will be revoked tomorrow."
Gu Lin, a rich young master who had never experienced eating and sleeping out in the open, was completely dumbfounded:
"Huh?! Then where are we supposed to sleep at night?"
The director said, "You can build your own tents using the materials available on the island."
The Roaming Group, who had been laughing a moment ago, stopped laughing instantly.
Gu Lin slapped the table. "How much did you pay to rent the island? I'll pay double!"
Hearing that, Tang Keni started laughing again. "Oh, right! Our Young Master Gu is loaded! If we rent the island, no one can kick us out of the villa."
The director said, "No. Our production team already holds exclusive usage rights to this island. You have no chance."
The Roaming Group: "..."
You win this round!
Tang Keni felt as if all his strength had drained away in an instant. Even his voice was weak:
"You win... Aren't we supposed to check in? Where are the check-in spots?"
The director waved a hand in satisfaction, and a staff member immediately placed the clue photos on their dining table.
The Roaming Group studied the clues while listening to the director's explanation. No one was enjoying breakfast anymore.
The director said, "These five photos show the check-in spots you need to visit. Find them, take photos according to the instructions there, and post them on Weibo. That will count as a successful check-in."
Yao Xuan pointed at one of the photos and said:
"Oh! I saw this boardwalk when we rode the motorcycles around the island yesterday!"
Gu Lin pointed at another photo. "I saw this church yesterday too!"
Pei Tingyun had slept the whole way around the island yesterday and hadn't seen a thing.
Now he was completely in the dark. Every photo looked unfamiliar.
But judging by Xie Huan's earlier powers of observation, finding these places probably wouldn't be difficult with him around.
The director's words confirmed Pei Tingyun's guess:
"Apart from one check-in spot on the mountain, you passed all four of the others yesterday. You must finish all your check-ins before sunset and arrive at the Sunset Restaurant at the summit."
At this point, the director abruptly changed tack:
"However, because you haven't been enthusiastic about participating in the task, you won't have any transportation today. You can only look for the check-in spots on foot."
As soon as he finished speaking,
cries of "Huh?" filled the dining room.
Tang Keni held up two photos and was the first to protest:
"One of these places is at the southernmost end, and the other's at the northernmost end, with a mountain in between. They're at least a dozen kilometers apart even in a straight line, and you're making us walk all the way around? You're seriously inhuman!"
Gu Lin said, "We still have to climb the mountain after checking in. Do our lives mean nothing?"
Yao Xuan said, "Come on, man. We're here for a vacation, not boot camp, okay? Do you even remember that you're filming a travel variety show?"
They all kept talking over one another.
Pei Tingyun, however, had no desire to say anything.
As their tour guide, he had planned out their entire itinerary for today a day in advance.
But with the director throwing a wrench into things, today's itinerary could only follow the check-in spots.
In other words, all of Pei Tingyun's plans would go to waste.
A J type really couldn't stand this.
In fact, Pei Tingyun was already extremely irritated.
But he was still trying hard to maintain his cool, aloof persona and keep himself from exploding.
It was a cool, aloof persona, after all. Staying silent at a time like this wouldn't seem out of character.
But Xie Huan, who had been keeping an eye on him all along, immediately noticed that something was off with his mood.
Yesterday, Xie Huan had seen Pei Tingyun using every spare moment to plan today's itinerary.
He knew Pei Tingyun took it seriously and had put a lot of care into it.
Now none of his plans could be used. He probably wasn't feeling good about it.
Xie Huan took a careful look at the five photos on the table.
Then he pointed at one and said:
"Well, hey! Isn't there a place to play beach volleyball by this boardwalk? How about we check in over there first and play a bit while we're at it?"
At his words, Pei Tingyun suddenly raised his head to look at Xie Huan.
Yao Xuan clapped his hands as he remembered:
"Oh, right! Didn't our youngest ask yesterday whether we wanted to play beach volleyball? Let's go!"
Tang Keni rubbed his hands together. "Man, I haven't played in ages. I'm itching for a game. Come on, let's go."
Gu Lin already couldn't wait to face off against Xie Huan:
"I'm telling you, I'm really good. Just get ready to be crushed!"
Xie Huan ignored him and reached out to pull up Pei Tingyun, who was still staring blankly at him:
"Come on. Go back to the room with your big brother and help me pack up. We should get ready to leave too."
Pei Tingyun was pulled away by Xie Huan, his mind still turning over a thought-
Was it his imagination?
Why did it feel as if Xie Huan was deliberately bringing up activities from his planned itinerary?
Back in the room, Xie Huan dumped everything out of his hiking backpack.
Then he said to Pei Tingyun, "Go find your thickest long-sleeved top and bring it."
Pei Tingyun looked baffled. "My thickest long-sleeved top is a down jacket. Won't it be too hot to bring that?"
Xie Huan looked just as baffled. "Why'd you bring a down jacket in the middle of summer?"
Pei Tingyun said, "Before we came, the production team said the destinations on this trip would span a wide range and we'd experience all four seasons, so I brought all the clothes I'd need for every season."
Xie Huan said, "..."
No wonder he'd brought three huge suitcases. So they were all clothes.
Oh, man, wait a minute!