Jiang Mingxi and the others were having a blast catching fish when they were suddenly told that the task had been canceled.
Zhao Jiayuan pointed at his soaking-wet pants. "I'm already like this, and you're telling me the task's canceled? Then what does all my effort count as?"
Beside him, Manman blurted out almost without thinking, "Your bad luck."
Zhao Jiayuan jumped up and yelled at her, "Wang Manman!"
Manman ducked her head and weakly raised her hands in surrender. "That slipped out. After all, Xiaoxi and Sister Qianqian put in effort too."
Zhao Jiayuan: ???
Without them, it would just be my bad luck, huh?
He was even angrier!
Jiang Mingxi put the fish he had just caught into the bucket and asked the staff member in confusion, "Why?"
The staff member didn't know the full story either. "Apparently, the livestream got banned again."
Jiang Mingxi was deeply shocked. "Zhao Jiayuan and Chen Chong aren't even together. How did it get banned again?"
Zhao Jiayuan: ???
"What do you mean by that!"
The staff member glanced at Zhao Jiayuan with a smile. "We don't really know the details either. The director just called to say the task here was over and everyone could head down the mountain. Further arrangements will be announced later."
As she spoke, the staff member took out two large bags and handed them to Manman and Qianqian respectively.
"These are gift packages the production team prepared for you. We hope both of you enjoy sweet, happy lives and that everything goes smoothly. Come visit the mountain behind Bridgehead Village again when you have time."
Manman immediately wiped her wet hands on her pants and took the bag. "Thank you, thank you! Let me see what goodies are in here."
Qianqian smiled at Manman as she accepted her bag and asked, "Has the other group gone down the mountain too?"
The staff member said, "They should have."
After handing over the bags, she returned the two visitors' phones to them.
Zhao Jiayuan was still thinking about the task the production team had assigned them.
Now that the livestream was off, Zhao Jiayuan simply asked Qianqian directly, "Does that boyfriend of yours constantly gaslight you? He doesn't look like a good guy to me."
He just sprang the question on her, right out in the open.
Qianqian's hand shook as she took her phone, and she nearly dropped it.
"No, our relationship is great." Qianqian pressed her lips together in a smile and put her phone away.
"Holy shit!"
Before Qianqian even finished speaking, Manman, who had received her phone, saw a trending notification and tapped it casually. Her expression changed at once.
At her shout, Zhao Jiayuan immediately leaned over. "What happened?"
On the trending list-
#Song Lan sexually harassed by male fan#
#Wives of gay men#
#Survival Challenge civilian guest#
The three topics occupied the first, second, and third spots.
Jiang Mingxi spotted the topic about Song Lan being harassed, and his expression darkened slightly. "What's this about? Open it."
As he spoke, Manman tapped the screen.
An image appeared before them of Qianqian's boyfriend hugging Song Lan from behind, his lips moving to kiss Song Lan's neck.
"What the fuck!" Zhao Jiayuan was utterly thunderstruck and turned to look at Qianqian.
Qianqian stood there, her face pale, staring at Manman's phone screen. Her whole body was visibly shaking.
Jiang Mingxi patted her back very gently.
Qianqian turned to look at Jiang Mingxi. Before anyone else could say anything, she pressed her lips together and shook her head. "Our relationship is great. There must be some misunderstanding."
Zhao Jiayuan was burning with frustration. "He's gay, and you're still lying to yourself! Look at how he's hugging Song Lan. Does that look like an ordinary fan to you?"
"There must be some misunderstanding." Qianqian stepped back, panic and fear in her eyes.
There was a small rock behind her. She stepped on it and lost her balance.
Just as she was about to fall, Jiang Mingxi caught her.
Qianqian practically jolted and instinctively tried to pull away.
She would rather fall than let him support her.
Earlier, during the frog jumps, she hadn't let Manman support her either.
Jiang Mingxi had already had his suspicions. Now, almost certain, he grabbed Qianqian's arm. "He hits you, doesn't he?"
Qianqian's eyes were red and brimming with tears as she shook her head. "Our relationship is great. Really. I... I have to go. Goodbye."
She tried to push Jiang Mingxi away.
But Jiang Mingxi didn't release her arm. "I don't like meddling, and I respect everyone's fate. But you live for yourself. Don't muddle through your whole life."
Jiang Mingxi looked at Qianqian.
"He might hit you. He might be threatening you with something. But none of that is a reason to give up resisting. Whatever you think is keeping you from fighting back, try stepping outside it. Maybe when you look back, you'll find it wasn't worth shit."
Qianqian used her other hand to pry Jiang Mingxi's fingers loose. "You've misunderstood. Our relationship is great. I really have to go."
Jiang Mingxi couldn't actually keep holding on to her.
Taking a breath, he pulled a voice recorder from his pocket. "Take this as a gift. Thank you for being my fan."
Zhao Jiayuan: ...
What???
Who carries a voice recorder around with them, seriously!
Qianqian froze.
Her gaze settled on the voice recorder.
Before she could react, her phone rang.
Qianqian shuddered as though an electric current had run through her and hurriedly pulled out her phone.
Caller ID: Master.
Jiang Mingxi frowned slightly.
Qianqian quickly answered, and her boyfriend's voice immediately came through. "There's been a little misunderstanding between me and Song Lan. Come help clear things up. We're heading to Bridgehead Village. Hurry over."
Qianqian hurriedly said, "Okay."
After hanging up, she glanced at the voice recorder but didn't take it. She turned and left.
Jiang Mingxi followed her a step and shoved the recorder into her hand. "If you really don't want it, you can throw it away."
With that, he picked up the bucket they had used to catch fish and walked off.
Zhao Jiayuan was practically frantic. They were the persuasion squad! How could a member of the squad quit first?
Looking from Qianqian to Jiang Mingxi, Zhao Jiayuan stamped his foot, grabbed the little fishing net from the ground, and chased after Jiang Mingxi. He lowered his voice and asked urgently, "Are you really leaving this alone? What if something happens to her?"
Leave it alone?
Jiang Mingxi snorted coldly.
That bastard had hugged Song Lan like that!
Without a word, Jiang Mingxi strode off.
In the courtyard where the directing team was stationed in Bridgehead Village.
"...You've really misunderstood. My feelings for Teacher Song are purely those of a fan for his idol. How could I possibly do something like that to Teacher Song!" Qianqian's boyfriend explained anxiously.
A staff member beside him said indignantly, "You were already like that!"
Qianqian's boyfriend looked utterly wronged. "That only happened because I remembered being with Qianqian. It really wasn't because of Teacher Song! I... We were livestreaming! Would I be crazy enough to do that to Teacher Song? Don't I have any shame? That would be a desecration of Teacher Song too!"
He had barely finished speaking.
Footsteps sounded outside.
Song Lan, who had remained silent with a livid expression all this time, whipped his head around.
But a dozen or so people came in: staff members, Zhao Jiayuan, Manman, and Qianqian. Only Jiang Mingxi was missing.
Even the last person had come inside.
Even the gate had closed!
Still, there was no Jiang Mingxi.
An indescribable displeasure instantly rose in Song Lan's heart.
He had thought Jiang Mingxi would be the first to rush in...