This was good.
Compared with Xie Weishui, who seemed gentle but was actually extremely controlling, Zhou Yang naturally preferred the prettier, more obedient Chi Li.
Still, he couldn't let Chi Li have his way so easily. He had to leave him hanging for a while first.
"You know each other?" Gao Yuan, who had been about to recruit another ally, instantly looked sour.
If he knew Zhou Yang, he would most likely join Xie Weishui's camp too. Why was his life so miserable?
"We were trainees in the same intake. We've met at the company, but we're not close." Chi Li walked into the room, discreetly looking around. "Hello, everyone. My name is Chi Li."
"Chi Li, why didn't you tell me you were coming?" A confident smile returned to Zhou Yang's face. "If I'd known, I definitely would've taken a cab to pick you up two li away."
Chi Li looked at him with a smile. "Good thing I didn't tell you, then, or I'd have had to pay the cab fare too."
Starlight Entertainment's trainees received a basic allowance, but it was pitifully small.
So while they were dating, Chi Li, whose family was a little better off, had paid for practically all their dates.
"You-" Zhou Yang clearly caught the insinuation and lowered his voice to mutter, "Stop being so petty about everything."
He's still a little upset... Oh well. Since he's gone out of his way to come on the show to make up with me, there's no need to fuss over something this minor.
"Hello, I'm Gao Yuan." Keenly detecting the strange atmosphere between them, Gao Yuan immediately regained his enthusiasm. "Beside me is Shen Xunye, another trainee who arrived today. And over there are..."
After briefly introducing everyone else in the room, Gao Yuan gave Xie Weishui a meaningful look. "When does the welcome ceremony start?"
"Ah... right." Xie Weishui looked as though he had only just remembered. "We've prepared a welcome ceremony for you~ Would our two newcomers please sit in the middle of the couch?"
"Wait." Chi Li laid his suitcase flat and crouched to open it. "I brought you all gifts."
Zhou Yang couldn't resist asking, "Is there one for everyone?"
Chi Li said, "Of course."
"I knew it..." A dreamy look spread across Zhou Yang's face.
Chi Li must have bought gifts for everyone just so he could give one to him.
"Here, this is yours." Chi Li had already taken out the first gift and handed it to Gao Yuan. "Noise-canceling headphones. I heard they were number one on your wish list. I couldn't afford an expensive pair, so I bought a midrange one. Hope you don't mind."
"They're really for me...?" Gao Yuan could hardly believe his ears. "Th-this is really too much."
With Gao Yuan's current income, it wasn't that he couldn't afford noise-canceling headphones. He simply couldn't quite bring himself to spend the money.
He had never imagined he would receive this gift from a stranger.
"Take them already. My arm's getting sore." Chi Li held the gift a little farther out.
"Thank you." Gao Yuan stopped being bashful and took the gift, hugging it to his chest. "I'm going to fall in love with you!"
?
Shen Xunye turned to glance at him, confirmed that he wasn't much competition, then casually looked away.
Seeing Gao Yuan's gift, the others all began to feel some degree of anticipation.
They were all strangers, so their gifts should be around the same price... right?
"Fang Jin." Chi Li called the name of Fang Jin, who stood farthest from him, and waved the shopping bag in his hand. "This is yours. Could you come get it?"
Before Fang Jin could move, Xie Weishui strode over and brought him over by the arm.
"I've caught him for you."
"Thank you." Xie Weishui nodded politely, then motioned for Fang Jin to take the gift. "Go on, see if you like it."
Fang Jin still wore the same indifferent expression.
He reached inside and pulled out a green hat.
[Pfft... is he ulting right in his face?]
[Was that deliberate or an accident?]
[Deliberately accidental.]
[I have a feeling things are about to get rocky in Raising House...]
[The newcomer's so good at throwing shade. I like him.]
[Maybe he picked it for the shape? It just happened to be green. That brand's hats aren't cheap, after all.]
[Exactly. Who would deliberately offend someone as soon as they arrived? Gao Yuan's gift was perfectly normal. Don't overthink it, everyone. (]
"What... is this supposed to mean?" Fang Jin nearly failed to keep his expression under control.
Although he didn't care about the Jinshui CP, that didn't mean he was willing to accept such an unreasonable provocation.
"Hm?" Chi Li looked utterly innocent. "It means I'm giving you a present and hoping you like it?"
"It really does suit you," Wei Xuan gloated.
"Ah... you don't like it?" Understanding dawned on Chi Li's face, followed by confusion. "But when I searched your name, the first related term was 'green hat.' I thought you must really like green hats."
The corner of Fang Jin's mouth twitched. He genuinely couldn't tell whether this guy was innocent or playing dumb. "...Never mind."
"The receipt's in the shopping bag. If you don't like it, you can exchange it." Chi Li's smile was apologetic. "Sorry you'll have to make the trip yourself, though."
"All right." Fang Jin put the hat back in the shopping bag.
He believed this guy really was innocent now.
Jiang Lele's eyes brimmed with envy. "I think that hat costs over 2,600..."
Fang Jin's tightly pressed lips rose a few millimeters.
"Okay, next. Let me see..." Chi Li took out a plastic bag, then called a name. "Zhou Yang."
"My turn already?" Zhou Yang had thought he would be last. "What is it... hm? A plastic bag?"
What decent person gave gifts in a plastic bag?
He suddenly had a bad feeling.
"Yep, the plastic bag and everything inside it are all for you." Chi Li stuffed it into Zhou Yang's arms. "I picked them out very carefully."
"Okay..."
Zhou Yang lowered his head to undo it, but the knot was far too tight. In a fit of irritation, he ripped the whole plastic bag apart.
Its contents fell straight to the floor.
-An old cucumber and a miniature bucket of green paint.
"An old cucumber painted green." Chi Li cheerfully introduced the meaning behind his gift, giving no one else in the room any room to react.
Zhou Yang's old face instantly fell. "This is what you're giving me?"
After all that shade just now, he's still not over it?
"Not just that. The plastic bag's for you too." Chi Li pointed down at the now-tattered black plastic bag. "Now, some confused viewers are going to ask: why give him a plastic bag?"
Gao Yuan immediately played along. "Yes, why?"
"Because..." Chi Li looked at Zhou Yang with a half-smile. "Just like you, it's full of it... Ah, now you've torn it up. It's trash."
"Pfft..." Shen Xunye suddenly burst out laughing.
[I'm absolutely losing it laughing... does anyone get me?]
[This is a personal grudge, right? Definitely a personal grudge, right? Hahahaha!]
[Let's see who still says that green hat wasn't deliberate. [laugh]]
[I kind of get the 'old cucumber painted green' thing... probably means he's older than Xie Weishui but still calls him senior?]
[So the fake and trash part was just straight-up insulting him, then.]