Even so, Shen Xingcan packed both robes.
[Knee-length counts as long? Then how short is the short one??! Don't tell me it only reaches the tops of your thighs! How the fuck is that any different from wearing nothing?]
[It's summer. What's wrong with wearing less? Even if it doesn't get too hot on the island, they don't have air conditioning.]
[The white one he didn't pick actually has a sheer back?? Is that really a proper robe and not some kind of sex prop?!]
[Come on, people, these are clothes for sleeping in. Of course you'd want them as light and comfortable as possible. They're not everyday clothes.]
The two left the room with their things, then handed them over to the staff for inspection.
The staff member visibly froze at the sight of the box crammed with sheet masks.
Shen Xingcan took the initiative and opened the box first. "They're all sheet masks. I haven't hidden anything else in here to sneak it through."
Before the staff member could say anything, Shen Xingcan had already gathered the masks back into his arms.
"Inspection complete, so we'll get going. Bye-bye. We still need to squeeze in a nap."
With that, without waiting for the staff member's reply, Shen Xingcan took Xie Linchuan's hand and hurried away.
Once they were out of the rest area, Shen Xingcan exhaled. "Got away with it~ Since lunch was so good, I can be merciful and spare you five sheet masks, Xie Linchuan."
Xie Linchuan said, "No need."
Shen Xingcan turned sideways to block Xie Linchuan's path. Xie Linchuan was just about to ask what he was doing when Shen Xingcan's hand settled against his cheek.
His fingertips brushed over Xie Linchuan's brows and eyes.
That touch of warmth flowed through his skin into his chest, like a tiny electric current spreading through his limbs.
Xie Linchuan caught the hand wreaking havoc on his face.
Ignoring Xie Linchuan's gaze, which looked as though he wanted to devour someone, Shen Xingcan said with perfect composure, "You might not treasure such a handsome face, but I have to. I'm the one who has to look at it every day, so you're taking these masks whether you want them or not!"
[True. Besides, French kissing means staring at that face up close.]
[Judging by their heights, when they do the unspeakable, Xingcan kitty is probably going to suffer a little. Hehe, my innocent little face just turned filthy.]
[Go on, keep flirting. If you're not afraid of getting fucked right through the bed frame, keep flirting.]
[Something really does seem a little off about these two. Everything before this was easy enough to explain, but that face-touching was really a bit much.]
[You're only noticing now? I thought everyone knew something was up when these two came up with identical answers.]
With that, Shen Xingcan shoved the masks into his arms. "Let's go back to the cabin. If we go now, we can still nap for over an hour. I'm a little sleepy."
As though to prove he wasn't lying, Shen Xingcan yawned as soon as he finished speaking.
Shen Xingcan slept very well. More precisely, he had been sleeping well ever since he came to Xie Linchuan's side. All the nightmares he had suffered since his rebirth vanished without a trace when he was beside Xie Linchuan.
So when the announcement sounded, Shen Xingcan was somewhat reluctant to get up.
He hugged the quilt and rolled around a few times before finally climbing out of bed with a thoroughly unwilling expression and rushing outside, only to be caught by the wrist halfway there.
Shen Xingcan turned back to Xie Linchuan in confusion. "What's wrong?"
Xie Linchuan said, "Your hair."
Shen Xingcan paused, then reached up to touch his hair. Sure enough, the silk scarf was long gone.
"Do it for me."
Shen Xingcan picked up a little folding stool and sat down in front of Xie Linchuan.
This clearly wasn't Xie Linchuan's first time doing this. He soon had Shen Xingcan's hair tied up again.
Shen Xingcan touched his hair, then teased him as usual. "Your skills haven't declined at all, Best Actor Xie. Or have you been practicing on someone else's hair these past few years?"
Xie Linchuan said, "There hasn't been anyone else. Only you."
[You can tell from his technique that he's tied his wife's hair plenty of times. Hahaha.]
[There hasn't been anyone else. Only you... He's usually so quiet, but when his wife gets the wrong idea, he's better with words than anyone.]
Shen Xingcan paused slightly as he rose, his eyes shifting a little. Was Xie Linchuan explaining himself to him? Or simply stating a fact?
Song Tiantian said, "This morning, our guests worked together to pick a hundred jin of mangoes. A product's packaging often determines how quickly it sells, too. To help tomorrow's sales go more smoothly, the three teams will need to choose their own materials to package the mangoes."
Staff members soon brought out the materials the production team had prepared.
Several tables were pushed together into one enormous table, which was covered in all kinds of materials: kraft paper, cardstock in assorted colors, cardboard boxes, bamboo strips, hemp twine, ribbons, paintbrushes, oil pastels...
"Now, we'd like our six guests to finish making the packaging for a hundred jin of mangoes within two hours."
Shen Xingcan stared at the assortment of materials on the table for a long while before finally choosing a shortcut. "Xie Linchuan, what should we pick? There's so much stuff."
Instead of answering, Xie Linchuan asked, "What result do you want?"
Shen Xingcan thought for a moment, then looked at Xie Linchuan and answered, "Something low-cost that, ideally, can also help the fruit farmers sell their mangoes in the future."
If Chongshan Island's mangoes truly had no trouble finding buyers, their show wouldn't exist.
His gaze at Xie Linchuan was earnest and trusting. Clearly, even though Shen Xingcan knew the result he wanted was overly ambitious, he still firmly believed the man before him could help him achieve it.
Under that gaze, Xie Linchuan was somewhat amused. "Shen Xingcan, am I a little too omnipotent in your mind?"
Shen Xingcan's eyes curved. "Then can you do it?"
Xie Linchuan said, "Yes."
Shen Xingcan spread his hands. "So Xie Linchuan really is omnipotent."
This time, Xie Linchuan truly smiled. It wasn't a faint smile or a mocking one, but a smile from the heart.
He rarely smiled, and this smile was like frost melting in March.
[I don't think I've ever seen him smile like this in public these past few years...]
[He hasn't smiled like this in private either... From a crown prince's lackey who wishes to remain anonymous.]
[Shen Xingcan has rarely come back to the country these past few years. When he does, it's for work, and he usually doesn't stay long. His wife ran off. Who could smile under those circumstances?]
[I don't know why, but seeing them smile at each other just now made me want to cry.]
[Without this show, would they still be the way they were before?]
[I don't think so. The fact that they both came on this show was a signal in itself. Remember, neither of them has appeared on a variety show since TS disbanded.]
[Here's some insider info. A Fruit originally planned for six guests too, but Song Tiantian wasn't the show's initiator. She was one of the guests. Later, just before the show aired, a certain someone approached Apple's higher-ups and said he wanted to join the filming. That's how Song Tiantian became the show's initiator.]
[! Holy shit, I knew our livestream chat was full of hidden dragons and crouching tigers!]
[It's so hard to guess who that certain someone is. It definitely isn't Shen Xingcan, anyway. Don't you agree, Shen Xingcan? @Shen Xingcan.]
[If Shen Xingcan was a last-minute addition, then it's easy to understand why Xie Linchuan was so surprised to see him.]
[But given how things were between them before, how could Apple possibly not tell Xie Linchuan that Shen Xingcan was coming?! Xie Linchuan isn't just a three-gold best actor, he's also the Xie family's crown prince! Apple would have to be crazy to offend him.]
["The Xie family's crown prince." Circle "crown prince." This will be on the test.]
After thinking for a while, Xie Linchuan looked at Shen Xingcan and said, "I've thought of a way, but I'll need some help from you."
Shen Xingcan was curious. "Hmm? What can I do?"
Shen Xingcan was very self-aware. He knew perfectly well that he didn't have much of a head for business.
Xie Linchuan said, "There's no substantial difference between Chongshan Island's mangoes and mangoes from elsewhere, so we need to create a difference for them."
"For example?"
"Create a distinctive image for them."
Shen Xingcan caught on at once and soon had an idea.