Seeing that he would not say anything, Li Yankai could hardly keep asking. They ate at the cafeteria at noon, and no one recognized him as a guest from yesterday's Love 5 livestream.
After eating his fill and returning to the dorm to rest, Xie Zhuzhou took a large carrot from his bag and began carving A Thousand Li of Rivers and Mountains.
No one said a one-percent-scale version of A Thousand Li of Rivers and Mountains wouldn't count, right?
Utterly unrepentant, Xie Zhuzhou planned to test his teacher's nerves again.
His roommates were also discovering for the first time just how stubborn Xie Zhuzhou could be.
After his afternoon classes, Xie Zhuzhou drove back to the dating show's villa complex. Sure enough, he spotted a car following him in the rearview mirror!
His heart lurched. I'm cooked. My good days are coming to an end!
The danger I never experienced in my last life, now in this life... Thanks a lot.
With his nerves in knots, Xie Zhuzhou returned to the dating show's villa garage. When he got out, he saw Wen Ruohuai getting out of his car too.
The man glanced around, then walked toward him.
Xie Zhuzhou was a little taller than him, at 181 centimeters.
This guy was probably about 179?
He eyed the other man coldly and gave him one second. When the man dawdled without speaking, he immediately turned and left, with absolutely no idea what face was or why he ought to give anyone any.
Wen Ruohuai was seething. He had wanted to ask how much Xie Zhuzhou knew about what had happened last time, and whether he would keep it secret for him. Also... was that look in Xie Zhuzhou's eyes contempt?!
Had Xie Zhuzhou known what he was thinking, he would definitely have said, "Honestly, I look down on everyone equally, myself included."
Back aboveground, Xie Zhuzhou first went to show his face to Director Wang and check in. Then he passed through the living room, planning to hide in his room as usual.
Unexpectedly, everyone was preparing a feast today. Wang Zhengxiao spotted him and immediately called him over.
"Little Xie, come help. We're having a feast tonight."
Xie Zhuzhou glanced at the camera and stand in the kitchen and knew that today's boyfriend for a day was Wang Zhengxiao. His stream had not ended yet.
He was glad he had not taken his mask off. "Oh."
In front of the viewers, I'll give Wang Zhengxiao a little face.
A flicker of surprise crossed Wang Zhengxiao's eyes when Xie Zhuzhou obediently walked over. Although he did not know Xie Zhuzhou well, they could slowly get to know each other and become friends once they were more familiar.
The thought had barely arisen before Xie Zhuzhou saw right through it. Those clear, bright eyes, without a trace of impurity, were staring straight at him. He smiled awkwardly. "Just help me peel the potatoes."
"Do you know how?"
Xie Zhuzhou nodded. Even if he did not, he figured peeling potatoes was much easier than carving, easy to pick up and not difficult at all.
He took the potatoes and basket to a corner and got to work.
So this lord didn't always put on airs. He actually worked when there was work to do.
The moment Wen Nan returned, he searched for Xie Zhuzhou, but he did not dare approach with the livestream running.
But since when had that idiot Wen Ruohuai gotten so close to Xie Zhuzhou? Did he have to stand that close? That green tea bitch was trying to steal from him again!
He knew it!
Wen Nan stood in the living room with fire blazing in his eyes, wishing he could perform a backflip on the spot and kick Wen Ruohuai over in the process! Then he could stand beside Xie Zhuzhou himself!
He did not like Xie Zhuzhou, but he did not want Xie Zhuzhou to have such poor taste that he fell for someone as two-faced as Wen Ruohuai either!
Who knew what dark things that guy was thinking!
Wen Nan was right about one thing. Wen Ruohuai really was thinking about some dark things. He had thought it over in the garage just now. This was a dating show, after all, so he could approach Xie Zhuzhou however he wanted.
He would make Xie Zhuzhou speak, no matter what!
If he still refused, he could not blame him for resorting to other means!
Xie Zhuzhou was a little clumsy at peeling potatoes at first, but soon got the hang of it. The open kitchen could not accommodate that many people. As he felt Wen Ruohuai edging closer and closer while peeling garlic, his brows drew tighter and tighter. He left as soon as he finished peeling the last potato.
Seeing how easily he had completed the task, Wang Zhengxiao did not give him any more work. "Remember to come downstairs for dinner later."
Eat with a huge group of people?
Xie Zhuzhou thought it over and decided against it. Eating together would inevitably lead to conversation, conversation would inevitably lead to conflict, conflict would inevitably lead to disputes, and once disputes began, the air would inevitably be thick with gunpowder.
After all, with Wen Nan and Wen Ruohuai around, peace and quiet were out of the question.
What if they got worked up and sprayed spit while talking?!
Xie Zhuzhou shook his head in refusal.
Watching Xie Zhuzhou leave, Wang Zhengxiao smiled as he shut down the livestream, whose barrage was calling Xie Zhuzhou "husband."
He took a deep breath and still chose a gentle approach as he asked Wen Ruohuai, "What exactly are you trying to do?"
"This is a dating show. What do you think I can do? Only you people are allowed to approach that guy Xie, but I'm not?"
Wang Zhengxiao: ...
That sounded fair enough.
"But you're being far too inconsiderate of his feelings. Why stand so close for no reason?"
"I didn't touch him. I just wanted to talk to him."
Xie Zhuzhou had run off before Wen Ruohuai could even get his threat out!
Again! He'd run off again!
Wen Nan's expression was not much better than Wang Zhengxiao's. His tone was mocking. "Don't you have a fiancé? Why come on this show?"
"A fiancé?!" Everyone was shocked, then looked toward the camera recording them.
Yu Wei had been in the living room with cucumber slices on her face. She sprang to her feet, sending several slices tumbling off.
She exclaimed in shock, "Wen Ruohuai, not only are you gay, you have a fiancé too?!"
Every gaze in the living room converged on Wen Ruohuai. His previously composed face finally lost its calm. "Why are you listening to Wen Nan's nonsense?!"
Wen Nan folded his arms and shrugged. "Didn't you say the fiancé was yours? Now that you're on a dating show, won't he get jealous?
"And is a fiancé some commodity? You can swap him whenever you want? Have him whenever you want? What are you, Wen Ruohuai, some universally adored heartthrob?"
Ever since encountering a man as rocklike as Xie Zhuzhou, Wen Nan had come to understand so much. After Xie Zhuzhou rejected him mercilessly, he finally understood that the world did not always revolve around any one person. Some things were not his, and were destined never to be his.
The slight upward curve of Wen Ruohuai's lips gradually faded. He stared at Wen Nan as though he wanted to eat him alive.
"What? Hit a sore spot? Or do you want to say it's my fault again?"
Yu Wei carefully draped an arm over Xuelai's shoulders and quietly enjoyed the drama, barely able to keep her expression under control.
Holy shit, they seemed to have heard something huge!
Wen Ruohuai dropped the act too and said viciously, "It wasn't your fault, but you enjoyed it, so you're at fault!"
Wen Nan nodded. "Yes, and you enjoyed the love my parents gave you, as well as the love your adoptive parents gave you. Everything they gave was yours. Wasn't that enough?"
Wang Zhengxiao stopped chopping potatoes altogether.
Bai Shankui and Zhuang Xingye had just returned from buying drinks. Hearing such explosive news the moment they came back put a little more life in their eyes.
Zhuang Xingye, who had come in behind her, nudged her. "Why aren't you moving?"
Bai Shankui raised her index finger. "Shh!"
Zhuang Xingye lowered his eyes and watched her quietly.