On the first day of the livestream, there had not been many romantic sparks on the dating show, and almost no sweet moments. Only Xuelai, Zhang Yin, Yu Wei, and Wang Zhengxiao had been doing their jobs. The rest had completely disregarded the show's requirements and whether the director lived or died, desperately proving themselves just so they could reach the summit and take the cable car down.
Although Bai Shankui was an ordinary participant, she actually had one identity as a fansite photographer and another as the renowned photographer KUI.
Before coming on the show, she had thought it would be rather boring. They were all big names, so it would probably be hard to capture their real selves.
After arriving, she discovered... it was hard for the show's guests not to be themselves.
Yesterday, under cover of darkness, she had slipped into the director's office and found a set of guest profiles sitting out in plain sight on his desk.
Wen Nan was not in the profiles, but there was an extra person named Xie Zhuzhou.
Xie Zhuzhou was probably an ordinary person like her.
The director had not mentioned any changes to the guests, so... could Xie Zhuzhou have arrived without anyone noticing?
What was the director doing? Perhaps asking Wen Nan would give her an answer.
Bai Shankui crunched through her last lollipop and rubbed her cheek. Hiss... her tooth hurt.
Xie Zhuzhou had no idea that, despite doing a perfectly good job as a background prop, someone had quietly noticed him and was observing him in secret, worried that he was a bird easily startled.
At noon, the director arranged for them to camp at the foot of the mountain. A clean, clear stream ran nearby, and the beautiful scenery made for an incredibly relaxing setting.
The sounds of nature seemed to envelop them in the mountains. Exhausted and starving, everyone nearly forgot their personas and identities in the entertainment industry.
After proceeding cautiously, Xie Zhuzhou finally chose to eat in a corner with the director.
Director Wang: ...
Xie Zhuzhou believed he had bought Director Wang off, just as he would bribe his own manservant to buy storybooks for him. Bracing himself, he held his lunch box and began eating with confidence, despite having no grounds for it.
Sticking with the director really did mean eating well.
Xie Zhuzhou gave himself a thumbs-up for his cleverness.
The livestream was on its lunch break too. Xuelai quietly searched for the hidden guest, believing she ought to seize the initiative.
But after looking around for ages, Xuelai discovered that the young man surnamed Xie was nowhere nearby.
Strange. Where had he gone?
Wang Zhengxiao had the same thought. He scanned the area while eating but could not spot Xie Zhuzhou anywhere.
He was certain he had not misheard yesterday!
There really was someone named Xie Zhuzhou among the guests!
A complicated mix of mystery, unease, and other feelings crept over him. He decided not to alert his quarry. He would catch him when he found him and ask him quietly.
Everything tasted delicious to Xie Zhuzhou. He had been accustomed to bland food before and had never expected strongly flavored dishes to pack such a punch. After eating Sichuan food, he scrambled around looking for water, his mouth burning, until the director handed him a bottle of Leibi.
This was truly... so refreshing.
"Huh?"
"Director Wang, this isn't... Sprite?"
"Oh, come on. We're lucky they sell anything at a tourist attraction. Just make do."
Xie Zhuzhou: ...
Fine. Even people had stand-ins.
Let alone soda.
Once Xie Zhuzhou had eaten his fill, he cradled his belly and waited to see when they could go back.
When he pricked up his ears to listen to the livestream, he heard that Wen Nan had made a mad dash just as Wen Ruohuai was one step away from the summit, finishing a step ahead of him.
Naturally, his prize was a little better than Wen Ruohuai's too.
Wen Nan received a tent provided by the show's sponsor, while Wen Ruohuai only got a thermos.
Zhuang Xingye, who had come first, received a luxury sofa set awarded by the country's largest furniture sponsor.
The prizes from second place onward were all kitchenware, with even refrigerators and washing machines among them.
For these people, each worth over ten million, that might have been small change, but even a mosquito's leg had meat on it. Everyone was happy to receive their prizes.
Xie Zhuzhou had no regrets either. He valued his life, and he had done his best. Going through the motions to humor the director was enough.
Director Wang paid no attention to brands, but the assistant director did. He could tell that every item of clothing on Xie Zhuzhou was worth a considerable amount, and Xie Zhuzhou was even better-looking than most male celebrities in the domestic entertainment industry. He immediately felt certain that Xie Zhuzhou must be someone important.
How was Xie Zhuzhou to know that everyone was full of schemes from head to toe?
Just as everyone was unwinding and enjoying their leisure time, Wen Ruohuai, who was sitting under a tree, discovered a praying mantis leg in his boxed lunch. His face turned livid with fury, and just then, Wen Nan happened to pass by after fetching water.
Their eyes met.
With the livestream off, they went straight at each other.
As their senior, Zhang Yin made a perfunctory attempt to intervene the first two times, then stopped bothering altogether. He even began drinking the bone broth his assistant had brought him, fully committed to healthy living.
The two were pulled apart so quickly that some people did not even have time to film the fight.
Wang Zhengxiao enjoyed the spectacle. He said with a laugh, "So this is what your entertainment industry is like."
The health-conscious film emperor offered no reaction beyond raising an eyebrow. "Young people are full of vigor and quick to anger. Isn't that normal?"
"Wen Ruohuai is a newly signed artist at your company, after all. You're just going to leave him to it?"
"He doesn't need me backing him up. Besides, I can't afford to cross the Wen family."
Wang Zhengxiao said, "Tch. You're just too lazy to get involved."
Yu Wei, who overheard their conversation, also wore a cold expression. She had done her makeup that morning, climbed a mountain along the way, and still had to keep her expressions under control. At this point, it was already good enough that she was not wearing the face of a corpse. She felt she was an out-and-out corporate slave too.
There were so many people losing their minds that it had already become normal in this society.
After eating, Zhuang Xingye went straight to the vehicle to rest.
By sometime after three in the afternoon, everyone had finally finished resting and returned to the villa.
The day's outdoor activities were over.
Xie Zhuzhou could only take his sea-stabilizing divine needle back to the vehicle and sit down. When he saw the driver, he gave a stiff smile, then turned back to stare straight ahead.
He now had his own set of social skills. Even without a manservant looking after him, he could live just fine.
Wen Nan spotted Xie Zhuzhou as soon as he got into the vehicle, and the corners of his mouth lifted slightly. Hmph, this guy really had come for him. Otherwise, surely he couldn't have come for Wen Ruohuai?
He admitted that Wen Ruohuai was fairly good-looking too, but that was all. He was such a green tea.
Rather than liking Wen Ruohuai, he might as well like him!
Wen Nan waited for the day this little fanboy, Xie Zhuzhou, expressed his admiration for him. When the time came, he would give him two autographs at most, and posters... Forget it. It was not as though he was stingy about these things. He would give him all of them.