Author: 颜凉雨 / Yan Liang Yu

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 10

With the motor engine started, the bamboo raft transformed from a bicycle into a Ferrari, effortlessly cutting through the water. Soon, Ran Lin caught up with Gu Jie’s raft.

From a distance of about ten meters, Ran Lin wanted to shout a greeting, but upon closer inspection, he saw Gu Jie holding the same sheet of questions, murmuring to himself. Obviously, Gu Jie had started the rapid-fire Q&A later than him and was now in the midst of the tense part.

Ran Lin swallowed his call and silently overtook the raft. After passing some distance, he looked back and saw Gu Jie sprawled on his raft in a spread-eagle position while the boatman was collecting the bamboo pole to start the motor.

It seemed Gu Jie had succeeded too.

Ran Lin felt happy for his partner in his heart.

Because the program crew was really tricky; rowing the boat actually required technique, not just brute strength. Constantly rowing with low efficiency could easily frustrate the guests. If one were to think conspiratorially, perhaps the crew hoped for an emotional outburst from the guests or even for someone to give up entirely, which would make for an exciting episode.

Ran Lin overtook Gu Jie, becoming the second to arrive at Yangdi. The first was Zhang Beichen, who had been leading the way smoothly all along.

“How long have you been here?” Ran Lin greeted Zhang Beichen after disembarking.

“Not long.” Zhang Beichen smiled.

There was a little sweat, still not wiped off his temples, shining under the sun. It gave him an overall warm and gentle aura.

Ran Lin couldn’t help but tease. “Don’t be modest, you were way ahead. I used all my strength but didn’t even see your shadow.”

Zhang Beichen seemed genuinely embarrassed by the praise, scratching his head awkwardly. “How about I let you have first place? You can choose the room first tonight.”

Ran Lin was taken aback, not knowing how his joke was interpreted so deeply. He quickly clarified, “That’s not what I meant. I was just joking with you.”

Zhang Beichen blinked in confusion, as if still trying to gauge the truth of that statement.

Ran Lin, somewhat helplessly, said, “I can’t joke with you anymore. I’ve never seen anyone take things so seriously.”

Zhang Beichen finally seemed to believe him, exhaling deeply. “As long as you’re not angry, that’s good.”

“I’m too busy congratulating you to be angry.” Ran Lin felt almost defeated by his sincerity.

He had initially thought Zhang Beichen was just good-natured, but now realized he was a straightforward, Guo Jing*-like character. Ran Lin thought to himself that he must be straightforward with this partner in the future and avoid making any supposedly humorous jokes.

*Fictional protagonist of the wuxia novel The Legend of the Condor Heroes. According to the description, he is “dumb”, slow in learning and inarticulate. His most outstanding trait is his constant strife for moral rectitude.

“Beichen, Ran Lin—”

A loud call came from the river.

Both looked and saw that Gu Jie had arrived.

The young man on the bamboo raft was waving his arms with a rare excitement on his face. Ran Lin felt this excitement was more about finally reaching the shore, and it made Gu Jie more lively towards them. Of course, after almost a day of filming, everyone was gradually opening up.

After helping Gu Jie ashore, Ran Lin curiously asked, “Did you see Lu Yiyao and Xia Xinran?”

Gu Jie shook his head. “No, I was following you.”

Ran Lin smiled, then teasingly said, “Too bad, you still couldn’t catch up.”

Gu Jie wasn’t annoyed, just spreading his hands lightly. “How come I heard someone had an extra question during the rapid-fire Q&A?”

Ran Lin was stunned, then looked at Gu Jie, whose expressionless face betrayed a teasing glint in his eyes.

The one who looked clever turned out to be a straightforward, warm guy, while the serious one turned out to be capable of jokes.

Ran Lin was exhausted by this contrast, but he preferred to deal with Gu Jie’s jokes. “You only saw me eating meat, not getting beaten*. Others had bonus points in their extra questions; mine were life-threatening.”

*Metaphor referring to someone only noticing the benefits or good outcomes that a person is enjoying (eating meat) but fails to see the hardships, struggles, or sacrifices (getting beaten) that the person had to endure to achieve that success.

Gu Jie was momentarily stunned, then burst into laughter.

Ran Lin suddenly realized that Gu Jie wasn’t too concerned about the camera; it was just his personality was more reserved at first. Whether it was the indifference in the morning, the surprise attacks in the afternoon, or the current joking, Gu Jie was just being himself. “I’m not familiar with you, so I won’t make unnecessary conversation, but as we get to know each other better, I won’t pretend to be cool or show off.”

“I only heard about the extra question, so what exactly was it?” After laughing enough, Gu Jie finally became curious.

Ran Lin instinctively didn’t want to repeat the question—a kind of self-consciousness only he could understand. But facing Gu Jie, he tried to make his defeated expression look sincere and natural. “It’s too terrible. I don’t want to remember it. You’ll know when it’s broadcast.”

Fortunately, Gu Jie wasn’t the type to dig deeper. Although he couldn’t help but chuckle, he didn’t ask further.

An hour later, Xia Xinran and Lu Yiyao finally struggled to shore, the former a dozen seconds faster than the latter.

In the end, it was the motor that brought them over, but the three who had already arrived learned from the crew’s walkie-talkie—both of these partners had failed the rapid-fire Q&A game and had to continue manually. Later, the crew realized that if they kept going, there wouldn’t be enough time, so they finally allowed the motor to be started, speeding up the last part of the journey.

Lu Yiyao’s face didn’t look too good when he landed, mostly due to exhaustion, but his emotions weren’t too apparent. Xia Xinran was different. He rushed towards the three waiting friends, especially Ran Lin, and started complaining. “They set me up—”

Even a beautiful face couldn’t look good when scrunched up like a bun. Ran Lin laughed unkindly, then, before Xia Xinran completely lost his temper, finally asked the question all the partners were curious about. “What kind of trap did you fall into?”

Xia Xinran was clearly deeply hurt, still indignant. “They actually made me choose the female star I most want to work with among Wen Qiao, Wang Xinyu, Ai Na, and Yu Bingqiu!”

Ran Lin was startled by Xia Xinran’s bluntness.

No, it was more like startled four times. Each name mentioned made him jolt.

Although these four female stars were still considered “Little Flowers*” in the industry, they had already established themselves in the circle, each carrying a certain level of resources and popularity. Any rumor about them could prompt their teams to send out legal letters to marketing accounts.

*[Xiao Hua] (小花) Refers to almost all young actresses, regardless of their popularity, reputation, and acting skills. Because of the varied standards, Xiao Hua is divided into several lines, representing their status and popularity in the industry. Specifically, the first line covers the most popular actresses and whatnot. The most popular ones are generally called Liuliang Xiao Hua (流量小花).

The production crew on-site, like Ran Lin, displayed a subtle quietness.

“What’s with that expression? Isn’t this question tricky?” Xia Xinran misunderstood Ran Lin’s daze and continued indignantly, “They are all good friends. How can I choose one over another? How can we hang out together after this!”

What was a sensitive issue seemed completely trivialized by Xia Xinran’s righteous indignation. The atmosphere suddenly lightened.

Ran Lin was impressed and said with a laugh, “It’s tricky, really tricky. But actually, you could have chosen more than one.”

Xia Xinran looked astonished. “I could have chosen more than one?!”

Ran Lin thought carefully about the rules the staff member had told him. “It seems they didn’t say you couldn’t.”

In fact, his own question sheet didn’t have any multiple-choice questions. It seemed each guest had different questions, specifically targeted by the crew.

“So there’s a way to do this…” The beautiful young man, Xia Xinran, was full of emotion, feeling as if his soul had been elevated through Ran Lin’s guidance.

Xia Xinran’s moment of realization was too endearing. It was a surefire way to melt the hearts of older female fans and intoxicate the younger ones.

Lu Yiyao didn’t join the discussion, merely sitting casually nearby, resting.

Ran Lin wanted to show some concern for his colleague, but after glancing at his expression and considering his own reputation for always clinging to popular figures, he ultimately chose not to approach.

Fortunately, the production crew didn’t let everyone rest for too long. Seeing that all five people were present, they quickly urged everyone to return to the cruise ship.

The journey from Yangdi to Xingping was the most scenic stretch of the Li River. The production crew, finally showing some conscience and didn’t arrange any more tasks, allowed the five male stars to quietly enjoy a peaceful moment.

Ran Lin finally understood why the production team, even at the risk of breaking their own rules, had decided to start the motor for Lu Yiyao and Xia Xinran at the last moment. If they had delayed any longer, it would have been too dark, and they would have missed the opportunity to appreciate such a splendid landscape.

Traveling through the river, it felt as if they were drifting through a painting. If this was the case even in winter, the experience must be even more stunning in spring and summer.

However, the pleasant time was short-lived. The cruise ship soon docked at Xingping, and the five men boarded the familiar seven-seater vehicle, heading to Old Town Yangshuo.

By the time they arrived in Yangshuo, it was completely dark. The town was lively with the onset of evening lights, signaling the start of a vibrant nightlife.

The hungry men finally got to sit down for a meal. Although the crew had prepared local delicacies, the famished group could hardly appreciate the flavors and ate hungrily.

The camera dutifully recorded everything. After dinner, the last task of the day arrived—choosing rooms.

The crew had arranged five types of accommodations: a super luxurious hotel room, a standard hotel room, a hotel single room, a B&B, and a local home stay.

Zhang Beichen, having priority, chose a standard hotel room after some thought.

Ran Lin, second to choose, hesitated but picked the hotel single room.

Gu Jie, going third, sighed lightly, “You two are too polite,” and then calmly chose the luxury big bedroom.

Ran Lin knew that the other party was actually teasing them for their false modesty. Did they really not want to sleep in the luxury big bedroom? Of course, they did. But facing the camera, it was hard not to overthink things.

Actually, Ran Lin admired Gu Jie’s self-assuredness, just as he envied Xia Xinran’s easy-going nature. These were qualities he found hard to emulate. He lacked the courage and confidence.

Just as Ran Lin expected, Xia Xinran, who had thought he finally had a chance, was heartbroken after Gu Jie chose the luxury big bedroom. Xia Xinran was left listless, having to share the B&B and local homestay with Lu Yiyao.

After a satisfying meal and settling their accommodations, the five men went their separate ways.

The camera crew followed Ran Lin to his hotel single room, and he showed them around his soon-to-be residence. About fifteen minutes later, Bearded Cameraman Sun finally turned off the camera, hungry and ready to leave.

The production team had clearly stated in the contract that they would not install surveillance cameras in the guests’ accommodation; all footage came from the following camera. So, Bearded Cameraman Sun’s departure meant the day’s filming was completely over!

Ran Lin wanted to set off a thousand firecrackers in celebration.

He had no time to think about the others. Ran Lin collapsed into the soft mattress, feeling utterly drained.

He had no recollection of falling asleep. When the bedside phone rang, he groggily thought it was morning and that the hotel was providing a wake-up call.

“Were you asleep?” Wang Xi’s voice always had a way of instantly waking someone up.

“Ah, no,” Ran Lin answered hastily, looking confusedly at the still-dark window while searching for his phone to check the time.

“I’m coming up,” Wang Xi said, hanging up before Ran Lin could respond.

Ran Lin was dazed, his mind still not fully functioning, but his hand continued to search for his phone on the bed, as if finding it would bring him a sense of security.

It wasn’t until there was a knock at the door that Ran Lin finally came to his senses—his phone had been with Wang Xi since the early morning, before the program recording began.

It wasn’t just Wang Xi who came, but also Liu Wanwan.

“Ran Ge, you didn’t take any luggage and just wanted to sleep?” Liu Wanwan joked as she brought in Ran Lin’s suitcase, making herself at home.

Wang Xi glanced at her.

Liu Wanwan immediately quieted down, sticking out her tongue when Wang Xi looked away.

The single room wasn’t spacious. Besides a bed, there was only a table and a chair. Now, with two more people, the space seemed even more cramped.

“How do you feel?” Wang Xi pulled the chair to the bedside and sat down, asking Ran Lin while handing back his phone.

Ran Lin glanced at the time; it was only eleven at night.

No wonder he felt so exhausted; he had only slept for just over an hour.

“Not great.” Ran Lin put his phone aside and gave his answer carefully.

During the day, the production team didn’t allow the guests’ teams to follow the program’s filming. So in the morning, as soon as the five of them left, their respective managers and assistants moved here to wait for their artists to finish their engagements.

Therefore, what Wang Xi and the others could see was only the scene of the five leaving the hotel in Guilin in the morning and the scene of them just finishing their meal and choosing rooms in the hotel lobby.

Lu Yiyao and Xia Xinran’s teams had it even worse. To communicate with their artists closely after the recording, they probably had to follow them to the B&B or homestay, waiting until the filming was over and they had finished their discussions before they could return to the hotel to rest.

“What’s not great about it?” Wang Xi leaned back in her chair and asked calmly.

Ran Lin thought for a moment and said honestly, “Overall, the five of us lack chemistry, whether in conversation or games, it’s… particularly awkward. Then there’s my own issue. I always find myself unconsciously mindful of the camera, always afraid of saying something wrong or doing something inappropriate. It feels especially tiring.”

Wang Xi listened very attentively and patiently. It wasn’t until a long while after Ran Lin finished speaking that she slowly began, “So, you didn’t say anything wrong today, nor did you do anything that would attract negative attention?”

Ran Lin was caught off guard by her question and paused for a moment before responding with a wry smile. “I don’t know. All I can say is that my performance was definitely not natural, the kind of unnaturalness that can only be saved by some miraculous editing.”

“And what’s your plan for tomorrow?” Wang Xi raised her eyebrows slightly, her tone rising a bit. “Continue being awkward?”

Ran Lin caught the implied meaning and immediately replied with respectful humility, “I humbly request Xi Jie’s guidance.”

Wang Xi liked Ran Lin’s cleverness; it was one of the reasons she was willing to spend time and effort on him.

“Listen carefully, there are only two types of people who become popular in reality shows. One, those who can portray their intended character convincingly without being too slick or awkward, appearing so natural that all viewers believe that’s their real personality; the other, those who don’t play any character and just be themselves—they may not be perfect, but as long as there’s no major flaw in their personality and they have some shining qualities, sincerity is the easiest way to gain favor…”

Wang Xi said all this in one breath, pausing for a moment before looking deep into Ran Lin’s eyes. “But to the audience…”

“They’re actually the same kind of person.” Ran Lin was beginning to understand her point.

Wang Xi smiled in satisfaction, her delicate face softening with the smile. “Exactly. The audience only wants to see ‘the real artist’. Either be strong enough to act out ‘realness’, or just be yourself. Of course, the latter has its risks too. If you really are a person without any charm, then showing your heart to the audience won’t save you.”

Ran Lin thought hard for a moment. “I feel like I’m… alright, not too bland.” He seemed a bit embarrassed by his own self-praise and smiled sheepishly.

Wang Xi chuckled.

Liu Wanwan, however, was dumbfounded.

Ran Lin’s sudden shyness made him incredibly charming, and she swore that if Ran Lin adopted a shy persona in front of the camera, he could explode the hearts of countless young girls.

A lovable and bright young man, he was absolutely enchanting.

“That’s good. That’s the kind of confidence you need.” Wang Xi stood up, stretching her neck to relieve some stiffness. “Starting tomorrow, act as if the camera doesn’t exist. Apart from things like marketing gimmicks that can’t be discussed, say whatever you want to say and do whatever you want to do. Don’t worry about whether doing this will please the fans or doing that will attract criticism. Remember, anything that the production team dares to include in the show won’t ruin you.”

Ran Lin smiled brightly, feeling a sense of clarity and refreshment. “Okay.”

Only Liu Wanwan, hiding in the corner, secretly felt a bit of regret.

The shyness dissipated too quickly; his usual bright demeanor remained the main theme. Given his personality, it seemed unlikely he would become more subdued. But she then thought a fresh and natural style wasn’t bad either. Although it might not have a strong impact, it was subtly influential.

Wang Xi didn’t know that her assistant had already mentally planned out her artist’s entire career. Seeing that Ran Lin had understood, she felt relieved and instructed Liu Wanwan to help quickly pack up without delaying Ran Lin’s rest, and then left to continue with other tasks.

After Wang Xi left, Ran Lin said to the busy Liu Wanwan, “I can do it myself. You should rest early too.”

“It’s okay.” Liu Wanwan was energetically unpacking, asking, “Ran Ge, which clothes do you want to wear tomorrow? I’ll find them for you…”

Before the clothes came out, the bag for underwear peeked out, and Ran Lin quickly reached over and closed the suitcase with a bang.

Liu Wanwan was startled.

Ran Lin apologized profusely, gently saying, “I can do it, really. Don’t trouble yourself.”

Liu Wanwan looked at him quizzically for a few seconds, then suddenly asked, “Ran Ge, did you not have an assistant before?”

Her question hit the nail on the head, tinged with a sad undertone.

Without waiting for Ran Lin’s response, Liu Wanwan read the answer from his expression and laughed, “Ran Ge, sometimes you’re really cool, and other times, you’re incredibly cute, even cuter than Xia Xinran.”

Ran Lin was torn between laughter and tears. “Complimenting me won’t get you a raise.”

“Ran Ge.” Liu Wanwan abandoned the suitcase, looking up into Ran Lin’s eyes, her tone becoming serious. “Can I ask you a question?”

Ran Lin, not expecting her sudden seriousness, nodded without thinking. “Sure.”

“Is your relationship with Lu Yiyao really not good?”

“……”

Ran Lin was petrified, encapsulating his entire state at that moment.

Liu Wanwan lowered her eyes, sounding somewhat dejected. “This morning at the hotel in Guilin, there was no interaction between you two, and he didn’t even glance at you. Even if you’re not friends, as colleagues, it shouldn’t be like that.”

Ran Lin pondered for a long time, swallowing back the words ‘don’t ask too much’, and instead asked, “Can I first ask, is this question coming from a fan’s perspective, or as my assistant?”

Liu Wanwan lifted her head, blinking in surprise, before firmly saying, “Assistant.”

This wasn’t actually a question.

It was a choice.

If you choose A, you can’t share what you’ve heard with B.

Ran Lin explained the entire airport fiasco to Liu Wanwan, including the potential frustration and resentment of Lu Yiyao and his fans. However, he cautiously omitted the part about the company’s marketing hype.

Even so, this was enough to make the young girl go through dozens of expressions while listening. In the end, she looked deeply apologetic and uneasy.

“Why didn’t you refuse me when I asked you to sign that phrase?” Liu Wanwan, now knowing the full story, could easily guess that her Weibo post had only added fuel to the fire of Lu Yiyao’s disdain for Ran Lin. “Isn’t that like deliberately attracting negativity toward yourself?”

Ran Lin scratched his head somewhat helplessly. “It was me who offered to write you a phrase, so there was no reason to refuse when you asked. Besides, it’s been a whole year since anyone asked for my autograph. I didn’t want to disappoint you.”

Liu Wanwan’s eyebrows furrowed deeply. “At least you should have warned me not to post it on Weibo.”

Ran Lin gave a wry smile. “I didn’t expect you would actually post it.”

Liu Wanwan looked at him in disbelief. “Such an exciting event, of course, I had to post it.”

Ran Lin looked back at her, equally puzzled. “Don’t CP fans always advocate for keeping their fantasies to themselves?”

Liu Wanwan was left speechless. After a while, she sincerely said, “Ran Ge, you really know a lot…”

Meanwhile, Lu Yiyao, staying at a homestay, was still performing the extra task of the lowest-rung guest in front of the camera—making rice noodles.

It was 2:30 in the morning by the time he got to taste the rice noodles he had made himself.

The host, who stayed up late with him but seemed to enjoy every moment, asked, “How does it feel to eat the rice noodles you made yourself?”

Lu Yiyao pondered for a moment, then said, “I want to share this joy with all my colleagues.”

Around 3 in the morning, the National First Loves were awakened by startling knocks at their doors, only to be greeted with a bowl of lovingly made rice noodles.

Even Xia Xinran, staying in the B&B, wasn’t spared.

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