Author: 颜凉雨 / Yan Liang Yu

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

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Chapter 22

Gentle, lover’s whisper-like light music began Lu Yiyao’s morning.

Awakening, Lu Yiyao experienced a moment of confusion, unsure if he was awake or still in a dream. His alarm had always been dynamic Western music, which made him wake up to an upbeat rhythm, sometimes even leading him to dance a few steps after turning it off.

Today’s wake-up tune was excessively soft, making one not want to get up but rather continue snuggling in the soft, fluffy blanket.

A hand suddenly stretched out from the adjacent bed, found the phone, flipped it screen-down on the nightstand, and the light music abruptly stopped. The white arm, like a swift snake, quickly retracted under the covers. The owner of the arm then lazily turned over and continued sleeping.

Lu Yiyao watched the guy lying on his side, facing him, speechless.

Last night, they hadn’t drawn the curtains when they went to bed. The entire window overlooked the lake, with the only visible object being the distant castle, eliminating the possibility of peeping. Plus, the room wasn’t very spacious, and drawing the curtains felt somewhat suffocating. Considering they had to get up early the next day and the sunlight would be nice, they decided against closing them.

But they miscalculated.

The winter sun always rises late, and at this moment, the room was only bright enough to dispel the darkness, far from clear and bright.

So Ran Lin continued to sleep uninhibitedly, blissfully unaware of the time in his dreams.

His face, pressed into the pillow, appeared somewhat flattened on one side, making the other half curiously plump and round. Watching him, Lu Yiyao recalled his female classmate from elementary school, an extremely distant memory that was sometimes clear but mostly vague. However, now it vividly resurfaced in his mind, so clear that he remembered her tearful eyes and the soft touch of her round cheeks when he pinched them.

The light music started again.

Lu Yiyao snapped back to reality, realizing he was reminiscing about his childhood while looking at his male co-star, which felt bizarre.

The white arm made its second appearance, flipping the previously turned phone back over, and then, just like before, swiftly withdrew under the covers, even more adept than five minutes ago.

Lu Yiyao silently picked up his phone, turned off the still untriggered alarm, and went to the bathroom to freshen up.

Returning from the bathroom, Ran Lin showed no signs of waking. Lu Yiyao finally understood that the alarm was set for him.

Tit for tat, Lu Yiyao unhesitatingly played his own style of alarm on his phone—

“Don’t you wish your girlfriend was hot like me~~ Don’t you wish your girlfriend was a freak like me~~ Don’t cha…*”

*The Pussycat Dolls – Don’t Cha.

Ran Lin’s eyes snapped open, and he sat up abruptly. His movements were quiet but impressive.

Lu Yiyao was startled and even forgot to turn off the alarm.

So the two of them sat there, staring at each other, listening to the entire chorus.

Finally, Lu Yiyao turned off the alarm, coughed awkwardly, and said, “Morning.”

Ran Lin blinked twice, then fairly commented, “It sounds pretty good.”

Lu Yiyao, looking at Ran Lin’s bedhead, thought he should stop pretending to be calm but still managed to hold back a smile and reminded, “Your alarm went off twice already.”

Unexpectedly, Ran Lin nodded calmly and seriously said, “Yeah, there’s actually a third time. I wake up on the third one.”

Lu Yiyao found this hard to believe. “The second time was before I freshened up, and there hasn’t been a third time since.”

“The first two were five minutes apart. The third is fifteen minutes later.”

“There’s a repeated alarm like that?”

“Three separate alarms set accordingly.”

“…”

“Can I… go freshen up now?”

What else could Lu Yiyao say? “Of course. Wish you a successful mission.”

Watching Ran Lin’s figure disappear into the bathroom, Lu Yiyao nodded in admiration. He was the type who couldn’t go back to sleep once awake. Usually, the alarm meant a new day had officially begun, so Ran Lin’s staged waking method seemed like a talent to him.

Breakfast was buffet-style at the hotel. When the two entered the dining area, many guests were already there. But more eye-catching were the three cartoon characters mingling in the restaurant: Goofy, whom they had seen yesterday, and Mickey and Judy, happily entertaining everyone with dance moves and welcoming anyone for photos.

With such characters around, no one paid attention to the entrance of the two stars and their two follow-up cameramen.

However, Ran Lin curiously glanced at Judy Hopps from “Zootopia”. Her fresh image among the traditional Disney characters was striking.

But before he could get a clear look at Judy, he was startled by a “fan” taking a photo with her.

Xia Xinran was almost hugging her, excitedly taking pictures and incessantly asking, “Where’s Nick? Isn’t he with you?”

Ran Lin imagined seeing the resignation on the face of the staff member inside the Judy costume.

His “roommate” and die-hard fan of Nick Wilde sat at a table in a distant corner, leisurely spreading jam on his bread, oblivious to everything behind him, leaving only a solitary, majestic silhouette to the world.

Lu Yiyao and Ran Lin walked straight towards him. Before reaching the table, Ran Lin couldn’t help but greet his companion with a chuckle. “Good morning.”

Gu Jie turned around, seeing his two partners, and smiled amicably, “Morning.”

“Didn’t go for a photo?” Lu Yiyao casually asked as he pulled out a chair.

Ran Lin couldn’t help but notice Lu Yiyao’s playfulness, which seemed to appear out of nowhere without warning.

“I prefer to keep a low profile,” Gu Jie replied briskly, but the weariness in his eyes betrayed him.

Ran Lin, amused, asked directly, “How did you sleep last night?”

Gu Jie glanced deeply in Xia Xinran’s direction, then withdrew his gaze after a long moment. “A new day. I only look forward.”

In the end, neither Ran Lin nor Lu Yiyao could figure out what kind of inhumane torment Xia Xinran had inflicted on Gu Jie. Gu Jie didn’t want to talk about it, and according to Xia Xinran, he was an excellent roommate.

After a short while, Zhang Beichen and Tang Xiaoyu also arrived, and the six of them shared a cozy breakfast together. Finally, forty minutes before the park opened, they boarded a ferry at Star Wish Lake to head to the theme park.

On the second day of filming, the six still wore their blue and white-printed sweatshirts. Yesterday’s “team uniform”, which seemed oddly childish at the TV tower, looked playful and harmoniously blended with the whimsical atmosphere of today.

As soon as they boarded the ferry, the program staff began distributing Disney passports to the guests.

Once the passports were distributed, the director immediately stepped in front of the camera and hurriedly explained, “Because there will be many people at the entrance later, I need to explain today’s tasks here. First, everyone can pull out the colored paper clipped in the passport. This is a list, and the items on it are the tasks everyone must complete today…”

With six people and only three passports, everyone wasn’t sure what the production team was thinking, but they naturally shared the passports since the director was speaking. Ran Lin had taken a seat randomly when boarding the ferry and ended up next to Zhang Beichen. The passport was handed to Zhang Beichen, so without waiting for Ran Lin to speak, Zhang Beichen pulled out the list for both of them to view, as the director explained.

Ran Lin didn’t speak but felt quite comfortable about it.

As the director said, the list outlined four tasks: “Collect fourteen dream stamps”, “Experience eight happy dreams”, “Take two beautiful photos”, and “Watch one spectacular performance.”

Before they could examine the details, the director established today’s main rule. “Whoever completes all the tasks on the list in the shortest time will be our Fairy Tale First Love team for today, and the ultimate Fairy Tale First Love will be selected from this group!”

Everyone suspected they misheard and unanimously looked at the director. “Team?”

The director matter-of-factly responded, “Yes, there are only three passports, so today it’s not a competition among six people, but between pairs—three teams competing against each other!”

Gu Jie had a bad premonition and interrupted without minding manners. “How are the teams divided?”

The director grandly gestured, “Naturally, according to the rooms. Staying together last night was to build your rapport!”

Gu Jie: “…”

Xia Xinran: “…What?! “

Ran Lin wanted to turn and see his “teammate’s” reaction, but the director’s following words stopped him—

“The ferry is about to dock, so please be prepared. The park will be crowded. Although the park supports our filming, there are operational rules, so today’s primary condition is not to affect other visitors. Therefore, during filming, only the cameraman will follow you. Please queue and wait as needed, always demanding of yourselves the standards of an ordinary visitor. Anything else, gentlemen?”

“Yes.” Both Ran Lin and Lu Yiyao raised their hands and spoke simultaneously.

They looked at each other, equally astonished.

The director nodded naturally. “As expected, staying together builds rapport. Feel free to speak your mind.”

Both thought the other had the same idea, so when the director prompted them to speak, they both started—

Ran Lin: “Ordinary visitors have mobile phones.”

Lu Yiyao: “Ordinary visitors have wallets.”

Ran Lin, Lu Yiyao: “…”

Rapport is indeed a whimsical sprite.

The director wasn’t fazed by multiple questions. “Mobile phones are still not allowed. Although you need to hold yourselves to the standards of ordinary visitors, you are, after all, a special group on a mission, and we seek this unknown joy… As for wallets, yes, today you can bring them to shop in the park’s stores for merchandise or specialty food. After all, it’s rare to come here, and the production team wouldn’t want to deprive you of fun. But remember, you are just ordinary visitors, so please carry any purchases yourselves. Therefore, I suggest you leave shopping until later…”

“Any other clarifications, gentlemen?” The director hurriedly checked as they approached the park entrance. “Once inside, you can only contact the production team through the walkie-talkies with the cameramen, so don’t lose them.”

The six nodded solemnly.

Not because the director was stern, but because the ferry was docking, and they already felt the impending turmoil from the dense crowd waiting to enter the park.

Half an hour before the actual opening time, the entrance began ticket checking. However, those who entered couldn’t start enjoying the attractions; they were all held at Main Street, waiting for the barricades to open.

The production team looked impressive on the ferry, but once submerged in the sea of people, they became inconspicuous. Soon, Ran Lin couldn’t spot the director anymore.

Lu Yiyao, holding the passport, waited for his partner, but turned around to find him discussing the list with Xia Xinran, much to his chagrin.

“Ran Lin.” Lu Yiyao directly called out.

Ran Lin looked up. “Hmm?”

Lu Yiyao took a deep breath and let it out slowly, managing a gentle smile. “The handsome guy beside you seems to be from the opposing team.”

Xia Xinran finally got his chance and loudly offered, “I’ll switch with you. Gu Jie’s yours!”

Lu Yiyao was exasperated; what did he want with Gu Jie? Did Gu Jie have a secret strategy?

Gu Jie, wearing sunglasses and aloofly enjoying his time, completely ignored them. He was already paired with Xia Xinran, so nothing worse could happen in his world.

The idea of switching teams ultimately didn’t materialize because Lu Yiyao, with the irrefutable reason of “Hey, it seems there are fewer people queuing over there,” led Ran Lin from the end of one queue directly to another end several ticket checks away. Xia Xinran immediately grasped this silent refusal and could only look at Ran Lin with a sigh.

Finally having some peace, Lu Yiyao could focus on discussing the task list with Ran Lin.

1. “Collect fourteen dream stamps”—find stamping machines at fourteen specified locations based on clues in the Disney passport and stamp the corresponding dream stamps in fourteen blank spaces reserved in the passport.
2. “Experience eight happy dreams”—experience eight specified attractions in the park.
3. “Complete two beautiful photos”—take a photo each with Mickey at “Mickey’s Fantasy Garden” and with one of the twelve friends at “Twelve Friends Garden”.
4. “Watch one spectacular performance”—choose and watch one of the several performances shown in the park every day from beginning to end.

“What are your thoughts?” Lu Yiyao, having done some cursory research on Shanghai Disney the night before, anticipated that the tasks would involve the park. But now, seeing these tasks, he only had one word in mind—headache.

“My thoughts are the same as yours.” Ran Lin sighed, pointing to the second item on the list. “Just queuing for these eight attractions could drive anyone insane.”

Lu Yiyao pondered for a moment. “We can only hope for the Fast pass.”

The Fast pass allows visitors to experience several attractions without queuing, directly through a fast lane. But each person can only obtain one Fast pass every two hours, and the Fast pass specifies the time slot for the experience.

The good news was, half of the eight required attractions used Fast pass.

The bad news was that the tasks required both team members to experience the attractions together, meaning they couldn’t split up to get Fast passes for different attractions (A and B). They could only get Fast passes together for the same attraction (either A or A, or B or B).

“The longest queue is for Soaring Over the Horizon,” Lu Yiyao recalled from his research.

“Everyone says that the longest queue is for ‘Soaring Over the Horizon’,” Lu Yiyao recalled as he saw Ran Lin studying the list seriously.

Ran Lin nodded, sharing his strategy. “It’s the most popular attraction in the park. Even now, in this cold weather, the queue time is still around two hours, sometimes even up to three hours. Just imagine when the weather gets warmer, and more tourists come…”

Lu Yiyao’s expression was filled with black as he imagined images of surging crowds. “If we queue for it, we won’t get anything else done in the morning.”

Ran Lin folded the list and tucked it back into the passport. “But think about it this way: if we can conquer it in a very short time, we’ll gain a three-hour advantage. Three hours…” Ran Lin looked up, his eyes blazing as he gazed at his teammate, as if to say, “With these three hours, we can win even lying down on the later tasks.”

But Lu Yiyao was too absorbed in his thoughts to notice Ran Lin’s burning gaze.

All he had on his face was a look of hesitation about the uncertain future. “The premise is that we can conquer it quickly. I saw someone say last night that even those who rushed in to get the Fast pass for it as soon as they entered didn’t manage to get it. They were gone in seconds.”

Ran Lin finally gave up on trying to subtly guide with his thoughts and directly grabbed Lu Yiyao’s arm. When Lu Yiyao finally looked over, Ran Lin’s eyes, blazing with intense flames, locked onto his teammate. “If you trust me, as soon as we get in, just follow me and run.”

In the late winter of Shanghai, Lu Yiyao saw his own iron armor burning in his teammate’s fiery gaze.

Why am I thinking of iron armor? Lu Yiyao frowned in confusion.

“Lu Yiyao?” Ran Lin waited for his teammate’s response. Otherwise, the fire in his eyes would extinguish.

Lu Yiyao steadied himself and nodded forcefully. “Okay.”

Ten minutes later, the tourists who had been waiting on Mickey Avenue for a long time finally saw the ropes blocking the way fall down. Without a starter gun, over 70% of the people rushed towards Adventure Isle—where Soaring Over the Horizon was located— in a frenzy.

After entering the park, Ran Lin and Lu Yiyao weren’t at the very front of Mickey Avenue, but they quickly chased up with their unwavering belief and impressive physical strength, reaching the first echelon.

But even this first echelon was astonishingly large, and Lu Yiyao looked up to see a sea of heads.

Finally, a fork in the road appeared. Turning there would lead to the Explorer Canoes!

“That’s also on the list!” Seeing about 20% of the people turn at the fork, Lu Yiyao shouted uncertainly to his teammate, who was a step ahead.

Without looking back and picking up speed, Ran Lin replied, “Don’t worry about it, follow me. Everything else can wait, but there’s only one chance for the ultimate flight!”

Lu Yiyao chose to trust his teammate and endured.

However, temptation seemed to have been prearranged. Just after passing the fork, they saw the Thunder Mountain Rafting. If Lu Yiyao remembered correctly, this attraction on the list also had a long queue, but now there were hardly any people there!

“Soaring Over the Horizon” was still nowhere in sight.

This task was within reach!

“Ran Lin—”

“No!”

“I haven’t even said anything yet!”

“I have eyes on the back of my head—”

“……”

The two, running as if their lives depended on it, were blunt and to the point, their words hitting right at the heart.

In the midst of their brief conversation, they passed by the Rafting. Lu Yiyao regretfully looked back, feeling as if he had missed the entire world.

Suddenly, Lu Yiyao realized something was wrong, as many people around him started running back!

Looking closely, he saw that the left side of the road was fenced off with a long, snake-like queue for the Fast pass self-service area at the end!

“Ran Lin—”

“No!”

“Fast pass—”

“Forget it!”

“……”

What the hell is this!

In the midst of shouting to each other, Lu Yiyao had already reached the entrance of the snaking queue. The reason he felt many people were running back was that the self-service ticket area was near, but the entrance to the snaking queue was further ahead. So, many people who entered the queue had to follow it backwards to reach the ticket area.

Now, 70% of the first echelon chose to get the Fast pass!

The snaking queue was rapidly filling up!

This was the third opportunity Lu Yiyao had seen.

The first was the no-queue fork to Explorer Canoes.

The second was the no-queue entrance to Thunder Mountain Rafting.

The third was the ticket area for the Fast pass for Soaring Over the Horizon, which required queuing but guaranteed a Fast pass.

Once or twice could be ignored, but not the third time!

Lu Yiyao gritted his teeth, skidded to a halt, and was about to turn left.

Ran Lin, as if anticipating this, stopped abruptly and turned back. “You said you’d trust me!”

Lu Yiyao gestured to the big picture. “Everyone is getting Fast passes. We won’t get any if we don’t now!”

Ran Lin was both anxious and angry. “Lu Yiyao!”

Lu Yiyao was also anxious. “Ran Lin!”

Ran Lin: “You are really handsome.”

Lu Yiyao: “…”

Vanity is indeed a fatal weakness!!!

In the latter half, Lu Yiyao no longer hesitated and followed Ran Lin to the end of Adventure Isle to Soaring Over the Horizon. The queue had already formed, but only inside the building, with the extensive outdoor snaking queue area empty.

Without a word, they rushed in and queued up at the end of the line.

This 4D spherical screen viewing experience in a completely enclosed, dark environment didn’t allow the camera to capture much of the guests, so the follow-up crew finally got a brief rest outside.

Fifteen minutes later, the pair settled into their seats.

During this time, Lu Yiyao realized that, with the current queuing situation at the Fast pass area, they wouldn’t get a chance when it was their turn. The Fast passes would be long gone, and the delay would be costly. Hence, Ran Lin’s insistence on running this way.

Like Ran Lin said earlier, there was only one chance to conquer this attraction quickly.

And that was the first moment the park opened!

As the staff checked each guest’s safety belt, Lu Yiyao secretly gave Ran Lin a thumbs up.

Ran Lin, with a face flushed from running, shyly smiled, a stark contrast to the assertive person who earlier claimed to have eyes on the back of his head.

They hadn’t seen the other four companions along the way, and Lu Yiyao didn’t know if they’d run too fiercely and missed them or if the companions had other tactics and choices.

But for now, they had indeed saved at least two hours. And strangely, Lu Yiyao felt a long-lost joy from it. At some point, he forgot they were filming a show and felt like he was back in his childhood, playing games with friends, uncomplicated and pure. Winning and being called the “king” brought immense satisfaction.

A satisfaction hard to come by in adulthood.

So he remembered it until now.

The lights dimmed, the seats slowly rose, and a cool breeze started blowing from an unknown place in the dark.

King Lu suddenly gripped the armrest tightly. As the feeling of emptiness grew under his feet and the screen in front brightened, his palms began to sweat…

It’s just a theme park. Why is the high-altitude visual effect so realistic?

Alright, realism he could handle. He could just close his eyes if needed, but why did the chair have to fly too!

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Kinky Thoughts:

I mean, with an alarm tone like that, there’s no question that you’re bent Lu Yiyao.

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<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 颜凉雨 / Yan Liang Yu

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

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Chapter 21

While drawing lots, Ran Lin was hoping to share a room with Xia Xinran, or at least Zhang Beichen or Gu Jie. It’s not that he had anything against Tang Xiaoyu, but having never met him before, their first interaction might inevitably lead to awkward moments with no topics to talk about.

But even Tang Xiaoyu was a better option than Lu Yiyao.

Regarding the issue of gaining popularity, objectively speaking, it was already a closed chapter. He had apologized to Lu Yiyao, and Lu Yiyao didn’t hold a grudge. He stopped provoking, and Lu Yiyao didn’t dwell on it, so the dust had settled.

However, emotionally, the not-so-happy memories of their acquaintance still lingered. The saying “a smile can bury all past grievances*” is touching because most people can’t do it. It’s already quite impressive to nod in acknowledgment upon meeting again, expecting a deep brotherly bond is simply unreasonable. So, while it was fine when all five of them were together, the thought of being alone in a closed space with Lu Yiyao made him feel a bit pressured.

*Refers to individuals who have had past conflicts or misunderstandings meet again and are able to share a genuine smile, signifying the dissolution of past animosities and the beginning of a new understanding or reconciliation. The key point is that these people have the grace to forgive and move on from the past, which a lot of people can’t.

Moreover, based on the experience of the first three episodes, the filming usually lasted until about 10 or 11 p.m. After that, when the cameramen would leave, he and Lu Yiyao would enter a phase of “true selves”—and God knows what they could talk about. The thought of that desolate scene with a cold wind blowing through…

But fate, that teasing demon, is always so magical and unpredictable.

Seeing the Tigger in Lu Yiyao’s hand, Ran Lin felt like crying.

But he couldn’t cry, because after a moment of surprise, Lu Yiyao turned and looked straight at him. “We’re in the same room.”

The mainland star gave his judgment, and his tone sounded quite… accepting?

Ran Lin thought he must be daydreaming, but since the olive branch had been extended, he had to respond with kindness.

With that in mind, Ran Lin waved his round tag and gently smiled at his roommate for the night. “Please take care of me, Tigger.”

After Lu Yiyao, Gu Jie and Tang Xiaoyu respectively drew Anna and Minnie, naturally finding their roommates.

Xia Xinran was reasonably happy with this arrangement, spreading his arms. “Come on, Sister Anna.”

Gu Jie, standing still, flatly refused. “I’m afraid of getting frostbite.”

Ran Lin quietly reminded his friend. “Frostbite can be cured with a true love’s kiss…”

Gu Jie was petrified.

Xia Xinran gave Ran Lin a sharp look. “Ran Lin, you’ve changed…”

Ran Lin smirked, but his smiling eyes made it hard to get mad at him.

Lu Yiyao suddenly had an epiphany about the unsolved mystery from yesterday. “You weren’t cramming Disney stuff yesterday, were you?”

Ran Lin was surprised. “How did you know?”

Saying that he crammed Disney just from the true love’s kiss remark seemed far-fetched, especially since everyone had seen <Frozen>.

Lu Yiyao facepalmed. “Is it that hard to guess…”

Yesterday’s secret strategy Weibo and today’s quick guess about the Disney hotel, anyone could analyze that Ran Lin was doing his homework in that direction.

The two, who completely missed each other’s points, could have continued the discussion, but the production team couldn’t wait any longer. Seeing the groups formed, they immediately arranged for the guests to get on the bus and head straight to the Disney Resort.

The journey was swift, with the director’s team occasionally coordinating via walkie-talkies with the staff in each car, so the two soon forgot about their conversation.

The Disneyland Hotel, located south of Disneyland and separated only by Wishing Star Lake, offers views of the Disney Castle through the windows across the lake.

Ran Lin had learned all this while doing his research. But no matter how much you read or how many photos you see, they’re all someone else’s experiences and flat images. Only when actually sitting on the boat at the lakeshore, looking at the distant dreamy castle, and slowly recalling those splendid fairy tales—Snow White, Peter Pan, Beauty and the Beast, Toy Story, Alice in Wonderland… did Ran Lin truly understand why people linger and return here.

You might not like those soft and sweet fairy tales.

But there’s always something that hits the childhood heart you thought you didn’t have.

Theme parks are made for dreaming.

The more you cooperate with it, the more you immerse yourself, the more beautiful the dream becomes.

“Do you also want to take a picture together?” Lu Yiyao, having received the room card from the staff, asked Ran Lin, who was still looking at the “Goofy” that had appeared in the lobby a while ago.

Ran Lin glanced at the cartoon character now surrounded by a crowd of guests in the lobby and sighed, “I probably can’t get in line.”

The lobby was mostly filled with guests with children, so the cartoon characters had much more appeal than the so-called stars.

Lu Yiyao chuckled. “Then let’s not long for it. We can see anyone we want when we go into the park tomorrow.”

Ran Lin looked at him. “Are you sure the production team will let us relax like that?”

Lu Yiyao, realizing the reality. “…I admit, I shouldn’t have brought up such a sad topic.”

The two exchanged a look, their smiles revealing a hint of weariness.

The “luxurious scenic room” described by the director wasn’t that luxurious, but rather quaint and delicate. The room had intricately patterned carpets, brightly colored cartoon paintings, transparent half-floor-to-ceiling windows, two spacious single beds with Disney Castle and Tinker Bell shining stars on the headboards, and vintage-style lamps hanging above.

“It’s really cute.” Lu Yiyao quickly finished surveying the room and gave an appropriate comment.

Ran Lin casually strolled towards the TV, hinting, “There’s something even cuter…”

Before Lu Yiyao could react, Ran Lin quickly opened the cabinet under the TV!

The entire cabinet door fell down, revealing a small children’s bed, and the interior of the so-called cabinet was a mural of a sleeping Mickey Mouse, which was absolutely adorable!

Ran Lin looked at Lu Yiyao expectantly, his eyes shining like the stars above the bed.

Lu Yiyao was indeed surprised, staring at the magical little bed for a while before genuinely saying, “It’s very cute.”

Ran Lin was defeated by his response. “Apart from cute, do you have any other adjectives…”

Lu Yiyao racked his brain and finally found another word. “Interesting?”

Ran Lin slumped onto the small bed, deflated. He had come to realize that this person, Lu Yiyao, simply lacked a childlike heart. Lu Yiyao understood the disappointment in Ran Lin’s eyes, although it was well-concealed. But to be disliked for this seemed rather unjust.

“This place is indeed quite dreamy,” Lu Yiyao felt the need to defend himself, “but Disney’s most classic themes are princess dreams, like Jasmine, Belle, Merida, and Elsa. It’s normal for me not to be interested.”

The implication was that it was strange for Ran Lin to be so interested.

Ran Lin was a bit confused. “If you’re not interested, how did you remember so many names…” He had crammed for two days and still couldn’t match all those names to their characters.

Lu Yiyao paused, surprised by his own “knowledge reserve”, but quickly he recalled the culprit from his memory. “When I was in middle school, I had a roommate who was crazy about Disney. He watched all Disney animations, including the very early ones, and often rewatched them. Sometimes, out of curiosity, I would watch a bit with him.”

This was unexpected for Ran Lin.

But once Lu Yiyao mentioned it, Ran Lin recalled, “I remember you studied abroad in middle school, right?”

Lu Yiyao hesitated before simply replying with a “yeah”, then quickly stood up and walked to the half-floor-to-ceiling window, as if expectantly asking, “Will there be fireworks at the castle later?”

“I don’t know.” Ran Lin cooperated in changing the topic. “We can wait and see.”

In the end, there were no fireworks at the castle.

But the light show was quite interesting, watching the distant twinkling castle through the window.

But Ran Lin knew that Lu Yiyao wasn’t really looking forward to these.

He just needed something to break the previous conversation and end the topic about his past that he didn’t want to delve into.

Ran Lin regretted being too talkative.

Perhaps because Lu Yiyao’s attitude was exceptionally “friendly” today, he had unconsciously relaxed.

The filming crew left precisely at 22:00.

Ran Lin thanked them, and Lu Yiyao wished them good night.

As the hotel door closed again, both men threw themselves onto their beds, one lying flat on his back, staring at the ceiling, and the other face down, his face against the sheet.

“Who’s going first?” Lu Yiyao’s question was abrupt, and even he felt like he needed to add something.

But Ran Lin immediately answered, “You go first. I’m slow, so you won’t have to wait.”

It’s a special feeling when thoughts align.

The last time Lu Yiyao felt this way was with Huo Yuntao. Often, after saying just a few words, the other person would understand the whole story. But Huo Yuntao had been his close friend throughout middle school and remained in contact to this day. It was miraculous that he and Ran Lin, who had only known each other for a few days, had such a connection…

“Aren’t we talking about taking a shower?” Ran Lin saw that Lu Yiyao didn’t get up after his response but instead gave him a peculiar look, thinking he might have guessed wrong, and clarified again.

“Oh, yes, that’s what we’re talking about.” Lu Yiyao came back to his senses, got out of bed, and walked towards the bathroom. Just as he was about to enter, he stopped and turned back. “I also take a while to shower, so don’t rush me. It’s dangerous if I slip and hit my head on the bathtub.”

Ran Lin couldn’t help but laugh. “You only had to say, ‘don’t rush me.’ You don’t need to put yourself in such a gory scenario just to be persuasive.”

Lu Yiyao shook his head, giving him a gentle smile. “I don’t like using imperatives.”

As the sound of water filled the bathroom, Ran Lin was still immersed in Lu Yiyao’s smile.

He’s unfairly handsome!

Ran Lin had known Lu Yiyao was handsome, but today he seemed especially so.

Was it because their interaction exceeded his expectations, making him view Lu Yiyao with gratitude?

He had expected awkwardness and discomfort in their alone time, but it turned out surprisingly harmonious. Today, Lu Yiyao was gentler and more approachable than before.

During the day, Ran Lin thought it was his imagination.

But now, he was sure there had been a subtle change in Lu Yiyao.

Or perhaps, this was the real Lu Yiyao?

Although Lu Yiyao had said he wasn’t quick in the shower, he didn’t actually spend much time in the bathroom before coming out in a bathrobe.

Ran Lin, while playing with his phone, naturally looked up when he heard the sound, and then… he was frozen. It was as if he was spellbound, not moving an inch, not even blinking, completely captivated by the man before him.

There couldn’t be a sexier man in the world than Lu Yiyao.

At that moment, Ran Lin truly believed it.

His wet hair was still dripping with droplets, a few rebellious strands playfully curling over his forehead, hiding his handsome brows but not his peach blossom eyes. His lips were slightly thick, but just the right amount—the kind you’d want to bite into…

Ran Lin, you beast!

The gay man suddenly realized what he was thinking and internally sounded the alarm.

That was dangerous—he was actually having inappropriate thoughts about Lu Yiyao. He must be crazy…

Surely their earlier mental alignment was a fluke, Lu Yiyao thought, because right now he couldn’t figure out what Ran Lin was thinking. Ran Lin first stared at him as if he was a predator, and now he was avoiding eye contact, looking like he wanted to punch someone.

“I’m going to take a shower.”

The abrupt statement, though spoken gently, seemed out of place. To Lu Yiyao, it seemed as if Ran Lin had sprung out of bed and brushed past him.

“Be careful, the floor is wet…” Lu Yiyao didn’t finish his warning before the bathroom door slammed shut.

What happened?

Lu Yiyao, while drying his hair, frowned, his gaze accidentally landed on Ran Lin’s phone left on the bed. He had an epiphany.

He must have seen those comments on Weibo again.

Lu Yiyao sat down, his previously lightened mood turning heavy.

Throughout the day’s filming, he had wondered whether Ran Lin was truly okay or just putting on a brave face and why he was so preoccupied with him. In the end, he could only conclude it was curiosity.

Just like when he asked his assistant about being criticized on Weibo, it stemmed from the same curiosity. Lu Yiyao himself didn’t pay much attention to or have strong feelings towards Weibo comments, so he wanted to know the general reaction to negative comments on Weibo and then use this to gauge Ran Lin’s response.

And what would he do after figuring it out?

Lu Yiyao thought it was probably just to confirm whether his imagined image of Ran Lin crying pitifully was accurate or not.

Hot water freely poured from the showerhead, showering down on him, causing a shiver. Ran Lin stood motionless, letting the water flow over him, and gradually, with the rising steam, he began to relax.

Lu Yiyao was poisonous.

If before, the charm was fragmented in his appearances on TV, his seriousness on the deserted island, and his tolerance when saying enough was enough, now, after the shower, these aspects had merged into a whole. It was like Tony Stark donning his armor and finally becoming Iron Man.

Ran Lin was a die-hard fan of Iron Man.

“In the end,” Ran Lin poked his head with his finger, muttering under his breath, “you’re just superficial…”

But another voice in his head asked, “Would you react the same way if it was Xia Xinran coming out of the shower?”

Ran Lin tried hard to imagine it and found that in his mind, Xia Xinran opening his bathrobe would always lead to a blizzard, with him dancing and singing “Let it Go” as he did.

The shower was warm.

Ran Lin felt frozen by his own imagination.

Hoping that Lu Yiyao would be asleep by the time he finished his shower, Ran Lin dawdled in the bathroom for over an hour until he felt overwhelmingly sleepy. He then quickly grabbed the shower gel and finished up.

After washing, he spent a long time in the bathroom, drying his hair until every strand was light and airy. Then, wrapped in his bathrobe, he tiptoed out of the bathroom.

The lights in the room were off, leaving only the warm yellow light of the corridor lamp by the bathroom door. Ran Lin stood under the lamp, unconsciously glancing at Lu Yiyao’s bed…

Click.

The vintage lamp hanging above Lu Yiyao’s bed lit up perfectly timed, as if illuminated by Ran Lin’s gaze.

Under the vintage lamp sat Lu Yiyao at the head of the bed, looking a bit tired but still very awake. Under the corridor light stood Ran Lin, his face slightly flushed from the long exposure to heat, now wavering with uncertainty.

“What are you standing there for?” Lu Yiyao asked, yawning involuntarily.

Ran Lin, watching him, yawned too, and finally, amidst the yawn, he managed to ask somewhat naturally, “Why haven’t you slept yet?” He then quickly walked to the bed and sat down…

Huh?

His butt suddenly felt a jab.

Ran Lin reached in to retrieve the “culprit” from between his butt and the mattress, only to find it was his phone. He felt a moment of relief; sitting directly on the screen wouldn’t only be costly but also embarrassing.

Lu Yiyao, holding back laughter, said, “I was just about to warn you, but you were too quick.”

Ran Lin, flustered, shook his phone. “It’s okay. My phone is very sturdy. It even survived falling into a bowl of instant noodles.”

Imagining the scene, Lu Yiyao almost smelled the beef broth. “What about the noodles?”

Ran Lin chuckled. “I had just finished eating. Only the soup was left when it fell in.”

“That timing…” Lu Yiyao admired, but before he could finish his thought, he pondered something deeper and advised, “Actually, you don’t always need to be glued to your phone. You can dine with the TV on or listen to music or something.”

Ran Lin didn’t think much of it, casually replying, “The phone is more convenient.”

Lu Yiyao didn’t know how to continue; any response seemed forced, so he changed the topic. “How did you know we were coming to Disneyland?”

Ran Lin realized that Lu Yiyao seemed prepared for a long conversation. Otherwise, it would have been more straightforward to say goodnight earlier.

But what did Lu Yiyao have to talk about with him so late at night? It didn’t make sense that Lu Yiyao would suddenly consider him a true friend after they had just started getting along better…

“Hm?” Lu Yiyao noticed Ran Lin’s drifting attention and reminded him.

“Oh, I actually didn’t know,” Ran Lin quickly answered, coming back to his senses. “I was just idle and thought I’d do some homework, just in case. Didn’t expect to actually guess it right.”

Lu Yiyao nodded, seemingly finding this explanation reasonable and believable.

Ran Lin internally sighed with relief, hoping Lu Yiyao would quickly feel sleepy and go to bed.

In late winter Shanghai, the indoor chill was bone-piercing. Despite the air heater, Ran Lin sneezed unintentionally. He quickly grabbed a pillow to lean against the headboard, mimicking Lu Yiyao, and pulled the blanket over him, feeling a bit warmer. Just as he settled under the blanket, he heard Lu Yiyao say, “That’s nice.”

Ran Lin looked at him blankly, unsure if he was complimenting the blanket or his sneeze. But Lu Yiyao was saying, “I don’t even have a moment to breathe, let alone do homework.”

Ran Lin was taken aback, realizing that conversations with Lu Yiyao required full attention, or you’d lose track of the topic.

But despite his internal complaint, he sincerely said, “Being busy is a good thing. Many people wish they could be busy. Like me, I only have one show a week. My schedule is so empty, I can’t bear to look at it.”

“When your schedule gets so packed you can’t write everything down, you’ll know how precious holidays are.” Lu Yiyao shared his own feelings. “Now, I can only sleep in waiting rooms. As soon as I get off the plane, it’s straight to work. Sometimes, if the fan crowd at the airport gets too uncontrollable, the airport staff will ask me to take a different exit or find a way to avoid them. It’s like being a thief.”

“No wonder you used a body double that time at the airport.” Ran Lin said this without thinking, naturally continuing the conversation, but as soon as he finished, he wanted to kick himself for bringing it up.

“Yet, you still caught me in the end,” Lu Yiyao said with a light, teasing tone.

Ran Lin was taken aback, not quite grasping his meaning. “Huh?”

Lu Yiyao hadn’t meant to dig up the past; since the matter was over, he didn’t mind and even joked about it. But seeing Ran Lin’s feigned ignorance, he felt a bit displeased. “I mean, even though I used a body double, you still cornered me, didn’t you?”

Ran Lin blinked weakly and then said feebly, “That was a misunderstanding…”

Lu Yiyao involuntarily furrowed his brows, his gaze fixed on Ran Lin, trying to spot any lies on his face. But soon, he realized there were none. Despite Ran Lin’s meek demeanor, his eyes didn’t waver, so Lu Yiyao’s displeasure slowly turned into uncertainty. “…Really a misunderstanding?”

Ran Lin felt wronged enough to cry.

He sat upright, facing Lu Yiyao’s bed, with his legs crossed, and earnestly explained, “It really was a misunderstanding at first. I just wanted to pick up a fan’s light stick that had fallen on the ground and throw it in the trash.”

Lu Yiyao: “…”

Ran Lin: “Err, after picking it up, of course, I didn’t have the heart to throw it away. The light stick was made with so much care…”

“I was at a loss.” Lu Yiyao also sat up, mimicking Ran Lin’s posture, facing his “roommate” for a seated conversation, somewhat helplessly and amusedly. “I was stewing over it for days, thinking I’d been caught in a series of traps.”

“No, it’s normal for you to be upset.” The truth now clear, Ran Lin relaxed and candidly said, “The subsequent hype and fermentation were all done by my side. Otherwise, a misunderstanding wouldn’t have caused such a stir.”

“I know that.” Lu Yiyao was surprisingly calm. “I’ve been used for clout before. I understand how these things are hyped and how trends are led. I was angry at myself for having been through this so many times and still not being cautious enough.”

“Trust me,” Ran Lin said earnestly, almost to the point of being heartfelt. “I was also stunned when you pulled me over.”

Lu Yiyao smiled. “I believe you now. Thinking back, so many fans were misled by the body double, you managed to see through it, pretended to pick up a light stick to be caught on camera, and when I came out, you didn’t initiate anything, didn’t even call out, waiting for me to recognize you and take a photo with you… It’s basically infeasible, I thought too much.”

Ran Lin was amazed by the explanation. “Not just too much. It was perfectly interlocked, flawless.”

Lu Yiyao, embarrassed, showed a rare, self-deprecating smile, appearing straightforward and naive.

After a moment, he became serious, looking earnestly at Ran Lin, and apologized sincerely, “I misunderstood you about the light stick. I apologize.”

Ran Lin was taken aback, shaking his head quickly. “Don’t apologize to me. It makes me feel like I should jump into Wishing Star Lake.”

Lu Yiyao laughed out loud, finding Ran Lin particularly endearing, but insisted, “It’s only fair.”

Ran Lin was genuinely impressed.

After this exchange, he not only felt pressure-free around Lu Yiyao but even wanted to enlighten his companion. “You can’t be like this. You said it yourself, I’m not the first to use you. Haven’t you ever wondered why everyone chooses you?”

“I’m easy to use, I guess,” Lu Yiyao answered without hesitation.

Ran Lin was surprised. “You knew?”

“Every time a work is released, there’s a rumor with the female lead, and promotional articles from the production fly everywhere. It’s not hard to guess.” Lu Yiyao sighed with a smile. “But you’re the first male artist to tie me into a CP for hype.”

Ran Lin bowed his head in shame.

Lu Yiyao, smiling, said nonchalantly, “That’s how it is in the industry. Everyone hypes each other up, and after a while, you get used to it. So, I was only upset about being tricked; if I hadn’t been, just being used for hype would have been nothing new.”

Ran Lin looked up at him, feeling a bit sorry. “That sounds so pitiful…”

Lu Yiyao shrugged, casually saying, “It doesn’t matter. Maybe being popular is a sin in itself.”

Ran Lin: “…”

Lu Yiyao: “Hm?”

Ran Lin: “If Xia Xinran were here, he would be impressed by your deep insight… and then join me in beating you up.”

Lu Yiyao was momentarily stunned, then realized in hindsight that his words indeed sounded like he was asking for a beating. But he genuinely wasn’t showing off; he was just stating facts. Even if he weren’t popular today, seeing the current state of affairs, he would have come to the same conclusion.

Yao Hong once said that, with his unambitious nature, it was incredible that he rose to fame. Lu Yiyao admitted luck played a part, along with some other factors, but what frustrated him most wasn’t the murky dealings in the industry, but the fact that he had made some achievements amidst it all, yet he didn’t feel the sense of accomplishment he had expected.

What did he really want? To stand at the pinnacle of the entertainment industry’s pyramid and become a superstar? He had been searching for twenty-four years and couldn’t be sure because he hadn’t reached that point yet.

He once asked Huo Yuntao seriously what his dream was. His friend looked at him for a long time before saying, “Are you sick?”

Lu Yiyao’s mind wandered again, a habit Ran Lin was now used to. After setting the alarm on his phone and putting it on silent charge, he softly reminded his “roommate”, “Let’s sleep early. Tomorrow is another day of battle.”

Lu Yiyao snapped back to reality, nodding. “Yeah, tomorrow should be fun.”

Ran Lin had already laid down but turned to Lu Yiyao and said, “You noticed too, right? The production team is getting better at this. The freeze card this afternoon, I almost laughed out loud when I touched it. I was thinking, how frustrated the person who gets frozen by me will be. I didn’t expect you all to come in a group.”

Lu Yiyao remembered the scene and couldn’t help but smile, but he soon thought of something else and said meaningfully, “This episode should look good when it’s edited. Disneyland itself is a very effective setting.”

Ran Lin joked, “Your mansion last episode wasn’t bad either.”

Lu Yiyao, uncharacteristically not arguing, continued, “So the reputation should improve.”

Ran Lin had been trying not to think about the audience’s reaction, so he simply replied, “Mm.”

Lu Yiyao finally brought up the topic he was concerned about. “About that Weibo…”

“I uninstalled it,” Ran Lin quickly responded, his tone sounding a bit bitter, then quickly switched to a joking tone. “If our show’s reputation turns around, you’ll have to scroll through the comments for me.”

Lu Yiyao took a moment to comprehend, then asked uncertainly, “Uninstalled?”

“Yeah.” Ran Lin scratched his head embarrassedly, dropping the act and speaking frankly. “I uninstalled it the night after the premiere. Of course, since I stirred it up myself, I can’t blame others for mocking it, but it was still a lot of pressure to see.”

“Oh…” Lu Yiyao didn’t know what to say, and after a while, he finally said, “That’s good…”

With the hardest part said, Ran Lin decided to share his realization with Lu Yiyao. “I discovered something. If you keep scrolling through Weibo, it feels like it contains the whole world. But once you stop, it’s just a social media platform. Life and the world don’t change.”

Lu Yiyao wanted to say that he had always felt that way, so even if he occasionally scrolled through comments, he didn’t take those emotionally charged opinions to heart. But he realized he and Ran Lin were different. They reached the same conclusion, but their journeys and feelings about it were entirely different.

Ran Lin tried to forget.

He simply didn’t care.

So, Ran Lin uninstalled Weibo and refrained from discussing those specific harsh words. And Lu Yiyao, who recently scrolled through Weibo every day, still hardly felt any emotional disturbance.

The only disturbance he felt was when he saw particularly harsh comments, empathizing with Ran Lin’s feelings, making him uncomfortable. Now, he had his answer—Ran Lin uninstalled Weibo, not completely immune but objectively cutting off the source of negativity. But he didn’t feel the satisfaction of having his curiosity fulfilled.

“Goodnight.” Ran Lin decided not to wait any longer. He turned off the light after speaking.

This time, the response from the next bed came quickly—a faint “Goodnight”—and the light went out.

With the room completely dark, Ran Lin closed his eyes, trying to shake off the jumbled thoughts “his roommate” had stirred up again. Gradually, he finally fell into a peaceful sleep.

Hearing the even breathing from the next bed slow down, Lu Yiyao finally understood.

His unusual behavior these past days wasn’t really about being curious about Ran Lin’s reaction to the comments on Weibo. What he really wanted to see was Ran Lin being like him, not caring about those comments.

But why did he insist that Ran Lin follow his example? The only explanation Lu Yiyao could think of was vanity…

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<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 颜凉雨 / Yan Liang Yu

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

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Chapter 20

What does it feel like to be an assistant to a popular star?

Before taking the job, Li Tong had countless fantasies of a glamorous and extravagant lifestyle. After becoming an assistant, there was only one feeling left—completely drained every day.

Take today, for instance. Lu Yiyao’s schedule was Beijing to Hangzhou (for a fan meeting), then back to Beijing (for a director’s dinner), and finally off to Shanghai.

He was busy with tasks throughout, and even when not busy, he had to be on standby, never able to relax.

After enduring the dinner, they rushed to the airport. Lu Yiyao was tired and slightly drunk, while Li Tong, though sober, felt as if his feet were floating from exhaustion.

Lu Yiyao originally had several assistants, but he personally requested the company reduce the size of his entourage, as he didn’t want such a big fuss made over him. Eventually, Li Tong was the only one left.

Recently, Li Tong often found himself missing his former colleagues.

“Lu Ge, stop looking at your phone and get some sleep.”

In the spacious nanny van, Yao Hong and the makeup artist were already catching up on some sleep upfront, leaving Lu Yiyao in the back, still flipping through his phone.

If he didn’t sleep, Li Tong couldn’t either, feeling the need to be ready at a moment’s notice. Even dozing felt insecure, like being sick.

“Yeah, I’m going to sleep…” Lu Yiyao hummed weakly, but his hands were still busy scrolling through his phone.

This was the third “I’m going to sleep” Li Tong had heard on the trip, and he knew better than to believe it.

What magic did the phone possess that made Lu Yiyao cling to it with the last bit of his energy, despite his exhaustion?

Li Tong could only relate when he was engrossed in a mobile game.

But Lu Yiyao wasn’t gaming; he was browsing Weibo.

Of course, Li Tong respected a Weibo addict, but Lu Yiyao wasn’t one. He had been with Lu Yiyao long enough to know that the star wasn’t even a phone addict; he spent more time holding a book than his phone in a day.

Or do people do unusual things when they’re drunk?

“Li Tong…” The reclining figure suddenly sat up, trying to get closer to the assistant. His head was a bit heavy from the alcohol, so his frown deepened. “Have you ever been scolded online?”

Li Tong paused for two seconds, then asked uncertainly, “On Weibo?”

Lu Yiyao nodded, probably intending to, but due to the car’s movement and his drunken haze, it looked more like he was shaking his head.

Li Tong sighed. “Lu Ge, I’m not like you. I only have 56 followers on Weibo.”

“Oh…” Lu Yiyao, half sober and half drunk, took a while to respond before changing his question. “What if you had 5.6 million followers, and every Weibo post had over a thousand replies, but most of them were cursing you? How would you feel?”

Li Tong swallowed hard. “Why… should I be that miserable?”

Lu Yiyao thought for a moment, and his brows furrowed even more. “No reason. You’re already in such misery. It’s a fact.”

Li Tong despaired and reluctantly imagined that dreadful scenario, becoming so engrossed that he suddenly became emotional. “I’d curse back at each one!”

Lu Yiyao: “You can’t curse back.”

Li Tong: “Why not?!”

Lu Yiyao: “Just can’t… Consider it a script setting.”

What kind of grudge against the protagonist would require such a script?

Li Tong, utterly drained, finally surrendered to fate. “Then I’d just feel miserable. What else?”

“But there’s a small part that supports you.” Lu Yiyao looked seriously at him. “I said most of them curse you, but not all.”

Li Tong seriously returned his boss’s gaze. “Ten thousand points of damage and one point of healing still leaves 9,999 points of damage.”

Lu Yiyao disagreed. “The curses are just emotional outbursts, often illogical, but the support is different. Each supportive comment is substantial and weighty.”

Unable to hold back, Li Tong turned fully to face Lu Yiyao, to make his point more convincing. “Brother, the comments are mixed. If I can pick out the fifty praising me, it means I’ve already seen the thousand cursing me. Who’s going to analyze which comment has quality after being drowned in insults? Besides, even if the praises make me look good, they can’t elevate me to the heavens. But one ‘F your mom’ is enough to set me off. Which has more weight?”

Lu Yiyao stopped talking, looking back at his phone, his expression a mix of confusion and maybe drunkenness or the effect of his assistant’s rant.

Li Tong slowly withdrew from that mad scenario and finally returned to his professional mindset as the car bounced.

Seeing Lu Yiyao still troubled, Li Tong really wanted to say, “You never used to be so into Weibo, and it didn’t stop your rise to fame. Why bother yourself with it? Fans can be of any temperament, and the slightest thing can trigger a fight. Don’t take it too seriously.”

But that was something Yao Hong could say, not him.

Then again, would Lu Yiyao, who used “substantial” to describe fan comments, be hurt by Weibo criticism? And recently, no one was badmouthing him…

Thankfully, the star finally fell asleep with his phone.

Li Tong turned back and took a cushion to lean against the car window, his eyelids heavy as if filled with lead. After a few blinks, they closed completely.

‘Don’t drink if you can’t handle it,’ he thought. ‘Every time you get drunk, you start a scholarly debate. Last time, you discussed the truth and falseness of ideals, and now, the lethality of Weibo comments. Please, I’m just an assistant. This kind of tedious topic should come with extra pay!’

As consciousness faded, a slight sense of grievance still lingered in the sleeping assistant’s brows.

Lu Yiyao slept from the car to the airport, then from the airport onto the plane. One good thing about being drunk—it aids sleep. Unaffected by turbulence or pressure changes, he awoke to a bright new day.

They rushed nonstop to the gathering place for the fourth episode’s recording—the Oriental Pearl Tower.

Despite the hectic pace, Lu Yiyao barely made it on time. Any later, and he would have been considered late.

Lu Yiyao particularly despised tardiness, whether it was others or himself.

As soon as the car approached the tower, Lu Yiyao heard waves of screaming. Looking through the window, he saw that the base of the tower was surrounded by an impassable crowd of enthusiastic people.

Many were there to buy tickets to enter the tower but decided to stay and watch the excitement upon seeing a filming in progress.

The driver from the show’s team, who had obviously scouted the location beforehand, drove around the crowd, entering a path cordoned off by security personnel. Soon, they arrived at the base of the tower.

The program team’s equipment was already fully set up and being tested. The director, clad in a cotton coat, was discussing something with the cameraman. Upon seeing Lu Yiyao’s car, he immediately signaled for the dedicated cameraman to approach.

When Lu Yiyao got out of the car, the screams of the surrounding girls seemed to create a wave of heat.

There had been onlookers during the previous three recordings, but whether it was an illusion or the effect of the first episode’s airing, it felt like there were more people this time, and they were more enthusiastic.

As Lu Yiyao got out of the car, the other four male guests, who had been waiting in another vehicle, were also led out by the staff.

Finally, the five companions gathered at the base of the tower.

In late February in Shanghai, the sunshine was like a deceptive facade—bright to look at but offering no warmth. Perhaps due to the climate, the breeze carried a hint of moisture. Although not strong, it felt bone-chilling once it hit.

For the first time, the program team provided the guests with uniform clothing—a fleece-lined round-neck sweatshirt with the <National First Love Drifting Story> logo on the chest, in a blue and white combination. From a distance, they looked like a group of school uniforms come to life.

Lu Yiyao had already changed into the outfit in the car and had mentally prepared himself for the visual impact. However, seeing the other four companions still made him unable to suppress his smile as he approached the group.

“That’s enough.” Gu Jie felt like he was being laughed at. “You don’t look much better in it.”

Lu Yiyao tried to control his laughter, waving his hand. “It’s not bad. Just a bit… spectacular.”

To be honest, the outfit wasn’t ugly—standard design, okay print, and the colors were fresh and pleasing. It’s just that they had never worn uniforms before, and suddenly doing so made them look like a school reunion rather than a rafting group, which was visually amusing.

As they chatted and laughed, Lu Yiyao glanced at Ran Lin nonchalantly.

Ran Lin didn’t join the discussion very warmly, but his eyes were smiling at the center of the conversation. So when Lu Yiyao glanced over, their eyes met.

Ran Lin was startled, then gave a big smile to his companion as a silent greeting.

Lu Yiyao paused for two seconds before smiling back at him from a distance.

The playful banter among the companions gradually quieted down as the director came over to announce the theme of the day.

Lu Yiyao watched the director’s lips move but was still preoccupied with Ran Lin’s state.

He expected Ran Lin to be at least somewhat downcast, but the smile just now seemed genuinely lighthearted, although polite.

It was a good thing that Ran Lin wasn’t disturbed by those comments on the internet, but Lu Yiyao always feels uneasy. After interacting in the first three episodes, he knew that Ran Lin wasn’t a heartless person. He wasn’t like himself, who was somewhat self-centered and indifferent to external comments. On the contrary, Ran Lin probably cared a lot about the feelings of those around him, tended to empathize involuntarily, and had the unfortunate character of always hoping to make everyone around him comfortable.

Could someone like that forget about such harsh criticism overnight?

Especially since the online comments hadn’t ceased with yesterday’s formation, many were still fiercely debating.

Or did his own Weibo post really encourage Ran Lin that much?

Lu Yiyao pursed his lips, not fully believing this conclusion, but he couldn’t help feeling uplifted by it. He wasn’t sure if he was happy for Ran Lin’s brightness or proud of his own influence.

One thing was certain, though—he had been acting strangely recently.

“…And now let’s welcome today’s mystery guest!”

The director’s sudden enthusiasm finally drew Lu Yiyao’s attention back.

Everyone looked towards the entrance, and he quickly followed suit. A luxurious sponsored car drove up slowly and stopped in front of them. The door opened, and a long leg stepped out of the car.

Before the exaggerated “wow” from the Drifting team ended, a blue and white sweatshirt appeared, turning the “wow” into laughter, changing the atmosphere from excitement to humor.

No matter how handsome, no one can look cool in a cartoonish logo. But the laughter made the guest and the team seem closer. The handsome male guest jogged into the camera’s main area.

Lu Yiyao clapped, surprised—this was the second unexpected thing today.

Not only was it the first time the show had invited a guest, but it was also an old acquaintance—Tang Xiaoyu, the second male lead from “Yun Zhang.”

Tang Xiaoyu didn’t act like a stranger either. He entered the group, greeted everyone, and gave Lu Yiyao a brotherly hug. “Long time no see.”

Lu Yiyao patted his back, welcoming him. “You kept it well hidden. You didn’t even drop a hint.”

Tang Xiaoyu shrugged with a laugh. “Then it wouldn’t be a surprise.”

Everyone then realized these two had been in the same crew for months and had many scenes together, so they must be familiar.

Gu Jie teased, “Hey, don’t go easy just because you know each other. Our show is all about real competition. First Love is a sacred title!”

Tang Xiaoyu reassuringly patted Gu Jie’s shoulder. “Don’t worry. Now that I’m here, I won’t let you be troubled. That title is definitely mine.”

Gu Jie with black lines: “……”

Xia Xinran narrowed his eyes. “Brothers, I want to beat him up.”

Unable to hold back, Ran Lin mischievously joined in the fun. “I’m with you in spirit.”

Zhang Beichen laughed heartily, telling Tang Xiaoyu, “You’ve successfully united us.”

Tang Xiaoyu blinked his eyes, looking at Lu Yiyao for help, appearing as pitiful as possible.

Lu Yiyao sighed faintly. “You reap what you sow. No sympathy.”

It was unclear whether the group’s growing synergy or Tang Xiaoyu acting as a catalyst was the reason, but from the start of the fourth episode, the atmosphere was exceptionally smooth and natural, with plenty of humor and highlights and a good rhythm.

Those involved didn’t feel it strongly, at most finding it more comfortable than before.

However, the director, as an observer, was delighted.

In fact, during the third episode’s deserted island survival and birthday party, the natural rapport among the five had already begun to show, though still imperfect.

Now, the five had completely let go, even eliminating the occasional awkwardness, whether unconscious or overly forceful, so much so that watching their interactions during filming was enough to feel the team spirit.

National First Love Drifting Story finally became the National First Love Drifting Team.

Building a team spirit wasn’t the initial direction of the director and the planning team. They originally wanted to show the real reactions of the stars facing difficulties and tasks unprepared. But the natural development led to the five becoming a team.

The director suspected he played a role in this, believing the notion, “We have a common enemy called the production team,” is an easy unifier.

Whether by chance or inevitability, this development was welcomed by him and the entire production team.

The stars were comfortable, and so were the viewers—a resonance rule applicable to all reality shows.

The first day of filming started at the base of the Oriental Pearl Tower, with real segments in Jing’an Temple business district and Tianzifang.

The tasks were still tricky but enhanced in overall feel and fun. With time, not only the guest team but also the production team improved.

Especially during the Tianzifang treasure hunt, Xia Xinran, who first found a treasure, was ambushed by Lu Yiyao, resulting in an alliance between Xia Xinran and Gu Jie against Lu Yiyao. But Lu Yiyao was no pushover, teaming up with Tang Xiaoyu for a two-on-two battle.

As the tussle intensified, Ran Lin happened by, observing for a while, remaining neutral despite both sides’ persuasion, and casually walked past.

When Ran Lin later uncovered another hidden treasure, the four were still without a result. Frustrated, Ran Lin said, “Why don’t we just settle it with rock-paper-scissors, a highly efficient conflict resolution method invented by our ancestors.”

Both sides, exhausted from their efforts, finally considered and agreed to the proposal. But just as they put down the treasure and were about to start the game, Zhang Beichen, like Gu Jie grabbing the badge in the Battle of Guilin, snatched the opportunity and reaped the benefits with a lightning-fast move.

Zhang Beichen swiftly made his escape, while Ran Lin found himself in a tough spot. Without needing to explain, he clutched his treasure and ran as fast as he could.

Eventually cornered in a dead end, just when everyone thought he had no choice but to tearfully hand over his treasure, Ran Lin miraculously pulled out a “Group Freeze Card”.

The four were caught completely off guard, dumbstruck, and for a moment, they looked as if they were actually frozen.

In the end, the production team’s logo on the Freeze Card forced them to face the reality—Ran Lin had discovered a magical item in some secret location.

As Ran Lin walked away proudly from the four, Bearded Cameraman Sun, who had followed the entire sequence, was out of breath, although it was unclear whether from running or from laughter.

A good variety show is the result of a good director, good planning, good segments, and good guests all coming together.

This battle in Tianzifang was much richer and more interesting than the previous adventure in Guanyan.

For Tang Xiaoyu, participating in the filming for the first time, his experience might be more telling.

His main purpose here was to promote his new drama and, secondly, to gain some fans through the show’s popularity. But having watched the first episode and the subsequent online reviews, he had modest expectations for this promotional event arranged by his agent. His main goal was to make an appearance without attracting negative attention.

However, the experience of filming for one day turned out to be beyond his expectations.

He had participated in reality shows before and knew that relationships among some guests were good both on and off camera, while for others, it was more about performance than genuine feelings. From the first episode, it seemed that this group was at a beginner level in reality shows, unable to act naturally even on camera, let alone off it.

But the filming today was harmonious and well-coordinated throughout, with everyone fully engaged in the competition, teasing each other joyfully, yet strangely enough, there was a sense of camaraderie. Even Lu Yiyao, who usually seemed a bit distant, appeared friendly and likable. He wondered if it was because the editing of the first episode focused too much on the awkward moments or if these people had really bonded so quickly, already showing a team vibe by the fourth episode.

Indeed, he felt that Lu Yiyao was somewhat cold.

He and Lu Yiyao were familiar with each other, but this familiarity was more of an objective kind. Any two people who had lived and worked together on a film set for months, spending most of that time filming opposite each other, would naturally become acquainted, unless they had particularly difficult personalities.

But they weren’t close friends.

Lu Yiyao was easy to get along with, professional, and hardworking, hardly ever losing his temper on set. He treated everyone with respect, regardless of their status, whether they were fellow actors or crew members, winning over many colleagues who were initially indifferent towards him. Producers and directors also liked such actors—easy to work with and reliable. So even before the drama <Yun Zhang> became a hit, Lu Yiyao’s good reputation had already spread within the industry.

But for some reason, Tang Xiaoyu just felt that Lu Yiyao was hard to get close to. Easy to get along with, but hard to fully connect with. Perhaps it was because Lu Yiyao himself wasn’t keen on sharing his own affairs, thoughts, or feelings. So in their interactions, you might lay bare your heart, but he would remain as unmoved as a bell, only smiling at you gently.

Over time, you’d also become reluctant to open up to him, and being warm acquaintances seemed good enough.

That’s why Tang Xiaoyu felt that today’s Lu Yiyao was somewhat different from the one he remembered.

Not always keeping everything to himself, always wearing a smile, but being nice when needed, naughty when appropriate, and confrontational when necessary. He couldn’t be said to be completely spontaneous, but he seemed more like a “friend” now.

“Congratulations to all the First Love male gods! Today’s task segment is over, and next is the much anticipated… luxurious dinner!”

As the director announced, waiters carrying various dishes streamed out, instantly filling the courtyard with enticing aromas.

This was a private restaurant built in the style of a traditional garden, with pavilions, water features, and winding corridors, exuding an ancient charm. The show’s dinner was set under a stage in the back garden.

On the stage was a specially invited Pingtan performance, with soft, gentle, and slow Wu dialect singing and playing, conveying the beauty of old times even to those who couldn’t understand the words.

Below the stage was a large Eight Immortals table* where six people sat around, salivating over the rich local dishes.

*Table designed to seat eight people.

After the Pingtan performance, the artists left the stage, and without waiting for the director’s cue, the six starving people exchanged glances and said, “Let’s eat!”

It was more of a scramble than a meal, especially for the braised pork, of which there were only five pieces. Tang Xiaoyu’s chopsticks were only a second too late, leaving him with nothing but the bottom of the dish.

National First Loves?

More like a group competing for affection!

As the meal was ending, Lu Yiyao got up to go to the bathroom. Normally, the cameramen wouldn’t follow for such things, so when Lu Yiyao, having finished his business, was washing his hands in an antique blue-and-white porcelain basin, he was surprised to see Xia Xinran walk in. It was the first time that day he and a colleague were in a private space without cameras.

Xia Xinran had followed Lu Yiyao’s route, so he wasn’t surprised to see him. He looked around the bathroom and commented to his colleague, “The decor is quite uniform, even the restroom is in Chinese style…”

Everyone’s mics were off at that moment, so Xia Xinran’s joke was more down-to-earth.

Lu Yiyao didn’t play along but changed the subject. “When did you guys arrive yesterday?”

Lu Yiyao asked casually, and Xia Xinran answered naturally, “Zhang Beichen was the earliest, arriving in the afternoon, Gu Jie probably around eight, because when I arrived after nine, he was already there. Ran Lin was the latest. I don’t know exactly when he came. I was already asleep by then.”

“So you only met Ran Lin this morning?”

“Right.”

“Oh…” Lu Yiyao responded, glancing at himself in the mirror, pretending to be casual, then bent down to press more hand soap into his palm, continuing to scrub.

When Xia Xinran came over to wash his hands, he found Lu Yiyao still standing there and asked curiously, “What’s taking you so long? Is there gold in your basin?”

Lu Yiyao’s expression remained unchanged, but his heart skipped a beat. “Waiting for you.”

Xia Xinran said, “I’m not a young lady. I don’t need company to go to the bathroom.”

“Mm.” Lu Yiyao agreed smoothly, then continued the conversation. “How was it this morning when everyone gathered?”

Xia Xinran turned off the tap, drying his hands with a paper towel, and asked in confusion, “What do you mean, how was it? We just sat in the car waiting for you. What, feeling guilty?”

Lu Yiyao said sincerely, “A bit.”

Xia Xinran laughed. “No need. We already got our revenge while waiting for you. Believe me, you don’t want to see that footage.”

Lu Yiyao smiled, imagining the lively scene of everyone uniting against a common enemy. “Did Ran Lin also talk about me?”

As he asked, Lu Yiyao finally turned off the tap and came over to dry his hands, his eyes slightly downcast and his tone and demeanor casual.

But Xia Xinran sensed the truth behind the question.

In fact, had he thought more carefully earlier, he would have realized it sooner. Who would have thought that Lu Yiyao would pick such a peculiar place as a men’s restroom to let down his guard?

“He wouldn’t talk about you. You posted that Weibo yesterday like a timely rain. Now he probably sees you with a halo over your head.”

Sometimes Lu Yiyao found Xia Xinran’s bluntness annoying, but other times he had to admit that his straightforward manner was refreshing.

With the subject out in the open, he asked directly, “How was Ran Lin’s mood this morning?”

Xia Xinran sighed helplessly. “How could I ask with cameras everywhere in the car? Anyway, he seemed normal, not good or bad.”

“Not good or bad, huh… I thought he seemed quite normal during the whole day’s filming.”

“In situations like this, being normal is abnormal.” Xia Xinran analyzed. “It’s his first time facing such widespread criticism. Unless he has a heart of steel, no one would be completely unaffected. But that’s how it is with filming shows; you can’t exactly look miserable on camera.”

Lu Yiyao thought about it and agreed. “Makes sense.”

“I apologize to you,” Xia Xinran suddenly blurted out.

Lu Yiyao looked puzzled. “Hm?”

Xia Xinran threw the paper towel into the bin and walked up to Lu Yiyao, looking him in the eye. “I used to think you were too aloof, but after you offered your villa for the task last time and helped Ran Lin this time, regardless of your motives, it’s commendable. So I take back my previous dislike of you, and from now on…” Xia Xinran raised his hands and fired imaginary “friendship bullets”. “I have high hopes for you!”

“……” Lu Yiyao instinctively stepped back, his palms against the washbasin.

“But your house decoration is too cold; it’s a seaside view, not the Northern Lights. Doesn’t living there long-term get depressing?”

Lu Yiyao didn’t know how to respond. His feelings were teetering on the edge of love and hate. Perhaps this could be described as… the friendship of the entertainment industry?

……

“Next, we’re heading to the hotel where we’ll stay tonight…” the director said, looking at the messy table with his eyes shining. “Do you want to guess where we’ll be staying tonight?”

The six handsome guys looked at each other. Ran Lin was the first to raise his hand timidly. “Disneyland Hotel?”

The director’s smile froze, and he glanced at the planning team!

The planner looked innocent, indicating he hadn’t leaked anything and had signed a confidentiality agreement!

Xia Xinran saw through the ruse and cheered instantly.

The director, though reluctantly, delivered his prepared line. “Yes, it’s Disneyland. Surprised or not, excited or not?”

The six wanted to play along, but under such circumstances, any more forced enthusiasm would be an insult to the audience. So amidst awkward and quiet smiles, Gu Jie raised his hand second. “Director, are there other surprises?”

The director narrowed his eyes, radiating an arrogance of “you’re still too green to play with me”.

The six felt a chill down their spines as the staff brought out a box for drawing lots.

“We are grateful for Disney’s support of our show, but due to the hotel’s limited availability, we can only provide three rooms. However, don’t worry, they are all double-bed deluxe rooms with a view. All you need to do now is let fate decide your roommates in this magical box!”

The six were unimpressed. “It’s just sharing a hotel room…”

Despite the grumbling, Xia Xinran was the first to reach into the box, loving these lottery-like activities.

“Elsa?” Xia Xinran pulled out a round tag with the main character of <Frozen> on it.

Zhang Beichen, the second to draw, was full of anticipation and ended up with Mickey Mouse.

Ran Lin drew third. His face wasn’t overly expressive, but his eyes shone with curiosity and excitement, and he ended up with Winnie the Pooh.

The three men, each with a cartoon character, looked at each other, not seeing any resemblance to roommates.

Tang Xiaoyu, as a guest, calmly waited for the last draw. Gu Jie wasn’t much interested in such childish games, and Lu Yiyao, seeing his remaining companions, stood up fourth.

As he approached the box, Ran Lin, who had just drawn, stepped back to give him space.

Lu Yiyao glanced at him, but Ran Lin was too engrossed in studying his tag to look up.

Shrugging, Lu Yiyao reached into the box.

After fumbling around, the tags all felt similar, and eventually, Lu Yiyao picked the one at the very bottom. Pulling it out, he saw the lively character on the tag seemed ready to leap off the paper—Winnie’s friend, Tigger.

---

<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 颜凉雨 / Yan Liang Yu

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

---

Chapter 19

The programs broadcast on satellite TV channels at night, unless they are so popular that everyone is eager to watch them live by any means necessary, usually only start to see a real peak in discussions after noon the next day, or even in the evening.

Since more and more people are no longer accustomed to watching live broadcasts on TV, they prefer to wait until the show is over and then watch the full version on online platforms. They can drag the progress bar to rewatch or skip sections as they please, and if the show isn’t enough, they can even add to the fun with live comments.

For the whole day of February 15^th, aside from the show’s team releasing some cut footage to capitalize on the buzz, the five guests of the show remained silent. Their Weibo accounts mostly had posts from the previous evening, before the show aired, with content clearly promoting the show and sharing the anticipation of the premiere with their fans.

Beneath this surface calm was a collective wait-and-see from the stars’ teams. Experienced PR and marketing teams know that unless you’re only after short-term attention, you should never speak out at the peak of public opinion. For example, between a star who fights back against netizens and one who lets them mock without a word, it’s clear who’s more likely to stir up netizen backlash and who’s more likely to gain their sympathy.

Of course, fans can say, “Why shouldn’t a star fight back?” or “I like my idol’s authenticity,” but objectively, such actions actually affect the perception of neutral observers.

The general public doesn’t care about the intricacies of celebrity feuds; they just want entertainment. If a star can take mockery and criticism lying down, even if they’re full of flaws, they’re seen as likable.

Sometimes, through this mockery, they can even turn haters into fans. Conversely, if a star is constantly fighting with netizens, even if their anger is justified, they will be labeled as overly sensitive by the public.

After all, most people think that if you enjoy the huge benefits of being a public figure, you should also endure some of the unique hardships, including but not limited to being criticized, blackened, fantasized about, or turned into memes.

It’s not about whether such thinking is right or wrong; the public doesn’t need anyone to teach them how to behave. They simply follow their emotional logic, and sometimes, after a two-second rant and a scroll through their feed, they forget about it.

But management teams do summarize, analyze, and speculate, eventually deducing effective public relations rules. First, for serious issues affecting the star’s image, like marriage, dating, fighting, or scandals, if there’s no solid proof, the first step is to issue a firm denial.

Second, for issues that somewhat affect the image but are essentially true, like poor acting, overuse of stunt doubles, or questionable quality of films, TV shows, and variety shows, the strategy is to avoid forced whitewashing*. Instead, subtly shift the focus to other aspects to mine the star’s likability and gradually shift the focus, thus quelling public opinion or even turning it positive.

*Deliberately mislead people in various ways, causing them to forget a celebrity’s bad past.

Finally, for issues that don’t affect the star’s image, or rather, hot topics completely unrelated to the star, unless necessary, PR teams usually advise against capitalizing on them. Especially if the topic involves other celebrities, a successful association might earn a reputation for being decisive, but a failed one can backfire.

Now, the other four teams were facing a combination of the second and third scenarios.

Regarding the questionable reception of the show, they were watching and waiting. After all, only the first episode had aired, and there hadn’t been a wave of severe criticism—just comments about it being somewhat bland. However, there were occasional highlights that surprised the audience, so fans were still looking forward to the second episode, and many neutral viewers were willing to give it another chance.

For Ran Lin, caught in a storm of criticism, they were even more cautious. The comments were too one-sided, and this had nothing to do with Ran Lin’s actions but rather the trouble caused by his small fan base. What could have been a two-way fight ended up being a collective condemnation. The little support for Ran Lin was completely drowned out, and with his history of controversial news and buying hot searches, his team’s silence now proves that they know it wasn’t wise to confront directly, but to outsmart. Therefore, the other four must not jump out at this time, or they would become easy targets—more exciting than an 18^th-tier celebrity without a fan base standing up for Ran Lin.

If they did, it wouldn’t just be a battle between fans of the show, neutral viewers, and fans of the celebrities. Teams from competing shows and stars vying for the same image and resources would also join in, both openly and secretly, hoping to strike down their competitors and benefit themselves in the chaos.

However, as clever as these star teams may be, they are still human. They can’t perfect every detail or foresee every future. Sometimes they even struggle to control their own stars and have to clean up after their impulsive actions.

Wang Xi picked just such a detail, contacting the most suitable person.

“What do you want us to do? Can you tell us again?”

Yao Hong was in the airport lounge with Lu Yiyao, waiting to board their flight, when she received the call from her “former colleague”.

Lu Yiyao’s schedule for the year was almost non-stop. Like today, right after a magazine shoot, they had to rush to the airport for a flight to Hangzhou. Tomorrow morning, there was a fan meeting there, and in the afternoon, they had to fly back to Beijing immediately for a dinner party hosted by a well-known director. These kinds of dinners often last till late at night, so as soon as it ends, they would have to rush to the airport for the earliest flight to Shanghai to start recording the fourth episode of <National First Love Drifting Story>.

If you were to ask where Lu Yiyao spends most of his time throughout the year, apart from hotels, it would be airports.

Initially, Lu Yiyao didn’t pay much attention to Yao Hong’s call, but when she looked at him and then moved to a more secluded spot to continue the conversation, it became intriguing.

“I’m saying, the fourth episode is being recorded the day after tomorrow, so everyone can jointly post a promotional Weibo tomorrow. After all, the negative reception of the show doesn’t benefit your Lu Yiyao either. Even if the relationship between the guests isn’t great, it’s better to appear harmonious on the surface.” Wang Xi, uncharacteristically devoid of her usual sharpness, spoke with all the respect of a junior to a senior.

Yao Hong had always thought that if Wang Xi had been this adaptable back in their days at Pentium, perhaps it would have been her who left. Yao Hong was a year older than Wang Xi but entered the industry much earlier. So, when both were at Pentium, Wang Xi was dead set on ousting her to become the top agent. However, due to her abrasive personality and conflicts with the higher-ups, Wang Xi eventually left.

Yao Hong didn’t like Wang Xi’s personality but always acknowledged her capabilities.

“I know your Ran Lin is getting heavily criticized, but having Lu Yiyao attract attention now isn’t very fair.” Yao Hong would have politely refused and then hung up if it were anyone else, but because it was Wang Xi, she felt the need to listen more.

Wang Xi seemed to anticipate Yao Hong wouldn’t hang up and continued in a calm, progressive manner. “I don’t need Lu Yiyao to stand up for Ran Lin, but as a guest on the show, promoting it is certainly not illegal, right?”

Yao Hong: “What do you want him to promote?”

Wang Xi: “The recording is on the 17^th, so everyone will be heading to Shanghai tomorrow night, the 16^th. At that time, post a Weibo with the topic of <National First Love Drifting Story>, something like ‘starting our fourth journey’, and tag the other four guests and the show’s team. How about that?”

Yao Hong: “Flawless.”

Wang Xi: “You understand best, Hong Jie.”

Yao Hong rolled her eyes, unsure whether to be angry or to laugh, but kept her emotions to herself. Returning to business, she said, “It’s indeed harmless to post such a Weibo, but if Lu Yiyao doesn’t post, it seems it wouldn’t make much of a difference. At such times, doing less is better than doing more.”

Wang Xi had anticipated this response. She would have had the same considerations, but Yao Hong was too conservative. Conservatism meant stability, but too much stability meant no surprises. “Have you considered that if Ran Lin’s reputation improves in future episodes, or even just gets a bit better, people will criticize your silence now, disappointing both fans and neutrals?”

“They’re already disappointed with the show.”

“But then, they’ll be disappointed with the silent guests themselves. Lu Yiyao doesn’t need a reality show; ratings don’t matter to him, but if his image collapses, how will you salvage it?”

Yao Hong paused before asking, “Do you really have that much confidence in Ran Lin’s turnaround?”

Wang Xi knew Yao Hong was seriously considering her suggestion. She just needed to reassure her. “I can’t guarantee Ran Lin’s turnaround, but as you said, posting or not posting the Weibo doesn’t affect Lu Yiyao. So why not add an extra layer of insurance to his image?”

Yao Hong pondered even longer this time. Wang Xi had patience and would wait in silence.

After a while, Yao Hong finally spoke again, not directly responding but half-jokingly, half-seriously saying, “Somehow I feel that if we stay silent and Ran Lin’s reputation improves, you’ll lead the charge to tear down people’s images…”

Wang Xi was taken aback, surprised at the misinterpretation. “I absolutely don’t mean that. You’re more experienced than me. I can’t play games with you. I genuinely want a win-win for both sides…”

“No need for a win-win. Separate wins are fine,” Yao Hong subtly reminded her. Since Wang Xi hadn’t tied Lu Yiyao to controversies recently, she left it at that. “But it’s ultimately Lu Yiyao’s Weibo. What he posts is up to him. I’ll explain the pros and cons to him. Thanks for your reminder.”

“Wait before hanging up.” Wang Xi sensed the conversation ending and seized the last chance. “Let me add one more thing…”

Yao Hong leisurely said, “Yes, go on.”

Wang Xi: “The other three teams are definitely watching too. They’re afraid of getting burned, but they also don’t want the show to flop. So, if someone takes the lead, I think they’ll be willing to follow. Creating a united atmosphere and image benefits both the show and the guests.”

Yao Hong became curious. “Then why don’t you approach the other agents? If they take the lead, Lu Yiyao will follow.”

Wang Xi immediately responded, “They don’t have your breadth of experience and insight.”

Yao Hong rubbed her temples, feeling overwhelmed. “Are you trying to make up for all the compliments you owe me from the past…”

In the end, Yao Hong didn’t commit to posting the Weibo. Wang Xi hung up, her smile fading to a more tired and serious expression. She wasn’t sure if Yao Hong would convince Lu Yiyao to post. Despite her confident words on the phone, if one thought about it, the situation wasn’t as straightforward as she made it seem.

If Ran Lin truly turned his reputation around, the four who neither supported nor criticized him would be called out, but it wouldn’t be a character-breaking level of criticism. In the end, Ran Lin’s influence and status weren’t enough.

Her bet was on Yao Hong, a classic “mother hen” agent who was extremely protective of her artist.

“Ran Lin’s agent called.” Returning to the sofa, Yao Hong shared the answer with Lu Yiyao before he could ask.

Lu Yiyao was inwardly surprised, with a mix of other subtle emotions passing quickly—too fast to distinguish between anticipation and curiosity—but he remained cool on the surface. “Does she need something from you?”

“Not from me, but from you.”

Yao Hong took the lid of the thermos cup on the coffee table—filled with water after passing security, now lukewarm—drank it steadily, capped it again, put the thermos back in her bag, and then relayed Wang Xi’s call to Lu Yiyao.

For the first time, Lu Yiyao discovered that Yao Hong’s methodical nature could be quite grinding. What frustrated him more was that he couldn’t show his impatience. No, he didn’t even know why he was impatient. Was it just because he wanted to see if Ran Lin’s reaction matched the miserable scenario he had imagined all day?

“Just… like that?” After listening to Yao Hong’s account, Lu Yiyao realized that there was no news about Ran Lin from beginning to end, only an exchange of experiences and strategic considerations between the management teams.

Yao Hong detected a hint of disappointment in her artist’s tone but couldn’t understand why. “What else did you think she would say?”

“Oh, no.” Lu Yiyao quickly regained his composure, correcting himself. “I mean, they just want me to post such a Weibo?”

Yao Hong, somewhat exasperated, wondered why her artist suddenly seemed naïve. “Asking you to post is already quite presumptuous, let alone if the content is risky. Who would listen to her?”

Lu Yiyao nodded, asking, “What do you think, Hong Jie?”

Yao Hong sighed, analyzing sensibly. “Right now, Ran Lin is being criticized so harshly that if he has any standout moments in the show, his reputation could easily rebound. A turnaround isn’t impossible.”

Lu Yiyao: “So, should I still post this Weibo?”

Yao Hong pondered for a moment, then shook her head slightly. “It’s not absolute. Ran Lin’s side definitely hopes you post as soon as possible, hence the timing before the night of the 17^th‘s recording. But the second episode airs on the 21^st, and we’ll definitely have to cooperate with the show’s team for promotion before that. Posting then and tagging everyone isn’t too late.”

“But it would be late for Ran Lin.” Lu Yiyao understood the situation after Yao Hong’s explanation.

“Yes.” Yao Hong knew Lu Yiyao got it. “A week without interaction is enough to pin him with an unpopular label. It’ll be hard to restore credibility later.”

“So,” Yao Hong left the decision to her artist, “it’s up to you what to do.”

……

On the evening of February 16^th, exactly forty-five hours after the first episode’s premiere, Lu Yiyao updated his Weibo—

[Shanghai, I’m here! #NationalFirstLoveDriftingStory @XXSatelliteTV @Gu Jie @Ran Lin @Xia Xinran @Zhang Beichen]

The Weibo post was short, with a photo of Lu Yiyao’s tall figure under the Oriental Pearl Tower taken six months ago.

Before fans and onlookers could react, Zhang Beichen’s Weibo followed up twenty minutes later—

[I arrived early 😝//@Lu Yiyao: Shanghai, I’m here! #NationalFirstLoveDriftRecord @XXSatelliteTV @Gu Jie @Ran Lin @Xia Xinran @Zhang Beichen]

At 8 p.m., Xia Xinran’s Weibo belatedly chimed in—

[I strongly demand a visit to Disneyland 🤪 🤪 🤪 #NationalFirstLoveDriftRecord @XXSatelliteTV @Gu Jie @Lu Yiyao @Ran Lin @Zhang Beichen]

The accompanying photo showed Mickey and Minnie Mouse holding hands and spinning around.

At 8:14 p.m., it was Gu Jie’s turn—

[Every drift makes the biceps on my arms brighter 😎 #NationalFirstLoveDriftRecord @XXSatelliteTV @Lu Yiyao @Ran Lin @Xia Xinran @Zhang Beichen]

The photo was a close-up of Gu Jie rock climbing from the first episode.

At 8:19 PM, it was Ran Lin—

[I have a secret strategy 🐶 #NationalFirstLoveDriftRecord @XXSatelliteTV @Gu Jie @Lu Yiyao @Xia Xinran @Zhang Beichen]

The picture captured the trust fall from the first episode, with Ran Lin falling backwards from a height into the arms of his fellow participants.

At 8:32 PM, Zhang Beichen again—

[Running with the waves~ #NationalFirstLoveDriftingStory @XXSatelliteTV @Gu Jie @Lu Yiyao @Ran Lin @Xia Xinran]

The accompanying photo was of Shanghai’s Bund.

—At this point, the formation* was complete.

*Clarity: In terms of social media, this is a slang term referring to the coordinated or collective action of a group of people, especially in terms of posting online, commenting, or responding on social media.

No matter the reception of a show or the internal relationships, maintaining a united and friendly front is essential. Many onlookers and casual viewers aren’t solely looking for negativity; it’s just that negative content more easily prompts them to comment. As soon as a bit of positivity is released, regardless of its authenticity, they’re willing to buy into it.

However, fans, with their discerning eyes, see through all these promotional tactics, refusing to be fooled! Thus, objective analysts continue to analyze, front-liners continue their assault, and of course, there are the peaceful fans who focus on adoring their idols for a hundred years.

In the entertainment industry, every word and action can start a trend and influence public opinion, good or bad. Like throwing a stone into a river, it starts with a “plop”, but gradually, ripples spread out.

But these effects require time to ferment. And Ran Lin was still oblivious to all this.

Half an hour before Zhang Beichen posted his final formation Weibo—at 8 p.m., Xia Xinran was still editing his Weibo, and Wang Xi had just returned from visiting Han Ze’s set, pulling out her phone, which had been neglected all afternoon and evening.

“…Since we decided to post, couldn’t you remind me so I wouldn’t die?” Seeing the timing of Lu Yiyao’s post, Wang Xi was beyond exasperated. Sure enough, she and Yao Hong would never see eye-to-eye.

But Lu Yiyao’s Weibo tagging was impressively meticulous, arranged alphabetically by surname, showing incredible attention to detail.

After going through Lu Yiyao’s Weibo, Wang Xi checked the other three guests’ accounts. Except for Zhang Beichen, there was no activity from the others. Zhang Beichen’s interaction wasn’t what she wanted. Such one-on-one interactions were meaningless for Ran Lin unless he was the one being tagged, but obviously, the reply was to Lu Yiyao.

Frustrated, Wang Xi saw Xia Xinran’s Weibo pop up on her homepage.

Seeing that formation, she almost wanted to kiss Xia Xinran through the screen. That’s why not just any genuine personality can thrive like Xia Xinran. You see him being carefree, but you buy into his freedom; that’s not just compatibility; it’s his intelligence, with a bit of natural audience appeal.

With Xia Xinran’s assist in queuing, the rest became easier.

Wang Xi immediately called Ran Lin.

After a long ring, the call was finally answered. The voice, though not particularly energetic, wasn’t as downcast as imagined. “Xi Jie?”

Wang Xi felt slightly relieved and returned to her usual assertive tone. “Why did you take so long to answer?”

Ran Lin said, “I was studying strategies.”

Wang Xi frowned. “What?”

“Uh, the Disneyland map, and some strategies written by people who’ve been there. Just in case it comes in handy…”

Wang Xi laughed. “Looks like you’re really gearing up for a fight, all spirited.”

The other end finally laughed. “All forced by the show’s team.”

“Alright, back to business.” Wang Xi became serious. “No matter what you’re doing now, put it down and immediately post a Weibo. The format should be…”

“Promotion?”

Wang Xi frowned; it was rare for Ran Lin to interrupt someone while they were speaking. “Yes, why? Don’t you want to post?”

“No.” There was a moment’s hesitation on the other end. “I’ve already uninstalled Weibo. If it’s for promotion, could you post it for me?”

Wang Xi was taken aback by the unexpected answer. After a two-second pause, she said, “It’s not just for promotion…”

The context was a bit complex, and Wang Xi didn’t know where to start explaining, especially since she wasn’t fond of giving explanations.

“It’s okay, Xi Jie, you handle it. I… want to take a break from Weibo for a while.”

“Alright then.”

Wang Xi didn’t know what else to say. Compared to explaining, she was more amateurish at persuading.

After hanging up, Wang Xi was about to ask the publicity team to work overtime but hesitated before dialing. In the end, she decided to log into Ran Lin’s Weibo herself and post the formation.

Within the next fifteen minutes, Zhang Beichen finally caught up, completing the formation.

Wang Xi, who had been staring at her phone for a long while, finally felt accomplished.

“Learn a bit from Xia Xinran.” Pointing at Zhang Beichen’s avatar, Wang Xi muttered to herself, giving him a lesson in absentia.

At the same time, Lu Yiyao, sneaking a break from the increasingly lively dinner party under the pretense of visiting the restroom, was hiding in the washroom, browsing Weibo.

He didn’t know why, but ever since posting that “Shanghai, I’m here,” he kept wanting to open Weibo every so often.

Finally, his homepage showed the activity he was looking for.

“Secret strategy…” Lu Yiyao stared at Ran Lin’s avatar in the white shirt, falling into a murmuring contemplation. “Did the show team give him spoilers?”

---

<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 颜凉雨 / Yan Liang Yu

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

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Chapter 18

The long-awaited variety show’s premiere was far less exciting than expected, disappointing everyone, including casual viewers, casual fans, and dedicated fans.

Casual viewers usually turn their disappointment into criticism or simply switch to other shows without bothering to comment.

Passersby fans will first go to the program team to make a rational comment on their viewing experience and propose feasible improvement suggestions. Then they will visit the Weibo pages of various guest stars. If they like someone’s performance, they might leave a couple of comments or even become fans of that star. If they think a star needs improvement, they’ll just think about it without typing anything, as it’s someone else’s territory. If they provoke first, they might get torn apart by true fans and have nowhere to seek justice.

The busiest ones are the true fans.

They need to first go to their idol’s page to leave comments and share their viewing experience, mostly positive ones. Occasionally, they might offer suggestions, but always with full love, hoping their idol will perform even better. Then, they’ll go to other guests’ pages whom they like to express their goodwill, such as thanking them for taking care of their idol. Finally, they discreetly observe the guests they don’t like, restraining their urge to criticize and quarrel while closely watching certain unruly fans. If they see someone insulting others, they’ll immediately intervene to smooth things over and apologize to prevent such fans from ruining their idol’s reputation with their behavior.

Initially, everything went as usual. Even an 18^th-tier celebrity like Ran Lin gained new fans after the live broadcast.

But when did the situation suddenly change?

If there was a pinpoint, it might be the production team and CP fans’ responsibility.

Firstly, the production team added romantic subtitles and background music to Ran Lin and Lu Yiyao’s interactions, forcefully creating a “shipping” narrative. Secondly, CP fans couldn’t contain their fantasies and started appearing in the celebrities’ social media comments.

The program team’s initial intention was very simple—to create any hype they could, to win over casual fans. Many might not be fans of any of the five people and were just watching the show. However, they could end up being charmed into becoming fans of a CP. Some might have become fans of the pairing during the airport mishap publicity, and the program team’s later editing was undoubtedly like giving them sweets.

The starting point of CP Fans is mostly well-intentioned; they actually know in their hearts that there’s no possibility for these two people, but just simply feel that the two of them together are pleasing to the eye and extremely cute, so cute that they can’t help but run to tell the real people that the sweetness is just too delicious.

The attitudes of the stars themselves towards this matter vary.

But unless a star publicly announces a romantic relationship, the true fans will only have one attitude towards CP fans—please leave gracefully.

Fans will still tear each other apart, even if some stars have already announced a relationship.

Not to mention that this time the program team was hyping up a male-male CP.

Selling this kind of rot*, even if it’s cute for a while, will eventually make fans sick if it’s constantly done.

*Selling rot. It’s coined this due to the term “Rotten Girls” in China referring to basically, a fujoshi—a subculture of young women who are enthusiasts of male-male romance and relationships, often depicted in manga, anime, or fanfiction. This interest is primarily in the realm of fiction and does not necessarily relate to real-life sexual preferences or orientations. So when someone sells rot, it’s basically pandering to these women.

Especially before participating in the variety show, Ran Lin’s airport mishap and subsequent publicity had already left the fans frustrated, and now the disappointment brought by the blandness of the program + the annoyance brought by the fans of the couple pairing + Ran Lin’s own pitfalls in the program, had all brewed into a “black storm”.

The main force of the storm was naturally the fans of Lu Yiyao.

Accompanying them were the onlookers and casual fans who were led by the rhythm.

Casual fans need to find a point to criticize for the disappointment brought by the blandness of the program, while onlookers just enjoy the chaos and join in the fray.

True fans are indeed deeply invested; from spraying at the airport mishap to spending money on trending searches, from bundling Lu Yiyao for publicity to spraying to pushing their way into the variety show team, they have not let go of any pitfalls, every word brimming with righteous indignation.

Was there any deep hatred?

No.

But shouldn’t Ran Lin be criticized?

At least those keyboard-tapping fans and casual viewers all thought so.

Since you hyped up a CP and enjoyed the benefits brought by others, you should have anticipated the day of backlash.

If you want to complain, then go find the CP fans, find your publicity team, or reflect on yourself in the mirror. Fans’ behavior, idols pay the price, main character publicity, crimes compounded.

The widespread ridicule originated from the first episode’s blandness, but by the time Lu Yiyao was scrolling through Weibo in the early morning, no one cared about the origin anymore. A netizen shouting “XXX please leave the entertainment industry” might not have even watched that person’s works, let alone understood their character, but after watching a few spoof videos, spoof photos, or unverified so-called revelations, they rolled up their sleeves and eagerly joined the fray.

If the other party happens to be a small-time celebrity with a small fan base and no power to fight back, then this is definitely a diss carnival without responsibility.

“Don’t make a sound,” Yao Hong opened her eyes at some point and said out of nowhere.

Lu Yiyao didn’t understand. “What?”

Yao Hong sighed lightly and said, “It’s a critical moment now. Don’t talk too much, don’t do too much. It doesn’t matter if this variety show isn’t popular or explosive, but don’t actively attract negativity to yourself.”

Lu Yiyao looked at Yao Hong for a while and suddenly laughed. “Hong Jie, you’re thinking too much. I’m just scrolling through Weibo.”

Yao Hong looked him up and down, half-jokingly and half-seriously said, “I see your sense of justice is about to break through the ceiling.”

Lu Yiyao was embarrassed and said helplessly, “It’s instinct. I was born with a strong sense of justice. It’s not my fault.”

Seeing Yao Hong was about to speak, Lu Yiyao quickly raised his hand and promised, “But what should be done and what shouldn’t be done, I know.”

Yao Hong looked at him suspiciously for a while, then nodded and let go of her worries.

Lu Yiyao turned off his phone, leaned back on the sofa, and began to try to clear his mind of the messy Weibo comments, @mentions, and reposts…

The other cover star finally arrived leisurely within half an hour.

He arrived so quickly that Lu Yiyao’s mind-clearing work wasn’t yet completely finished when it was forced to stop.

Lu Yiyao handed his phone to Yao Hong for safekeeping, then got up and went to the next makeup room to exchange pleasantries with the other party.

The male star had a somewhat arrogant attitude, but in front of Lu Yiyao, he didn’t dare to go too far.

Lu Yiyao felt completely calm inside. He even thought that, compared to the abuses still cluttering his mind, the male star in front of him seemed innocently adorable.

Most of those comment IDs were his die-hard fans, the kind that loved him truly and deeply.

They lifted him up to the clouds and trampled Ran Lin into the mud.

Yao Hong worrying about him doing something unnecessary was really overthinking it.

He never felt that he could teach his fans how to behave. Everyone is an independent individual, born equal. If you like me, I thank you; if you don’t, I wish you well.

He doesn’t lead the rhythm. If he really did, Ran Lin would have been obliterated long ago.

However, observing indifferently before recording the variety show, he felt a bit thrilled seeing fans confronting Ran Lin; but now, seeing the same thing, that thrill turned into suffocation.

A suffocating feeling stuck in his chest, making him feel uncomfortable all over.

This wasn’t just because Ran Lin was being criticized too harshly, but also because the latter had moved from a “stranger” to a “familiar” position in his life, from a hollow name and a strange face to a “companion” with whom he had shared experiences, even if it was just in the program. This made him involuntarily imagine Ran Lin’s reactions when he saw those malicious comments.

And once he started imagining, he couldn’t stop. In the end, it was always a young face, smiling while tears dripped down. Both the smile and tears were silent, making the onlooker inexplicably suffocated.

Dream Without Limits, Wang Xi’s office.

“What do you want to eat?”

“Hm?”

“I’m asking what you want to eat—”

“Oh.” Ran Lin lifted his head, finally moving his gaze from the phone screen to Wang Xi’s face. “Anything’s fine.”

Wang Xi, speechless, glanced at Liu Wanwan. “Did you hear? Buy whatever you feel like.”

Liu Wanwan, as if granted amnesty, swiftly left to buy breakfast. Staying another minute in the office would be suffocating for her.

Ran Lin mustered his energy, trying to sit up straight, posing as if ready to listen to a lecture. But after waiting and waiting, Wang Xi still didn’t start speaking.

“Aren’t you… going to scold me?” Ran Lin wasn’t blindly optimistic; it was just that since arriving at Dream Without Limits this morning and seeing Wang Xi, this lady had been calm and collected, unlike her fiery state on the phone last night.

Wang Xi didn’t respond immediately, just quietly looking at him with a complex gaze, encompassing sympathy, distress, anger, and frustration.

“No scolding.” Wang Xi casually lit a cigarette, took a drag, and blew out a ring of smoke. “If no one tells you off, I’ll be the one to wake you up. Now that so many fans are teaching you a lesson, I can’t think of anything new to say.”

Through the smoke, Ran Lin looked at his manager with difficulty. “I’m fine. You don’t have to worry about me. I saw all those comments this morning. I can handle it. Don’t take it to heart…”

Wang Xi was just brushing her hair when she heard this and paused. “Are you advising me?”

Ran Lin pointed to the slender lady’s cigarette in her hand, half concerned and half guilty. “Otherwise, you’re resorting to smoking to relieve stress.”

Wang Xi’s expression was as if she heard the joke of the century. She paused, then couldn’t help but ruffle Ran Lin’s hair. “Are you clever or foolish? Sometimes you’re incredibly sharp, other times, utterly stupid.”

Ran Lin blushed, realizing he was being presumptuous.

Wang Xi never smokes. Her sudden smoking must mean something serious. If not him, then could it be… Han Ze?

“Alright.” Wang Xi threw the half-smoked cigarette into a disposable cup and seriously instructed, “From now on, don’t post on Weibo, don’t reply, don’t make a sound. Leave everything to me.”

Ran Lin unconsciously leaned back in his chair. “What are you planning to do?”

“What’s there to fear? I can’t exactly use a nuclear bomb to flatten Weibo.” Wang Xi glanced at him, then sighed. “I’ll try to shift the fans’ attention, at least until the second episode airs. Tsk, Lu Yiyao has never had a fight with anyone since his debut, and his fans have been holding back for years. Now, it’s all contributed to you.”

Ran Lin felt embarrassed. According to Wang Xi, he might as well not bother seeing tomorrow’s sun.

Wang Xi stood up and opened the window a bit, just wide enough for a hand.

The nicotine-laden smoke hadn’t dispersed yet, but the cold wind rushed in first, howling in.

“Aren’t you cold?” Wang Xi asked casually, already sitting back down.

“I’m fine.” Ran Lin shook his head and, after a while, added, “You’re facing the window. Don’t stay in the draft too long.”

Wang Xi didn’t speak. She just looked at him sideways for a while, then suddenly said reflectively, “Whoever becomes your wife in the future is in for a treat.”

Ran Lin was startled, guiltily, and yet pretentiously looked at Wang Xi, realizing she didn’t mean anything by it. It was just a joke.

Lowering his eyes in thought for a moment, Ran Lin playfully raised his eyebrows and leaned in to ask, “So, can I date now?”

Wang Xi deadpanned. “Just try and see.”

Ran Lin grinned, showing his first genuine smile since getting up this morning.

Liu Wanwan’s delivery speed was incredibly fast, returning in the blink of an eye with hot buns and soy milk.

Wang Xi glanced at the breakfast with slight disdain. “Can’t you change it up?”

Liu Wanwan, confused, glanced at Ran Lin, who had already taken the plastic bag, and earnestly said to Wang Xi, “I’m a very loyal person.”

Wang Xi rolled her eyes at her but didn’t get angry.

She noticed that once Ran Lin got familiar with someone, those little edges and mischief in his personality would slowly emerge. He might not be aware of it, but those who interact with him could clearly feel it.

However, these traits didn’t make him annoying. Instead, they made him more real and interesting.

Wang Xi’s phone on the table vibrated briefly. She checked it and then told Ran Lin, “Finish eating and go rest. Don’t browse Weibo these next few days and prepare well for the fourth episode. If we can’t turn public opinion around after eight episodes… Well, don’t think about that for now.”

“…” Ran Lin’s mood was complicated.

He hadn’t thought so far ahead, but Wang Xi’s reminder made him lose control of himself.

“Ah, right, Xi Jie.” Ran Lin, already holding the buns at the door, turned back and said uncertainly, “You said earlier you would try to lead other rhythms. What exactly does that mean…”

Wang Xi raised her eyebrows. “What, you want to teach me public relations?”

“How dare I.” Ran Lin gave a bitter smile but still expressed his concern directly. “I just want to know if these rhythms… won’t involve other people, right?”

“What, you’re afraid I’ll blacken others to save you?”

“After all, it’s the quickest way.”

“Then make a list.” Wang Xi pulled a sheet of white paper from the color printer on the table and slapped it down, looking up at him. “I won’t touch anyone on the list.”

Ran Lin unconsciously gripped the door handle, his body pressing against the doorway. “Xi Jie, you really have the aura of a mafia boss’ wife right now… the younger sister kind.”

“…You could be even more awkward.” Wang Xi resisted the urge to throw the paper at him, pondered for a moment, and relented, “Alright, don’t worry. I won’t shift the focus onto others.”

Ran Lin finally relaxed, about to open the door to leave, but then heard Wang Xi add from behind, “But don’t really think that just because you’re filming a show, everyone is your friend. Always be cautious.”

“Mm,” Ran Lin responded softly.

On his way home, Ran Lin received a WeChat message from Xia Xinran. Despite there being a group chat, he sent a private voice message. Without any preamble, as natural as if they were old friends, he said, “You’re attracting too much hate…”

Ran Lin replied with a voice message too. “It’s a special talent.”

As soon as his message was sent, a reply came back; obviously, the other side was on his phone. “Don’t overthink it. That’s how netizens are. They hate you to the skies but love you deeply when they like you.”

Ran Lin: “Yeah, I know. Thanks, ha.”

Xia Xinran: “Don’t. I can’t post on Weibo to support you now since you’re so controversial right now. If I take a stand, it’s like washing away my fans. My agent would kill me. So I can only offer fake comfort like this. If you thank me again, I’ll take it as you’re being sarcastic and blaming me.”

Ran Lin had reached his front door, listening to Xia Xinran’s latest voice message while unlocking the door, only to be amused by his frank “I can’t support you,” he nearly misinserted the key.

Finally entering the hallway, Ran Lin pressed his phone to reply. “Since you can’t support me on Weibo, how about a kiss on WeChat to soothe my wounds?”

Ran Lin just wanted to tease Xia Xinran, who was good-looking and loved to show off.

He even imagined Xia Xinran with black lines on his face and sarcastic reaction.

But the immediate reply wasn’t sarcastic or angry, but instead full of incredible shock. He was sincerely startled. “Damn, don’t scare me. You’re not gay too, are you?”

Ran Lin froze in the hallway, unable to decide whether to deny his sexual orientation first or ask about the “too” in the sentence.

While he hesitated, Xia Xinran actually withdrew the latest voice message.

Ran Lin was dumbfounded, caught in a whirlwind of whether to admit he had heard it or pretend he hadn’t.

Soon, a new voice message arrived. “Just to clarify, I don’t discriminate against gays, but I’m not one. I like girls, preferably the loli body with a mature heart type, hehe.”

Ran Lin sighed, naturally skipping over the sensitive topic. “Such a sleazy laugh doesn’t suit you.”

Ambiguous attitudes can be interpreted in many ways. Ran Lin didn’t know what Xia Xinran thought, but the final message he sent was unrelated. It was about Lu Yiyao. “I observed closely. The wave of hate against you wasn’t led by Lu Yiyao. It’s probably the backlash from your previous CP hype. Of course, that’s just my opinion. Anyway, he must be more careful than me right now, even less likely to speak up for you, so don’t rush to contact him or post on Weibo tagging him.”

Ran Lin wanted to cry. “How stupid do you think I am?”

Xia Xinran confidently responded, “Who knows, maybe your team will give you bad advice.”

If one day Wang Xi and Xia Xinran meet, Ran Lin thought, they might tear each other apart.

Xia Xinran had an appointment to keep, so after a few words, he disappeared.

But it was enough.

His heart was warmed by the buns and soy milk, and now by people.

Ran Lin reopened Weibo and entered the “Chen Sheng and Wu Guang” group, where there were only three messages: one was a shared birthday party photo from Xia Xinran on the day of the third episode filming, and the other two were messages from him and Lu Yiyao saying “Received.”

Lu Yiyao’s avatar was himself, but unlike his current short hair, the avatar featured long flowing hair with slight curls, a distant gaze, and some stubbles, like a street artist.

Lu Yiyao had never taken this style since his debut. The photo must have been taken during his studies in England, but the style was too mature, showing no trace of a student.

Actually, without Xia Xinran saying so, he knew Lu Yiyao couldn’t publicly voice support.

In fact, Lu Yiyao’s “Forget it” had already made him overjoyed.

But that’s how people are: once they have something, they become greedier and less satisfied.

Like now, he really hoped Lu Yiyao would message him on WeChat, even just to ask, “What are you doing?”

However, Lu Yiyao had no obligation to do so, and there wasn’t much friendship between them.

So Ran Lin just daydreamed for a while, then despised himself for being presumptuous.

All morning, Ran Lin watched the news channel, trying to distract himself with domestic and international affairs, and it worked well. He ordered a Hawaiian pizza for lunch, which was sour and sweet, extremely appetizing.

This continued into the afternoon, with the rolling news no longer having any novelty. Accidentally switching to XX Satellite TV, he just happened to catch the preview of the second episode.

The preview was only over fifty seconds long, but even that was fate for Ran Lin.

He didn’t want to fight against fate anymore, and avoiding it was never his style.

What’s the big deal about being mocked and ridiculed? Once he read it, it was over. The more he avoided it, the more he thought about it—that was what truly tormented him.

Turning off the TV, Ran Lin decisively, like defusing a bomb, picked up his phone, unlocked it with his fingerprint, and opened Weibo. All his movements were careful and cautious.

There were many new comments, but nothing new in content.

The top comments still prominently displayed the seven deadly sins. Looking at that screenshot, Ran Lin actually felt a sense of relief.

Nothing new had emerged, and the scolding was the same old routine. After seeing them for a while, he had become numb.

Following the rule of public opinion fermentation, his Weibo comments would be a battlefield for the next few days. Once he accepted this reality, it didn’t seem too hard to bear.

He wondered if the second episode could bring back some favor.

A complete turnaround was unlikely, but it might improve things a bit. After all, he was more natural in the second episode than in the first…

Lost in his messy thoughts, Ran Lin suddenly found himself holding a bright red apple.

He was startled, unable to recall the memory of washing the apple. He was sitting on the sofa, staring at the wet apple, feeling like he had just woken up from sleepwalking.

His phone suddenly started singing.

The young man under the sun~~ Has your dream come true…

That was him when he just debuted—his first time in the recording studio. According to the sound engineer, he hadn’t sung out any sorrow or melancholy, but rather a lot of bright aspirations.

Expecting it to be Wang Xi, but seeing the caller ID, Ran Lin froze. He didn’t know how much time had passed until the word ‘Mom’ turned into 1 missed call before he hurriedly called back.

“What are you doing? Why didn’t you answer the phone?” The other end was noisy, but his mother’s voice stood out clearly.

Ran Lin quickly cleared his throat, making his voice sound energetic. “I’m at the company. I was in the bathroom just now and didn’t hear it.”

“Oh.” His mom didn’t doubt him and excitedly moved to the main topic. “Your dad and I saw you on TV, you little brat. Why didn’t you tell us about the show? If it wasn’t for Uncle Zhao, we wouldn’t have known at all! How can it be that my son is on TV, and others have to tell me?”

That’s how his mother was—never caring about him, she had to speak her mind first.

Ran Lin smiled, waiting for his mom to finish before saying. “I was wrong, I’ll definitely inform you and dad in advance next time, okay?”

“Too late!” Mom sniffed. “They’ve already announced it on TV, next week, same time. You don’t need to tell me!”

Ran Lin laughed. “Yeah, yeah, you know everything. You’re so amazing.”

“Son.” His mom suddenly changed the topic, her voice no longer exuberant. “Why do you look thinner on TV? Haven’t you been eating well lately? Don’t go on diets like those female stars. You’re fine as you are—you’re the most handsome… er, one of the most handsome ones there!”

“Mom—” Ran Lin surrendered. “Can’t you just compliment me sincerely for once?”

“I don’t want you to slack off. Look at all the pretty people on TV. Why is this one the main character and that one a supporting role? The effort behind it all is different.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

“Don’t just ‘yeah’. Take it to heart.”

“I know…”

“Do you have enough money?” His mom’s topic jumped unpredictably.

Ran Lin held his forehead. “You’ve seen me on TV, what do you think? Wait for your son to earn big money.”

“You’ve been saying that for two years.”

“…”

Typical mom.

“Ah right, your dad’s old phone broke. He finally agreed to get a smartphone. Someone told him something about being able to find you online, see what you’re doing every day. I said it was WeChat, but your dad didn’t believe me. What else could it be…”

His mom learned WeChat when Ran Lin taught her during the New Year, but apart from WeChat, that smartphone hadn’t been used for anything else.

Ran Lin wanted to teach her to use Weibo the next time he went home, but now his dad had been prematurely informed by someone else, he didn’t dare to do so.

“It’s WeChat.” Ran Lin took a deep breath, suppressing the warmth in his eyes.

“I knew it… Wait until he comes back…”

“Dad went out?”

“Yeah, Uncle Zhao called him out for a drink again, in broad daylight. Luckily, the store isn’t busy today. Imagine if it gets busy, how I’d deal with him.”

Ran Lin wanted to say, “If it’s too tiring, don’t do it,” but he didn’t have the confidence to say that.

This reality show was almost a giveaway for the company, with low payment and the agency taking seventy percent. What he got wasn’t much, and he hadn’t had any work for a long time. His own life was tight, let alone taking care of his parents.

“Why aren’t you speaking?” His mom, quick and impatient, immediately asked when she didn’t hear her son’s voice.

Ran Lin sniffed and said, “I want to eat buns.”

His mom thought something was wrong. “Then buy some. Doesn’t Beijing have bun shops?”

“I want the ones from our store.” Ran Lin rarely acted like a child, his voice unconsciously carrying a hint of his hometown accent.

His mom laughed heartily. “Wait till you come back for the New Year. You can sit in the back kitchen of our bun shop and eat them as they come out of the oven. I’ll stuff you!”

Ran Lin laughed out loud, suddenly feeling his face wet. He hurriedly found an excuse to hang up the phone.

Lost, he glanced at the apple in his hand and quickly took a big bite.

Yeah, he’s fine; he can hold on. He’s optimistic. The next shoot would be in Shanghai. He was willing to bet his orientation they would be spending it at Disney…

Ugh, this apple isn’t good—both salty and astringent.

---

<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 颜凉雨 / Yan Liang Yu

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

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Chapter 17

Half an hour in advance, Ran Lin turned on the TV to XX Satellite TV and was grateful that the company, while providing wireless internet, had also kept the set-top box in this dormitory.

Ten minutes before the program aired, Wang Xi called to remind him to watch, saying she would also be watching on her end, ready to communicate by phone at any moment.

Already nervous, Ran Lin found that this call from Wang Xi only added to his restlessness, prompting him to get up for a glass of water to calm down a bit.

He had barely resettled on the sofa when the program started on time.

“…It’s said that Guilin’s landscape tops the world. In the next two days, this will be the main battlefield for <National First Love Drifting Story>. But let’s go back to the night before and see how our male gods prepared…”

Ran Lin had imagined many final versions of the program but still found himself surprised by the post-production team’s magical transformation.

For instance, the opening scene where he knocked on Lu Yiyao’s hotel room only to be told by the assistant that Lu Yiyao was already asleep, which had been awkward for him on the spot, was now amusing with playful subtitles and a cartoon image of Lu Yiyao sound asleep, lessening the embarrassment.

The leisurely river, the elegant mountains, the magnificent caves… The two days of filming were condensed into a ninety-minute episode, picking up pace suddenly. The dry segments in his memory were now much smoother.

The screen time was fairly divided among the five, with Lu Yiyao and Xia Xinran getting slightly more. The former for his popularity, and the latter for his interesting points. At first, Ran Lin was as embarrassed as his on-screen persona, but as the show progressed, he grew accustomed and found much joy in watching.

Some segments were familiar to Ran Lin, while others were challenges faced by others, new to him.

For the segments he experienced, watching his on-screen self brought back memories. However, occasionally, the mood was at odds with the post-production subtitles, which were more humorous and engaging, offering him a different perspective of fun.

Like the scene where he and Lu Yiyao were fighting for a badge, which was intense in reality, but the program used slow-motion and an English love song as background music, humorously breaking the immersion.

Through the lens, Ran Lin realized he and Lu Yiyao strangely synced in their “involvement”. They fought fiercely over a badge, and when they agreed to put it on the ground, it was like a tense standoff between police and kidnappers.

Unfortunately, Xia Xinran’s appearance completely ruined the mood.

Then, when Gu Jie sneak-attacked and won the 5+ badge and Xia Xinran roared childishly, the program cleverly inserted a children’s song BGM, creating a hilarious “comedy effect” that made viewers burst into laughter.

The solo mission segments were even more interesting, like the solo bamboo raft journey after their Guanyan adventure—the quick Q&A with a chance to win a motor.

Ran Lin knew Xia Xinran and Lu Yiyao failed this segment but didn’t know the specifics until now.

Xia Xinran, sweating profusely from rowing, was asked to do a rapid Q&A by the crew member on the boat:

“What’s your favorite color… Green!”

“Your favorite food… Baked rice!”

“Type of man you hate the most… Manipulative!”

“Type of woman you hate the most… None, all little angels!”

“Which male artist in the mainland entertainment industry do you admire the most… Pass!”

“Which female artist in the mainland entertainment industry do you admire the most… Pass!”

“Which actress do you want to work with the most, Wen Qiao, Wang Xinyu, Ai Na, Yu Bingqiu… Damn!”

Before the time was up, Xia Xinran had already given up. But the effect wasn’t the awkwardness of an angry artist but rather Xia Xinran’s suffering and childish pouting. Especially the “Damn”, clearly visible from his mouth, but the actual sound was a sharp “beep”, doubling the comedic effect.

In contrast, Lu Yiyao’s segment wasn’t as dramatic. He seemed aware of the pitfalls and controlled his speed, answering four of six questions:

“Your favorite color… Blue.”

“Your favorite food… Sandwiches.”

“Which mainland artist do you admire the most… Pass.”

“The mainland artist you… Pass.”

“What do you admire most about Ran Lin… His persistence.”

“Your biggest dream… Uh, being… recognized.”

“Your first love was…”

“Time’s up!”

When the crew called time, Ran Lin swore he saw a flicker of triumph in Lu Yiyao’s eyes. He was purposely avoiding giving the program what they wanted. But he seemed to forget that the pitfalls came with rewards, so when the bamboo pole was handed back to him, his brief daze was adorably cute. As he put the pole back into the water, his expression was resigned yet despairing.

Ran Lin couldn’t help but laugh. He had never seen Lu Yiyao so sullen, always maintaining a righteous young man’s demeanor despite the challenges and hardships, enduring through gritted teeth.

When he couldn’t bear it anymore, he’d hit back, like the loving bowl of rice noodles he poisoned late at night.

But after enjoying Lu Yiyao’s moment, Ran Lin sank back into the sofa, sighing deeply.

What do you admire most about Ran Lin?

His persistence.

Indeed, it was a trap set by the program, but Lu Yiyao’s earnest answer was merciless.

Through the screen, he could feel the full extent of the mockery, instantly pulling him back to the fatal embarrassment of the first episode. If only they could broadcast three episodes in one go, since they were now, after all, on somewhat friendly terms… Alas, the time difference was indeed a tormenting thing.

In the first episode, Lu Yiyao and Ran Lin were still awkwardly sharing the screen. Rolling around on the sofa, Ran Lin eventually buried his head in a pillow, as if doing so could make the embarrassment and time pass more quickly.

However, thinking back under the pillow, Ran Lin belatedly pondered over Lu Yiyao’s “biggest dream of being recognized”, feeling like it was missing an object. Recognized by whom? The fans? The audience? The market?

“The young man under the sun~~ Has your dream come true~~ In this cold world~~ Have you changed~”

As the program neared its end, his phone rang. Ran Lin sprang up from the sofa, hurriedly grabbed the phone from the coffee table, and answered.

“Xi Jie.” The call came just a few minutes before the program ended, which didn’t bode well for Ran Lin.

As expected, Wang Xi got straight to the point without any cushioning. “How do you manage to find a point of criticism every few minutes? Who asked you to knock on Lu Yiyao’s hotel door? Aren’t you clever? How can you be so awkward in front of the camera?”

Wang Xi’s anger was palpable. She didn’t need answers; she just wanted to vent. Just listening made Ran Lin almost unable to cope.

After her tirade, Wang Xi felt somewhat better but still sounded harsh. “I told you on the first night, you don’t need to overthink. Just be yourself. Do you realize how forced and overdone your deliberate cuteness and pandering to the audience look on camera?”

“…” Ran Lin was utterly baffled and didn’t know how to respond.

“Never mind.” Wang Xi, realizing her impulsiveness and Ran Lin’s state, said stiffly, “Come to the company tomorrow morning. We’ll talk in detail then.”

Ran Lin finally found an opportunity to speak. “Uh, what time?”

His question reignited the barely suppressed fire in Wang Xi. “The earlier, the better!”

Hearing the dial tone, Ran Lin’s mind went blank, taking a long time to recover.

He had no recollection of the last few minutes of the program, only realizing the advertisements had already started playing. He turned off the TV, hesitated for a moment, but still opened Weibo on his phone.

After returning from the filming of the third episode, except for a promotional post for the first broadcast this morning, he had controlled himself from checking Weibo, knowing the production team was still releasing snippets to stir up hype, allowing fans to argue over a few seconds of footage.

He didn’t have many fans. Usually he was the one being criticized.

But now that the program had aired, despite being scolded by Wang Xi and knowing his performance wasn’t entirely satisfactory, he still wanted to see the audience and fans’ reactions.

[681 new comments, view comments]

[3,920 new followers, view followers]

[1,754 @mentions, view @mentions]

The numbers on the homepage startled Ran Lin. He hadn’t checked Weibo in two days, but he had opened all new messages when he posted the promotional tweet that morning. Though he quickly returned to the homepage without looking closely due to constant ridicule in recent days, he was certain that all the new data had accumulated since that morning.

For a popular star, tens of thousands of comments on a single Weibo post are common, sometimes even reaching over a hundred thousand. For Ran Lin, breaking three digits without fake or zombie followers*, was rare.

*Inactive fans, often times usually fake accounts or bots to inflate the person’s follower count.

He first checked his @mentions. Most were retweets of the program’s premiere announcement by the production team, who had @mentioned him, leading fans to secondarily @mention him too.

Next were the followers; clicking in, he saw lively profiles, none resembling fake fans, which moved Ran Lin.

Finally, he checked the comments, which he now approached with trepidation.

Taking a deep breath, he lightly tapped the screen…

Angry Nani Sauce: [A bit awkward at first, but it got better later. Keep it up! ❤️]

Chasing Wind Girl007: [You and God Lu match well, hahahaha.]

Pikipiki: [Road to fan~~ I love your youthful face—yeah, just that shallow. 🐶]

Surprised, Ran Lin sat up properly and began scrolling through the comments earnestly. The top third were mostly new fans who had just watched the show and replied to his latest promotional tweet. Amidst some ridicule and haters, most comments were positive and encouraging.

Scrolling down, the middle third were messages from earlier in the day, also in response to the same tweet, but the content varied widely.

The positive trend was already lifting his spirits.

Maybe the audience wasn’t as harsh as Wang Xi thought.

Exiting the comments, Ran Lin returned to his Weibo homepage and reopened his top promotional tweet. The top comment in the hottest comments section, which he had already seen, read:

Lin’s Little Ran Mian: [From today, I’ll be a bowl of Burning Noodles*, fanning you, loving you, supporting you silently. From today, I’ll care about variety shows and your works. I have an idol; when he smiles, spring blooms.]

*Clarity: Remember, Ran Mian = Burning Noodles, which is a play on his name and what he wants his fandom to associate with him.

Ran Lin put down his phone and curled up with the pillow on the sofa.

This was his second time rolling on the sofa that night—the first out of embarrassment, the second out of happiness.

Late into the night, the program’s reputation began to ferment slowly. Pure program fans mostly flocked to the production team’s Weibo or analyzed on their homepages on why the first episode was so awkwardly bland. Fans who had finished adoring their idols on screen gradually calmed down, replaying the TV broadcast, even going for second, third, or fourth viewings, analyzing hidden messages in a seemingly harmonious episode.

Program fans only discussed the program, mostly criticizing the production team and planners.

Fans also talked about the program, but as the conversation progressed, some began to argue.

Initially, it was just a handful of fans raising questions.

Then, more and more fans, armed with “speculation + analysis + judgment + emotions”, started flooding Ran Lin’s Weibo, the production team’s Weibo, or posting on their own homepages.

The so-called fan wars require equal strength among fans to really take off. In Ran Lin’s case, as someone who just gained a few thousand followers, it was more of a one-sided diss.

The storm surged in an instant, and the hot comments changed their focus. The screen, which was once filled with warm comments, was now dominated by Lu Yiyao’s fans.

However, Ran Lin was unaware of all this. After scrolling through the comments for a while, his heart, which had been stifled by Wang Xi’s scolding, was completely healed. He went to bed with a rare sense of joy and slept deeply, without any dreams.

The next morning, when Ran Lin went to meet Wang Xi at Dream Without Limits, Lu Yiyao had already started his day.

He was invited to shoot a cover for a renowned fashion magazine. Lu Yiyao had done several covers, but only a few were prestigious. Like today’s, it was said to be an invitation, but in reality, it was an opportunity secured by his management team after long negotiations.

In the current entertainment industry, one has to compete in popularity, fans, works, and even fashion resources. Some have great works, high popularity, and numerous fans but can’t unlock the “Top Five Magazines”—the five top fashion magazines in China. If you haven’t, you’re still not considered high-status in the industry.

Among those who have been featured in these magazines, people compare who’s on the first cover, who’s inside the cover, who collected all five covers, and who’s still on the journey to gather the “five dragon balls”.

The entertainment industry is like an endless river where everyone rows against the current. If you don’t fight hard, the audience will forget you tomorrow. If you do, you can never let your guard down. Even those so-called top stars will be abandoned by the times and become legends with fame but no influence if they don’t keep pushing forward.

When Lu Yiyao entered the industry, he just wanted to see how far he could go. But now, without having achieved a brilliant career, he had already seen through this siege. Here, some seek fame, some profit, some the pursuit of art. What about him? What is he seeking?

“Call him again and tell him if he doesn’t come now, he doesn’t need to bother coming at all!” The door of the dressing room burst open, and the magazine’s editor-in-chief, dressed in a luxury brand’s new spring suit, stormed in, hanging up the phone, and said to Lu Yiyao and Yao Hong, “We’ll wait another half hour, and if he doesn’t show, we’ll switch to a solo cover.”

A solo cover is much higher in status than a duo cover. Given the choice, Yao Hong would obviously choose the former for Lu Yiyao. But the late celebrity had a major sponsor backing him, so the editor-in-chief was unlikely to actually replace him just because she was momentarily upset. So, Yao Hong just listened to her vent and then tried to pacify her.

“It must be traffic. These days, there’s no smooth driving.” Yao Hong always spoke softly, soothingly.

The editor-in-chief calmed down a bit, but her frown didn’t ease. “If he knew there was traffic, he should have left earlier. So many people are waiting for him. It’s like he’s forgotten his own name after being pampered by fans.”

Yao Hong just smiled and didn’t continue the topic.

After venting, the editor-in-chief felt better and, seeing Lu Yiyao didn’t seem upset, offered some token comfort before leaving the room.

Left in the dressing room were Lu Yiyao, already made up, his agent Yao Hong, and an assistant.

“She was scolding for your benefit,” Yao Hong remarked, looking at the closed door.

Lu Yiyao didn’t look up. “I know.”

Yao Hong was surprised. Lu Yiyao could endure and control himself, but he was definitely not someone with a good temper. Usually, in such situations, he might not speak out, but he would definitely have mentally criticized the other party. But now, Lu Yiyao truly didn’t care. In fact, when the editor came in, he only responded perfunctorily. Yao Hong could tell that his attention was mostly locked on the phone he had been playing with since makeup.

“No way to remedy the awkwardness now.” Yao Hong sighed. “Just hope the next few episodes have highlights and can reverse the negative reception.”

Lu Yiyao continued scrolling through comments nonchalantly.

Yao Hong felt uncertain and asked directly, “What about the second and third episodes?” They weren’t allowed to follow the filming, and with no spoilers allowed for spontaneous performances, what seemed like a unique feature during signing now felt like a pitfall.

Lu Yiyao finally stopped scrolling, thought for a moment, and said, “It should be better than the first episode.”

Yao Hong didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “That’s a pretty low bar.”

But that’s all they could hope for now. With so many variety shows featuring fresh young talent and big stars, the audience was getting tired. Unless there was truly amazing planning, powerful post-production, and exceptional performances by the stars, replicating the explosive popularity of the past few years would be difficult.

“Rest if you’re tired. Don’t keep staring at your phone.” Yao Hong leaned back on the sofa, stopping the chatter. Otherwise, she would feel annoyed even if Lu Yiyao wasn’t bothered.

Lu Yiyao nodded, seemingly obedient, but after Yao Hong closed her eyes to rest, he couldn’t help but pick up his phone again and continue reading comments.

Lu Yiyao found his own behavior strange.

First, he wasn’t someone who cared much about comments. Everyone has their own personality, logic, and way of thinking. The same thing can be viewed in a hundred different ways. If he lived by others’ opinions, he wouldn’t have a peaceful life. So he occasionally read comments just to see the cute “little angel” fans as they placed a lot of beautiful emotions on him. Fortunately, he hadn’t encountered any significant backlash since his debut. As Yao Hong said, everything was smooth sailing.

Second, he wasn’t even scrolling through his own Weibo comments.

In Lu Yiyao’s Weibo, it’s all warmth and peace, with comments like “I love you. You’re so handsome. My God Lu turns out to be directionally challenged, haha.” Just a few minutes of scrolling, and he could fully absorb all these emotions.

But another person’s Weibo was a world of ice and fire.

[Hope Ran Lin quits <National First Love Drifting Story>. Thumbs up if you agree.] (2,478 likes)

[I’m not targeting anyone, but all those anything that comes with free wheat bran* is trash.] (1,963 likes)

*It’s a saying which implies that if something is being given away for free or with an added bonus, it might be low quality or undesirable.

[Not to be harsh, but your performance really wasn’t good. Saying you’re not a nepotism hire, no one would believe. 😊] (1,705 likes)

[Take God Lu away. We don’t mix. Focused on our own. Refuse to fan wars. ❤️] (1,529 likes)

……

Ran Lin’s second-to-last Weibo post had only a few hundred replies, but the latest one was nearing ten thousand.

There were his fans, other’s fans, and the show’s fans, but no matter whose fans, they found a common goal here—asking Ran Lin to leave <National First Love Drifting Story>.

The hottest comment, with over five thousand likes, was a long Weibo screenshot, which Lu Yiyao had already seen several times but couldn’t help returning to study again.

The poster had meticulously listed Ran Lin’s seven sins:

#1: During the recording of the theme song, he released a widespread article saying he hit it off with Zhang Beichen, but in the program, their first interaction in the hotel room was polite and awkward, contradicting his statement.

#2 Before the show aired, he tried to tie himself to Lu Yiyao to hype a male-male CP. After Lu Yiyao’s initial mistaken retweet at the airport, there was no further response. Yet, in the program, he eagerly knocked on Lu Yiyao’s hotel door, only to be directly rejected by the assistant—a powerful face-slap.

#3 At 6 minutes and 35 seconds, after being rejected by Lu Yiyao, he said to the camera, “I can only see my idol tomorrow. I’m so sad” in an overdone manner.

#4 At 38 minutes and 27 seconds, during the rapid Q&A, when asked what he admired most about Lu Yiyao, he answered, “His accomplishments.” This was the most shameless Q&A I’ve ever seen. Just because Lu Yiyao has accomplishments doesn’t mean you can shamelessly ride his coattail.

#5 At 45 minutes and 17 seconds, he asked Zhang Beichen to let him be the first, which was a misleading edit by the production team. But joking with someone he’s not very familiar with, leading to misunderstandings, is Ran Lin’s fault.

#6 At 63 minutes, when Lu Yiyao brought midnight rice noodles, everyone was in their true state without defenses. Ran Lin’s bare face wasn’t flattering; apart from looking young, there was no charm or highlight. Personally, I wouldn’t choose someone like that for my first love.

#7 At 81 minutes, when Lu Yiyao accidentally drank bitter gourd juice, Ran Lin diligently offered water. But wasn’t it you who, along with others, decided to give Lu Yiyao extra spicy rice noodles and laughed happily? Hypocritical and disgusting.

In summary, please take your white shirt and go back to school and leave the show a blue sky! 👋

Lu Yiyao stared at the screenshot he had opened to full screen, feeling as though he wasn’t looking at a phone screen but rather a judgment document.

As he continued to look, he fell into an unreal trance, as if what was said in the screenshot and the show he had participated in weren’t the same at all.

---

<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 颜凉雨 / Yan Liang Yu

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

---

Chapter 16

The show’s original plan was to have the guests struggle to earn money and then struggle to borrow a dilapidated place. They wanted to bring Xia Xinran, who had just enjoyed the summer, to the party scene, expecting the contrast from luxury to a humble setting would surely ruffle the feathers of the arrogant birthday boy.

Unexpectedly, the guests pulled a big move.

Usually, celebrities are reluctant to publicly reveal their private homes. Even if their reality show contracts allow filming, only partial glimpses are aired, and certainly not a case like Lu Yiyao’s, who unexpectedly offered his place as a filming location.

In this variety show, Lu Yiyao’s home is a luxurious apartment in Chaoyang District, Beijing. He had no obligation to offer a second one, but he did.

He declared beforehand that the address and exterior of this second private residence couldn’t be revealed in the broadcast, and access was limited to the living room. Still, the director was ecstatic and hurried over with a crew and equipment.

The place was a seaside villa with a view of the sea and blooming spring flowers—a secret residence of Lu Yiyao, unknown and unphotographed by paparazzi.

It was uncertain if it was actually Lu Yiyao’s residence, as aside from his statement, “My house,” there was no personal touch in the villa. It was as if it had been left vacant after renovation, fully furnished yet devoid of any personal traces.

Regular cleaning was evident, as the bright living room was spotless. The lilies and lotus flowers in the vase on the table were fresh and elegant, giving a subtle floral fragrance in the air.

However, there were no photo frames, clothes, books, or any personal items that might reveal some gossip.

Disappointed, the director lost his initial excitement while instructing the crew to set up equipment.

Ran Lin was also surprised.

Like the crew, they only used the living room, which felt impersonal with its gray and white decor, only brightened by some colorful decorations.

Ran Lin doubted this was Lu Yiyao’s style, knowing his preference for colors other than gray in clothing.

Like his three companions, Ran Lin kept his questions to himself, respecting an unspoken agreement not to probe further.

Lu Yiyao’s willingness to offer his private home was generous, and not prying further was a courtesy among friends—if they could be called that.

“I’m very satisfied with the arrangements for this episode—really, very satisfied!” Xia Xinran, blindfolded and led into the living room, couldn’t see the route but didn’t forget to praise the crew, evidently pleased with the previous night’s luxury hotel and spa experience.

Everyone was in the living room, but apart from the four male stars, other crew members and equipment were out of camera range.

Sunlight streamed in through the floor-to-ceiling windows, filling the gray-white living room with a touch of warmth despite its cool-toned decor.

The moment Xia Xinran’s blindfold was lifted, the birthday song began.

The cake, chosen by Ran Lin, was Black Forest.

Xia Xinran had mentioned his fondness for chocolate, and fortunately, Black Forest was the specialty of that bakery. The cake wasn’t sliced yet into individual pieces.

The bright sunlight made the candle flames less noticeable. Initially, they thought of drawing the curtains, but the director decided that letting in the sunlight made for a better shot.

Lu Yiyao’s private villa, not in the original plan of the crew, added an unexpectedly beautiful setting, which the director was keen to utilize.

The birthday party was warm, but after the initial joy, there wasn’t much content. It was just eating cake and chatting.

The conversation was limited, mainly teasing Xia Xinran.

It was no wonder the male stars joined forces in teasing. Imagine, while one enjoys a five-star hotel and spa, the others work overnight to buy a cake, only to give it back to the birthday boy. It’s hard for anyone to feel balanced in such a scenario.

Indeed, it was such a great birthday.

Xia Xinran also genuinely felt the effort his friends had put in, feeling somewhat guilty. Initially, he took the teasing in good spirits.

But being not too straightforward himself, he soon started scheming and cleverly shifted the focus of the banter.

“Let’s play Truth or Dare!”

After all, a party isn’t a formal gathering. What’s the fun in just chatting politely? If they’re going to party, they should at least make it lively.

The four male stars were startled, instinctively looking at the director.

The director was thrilled and enthusiastically approved. “Great idea!”

Usually, Truth or Dare involves drawing straws, picking cards, or spinning a bottle, with newer versions using mobile apps.

As the guests weren’t allowed to use their phones and drawing straws lacked atmosphere, they decided to use a sponsor’s empty drink bottle, rustic and appealing.

The director deliberately focused the camera on the bottle’s label, finding Xia Xinran’s suggestion brilliant.

Half-drawing the curtains, the living room instantly gained the vibe of a chat session. The five people sat in a circle on the light gray carpet, placing the empty bottle in the middle, with Xia Xinran, the birthday boy, spinning it first.

Without hesitation, Xia Xinran looked around, chuckled, and swiftly twisted the bottle.

It spun rapidly, slightly shifting from its original position.

Ran Lin remembered playing such games with his college dormmates. Watching the spinning bottle, he felt a sense of time reversal, imagining the bottle as a green beer bottle, with the laughter of his friends echoing in his ears…

“Gu Jie!”

The bottle finally stopped, not directly pointing at Gu Jie but close enough to brush against his clothing.

Gu Jie wasn’t one to make a fuss. He immediately extended one hand, mimicking the gesture of Wong Fei-hung inviting questions. “Ask whatever you want to know.”

“Me! Me! Me!” Xia Xinran eagerly raised his hand, as if he had been holding the question in his heart for centuries, waiting for such an opportunity. Without waiting for Gu Jie to respond, Xia grinned mischievously and asked, “Did you and Su Wei ever actually date?”

Ran Lin’s jaw dropped.

Zhang Beichen and Lu Yiyao frowned. Though it was a game of Truth or Dare, asking someone directly about their romantic rumors on camera seemed inappropriate.

However, Gu Jie, as if expecting the question, calmly replied, “I’ve explained many times, we’re just friends.”

All eyes turned to Xia Xinran.

Nobody cared about whether Gu Jie and Su Wei were just friends. They were more interested in the “explained many times” part!

Xia Xinran was stunned. “What do you mean you explained many times? Wait, what does it have to do with me?” Realizing something, he threw a crumpled paper at Gu Jie. “You’re setting me up!”

Gu Jie was already laughing so hard he could barely breathe.

Xia Xinran immediately shifted his camera towards himself, righteously declaring, “My fans, I have nothing to do with that person spreading false rumors. I only love you all. Look into my pure eyes…”

The other three, realizing later, admired Gu Jie’s skill in handling Xia Xinran.

Compared to Xia Xinran’s spicy questions, the others were milder, and the round ended quickly.

Zhang Beichen was the next to spin the bottle, which, amusingly, pointed right back at him. Everyone laughed, including himself.

Until Xia Xinran asked a question that froze the atmosphere.

He inquired, “Before I came, I saw a clip from the first episode in Guilin. You said you’d let Ran Lin win. Was that intentional?”

The mood suddenly tensed.

Xia Xinran’s tone was light, but it felt like a cold breeze from the movie <The Day After Tomorrow> freezing everything in its path.

Zhang Beichen was caught off guard, while Gu Jie and Lu Yiyao had complicated expressions. Ran Lin only felt like a headache was coming.

“I don’t understand what you mean…” Zhang Beichen finally spoke up. He tried to appear natural but faced with such a direct and almost confrontational question, he was clearly unprepared.

Xia Xinran suddenly gave a narrow smile. “What I mean is, if you wanted to switch, you should’ve come to me, not Ran Lin. My accommodation that day was pitiful. You didn’t see it… Remember, next time, offer any benefits to me first. We’re that close!”

Zhang Beichen blinked blankly, slow to catch on, but then quickly nodded. “Okay, I’ll come to you next time.”

Xia Xinran reached out to pat his shoulder with a comforting expression.

Gu Jie and Lu Yiyao were baffled, unsure of Xia Xinran’s intentions. Was it just a joke, or was there a hidden message? If there was a hidden message, what was it? Was it meant for Zhang Beichen or Ran Lin?

Ran Lin, observing their puzzled looks, just wanted to facepalm.

He could tell that Xia Xinran didn’t like Zhang Beichen, but that was it. As for the reason behind Xia Xinran’s actions, he couldn’t figure it out and didn’t want to delve into it. He just wanted to record the show peacefully, and if it could gain a little popularity and lead to a script to act in, he would be more than grateful. There was really no need for added drama.

“It’s my turn to ask. In the youth films you’ve acted in, you’ve played a top student, a poor student, a prominent senior, and a rebellious teen. Which type were you actually closest to in school?”

This awkward moment needed a game-changer—a cue for the next step!

As expected, Zhang Beichen took up the question and talked at length.

Ran Lin wasn’t particularly interested in the answer, but since he had asked the question, he appeared to listen attentively while inwardly he was sweating.

Xia Xinran seemed unconcerned, as if he had just made a joke, and now, feeling relieved, he immersed himself in the next part of the game, listening to the answer along with Ran Lin with great interest.

Gu Jie and Lu Yiyao exchanged glances. The former felt he might be slow due to a lack of sleep, struggling to keep up with the rapid changes of the Truth or Dare game; the latter sensed something strange but not particularly relevant to him, so he didn’t delve deeper.

After Zhang Beichen’s round ended without incident, it was Gu Jie’s turn to spin the bottle, which pointed at Ran Lin.

Ran Lin, confidently narrowing his eyes, half-jokingly and half-defiantly said, “Bring it on.”

The friends prepared themselves, seemingly unreserved, but the questions asked were quite gentle.

Gu Jie asked, “What kind of role do you most want to play?”

Ran Lin wanted to cry. “A director must cast me first.”

Zhang Beichen asked, “Do you believe in love at first sight?”

The question itself was innocuous, but Zhang Beichen’s overly serious gaze and gentle tone made Ran Lin uncomfortable, prompting him to swallow his initial joke and give a serious and cautious reply. “I believe that emotions are diverse in this world. However, I haven’t experienced it. Personally, I’m more inclined towards love that grows over time.”

After answering, Ran Lin immediately looked at Lu Yiyao.

Lu Yiyao felt the previous question was a bit odd but didn’t think much of it, especially as the focus was now on him. He quickly asked his question, maintaining his momentum.

“How do you feel… about fans liking you as a person but not your origins?”

Ran Lin looked puzzledly at Lu Yiyao, feeling that the question was quite distant from his own experiences, more fitting the kind of issue Lu Yiyao might face. The tone of the question also seemed odd, as if Lu Yiyao initially wanted to ask something else but changed his mind at the last moment.

Despite the doubts, when asked, one must reply according to the rules. “Then I can only strive to offer better works, so that they will love the characters more than they love me in the future.”

Ran Lin’s answer carried a shy smile, reflecting a sentiment of, “I know I can’t bear the responsibility, but I have no choice but to talk big for now.”

Lu Yiyao picked up a sponsor’s drink and took a few sips, but his mind was pondering why he suddenly changed the question.

How do you view malicious hype?

That was what he actually wanted to ask.

But if he really asked, regardless of Ran Lin’s response, as long as the program team didn’t edit it out and broadcast this segment, Ran Lin would be criticized severely*.

*Spray. It’s an internet term that means being scolded/ridiculed ect. online.

Lu Yiyao knew all too well the combativeness of his fans, especially since they had disliked Ran Lin for a long time.

Sure enough, Lu Yiyao thought, he still disdains the behavior of those who rely on a large fanbase to recklessly create narratives.

It didn’t matter whether it was Ran Lin or not.

“It’s my turn, my turn.” Xia Xinran excitedly adjusted his sitting posture, oblivious to any subtleties or undercurrents, and eagerly made his request. “I need you to take a dare!”

Ran Lin was exasperated but also amused. “Why should I?”

Xia Xinran pitifully wrinkled his face. “It’s been so many rounds without a dare. It’s not thrilling at all!”

Ran Lin wasn’t prepared to indulge in the other’s pursuit of the game. “When it’s your turn, you can take all the dares you want. We won’t stop you.”

“I won’t ask you to do anything excessive. Just try it once,” Xia Xinran said sincerely. “Or else listen to my dare first, and if you don’t like it, I’ll change it back to a question.”

Ran Lin sighed. He was a man who could be persuaded by both hard and soft tactics, especially by the coquettishness of a beauty.

“Alright, let me hear it,” Ran Lin said with resignation, feeling like he was indulging a younger brother.

Xia Xinran sat up straight, cleared his throat, and announced seriously, “The dare is to say one thing you most want to say to each person present.”

Ran Lin was momentarily stunned, then laughed.

It wasn’t a malicious dare at all. No, it was more like a beginner’s level, full of goodwill towards the adventurer.

After pretending to think deeply, Ran Lin finally agreed. “Okay.”

Xia Xinran showed a satisfied smile.

Ran Lin straightforwardly started with him. “Xia Xinran, you are the prettiest… younger brother I’ve ever seen.”

The expectant face immediately became embarrassed. “Why do you have to demote me while complimenting me…”

Gu Jie casually reminded, “Brothers are equals.”

What he got in return was a disdainful glance from the great beauty.

Ran Lin, feeling refreshed, turned to the next person. “Zhang Beichen, on the day we recorded the theme song, I wanted to say that your voice is really nice in the recording studio.”

Zhang Bei Chen was surprised and scratched his head before smiling at him. “Thanks.”

“Gu Jie…”

“Hmm?” Gu Jie perked up, ready to listen attentively.

Ran Lin said earnestly, “You are really too slow to warm up.”

Gu Jie narrowed his eyes. “Why does it become a roast when it’s my turn…”

Xia Xinran clapped his hands in amusement, enjoying seeing the other party embarrassed.

Ran Lin lowered his eyes, pondering for a moment, then turned to Lu Yiyao.

Lu Yiyao waited quietly, without particular expectation or excitement, feeling somewhat puzzled.

Why did Ran Lin speak so smoothly about the others but hesitate when it came to him? He wasn’t that difficult to summarize, was he?

Moreover, Ran Lin wasn’t Xia Xinran. Even if he pondered longer, he certainly wouldn’t say anything too outrageous. Without listening, one could guess that, whether it was praise or criticism, it would surely be a harmonious sentiment of everyone being happy.

“Lu Yiyao…” Ran Lin finally spoke.

Lu Yiyao nodded, immediately straightening up in a posture of serious listening.

“I’m sorry.”

After much contemplation, that was all he said.

Lu Yiyao froze in the sunlight.

His seat wasn’t great, right next to an uncovered window. The sunlight always shone into his eyes, forcing him to occasionally look away to avoid it.

But now, he didn’t move, letting the sunlight bathe him, as if frozen in place, motionless for a long time.

Gu Jie and Zhang Beichen were clueless.

Only Xia Xinran immediately understood and couldn’t help but complain, “It’s just that the hay got blown away and we couldn’t start a fire. We ended up eating later anyway. Lu Yiyao won’t mind.”

Gu Jie suddenly realized, then looked at Xia Xinran speechlessly.

Zhang Beichen corrected with a smile, “It was coconut palm.”

Xia Xinran frowned. “What’s the difference?”

Zhang Beichen moved his lips a few times but eventually gave up on explaining, and it seemed Xia Xinran wasn’t planning to listen anyway.

Ran Lin watched them divert the topic with their banter, just smiling and not explaining further.

What he really wanted to apologize for, only he knew.

Xia Xinran, Gu Jie, and Zhang Beichen might not know, and Lu Yiyao probably couldn’t guess it either.

Since his friends accepted that he was apologizing for sabotaging Lu Yiyao’s fire-making, then let it be so.

He just wanted to apologize, regardless of whether the other party understood or not, as a way to account for his previous actions. Otherwise, simply asking Wang Xi to tell the publicity team to stop, it always felt like he was muddling through without proper resolution.

A bottle of the sponsor’s drink was suddenly handed over in front of him.

Ran Lin looked up in confusion, following the arm to meet Lu Yiyao’s face.

Then he heard the other person say, “Forget it.”

Suddenly, the world became quiet, with no other sounds.

The only thing echoing in his ears were these two words.

Lu Yiyao, watching Ran Lin’s wide-eyed, stunned expression, found it amusing and decided to enjoy the sight a bit longer. After having his fill, he weighed the drink in his hand and recited the advertisement, “Replenish trace elements and restore your energy for the day. Won’t you drink it?”

Ran Lin blinked, finally regaining his composure, and snatched the drink from Lu Yiyao, unscrewing the cap and gulping it down.

What Lu Yiyao said wasn’t “it’s okay,” but “forget it.”

Li Yiyao understood what he meant!

Lu Yiyao slightly regretted handing over the drink, debating whether to advise Ran Lin to drink slower. Even if guests were obliged to promote for sponsors, there was no need to go this far.

After all, what he said wasn’t “it’s fine,” but just “forget it.”

“It’s fine” would mean he didn’t care about those things at all.

“Forget it” meant he cared but didn’t want to dwell on it anymore.

Just a “forget it” made the other so happy. Lu Yiyao suddenly wanted to ask where Ran Lin got the courage to ride on the coattails of popularity in the first place. With such a mentality, he should have just stuck to regular releases of edited street snaps and selfies to maintain his original popularity.

Xia Xinran, for no apparent reason, looked at Ran Lin blowing on the bottle and then at Lu Yiyao, who seemed to be muttering to himself, not understanding how his creativity turned into advertisement time.

After some thought, he picked up three other bottles of the drink, one for himself and the other two for Zhang Beichen and Gu Jie, saying helplessly, “Don’t just sit there. Join in.”

The third episode’s filming in the villa concluded. Lu Yiyao, with his outstanding wilderness survival skills and the ability to produce a set of villa keys at any time, was unanimously voted as the episode’s “Tropical Breeze First Love”.

Normally, the guests would leave first, and the crew would wrap up, but today’s location was different—a private place. As the host, Lu Yiyao had to patiently wait for the crew to finish.

His four companions simply joined him in waiting. Since the filming ended early today, there was plenty of time before the evening flight back, and they could leave early thanks to Lu Yiyao’s help.

The crew had a lot of equipment, and packing up was quite troublesome. While waiting boredly, Xia Xinran suddenly suggested, “Hey, let’s add each other on WeChat.”

Everyone agreed to the idea, but they weren’t allowed to bring mobile phones during the shoot, and their phones were currently with their agents or assistants at the hotel.

Their attempt to add WeChat was unsuccessful, so Xia Xinran set his sights on the golden paper crowns that came with the cake. After much deliberation, he couldn’t resist asking the staff to take a group photo of the five of them with their phones.

Naturally, he stood in the middle with the crown, flanked by two male gods on each side.

The four cooperated fully, smiling willingly for the camera.

The crew finally finished packing up before Xia Xinran could come up with a third mischievous idea, and everyone returned to the hotel together.

Xia Xinran was still thinking about adding WeChat. Now that everyone had their phones, they indulged his wish and added each other. After adding, Xia Xinran immediately pulled everyone into a group and shared the group photo taken by the staff.

Seeing this, Gu Jie joined in the fun, saved the photo, and then changed the group name to “Chen Sheng Wu Guang*.”

*Referencing two historical figures from ancient China, best known for their roles in the early stages of the Chinese rebellion against the Qin Dynasty around 209 BC. This rebellion eventually led to the fall of the Qin Dynasty and the rise of the Han Dynasty. Due to this, their story is usually a symbol of resistance against tyranny and the fight for justice.

For the next two days after returning, the group was quiet, probably because everyone was busy or, even if they had time, they couldn’t find anything to talk about. But Ran Lin would still check the group, which he had pinned, every time he opened WeChat. Just glancing at the group name seemed to ignite a passion to stand up against the program crew to the end.

On February 14^th, Valentine’s Day evening, three days before the filming of the fourth episode, the first episode of <National First Love Drifting Story> aired as scheduled!

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<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 颜凉雨 / Yan Liang Yu

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

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Chapter 15

Ran Lin never got an answer from Lu Yiyao, but the answer wasn’t really important.

By the third episode, he was finally able to interact normally with Lu Yiyao and even occasionally joke with him, which was satisfying enough for him.

The night was clear with a moonlit sky, and the temperature was much cooler than during the day. Fortunately, the production team had a bit of humanity left and gave the male stars thick jackets, which they could use as blankets or wear as they liked.

Ran Lin used his as a blanket. The five of them, with four coconut leaf tents, had settled their sleeping arrangements through rock-paper-scissors, resulting in the losers, Xia Xinran and Zhang Beichen, sharing one tent. Xia Xinran’s expression when the results were announced looked like the end of the world.

Ran Lin didn’t understand what Xia Xinran disliked so much about Zhang Beichen, but the topic was too sensitive, and they weren’t close enough for him to ask, so he kept his curiosity to himself.

Lying down, using his arms as a pillow, listening to the waves, and looking at the sea and sky merging in the distance, he felt his mind opening up. Ran Lin was a thoughtful person, but at that moment, he just wanted to empty his mind. It had been a long time since he felt this way, with nothing to think, do, or worry about. He was just lying there quietly, letting time pass by…

“Oh yeah!”

A sudden cheer shattered the tranquility of the night.

Ran Lin sighed, thinking he just wasn’t destined to have a moment of peace, and got up to look outside. However, he was too slow and only caught a glimpse of Xia Xinran happily leaving with the production crew.

“What’s going on?” Ran Lin, puzzled, asked Lu Yiyao in the next tent, who had come out to look earlier.

But Lu Yiyao wasn’t very clear either and could only guess. “Maybe the production team has a new task for him.”

Ran Lin frowned in confusion and muttered, “What new task could there be in the middle of the night?”

Lu Yiyao thought for a moment and seriously met his eyes. “I think it’s better not to speculate.”

For a moment, Ran Lin was almost lost in Lu Yiyao’s gaze. Regaining his composure, he laughed. “You’re right. It’s probably not about getting a midnight snack.”

Lu Yiyao smiled wryly, shrugged, and crawled back into his leaf tent.

Ran Lin exhaled softly, feeling a strange sense of relief.

Cautiously slipping back into his tent and lying down, Ran Lin could still feel his heart pounding erratically.

The last time he felt this way was when he first joined the company and attended the premiere of a famous director’s movie. The film started with the male lead slowly lifting his head in a close-up shot. His expression was subdued, but his eyes were filled with deep, unspoken emotions. That moment had his heart skipping a beat and then uncontrollably racing.

The film was told from the female lead’s perspective, so Ran Lin’s emotions followed hers, experiencing joy and sorrow for this man. By the end of the movie, it felt like he had gone through a romance himself.

However, strangely enough, when the cast came out to thank the audience, seeing the male star on stage, Ran Lin felt nothing. He realized it was the character portrayed in the movie that had moved him, not the actor himself. In reality, the actor was nothing like the character he played: cheerful, eloquent, and gentle, in contrast to the introverted, melancholic man with a dark side in the film.

That was when Ran Lin understood the incredible and magical power of actors, able to bring characters so different from themselves to life with such delicacy and realism, making them feel real and tangible.

Ran Lin didn’t fall for that male star, but he did fall in love with acting.

But Lu Yiyao wasn’t playing any character.

Here, by the sea where the waves never ceased, Lu Yiyao was just being himself.

This wasn’t a good sign.

Ran Lin tossed and turned, unable to settle down, wishing he could sit up and howl like Xia Xinran had.

The entertainment industry is a rather strange place, where male celebrities can feign homosexuality for show, but they cannot be truly gay. Even if some have been irrefutably exposed, as long as the male star wants to continue working in the industry, they must firmly deny any “suspicions of same-sex relations”.

When encountering such statements, public relations teams feel as if they are facing a formidable enemy. Regardless of whether they respond with an air of indifference, suggesting that “rumors stop with the wise”, or with a forceful “I’m going to send you a legal notice”, they are, without exception, highly vigilant about such rumors behind the scenes.

In theory, society has become more tolerant towards sexual orientation, especially the younger generation, who are more open and accepting.

But for some reason, in the entertainment industry, this issue is a red alert. At best, it leads to negative publicity; at worst, it can rapidly end a career.

Ran Lin was frustrated with this situation but understood that to stay in the industry, he had to play by its rules. So he had always kept silent about his own sexual orientation, even deleting any potentially suggestive comments and photos from his social media before possibly signing with Dream Without Limits.

He didn’t want to hurt others, but he had to protect himself.

Fortunately, in his two years in the industry, he hadn’t been troubled by rumors about liking men. Perhaps because his career wasn’t very high-profile and his social circle was shrinking, he had almost forgotten what it felt like to fall for someone.

But just now, at that moment, Lu Yiyao reminded him.

Falling for someone in the industry, especially a famous male idol star?

Ran Lin felt like he was courting disaster.

No, he couldn’t jump to conclusions so quickly.

Ran Lin bit his lip, furrowed his brow, and finally sat up before all the coconut leaves were stripped away, leaning out of the tent to call out, “Lu Yiyao…”

A moment later, a half-asleep face appeared from the next tent. “Hmm?”

From the tents further down, two pairs of eyes watched in secret.

“I still find it suspicious that Xia Xinran was called away…” Ran Lin was speaking about a prepared topic, but his gaze was firmly fixed on Lu Yiyao’s face, not shifting even for half a second.

Lu Yiyao yawned, frowned, tilted his head in thought, and then suddenly his eyes darkened. “Could it be that they’re planning a surprise attack after we fall asleep?”

“…”

“Ran Lin?”

“Ah.” Shaking his head, Ran Lin finally came back to his senses and nodded vigorously. “That’s very likely.”

Lu Yiyao sighed wearily, feeling disheartened. “Then there’s no hope of getting a good night’s sleep tonight.”

Gu Jie and Zhang Beichen, who had been secretly observing and listening with bated breath, felt the same way as Lu Yiyao at this moment—wishing for a quick end. However, exhausted and drained, they had little energy to resist and could only lie back down, waiting for their fate to unfold.

Ran Lin had long known that his companions were awake, but it didn’t matter. The discussion was just a pretext. What he really wanted to do was see if Lu Yiyao could still electrify him once more. The result was unexpectedly good—his heartbeat remained steady.

Even as he intensely observed Lu Yiyao, his breathing stayed calm, and his heart rate was normal. This proved that his previous flustered state was just a random occurrence. Maybe in that moment, his nerves had crossed, or perhaps the beauty of the stars and nature had added a beautifying effect to Lu Yiyao.

Relieved, Ran Lin relaxed and soon drifted into a light, uneasy sleep to the sound of the waves. He didn’t know that Lu Yiyao, lying nearby, was suffering from insomnia.

As if in kind, Lu Yiyao also pondered over Ran Lin, but it had nothing to do with such deep issues as sexual orientation. Lu Yiyao simply thought Ran Lin was incredibly sensitive.

Take the events of the day, for example. He hadn’t thought there was anything unusual about the way he looked at Ran Lin—just a bit more eye contact than usual—yet Ran Lin had directly sensed sympathy.

Sympathy?

Certainly.

But Ran Lin had so accurately perceived an emotion that Lu Yiyao himself was unaware of, which left him with no other word to describe Ran Lin but “sensitive”.

In the entertainment industry, sensitivity is a double-edged sword. It can help you better understand roles and shape characters, but it also makes you more susceptible to the opinions of fans and the public gaze.

Some people thrive under criticism, while others crumble under the pressure.

Lu Yiyao had seen too many cases and thought Ran Lin would be among the latter.

A pretty good person.

After just two and a half episodes together, this was the most positive assessment Lu Yiyao could give of Ran Lin. He couldn’t say more, but it was enough.

No one is perfect. A male artist with a good temper, serious about his work, and occasionally playful—at least among his peers—Lu Yiyao found him comfortable to be around. He had seen too many two-faced individuals still adored by fans. Compared to them, Ran Lin’s situation seemed even more deserving of sympathy.

Although initially, Lu Yiyao had wanted to confront Ran Lin’s supporters.

Enough of these thoughts.

As Yao Hong had rightly said, Lu Yiyao, looking at the sea blending with the starry sky, realized he had it too easy in his career, always with excess energy and a penchant for meddling in others’ affairs.

“All male gods, gather—”

There was no need for a loudspeaker. On the quiet beach, the director’s voice easily pierced through the waves to reach their ears.

The male gods, whether asleep or awake, were startled. Gu Jie nearly sent the tent flying as he rushed out. The cameras, previously fixed, were now hoisted onto the shoulders of the cameramen. The four gathered understood immediately—a new task was at hand.

“It’s now 00:01.” The director checked his watch, his tone unusually solemn. “We’ve entered a brand new day. Are you all excited?”

The four male gods clapped, albeit sparsely and with stiff smiles.

Satisfied with the impact he had made, the director dropped the real bombshell. “Today is also the birthday of your little buddy, Xia Xinran!”

This genuinely surprised the four. They looked at each other in confusion and surprise, instinctively scanning their surroundings as if they might find the birthday star nearby.

“Don’t bother looking. Xia Xinran has already gone to his new task. So, our remaining four male gods also have a task: to organize a birthday party for your buddy by 10 a.m. The requirements are a birthday cake, a private party venue, and all of this without spending a penny.”

Gu Jie, puzzled, raised his hand. “What constitutes a private party venue?”

The director explained, “It can’t be in the open air, like a forest, park, or beach, nor a public area like streets, malls, or plazas. It must be a private shop or residence, and the entire party must be closed off. The location will not be disclosed during the broadcast. In short, you must borrow a private venue and can’t use the promise of publicity as leverage.”

Gu Jie had black lines on his face. “That’s quite secretive…”

Zhang Beichen followed up, “And the birthday cake?”

The director answered, “You have to manage that on your own.”

A foreboding sense of doom hung over the male gods. The day would gradually brighten, but their prospects seemed increasingly grim.

Pleased with the turmoil he had caused but still not satisfied with the enthusiasm from the male gods, the director repeated, “Any other questions?”

Ran Lin sighed and played along. “Can you tell us what task Xia Xinran is doing?”

The director finally smiled broadly. “Five-star hotel tester and Southeast Asian spa connoisseur.”

Ran Lin had anticipated something far-fetched, but he couldn’t help but laugh at the absurdity.

Zhang Beichen expressed the envy of all their companions. “The birthday boy really gets special treatment…”

Returning from the distant suburbs to the city center covers a considerable distance. The four people were grateful to finally catch some brief sleep amidst the jostling.

At 1:30 in the morning, the city was far from asleep.

The streets were still bustling with people, some clad in swimsuits and wrapped in towels, clearly the brave souls who, undaunted by the water temperature, had just returned from the sea.

There was no need to venture to the distant suburbs for wilderness survival; the city center itself boasted a beach with crystal-clear water and soft sand. It was no wonder that, centered around this, various real estate projects under the guise of “seaside properties” were continuously developed, with one high-rise apartment after another springing up along the coast.

“Where are we going now?” Zhang Beichen looked around, clueless.

“It boils down to two things: a cake and a venue.” Gu Jie stretched his neck to ease his overworked and unrested joints. “Now it’s up to us which one we want to tackle first.”

“Venue?” Gu Jie didn’t ponder deeply; it was more of an intuition. “Otherwise, once we have the cake, we’ll still need to carry it around looking for a private place.”

Zhang Beichen scratched his head, gently suggesting a different view. “I always feel a venue is easier to find than a cake at this time. The places that can make or sell cakes are limited now. We should tackle the harder task first.”

“Neither cakes nor venues are easy to get right now,” Ran Lin said. “Why don’t we first think about how to get these two things? Like, for the cake, do we make or buy it? For the venue, do we ask a shop owner or a local for their house? Once we have a plan, we can work towards it.”

Gu Jie asked, “Teacher Lu, what do you think?”

Lu Yiyao replied, “We shouldn’t have let the director go just now.”

Gu, Ran, Zhang: “True that!”

Unable to devise a strategy for the moment, the four shared a common sentiment—well played, director.

The four helpless male gods wandered down to the beach, following the noise. The seaside night market, bustling with stalls offering local delicacies, was still brightly lit and crowded. Lu Yiyao, recognized first, caused screams from a girl holding a coconut jelly that could have been heard across the beach.

As the saying goes, in crisis, opportunity lurks. The four were struck by inspiration—work using their good looks!

The chosen stall owners were more than happy to have male gods as their facade. Who cared about the taste when business was booming like never before.

They really put in their all. Lu Yiyao grilled skewers, Ran Lin fried pineapple rice, Zhang Beichen handled the money, and Gu Jie fanned the flames and attracted customers.

They worked until dawn, when the number of tourists dwindled, and neighboring stalls began to close. The stall owners finally contentedly counted out their agreed share of the earnings and handed it to the male stars.

A total of three hundred and forty yuan.

The four exhausted male stars found the courage to continue from these hard-earned bills.

In the early morning, as the city’s nightlife ended and the daily hustle had yet to begin, there was finally a hint of tranquility. The four sat or lay under a palm tree, staring into the sky.

They were waiting for the cake shop to open.

They weren’t sleepy anymore, but the city was still asleep. Apart from 24-hour convenience stores and fast-food joints, other shops were in dreamland.

“This has got to be the longest day I’ve ever experienced…” Gu Jie said, looking at the brightening sky and feeling downcast.

Zhang Beichen corrected him, “It’s been two days.”

Gu Jie shook his head. “Feels like one long day that never ends.”

Ran Lin sat cross-legged by the flower bed, his arm propping up his chin, not very energetic but agreeing with Gu Jie in his heart. They had barely slept that night, so although it was technically the second day, it still felt like a continuation of the previous one.

“You guys alright?” Zhang Beichen, noticing the quietness of Ran Lin and Lu Yiyao, asked with concern.

Ran Lin quickly shook his head. “I’m fine.”

But Lu Yiyao asked, “Do you know what I’m thinking right now?”

Zhang Beichen thought for a moment. “What Xia Xinran is doing right now?”

Gu Jie raised an eyebrow. “Smear cake on his face.”

Ran Lin laughed, guessing along. “Why isn’t it my birthday?”

Lu Yiyao looked at Ran Lin in surprise. Although Zhang Beichen and Gu Jie had guessed he was brooding over Xia Xinran, only Ran Lin hit the nail on the head. It wasn’t a coincidence anymore; it was magical.

Ran Lin had just said it casually, but seeing Lu Yiyao’s expression, he knew he was close to the mark, which was somewhat exciting. After all, Lu Yiyao wasn’t easy to read.

“Xia Xinran must treat us when we get back.”

“The precondition is that we can get back. I feel like I’m about to collapse here…”

“Don’t cry. Be strong.”

“Get lost, haha…”

Amidst their joking and laughter, the sun slowly rose, the breeze grew warmer, and the streets became busy again—the city was waking up.

“Boss, please help us.”

“No way.”

“Just for a morning.”

“Not even for an hour. I appreciate you buying a cake, but our shop needs to do business. If you occupy the shop, how can I open?”

“After we buy this cake, you’ll be open.”

“But I can’t just open for one item in the morning.”

“…”

Despite their efforts, they couldn’t persuade the shop owner. They left the cake shop disheartened. The cake, in Lu Yiyao’s hands, in its elegant light-colored box with a blue ribbon, was fresh and charming, but it couldn’t ease their troubled minds.

The cameramen, who had followed them all night, felt some sympathy. From struggling to survive on a deserted island to working midnight shifts at a food stall, and now searching for a free private party venue in a strange city. The hardships of the previous two episodes combined didn’t compare to this one.

Determined, they entered several shops along the street. Most shop owners who recognized them were initially enthusiastic, but their attitude subtly changed when they heard about the private party, not open to the public.

The shop owners were willing to accommodate celebrities for the publicity, like the beachfront market owners. If the four couldn’t bring them business, even their good looks wouldn’t guarantee a job. True fan shop owners were the exception, of course.

But whether it was bad luck or their fame not reaching every demographic, they were still without a venue as 10:00 approached.

Having figured out the director’s modus operandi, they knew a solution would be provided if they genuinely couldn’t complete the task, like with previous challenges such as making fire from wood. But the thought of the director’s smug “Oh, I have to step in” face made them reluctant to give in.

The initial aim of joining the show was self-challenge, but now, they wanted to challenge the production team.

To the camera, the four were silent. But amongst themselves, they could feel each other’s determination. The same show, the same resilience.

Maybe, just let it go.

They could say that, but they didn’t want to give up until the last moment.

Ran Lin noticed that Lu Yiyao had been unusually quiet since failing to negotiate with the cake shop owner. Although not a talkative person, his expression seemed not just downcast but deep in thought.

“Speaking of which…”

Lu Yiyao suddenly spoke up, looking at his three companions.

Ran Lin quickly looked away, then back, pretending he had been admiring the scenery.

Lost in his thoughts, Lu Yiyao didn’t notice. “Didn’t the director only say we can’t spend money and it must be private? Nothing else?”

“Yes.” Zhang Beichen nodded. “Just those two conditions.”

Lu Yiyao pondered for a moment, as if making a significant decision. “I know a place that will definitely let us have a party, and it’s absolutely private.”

Sorry, Hong Jie.

I know you’ll criticize me for being impulsive and unnecessary. But it’s not the first time I’ve been impulsive, and besides, people with severe sleep deprivation deserve some whims.

Three pairs of eyes suddenly lit up. “Where?”

A playful and proud smile responded, “My house.”

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Kinky Thoughts:

This is the last of the free chapters on jjwxc. If you’ve been enjoying the novel so far and are able to, please consider supporting the author by buying the raws. You can use Google Chrome with their auto translate and this guide on how to buy novels on jjwxc. Remember, only with your (financial) support can artists continue to produce more great works.

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<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 颜凉雨 / Yan Liang Yu

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

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Chapter 14

“Come over here. I’ve found something—”

When Gu Jie was waving from not far away, Lu Yiyao had just finished applying sunscreen to one of his arms. Xia Xinran’s sunscreen had a slight whitening effect, making his skin tone half a shade lighter upon application.

Upon hearing the call, the other three companions immediately perked up and ran over. By the time Lu Yiyao realized what was happening, only he and the following cameraman were left standing in the chaotic wind.

With no choice, Lu Yiyao, with his arms of slightly different colors, also followed.

Gu Jie’s discovery was a screwdriver found under a pine tree deep in the coconut grove. This wild coconut grove wasn’t planned or arranged in any specific way. Although mainly coconut trees, the deeper they went, the more pronounced the terrain’s ups and downs became, like small hills. Further in, where there were fewer coconut trees, pine trees, cacti, and other tropical plants whose names were unknown, thrived. Despite it being winter, the area was bursting with life.

“Why would there be a screwdriver here?”

The five companions circled around this curious find, completely baffled.

“It’s a Phillips head…” Lu Yiyao muttered as he took the screwdriver from Gu Jie’s hand for a closer look. Suddenly, he gripped the yellow rubber handle with one hand and the slender metal head with the other and forcefully pulled in opposite directions!

The four onlookers watched as the metal head separated from the rubber handle, revealing that the part inserted into the handle was identical in length and thickness to the exposed part, except the Phillips head had changed to a flathead.

“Exactly as I thought.” Lu Yiyao spun the detached metal head between his fingers like a pen and reinserted it into the handle, smiling with a look of “just as I suspected”. “It’s a dual-purpose screwdriver.”

Ran, Xia, Zhang, Gu: “……”

They admitted that Lu Yiyao had quickly discovered the dual nature of the screwdriver, but what significance did that have, they wondered.

“Well, being able to turn both Phillips and flathead screws is indeed something to be happy about…” Ran Lin sighed lightly, taking the two-piece screwdriver from Lu Yiyao and reassembling it. “But I think there aren’t many places on this deserted island where we can use a screwdriver. Shouldn’t we think about the deeper reason for its appearance here?”

This comment was a wake-up call. Lu Yiyao stroked his chin, deep in thought. “Maybe it’s a reminder that human pollution has spread even to such a paradisiacal and remote island…”

Ran Lin looked seriously into his eyes. “You don’t have to think so broadly…”

Lu Yiyao was indeed a peculiar person.

Ran Lin wasn’t sure how the others felt, but he couldn’t find a more fitting word than “strange”. Lu Yiyao, who was almost unresponsive in the last episode, was now fully engaged.

But his engagement was special.

It was “serious”.

Seriously interacting, seriously discussing, seriously getting involved in the plot.

This kind of “seriousness” might come off as “boring” in others, but in Lu Yiyao, it somehow became endearing.

Ran Lin didn’t know if it was because Lu Yiyao’s “seriousness” was simple and pure, untainted by any insincerity, or if it was his own bias, seeing through a filter of good looks. Regardless, he quite liked Lu Yiyao’s current state, which felt sincere, comfortable, wise, and adorably cute.

“Let’s do a thorough search of this area,” Zhang Beichen suggested. “We focused on the front part of the coconut grove earlier, but we didn’t pay much attention to this mixed area.”

The four companions looked at each other and agreed!

Ten minutes later, it was Gu Jie again, with the same phrase—

“Come over here. I’ve found something!”

When Lu Yiyao heard the call, he had already passed the same cactus for the third time. This particular cactus had a distinctive, graceful shape, so Lu Yiyao remembered it clearly. In fact, he had a clear memory of many things—except directions. Hence, he had a deep admiration for someone like Gu Jie, who could always find the way out and locate landmarks most efficiently.

This time, Gu Jie’s discovery was several coconuts, casually scattered under a short coconut tree, as if they had naturally fallen. But…

Ran Lin looked up carefully at the tree. Its leaves were lush and green, but where there should have been fruit, it was bare.

Compared to this, the coconuts on the ground seemed very suspicious.

However, some foodie companions didn’t care much about that. Xia Xinran, jumping three feet high, picked up a coconut and hugged it as if calling it sweetly could make the juice flow out. “We can drink coconut water now—coconut water, coconut water—”

Thankfully, Xia Xinran’s clamor led Lu Yiyao to his companions.

And then, Zhang Beichen had a sudden inspiration, pointing to the screwdriver in Ran Lin’s hand. “Is this meant for opening coconuts?”

The companions looked at each other, suddenly realizing. In this show, there was no such thing as “coincidence”. Every seemingly unrelated object, if it felt a bit odd, surely hinted at the “evil light” of the show’s planning.

But no one was going to turn away good food, especially after their exhaustive search of the island had left them panting and parched.

They used the screwdriver on a coconut.

Choosing a spot on the coconut that seemed weaker, they used the sharper flathead of the screwdriver to puncture it. Ran Lin poked, Ran Lin poked, Ran Lin poked, then Gu Jie took over, switching when their hands got tired, until all five had taken turns.

Lu Yiyao was last in line.

After taking the seemingly unharmed coconut from Xia Xinran, he thought for a moment and earnestly asked his companions, “Can I use a rock to hammer the screwdriver handle in?”

A moment of awkward silence…

Finally, the four companions roared in unison. “Why didn’t you say that earlier!”

With the help of a rock, the screwdriver finally pierced through the coconut shell and into the water. When Lu Yiyao said “it’s through”, his companions felt as if they had heard heavenly music.

The juice of a large coconut was quite plentiful and abundant. The five of them took turns pouring it into their mouths, going around twice.

The remaining three coconuts were hoarded in Xia Xinran’s embrace, wrapped in the hem of his shirt, as if he were guarding the fruits of victory.

“What do we do now?” Zhang Beichen looked around but still didn’t find anything useful. “We should conserve the three coconuts to last us the day, but what about the shelter and bonfire? We can’t just conjure them out of thin air.”

At this moment, the five of them were still deep in the woods, surrounded only by plants and the sandy soil under their feet.

“Come to think of it, didn’t they just ask us to build a shelter? They didn’t specify how big or sturdy it needs to be, did they?” Lu Yiyao suddenly spoke up.

Ran Lin’s eyes lit up, instantly grasping Lu Yiyao’s idea. “A sandcastle!”

Lu Yiyao facepalmed, took several deep breaths, and then looked back at Ran Lin with his hopeful face. “A sandcastle that can accommodate five people and won’t collapse… Isn’t that technically challenging?”

Xia Xinran, following Lu Yiyao’s line of thought, envisioned a bleak future. “We’ll definitely end up buried alive…”

Zhang Beichen also doubted this idea. “The sand on this beach is quite coarse. If it’s too coarse, it might not stick together enough to make a sand sculpture, right?”

Gu Jie, holding an empty coconut, continued to sip the last few drops. He was more of a doer and not much into brainstorming.

Ran Lin knew he had guessed wrong the moment he saw Lu Yiyao facepalming. He was usually confident in understanding others, but with Lu Yiyao, he often missed the mark or failed to grasp his thoughts completely. He wondered whether it was because Lu Yiyao was too unpredictable, or perhaps they just lacked rapport.

“So… what exactly is your idea for building the shelter?” Ran Lin was certain that Lu Yiyao had a plan.

“Sandcastles won’t work,” Lu Yiyao said, “but we can build a tent with coconut leaves.”

For the next few minutes, they all huddled together as Lu Yiyao drew a diagram of the tent on the ground and explained patiently, “We can use pine branches for the frame. We’ll set up a few vertically and diagonally, then lay the coconut leaves over the frame to create a simple tent.”

Lu Yiyao looked around at his companions. Xia Xinran was the first to raise his hand. “Teacher Lu, I have a question.”

Lu Yiyao nodded. “Go ahead.”

Xia Xinran: “Can such a tent protect us from wind and rain?”

Lu Yiyao looked up at the bright sun. “Based on my observation, the chance of rain today is low, so we don’t need it to be waterproof, just to provide shade.”

Zhang Beichen, mimicking Xia Xinran, cheekily raised his hand. “Teacher Lu, I also have a question. The pine branches are limited in length. They’re fine vertically stuck in the sand, as we don’t need much height to sit inside, but if they’re short horizontally, how can we fit five people?”

Lu Yiyao didn’t see this as an issue. “We can build several tents. After all, there’s no rule saying we can only build one.”

Gu Jie: “What will we use to secure the branches together?”

Lu Yiyao: “I saw some vines earlier that can be used as ropes to tie the joints of the frame together.”

Gu Jie: “Ok, I have no more questions.”

Lu Yiyao nodded and looked at Ran Lin as if to say, “Everyone else has asked their questions. Aren’t you going to follow suit?” In all honesty, Ran Lin didn’t have many quirky questions. When Lu Yiyao said they could build a coconut leaf tent, he naturally believed Lu Yiyao had considered its feasibility and that it could be done.

He didn’t need a reason; that was just the trust Lu Yiyao instilled in him—no big talk, no empty words, no gimmicks. If he said it could be done, it could be done.

But since Lu Yiyao was expecting a question, Ran Lin didn’t want to let the moment pass in silence. “I thought you got lost when Gu Jie called earlier, and you took so long to come over. Turns out you were deep in research,” Ran Lin said, half-teasingly, half-admiringly. “You really know a lot. You’re quite awesome.”

Lu Yiyao wiped the sweat from his forehead, trying to smile naturally. “It’s nothing much.”

A good start is half the success. Under Teacher Lu’s guidance, the companions worked together: some gathered coconut leaves, others collected dry branches, and some pulled up vines. But as none of them were experts in outdoor survival, it took until after 10 in the morning to gather all the materials and bring them back to the beach.

Under Lu Yiyao’s leadership, they used the screwdriver or sharp stones to dig four small pits in the sandy soil at the beach, corresponding to the four corners of a square. They buried the thicker, straighter branches they had found into these pits, standing them up like trees.

The front two branches were taller, the back two shorter. Then, they used four more branches as horizontal beams, tying them at the tops of the vertical posts.

The branches had some flexibility, so those connecting the front and back beams of different heights needed to be bent to a certain degree before being tied.

Ran Lin tried tying the beams for a long time but couldn’t secure them tightly. Xia Xinran, working on another beam, was almost hit in the face by a rebounding branch.

Unable to watch any longer, Lu Yiyao put down his coconut leaves, took over the vines from Ran Lin, and started to help tie the beams. After securing that side, he moved silently to help Xia Xinran without a word.

Xia Xinran was astounded and lavished praise throughout the process.

Ran Lin noticed that Lu Yiyao wasn’t just all talk; he must have had experience camping outdoors. Even if he hadn’t built a leaf tent before, he had certainly done something similar.

After much effort, they finally secured the tent’s skeleton. The excited camping rookies clumsily covered the branch frame with the broad coconut leaves. In no time, a green, leafy shelter took shape. They all stood there for a moment, somewhat in disbelief that they had created this themselves.

Lu Yiyao was pleased, as he had initially thought he might have to do everything himself. But his companions learned quickly and were willing to exert effort. This feeling of working together on a task was something he hadn’t experienced in a long time, bringing back memories of his school days.

“Don’t just stand there,” Zhang Beichen reminded them. “Let’s get the rest done while we’re motivated.” They had gathered enough materials to build three to four small shelters.

“I think we should multitask.” Ran Lin had been thinking about this while building the tent. “We need to keep building the tents, but we should also start thinking about making a fire. Otherwise, once the tents are done, we’ll still have no food, which would be pitiful.”

Reminded by Ran Lin, everyone felt the emptiness in their stomachs. They hadn’t noticed it while busily constructing, but now that they stopped, they realized it was nearing noon, and the hasty breakfast they had eaten in the early morning had long been digested.

“I agree with the dual approach.” Gu Jie stretched his shoulders, ready to continue the construction with vigor. “But I can only help with building the tents. The grand task of creating fire out of thin air is up to you guys.”

“Don’t look at me. I wasn’t the one who suggested multitasking,” Zhang Beichen said, turning to Ran Lin. “You must have a method already, right?”

Ran Lin nodded, pondering for a moment, then suddenly turned to Lu Yiyao. “Don’t be modest now. How do we create fire out of thin air?”

Lu Yiyao: “……”

Feeling like even lying under his bed at home, he couldn’t escape being hit by a pot*. This was how Lu Yiyao felt at the moment.

*Metaphor referring to a situation where someone feels like they can’t escape misfortune or trouble, no matter where they are or what they do. It’s basically saying they have such bad luck that they feel as if they would get hit in the face with a pot/pan no matter what (even if it’s lying in bed).

Ran Lin’s convinced gaze seemed to say, “I know you can do it.”

He didn’t understand where Ran Lin’s confidence came from, and what was worse, he didn’t want to let him down.

“We can only try.” Lu Yiyao finally conceded.

Four pairs of curious eyes widened in anticipation. “How do we do it?”

Lu Yiyao gazed at the horizon and, after a long pause, confidently said, “Drilling wood to make fire.”

An hour later.

Gu Jie and Zhang Beichen had started building the third tent.

Ran Lin and Lu Yiyao had only just begun to smell a faint, burning scent.

Drilling wood to make fire was something Ran Lin had only learned about in textbooks and never imagined he’d have to apply in real life. He followed Lu Yiyao in picking up a palm-sized piece of wood and a small branch slightly thinner than a finger. Then he watched as Lu Yiyao used a screwdriver to carve a groove in the wood and sharpened the branch with a sharp stone for smoother rotation in the palm.

Lu Yiyao then stuffed some of the collected dry coconut palm fibers into the groove and laid more around and under the piece of wood, ready to ignite as soon as a spark landed.

Ran Lin helped a little under Lu Yiyao’s guidance, but most of the work was done by Lu Yiyao himself. However, Ran Lin observed attentively, especially when everything was ready and Lu Yiyao kneeled down, foot pressing one end of the wood block, hands clasped around the small branch inserted into the groove. Ran Lin held his breath in excitement, feeling like he was about to witness a miracle.

But then, there was no more “then”.

Lu Yiyao rapidly rubbed the small branch in his hands, causing it to frantically grind against the wood block and coconut fibers. Everything was flawless… except, it just wouldn’t ignite.

As time ticked away, Lu Yiyao’s speed gradually slowed, with large beads of sweat sliding down his face. Ran Lin’s emotions went on a rollercoaster ride from anticipation to confusion to pity.

So when they finally smelled the burnt odor, they couldn’t even get excited.

But the fully immersed Lu Yiyao didn’t notice. He didn’t even feel the passage of time; his focus was entirely on the groove, determined to recreate the glory of his human ancestors.

Another hour passed.

Gu Jie and Zhang Beichen, having finished all the tents, lay exhausted and hungry inside, somewhat comforted by the pleasant sea breeze and the scent of coconut leaves. They could hold on for a while.

But Xia Xinran wasn’t so strong.

He had circled the red plastic bucket about eight hundred times, watching the seafood transition from lively to nearly lifeless. If it weren’t for the water in the bucket, they might have been wind-dried.

Lu Yiyao was also exhausted, a fact that Ran Lin could clearly see. But he could also tell that Lu Yiyao wasn’t ready to give up. Not wanting to interrupt, Ran Lin silently stayed by his side.

Ran Lin admired those who were serious.

Lu Yiyao might not have Xia Xinran’s variety show flair, achieving 120% effect with only 40% effort, nor was he as easygoing as Gu Jie, who was talkative when happy and cold when not, nor as adaptable as Zhang Beichen, who could blend in easily with anyone. But Lu Yiyao had his charm. He adhered strictly to rules, was dedicated to tasks, and took responsibility for what he committed to.

Having someone like this in a team was a fortune. As Ran Lin was lost in these thoughts, a wisp of smoke finally appeared—the coconut palm fibers, after a long struggle, began to smolder!

Ran Lin’s eyes widened in surprise, looking incredulously at the smoke and then at Lu Yiyao. “It’s lit!”

Lu Yiyao finally relaxed, his whole demeanor radiating a sense of triumph. He quickly dropped the small branch, leaned down, and gently blew air on the smoldering coconut fibers.

Ran Lin instantly realized they needed wind to turn the spark into a flame. He also leaned down, blowing alongside Lu Yiyao. “Hoo—”

The coconut fibers, lifted by the smoke, mercilessly scattered in the air, drifting towards the shoreline. The wood block settled back into quietness, leaving only some charred remains.

Lu Yiyao looked at Ran Lin in shock, his eyes filled with immense sadness, as if let down by a cruel world. Ran Lin swallowed hard: “Actually, I think… we don’t necessarily need fire… Uh, do you like sashimi?”

Lu Yiyao closed his eyes, took a deep breath, exhaled slowly, and then repeated the process. Finally, he managed to suppress the devilish urge to strangle the other person and forced a smile. “I’m not a fan of raw food, but for survival, I can make do.”

In the end, the five stars didn’t end up eating sashimi.

The director, unable to bear it any longer, had a change of heart and slightly modified the script. For example, when you’re stranded on a deserted island, you happen to have sunscreen and a lighter in your pocket…

By the time they finally ate the “seafood feast”, it was three in the afternoon. The five stars gathered around the bonfire, feasting as if they could even crunch the shells if their teeth were strong enough.

Ran Lin wanted to strike up a conversation with Lu Yiyao several times but couldn’t find the right opportunity. He was also somewhat apprehensive in his heart, feeling that the foolish things he had done deserved to be punished by being beaten 36,000 times with a spiked club in a cactus patch.

Just as Lu Yiyao finished another shrimp and Ran Lin was about to offer to fetch more, his eyes fixated on Lu Yiyao’s hands. The palms were reddened.

Being so close, Ran Lin could see clearly: they were blistered from the friction.

After persistently rubbing a small branch against one’s palm for over two hours, even the toughest hands would blister. Ran Lin recalled times when he had to wear ill-fitting shoes for work appointments, resulting in painful blisters after just half a day. But Lu Yiyao, it seemed, had blisters and just kept going, eventually rubbing them raw.

Rubbing against raw skin like that must be incredibly painful.

Yet Lu Yiyao acted as if nothing was wrong, not mentioning it at all.

Even if he had let the follow-cam capture this, he surely would have gained sympathy from the audience. Ran Lin didn’t believe that Lu Yiyao was unaware of this tactic. After all, when replying to his Weibo @mentions, Lu Yiyao had always been quite savvy.

The only explanation was that Lu Yiyao didn’t like to play the sympathy card—tactics were fine, but playing the victim was not.

In just one day, Ran Lin felt like he had seen many different sides of Lu Yiyao.

And the more he observed, the more interesting he found him.

Lu Yiyao had been enduring for a long time. No one likes being covertly observed while eating, and the guy sitting next to him seemed to take a couple of bites, then sneak a peek this way, as if the seafood was too bland and he needed Lu Yiyao to spice it up.

The frustration from the unsuccessful fire-making had mostly dissipated with a full stomach. Moreover, Lu Yiyao knew that Ran Lin meant well.

Not to mention, just the fact that Ran Lin had dryly accompanied him for two hours was enough to show his goodwill.

If it were Xia Xinran, he would have gone to sleep in the leaf shelter long ago.

But that didn’t mean Ran Lin could take liberties with him, appearing relentless as if Lu Yiyao were some kind of delicacy!

“You…”

“How come you know so much?”

Lu Yiyao was ready to confront him, but his opponent took the initiative with a genuinely inquisitive question that would make it awkward to respond with any annoyance.

“Cough.” Clearing his throat, Lu Yiyao answered truthfully, “I joined the scouts in middle school, where these skills were essential. Later in college, I would occasionally go camping with friends, which was cheaper than traveling.”

“Oh, right.” Ran Lin remembered. “You studied abroad.”

Lu Yiyao nodded and didn’t elaborate further.

Ran Lin didn’t plan to pry into too much personal information. His curiosity was about other things, like, “Have you ever encountered bears while camping?”

Lu Yiyao was dumbfounded. “Are you serious?”

Ran Lin returned the gaze calmly. “Of course, I’m just joking.”

Lu Yiyao was bewildered, suddenly feeling stupid for seriously recalling past experiences.

Ran Lin couldn’t contain his amusement, finding that teasing Lu Yiyao was even more interesting than teasing Xia Xinran.

Ran Lin had a beautiful smile, pure and refreshing, like the sunshine in spring. It wasn’t too hot or too cold—just the right temperature that made one feel comfortable inside.

As a fellow male artist, Lu Yiyao had to admit that he couldn’t achieve this. He could smile handsomely, gently, charmingly, coldly, and many other ways as photographers or directors required. But this particular smile he couldn’t replicate.

It was unique to Ran Lin, just like Xia Xinran’s beautiful arrogance, Gu Jie’s individualism, and Zhang Beichen’s vibrant energy. These were their personal trademarks, impossible for others to imitate naturally.

Lu Yiyao’s thoughts drifted back to the behind-the-scenes footage and the unpleasant comments underneath. He wondered whether those replies were genuinely misled by the footage, simply disliked Ran Lin, or were just venting frustration. But after spending the day with Ran Lin, he felt more confident in his judgment that the statement was just a joke between Ran Lin and Zhang Beichen.

He didn’t even need to wait for the full program to air to be sure of this.

Because the fans and netizens only saw a snippet of footage, while he had actually interacted with Ran Lin for two and a half episodes. Even though they were mostly just background to each other for two episodes, he had watched how Ran Lin interacted with others, including his temperament and personality.

Of course, it was possible that all these were just a facade, that his real temperament wasn’t so good, and his personality wasn’t so straightforward. But at least for these two and a half episodes, he had been diligently participating in the program, sometimes even helping with tasks that others were reluctant to do. Just for that, he shouldn’t be judged harshly.

Lu Yiyao appreciated those who were dedicated to their work and was critical of his own emotional behavior in the first two episodes. So seeing Ran Lin being ridiculed for the same dedication made him feel uncomfortable.

“Teacher Lu…”

A soft call brought Lu Yiyao back from his thoughts. Looking up, it was Ran Lin who had called him. “Teacher Lu” was a nickname he had earned that day, given unilaterally by his peers in appreciation of his significant contribution.

Expecting Ran Lin to ask about camping or related knowledge, Lu Yiyao cleaned his hands and sat up straight, ready to answer seriously. “Yes?”

Ran Lin leaned in, staring intently at him. “I’ve been wanting to ask since this morning. Why do I always feel that the way you look at me today… is full of sympathy?”

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<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 颜凉雨 / Yan Liang Yu

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

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Chapter 13

Ever since the promotional clips and behind-the-scenes footage were released, Ran Lin was recognized more frequently on the streets. Setting aside the subtle public opinion tendencies of the behind-the-scenes footage, which had just come out today, most fans and passersby still saw Ran Lin as the clean-cut young man from the promotional video.

Although all were called “National First Love”, only Ran Lin and Zhang Beichen still retained a youthful vibe to this day. Xia Xinran wasn’t a beautiful youth but a beauty, with his looks overshadowing his age; Lu Yiyao was a mature, romantic man—someone you could rely on; Gu Jie, on the other hand, seemed ready to carry you straight to the civil affairs bureau to register for marriage.

Yet, even within their youthful vigor, Ran Lin and Zhang Beichen differed. The former was like the quiet boy next door, with a touch of freshness, while the latter was more like a sporty senior, handsome with an energetic upward vibe.

Therefore, when the promotional video was released, even though Ran Lin was ridiculed openly and secretly by the fans of the other four stars, to unbiased passersby, he seemed quite fitting for the image of a first love.

Thanks to the rising attention, Wang Xi wanted Ran Lin to maintain the image from the promotional video in the minds of the audience and fans until the program officially aired. So, during this period, she minimized his public exposure and naturally prevented too many candid photos from circulating—finally, Ran Lin got to experience flying first-class for the first time.

After passing through security, there was still half an hour until boarding. The Capital Airport was still bustling in the evening. Ran Lin, wearing a cap and a mask, quickly followed Wang Xi into the VIP lounge.

This time, in addition to Liu Wanwan, Wang Xi also brought a makeup artist and a few others, expanding their team compared to the previous two episodes. Except for Ran Lin, everyone else had economy class tickets. Wang Xi was special; as a frequent flyer and a gold card member, she could enjoy the VIP lounge like Ran Lin in first class, while the rest waited in the hall near the boarding gate after passing security.

The VIP lounge was sparse and quiet. In the spacious area, there were stylishly arranged armchairs, sofas, modern small coffee tables, and various plants. A few business-dressed travelers were scattered about, reading or working on laptops in silence.

At Wang Xi’s request, the well-trained staff led them to the back of the lounge, a semi-enclosed space separated by a row of bookshelves, which Wang Xi thought was quieter.

However, as soon as they rounded the bookshelves, Ran Lin saw Lu Yiyao sitting on the sofa behind them. Hearing the noise, Lu Yiyao looked up. Their eyes met, and both were momentarily bewildered.

Wang Xi, who hadn’t seen Lu Yiyao to her right, kept her head high and straight ahead as she passed the bookshelves. So, the first person she noticed was Yao Hong, who was about to leave to go to the restroom.

“Well, isn’t it Hong Jie?”

Wang Xi’s voice wasn’t loud, sounding like a polite greeting in a public place. But Ran Lin could tell it wasn’t the usual indifferent Wang Xi. The tone was subtly rising, and the enunciation was clear, seemingly implying something more.

Yao Hong, as always, responded with a gentle smile.

And just a short response…

“What a coincidence, Xiao Wang.”

Which was a bit cryptic.

Both in their forties, this strange way of addressing each other, combined with the knowledge that they had both worked at Pentium Media, made Ran Lin feel like he could conjure up an eighty-episode palace drama in his mind.

But after the greetings, the two women linked arms and went off to a corner to catch up, leaving Ran Lin standing awkwardly beside the bookshelf, unsure whether to stay or go.

“Hi, what a coincidence,” Ran Lin awkwardly echoed Yao Hong’s opening line during their uncomfortable eye contact.

Lu Yiyao, recovering from his initial surprise, stood up from the sofa without much thought. “Are you also on the 7 p.m. flight?”

Ran Lin didn’t expect Lu Yiyao to stand up so politely; he had imagined that a mere response from Lu Yiyao would be good enough. So, he hurriedly said, “You rest. Don’t mind me.”

Lu Yiyao, still standing, looked at him somewhat perplexedly. Ran Lin, feeling equally baffled by the attention, finally realized and replied, “Oh, my flight is at 18:55.”

Lu Yiyao felt a bit awkward and added a second note to his evaluation of Ran Lin as a “scheming boy”—occasionally clueless.

The first note was made on the night when Ran Lin faced the super spicy noodles and the extremely sour and bitter juice, marked by his thoughtful offering of a bottle of mineral water—occasionally considerate.

“So, we’re on the same flight,” Lu Yiyao concluded and sat back down.

Ran Lin suddenly had a strange feeling, as if standing up to greet him was a task embedded in Lu Yiyao’s bodily mechanics, unrelated to his personal feelings towards Ran Lin but merely a reflex in the given situation.

“I’ll go over there…” Ran Lin pointed in Wang Xi’s direction, and without waiting for Lu Yiyao’s response, he tactfully exited the scene.

Lu Yiyao, who was about to say, “let’s sit together”, couldn’t find the right moment to speak, and the words died before being said.

There was nothing wrong with this. It was just a polite remark after all. But when Ran Lin didn’t actually go to Wang Xi but instead chose an inconspicuous single sofa in a corner, avoiding Wang Xi and Yao Hong, who were still “catching up”, Lu Yiyao felt a bit awkward.

He had imagined Ran Lin would try every possible way to interact with him and cling to him. Though such a thought was a bit shameless, it was how Ran Lin had acted when they first met.

No, they actually hadn’t properly met at that time.

If the start of their “acquaintance” was marked by the first episode’s recording, then during the entire two episodes, “the Ran Lin he knew” hadn’t done anything offensive. In fact, not only did Ran Lin not eagerly interact with him, but he also intentionally or unintentionally avoided him in the show.

When all five of them appeared on camera, Ran Lin interacted most with Xia Xinran, followed by Zhang Beichen.

Lu Yiyao wasn’t sure if Ran Lin had “turned over a new leaf” or developed a new “strategy”, but setting aside conspiracy theories and past grievances—after all, Ran Lin’s side hadn’t tied him up for hype recently—and judging objectively from his heart, comparing his own attitude with Ran Lin’s throughout the recording, he would give himself negative points.

There was nothing worse than responding to goodwill with malice. Even if the malice wasn’t very obvious, even if the goodwill was questionable.

Yao Hong said that he has always recorded the program with emotion. The original words were, “You are naturally slow to warm up, and with emotions on top of that, fans and audiences are not fools. They can feel it clearly through the camera. Do you want to pack up the fans and wash them away, or do you want to freeze the audience until they turn back on the road?”

He hadn’t responded at the time, but he felt indignant inside. Now, he had to admit that Yao Hong had hit the nail on the head.

But pondering all this was useless; he couldn’t just go up to Ran Lin and apologize, saying, “Sorry, I shouldn’t have looked at you through colored glasses in the first two episodes.”

Besides, if it weren’t for Ran Lin’s initial hype, he wouldn’t have projected his aversion onto Ran Lin.

In the end, he still needed an apology from Ran Lin’s team.

Forget it.

Lu Yiyao put down the magazine, deciding to browse Weibo to divert his attention. Expecting mutual apologies between stars’ management teams was like hoping for a cooked duck to speak—too far-fetched and unrealistic.

As soon as he opened the Weibo app, he was bombarded with @mentions. Lu Yiyao casually clicked in and, as expected, they were all from the official Weibo of the show and fans’ reposts.

Lu Yiyao had spent most of his time between engagements browsing Weibo posts related to <National First Love Drifting Story>. After all, it was his variety show debut, and to say he was indifferent would be self-deception.

Unfortunately, today’s updated behind-the-scenes footage by the show crew was unrelated to him; it featured Ran Lin and Zhang Beichen.

[#National First Love Drifting Story Premieres on 2.14# Eighth Exclusive Behind-the-Scene Clip: A single-leaf flatboat on the Li River. Who is the ultimate Landscape Male God? Friendship first, competition second, @Zhang Beichen even offers the first place to @Ran Lin? [XX Satellite TV – National First Love Drifting Story’s short video]]

What kind of rhythm is this bringing?

Without even opening the video, Lu Yiyao frowned at the Weibo content. Is he afraid that the fans of both sides won’t start quarreling?

Putting on headphones, he clicked on the video, which finished playing in just a few seconds. Lu Yiyao unsurprisingly took off his headphones, thinking to himself that, sure enough, if there’s no explosive point, they have to create one through editing.

Even though during that part of the video, he was still miserably working as a boatman on the river and couldn’t be at the scene, the video was clear. Even a fool could tell that Ran Lin was joking with Zhang Beichen.

If he wasn’t mistaken, Ran Lin must have had more to say afterward. No, a normal person would explain afterward that it was just a joke.

But if he were Zhang Beichen, he would never say something like letting you have the first place. How obtuse would one have to be to not realize the negative implications of that statement?

Lu Yiyao freely expressed his thoughts after watching but stopped when he saw the top comments.

It wasn’t just one comment criticizing Ran Lin. Out of ten, five were criticizing, three were defending Zhang Beichen and refusing to be involved in the quarrel, and two were just passersby enjoying the drama.

Lu Yiyao, as if possessed, went to Ran Lin’s own Weibo. He found that the latest comment section already had traces of Zhang Beichen’s casual fans and those who dislike his program.

Fortunately, the behind-the-scenes footage was short, sparking limited discussion. There were also rational fans saying to wait for the full program to come out, that XX TV station likes to stir up gimmicks for topics.

Lu Yiyao didn’t know if Ran Lin had seen these. He stopped scrolling through Weibo and instinctively looked towards the corner where Ran Lin was huddled.

Today, Ran Lin wore a light gray cotton jacket, giving him a clean and refreshing look. But now, in the warm lounge, he had taken off the jacket, wearing only a blue hoodie. Lu Yiyao always thought Ran Lin looked somewhat frail, perhaps due to his small frame. Despite being about 1.8 meters tall, his overall impression was still quite delicate.

Of course, this was just Lu Yiyao’s personal opinion. He instinctively felt that Ran Lin might not like this kind of assessment.

Seemingly sensing something, Ran Lin, who was just looking at a magazine, suddenly looked up. Lu Yiyao quickly lowered his head, returning to the appearance of focusing on his phone.

One minute later, Lu Yiyao raised his eyelids to sneak a peek at Ran Lin again. He started to wonder what exactly he was doing and why he felt like a guilty thief.

Until boarding the plane, Ran Lin never took out his phone. Lu Yiyao didn’t know whether he hoped Ran Lin would see those comments or not, or if he was just simply curious.

In first class, the two of them sat side by side, separated only by an aisle. However, there was no communication throughout the journey.

Ran Lin started sleeping after the plane entered the stratosphere, only waking up in a daze when the flight attendant reminded him that the plane was landing. Most of the time, he was sleeping in a disheveled manner, even adjusting his position when encountering turbulence, completely undisturbed.

Lu Yiyao was amazed, somewhat envious of his quality of sleep, as he was the type who could hardly sleep on flights even with an eye mask and earplugs. However, Ran Lin didn’t seem to be having sweet dreams, because every time Lu Yiyao glanced over, his face was wrinkled, wasting all that collagen.

The next morning, the five guests gathered again and were led by the program team to a remote, undeveloped beach in the outskirts of Sanya to start recording the third episode.

This place was far from the city center, without tourists, and even locals rarely came here. Backed by a wild coconut grove and facing the blue sea, there was a vast beach between the grove and the sea.

Unlike the crowded tourist beaches, the sand here wasn’t soft or fine but filled with gravel and rocks. However, when the wind moved the large leaves of the coconut trees and the sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting countless mottled shadows on the ground, the beach seemed to come alive, its breath the ebb and flow of the waves.

“Today, we have only one task from start to finish, and that is to survive on a deserted island!” Without the hostess, linking the scenes became the director’s job. Despite the pretty girl being replaced by a middle-aged man who seemed up to no good, the five male stars still found it awkward from the last episode to this one.

However, the director really enjoyed this part-time job, always passionately involved in every scene transition. “Going forward, you are already stranded on this deserted island, without communication devices, without modern tools. You can only make do with what you find, build shelters, make fires, cook food, and survive tenaciously!”

“Um,” as the director was about to leave, Ran Lin quickly raised his hand, “I have a small question…”

The director looked at him innocently. “Hmm?”

Ran Lin pointed to the several red plastic buckets in front of them filled with live seafood. “Are these… just here to stimulate us?”

“Of course not,” the director said very naturally. “These are your food. Once the house you build passes inspection and the bonfire is burning brightly, you can cook these to eat!”

Ran Lin: “……”

Even Lu Yiyao, who usually didn’t like to nitpick, couldn’t bear it. “Didn’t you just say, survive tenaciously?”

Director: “Yes, building shelters from local materials, spontaneously igniting a bonfire—none of these tasks are easy to complete. Compared to that, these fish, shrimp, and crabs are insignificant.”

Lu Yiyao: “……”

Ran Lin: “Director, you better go and stay out of the sun.”

Gu Jie, Zhang Beichen, Xia Xinran: “Yes, yes!”

Before they couldn’t hold back from a group beating, the five male stars finally managed to send the director away. Under the blazing sun, they began to survey this “deserted island”.

February was a comfortable time in Sanya, but being by the sea with the unshielded sunlight, it was still blinding.

Ten minutes later, the five explorers regrouped.

“How is it?” Zhang Beichen, who was sensitive to heat, had already taken off his long-sleeved shirt and was only wearing a white T-shirt underneath.

“Except for coconut trees, there’s nothing else.” Lu Yiyao was the first to respond. He had already changed into a loose, light blue short-sleeved shirt and white shorts, looking fresh and slightly artistic.

Ran Lin was sensitive to his favorite colors, and if the person wearing that color was also to his liking, it was a real treat to the eyes.

However, now wasn’t the time to be distracted*.

*Lick the screen. Internet slang referring to when the person you like is on a screen and you can’t help but want to lick them as an expression of your love.

Lu Yiyao’s answer could represent all the explorers: this wild beach was so desolate that only coconut trees remained.

“So, what we have now are sand, seawater, and coconut trees,” Gu Jie summarized for his friends. “Apart from cutting down coconut trees, I can’t think of any other way to build a shelter.”

“It sounds like you know how to build a shelter once you’ve chopped down the trees,” Xia Xinran said as he finished applying sunscreen to his last arm and passed the sunscreen to Ran Lin. “You should apply some too.”

Ran Lin, still pondering how to survive on the deserted island, instinctively shook his head. “No need. I’ve already applied it.”

Xia Xinran: “In this hot weather, it needs to be reapplied frequently.”

Ran Lin didn’t take it, but Lu Yiyao reached out and took the sunscreen, examining it for a while before asking in puzzlement, “Why do we have a bottle of sunscreen when we’re stranded on a deserted island with even meals being a problem?”

Xia Xinran was momentarily stunned but seemed unwilling to appear guilty, quickly raising his head again. “Right, everything was washed away by the sea when I was stranded on the deserted island, only this remained. Isn’t that right!”

Gu Jie laughed out loud. Before recording, the director team had asked the guests to hand over all their belongings, insisting on using local materials to create a real sense of survival on a deserted island—although the biggest bug in this was the red plastic buckets—but as guests, everyone cooperated. Only Xia Xinran could have hidden sunscreen.

The cameraman, obviously enjoying this unscripted interlude, immediately zoomed in on Lu Yiyao’s hand.

Ran Lin, seeing Xia Xinran trying to take it back but feeling embarrassed—after all, he had broken the rules—instinctively wanted to help. He approached Lu Yiyao, saying gravely and seriously, “This is not just any sunscreen. This is our only connection to the civilized world. If we don’t get rescued, we’ll have to hold onto it to find memories years later. So you shouldn’t question it. Instead, you should thank Xia Xinran for bringing it and treating it as a treasure with us.”

Lu Yiyao swore this was the most absurd justification he had ever heard.

Yet, he felt like he was being persuaded.

Seeing that Lu Yiyao remained silent, Ran Lin confidently said, “Can you give it back to Xia Xinran now?”

But Lu Yiyao still shook his head. “No.”

Ran Lin: “Why?”

“If it’s a treasure…” Lu Yiyao said, unscrewing the cap, “then I should try it too.”

Ran Lin: “……”

Lu Yiyao seemed a bit different today.

But exactly how, Ran Lin couldn’t pinpoint.

Xia Xinran, with a horrified face, leaned towards Gu Jie and said, “This Lu Yiyao must be a fake, an imposter!”

Gu Jie was exasperated. “Can you have an imposter on a reality show?”

Xia Xinran was unconvinced. “Why not? If there are doubles for literary scenes, action scenes, and horse-riding scenes, then there can be doubles for variety shows too.”

Gu Jie took off his slightly hot shirt and revealed his impressive inverted triangle physique under a black tank top. “…Surviving on a deserted island with you guys is too draining. I’m going to walk around the coconut grove again.”

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