Chapter 61 Part 1

It was noon, exactly 12:00.

The cameras were ready, and the cabin members filed in one by one.

Qian Xingzhi was the only one who had finished arranging everything. He leaned his elbows on the railing of the small garden terrace and finally found a moment to himself, lost in deep thought as he stared into empty space.

That morning, his conversation with Shen Li had been cut short when Li Zhiming arrived on set, stepping in to personally supervise in Cao Sheng’s place.

As a result, Qian Xingzhi had been stretched thin, overseeing the director team and coordinating all morning to sort out the rest of the program’s schedule.

Now that filming was finally underway, he no longer needed to play mind games.

Even with a barrage of cameras pointed right at his face, Qian Xingzhi could lean on the railing and savor that rushed morning exchange with Shen Li.

“You don’t actually like… someone like Zhou Yulin at all?”

“Of course not.”

“So, I’ve always been your first choice, and you’ve always been mine?”

“…Can you stop with the nonsense and the jealousy? I’m seriously tempted to smack you right now.”

“Then why, in our sophomore and junior years, did you always use Zhou Yulin as an example and make me learn from him?”

“…Who was the one who could only score thirty-nine in math back then? Who was the idiot who couldn’t even pass the art exam cutoff?”

“What does that have to do with Zhou Yulin?”

“After I told you he was smarter than you, your math scores went up by at least a hundred points.”

“……And after graduation, why did you always tell me to be more mature and steady?”

“.”

“?”

“Didn’t you care at all about your own future? You always needed comparisons and validation from others just to move forward. Shouldn’t you have grown up a bit?”

Shen Li wasn’t wrong. If it had been any ordinary person who listened to reason—

His words would have sounded like those of a good teacher and friend, or even a strict but loving parent.

But Qian Xingzhi was not the type to take advice.

No, that was exactly right.

He had gotten to where he was today by comparing himself to people he disliked, competing against those he looked down on, and basking in Shen Li’s gentle gaze.

And so what?

Qian Xingzhi felt no shame in it. If anything, he took a little pride.

As long as Shen Li’s ideal type wasn’t Zhou Yulin. As long as Shen Li didn’t like Zhou Yulin.

Everything else could be discussed.

A faint smile tugged at Qian Xingzhi’s lips. He lifted his gaze, looking up at the sky and then at the trees.

His mood was genuinely pretty good.

Outside the small garden, the asphalt road shimmered with heat haze. Even the outlines of the roadside trees seemed softened by the sun, their leaves rustling like countless thin jade slices caught in the breeze.

Just like back in their student days, those sweltering summer afternoons when they both eagerly awaited seeing each other.

Amid the crisp flutter of leaves, the greenery seemed so lush it could drip from the branches.

“Oh! Brother Qian~ There you are~!” Ke Jiujiu’s sweet voice rang out, drawing everyone’s eyes toward them. “Everyone was just welcoming Teacher Zhen~ Sister Shuang searched half the cabin for you and couldn’t find you! So you were hiding out here!”

Lin Xu came in from outside too. “Who’s hiding? This is where we’re supposed to gather anyway.”

Qian Xingzhi seemed not to hear them. His gaze skimmed over the two and fixed on the entrance to the small garden.

His target was clear.

Yang Zhiqi and Little Zhao weren’t speaking to each other. They took seats at opposite ends of the garden sofa, like poles apart.

Li Weiwei and Kris walked in arm in arm, with Zhen Tian—looking all polished but ultimately phony—standing beside Kris and half-listening to the two women chat.

And sure enough, his Shen Li was walking with Yao Shuang, bringing up the rear of the group.

Yao Shuang was gesturing animatedly, chatting away to Shen Li, who nodded politely.

Qian Xingzhi’s throat bobbed. Casually, he glanced toward the spot where Shen Li was most likely to sit.

In one of the cameras, a potted fiddle-leaf fig trembled inexplicably, and a shadow flashed by!

By the time the viewers looked closely again, Qian Xingzhi was already there with a cold, icy profile, pulling out a chair for Shen Li.

【Precise targeting! Doggo strikes!】

【Ban the cold-faced tough guy act for our pups—real dogs in pup world never cold-face without wagging their tails [one kick flying]】

【Huh? I was working overtime yesterday and missed the live stream—what happened?】

【[smile] Yesterday icebergs collided, this old man’s been flung into the ocean trench from the plate tectonics, prime CP brain turned to brain mush [smile]】

【Can’t put it that way [pray] Hot weather makes you appreciate icebergs. Everyone else sweating buckets on the street, but I pop open the show, glance at our two icebergs’ faces, and my heart cools right down refreshingly cool [pray] This is the karma of my shipping addiction】

【If you’re saying that! Qian Xingzhi just pulled out a chair for Shen Li! And he hurried over the second he saw Shen Li coming!!! I’m an old fan, I know—he’s never done that for any other colleague!!】

【Surface-level decorum, y’know? Being as cringey as Yang Zhiqi would be too much】

Everyone settled into their seats, ready to eat.

Yao Shuang explained why she was still hanging around the cabin today.

“I’m just here to have lunch and complete the task the Program Group gave me, then I’m flying to S City for the XS Gala.”

“Oh yeah! I almost forgot without you saying—didn’t they have a hidden task yesterday too!? And wasn’t there a reward?” Yang Zhiqi asked the Program Group. “Did they complete it? Can they do it today? Yesterday was force majeure! If they can’t finish, can they make it up somehow?”

The follow-shot director replied, “Yes, but it has to be done quickly at this meal. If not, the task expires.”

Zhen Tian asked, “Can you tell us what the task is?”

The director said, “No, only Yao Shuang and Shen Li know it, and only they can do it.”

Kris said, “I remember Sister Shuang’s task reward was a hint about everyone’s professions; Brother Shen’s was… personal gold coins, right?”

The director confirmed, “Yes.”

Ke Jiujiu exclaimed, “Wow! So does that mean the afternoon game finally has a profession reveal segment?!”

The director subconsciously glanced at Qian Xingzhi and nodded.

Yao Shuang’s fiery red lips curved slightly. She leaned toward Li Weiwei beside her with a coquettish whine, all charm and allure. “Aww, so much pressure. If we fail this task, everyone misses out on the hint.”

Li Weiwei laughed. “No worries. If we don’t finish, we don’t. Shen Li’s been pushing the process along anyway. Worst case, just ask Brother Qian—he knows everything for sure.”

“Hahaha, plan works, I like it,” Yao Shuang said with eyes crinkled in laughter. She tossed the conversation toward Qian Xingzhi and Shen Li. “What do you think? —Ahem.”

Yao Shuang had claimed the center seat, perfectly framed by all three cameras, so she could still steal the show and set the pace.

But Qian Xingzhi and Shen Li were different.

They’d picked the most out-of-the-way corner, and it seemed they weren’t paying attention to the director or anyone else.

Shen Li subtly leaned forward, tilting his head slightly toward Qian Xingzhi, and murmured something short and low.

Qian Xingzhi nodded, stood up, and while handing him a napkin, scooped half a bowl of rice into Shen Li’s bowl.

Like a…

Well, it made sense—Shen Li’s leg was bothering him.

“Ahem,” Yao Shuang teased in that pointed, playful way, her intent to ship and stir clear to everyone. “Ooh la la, should we set up a private two-person table for you two?”

Only then did Qian Xingzhi and Shen Li look over together.

Shen Li (bewildered): “Huh?”

Qian Xingzhi (glaring): .

【Like teachers holding class meeting up front while those two whisper in the back!】

【Called on, totally lost on the question】

【Whoa whoa, Shen Li’s just here to eat again】

“No err? You guys really weren’t listening?!” Ke Jiujiu’s bell-like laughter rang out anew. “Hahahahaha, oh my god! How can people have hearts this big!”

Little Zhao, seated a bit closer to them, gave a soft, well-meaning reminder. “…The director’s saying that Brother Shen, your task from yesterday can be done during lunch now, or it’ll fail once the meal ends!”

Shen Li: ..

Shen Li really hadn’t been paying attention earlier. Now that Little Zhao mentioned it, he remembered.

His bizarre task was to “make any two ex-husbands cry.”

But…

People were eating. Making someone burst into tears mid-meal? Just thinking about it turned his stomach.

Even without being devout or Buddhist, Shen Li believed in compassion and kindness.

So he refused mildly. “Nah, it’s fine. Yao Shuang can do hers. Mine’s just personal reward—doesn’t matter if I skip it.”

“Aww~ Don’t~ That’d be no fun~” Ke Jiujiu said. “If you don’t wanna do it, Brother Shen, can you at least tell us what it is?”

Qian Xingzhi cut in coldly. “No.”

Ke Jiujiu pouted. “Fine.”

Those two weren’t big talkers and were focused on eating, so the topic quickly drifted back to the chatty extroverts.

Only an introvert like Little Zhao didn’t mind her screen time. Sitting next to them felt like the right choice—she could eat in peace without awkwardness.

Better than forcing smiles and pretending to fit in.

And so the long table, starting roughly from Kris’s spot, split clearly into fiery chaos on one side and icy calm on the other.

Yang Zhiqi and Ke Jiujiu’s end was a chaotic uproar, the two still bickering endlessly over their bet of two packs of fancy smokes from way back.

Yao Shuang was teaming up with Li Weiwei, casually chatting to draw out Kris and Zhen Tian’s most memorable sweet moments—and their most crushing lows.

Meanwhile, Shen Li and Qian Xingzhi’s side was so quiet they could hear the cicadas and birds outside.

【Others debating, you two mukbanging—heh, living their best lives】

【Feels like Yao Shuang’s task is asking about relationship histories?】

【Aaaah, will she ask those two later? I wanna hear Thrifty Husbands’ love story!!!】

【What’s there to hear about them.. They look like a total sham marriage [cracking up]】

【Whoa! Kris and Zhen Tian met at a bar over drinks? Real talk? That’s a one-night stand, right? Can they say that on air?】

【Nothing wrong with adults saying it—as long as they know STDs don’t go through insurance [awkward][awkward]】

The viewers’ guesses and chatter were heating up.

Shen Li was already wiping his mouth. Listening to Kris and Zhen Tian’s relationship history, his stomach was starting to ache faintly—occupational hazard kicking in.

He really wanted to slap some handcuffs on them.

“So you were blackout drunk at the time, and he took you back to the hotel!?” Ke Jiujiu exclaimed in disbelief.

“Yes,” Kris replied with a sweet smile. “I had passed out right at the entrance to the bar back then. He was the one who took me back—otherwise, I’d have been completely homeless.”

【Holy shit! That’s straight-up corpse-picking!】

【Dude’s just letting his morals follow his face, huh? If the guy was uglier, she’d have called the cops.】

【But like, Zhen Tian doesn’t even look that hot. He’s like a big stewed pork knuckle from my dad’s pot.】

As soon as Kris finished speaking, the expressions on Zhen Tian’s, Shen Li’s, and Ke Jiujiu’s faces all shifted dramatically.

Zhen Tian cleared his throat. “Ahem, honey, you need to explain this clearly. Otherwise, they’re going to get the wrong idea about me! Weren’t we having a great chat that night?”

Kris blinked her big, innocent eyes, looking genuinely puzzled. “But that’s exactly what I said, isn’t it?”

Zhen Tian jumped in quickly. “Hahaha, right, right. We were chatting really well, and then she agreed to let me take her back. That’s how we ended up going together.”

Then Kris spoke up again. “The happiest moment of all was probably when I got pregnant, and you said you wanted to marry me. I loved you so much back then—I really felt like I’d met my Prince Charming.”

Zhen Tian smiled sweetly. “Hahaha, yeah, a man’s gotta take responsibility, after all.”

Yao Shuang asked next, “And the saddest? In Chinese, we call it your ‘darkest moment’!”

Kris turned her pure, innocent eyes toward Zhen Tian. “…Can I really say it?”

Zhen Tian assumed this was part of the scripted story they’d rehearsed in advance, so he nodded. “Of course you can, baby. Just say whatever’s on your mind.”

Kris’s gaze darkened. “My darkest moment… That was probably when I miscarried. He resented me for holding back his career and refused to go public with our relationship. Then he wanted a divorce.”

【?】

【!? ?!? ?!】

【Where do these scumbags worse than pigs or dogs even come from? Treating her like a damn baby factory?!】

【Fuck that, don’t drag pigs and dogs into it—my pet pig and dog are way more humane than him, no matter the species lolol】

Zhen Tian froze, taking a long moment to process what Kris had just said.

He was about to lose his goddamn mind.

He’d come on this show specifically to salvage his reputation and claw his way back to fame! He’d already worked it all out with Kris—they’d play up their couple vibe, ride the hype wave, get remarried once the buzz peaked, and she’d snag her “Chinese green card” in the process.