Chapter 28
When Xia Wansheng returned to the program team the next day, he wasn’t in a good mood.
The failed offline attempt was already upsetting enough, and he didn’t understand how Yu Congyan had managed to derail the plot so drastically. The more he tried to explain, the more convinced Yu Congyan became that he was being threatened.
And the threatening message was still on his phone, undeniable evidence.
When Xia Wansheng returned, he happened to run into the celebrity couple, who were out watching the sunrise. Having been in the industry for a long time, they had long shed their youthful ambition and were participating in the program just for exposure and to reconnect with old friends.
Seeing the young man approaching and politely greeting them, their eyes naturally softened with the warmth and kindness of elders.
“Morning, Xiao Xia, the weather here is unpredictable, remember to dress warmly and don’t catch a cold.” Li Yi said with a smile.
His wife, Tang Yue, was adjusting her camera. Seeing Xia Wansheng, she also greeted him and offered to take a picture of him.
“I brought my Instax camera.”
Xia Wansheng politely thanked her after receiving the photo. He rarely encountered such genuine kindness from elders, devoid of any ulterior motives.
Usually, those who came to the orphanage to adopt children had their own considerations, their eyes filled with undisguised scrutiny and judgment.
Watching the couple leave, Xia Wansheng turned and saw Yu Congyan waiting for him.
He must have been standing there for a while, but he hadn’t approached him.
“Are… are you sure your company matters are alright?” Xia Wansheng asked after some thought.
Although he was disappointed about the failed offline attempt, he couldn’t blame Yu Congyan.
He just wanted to go home, but he wasn’t unreasonable. Although he wasn’t truly being threatened, the sense of security he felt was precious.
He had experienced something similar during his school days.
A simple theft case, completely unrelated to him, but since the suspect wasn’t found, rumors naturally targeted him, the one with no background.
“He doesn’t talk to anyone, he must be guilty.”
“Exactly, I heard someone saw him staying in the classroom during PE class.”
Whispers filled with malice surrounded him. Malice flowed downwards, and Xia Wansheng, with no one to protect him, became the perfect scapegoat.
It was the first time he felt unconditionally trusted.
“Here.” Yu Congyan spoke.
He tactfully didn’t mention yesterday’s incident, simply handing something to Xia Wansheng in silence.
Xia Wansheng opened it to find a document.
The title and format perfectly matched the one he was looking for before, at least Xia Wansheng couldn’t tell the difference.
“This is…” Xia Wansheng was stunned.
He hadn’t expected to be able to complete the mission and was even considering staying a bit longer. After all, the system would eventually finish its maintenance, and he could treat this as a vacation.
“I’ve altered some of the core data inside, they won’t notice for a while.” Yu Congyan explained.
He didn’t know what they were using to threaten Xia Wansheng, it was better to be prepared just in case.
He was about to leave after handing over the document; he still had matters to attend to at the company.
But he hesitated, taking out a band-aid from his coat pocket and handing it over.
Xia Wansheng reached out, his fingers touching the rough texture of the non-woven fabric.
At this moment, the sun finally rose over Yao Village.
Xia Wansheng felt a surge of emotions as he opened the document. He hadn’t expected Yu Congyan to be so considerate.
But this was probably an invitation to join his side?
Xia Wansheng pondered, feeling that even if he sided with Yu Congyan, it wouldn’t make much difference.
The program team also readily accepted his return.
They had initially assumed Xia Wansheng was just a pretty face, but after spending some time with him, they found his personality wasn’t as unreasonable as the rumors suggested.
“The equipment malfunctioned the other day, and we had to reshoot several scenes. I was worried Mr. Xia would be upset, but he actually comforted me!” a staff member said, patting their chest.
“Me too, me too! I was worried he would scold us for the delay, but nothing happened!”
Who wrote those rumors about Xia Wansheng being moody?!
It must have been the haters!
After spending a few days with Xia Wansheng, everyone was in a good mood, and some even considered becoming his fans.
The program’s popularity naturally soared, and the team, having never seen such positive feedback, was full of energy.
If this opportunity was handled well, it could be their chance to rise to the top!
Naturally, the program team was very attentive to Xia Wansheng, the key to their success, offering tea and water, providing impeccable service, afraid he would leave after these two episodes.
After all, he had the backing of the investor, there was nothing they could do if he really left.
Some had already subtly tried to gauge his intentions.
“Mr. Xia, do you have any plans after this?” A staff member handed him a cup of black coffee.
The director had instructed them to try and keep Xia Wansheng on the program for a longer period.
“I haven’t heard anything yet, wasn’t everything agreed upon in the contract?” Xia Wansheng was getting his makeup done, still not used to being woken up early for filming.
He remembered signing a contract for only two or three episodes. It should be almost over.
He was just here to maintain the original owner’s image. As a white moonlight who only wanted recognition, not money, he naturally couldn’t use Yu Aotian’s black card.
He hadn’t even looked at the card, but he assumed it had a considerable limit.
“It’s good that you’re following the contract. We’ve been discussing further collaboration and hope you can reserve your schedule.” The staff member said.
They enjoyed working with Xia Wansheng. He wasn’t temperamental like other artists and readily accepted the pressure they sometimes put on the guests for dramatic effect, while others complained constantly.
Such a stable mental state, the staff were grateful.
“By the way, Mr. Xia, did you know the company is planning to add a new member to our team?” The staff member, after some hesitation, decided to give him a heads-up.
“Someone actually wants to join our program?” Xia Wansheng was shocked.
He thought this was a niche travel program, something he only considered because he couldn’t find other work.
Someone actually wanted to waste their time on this program?
“Our program has become popular recently, the ratings are soaring, and many industry insiders have praised it!” The staff member quickly informed him.
This was mostly thanks to Xia Wansheng. They now just wanted to keep him, he was full of surprises.
His agent called soon after. Before Ji Yang could speak, Xia Wansheng shared the gossip.
“Brother Yang, I heard our program is getting a new member? Who would want to join?” Xia Wansheng asked curiously.
Leaving a better platform to come here and enjoy a relaxed life?
“It’s a newcomer from your company, a self-media blogger known for his discipline, probably to create a contrast with your persona.” Ji Yang said worriedly.
He knew Xia Wansheng wasn’t a hardworking person. He basically switched to rest mode after completing his tasks, never actively seeking self-improvement, but he wouldn’t slack off on assigned tasks either.
Just reliable but not ambitious.
“Then…what does the company intend to do?” Xia Wansheng was puzzled.
This wasn’t a group variety show, and they didn’t even know each other. Creating a rivalry or shipping them as a couple wouldn’t work.
Was it specifically to contrast with him? That would be too malicious.
“I don’t know the details, but judging by his previous videos, he’s a…well…a very enthusiastic person.” Ji Yang hesitated before giving this assessment.
Although he was very disciplined and enjoyed sharing his daily routine, for some reason, it always made people feel anxious.
As if his actions were subtly criticizing others for not being as hardworking.
“Just interact normally and remember to keep your distance from him, don’t provoke him.” Ji Yang reminded him.
After all, if he became a comparison target, he might be portrayed negatively, criticized for being lazy, which would damage his image.
“Mm, I understand.” Xia Wansheng said.
This newcomer must be a workaholic.
The kind who forced everyone around him to work as hard, even in unnecessary situations.
After breakfast, the new guest, Zhang Siwu, officially arrived.
He had done his research beforehand, knowing that Xia Wansheng was currently carrying the program’s ratings and popularity.
“Hello everyone, I’m happy to join the program, I hope we can all get along!” Zhang Siwu’s expression remained unchanged, but his gaze was fixed on Xia Wansheng.
Zhang Siwu was always good at finding trending topics and achieving his goals. Since his objective was to build a good relationship with Xia Wansheng and gain more screen time, he naturally had to put in the effort.
From the first day, he stuck to Xia Wansheng like glue, offering to help with everything, even taking on the cooking duties, claiming to be an expert.
When watering the plants, he was very knowledgeable about fertilizers, saying he had a wall full of plants at home and showing them pictures.
Every picture was taken with a professional camera.
He was meticulous in every detail, doing everything perfectly, dedicating his full attention to every task.
The netizens were stunned, their attention successfully diverted: “Seriously, how can someone be so meticulous? Even researching feng shui for arranging furniture?”
It seemed a bit excessive.
“If I had half his energy, I would have retired by now.”
“Yeah, I wouldn’t be here watching this program…”
The more they watched, the more amazed they became, feeling a sense of pressure.
“This is insane, I came here to relax after work, why am I feeling anxious now?”
“I’ve already taken out my dusty yoga mat, doing Pilates while watching.”
Everyone felt the pressure, his excessive enthusiasm was infectious and stressful.
Like a storm forming around him, pulling everyone into its vortex.
But Xia Wansheng, at the center of the storm, seemed unfazed.
While watering the flowers, Zhang Siwu showed him pictures of his flourishing plants, explaining the intricacies of plant care for half an hour.
Xia Wansheng just listened patiently, occasionally zoning out, but still giving the necessary responses at key moments.
“But if you’re filming the program, what about your plants at home?” he asked curiously.
This question hit the mark. Zhang Siwu quickly took out his phone and showed Xia Wansheng a custom-built automatic watering system.
“I learned how to make this online and even studied the related theories. It was quite fun.” Zhang Siwu said with a smile.
He was ready for the other person’s shock, amazement, and endless praise.
But Xia Wansheng just nodded, simply expressing his approval, then continued with his own tasks.
Zhang Siwu: ???
Why did Xia Wansheng seem uninterested no matter what impressive achievements he showcased?
He was still unwilling to give up. In the following segments, he demonstrated his newly acquired photography skills to the other guests, earning high praise from the celebrity couple; and his cooking abilities, with everyone agreeing he was an excellent cook, even remembering everyone’s dietary restrictions.
Zhang Siwu could practically feel the envy and admiration surrounding him.
But Xia Wansheng remained indifferent, expressing approval and praise, but his core remained stable, his pace unhurried.
Thanks to Zhang Siwu’s persistent efforts, they were finally assigned to the same team, and he even volunteered to be the team leader.
This task involved following a treasure map to find rare plants and take pictures with them.
“Since they’re scattered across different areas, all locations are marked on the map, but you only need to find half of them to complete the task.” The director explained the rules.
Zhang Siwu, as always, was full of energy. Following his usual habit, he quickly planned the route, determined to be the first to complete the task.
The program team had originally planned to start filming at 2:00 pm, but Zhang Siwu suggested they set off at noon, so they could finish all the tasks before dinner and perhaps even encounter some unexpected events for extra footage.
“Let’s set off now, I’ve already done my research and planned several routes. If there’s anything you don’t understand, you can ask the others.” Zhang Siwu showcased his meticulous planning.
He had spent a long time preparing, and if they left early, they could not only complete the task but also return early for the next segment. It was incredibly efficient.
“I remember the task only requiring us to find half of the plants.” Xia Wansheng questioned this sudden increase in workload.
He wanted to have a nice afternoon nap.
“But I’ve calculated, if we work hard, we can complete all the tasks.” Zhang Siwu tried to persuade him.
For him, if he was going to do something, he had to do it perfectly, sacrificing a little time was nothing.
The netizens watching Zhang Siwu’s earnest persuasion were getting restless: “He’s already planned everything, he just needs to follow along, what’s there to be dissatisfied about?”
“I don’t understand, if I could find a travel companion like this, I would be laughing in my dreams.”
“I don’t think this counts as traveling, it’s more about his own perfectionism than completing the task.”
“Exactly, why drag others down with his obsessive-compulsive disorder? If he’s so capable, he should go alone!”
Two opposing viewpoints emerged, the argument escalating, even resorting to personal attacks.
“See, this is why people don’t understand teamwork anymore. Given the chance to do better, they refuse to put in the effort.”
“But this is pointless overachieving, there’s no reward for exceeding expectations.”
“Isn’t the sense of accomplishment important?!”
Xia Wansheng finally spoke, but he didn’t seem inclined to compromise.
“You’re saying that if we leave early, we can complete all the photo tasks, even though the program team only requires half?”
“Yes, but we can work hard and…” Zhang Siwu tried to persuade him.
He always disliked leaving things unfinished, even if it meant sacrificing some physical and mental energy. The sense of accomplishment after completing a task was unparalleled.
“I’ll die if I don’t get my afternoon nap, it might affect the entire afternoon’s schedule,” Xia Wansheng explained,
“And if you think the task requirements are unreasonable, you can apply for adjustments, but rules aren’t just for show.”
“I enjoy relaxing and watching the sunset after finishing my work.”
Don’t try to make me work harder.
Xia Wansheng went to take his nap after speaking, and Zhang Siwu could only give up.
But he wasn’t one to be idle. He volunteered to chop wood and arrange the scenery, saying it was for gathering material and life experience.
Then, after finishing his work, he started experiencing muscle soreness in his arms and legs because of his improper posture.
Xia Wansheng just woke up from his nap, stretching and walking out of his room, refreshed.
He ran into Zhang Siwu, who was looking for ice for his sore muscles.
“What happened?” Xia Wansheng asked.
What happened while he was taking a nap?
“It’s nothing, I just used too much force, I’ll be fine after a while.” Zhang Siwu looked a bit dejected,
“It’s fine, I can handle the afternoon task, I can still persevere.”
He moved his arms, indicating he still had strength.
“The afternoon task isn’t mandatory, just inform the staff and rest, that’s the most important thing.” Xia Wansheng said, puzzled.
There was always more work to be done, and it didn’t seem like the world would end if this task wasn’t completed.
The netizens’ comments also popped up: “Yes, yes, it’s just a small segment, he can always try again next time, there’s no need to push himself.”
“I suddenly understand Xiao Xia’s emotional stability, even if the sky falls, he’ll probably just be concerned about whether he still has to go to work.”
Just as Zhang Siwu was about to protest that he could handle it, Xia Wansheng signaled that something had happened to the director.
The director was reporting the program’s progress to Yu Congyan when he suddenly heard Xia Wansheng calling him. He instinctively replied: “What? Who’s injured and can’t participate?!”
Then, after apologizing to Yu Congyan, he hung up the phone and rushed over to see what had happened.
Yu Congyan, who had been listening to the director’s rambling: …
What happened again?!
