Chapter 16
Tonight was another night of overtime for the public relations department. Everyone gathered in the large conference room, holding their laptops to deal with the trending topic that had exploded.
The top comments on Weibo were as follows:
[What does Huai-ge mean by this? Reposting Shen Wu’s promotion for Wonderful Adventure and then saying see you next time… Does this mean Huai-ge is the mysterious guest?]
[Holy crap, I think I might be thinking too boldly. Huai-ge participating in a live reality show sounds ridiculous, but I have a feeling it’s true…]
[The mysterious guest is definitely Huai-ge!! Who else has such a grand presence to be the mysterious guest on the hottest variety show right now?]
[Agreed!! I’m so excited ahhhhhh, why do we have to wait until the end of the month, wuwuwuwu]
“President Meng,” Luo Jinyi said with a pained expression on her exquisitely made-up face, “You can afford the penalty for violating the confidentiality agreement and claiming the identity of the mysterious guest in advance…”
“It’s fine,” Meng Huaizhi said with his cold face, his words not sounding very comforting. “I’ll treat Professor Fang to a meal later. He won’t mind. I won’t be participating in any more variety shows in the future, so it won’t have any impact.”
No more variety shows?
Du Chen stole a glance over.
He thought to himself: You’d better be.
As Du Chen quietly retracted his gaze, he happened to meet Luo Jinyi’s eyes. He quickly coughed, covering up his guilt.
Luo Jinyi: “…”
Being on the same wavelength as the jumpy Du Chen was not something she was happy about.
The amount of information contained in Meng Huaizhi’s move was too great. The online discussion was endless, and it even dragged in the previous trending topic. For a while, it was impossible to suppress.
[What does Meng Huaizhi mean by telling Shen Wu to return the hat next time? Did they know each other before? This seems to be the first time Meng Huaizhi has interacted with a friend online, right??]
Meng Huaizhi’s social media rarely mentioned others. The few times he did, it was because of work collaborations, followed by a polite message about a pleasant cooperation online.
[So the time Huai-ge was photographed at the clubhouse… that mysterious person was Shen Wu?]
[I went to look, their figures really look alike!!]
[I knew the hat on Shen Wu’s head was Meng Huaizhi’s!!! This unique treatment, I’m dying from the sweetness, ahhhh]
[A germaphobe, but makes an exception for only one person, it’s so sweet, wuwuwuwu]
Fortunately, Meng Huaizhi had a large number of highly effective solo stans with quite good etiquette, who explained the relationship between the two in an orderly manner.
[It’s obvious that Huai-ge and Shen Wu are just good friends. A handsome guy’s friend is also a handsome guy, hhh]
[It’s normal for friends to exchange hats. It’s rare for Huai-ge to make a friend in the industry. I wish the two handsome guys a long-lasting friendship!!]
[Exactly, some CP shippers shouldn’t be so obsessed. If they stop interacting to avoid suspicion, will you be happy?]
[It’s Huai-ge’s first time on a variety show, and he can be with a good friend. That’s great, looking forward to it!]
[Wait, I suddenly discovered a key point. Huai-ge never goes on reality shows. Could it be that he’s making an exception this time for a certain someone?]
[Holy crap, the slap in the face came so unexpectedly. I suddenly feel like it’s a bit sweet too…]
The official Weibo account of the Wonderful Adventure show also took advantage of the buzz, reposting and liking posts. Fang Ci received a message from Meng Huaizhi and logged into his own Weibo, responding to the casting controversy with a hidden meaning.
@Director Fang Ci: What sugar daddy? Wonderful Adventure Season 2 is currently seeking product placement. Please take a look, all you sugar daddies.
He was playing with the logic of not wasting a good opportunity for free publicity.
The netizens who enjoyed the drama were overjoyed.
[If the sugar daddies don’t advertise on Wonderful Adventure, is it because they don’t want to?]
[LMAO, sugar daddy, v me 50 first to see your strength.]
He also liked Meng Huaizhi’s Weibo post, confirming the identity of the mysterious guest.
On the other hand, even without Meng Huaizhi, Fang Ci would have been willing to choose Shen Wu for the show. After all, Shen Wu’s looks and personality were top-notch, and his profession as a race car driver was relatively rare, making him a perfect candidate for a reality show.
But of course, he couldn’t tell Meng Huaizhi this.
He continued to scroll through Weibo and saw a brilliant comment from a netizen.
@Online Melon Eater A: I think I know Director Fang’s criteria for selecting people. Look at the Weibo accounts of Lin Yanran, Liang Shu, Xia Fanxing, and Nan Dengwei. And needless to say, Huai-ge. He’s clearly a sucker for good looks.
Fang Ci liked the comment, in full agreement.
Meng Huaizhi only had one Weibo account and went directly to Fang Ci’s Weibo to inspect it.
He also liked the insightful comment from the netizen.
Compared to the lighthearted melon-eating on Fang Ci’s side, when it came to him, the netizens’ discussions and analyses all took on a different flavor.
[Ahhhhhh I want to be liked by Huai-ge too, wuwuwu]
[Go post a Weibo praising Shen Wu’s looks, maybe he’ll come (doge)]
[I knew it, a handsome guy’s side is also a handsome guy.]
[I knew it, a handsome guy’s bedside is also a handsome guy.]
Du Chen was also scrolling through Weibo. The more the netizens shipped them, the more his face turned ashen. He would occasionally glance at Meng Huaizhi, who was also looking down at his phone.
Meng Huaizhi was scrolling through Weibo with the same serious and focused expression as when he was reading a music score.
If it weren’t for the devastating triple combo of liking, reposting, and following earlier, Du Chen would not have been so vigilant.
Seeing Meng Huaizhi’s finger pause on the screen, and a moment later, the instant his finger tapped the screen, he hurriedly lunged forward.
“I’m begging you, President Meng, can you please not surf the internet tonight?” Let everyone rest a bit. I don’t even want the overtime pay.
In his haste, he accidentally blocked half of the phone screen.
Between his fingers, a bit of the screen’s content was visible.
It wasn’t the Weibo interface he had expected, but a private WeChat chat.
“Ahem,” Du Chen stiffly withdrew his hand and coughed dryly.
Meng Huaizhi was not angry at being offended by his employee. He didn’t even frown. Such an indifferent attitude was not intimidating, but only made one feel like a dispensable puff of air, with no meaning to their existence.
He lowered his head to reply to the message and announced without emotion, “That’s all. You can all go home.”
Meng Huaizhi’s follow list only had ten people. Besides the musicians and directors he had in-depth collaborations with, the rest were the M+ Entertainment official Weibo, Meng Huaizhi’s studio…
Shen Wu was so out of place among them.
Shen Wu had always remembered their secret marriage and was a bit worried. He sent a message to Meng Huaizhi to ask.
SW: Why did you follow me? Will netizens find out something?
Meng Huaizhi replied.
M: Just following a colleague who’s on the same show.
Shen Wu thought it made sense. Meng Huaizhi following and reposting his Weibo was a friendly gesture from a senior to a junior, and Wonderful Adventure was the connection between them.
This was indeed logical and not likely to arouse suspicion.
And those rumors about his sugar daddy were completely drowned out by the buzz brought by Meng Huaizhi. With the protection of a big shot like Meng Huaizhi, all the doubts and the masterminds behind them naturally died down.
Meng Huaizhi had taken the initiative to stand up for Shen Wu. The fans wouldn’t throw mud at him, nor would they think that anyone could control him.
And his cold and abstinent image had stood for many years. Passersby wouldn’t think in a dirty and sordid way.
Since it wasn’t a sugar daddy and a sugar baby, then a thousand words could be summed up in two: so shippable.
Shen Wu: …As expected of Meng Huaizhi’s scandal-prone constitution.
Meng Huaizhi’s message just now also reminded him. He quickly followed Meng Huaizhi back, and then followed the other guests of Wonderful Adventure as well, actively avoiding suspicion.
Shen Wu followed several people in a row. On the other side of the city, the feedback was timely displayed on Meng Huaizhi’s phone screen.
Meng Huaizhi: “…”
Not long after, it was December 31st. The first episode of the highly anticipated second season of Wonderful Adventure would officially begin its live broadcast at nine o’clock at night.
The guests arrived at the filming location in advance for makeup, microphone adjustments, and other equipment checks. Their clothes, which had been confirmed with the show’s team in advance, were their own private outfits.
The private outfits were mainly related to their respective professions and personas. Since it was the first episode, Fang Ci used this clever method to help the audience quickly recognize the guests, reinforce their personas, and create a more realistic reality show.
Shen Wu wore a matte leather racing jacket and black pants of the same material, paired with Martin boots.
He was used to wearing his jacket open. The titanium steel cross chain with a diamond ring was gone from his neck, replaced by a thinner snake bone chain without a pendant, purely as an accessory to enrich his outfit.
He arrived early and greeted Xia Fanxing and Liang Shu, whom he was meeting for the first time. Meng Huaizhi arrived shortly after.
The previous few times Shen Wu had met Meng Huaizhi were in public places. As a top-tier star, Meng Huaizhi was always bundled up in several layers. If he didn’t have a baseball cap on his head, he would have a mask on his face.
But today, Meng Huaizhi wore a plain white shirt. He had handed his coat to his assistant before entering, and walked over wearing only the shirt.
The white shirt was made of a thicker material, crisp and well-ironed. The long sleeves hung neatly at his sides, the cufflinks tucked into the buttonholes. The perfectly sized cuffs wrapped around his wrists, not revealing a hint of his tattoo.
The top button on his chest was also fastened, meticulous, cold, and self-possessed.
It was very in line with his abstinent, high-and-mighty flower persona.
But Shen Wu knew that this was by no means a requirement for his persona. During his student days, before he debuted, Meng Huaizhi had worn similar shirts for two seasons of the year. For the other two seasons, he would add a coat.
The guests arrived one after another. After a brief tidying up, they entered an abandoned school building under the arrangement of the show’s team.
At nine o’clock sharp, the live broadcast of the first episode of Wonderful Adventure began on time.
[Ahhhhhh it’s starting!!!]
[Meng Huaizhi Meng Huaizhi Meng Huaizhi]
[Holy crap, it’s starting? Why is it so dark???]
[Did you guys hear any strange sounds? It’s so creepy…]
After a few crackles, the pitch-black live broadcast lit up with a faint, cold white light. It wasn’t bright enough, but one could barely make out the general situation in the picture.
It was a small, enclosed room. The four corners were shrouded in thick darkness. The light came from the ceiling, a single low-wattage white beam that illuminated the person below.
Shen Wu and Meng Huaizhi had cooperated with the show’s team in advance to look like they had been kidnapped. Shen Wu was sitting on a wooden chair, his wrists and calves tied to the armrests and chair legs respectively with hemp rope, wound tightly and securely.
Meng Huaizhi’s situation seemed a bit better at first glance. His legs were free, but his hands were tied to his chest with hemp rope, unable to be raised or lowered. His eyes were covered with a black blindfold.
This was the first time Meng Huaizhi had appeared in such a state.
In the past, he always wore a mask and hat, only revealing a pair of cold and sharp eyes. But today was the opposite. Under the black blindfold, his exquisite nose, lips, and chin had the same temperament as his eyes, but with less of a “stay away” vibe. The fans in the live broadcast room instantly turned into screaming chickens.
After the fans had vented their excitement, a few seconds later, the audience who were seriously watching the variety show took over.
[Fang, you dog, how dare you tie up my Huai-ge!!!]
[I reasonably suspect that Director Fang surfs the internet every day. He’s really good at this. A six-person variety show, but the other four don’t seem to deserve a name.]
[LMAO, sister, you know how to ship (shh)]
[It should be an escape room, right? They start from here, then escape and rescue the others?]
[Now they should need to cooperate with each other to untie the ropes.]
The bullet screen was lively with guesses about the game’s arrangement. Meng Huaizhi’s clear and cold voice sounded in the dim room, “Shen Wu?”
The terrifying atmosphere instantly dissipated a lot.
“I’m here!” Shen Wu quickly called out. Afraid that Meng Huaizhi wouldn’t be able to find his position, he shouted a few more times, “Here, here, here.”
The blindfolded Meng Huaizhi smoothly came to his side and stood still.
Shen Wu could see and was the first to come up with a solution. “Give me your hands, I’ll untie the rope for you.”
Meng Huaizhi placed his hands in the designated position under his instructions.
But Shen Wu’s hands were tied to the armrests of the chair, the hemp rope wrapped from his forearm to the back of his hand. It was not easy to even lift his fingers.
After a long while, the hemp rope hadn’t loosened at all. Meng Huaizhi thought for a moment and said, “Shouldn’t we take off my blindfold first, and then I’ll figure out how to untie the rope myself?”
“That’s true,” Shen Wu agreed. “Then lower yourself a bit more.”
Meng Huaizhi lowered himself to a half-kneeling position. After a lot of effort, Shen Wu disappointedly found that his extremely restricted fingers couldn’t even take off a blindfold.
The show’s staff had rehearsed all the game segments, but they couldn’t avoid all unexpected situations. Fang Ci looked at the situation on the monitor and couldn’t help but frown. “Is the rope on Shen Wu’s hands tied too tightly?”
The props team staff’s heart was about to jump out of their chests. They hadn’t expected an accident to happen right at the beginning of the live broadcast. “It seems so… Then should I have the other group of guests come and rescue them?”
Fortunately, they had prepared a contingency plan to deal with various emergencies.
Fang Ci had been paying attention to the live broadcast room’s movements. He was suddenly taken aback and stared at the screen. “Wait a minute.”
“Come up a bit, bend over, and bring your head over,” in the live broadcast room, Shen Wu had completely given up on his useless fingers.
His vision was blocked, so Meng Huaizhi didn’t know what solution Shen Wu had come up with. Maybe he had found a small hook or something.
“A little closer, face me,” Shen Wu continued to instruct.
Meng Huaizhi was puzzled but did as he was told.
But the closer he got, the slower his movements became, afraid of accidentally bumping into him.
“That’s good,” Shen Wu suddenly spoke, his voice almost right next to his ear.
As his voice fell, a sudden warmth came over him, and two soft things brushed against the edge of the blindfold.
It was like falling into a tropical sea, instantly filled with salty and hot seawater, making it difficult to breathe.
In the darkness, an unseen tropical fish swam past the corner of his eye, its softness carrying a hint of electricity.
“Back up and pull the blindfold down,” Shen Wu said, his words muffled as he held a corner of the blindfold between his teeth.
