Chapter 37

The rain outside had gotten heavy.

They'd all been drinking, so they had to call the Production Team to come drive.

"Four people per car," Guo Bing said.

Guo Bing was in a great mood today.

Today really hadn't let him down!

A bountiful harvest!

When he saw Zhai Xingchen, it was like seeing a ratings lucky charm. He excitedly said to him, "I haven't even congratulated you on tonight's Performance yet."

The embarrassment hadn't fully faded from Zhai Xingchen's chest. He pulled the Director aside and said, "Cut that part where I was dancing, okay?"

Guo Bing said, "You danced really well. It's the song at the beginning that can't air."

Speaking of which, he was really grateful to Zhai Xingchen. He felt that Zhai Xingchen not dancing in the style of "Qing Mei Fox" was him looking out for the Production Team—otherwise they wouldn't be able to air so many shots!

"The audience will like you even more after seeing it. Your expressiveness is amazing!"

But the vibe after the dance was really weird.

Zhai Xingchen had wanted to say something, but the moment he thought about how the Production Team had all seen his awkward situation, his face went red.

The car had pulled up to the door. Hu Ying called back, "Star-ge, let's go!"

Guo Bing clapped his shoulder. "Don't worry, we'll protect you. We absolutely won't air anything bad about you."

Whatever, it was already done. Zhai Xingchen couldn't be bothered to think about it anymore. He got in the car with Hu Ying and the others, and when he saw no one wanted the passenger seat, he took it himself.

This time nobody fought over seats—they were all pretty chill about it.

In the end, Hu Ying, Yan Zhi, and Huo Cheng got in their car.

Pei Xu and the others took the other one.

Hu Ying was starting to regret it a little.

She knew she should've livened up the atmosphere back then, which had left Zhai Xingchen embarrassed.

Raindrops hit the car window. Yan Zhi sat next to her, the two of them almost pressed together, but she had no thoughts about that right now—all she could think about was Zhai Xingchen.

She thought she could top Zhai Xingchen.

At least when Zhai Xingchen was dancing the Fox Dance in the private room, this thought had popped into her head.

Honestly, she'd always thought of herself as more of a bottom.

Maybe she and Zhai Xingchen could take turns...

Ah, what was she even imagining.

She'd definitely drunk too much today.

What she wanted was a big fierce top, a sadistic top—Yan Zhi, Huo Cheng, Pei Xu types!

Hu Ying cracked the car window open a sliver. Wind rushed in, cool and light, messing up her hair.

Yan Zhi leaned back against the seat, one hand rubbing his neck.

His neck was rubbed red, his throat a little sore.

But his heart was still surging.

Why did someone like Zhai Xingchen even exist in this world.

So perfectly to his taste, so tugging at his heart.

He figured just rubbing his neck tonight definitely wasn't going to cut it.

He grabbed at his collar—the tightly buttoned collar got pulled even tighter.

Huo Cheng had his hands in his pockets, rubbing at his phone.

Wondering if the Production Team would collect their phones tonight.

He had a video of Zhai Xingchen dancing saved on his phone.

Huo Cheng felt like he was back in high school.

When he was in high school, smartphones hadn't gone mainstream yet. Only a few kids in his class from wealthy County Town families had phones—those slide-out kinds. They lived in the dorms back then, and at night a bunch of pubescent boys would inevitably steer their conversations toward sex. One day a classmate he was close with mysteriously told him he had something good on his phone.

He obviously knew what that "something good" was.

The classmate handed him the phone and told him to go to the bathroom to look.

His mood right now was probably the same as it was back then.

Very nervous, very uneasy.

Actually, filming a show, you really have to learn self-control and restraint. Being clean-cut and gentlemanly with restraint is important. As a Love Variety Show, their audience was destined not to like men who were too lecherous, too greasy, or too domineering—none of those would be popular.

He should learn from Yan Zhi—look at him, so prim and proper, making himself look like some Asceticism monk.

No wonder Yan Zhi was so popular.

The rain kept falling, harder and harder. Zhai Xingchen leaned back in his seat, his mood still not fully settled.

Because on the way back, their car was pretty silent too.

On the way there they'd been chatting so enthusiastically.

Why?

Had he danced that awkwardly? He thought he'd kept it within bounds.

He didn't even have the courage to bring up a topic himself right now.

The car stopped outside the Red and Blue Signal house. Zhai Xingchen got out first.

Huo Cheng followed right behind. The two of them ran to the front door together, but maybe because their hands were a little damp, the fingerprint lock wouldn't open after several tries.

Huo Cheng leaned in behind him and said, "If you try again it'll lock us out. Enter the passcode."

"What's the passcode?"

Huo Cheng went to enter it himself. His face brushed against Zhai Xingchen's hair, and suddenly he became all pure and innocent, his face going red. He pressed his lips together and tried to punch in the code, but his hand trembled and he got it wrong.

The passcode lock suddenly beeped an alarm a few times, then locked.

Huo Cheng and Zhai Xingchen: "..."

"What happened?" Hu Ying asked.

"It's locked. We have to wait fifteen minutes before we can try again," Zhai Xingchen said.

A red light came on on the passcode lock.

They all stood at the door. Yan Zhi noticed Huo Cheng and the others were pressed up against his arm, so he stepped outward on his own.

Soon the Production Team and Pei Xu's group came back too. They went next door first.

This was the first time their whole group had come to the Production Team's side. Compared to the Red and Blue Signal house, conditions here were much simpler—the living room was a mess, the table covered in half-eaten takeout boxes.

Yan Zhi had serious germaphobia and kept frowning. He felt the room smelled stuffy, so he came out first. Seeing Pei Xu was outside too, he stood next to him, watching the night rain.

Under the streetlights the flowers and grass all looked melancholy, the courtyard dim.

The two of them didn't talk. Yan Zhi's feelings burned hot, his thoughts heavy. Pei Xu had come out just to be quiet for a moment, to think alone.

A few minutes at the Production Team's place, and the silent atmosphere finally dispersed. Wen Nu and the others had a look around the Production Team's rooms. Hu Ying called out, "Come look at this—it's all monitors!"

They all ran over to look. Every room in the Red and Blue Signal house was in full view—except the bathroom, there were almost no blind spots.

Even though they knew their every move was being filmed, seeing it in person was still a shock—the feeling of being watched at all times.

"It's been fifteen minutes, your door should be open now," Guo Bing urged.

"Kicking us out?" Hu Ying said.

Zhai Xingchen laughed and pushed her out. Hu Ying, grabbed by his arm, suddenly lost all her bravado.

They opened the door and went back into the Red and Blue Signal house, gathering in the dining room for hot water.

"When are you all leaving tomorrow?" Hu Ying asked.

"I have to leave tomorrow morning," Lin Qingning said.

These were all schedules they'd arranged in advance.

"I'm also leaving in the morning. I have a business trip," Huo Cheng said.

Their app was launching an overseas version and he had to go check on it. Because of filming the show, a lot of their work had been affected and everything had piled up.

"I have to catch a flight at six or seven tomorrow morning," Yan Zhi said.

He had an esports variety show to attend.

Pei Xu said, "I'm leaving at noon."

"I'm also leaving at noon," Hu Ying said.

Pei Xu leaving at noon—Yan Zhi and Huo Cheng had no reaction to that. But the moment they heard Hu Ying was leaving at noon, alarm bells went off in both their heads.

Because Zhai Xingchen was on break, he was definitely going to be the last one to leave.

Wouldn't that be leaving the little lamb to Hu Ying the wolf?

"Wen Nu's not in a rush to leave tomorrow, right?" Huo Cheng turned and asked.

Wen Nu said, "I'm still going to work normally tomorrow."

Their dessert shop didn't close.

"What about Duan-ge?" Huo Cheng looked at Duan Yihua in the chair.

Duan Yihua's buzz had worn off, he was just a little sluggish. He lay on the dining table and said, "I'm... leaving in the morning."

Huo Cheng looked around, thinking—at least it wasn't just Zhai Xingchen and Hu Ying left alone.

At least Pei Xu was there as a third wheel.

These past few days had been like a dream. When they came in, they never imagined leaving would feel so reluctant.

Time felt like it had passed too fast.

"Oh right, aren't we sending messages again today?" Hu Ying said. "I remember they said the last night we have to send messages."

Lin Qingning nodded.

Hu Ying looked at Zhai Xingchen and said, "So today Xingchen's getting a full sweep, right?"

Zhai Xingchen paused, then laughed and said, "You guys don't have to be so polite."

Today was his home turf, so it wasn't strange for the guests to all send their messages to him.

Just like in Chinese, Japanese, and Korean Love Variety Shows, they always send the day's message to whoever they went on a date with, even if they're not really into them.

That's the courtesy message.

"I'm definitely sending mine to you," Huo Cheng said.

Huo Cheng's face still had that flush from drinking, looking all red. Combined with his sharp features, buzz cut, high nose, he had a roguish, slightly drunk vibe.

Yan Zhi and Pei Xu both glanced at Huo Cheng. Yan Zhi took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes.

But Huo Cheng saying it in front of everyone actually made Zhai Xingchen think he was being pretty straightforward.

"I'm sending mine to Xingchen too." The usually timid Wen Nu chimed in as well.

Zhai Xingchen laughed and said, "Then I'll thank you all in advance."

With everyone sending to him, he actually felt much more relaxed.

He was afraid no one would send to him, but Duan Yihua was sending to him!

Zhai Xingchen was exhausted today, plus he'd been drinking, his whole body felt soft. He put down his water glass and said, "I'm going to shower first, you guys chat."

As he walked he glanced at Duan Yihua, who was lying on the dining table staring at the water glass in his hand.

Once Zhai Xingchen left, everyone went back to their own rooms.

The moment Hu Ying got back to the room, she flopped down on the sofa.

Lin Qingning took off his jacket and said, "You showering?"

Hu Ying lay there without moving and said, "You go first."

Lin Qingning went to shower first.

Hu Ying lay on the sofa spacing out for a while, then finally kicked off her shoes and lay down completely, the tattoo on her waist showing a little, her head hanging off the edge, her long hair almost touching the floor.

She decided she wasn't sending her message to Yan Zhi today.

She was sending it to Zhai Xingchen.

As for why she was sending it to Zhai Xingchen—whether it was because of her feelings for him or out of courtesy—she couldn't be bothered to think about it.

She closed her eyes and thought of Zhai Xingchen on stage, wearing a mask, his figure so beautiful. When he danced the Fox Dance, his shirt slipped open, revealing abs that looked so good.

Hu Ying let out a long breath.

She'd been deeply shaken today.

Downstairs in the dining room, only Yan Zhi and Duan Yihua were left. Yan Zhi stood up, ready to head back to his room, and asked Duan Yihua, "Duan-ge, you okay?"

Duan Yihua shook his head: "I'll sit a bit longer."

Yan Zhi glanced at Duan Yihua, paused, then headed toward the bedroom.

Reaching the door of Pei Xu and Zhai Xingchen's suite, he suddenly stopped in his tracks, pushed the door open, and went in.

In the small living room, he glanced toward the bathroom. From inside came the faint sound of water running.

It was Zhai Xingchen showering inside.

The moment this thought surfaced, Yan Zhi's heart burned hot.

Yan Zhi stared at the bathroom door for a while.

If only he and Zhai Xingchen were the ones sharing a suite.

The one closest to the water gets the moon first.

Pei Xu was wasting such an advantage, not even using it.

He suddenly realized how important the room assignments were.

Their next stop was North City, moving into a new Red and Blue Signal house. According to the rules from previous seasons, they'd definitely have to reassign rooms. They might not even get suites anymore—they'd be sleeping in the same room.

One room... turn around and you could see the other's sleeping face, hear their breathing. You could take the chance to talk about a lot of things, multiplying your alone time several times over.

Yan Zhi pulled open his shirt buttons and walked out of the room.

The Production Team next door watched without daring to even breathe loudly.

Guo Bing had just come back from the bathroom and happened to see Yan Zhi coming out of the small living room. He quickly asked, "Yan Zhi finally got up?"

He'd been sitting in the kitchen the whole time before.

"He went to Zhai Xingchen and Pei Xu's room!"

"He was staring at the bathroom door."

"Zhai Xingchen was showering inside!"

"No idea what he was thinking, but after staring for a while he suddenly ripped open his collar buttons!"

Guo Bing said, "It's a shame you guys aren't screenwriters. He just stood in their little living room for a bit and you all acted like you'd written a whole drama!"

It got him weirdly excited.

After Yan Zhi went back to his room, he showered. Guo Bing scanned through the monitors one by one—most of the guests were showering, Hu Ying was lying on the sofa, Duan Yihua was sprawled on the dining table, Pei Xu...

Pei Xu was actually doing push-ups.

Pei Xu had one hand locked behind his back, the other supporting his weight on the floor, doing one-armed push-ups.

He was doing push-ups while thinking, his body mechanically rising and falling, face not red, not even out of breath.

Soon Zhai Xingchen came out of the shower. As the person the whole Production Team was most focused on right now, Guo Bing said, "Put Zhai Xingchen's room feed on the big screen."

The staff switched Zhai Xingchen's room feed to the big screen.

After drying his hair, Zhai Xingchen walked to Pei Xu's door and knocked twice. "Knock knock."

"Come in."

Zhai Xingchen pushed the door open and saw Pei Xu on the floor doing a plank, his neck all red, looking up at him.

Wow, from this angle, Pei Xu's butt was so perky.

He finally understood why people say the butt is a man's engine.

"I'm done showering. Just letting you know," Zhai Xingchen said.

Pei Xu was lying on the floor, and from his angle he could just see Zhai Xingchen's pale calves and feet still wet with water.

He gave an "mm," and lowered his eyes.

Zhai Xingchen closed the door behind him.

Zhai Xingchen felt quite emotional inside.

As expected of the male lead. Was it true that no matter which male lead, their stamina... no wait, their energy, was always terrifying? After a busy day, they still had the energy to work out when they got back.

These were all common confusing phenomena in novels—like how the bottom or the female lead usually couldn't get out of bed the next day, but the male lead was "refreshed" and "radiant" as if he'd absorbed someone's essence.

Pei Xu did his push-ups even harder.

His gaze fell on the wooden floor, where a few water marks from Zhai Xingchen's slippers still lingered.

Pei Xu lost his strength all at once and collapsed flat onto the floor.