After hearing those words, Shen Xingsui felt completely drained.

Just as Zhang Chi was wondering why he was reacting this way, a voice came from behind him. Fu Jinxiao leaned against the railing, looked at Zhang Chi sitting in the chair, curled his lips, and said with a forced smile, "I don't quite believe it."

Zhang Chi's body stiffened.

Just moments ago, he was giving a passionate speech, but upon hearing Fu Jinxiao's voice, he froze on the spot. He turned his head stiffly and met Fu Jinxiao's dark eyes. Fu Jinxiao's face wore a kind and gentle smile, but it inexplicably gave people a feeling of tension and danger.

Fu Jinxiao walked leisurely to the table, pulled out a chair, and sat down. She glanced at Zhang Chi with a languid air and said slowly, "Why don't you explain it to me in detail?"

A bead of cold sweat dripped down Zhang Chi's cheek.

Zhang Chi was so nervous he could hardly breathe. He would never have imagined that Fu Jinxiao would be here!

The key is...

Why did he have to overhear it?

Although Zhang Chi had only recently returned to China and had little experience in the entertainment industry, his agent had repeatedly warned him before he came to the show: "The person you absolutely cannot offend on this show is Fu Jinxiao. No one in the industry who has offended him has ever had a good ending."

Just how terrifying must this person be for his agent to give him endless warnings?

Zhang Chi's mind went blank. He barely needed to think. Just looking at Fu Jinxiao's face, he could feel the invisible pressure. He subconsciously said, "Brother Fu, Brother Fu, I'm sorry, I didn't mean it that way."

Fu Jinxiao raised an eyebrow: "Why are you making such a long face?"

Zhang Chi was taken aback.

“Speak a little louder so it gets carried away…” Fu Jinxiao said slowly and deliberately, with a cold laugh: “People will say I can’t tolerate newcomers.”

Zhang Chi stopped wailing on the verge of speaking and quickly said, "That's not what I meant, Brother Fu. I just heard it from others. I was just talking nonsense with Sui Sui. Actually, I've always felt that you couldn't possibly do such a thing. Please don't take it to heart."

Fu Jinxiao said slowly, "Didn't you say I can only know a person's face but not their heart?"

Zhang Chi's face paled, and he said awkwardly, "I was just joking."

"How old are you? You still talk like a joke." Fu Jinxiao narrowed his long, phoenix-shaped eyes, a half-smile on his face: "It seems that all those years abroad were wasted."

There is a type of person who will not judge you with a cold and stern expression.

He just sits there leisurely, chatting and laughing with you with a kind face. Every word he says is not sarcastic, but every word is barbed, making you break out in a cold sweat while he is laughing and talking.

Zhang Chi didn't dare to refute: "I only said that because I was worried about Sui Sui..."

Fu Jinxiao lifted his eyelids and looked at Shen Xingsui beside him: "You believe what he said?"

Shen Xingsui felt a chill run down his spine when that gaze swept over him. The child was so flustered that he could hardly sit still. He said urgently, "Of course, of course I don't believe it."

Fu Jinxiao raised an eyebrow, neither confirming nor denying.

Upon seeing this, Zhang Chi quickly said, "Teacher Fu, I really know I was wrong. I'm a newcomer who just returned to the country, please forgive me this once..."

As Shen Xingsui watched Zhang Chi apologize across from him, he suddenly felt a mix of emotions. He recalled a time many years ago when he was in a similar situation. His good friend Zhang Chi, knowing that being with him might lead to a bad situation, immediately backed down and began to distance himself from him.

All these years have passed, and he seems to have not changed at all.

Fu Jinxiao said slowly, "In the entertainment industry, you can know a person's face but not their heart. You're right."

Zhang Chi was taken aback.

"The female celebrities you see in entertainment news who are embroiled in scandals and sex scandals are actually clean-living and of good character in private." Fu Jinxiao's voice was deep and powerful: "Similarly, the idols you see on public platforms who are dignified and well-dressed are actually morally corrupt and worse than beasts in private. You are only qualified to discuss and comment on all of this if you know the truth and understand it."

"And you, who have never even known me..." Fu Jinxiao lifted her eyelids, her gaze slightly cold, and sneered, "Do you even deserve to say you can know a person's face but not their heart?"

Zhang Chi was speechless, and at the same time, he truly felt his insignificance and powerlessness in front of Fu Jinxiao.

Fu Jinxiao leaned casually against the chair, looking down at him: "Since you're a newcomer, go back and diligently learn the rules from your manager, otherwise..."

Zhang Chi's heart jumped.

Fu Jinxiao's usual fake smile finally faded, and she slowly opened her lips, her voice carrying a chilling edge: "They don't even know how they died."

A sense of fear swept up his body from his feet. In the dead of winter, Zhang Chi felt as if he had fallen into an ice cave. For a moment, his mind went blank, and he could even feel the fear of a small animal being targeted by a dangerous hunter hundreds of times stronger than himself.

The door was pushed open and then closed again, and Zhang Chi ran away.

The room fell silent once again.

Fu Jinxiao didn't care at all, and slowly turned his gaze back to Shen Xingsui, who was still somewhat dumbfounded. Seeing the child staring at him blankly, he said, "Did I scare you?"

Shen Xingsui snapped out of her reverie and said softly, "No."

Fu Jinxiao noticed that he seemed a bit absent-minded and was somewhat displeased: "What's wrong? Are you worried about him?"

!!

What a huge pot!

Shen Xingsui raised her voice a little in protest: "No, no, how could I feel sorry for him? Although I know that what he said might have been meant to help me, I don't agree with what he said."

Fu Jinxiao chuckled lightly: "Why not believe it? You can know a person's face but not their heart. Maybe what he said is true."

Upon hearing this, Shen Xingsui felt a chill run through his body. He didn't notice the sadness on his face, and cautiously asked, "Is it true?"

Fu Jinxiao raised an eyebrow and slowly opened her lips: "Fake."

"..."

That bad guy!

Fu Jinxiao took the new chopsticks from the table without any hesitation, tasted a few bites of food, and then slowly said, "There were indeed female celebrities who left my hotel room, but they were all kicked out."

“Including those within the industry who have pursued me, there are indeed quite a few people who have, and he is not wrong about that.” Fu Jinxiao smiled and said, “It’s just that none of them have succeeded.”

However, none of them succeeded.

Looking at the handsome and eye-catching man smiling at her under the light, Shen Xingsui felt a mix of emotions. On one hand, she thought that her idol was truly exceptional, no wonder so many people liked him. On the other hand, she felt a little sad, realizing that among so many people who looked up to him, he was just one of them.

Shen Xingsui said softly, "Why do you need to explain this to me?"

He hadn't even explained to Zhang Chi, who had the biggest misunderstanding about him.

Fu Jinxiao put down her chopsticks, glanced at him sideways, and asked in a deep voice, "What do you think?"

Shen Xingsui was stunned. He met Fu Jinxiao's dark and deep eyes and felt that the emotions gathered in those eyes were something he couldn't see through, and even dared not see through. But for some reason, his heart started to beat faster, and he was so nervous that his breathing slowed down involuntarily: "I, I don't know."

Fu Jinxiao leaned back in his chair, as if he had remembered something, and said, "I made a mistake, and I need to correct it."

Shen Xingsui asked in confusion, "What?"

Fu Jinxiao smiled and said, "It's not like no one has ever succeeded."

Shen Xingsui's heart jumped in an instant. His hands, which were placed at his sides, unconsciously clenched as he cautiously asked, "Who?"

Fu Jinxiao stared at him intently, a faint smile playing on his handsome face. His unhurried demeanor and every move exuded the charm of a mature man. He looked at Shen Xingsui and said in a deep, elegant voice, "You."

The shock was so intense that Shen Xing Sui was stunned and couldn't recover for a long time.

At first, she felt disbelief, then she was overjoyed, and when she met Fu Jinxiao's dark eyes, she felt a mixture of disbelief and ecstasy.

Shen Xingsui stammered, "I...I? Me?"

Just as Fu Jinxiao was about to say something, there was another knock on the door.

Shen Xingsui felt she had never been so unlucky in her life. Usually, no one would knock on the door when there was nothing to do. Why was she so busy tonight? But she could only suppress her anger and ask, "Who is it?"

The staff outside said, "Ms. Jian, the director sent us to deliver your task card."

Upon hearing that it was work, Shen Xingsui quickly replied, "Oh, okay!"

He looked at Fu Jinxiao, wanting someone to temporarily move to the back to avoid the situation.

However, this time, Fu Yingdi couldn't be ordered around by just whining. Fu Jinxiao leaned back in her chair and slowly said, "It's not like we're having an affair, what's there to be afraid of?"

"..."

Shen Xingsui glanced at him helplessly.

Finally, having no other choice, they invited the staff in. The staff member was surprised to see Fu Jinxiao there, and then said, "Teacher Fu, your task card has been delivered to your room. Please go back now; our people should be waiting for you."

Fu Jinxiao opened her mouth and said, "Can't I just put it in my room?"

The staff member said apologetically, "I'm sorry, Professor Fu, the task cards this time are quite important and complex, and need to be explained in person. Because each guest has a different identity, no second person can be present during the explanation. Please understand."

Fu Jinxiao nodded, then looked at Shen Xingsui: "Then I'll go back?"

Shen Xingsui was a little reluctant, but she knew she had to cooperate, so she said, "Okay."

Fu Jinxiao smiled and said, "I'll come over later?"

The staff member was shocked, wondering if he had overheard something that would lead to his being silenced, and whether he would even live to see the sun rise tomorrow. He realized it was too late to play dead.

Shen Xingsui, being shy, noticed the subtle look in the staff's eyes and said, "No need! No need!"

Seeing that he was truly angry, Fu Jinxiao left.

After he left, a staff member stepped forward to explain the mission to Shen Xingsui, and then said to the cameraman behind him, "We can begin."

Shen Xingsui was shocked: "Was the cameraman there just now?"

The staff member noticed his embarrassment and chuckled, "You seem a little embarrassed, but yes, you are."

The cameraman gestured: "Let's start recording now."

Shen Xingsui felt most fortunate that the recording hadn't started yet. Otherwise, if Zhang Chi's words, including Fu Jinxiao's words, had been broadcast live tonight, the commotion would have been far more than just providing gossip for the audience; no one might have been able to sleep tonight.

The viewers who entered the live stream saw Shen Xingsui's expression and were all puzzled:

"What's wrong? What's wrong?"

"Did I miss something?"

"I dared not be distracted for a moment while watching this live stream, for fear of falling behind."

"Haha, this is even more exciting than when I was in class back then."

As the crowd gathered to watch the spectacle, they heard the staff begin to explain in detail: "In our Fei tribe, there is an ancient legend that deep within the mountains lies a secret treasure capable of suppressing evil spirits. Our Fei tribe has lived here for generations to protect this treasure from being taken away. Now, the martial world is in turmoil, and various forces are coveting the treasure. All of you young heroes have come here with a mission and a purpose."

Shen Xingsui asked innocently, "What mission?"

The staff member took a golden card out of the box and handed it to him, saying, "Find the treasure and seal it away completely to prevent evil forces from using it for evil purposes. Today, the eight of you have come to the Fei tribe with heavy responsibilities. This is a token that allows you to enter the depths of the mountains and forests. Only with this token can you find the treasure. Please keep it safe."

Shen Xingsui already had experience with this: "Do we have an inside man...?"

"Yes, that's right. There are villains among you who want the secret treasure and have wreaked havoc on the world." The staff member said righteously, "Young hero, please be careful and wary of your teammates in your future adventures, lest the villains get there first!"

Shen Xingsui felt mentally exhausted.

There's another mole, and another new guest has gotten the killer card. Last time it was An Ran and Ning Ze, who will it be this time?

Viewers in the live streams were moving between different live streams:

"Shen Xingchen is not a killer card."

"Teacher Tuya is not one either."

"Ning Ze is playing the 'good guy' card this time too."

"Wow, wow, wow, the production team won't let us see Teacher Fu's cards, everyone."

"Something's up, something's up."

In the last battle, if it weren't for Fu Jinxiao, a figure comparable to a military commander, who single-handedly led the six and repeatedly pointed out the key points, the good guys team would have had no chance of winning. This time, if Fu Jinxiao gets the only killer card, things will get really interesting.

"1v7, friends."

"I'm so excited, family."

"Can the good guys win this time?"

"This is incredibly difficult! It's as difficult as the heavens! If Teacher Fu gets the inside man card this time, it will be hellish."

The other guests, unaware of the challenges that awaited them, all slept soundly after receiving their tasks, preparing for the potential bloodshed the next day.

In the morning, after the guests woke up, the production team called everyone together.

The director said, "A new day, a new beginning. Everyone worked hard yesterday, so today, all of our guests will be regrouped and become partners."

This may be the first time Shen Xingsui has had to partner with someone else since joining "Starlight".

"The rules for selecting partners this time are also different from the past," the director said with a smile. "We adopted a new model so that we can get closer to the audience and have more interaction."

The guests asked, "In what way?"

The director began: "We opened the voting system on WeChat, Weibo, and live streaming platforms yesterday, and the official voting ended before 4 a.m. this morning. The 120 million viewers who participated in the event voted together to select the team pairings that everyone most wanted to see."

This is really novel.

In the past, when people watched variety shows, the teams were either formed by the guests themselves or by drawing lots, and the audience had no say in the process. But now, many more segments have been added that allow the audience to participate.

The director revealed a mysterious smile, looking like he was enjoying the spectacle: "Now let's announce the four groups with the highest number of votes."

Shen Xingchen lowered her voice and asked Shen Xingsui, "Who do you think is most likely to be paired with whom?"

Shen Xingsui was uncertain: "I feel like anything is possible, because we can't be sure about the audience's preferences."

"Anyway, there's no chance between us," Shen Xingchen said nonchalantly. "Because we're both too smart. If we teamed up, wouldn't we be an invincible duo?"

"..."

Shen Xingsui had always admired his confidence: "Yes."

Shen Xingchen smiled confidently.

The director began announcing the group order: "The first group is Teacher Tuya and Teacher Li, and their combined votes reached 13.45 million!"

The crowd applauded.

The director glanced mysteriously at Shen Xingsui and Shen Xingchen, then coughed lightly and said, "The second pair is Shen Xingsui and Shen Xingchen. They received 43.21 million votes!"

"..."

Both of them were bewildered.

The viewers in the live stream, however, were extremely gloating:

"I just want to see how badly these two silly kids will mess themselves up after leaving their big shots."

"Haha, Sui Sui, experience what it's like to be away from Teacher Fu."

"Everyone thought the same thing!"

"Holy crap, that's hilarious."

Shen Xingchen stroked his chin and said, "It seems that the two of us are determined to make a name for ourselves today and show the audience what we're capable of."

Shen Xingsui had a strange, ominous feeling, but in the end, she nodded and said, "Okay."

The program team then announced the remaining pairs:

Fu Jinxiao & An Ran: 63.29 million votes

Li Xu'an & Ning Ze: 11.9 million votes

Xu Qinke & Feng Fan: 32.14 million votes

The viewers in the live stream just wanted to laugh at this vote count:

"Who exactly voted for Fu Jinxiao and An Ran?"

"Let's snatch the bamboo shoots!"

"But I always find it amusing how An Ran keeps trying to get close to Teacher Fu and getting rejected."

"An Ran, you've got your chance, go for it!"

"Haha, everyone is really worried about this."

The production team began announcing today's tasks: "I'm sure you young masters already knew your missions and tasks yesterday. Now, you will undertake the task of obtaining the map and key to the secret realm. In the process, you will have to pass the tests of the guardians of the secret treasure and the Fei people, and gain their approval points in order to successfully pass through the level."

Shen Xingchen: "No problem."

The director continued, "In this village, there are five guardians of sacred objects. You need to find them yourselves and complete the tasks they give you. First come, first served."

All the groups set off.

As Shen Xingsui left, she couldn't help but glance at Fu Jinxiao a few more times. When she saw him, An Ran leaned over to talk to him, and Fu Jinxiao listened calmly. Although the two were a little distance apart, they seemed to get along very well.

As Shen Xingsui was watching, Fu Jinxiao, who was not far away, seemed to sense it and turned to look over.

Shen Xingsui felt guilty and a little flustered.

As if understanding his thoughts, Fu Jinxiao smiled faintly. In the early morning sunlight, the handsome man seemed to be bathed in light, and his charming smile made one's heart skip a beat.

Shen Xingsui touched her nose awkwardly, trying to hide her emotions. She quickly looked away and followed Shen Xingchen, afraid that Fu Jinxiao would think she was too clingy and hadn't weaned herself.

Shen Xingchen walked at the front, swaggering confidently, as if he was worried that he wouldn't be able to win: "Just wait, I'll lead you to victory today and defeat all the other groups!"

Shen Xingsui snapped out of her daze and said, "Okay."

Finding the guardian in the entire village is not easy.

The other groups seemed to have come up with ideas, but the two of them were still wandering around by the roadside. Shen Xingchen adopted a random approach: "I roughly know who this guardian is."

Shen Xingsui became interested: "Really? Who is it?"

"Guardians, guardians." Shen Xingchen racked his brains and came to a conclusion: "Those who are called guardians must be quite powerful. Why don't we just ask around and find out who the most powerful person in this village is?"

Shen Xingsui thought it made sense: "Then shall we ask them?"

They inquired with various people in the village and found several of the most capable men, but none of them were the ones they were looking for.

It was almost noon, and they still hadn't found anyone. Shen Xingsui leaned against the wall, panting heavily, and said, "Where is the most powerful person...?"

Shen Xingchen said, "It might not just be men, it could be women too."

Shen Xingsui suddenly had a flash of inspiration: "Could it be that this guardian is actually the one who protects the village? Let's go and try to find the village chief."

This approach is feasible.

The two ran all the way to Uncle Wang's house, but Uncle Wang was not home today. His wife, an old woman, was home. After hearing their purpose, she said, "The guardian you are looking for is me."

Shen Xingchen jumped up and down, then high-fived Shen Xingsui: "Yay!"

The old woman walked to a chair and sat down: "I don't have any tasks to test you, but to pass the test of the treasure, you need patience and perseverance. So, go and cook me a meal. I want to eat roasted glutinous rice cakes and some sour fish soup."

This shouldn't be difficult.

Shen Xingsui was full of enthusiasm: "Leave it to us!"

The two men, full of fighting spirit, rolled up their sleeves and went to the kitchen. They found the white glutinous rice cakes in the jar, lit a fire, and started to roast them. Then... they burned the glutinous rice cakes.

A plume of black smoke and a burnt smell rose up, carrying a hint of mockery.

After a long silence, Shen Xingsui said, "I think it might be burnt. What do you think?"

Shen Xingchen picked up the pancake, broke it open, and saw the glutinous rice inside. She fell into deep thought: "But it seems like you can still eat the inside. Do you think the old lady will agree?"

"..."

It seems the Shen family are all masters of terrible cooking.

Shen Xingsui's cooking is terrible. He can only manage a few dishes that are somewhat palatable; he's completely clueless about the rest. He even ruined a few glutinous rice cakes he tried to bake. Now, neither of them dares to look at the old lady's expression.

Shen Xingchen said, "Let's kill the fish!"

Shen Xingsui went with him to kill the fish.

The fish were jumping around on the cutting board. Shen Xingchen's hand holding the knife trembled slightly: "Sui Sui, go kill it."

"..."

Shen Xingsui looked at her brother and said, "I... I'm not very good at killing fish either."

"Just go over there and slash it with your knife," Shen Xingchen instructed. "It's actually very simple!"

Shen Xingsui handed him the knife: "Then why don't you go?"

Shen Xingchen buried her head in her hands and finally whispered, "I'm scared..."

"..."

Shen Xingsui fell into deep thought.

The viewers in the live stream were laughing uncontrollably.

"Hahaha, what a treasure boy, I can't take it anymore, family."

"How could you be like this, bro?"

"Hahaha, Chenchen is still a child."

"I think Sui Sui is going to start questioning the meaning of life."

"Hahahahaha..."

Shen Xingsui had no choice but to pick up the knife and grit his teeth and do it himself. He didn't really dare to kill, but steaming a fish alive would be even more cruel. After thinking it over, he decided that it would be best to knock it unconscious. He had no choice but to pick up the knife and strike, but he still missed and caused some damage to the fish. A little bit of fish blood flowed out, carrying a fishy smell.

Such a scene, with red mixed with blood, made Shen Xingsui feel as if he had been transported back to his past life for a moment. Some unpleasant images re-entered his mind, and a feeling of nausea, despair, and pain washed over him.

Clang

He slammed the knife on the cutting board and rushed outside.

Shen Xingchen quickly chased after her: "Sui Sui, what's wrong?"

"No..." Shen Xingsui gagged, and said softly, "I think I'm a little squeamish about blood. Just let me catch my breath."

This might be a lingering effect from a past life, which he only discovered now. When it suddenly flares up, he feels so uncomfortable that he wants to die, dizzy, and panicked. The feeling is too indescribable.

Seeing her younger brother so upset, Shen Xingchen carried the fish outside and said, "Okay, Sui Sui, I'll take care of this fish today!"

Shen Xingsui thought, "If only your hands wouldn't shake so badly."

But he was really feeling unwell, so he didn't say anything and just sat there to recover.

After leaving the courtyard, Shen Xingchen walked to the stream and tried to clean a fish. She then began to wail and complain to the cameraman, "Why is cooking so hard? I want to go home..."

The viewers in the live stream couldn't help but:

"Haha, sisters, let's laugh first."

"Young Master, what's wrong, Young Master?"

“Other idols carry their own idol image, but Shen Xingchen has to have her fans pick it up.”

Shen Xingchen, who was crying and wailing, suddenly caught sight of someone walking over from not far away. It turned out to be Fu Jinxiao, who was passing by. He hurriedly rushed over and clung to him, saying, "Brother Fu, my savior! Please help me kill the fish, please!"

Fu Jinxiao kicked him away: "Do your own tasks."

"I really can't do it." Shen Xingchen tried to bribe him: "How about I secretly smuggle one of my older brother's collection out for you?"

This is truly a heartwarming display of filial piety.

Fu Jinxiao glanced at him and said without hesitation, "No."

Shen Xingchen continued, "I'll help you with the work. You can ask me to do things from now on, and I'll never complain."

Actor Fu continued walking in another direction, coldly and ruthlessly refusing: "No interest."

...

That won't do.

Then we'll have to use our ultimate move!

Shen Xingchen, with her slow and clumsy brain, finally came up with a plan. She blocked Fu Jinxiao's path and then leaned forward, saying, "Brother-in-law... oh no, brother-in-law, we're all family, right? I know you won't just leave us like this, right? You help me kill the fish, and then I'll take care of my older brother and my dad!"

Fu Jinxiao stopped in her tracks and gave him a meaningful look.

Shen Xingchen looked like she wasn't sure if she could do it.

Fu Jinxiao's lips curled into a meaningful smile. He reached out and grasped Shen Xingchen's hand, saying slowly and deliberately, "Deal."