If someone else had done this, it might have drawn criticism from many viewers. After all, although the contestants acted like brothers on the surface, their actual competitive relationship was obvious to everyone.
But if Fu Jinxiao did this, all that would be left is laughter. After all, logically speaking, it was An Ran who took the initiative to approach him. And to put it another way, Fu Jinxiao has been a movie star for so many years, and his fans know his character. This is the kind of thing he would do, and it would be perfect for the show.
Still unaware of the situation, An Ran hesitated, holding the mask, and asked, "Then why aren't you two wearing them?"
"Us?" Fu Jinxiao, true to his reputation as a movie star, couldn't detect any flaws at all. He opened his mouth and said, "We've already worn it. This is our team's symbol. You're a newcomer, so naturally it should be passed on to you."
That makes perfect sense.
An Ran had a bad feeling about it.
Fu Jinxiao's smile faded slightly. He had a keen eye for people's feelings and pretended to take it back: "If you don't want to, then forget it."
Seeing that the mask was about to be taken back, An Ran immediately snatched it back and put it on her face as if it were a treasure. Then, as if afraid that Fu Jinxiao would misunderstand, she said, "No, no, I want to join you!"
Fu Jinxiao smiled, a slight curl at the corner of her lips.
The viewers in the live stream were laughing hysterically.
"You're too young, kid."
"It's wrong to kick someone when they're down, but I can't help but laugh."
"Brother Fu, you're a ruthless guy."
Jian Xingsui was still in shock, and his bewildered expression became one of the laughs. Before this, everyone's impression of him was that of Brother Two Thousand, a very silly guy. But after this battle royale, many viewers found that most of the contestants were too smart, which made this silly kid suddenly seem very pleasing to the eye. Especially when he was following behind the shrewd Actor Fu, it was like a big bad wolf leading a little white rabbit on a patrol. This kind of contrasting cuteness was really too cute.
Fu Jinxiao turned around and patted Jian Xingsui: "Let's go."
Jian Xingsui nodded quickly: "Okay."
After the group took a few steps forward, they heard a voice from the loudspeaker upstairs: "There are 10 minutes left in this match. There are a total of 30 players remaining, 19 on the red team and 11 on the blue team. The red team currently has 43 points and the blue team has 54 points. We are about to close the passageways on the third, fourth and fifth floors. All players are requested to gather on the first floor and in the lobby."
It's practically like a shrinking poison circle.
You can't hide. It forces those hiding in the shadows to come out and forces everyone to start the final battle.
An Ran said, "How come we have so few people left?"
While observing their surroundings, Jian Xingsui said, "The Red Team has pretty strong firepower."
"But our score is quite high. Who has all those name tags that were torn off?" An Ran asked casually, but she was actually looking at the two people beside her.
Jian Xingsui hesitated for a moment, considering whether or not to speak.
Fu Jinxiao glanced at An Ran indifferently and said in a leisurely tone, "Anyway, it's not with you."
"..."
That's perfectly fine; it's a subtle way of criticizing someone.
An Ran's expression changed. He didn't dare to talk back to Fu Jinxiao, and he guessed that this was probably a sensitive issue, so he wisely decided not to ask.
However, what he didn't expect was that his shameless attempt to get a storyboard was not a pleasant start, but rather the beginning of a nightmare.
A group of people went down to the second floor, only to bump into the red team on the other side.
The red team members were taken aback. The leader of the team was Zhou Xun, who was holding a water gun. When he saw the three blue team members walking towards them, he immediately raised his gun and assumed a defensive stance.
The person behind him said, "The masked man, it's the masked man, Brother Zhou!"
Zhou Xun also noticed, and he said angrily, "So it was him."
"He's the one who eliminated so many people from our team," the henchman behind him said. "Brother Zhou, the blue team has so many points, a large portion of which are in that masked man's phone. We..."
Zhou Xun spat out, "Of course I know! But didn't you see Brother Fu next to that masked man?"
No one dared to tear Fu Jinxiao apart.
Just his presence alone exudes pressure.
The underling urged, "Then let's not tear apart Brother Fu, we just need to deal with the masked man. Don't let that masked man get away!"
Zhou Xun thought so too. He was unlucky in the draw and didn't end up in the same camp as An Ran. He was worried that he would run into his sweetheart and have to fight her. But if he didn't perform well and lost the game, he would lose face. He was really lucky to run into the masked man here. As long as he could take down the masked man, all the problems would be solved.
But with Brother Fu there, and only two or three of them, it's difficult to handle.
"Hey, you guys are here too." Just then, a voice came from the stairs not far away: "I'm also on the red team, what a coincidence."
Friendly forces have arrived!
Zhou Xun suddenly breathed a sigh of relief and pointed to the people in front of him, saying, "There are masked people over there."
Without needing many words, the red team members who came down immediately became serious when they heard the words "masked man": "Where?"
More or less, some people's friends or others have been eliminated by the masked man, which has created a deep grudge. Of course, the most important thing is that everyone knows that the masked man must have a lot of cards. Such a big piece of meat! Everyone heard the scores announced on the broadcast. Isn't it just that whoever grabs it gets it?
They exchanged a glance, both seeing calculation in each other's eyes.
Fearing the enemy would strike first, Zhou Xun didn't have time to think it over and gave a command to his teammates behind him: "Don't let them get away, hurry up and attack!"
As if a button had been pressed, everyone rushed forward, each wanting to be the first to succeed.
At one end of the corridor, An Ran stared dumbfounded at the approaching red team, looking weak, pitiful, and helpless.
Fu Jinxiao, who was ahead, was prepared. He turned around and threw a single word at the two people behind him: "Run."
The scene was so intense that it couldn't be described simply as fierce. The sound of footsteps was like a battle. Zhou Xun and his group were really going all out this time, and their target was very clear: the masked man. An Ran wanted to run with them, but unexpectedly, Zhou Xun rushed over like a madman and sprayed water with a water gun. The crowd was all focused on the fat man and completely ignored the other two.
An Ran still tried to resist: "You..."
Zhou Xun said fiercely, "Let's see where you run this time!"
The water poured down relentlessly, leaving no room to retreat. An Ran had deliberately left the cafeteria door open, hoping that Shen Xingchen, armed with a water gun, would cause trouble for Jian Xingsui. Little did she expect that she would be the one to receive this treatment, and that it would be her good friend.
An Ran: "..."
As a group of people rushed up and tore off his name tag, Zhou Xun glanced at it before froze, then hesitantly looked up: "Ranran?"
An Ran, soaked to the bone, was truly miserable. He took off his mask, looking utterly devastated. Gone was the handsome boy he once was; his hair was a mess, his makeup was smudged, and he looked utterly ordinary.
The viewers in the live stream were also amused:
"This is too tragic."
"It's so hard being a baby angel."
"Looking at him like this, he doesn't seem particularly good-looking..."
"Thinking about it carefully, many of the contestants looked much less attractive after getting wet and losing their hairstyles, except for..."
"Jian Xingsui".
Because of An Ran's stark contrast, many viewers suddenly had an inspiration and compared all the water-spraying shots and photos of all the academies in this episode, and found that the one who was most photogenic was actually Brother Liangwan!
Yes, it's him, a man with no hairstyle; yes, it's him, a man who, while others are wondering if their makeup has smudged after getting wet, just wipes his face and runs away; yes, Brother Two Thousand actually stood out from the crowd of people vying for attention!
The audience also expressed their feelings:
"A buzz cut is definitely the ultimate test of one's looks."
"Actually, if you look closely, I think he's very handsome."
"At first I didn't think much of it, but it grows on you."
"She has very defined features and is the kind of cute girl who can really stand out."
An Ran never thought she was there to steal the spotlight, but because of the huge difference in her makeup before and after, she inadvertently became a stepping stone for Jian Xing Sui. And instead of feeling sorry for him, everyone made comparison photos of him because of his appearance!
Meanwhile, Jian Xingsui, who had run through the crowd all the way to the hall, felt her legs go weak; she had never experienced anything so thrilling in her life.
Fu Jinxiao, who was standing next to him, glanced at him sideways and said, "Is that all?"
"Hmm?" Jian Xingsui looked up and noticed that the movie star beside her had run the same distance without even breaking a sweat. She asked curiously, "Brother, are you really that fit?"
Upon hearing this, Fu Jinxiao raised an eyebrow and gave a merciless assessment: "It's because you lack training."
Jian Xingsui muttered under her breath, "I've been exercising so much lately that I'm going to go crazy..."
"Exercise requires long-term persistence." Fu Jinxiao corrected the child's misconception, but not in a critical tone. It was a gentle one: "Over time, strengthening your physical fitness will be a good part of your professional qualities in the entertainment industry."
Jian Xingsui thought to herself, "And you're the one talking to me? I ruined my throat because of work, I have a bad stomach, and I have old injuries all over my body from filming. And you still have the nerve to tell me to take care of my health?"
He secretly grumbled to himself, his facial expression a little out of control. Fu Jinxiao narrowed his eyes and asked, "What bad things are you saying about me in your heart?"
Jian Xingsui was shocked!
He looked at Fu Jinxiao in disbelief. Did this person have mind-reading abilities?
Fu Jinxiao raised an eyebrow, her tone carrying a hint of threat: "Oh, I was right after all?"
Jian Xingsui wanted to argue, but when she met Fu Jinxiao's dark eyes, she remembered that the movie star had said he hated liars the most, so she obediently begged for mercy: "I was wrong, I will never dare to do it again, I will definitely train hard."
His timid little face is just too cute.
Fu Jinxiao couldn't help but chuckle out loud. It was a pleasant sound that resonated in her chest, unlike her usual public relations-style fake smile. She was genuinely amused by the child in front of her.
The viewers in the live stream also laughed along:
"These two are inexplicably cute."
"I don't know why, but it just feels a little sweet."
"I didn't feel anything when they were forcibly creating a CP with An Ran, but when I watched the two of them talk, I couldn't help but smile."
"Brother Fu really likes to bully people."
...
Just then, a broadcast suddenly came over the loudspeaker:
"Time's up. This match is now officially over. The Red Team's final score is 51 points, and the Blue Team's final score is 57 points. The Blue Team is the winner of this match. The winner's name tag counting will now begin. Please gather in the square."
After the broadcast ended, a burst of cheers and jubilation erupted outside. The Blue Team had turned the tide and were ecstatic.
Jian Xingsui was also very happy to hear the broadcast. Her eyes sparkled as she looked up at Fu Jinxiao and smiled, "I didn't expect to actually win!"
"Mm." Fu Jinxiao nodded, tore off the name tag, and whispered, "We won."
Jian Xingsui paused in his movements.
us
Fu Jinxiao was referring to "us".
It turns out that one day, there was such a lucky day. In Fu Jinxiao's eyes, it was us, not him, not you, but us.
This might have just been a casual remark from the movie star, but to Jian Xingsui, it felt incredibly warm. He was like a long-dried sponge, carefully absorbing the barely perceptible warmth and then cherishing it.
Fu Jinxiao handed him the name tag and said, "What are you daydreaming about? Go and hand in your name tag at the front."
Jian Xingsui quickly took it and replied, "Okay."
After realizing it was two name tags, she hesitated for a moment and said, "Brother, I'll just hand over this one, do I have to hand over yours too?"
Fu Jinxiao nodded: "It can also be counted as points."
The nameplate had three characters written in bold regular script: Fu Jinxiao. Jian Xingsui held it in her hand with a little force and hesitated for a moment.
Fu Jinxiao urged, "Hurry up, or there won't be any shots left."
"……OK."
He scurried over to the scorekeeper and handed over his name tag. The scorekeeper glanced at it and said, "This won't do. You didn't tear off Brother Fu's name tag yourself, so it won't count towards your score."
Jian Xingsui wasn't upset: "It's okay."
Just as the staff was about to throw the sign into a box, Jian Xingsui suddenly said, "Hey, since it's not going to count towards the score, can I have this sign?"
The staff member gave him a surprised look.
“What I mean is…” Jian Xingsui was a little embarrassed at this point: “Anyway, it doesn’t count towards the score.”
The staff member felt a little strange but didn't care: "Sure, take it."
Jian Xingsui quickly took Fu Jinxiao's name tag out of the box. The name tag seemed to still be a little warm. He put it into his pocket as if he had found a treasure.
Everything lately has been so blissful, like a dream. He's terrified that he'll wake up one day and wonder what he'll do then. Maybe this is the only time he'll ever be so lucky in his life, but it's enough. Even if he's eliminated and leaves this place, he'll be content with these things, which he can occasionally reminisce about.
...
Just as he was about to leave, a staff member called him back.
Jian Xingsui stopped in his tracks, only to see a staff member hand him a sealed card, saying, "Take this, don't open it yet."
When the envelope labeled "Star Show" landed in her hand, Jian Xingsui had a premonition that what was inside was probably the final ranking for this stage of the competition.
As soon as they stepped outside, someone called out, "Jian Xingsui, come here!"
As the evening sun set, his roommates stood in a row, with Shen Xingchen, who was leading the group, bouncing and waving at him.
Shen Xingchen said impatiently, "What are you daydreaming about! Hurry up!"
Jian Xingsui moved her feet, initially walking quickly, but as she got closer, she inexplicably switched to taking small steps, and finally ran to her roommates in one go.
"Why are you moving so slowly?" Shen Xingchen muttered. "Are you so happy you don't want to come back?"
Jian Xingsui gently shook her head: "No."
Shen Xingchen snorted: "That's more like it!"
Wen Shengge, who was next to her, said with a smile, "We're so lucky tonight! You're definitely number one! Hot pot is on the way! It's so wonderful to be in the same dorm as Sui Sui!"
Ning Ze nodded: "You're lucky."
Jian Xingsui felt a warmth in his heart as he listened to their words. He lowered his head and whispered, "It's my blessing to know you all."
The surrounding noise was too loud, and no one could hear clearly.
But Jian Xingsui didn't care, because he had already understood that truly important feelings don't need to be loudly emphasized; it's enough to cherish them in your heart.
...
dinner
The production team wasn't entirely heartless; they set up a buffet in the cafeteria.
Finally, the winning team, the Blue Team, received a special reward: they got an extra self-service hot pot base, which made the Red Team incredibly hungry.
As one of the leaders of the Red Team, Shen Xingchen had already infiltrated the enemy's ranks and sat down next to Jian Xingsui to start eating without any hesitation. Other members of the Red Team followed suit and came over to freeload. At first, the members of the Blue Team would pretend to fight and prevent them from eating, but later they really started eating, and everyone sat together and ate a steaming meal.
The previous grudges between the two camps have thus been forgotten.
That's one good thing about guys sometimes; they don't hold grudges overnight.
However, during the meal, a large number of people were preoccupied, which naturally meant that a significant portion of them were worried about being eliminated.
When can we open the envelope?
"I don't feel like eating..."
"I'm really curious."
However, some people just ate and didn't pay attention to the envelope.
Seeing Wen Shengge and Ning Ze's somewhat serious expressions, Shen Xingchen said, "Do you know why the production team doesn't let us finish watching before we eat? They just want everyone to have a happy meal together, without so much sadness or farewell. If you think so much, aren't you just wasting the production team's good intentions?"
This person can sometimes come up with a whole set of fallacies.
Wen Shengge and Ning Ze thought it made sense; they figured they should at least have a proper meal for the last time, so they nodded in agreement.
Just then, the door nearby was pushed open, and the mentors arrived. Everyone was very excited to see the mentors, and someone quickly greeted them: "Teachers, come and have dinner with us."
Tuya is quite easygoing and has always been popular among the students. She smiled slightly and made an expression of enjoyment: "Wow, it smells so good."
Have the teachers eaten yet?
"Teacher, come eat over here."
The students were very enthusiastic and kept greeting us.
Fu Jinxiao changed his clothes before coming down. He was wearing a loose and casual tracksuit. Apart from the sharp suit he wore when he first appeared, Fu, the movie star, had almost always worn these inconspicuous loose-fitting clothes so as not to steal the limelight from the young people. But some people seem to have an attraction. He was outstanding just by standing there.
The students were all greeting their instructors.
Jian Xingsui was also hesitant, but when he saw out of the corner of his eye that An Ran had moved an empty chair to the side, seemingly preparing to greet Fu Jinxiao, his previous hesitation suddenly became less important. He suddenly remembered what Fu Jinxiao had said during the competition today: that one's constant forbearance and cowardice would not make the enemy back down, and a little courage arose in his heart.
Many people greeted Fu Jinxiao.
An Ran also raised her hand: "Brother Fu..."
However, a crisp voice rang out from across the street, and Jian Xingsui mustered her courage and called out, "Brother Fu, there are empty seats here."
Actually, the sound wasn't loud in the noisy cafeteria; it was even quieter than some of the contestants' voices. But Fu Jinxiao, who had been smiling and politely declining to exchange pleasantries with the other trainees, turned his face away and strode over to sit down next to Jian Xingsui without any hesitation.
Jian Xingsui didn't expect to succeed, and looked at the person beside her in a daze.
Fu Jinxiao must have washed up; she had a faint, pleasant fragrance about her, which was hard to describe but more pleasant than any perfume, just like her—deep and attractive.
Fu Jinxiao glanced at him sideways and teased softly, "At least you have a conscience and invited me to freeload a meal. You haven't forgotten my kindness."
Jian Xingsui snapped out of her daze and quickly said, "I haven't forgotten!"
To show that she really hadn't forgotten, Jian Xingsui even showered her with compliments, whispering, "I was able to have this meal today all thanks to you."
"You're too modest. You were pretty brave when you were tearing off other people's tags," Fu Jinxiao teased him. "We're comrades-in-arms, Comrade Xiao Jian."
This nickname was just something I made up to tease a kid, but it sounds quite affectionate.
Jian Xingsui felt a warmth in his heart as he listened. To hide his excitement, he took the opportunity to help the movie star prepare the dipping sauce. He was very good at it. After Shen Xingchen tasted it once, he made a big fuss about it, which led to people at other tables asking him to help them prepare it as well. So, when Jian Xingsui took the initiative to prepare it for Fu Jinxiao, no one thought it was wrong.
After preparing a bowl, Jian Xingsui handed it to Fu Jinxiao: "Here you go."
Shen Xingchen glanced at it briefly and said, "Why didn't you put cilantro in it? This stuff is delicious."
Jian Xingsui held the condiment bowl somewhat guiltily, her eyes darting around nervously, and said haphazardly, "Ah, I forgot."
Fu Jinxiao took the bowl of condiments, lifted her eyelids to look at the person next to her, her dark eyes seemed to be able to see into people's hearts, but in the end she put the bowl down and said, "It's okay, I don't eat cilantro anyway."
Jian Xingsui then smiled and said, "Well, that's great. Luckily, I didn't put it in."
Really bad acting.
Fu Jinxiao silently evaluated it in his heart.
As the meal drew to a close, some trainees probably already anticipated their departure. By the end, they were barely holding back their sadness. Having eaten and drunk their fill, they were perhaps less reserved and distant in front of the camera. Some even timidly approached the mentor, Tuya, with smiles and said, "Sister Tuya, if I get eliminated later, can I have your autograph?"
Tuya, who has a very good personality, said: "Of course."
Some who had a better relationship with their mentors even mustered up the courage to say, "Sister Tuya, can we add each other on WeChat?"
Tuya smiled and said, "No problem."
Once someone set the precedent, other students gradually became bolder. Many people looked at Fu Jinxiao intentionally or unintentionally. If they could add Fu Jinxiao on WeChat, then this trip would have been worthwhile. It would be something they could brag about to their friends and family for a long time!
However, due to the authority of Actor Fu, no one dared to actually come up and ask.
Under so many eager gazes, Fu Jinxiao put down her chopsticks, sighed softly, looked up and said, "You can add more."
Although no one dared to speak, many people cheered as soon as Actor Fu said that. Since cell phones were not allowed, someone brought a small notebook to try to write it down by hand. A group of people immediately surrounded him, excitedly exchanging contact information.
Jian Xingsui also wanted to join, but couldn't get on the list.
He was both envious and anxious of those who were getting there, but could only watch helplessly from the sidelines, just like so many times before, forever limited to watching the center of the crowd, watching the shining figures—the protagonists, those born to radiate light—while he was just an ordinary person, destined to be cannon fodder. Never before had Jian Xingsui felt such hatred for his mediocrity, for his lack of excellence, for being cannon fodder.
If he's good enough, if he's confident enough, he could go up and ask for a WeChat ID...
Jian Xingsui's hands unconsciously clenched, and just as she was feeling extremely anxious, a voice came from beside her: "What are you spacing out for?"
He snapped out of his daze and saw Shen Xingchen's face.
Shen Xingchen gave him a light kick: "Go ahead and try if you want it!"
Jian Xingsui stood up after being kicked, stammering, "No, I..."
"Me, me, me, you're such a broken record!" Shen Xingchen scoffed and gave him a light push. "Do you think I can't see through your little schemes? Can't you be a little more sensible? Hurry up and go!"
Jian Xingsui was pushed forward a few steps and stood right next to the crowd. Never before had his heart been pounding so hard, and he was so nervous that words could not describe it.
However, at that moment, Fu Jinxiao in the crowd seemed to notice him and looked over.
Jian Xingsui opened his mouth, but forgot to move, and stood there blankly.
Fu Jinxiao watched for a while, a smile flashing in his eyes. He stepped over the crowd and walked a few steps toward Hanhan, finally stopping in front of Jian Xingsui. His deep voice seemed to have a seductive quality: "Looking for me?"
Jian Xingsui's heart leaped into his throat, but he still nodded slightly. He mustered all the courage he had in his life and tentatively began, "I...I want to ask you..."
"Hmm, I wanted to ask you that too." Fu Jinxiao asked slowly and politely, "Can we add each other on WeChat, Comrade Xiao Jian?"
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