Chapter 11 Gazing into the Abyss
Hot, fine golden sand washed over my feet, and a cool sea breeze carried the sound of the waves.
Blue sky and white clouds, sunshine and sandy beaches, handsome men and beautiful women.
Summer, beaches, muscular men, and sexy older women! That's what we need to see to make a living!
[I won't criticize the production team yet, this is only for one day]
Those who had never had the chance to go to the seaside were filled with envy. This sea was truly magnificent, so white... no... so vast!
[Haha, Fufu's eyes are wide open, she's acting like I am!]
Fang Yucheng seems to have participated in a sports-themed variety show, and he probably chose volleyball, right? I remember he even won the championship.
Isn't this a complete stomp?
Is Fang Yucheng's team still playing? The other team won so quickly.
[No, it hasn't even been five minutes, has it? The other side is already done?]
...
In the novel's plot, this is the part where Fang Yucheng dominates, and the only person who can stand against him is Deng Minzhou.
Mu Jiu raised an eyebrow, holding two bottles of water, and handed one to Ling Zhao and one to Qi Youxiang.
Besides the players and staff, I was the only one watching the game on this beach volleyball court.
As spectators, they should also fulfill their obligation to provide water.
Although the match was too short, neither side probably broke a sweat.
Qi Youxiang, who is not good at sports, saw his attack power decline sharply outdoors, and the match came to an end in just a few moves.
But he himself didn't seem to care at all.
"Thanks."
Qi Youxiang glanced around, and as if on instinct, asked, "Are you alone?"
Mu Jiu followed his gaze and glanced at the figure in the distance.
It's understandable that Meng Shuning and Guo Zifu won't be coming to this match, as for Xiang Wan...
The image of the other person's swollen eyes flashed through her mind.
Mu Jiu: "It's probably because Mr. Fang Yucheng is more professional in competitions."
"...?"
Qi Youxiang gave her a subtle look.
Ling Zhao: "It's not too late to go see it now."
Qi Youxiang: ?
He now believes these two people are exes, and his thought process is a bit off.
During their casual conversation...
On the other side, it was halftime for both sides.
Fang Yucheng wiped his sweat while glancing at Mu Jiu and the others who were walking towards him from a distance.
The three of them seemed to be having a good time, though it was unclear what they were talking about.
That silver-gray hair color was quite eye-catching on the beach.
Fang Yucheng screwed the cap on the bottle and casually tossed the empty water bottle aside.
"Teacher Fang."
Meng Shuning gently clenched her fist and raised her hand to him, saying, "Good luck!"
He looked away, paused, and raised his hand in her direction.
[Shushu looks so cute with her hair in pigtails!]
This scene looks like something out of an idol drama! If you knew which couple I ship, you'd say I'm really into it.
When Fang Yucheng plays volleyball, he truly shines.
When the overtime began, Deng Minzhou, who knew Fang Yucheng well, immediately noticed something was different when he saw Fang Yucheng's starting stance.
If the previous duel was somewhat of a friendly match, Fang Yucheng now exudes a distinct atmosphere through his focused gaze and overall aura.
He started to get serious.
Although he knew that the other party had excellent professional skills, Deng Minzhou did not intend to give up.
However, in the next instant after he was ready to move, he watched Fang Yu leap up and deliver a powerful dunk.
Without any fancy moves, the game ended quickly, cleanly, and with absolute control.
Even the referee was surprised that it ended so quickly, and after a moment of hesitation, he blew his whistle.
"Score!"
The female guests standing by the competition venue clapped and screamed excitedly, and the on-site director chimed in at the opportune moment: "The next match is in half an hour..."
Fang Yucheng: "No need."
Everyone's eyes turned to him in surprise.
Fang Yucheng casually said, "It's too hot outside. Let's finish the competition quickly so everyone can go back to the cabin to rest."
After discussing with the medical staff, the executive director rejected his suggestion: "Then we should at least rest for twenty minutes."
Although Fang Yucheng is very strong, his match against Deng Minzhou must have taken a toll on his stamina, right?
[Believe in Chengbao's decision, he will definitely win!]
[Why does Fang Yucheng seem a little distracted?]
I checked the temperature in S City; they were playing volleyball on the beach in over 30 degrees Celsius. Anyone would find that unbearable!
[Won't the guests get heatstroke? The production team is pushing them too hard.]
...
Ling Zhao had no objection to the length of the rest period.
Just standing still, he could easily feel the dampness brought by the salty sea breeze, and the sticky sensation on his skin made him feel a little uncomfortable.
He washed his face at the sink near the locker room and also washed the sand off his arms. In the blink of an eye, he ran into Fang Yucheng.
Ling Zhao was taken aback for a moment, then politely made way for him, only to suddenly hear the other person's voice coming from behind him.
Fang Yucheng: "Who do you want to choose?"
Because strenuous exercise could cause recording problems, they didn't wear their usual microphones and relied solely on the venue for recording. The female guests, however, wore microphones as usual to record the live conversations and ambient sound.
However, as long as they are not on the volleyball court and are not too close to the female guests, their chat content cannot be heard in the live broadcast room.
Ling Zhao realized this the moment he heard the words being spoken.
The other party deliberately chose a time when no one else would notice and came looking for him.
He didn't think the other person just intended to have a casual chat.
Ling Zhao: "Anyway, I won't choose your ex, so it doesn't matter who I choose, right?"
Fang Yucheng frowned: "Continuing to pester me like this will do you no good at all."
Ling Zhao frowned.
The man tacitly acknowledged that he knew the subtext, yet was unwilling to openly reveal the name.
This made Ling Zhao slightly unhappy.
He was never the type to speak politely or tactfully, and those marketing accounts swarmed around him like wolves smelling blood, precisely because of his attitude.
Fang Yucheng.
He raised his eyes, composed himself, and spoke with a warning: "Did you come to this show for Mu Jiu?"
The sudden opening of the topic left the person on the other end stunned.
The other person seemed quite surprised that he would bring up this topic so casually.
Ling Zhao chuckled, raised his hand to smooth his wind-blown hair, and turned to walk out.
Fang Yucheng: "And what about you?"
Ling Zhao paused in his steps.
To be honest, he didn't quite understand what these famous celebrities were thinking, but that didn't stop him from expressing his opinion.
Ling Zhao: "That's right, I came here because of her." She then proactively recommended the program's salary and benefits to him.
After saying that, he left without looking at the other person's expression.
When the game resumed and the first ball grazed his face, Ling Zhao finally took a serious look at his opponent.
His eyes were filled with pressure, and his body was tense.
...He didn't seem calm.
Why does it seem like Chengbao is angry?
[Is it already this tense from the start? How exciting!]
[We shouldn't have given him a friendly welcome in the first place, especially since this is a sporting event, and some tension is to be expected.]
[Fang Yucheng, keep it up!]
Everyone thought that Ling Zhao might get angry or show weakness when faced with such a provocative serve.
However, his reaction was very indifferent.
After gently stroking the volleyball with his fingertips, he tossed it upwards and then struck it with sudden force.
Fang Yucheng's serve and saves were both professional, but unexpectedly, Ling Zhao kept the score close.
Although his movements were not as nimble as Fang Yucheng's and his saves were clumsy, he persevered and fought hard for every point.
As time went on, the outdoor temperature and the already strenuous sandy beach visibly drained their strength.
When they reached match point, the volleyball's arc bypassed the block, and the two players jumped up almost simultaneously.
Their gazes met in the air.
With a loud "bang," Fang Yucheng turned to save the ball, his knee scraping a long groove in the sand, but the ball still grazed his fingertips and hit the sand.
Wow, what a pity, the tug-of-war between the two was really too intense.
[If Fang Yucheng hadn't been so exhausted from his match against Deng Minzhou, he definitely would have been able to receive that ball.]
[Just entered the live stream, is this a volleyball tournament live stream?]
[Hilarious! Does anyone even remember this was a dating reality show? The production team cleverly replayed several thrilling and memorable scenes in slow motion.]
I came here to experience the thrill of a racing heart, and now my heart is indeed racing, but it feels like something's missing. /doge
Ling Zhao raised his hand to wipe away the sweat, pressed his knees, and slowly straightened up while breathing heavily. The staff waiting on the side quickly stepped forward to give the two of them towels and drinking water.
"The victor is Ling Zhao."
After the referee announced the final result of the match, the on-site director also gave a closing speech.
In the final moments, he looked at Ling Zhao and asked, "So, which female guest would you like to choose as your date tomorrow?"
However, after he finished speaking, the live stream switched to an advertisement.
[Waaaaah, the production team has done so many bad things!!!]
[I'm warning you, you surnamed Ling, don't break up my couple!]
[I'm fed up with the show's constant cuts and interruptions! Can't they please stop cutting at these crucial moments?!]
After leaving the audience in suspense, the production team posted an update stating that the answer to this question would be revealed in the highlight reel that evening.
Even if the viewers in the live stream were cursing and complaining, they still couldn't find out the answer in advance.
After the competition, the guests were all exhausted and went to bed around 8 or 9 o'clock.
But after the live stream ends, it's time for night owls to come out.
Night falls.
During summer vacation, there are hardly any students left on campus. At night, it's even harder to find pedestrians on the streets of Z University.
But at this moment, a weary figure stepped into the girls' dormitory building.
Tan Xi walked unsteadily to the dormitory door, swiped the lock, put down her backpack, looked at her roommate with a big smile on her face, and walked behind her expressionlessly.
The other person glanced at her absentmindedly, then waved eagerly after realizing what was happening: "You're finally back! Come on, come on, let's watch 'I'm Going,' the latest episode just came out."
Tan Xi frowned: "I've been busy with my internship lately and haven't had time to watch variety shows."
Her roommate looked at her with surprise: "Aren't you a fan of Fang Yucheng? He was on this show, didn't you know?"
Reminded by her roommate, Tan Xi vaguely remembered seeing this news about a month ago. But because she was busy preparing for final exams at the time and has been extremely busy lately, she didn't realize that the name of the show sounded familiar.
"Since you're off tomorrow, why don't you take a look?"
Her roommate patted her arm and enthusiastically continued to recommend it: "It's really good! I'm totally obsessed with this couple lately, I want to watch the live stream!"
Tan Xi: "Are you really into Meng Xiangcheng?"
Although it feels like a long time ago, she still remembers that Meng Shuning participated in this variety show.
It's only natural if your roommate falls for two top celebrities...
Roommate: "No, I'm into morning and evening."
Seeing Tan Xi's blank expression, her roommate explained with a smile, "It's Ling Zhao and Mu Jiu!"
Tan Xi: ...?
Both names are quite common when used individually or as separate names. However, when put together...
Let me put it this way: if the other person wasn't a good roommate, Tan Xi would definitely have cursed them out and blocked them if she encountered this weird thing online.
However, her roommate's reaction still piqued Tan Xi's curiosity.
After washing up, she turned on a variety show in bed.
Not long after the preview clips for the show were finished, she saw Fang Yucheng make a dashing entrance.
Given how considerate the production team was, Tan Xi, who had originally only planned to take a quick look and then leave, stared at the screen, her expression gradually becoming more and more relaxed.
When Meng Shuning appeared and made eye contact with Fang Yucheng.
She has happily joined the ranks of those commenting on the bullet screen:
[As expected of the two most outstanding faces in the Chinese entertainment industry, I can already imagine their past and present lives.]
Who is it that hasn't gotten over "Nighttime Longing" yet? Oh, it's me!
...
Looking at those two faces, Tan Xi couldn't understand even more why her roommate, who was obsessed with good looks, would be into those disgusting things.
In the video, when Meng Shuning asked if she was the last person to arrive, after everyone else denied it, the words "Who else hasn't arrived at the cabin yet?" popped up in the upper right corner.
Tan Xi subconsciously snorted coldly. Who else could it be? Only the two most adept at piggybacking on others' fame in the entire entertainment industry…
Then, she saw the man and woman in the picture, one struggling to step on the jack, and the other holding a wrench to tighten screws.
She almost dropped her phone.
She used to think her roommate might be using some strange drugs, but now she thinks her judgment might have been too conservative.
Originally, Meng Xiangcheng's sweet eye contact had already made her heart flutter, but after seeing the tire repair scene, her heart sank completely.
When Tan Xi saw Ling Zhao and Mu Jiu opening the back and front doors of the car respectively, she began to wonder if her roommate preferred a love affair that resembled a home invasion robbery.
These two were in charge of breaking and robbing, while her roommate was in charge of fantasizing about love.
Not to mention the stark contrast in the interactions between the two groups of guests while shopping at the supermarket. Tan Xi kept sending comments and吐槽 (tu cao, meaning to criticize or complain) throughout the entire episode, and before we knew it, we had watched more than half of the first episode.
The final segment, the "Heartbeat Text Messages," featured each guest sending their messages to the recipients of their affections.
Meng Xiangcheng and Tan Xi exchanged polite greetings. Just as this small token of affection was starting to excite Tan Xi, another set of text messages was released:
Ling Zhao: [Don't know who to send this to]
Mu Jiu: [We are now strangers.]
As the saying goes, when you find one cockroach in your home, it means there are cockroaches everywhere.
When you inexplicably find yourself shipping a couple you don't like, you're already gazing into an abyss.
When Tan Xi realized something was wrong, it was already 3 a.m., and the latest episode was nearing its end.
But soon, the bright, large, white muscles in the image made her briefly forget the strange feeling.
Seriously, are variety show fans in the Chinese entertainment industry really that well-fed these days?
Bewitched by the man's good looks, she watched the volleyball match with her mouth covered the whole time, reaching the peak of her excitement. Although she felt a little regretful that Fang Yucheng lost in the end, the reward was simply the choice to date the female guest.
Executive Director: "What is your choice?"
Then, she saw the silver-gray-haired man, who bore a slight resemblance to Fang Yucheng, looking troubled: "...Can I not choose?"
ha?
Tan Xi started to feel a bit excited, and she even developed a slight liking for the other person because of how hard they had given during the competition.
But is it really just a matter of competitive spirit? That's such a boring and low-level reason!
The assistant director asked with a puzzled look, "Then why are you working so hard?"
"Exactly!" Tan Xi angrily poked at the screen, writing a long, abusive post.
What is this person pretending for? Is he trying to act like he's so great that he can look down on everyone else just because he won?
As expected, a leopard can't change its spots. This kind of opportunistic person will always climb over their brother to get ahead!
Before she could even send her short essay, that slightly cold voice sounded again in her earphones.
Ling Zhao: "I hope... she can choose whoever she wants to choose."
A note from the author:
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