Chapter 26
Half an hour later, Xu Gui finally arrived late.
In the hotel lobby, the director crossed his arms and looked at her, saying sarcastically, "Oh, isn't this our Teacher Xu? What brings such a busy person like you here?"
Xu Gui glanced at him cautiously and whispered, "Didn't you, Director, send someone to call me down?"
The director's lips twitched slightly: "...You think I'm really asking you a question?" Can't you hear the sarcasm in his voice?
Xu Gui blinked and didn't say anything, just looked at the director innocently and obediently.
The director couldn't help but think to himself: He looks decent enough and seems quite well-behaved, but who knew that this best-looking one would be the one with the most problems among all the guests.
The director lifted his eyelids to look at her and asked, "Didn't you receive a notification from the production team that the guests should gather here in the lobby at six o'clock?"
Xu Gui shook his head and replied, "No, I didn't receive a text message."
The director frowned and questioned again, "What about your assistant? You didn't know? Didn't your assistant know? Didn't she tell you about this? What kind of assistant does your company have?"
Upon hearing this, Xu Gui replied, "Director, I don't have an assistant. I came to participate in the program alone."
"..." The director hesitated, then continued, "Your company..."
Finally, looking at Xu Gui's innocent puppy eyes, the director frowned, but ultimately said nothing more. He simply waved his hand and said somewhat irritably, "Alright, find a seat first."
Xu Gui immediately obediently found a seat in the lobby. Not far from her was Su Ya, who glanced at Xu Gui and pursed her lips.
Xu Gui arrived, and all the guests were present. At seven o'clock, the director gave a wink to the staff, and the staff in charge of filming nodded and immediately turned on the live broadcast equipment.
At 7:00 AM, the official live stream of "360 Trades" will begin.
At this point, all the guests' live streams had been closed, leaving only the official live stream open. As the most popular variety show at the moment, "360 Trades" saw countless netizens flood into the live stream as soon as the official channel started broadcasting, with the number of viewers growing at an alarming rate.
[They're here! Front row seats reserved!]
I saw my brother, but why is he sitting in the very corner? Is something fishy going on?
Wow, no wonder everyone says "360 Trades" is a beauty pageant! Look at all these handsome men and beautiful women—they've gathered all the good-looking people in the entertainment industry! This scene is so pleasing to the eye! Why don't you all form a group and debut as a whole group of fifty?!
[The ordinary people are all very good-looking. I heard that there are many elites in various fields among them. The one in the blue plaid skirt seems to be the principal dancer of the national dance troupe, and the woman in the white shirt is the lead singer of the song and dance troupe.]
I can't help but marvel at how big Hunan TV's budget is; they seem to invite all sorts of guests!
[I heard that actor Zhao Yang has already made over three million yuan in the stock market, and some people who followed his lead have also made hundreds of thousands. Waaah, I'm so envious! I never realized how easy it is to make money like this.]
[Is that Princess Tang Xu? She and Qiu Nai look so good together! Nai Xu is real!!]
...
A large number of viewers flooded into the live stream room instantly. The combined fan base of the fifty guests was terrifying. The barrage of comments in the live stream room was so dense that it was impossible to keep up with the flow.
Under the spotlight, the director coughed lightly.
"Currently, filming for our program '360 Trades' has been underway for half a month. So far, apart from a few guests who seem to be slacking off, everyone has performed very well, showing the audience a very positive and uplifting attitude..."
The director's remarks were very official, but when he heard him say "some guests who seem to be slacking off," Xu Gui had a feeling that the other party was referring to him.
Xu Gui muttered to himself: It must be an illusion. I've clearly been working really hard.
Thinking this, she met the director's gaze without flinching, and when the director looked at her meaningfully, she returned his gaze with a big smile.
director:"……"
The director seemed to be dazzled by the bright smile, so he simply turned his gaze away and stopped giving Xu Gui any extra attention.
"...Therefore, our program will enter the next stage!"
After the official opening remarks, the director finally revealed the purpose of the gathering, saying, "In the next two weeks, our show '360 Trades' will be implementing an elimination system!"
Elimination system?
The guests were immediately abuzz with excitement and couldn't help but whisper among themselves.
"Director," Zhao Yang spoke up, asking, "What's the explanation for this elimination system? How many rounds are there? How many people will be eliminated in total?"
"To put it bluntly," the director grinned, revealing a set of bright white teeth. His smile was radiant, but to the guests, it seemed to carry a hint of malice.
He said, "You can call this elimination system the bottom-ranking elimination system. That is to say, the person ranked last is the first to be eliminated."
The director's smile faded, and he continued, "The elimination system consists of three rounds. In the first round, which will be in three days, the bottom twenty of you fifty guests will all be eliminated!"
"The second round will begin after the first round. This time, the bottom fifteen will be eliminated from the remaining thirty winners!"
"As for the final round, the last five will be eliminated!"
"In other words, we will only have ten guests left to compete in the final round!"
The director's gaze swept over everyone: "Does anyone have any questions?"
"Director, the production team didn't mention any elimination system before we came to participate in the show," one guest complained.
Director: "Oh, this? This was added at the last minute because we felt that only by adding an elimination system would the guests be more motivated to earn money, and the show would be more watchable... We did all of this for the sake of ratings."
One guest arrogantly asked, "But director, isn't your arbitrary change of the show's filming schedule a violation of the contract we signed?"
The director glanced at the guest who was speaking, and, having anticipated this, asked the assistant director to give him the contract that their production team had originally agreed upon. He then turned to one of the pages and found a particular line.
"Camera, move closer, focus here!" He directed the camera to the line he was pointing to, saying, "See? The production team reserves all rights to interpret these terms! Understand?"
Everyone: "..."
The director smiled and said, "Don't worry, everyone. All the changes our production team has made are for the sake of our show. And the better our show's ratings are, the more benefits you guests will receive, right?"
The director confidently declared, "So, trust me, I won't do anything reckless!"
The guests' lips twitched slightly as they listened, and many thought to themselves: You wouldn't do anything bad to the show, but I'm afraid you're considering the ratings and are doing this to sabotage us!
Although the director was unaware of the guests' unspoken criticisms, he probably had a guess. But as the old saying goes, a director who isn't complained about isn't a good director. Being criticized only proves that he is a smart and competent director.
"Oh, I forgot to mention!" The director seemed to suddenly remember something. He smiled and said, "Our show's ratings are pretty good right now, so quite a few sponsors have expressed interest in sponsoring us. Therefore, the top ten finalists in the competition for first place are very likely to be chosen by a sponsor."
Amidst the guests' suddenly enthusiastic gazes, the director, never one to shy away from a good spectacle, chuckled and said, "Well then, guests, please do your best. I hope you won't be eliminated in the first round!"
However, the elimination system meant that twenty people would be eliminated in the first round after three days.
*
Not long after the show ended its live broadcast, the topic of "elimination system of 360 professions" immediately became a trending topic, sparking discussions among many netizens and living up to its reputation as a "royal family" and "dark horse".
Fans of guests ranked within the top 30 are naturally unperturbed, but fans of guests ranked outside the top 30 are panicking.
Honestly, is this elimination system really okay? There was never any mention of an elimination system before! This is completely unfair to the later guests!
Isn't it a bit much for the production team to suddenly introduce such an elimination system? No one was prepared at all.
I actually quite like this elimination system. The atmosphere among the guests instantly changed. The previous atmosphere was too friendly and relaxed; this competitive spirit is just right!
I'll just say one thing: the elimination system is garbage. I think the production team just acted on a whim, coming up with whatever idea came to mind.
[In fact, the show's cleverest move was introducing the elimination system. It not only changed the show's atmosphere but also allowed them to legitimately make money. Fans, in order to prevent their favorite contestants from being eliminated, would have to spend a lot of money, right?]
...
The elimination system proposed by the program team has sparked heated discussions among netizens, and the bottom 20 guests are now going bald from worry and starting to think of ways to get out of trouble.
Unfortunately, Xu Gui is among the bottom twenty. She is currently ranked thirty-fifth, and she needs to climb four places to avoid being eliminated.
"...Teacher Xu, aren't you worried at all?"
The next day, I saw it trending online and learned that the show had introduced an elimination system with a cameraman following Xu Gui. He looked at Xu Gui with a somewhat resentful expression and said, "I'm so worried about you. What will you do if you get eliminated?"
Xu Gui said confidently, "It's okay, the advantage is in my hands this time."
The person filming said, "...You're already in 37th place, and you've dropped two places. You still have the advantage."
In just one night, the guests at the bottom of the rankings had already shown their unique abilities. Not long after the broadcast started, Xu Guiyuan's original position kept dropping, and now even his position of 37th place seemed precarious.
Xu Gui said, "You don't understand. I've sensed it, and my luck is currently very good. I definitely won't be eliminated."
I don't understand following her, but I have no choice but to believe her.
*
The first guest Xu Gui welcomed today was an acquaintance.
Seeing the familiar fisherman's hat and the familiar smile, Xu Gui smiled and said, "Grandpa, you've come again."
This old man was none other than the same old fisherman who had patronized Xu Gui's stall yesterday. He had even given Xu Gui eight small crucian carp yesterday, so Xu Gui had a deep impression of him in every way.
The old man, familiar with the process, scanned 500 yuan into Xu Gui's phone and then said, "Master, could you also help me calculate which spot would be best for me to bait and fish today?"
After saying that, he added, "I want to fish for something special."
Xu Gui: "Something special?"
“That’s right!” Old Wu nodded. “I want the kind that’s the most unique fish out of all the anglers!”
Xu Gui looked at him and said knowingly, "You've made another bet?"
She still remembered what the old man had said yesterday, that he had made a bet with someone that he could catch a big fish. His cheerful and excited expression today clearly indicated that there was more to the story, which is why Xu Gui asked this question.
When Old Wu heard her words, his gaze wavered slightly, and then he gave a dry laugh.
Xu Gui understood. She pondered what kind of fish would be considered special.
“Then let me calculate it for you…” she said.
Old Wu's gaze immediately turned to her again, practically staring at her expectantly. Xu Gui calculated for a moment and said, "The place where you want to dig your nest today is about thirty meters to your left."
Old Wu pressed on, "Thirty meters? Does it have to be thirty meters? How much error can be tolerated?" This isn't a distance of a few steps, but thirty meters. He couldn't estimate how far it was to walk thirty meters with the naked eye.
Xu Gui: "That's where you first saw the fish."
Old Wu nodded thoughtfully, then asked again, "Will I be able to catch something special there? Could it be some kind of nationally protected fish?"
Old Wu's eyes lit up.
Xu Gui looked at him meaningfully and said, "Don't worry, it's definitely something very special!"
Mr. Wu was satisfied and confidently picked up his fishing gear and left. He felt that with the master's words, today's bet was definitely secure.
After Mr. Wu left, the photographer couldn't help but ask Xu Gui, "...Teacher Xu, what special things did that old man catch?" He was very curious.
Xu Gui: "I don't know either, but I figured out that place is the most special, and the old man will definitely be able to catch something very special!"
The cameraman: ...Why do I have a bad feeling?
...
Xu Gui was sending messages to Aunt Tuanzi.
According to Aunt Tuanzi, Wu Tingting has been temporarily detained on suspicion of child abduction, pending further investigation and sentencing. Other members of the Wu family also bear responsibility for failing to report the crime, and given the seriousness of the offense, they will likely face punishment as well.
As for Wu's mother, although she is also a key person involved in the case, it is said that she fainted after learning that she would be held accountable for this matter and is still in the hospital, so it is temporarily impossible to ask her to come and take charge of the investigation.
Aunt Tuanzi said, "Not only the Wu family, but also the Lin family, were called in by the police to cooperate with the investigation, and there is a high probability that they will all suffer corresponding punishments."
To be honest, we have to thank Wu Tingting for this. Wu Tingting may seem crazy, willful, and arrogant, but she is extremely obedient and docile in front of the police. When the police ask her questions, she blurts out everything.
According to her confession, besides Wu Hao, almost everyone from the Wu and Lin families was involved in secretly taking the child away. If they were to be held accountable, no one would be able to escape responsibility.
Wu Hao was involved in failing to report the information, and the circumstances were extremely serious. Considering the current public opinion online, he will most likely be punished accordingly.
Of course, these were the answers Aunt Tuanzi got after consulting a lawyer. However, this case will not be over for a while, and it will take at least two or three months to be resolved before it is filed and sentenced.
Fortunately, Wu Xueya can stay with Aunt Tuanzi during this time.
After leaving the police station yesterday, Wu Xueya went home with Aunt Tuanzi. The two of them need to do a paternity test in the next couple of days, just to be on the safe side, in case anything happens.
Xu Gui looked at the text message sent by Aunt Tuanzi. Although she couldn't see what Aunt Tuanzi looked like now, she could sense a sense of ease between the lines, but...
"Aunt Tuanzi, you should also be careful in the future." Xu Gui typed, "Things have escalated to this point, and no one knows what the Wu family might do. Be careful they don't do anything desperate."
Although Aunt Tuanzi was puzzled, she still patiently replied, "I understand. Don't worry, all the Wu family members except for Old Lady Wu are in jail. They can't do anything to me."
As she wrote this, Aunt Tuanzi laughed at herself—the whole family went inside, what a joke!
Just then, Xu Gui suddenly felt a darkness before her eyes. She looked up and saw a figure with a stealthy air sitting in front of her. After sitting down, the person cautiously looked around.
Xu Gui: ?
He was a weary-looking young man with thick bags under his eyes, looking as if he hadn't slept for three days and three nights. Upon closer inspection, beneath his tired expression, there was also a hint of fear.
After sitting down, the other person cautiously moved a little closer to Xu Gui's defenses, looking just as he had been described before, very stealthy. Then he whispered, "Master, I suspect I've encountered a ghost!"
Xu Gui also asked in a low voice, "Why do you say that?"
Young man: "You don't know, I received a call from my dad in the middle of the night last night!"
Xu Gui was completely baffled: "...Your dad called you, weren't you happy?"
The young man said anxiously and fearfully, "But, but my father was buried yesterday!"
Xu Gui: ?
Live stream chat: ? ? !!! !
"hiss!"
A gasp was heard in the air. Xu Gui took a breath and suddenly realized that the person who gasped was not her. She subconsciously turned her head to look at the person filming her.
The person filming covered their mouth, their expression somewhat apologetic.
Xu Gui turned to look at the young man and asked him with some difficulty, "You mean, you've already buried your father?"
The young man nodded first, then shook his head, saying in a strange tone, "Master, what you're saying sounds so wrong. It's like you're making me think I buried my dad alive... My dad died a natural death, he was buried."
Xu Gui took a breath.
The young man sighed and said, "My dad passed away the day before yesterday. He went out drinking with friends that day, and on his way back, he suddenly collapsed on the edge of a paddy field. By the time we carried him home, his body was already cold..."
When this was mentioned, the fear on the young man's face lessened a bit. He tried to cheer himself up and said, "We keep his body for three days in our area, but my sister and I are both very busy with work, so we only kept it for one day. We buried him on the mountain yesterday morning."
The afternoon after the funeral, which was yesterday afternoon, they drove back, and then, unsurprisingly, the accident happened.
"Last night, in the middle of the night, I received a call from my dad!" The young man's tone became tense as he spoke. "On the phone, he kept calling my name, and he said..."
"Stone, it's so dark here! I think I've been locked up! Please help me!"
"This morning, my sister called me and said that my dad had also called her, asking her to come and rescue him..."
The young man was so frightened that he was about to cry. He looked at Xu Gui and said, "Master, did my father have some unfulfilled wish that is causing him to haunt us and die with his eyes open? Please help me calculate how we can send him away!"
Xu Gui hesitated for a moment, then looked at the young man with a heavy expression and said, "Your father wasn't originally going to leave, but now, he is indeed about to be sent away by you."
"So, is it possible that your father was never really dead?" she asked.
youth:"……"
Youth: "Huh?!"
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