Chapter 31
[I saw your performance two years ago, and two years later, on my very first variety show date, I picked you… If you can’t ship Xilan Flower, you’re in trouble!]
[Get lost. Ning Xi and Fu Zhi-this elementary-school-level bickering CP is the real good stuff.]
[Is Ning Xi even straight and you’re shipping her? Ning Xi only loves Ning Mingyue, thanks.]
[…No thanks. Ning Xi is better off alone-she’s only locked with her fans.]
[A bunch of psychos. Xie Lanchen hasn’t even said anything and there are already CP fans. This world is just one giant romance-brained mess.]
[I’ll ship whatever I want, nyah-nyah. As long as I’m happy, who cares if I ship Pangju x Abbess Jingbai or Watermelon x Garlic.]
[Exactly. Shipping is just what you like, right? It’s not like the two of them have to like each other too. [Confused]]
Xie Lanchen’s appearance perfectly showcased what the “catfish effect” looked like-CP shippers, solo stans, and variety show fans all erupted into an all-out brawl in the barrage.
The live viewer count shot up.
“Lanchen, are you back in the country this time to continue your directing career?” Wei Xuan asked.
“Feynman, are you wearing perfume? I don’t think I’ve ever smelled this scent before, but it’s really nice.”
Jiang Sheshe suddenly blurted out something totally out of nowhere.
Then she edged a little closer to Xie Lanchen.
A cold, frightening hostility surged in Xie Lanchen’s eyes, almost a reflex.
“G-”
But the next second, a smile like a spring breeze rippled across his lips. He said softly, “No. I don’t wear perfume.”
Then his gaze seemed to flick casually to the side, landing on Ning Xi on the staircase. He crossed over in a few steps, and in a voice so gentle it was almost a request, he asked,
“I want to put my suitcase in the bedroom. Can you take me there?”
Ning Xi halted mid-step and pointed at herself. “Me?”
Xie Lanchen nodded, his tone light and soft. “Is that okay?”
Ning Xi swallowed.
She’d deliberately dawdled upstairs for so long because she wanted Xie Lanchen to get along with the other Guests-better yet, to forget a tiny piece of cannon fodder like her.
But she hadn’t expected that when something came up, the first person Xie Lanchen would come looking for… would still be her.
And…
“There are a bunch of empty rooms on the second floor. Can’t you just pick one?”
An arrogant, displeased voice came from above.
Fu Zhi stood at the second-floor railing, looking down at the two of them on the stairs.
He’d already been in a bad mood when he learned the new guest had gone on a date with Ning Xi.
Now the date was over and he was still sticking to Ning Xi-wasn’t that annoying?
“Yeah, the guys all stay on the second floor. Just pick one you like,” Ning Xi said, scratching her head.
She wasn’t familiar with the second floor either, so she didn’t know why Xie Lanchen had thought to ask her.
“I’ll take Lanchen up,” Wei Xuan volunteered.
When Xie Lanchen and Wei Xuan went upstairs, they passed Fu Zhi, who had one hand in his pocket.
Fu Zhi lifted his chin and gave Xie Lanchen a sidelong look, then turned his gaze away with open disdain.
Xie Lanchen acted as if he hadn’t noticed.
Only, as they brushed past each other, Fu Zhi thought he heard a very soft snort-faint, but edged with mockery.
He frowned and looked toward Xie Lanchen.
But Xie Lanchen wore that mild expression with a faint smile, as warm and harmless as ever.
Had he misheard?
Fu Zhi fell into thought.
“These two rooms are both empty. See which one you like better. If you don’t mind sharing with someone, there’s still an open spot in Shen Yibai’s room…” Wei Xuan explained patiently as he showed him around.
“The room at the very end will do,” Xie Lanchen said, choosing the one farthest from all the other Guests.
“Then I’ll help you put your suitcase in…”
Wei Xuan was just about to reach for Xie Lanchen’s luggage when Xie Lanchen got there first and picked it up.
“I can do it. Thanks.”
“Alright. If there’s nothing else, I’ll head back downstairs.”
Wei Xuan smiled and said goodbye to Xie Lanchen.
He took a few steps after turning around before his footsteps faltered.
If he remembered correctly, when Xie Lanchen was pushing the suitcase earlier, hadn’t his hands been unusually red?
*
The moment the door closed, all the strength seemed to drain from Xie Lanchen’s body.
He stumbled to the bathroom, his hands trembling as he held them under the faucet, scrubbing them over and over again.
His hands, already slightly flushed, became an even more vivid red under his own torment.
Until his phone rang.
Xie Lanchen pressed answer with a shaking hand.
“Lanchen, I’ve already spoken with the director. There won’t be any cameras in your room.”
“Okay,” Xie Lanchen replied, his lips pale as he struggled to maintain a steady voice.
But the person on the other end still noticed something was off.
“What are you doing?”
“…”
“Are you washing your hands? I told you before, there’s no need to force yourself to be close to the other Guests. You have severe germophobia; you can’t stand touching people you don’t like. So what if you’re a bit cold to them? You’re only on this variety show to…”
“She doesn’t like it.”
“…”
Those four words plunged the other person into silence.
For a moment, only the sound of their breathing filled the line.
Sunlight streamed through the window. Xie Lanchen’s breathing gradually steadied, and he stated calmly in a low, raspy voice:
“She doesn’t like people who are impolite.”
Therefore.
He had to exercise restraint, endure, and be gentle and polite.
That way, she wouldn’t hate him.
*
The kitchen.
Ning Xi and Fu Zhi were in charge of dinner today.
Their performance in the kitchen could only be described in one sentence:
Wrecking the kitchen and staying true to themselves.
The difference was: one had self-awareness, and the other didn’t.
Fu Zhi was making crucian carp soup. He put the live fish directly into a pot of cold water.
Ning Xi glanced at the fish swimming around in the pot and clapped in admiration. “Wow. I’ve seen plenty of Living Buddhas, but this is my first time seeing a Living Yama.”
Fu Zhi beamed. “Are you shocked by my fish-stewing skills-”
Just then, the fish suddenly started thrashing wildly in the pot. Hot water splashed everywhere, making Fu Zhi let out a sharp yelp of pain.
“What’s happening? What’s going on?!”
Ning Xi stepped forward nimbly, turned off the stove, and fished the carp out. Then she gave Fu Zhi a massive eye-roll.
“Don’t you know you have to prep live fish? You knock it out first, then scale it, then gut it.”
Fu Zhi was stunned. “How do you even know that?”
Ning Xi couldn’t be bothered to answer him.
She moved the fish to the cutting board and brought the knife down flat against it. Amidst the flash of the blade-
*Crack!*
The plate sitting next to the cutting board shattered.
The fish was perfectly fine, still flopping around on the board.
“…”
Fu Zhi’s deflated ego instantly surged back. He mocked her, “You don’t know how to kill a fish either! Everything you just said was a lie, wasn’t it? You’re such a poser, hahahaha…”
*Thud!*
Ning Xi struck again. This time, the fish was completely knocked out and stopped moving.
Fu Zhi’s arrogant laughter stopped abruptly. He stared fixedly at Ning Xi, who was holding the knife, a startling light gleaming in his eyes.
This brat Ning Xi actually knew how to kill a fish!
Killing a fish!
[Fu Zhi: I, your humble servant, worship, worship, worship you!]
Meanwhile, Ning Xi slowly set down the knife and tilted her chin at Fu Zhi. “Do I need to teach you the rest?”
Fu Zhi shook his head repeatedly, completely won over.
Ning Xi nodded in satisfaction and patted Fu Zhi on the shoulder. “Keep it up, young man! If you run into any trouble while cooking later, you can come to me. I can’t help with the big things, and I don’t want to help with the small things, but remember-if something comes up, find me!”
Fu Zhi: …
You’re out of your mind!