After dinner, the production team summarized today’s progress.
Among the six teams, the fastest was Zhang Yiran and Li Yan, who had already reached level 20.
Close behind were Bai Ling and Jin Xiaoyu at level 18.
Qi Luozhou and Jiang Yuan ranked third with level 17, while the remaining three struggling teams trailed far behind—one at level 12, and two tied for last place at level 11.
Shen Wanwan and Shao Yuye were among those at the bottom.
And that was only thanks to the hot spring card, which had allowed them to skip two levels.
Zhang Yiran burst out laughing. “You two are way too slow!”
Shao Yuye scoffed coldly in response.
His competitive nature was undeniable. Back when he participated in the <One Pick> talent show, just because a mentor once praised another contestant for learning choreography quickly, this Young Master made it his goal to master every routine perfectly within half an hour. He lived for competition.
Bai Ling, always the empathetic one, quickly reassured them, “It’s only the first episode, we still have plenty of time.”
But Jiang Qianfan suddenly chimed in with a sarcastic remark. “If it weren’t for ‘someone’ dragging the team down, you wouldn’t be dead last even after getting a boost.”
At that, several guests unconsciously sat up straighter, visibly uncomfortable.
This wasn’t a drama-fueled show. Everyone usually tried their best to downplay conflicts in front of the cameras.
No one expected Jiang Qianfan to call out Shen Wanwan so directly. All eyes turned to her.
The director quickly directed the cameras toward Shen Wanwan, and the livestream chat exploded.
[Whoa, Jiang Qianfan is actually this bold? She straight-up called out Shen Wanwan!]
[LMAO, and you thought she got the “fiery big sis” nickname for nothing?]
[Upstairs, if it weren’t for Shen Wanwan, Brother Ye would definitely be in first place. He’s the kind of guy who would go sleepless all night just to secure a practice room.]
[Aaaahhh, when is Shen Wanwan leaving already?!]
Shen Wanwan glanced at Jiang Qianfan, expressionless, and asked 001, “Who’s this?”
001 was speechless. {…It’s been three days, and you still don’t remember the other contestants?!}
Shen Wanwan responded matter-of-factly, “Too busy arguing with Shao Yuye.”
{…That’s right.}
Before awakening, she had only been a tool, a pawn of the plot.
And a tool had no need for memory. As long as she fulfilled her scripted purpose each day, that was enough.
001 sighed and started introducing the guests one by one.
{Qi Luozhou. He’s cool, reserved, and not competitive. But he’s the male lead, so I suggest you stay far away.}
{Jiang Yuan. He’s your classic nice guy. Gentle personality, a solid teammate.}
{Zhang Yiran and Li Yan. They’re cheerful, athletic, great partners to work with.}
…
{And the one calling you out now is Jiang Qianfan. Straightforward, a bit of a ‘big sis1‘ type. Not a bad person, but easily manipulated.}
After the long-winded explanation, 001 asked, {Got all that?}
Shen Wanwan responded with a lazy “Oh.”
Clearly, she hadn’t remembered a single thing.
Meanwhile, the atmosphere on set grew heavier. No one spoke.
Even nice-guy Jiang Yuan frowned slightly, about to step in, when a soft chuckle rang out.
It was light and crisp, like a bubbling spring. The slight lift at the end carried a subtle, teasing lilt.
The sound sent a ripple through the group.
Qi Luozhou, who had been casually leaning against his chair, studying the progress chart, turned his gaze toward Shen Wanwan.
The girl’s lips curled into a faint smile. Leisurely, she said, “Jealous?”
Jiang Qianfan was momentarily stunned. Just as she was about to retort—Why would I be jealous of dead last place?—Shen Wanwan casually nodded toward Bai Ling.
“If you’re jealous, why don’t you ask her to give you a hot spring card too?”
Bai Ling, caught off guard, twitched in shock.
“You—!”
Jiang Qianfan had always considered Bai Ling her best friend. The two had been cooperating closely in the competition, sharing resources. But now, she learned Bai Ling had such a powerful card… and had chosen to give it to Shen Wanwan instead of her, the second-to-last contestant?
Their so-called friendship cracked instantly.
Jiang Qianfan was fuming, her face flushed with frustration. She had so many words stuck in her throat that she couldn’t even form a response. In the end, all she could do was direct her anger at Bai Ling instead.
“Bai Ling, if you don’t give me a card next time, we’re done!”
Jin Xiaoyu, Bai Ling’s actual teammate, also turned to stare at Bai Ling. Her gaze was dark and full of silent accusation.
“If you dare give a card to someone else again, we’re done too.”
Cold sweat broke out on Bai Ling’s back. Awkwardly, she laughed it off and tried to brush the matter aside.
But inwardly, she cursed Shen Wanwan a thousand times over.
—Shen Wanwan is so annoying!
Still, she consoled herself: evil will definitely be punished.
Shen Wanwan and Shao Yuye were about to face the punishment for coming in last.
And Shao Yuye definitely wasn’t the type to go easy on Shen Wanwan.
Bai Ling couldn’t wait to see Shen Wanwan get torn apart.
The show’s rules dictated that the two contestants who ranked last each day would receive a punishment.
Tonight, Shen Wanwan and Shao Yuye had to wash everyone’s dishes.
The livestream chat was full of schadenfreude:
[Director, are you sure putting these two together won’t lead to another fight?]
[LMAO, they started the morning by brawling and falling into the water. Now they’re washing dishes, are they gonna start throwing plates next?]
[Ugh, I can’t stand Shen Wanwan’s princess disease, but at least Brother Ye won’t tolerate her nonsense.]
After the punishment was announced, the other guests left, leaving only Shen Wanwan, Shao Yuye, and the camera crew behind.
Shao Yuye rolled up his sleeves and started gathering dishes.
His manager had already scolded him earlier, so he didn’t even bother nagging Shen Wanwan. He just silently got to work.
001 quickly urged, {Go on, help him! This is a perfect chance to bond as siblings, building a good relationship starts now!}
Even though 001 had already confirmed the truth, Shen Wanwan still hesitated.
Her memories of her brother were filled with warmth. Even at nine years old, he had been a perfect gentleman—charming, well-mannered, and adored by all the girls around him.
The man in front of her looked irritable and short-tempered, covered in metaphorical spikes, exuding an intense hostility, like someone who had fought his way out of a den of scoundrels, completely unlike a child raised in a wealthy family.
…But she was about to get a slap in the face from reality.
The sound of running water splashed against the stainless steel sink with a loud rush. The water jet hit the plate directly, sending droplets flying everywhere. Wearing red rubber gloves, the man wiped the dish twice with a cloth before setting it aside. The plate still gleamed with a visible sheen of grease.
Shen Wanwan: “…Hey.”
The sound of water was too loud; Shao Yuye didn’t hear her.
Shen Wanwan had to step forward and tap his shoulder.
“Hey.”
The water stopped instantly, and a face that looked fierce and menacing turned toward her.
Shao Yuye, impatient: “Spit it out if you’ve got something to say.”
Shen Wanwan pointed at the plate he had set aside, still shining with grease. “You call that clean?”
“Mm-hmm.”
Shao Yuye glanced down at the plate and actually seemed a little proud.
Shen Wanwan: “…”
She pointed to the dish soap bottle on his right.
“You’re supposed to use dish soap when washing dishes.”
Shao Yuye instinctively glanced at the bottle, his pupils shaking slightly.
The young master of a wealthy family, whose hands had never touched menial labor, was, in fact, washing dishes for the first time in his life.
After a brief moment of silence, he stiffened and said, “You think I don’t know that? Just shut up and let me wash, or do it yourself.”
Even the livestream comments were getting fired up:
[Exactly! I’ve been wanting to say this. Shen Wanwan hasn’t done a thing but keeps bossing him around. So annoying!]
[This was supposed to be both of their punishment, so why is my Brother Ye the only one washing dishes? Ugh, my heart aches for him!]
[Actually, maybe this is for the best. If Shen Wanwan helped, Brother Ye might just get even angrier.]
Shao Yuye, pretending to be nonchalant, pumped some dish soap onto his gloves, grabbed the plate, spread the soap all over it, and finally placed it under the running water with satisfaction.
Surely, there was no room for criticism now?
But to his surprise, the girl beside him sighed.
“I’ll do it.”
A small, delicate hand reached out and took the plate from him, motioning for him to step aside.
Shao Yuye frowned, about to snap at her, when his gaze landed on a small red mole on the back of her hand, near her wrist.
…His biological sister had a mole in the exact same spot.
For a moment, Shao Yuye was speechless. He silently stepped aside.
Shen Wanwan picked up the dishcloth, pumped a bit of dish soap onto it, let the soap spread evenly, then started scrubbing the greasy plates one by one.
The livestream chat, which had been full of mockery, suddenly exploded with question marks.
[Wait, did Shen Wanwan just change personalities?!]
[No way. She whined about lifting a tiny dumbbell, but now she’s actually washing dishes? And she even knows the proper steps…]
[Help! She’s actually really pretty when she’s not being dramatic. Face-stan mode activated!]
[Honestly… when they’re not arguing, they actually look kinda nice together.]
Even 001 was surprised : {You actually know how to wash dishes?}
Shen Wanwan, rinsing a bowl with a blank expression : “I also know how to eat, you know.”
001 : {…Hahaha. Didn’t expect you to have a sense of humor.}
It was about to freeze over from shock.
Meanwhile, the other contestants had already returned to their dorms for the night.
The female participants shared three-person rooms. Chi Tian, Bai Ling, and Shen Wanwan in one; while Jin Xiaoyu, Jia Lu, and Jiang Qianfan stayed next door.
As soon as Chi Tian returned, she rushed to take a shower. The sound of water and her cheerful singing echoed from the bathroom.
With plenty of time before bed, Jiang Qianfan strolled into Bai Ling’s room to hang out. She plopped down on the sofa and grinned mischievously. “I wonder if Shen Wanwan and Shao Yuye have torn each other apart yet.”
Bai Ling peeled an apple and handed it to her. “Don’t say that. Shao Yuye never hits women.”
Jiang Qianfan scoffed. “Hah, then Shen Wanwan should count herself lucky she’s a girl. If she were a guy, Shao Yuye would’ve strung her up and beaten her ages ago.”
“She’s so annoying, always trying to stir things up between us. It’s hilarious. If you hadn’t taken pity on her, would she have even gotten that hot spring pass? Honestly, you’re too kind. Next time you get something good, give it to me instead.”
Bai Ling made a noncommittal noise.
She had no intention of giving any more special cards to anyone.
Jiang Qianfan, taking advantage of the lack of cameras in the dorm, spoke freely. “Come on, where’s the remote? I want to watch the livestream and get a good laugh.”
Bai Ling hesitated for show, saying, “Isn’t that a bit mean?” even as she retrieved the remote from under her cushion and handed it over.
“What’s mean about it? We’re not sabotaging her, just watching the spoiled princess suffer.”
Jiang Qianfan clicked through channels until she found the live broadcast. She was practically giddy. “Let’s see her make a fool of herself!”
Just then, the screen zoomed in on Shao Yuye’s face.
Sharp brows, piercing eyes—his godly visuals withstood even the harsh, up-close angle of the live broadcast.
At that moment, he was frowning, looking impatient as he spoke to Shen Wanwan.
“Can’t you just say everything at once?”
Jiang Qianfan clapped her hands in delight. “Haha! I knew it! Shao Yuye wouldn’t let her off easy!”
Bai Ling exhaled, chuckling. “They really don’t make a good team.”
But then, Shen Wanwan’s calm voice came from the TV:
“The dishes need to be drained properly and arranged by size.”
Hah.
What an act.
Jiang Qianfan sneered, waiting for Shao Yuye to snap at her.
But then, the camera zoomed out, fully revealing the scene.
Shen Wanwan stood with her arms crossed, leisurely instructing Shao Yuye on how to arrange the plates.
And Shao Yuye…
Shao Yuye was obediently drying the dishes and following her instructions to the letter.
There was no hostility, no tension.
If anything, it looked like… they were working well together?
Jiang Qianfan and Bai Ling : ?
Why wasn’t this going as expected?!
- like a female leader of a gang ↩︎