This was the first time in Shao Yuye’s life he had encountered something like this. He spent quite a while silently watching his worldview crumble.
Then he pulled out the all-powerful tool known as his phone and summoned his trusted strategist, Yu Cheng.
Shao Yuye : [Damn it. I think my sister really has something going on!]
Yu Cheng : [Didn’t I tell you that ages ago?]
Shao Yuye : […No. It’s even worse than we predicted.]
Shao Yuye : [That brat is the smooth-talking type.]
In his mind, he’d already constructed the image of a foolish twenty-three-year-old college student—broke, with no financial prospects, but silver-tongued and eloquent, charming people with nothing but his words and a few clever tricks, leaving his sister completely smitten.
Yu Cheng : [What exactly are you trying to say?]
Shao Yuye : [Do you think it’s because… my sister has spent her whole life seeing rich men from wealthy families, so when she suddenly met a poor college student, she thought, “Wow, he’s so different, so unique. He may not have money, but he has endless love…]
Yu Cheng : [Seriously… why do you always have so much imagination?]
Ignoring him, Shao Yuye kept typing.
Shao Yuye : [Really. You have no idea what expression my sister had when she watched me order malatang.]
Thinking back to the way Shen Wanwan’s eyes had lit up after eating the beef balls, he solemnly added:
Shao Yuye : [No exaggeration, it was exactly the same expression I had the first time I ever ate malatang.]
Yu Cheng : […Rich people, get lost.]
Shao Yuye : [So my sister was only temporarily dazzled.]
Shao Yuye : [The fact that she didn’t tell me about the relationship means she doesn’t value it that much, either.]
Yu Cheng : […]
Shao Yuye : [She’s probably just bored. I’ve decided to introduce her to more friends. Get ready and gather a few people to keep her company.]
Shao Yuye felt there was absolutely nothing wrong with his reasoning.
Even now, he still remembered the expression on his sister’s face when she’d said she didn’t need friends.
It had been proud… and lonely.
How could anyone not need friends?
It was precisely because she didn’t have any, because she had no one to spend time with, that she’d been bewitched by that young man!
Yu Cheng : […What do you think I am, a male escort? “Gather a few people to keep her company”? I’m a popular idol, okay?]
Shao Yuye : [Transferred to you: 5,000 yuan.]
Yu Cheng accepted the money at lightning speed. This time, his reply was especially enthusiastic.
Yu Cheng : [Yes, Boss! Thank you, Boss!]
After sending the message, Shao Yuye let out a long, relieved sigh.
Shen Wanwan had no idea what changes had taken place in her Brother’s mind.
After tidying up her handbag and putting it away, she walked toward the bow of the ship.
The Lunar New Year was approaching, and passenger ferries had already stopped regular service.
The production team had really splurged this time, renting an enormous ship.
The area they were in served as a spacious lounge. There was an open space on all sides with a stage in the center. The director had originally intended to organize games there, but the evacuation had happened so suddenly that it ended up becoming a place for the guests to chat instead.
The cameramen were more than happy to relax. The livestream had already ended, and they were resting in the lounge behind the hall.
The wind on deck was strong, while the sea remained calm.
The setting sun turned the ocean into molten gold.
Looking back, Shen Wanwan saw that the deserted island had already shrunk into a tiny silhouette.
From this distance, it was impossible to make out any movement on the island.
She gazed at it as though admiring a trophy.
Just thinking about the director’s indignant expression made her want to laugh again.
This time, she’d completely caught the production team off guard.
What kind of challenge would they prepare next time?
Watching the director repeatedly suffer defeats amused her immensely.
Sensing her mood, 001 perched proudly on her shoulder.
{The director has definitely admitted defeat! You’re way too amazing, they’re no match for you! Besides, the next episode is the finale, so it’ll definitely be warm and wholesome!}
Smiling, Shen Wanwan asked, “So you’re that confident in me?”
{Of course!}
001 happily spun a circle in midair before proudly declaring, {You’re Shen Wanwan!}
If it had been anyone else, it wouldn’t have been so certain.
But Wanwan really was incredible.
Chuckling softly, Shen Wanwan walked back into the cabin.
001 suddenly said, {I have another feeling. I think this book is about to be completely broken free from its restrictions!
{You really did it!}
She hadn’t tried to curry favor with the original heroine, Bai Ling.
Nor had she deliberately suppressed her.
In fact, she hadn’t even spared Bai Ling a single glance.
Yet all the attention… had naturally gathered around Shen Wanwan herself.
Shen Wanwan suddenly stopped walking.
“If the restrictions are lifted… will you leave, Xiao Yi?”
001 froze.
The little light orb drifted uncertainly in the air.
{I… probably… will…}
Once its host escaped the novel’s restrictions, avoided all the traps laid out in the story, and embraced the happy life that belonged to her… its mission would be complete.
And naturally… it would have to leave.
—{Waaah…
—{Could it be… that my host doesn’t want to part with me?}
001 was busy feeling deeply moved when it heard Shen Wanwan murmur, “That’s wonderful.”
With a bright smile, she poked its soft little body.
“That means I won’t have to worry about you watching me while I shower every day anymore.”
The atmosphere, which had just grown somewhat heavy and stagnant, immediately lightened again. The little ball of light, looking adorably soft, instantly puffed up in indignation.
{…Hey! I was in sleep mode, okay?! Besides, I’m a system, not a human. I don’t even have a gender!}
“I know. Not human.”
001 : {Aaaah! You’re the worst!}
After teasing the adorable little light orb, Shen Wanwan turned around and suddenly spotted Qi Luozhou walking out of the living room as well.
He had taken off his overcoat and was wearing only a white dress shirt, the familiar half-smile still resting on his face.
Personally, she thought he looked better in sweaters than shirts.
Shirts were clean.
Sweaters were warm.
Noticing that she had unconsciously taken a step back, Qi Luozhou smiled with narrowed eyes.
“Did I scare you?”
“No.”
Shen Wanwan walked forward a couple of steps. Thinking he was heading outside, she kindly reminded him, “It’s really windy out there.”
Qi Luozhou asked, “Are you cold?”
Actually, she wasn’t.
Even so, Shen Wanwan held out her hand.
“I am.”
The moment their fingers intertwined, he suddenly leaned close to her face and studied her carefully.
“Your makeup’s smudged a little.”
Like most girls, Shen Wanwan cared about her appearance.
His warm palm wrapped around hers felt incredibly comfortable. Absorbing the warmth from his body, she answered casually, “I’ll touch it up later.”
He chuckled softly and pulled her into his embrace.
“Mm. Later.”
He bent down, one hand cupping the back of her neck.
His burning palm rested against her skin, and Shen Wanwan obediently tilted her face upward.
His warm lips soon settled over hers.
She felt the tip of his tongue gently tracing the outline of her lips before slowly, patiently kissing them.
Anyone could walk by at any moment.
They could even hear the noisy chatter coming from the living room.
Yet here they were, kissing in the hallway.
Qi Luozhou’s fingers tightened deeply between hers. He knew he should restrain himself a little longer, give her more time. Everything should happen gradually.
But the desire inside him only kept growing louder and stronger.
Especially after seeing Shao Yuye openly holding her hand, naturally standing on the same team as her, that feeling had reached its peak.
He had never been someone plagued by insecurity.
But when it came to her, he never possessed complete confidence.
It was as though, little by little, he’d become addicted to her.
He continued kissing her lips with painstaking tenderness. Shen Wanwan was always weakest against his quiet temptation, and before long, she responded to him.
For a while, the only sound in the corridor was the faint, intimate murmur of lips meeting.
It wasn’t merely a brief kiss.
It ended only after Qi Luozhou lightly bit her lower lip, though the veins standing out along his forearm betrayed just how hard he had been holding himself back.
A faint blush spread across Shen Wanwan’s fair cheeks. Her body felt pleasantly weak, but that didn’t stop her from throwing him a provocative look.
“Scared?”
Just moments ago, they’d heard footsteps approaching in their direction.
But before reaching them, the person had turned and walked away instead.
“No.”
Qi Luozhou’s warm fingertips gently rubbed her delicate earlobe.
“It’s a little red.”
The spot he’d touched seemed to burst into flames. Shen Wanwan hadn’t noticed before, but now even the tips of her ears felt hot.
“What are you doing?”
For the first time, Shen Wanwan showed a trace of embarrassed irritation.
Her beautiful eyes shimmered as though filled with rippling water, moist and bright, glaring at him without the slightest intimidation.
Qi Luozhou only smiled.
His Adam’s apple bobbed as though he wanted to say something.
In the end, he didn’t.
She had no idea how adorable she looked like this.
The kind of adorable that made him want to pull her completely into his arms and never let go.
The more he smiled, the more embarrassed she became.
Miss Shen, who was usually invincible, was rarely at a loss for words. Though only for a moment, she quickly covered it up.
“Jerk!”
That was all Shen Wanwan gave him.
Then, just as proudly as she’d arrived, she lifted her chin, pushed open the door, and walked back into the living room.
Everyone inside had their heads lowered, staring at their phones.
Jin Xiaoyu and the others were checking the trending topics.
Besides #All the Cast of <Extreme Challenge> Broke the Production Team#, nearly every guest had made the trending list—
2. #’Petty Revenge Duo’ Goes Absolutely Crazy!#
3. #Qi Luozhou: “Sorry, I Came Too Late”#
4. #Zhang Song Stockpiled an Entire Arsenal#
5. #Jin Xiaoyu, the Walking Live Comment Feed#
6. #Zhang Yiran Hunting Treasure Chests#
7. #Jiang Yuan’s Chuunibyou Soul Has Awakened#
8. #Shen Wanwan & Shao Yuye Rescue Bai Ling#
…
Looking at all the praise under his own trending topic, Jin Xiaoyu practically beamed with pride.
“I never thought my nonstop rambling would become popular! Everyone’s saying I’m the audience’s spokesperson!
“Heh, looks like people finally recognized my talent this episode!”
Zhang Yiran was delighted as well.
It really wasn’t an exaggeration. He’d nearly exhausted himself searching for those treasure chests. The last two, hidden in a tree and out at sea, would’ve been almost impossible to retrieve so quickly without him.
As for Jiang Yuan, the moment everyone kept bringing up was when he’d burst into singing <The Miracle Reappears> for Shen Wanwan and Shao Yuye.
The viewers were in stitches.
[Brother Jiang has really been influenced by Brother Ye! How can he be this chuuni?!]
[I thought he’d be the most dependable big brother on the show, but it turns out he’s just as over-the-top as Brother Ye!]
The three of them held their phones, reading one compliment after another. Before long, all three were blushing with excitement.
Jiang Yuan felt both pleased and slightly speechless.
Truthfully, he envied Zhang Song’s trending topic.
The next episode would be the season finale.
Lowering his voice, Jiang Yuan asked Zhang Song, “Are you coming back next episode?”
Wearing headphones around his neck, Zhang Song shook his head.
“Hard to say.
“I only signed a one-episode contract with the production team.”
Originally, Zhang Song had been working so hard to create buzz because he wanted to generate more highlight moments, hoping the director would notice how much attention he was getting and invite him back for another season.
But after being warned by his Sister, he had managed to earn plenty of trending topics through his own abilities.
Jiang Yuan sighed regretfully and patted him on the shoulder in consolation.
“You actually suit this show pretty well.”
Zhang Song simply shook his head without saying anything.
The truth was, he didn’t like competitive shows at all.
The only reason he’d joined was because of Shen Wanwan.
At first, it had been for the traffic and exposure.
But now…
Lowering his eyes, he thought of the smile she had given him today, and warmth quietly spread through his heart.
—I really want to stay on the same variety show with Sister a little longer…
Shao Yuye wasn’t paying attention to their conversation.
He was busy devising an airtight battle plan together with Yu Cheng.
Everyone looked to be in good spirits. After an intense round of competition, they all wore relaxed expressions.
Only Bai Ling sat off to the side, gloomy and downcast, her brows filled with worry.
No matter how many cheerful people surrounded her, none of their happiness seemed able to reach her.
When Shen Wanwan walked in and sat beside Jin Xiaoyu, Jin Xiaoyu glanced up. Seeing Wanwan’s cheeks flushed a rosy pink, she assumed it was from the cold wind out on deck and asked with concern,
“Wanwan, don’t go outside anymore. Your face is all red from the cold!”
As usual, Shen Wanwan merely nodded indifferently.
“Mhm.”
Shao Yuye seemed to have a radar installed in his head.
The moment he heard the words ‘Wanwan,’ he immediately looked up from his phone. Seeing the faint blush on his sister’s face, he said worriedly, “Stop running around. I’ll get you some hot water to warm you up!”
With that, he headed toward the pantry.
At the same time, Qi Luozhou pushed open the door and walked in, just in time to hear what Jin Xiaoyu had said.
A soft chuckle escaped his throat.
Shen Wanwan curled her fingers slightly.
Qi Luozhou took the seat beside Zhang Yiran, smiling at her with narrowed eyes.
Meeting his gaze, Shen Wanwan suddenly felt the spot on her right ear—the place where he’d touched her earlier—grow hot again.
Beneath the table, she silently stepped on his foot.
—Jerk.
An hour later, the ferry docked.
Zhang Yiran was the first to disembark, followed by Jiang Yuan.
The staff waiting at the pier immediately announced their group’s victory.
“Congratulations! Zhang Yiran and Jiang Yuan, you’ve taken first place!”
Walking third, Jin Xiaoyu suddenly screamed, “Ahhh! God Zhou! Hurry! They’re ranking us by the order we get off the boat!!”
Zhang Yiran laughed.
“I don’t know whether God Zhou will speed up, but after that reminder, your Brother Ye is definitely going to charge out.”
Jin Xiaoyu: “!” Crap.
She’d completely forgotten about Shao Yuye’s special trait.
She tensed up for a moment.
But surprisingly, this time Brother Ye showed no intention of competing. Instead, he let Bai Ling and Qi Luozhou go ahead of him.
Although Qi Luozhou came after Bai Ling, Zhang Song still hadn’t gotten off yet, so Jin Xiaoyu and Qi Luozhou finished in second place.
The last one to come out was Shen Wanwan.
The final traces of daylight still lingered in the sky.
Already standing on shore, Shao Yuye extended a hand toward her. With one effortless pull, he brought his sister safely onto the dock.
The entire exchange happened without a single word.
Yet every movement was perfectly natural, as though they had practiced it thousands of times before.
Watching from the side, Jin Xiaoyu sighed emotionally.
“My god… Brother Ye actually gave up fighting for the top places just for his sister. Is this science fiction? It has to be, right?”
Shao Yuye shot her a sideways glance and corrected her.
“Mainly because you guys looked so pitiful being at the bottom. Thought I’d let you have it.”
Jin Xiaoyu, Zhang Yiran, and Jiang Yuan: “…”
Thanks.
We somehow feel insulted.
And just like that, the fifth level area officially came to an end.
Xiao Le brought Shen Wanwan a whole string of good news.
“Wanwan, my phone’s practically exploded lately!
“So many directors from variety shows, movies, and TV dramas are practically crying and begging you to sign on! But I already turned down everything before the New Year, just like you told me—you wanted to spend a proper New Year with your Brother.
“We’ve reached the point where even famous directors can’t easily get you anymore. Hehehe!”
Shen Wanwan nodded approvingly.
“Mhm. Well done.”
Xiao Le giggled on the other end.
Shen Wanwan said goodbye.
“Let everyone know they’re on holiday.”
Xiao Le nearly shrieked.
“Really, Wanwan?!”
“Mhm.”
“Ahhh! Wanwan, you’re the best!”
In their line of work, there was practically no such thing as a vacation. Even during Lunar New Year they had to stay alert in case their artists became involved in scandals, always ready to respond at a moment’s notice.
Then again…
Wanwan was the eldest daughter of a wealthy family. The incident where she’d stood up for her brother Shao Yuye was still fresh in everyone’s memory.
Who would be crazy enough to deliberately pick a fight with her?
Smiling softly, Shen Wanwan hung up.
In a good mood, she casually dropped ten maximum-value red envelopes into the studio group chat.
The group instantly filled with “Thank you, Boss!” stickers.
Outside, night had fully fallen.
Red lanterns had already been hung all throughout the residential complex, making everything look festive and lively.
It’s finally almost New Year…
Bai Ling, on the other hand, wasn’t nearly so carefree.
The moment she returned, she was inevitably subjected to a vicious scolding from her manager, Brother Wang.
Nearly every guest on this season had blown up in popularity.
Everyone except Bai Ling.
Brother Wang was known throughout the entertainment industry as one of the top managers.
He had countless ways to turn complete unknowns into the hottest A-list celebrities.
Back when he’d first discovered Bai Ling, he’d been captivated by her uniquely delicate, innocent ‘little white flower’ aura.
He had confidently declared, “You’ll definitely become the biggest star under my management!”
Now, however, Brother Wang was practically hopping mad, feeling like her stupidity was driving him insane.
“Are you an idiot?! Shen Wanwan told you not to drink it! She told you over and over not to! But you just had to drink it! What the hell is going on inside that head of yours?!
“Look at the result! You drank the poison, got eliminated, while Shen Wanwan? Everyone’s praising her for being smart!
“And then what happened? You got eliminated, and she came back to save you. Look at what a perfect image she built for herself—loyal, compassionate, full of righteousness!
“And another thing! What exactly did you do to offend Zhang Song before this? Look at how attentive he is toward Shen Wanwan. Then look at you! He roasted you every chance he got! Bai Ling, Bai Ling… how was I so blind back then that I signed you?!”
The fluorescent lights overhead blazed brightly, yet they felt cold and unforgiving.
Listening to her manager’s harsh scolding, Bai Ling thought of all the frustration she’d endured over the past few days from Zhang Song’s constant barbs. Tears welled up in her eyes.
“I don’t even know how I offended Zhang Song. He’s been targeting me for no reason at all!”
But tears were useless in the workplace. Seeing her cry only made her manager even more irritated.
“Cry, cry, cry! That’s all you know how to do!
“I told you to play the sweet, innocent girl, not actually become one! I can’t even be bothered to list all the stupid things you’ve done! The moment you voluntarily gave Shen Wanwan that Hot Spring Pass and helped them skip two stages, I should’ve known this day would come.
“You’re an incurable idiot!”
Brother Wang slammed the file in his hand onto the desk in fury.
*Bang!*
The loud impact sent the A4 papers inside flying everywhere, scattering across the floor.
Bai Ling looked at the mess filling the room with mixed emotions, crying so hard she could barely stop.
That night, Bai Ling had a dream.
She dreamed that she was the heroine of a novel called <Extreme Heartbeat>.
It was a wish-fulfillment romance in which she joined <Extreme Challenge>, became the center of everyone’s affection, and captivated the show’s two biggest stars—
Shao Yuye and Qi Luozhou.
It was a classic Mary Sue story where the two men became hopelessly obsessed with her.
According to the novel’s plot…
She would become explosively famous through <Extreme Challenge>, rising to become the A-list actress she had always dreamed of being.
She would also make both Shao Yuye and Qi Luozhou fall in love with her, and the two men would frequently come to blows over who deserved to be with her.
In the dream, Qi Luozhou was the male lead, while Shao Yuye was the second male lead.
The dream version of herself was adored by fans and passionately pursued by countless men, the ultimate object of everyone’s affection.
As for Shen Wanwan…
In the dream, Shen Wanwan was the malicious supporting villainess who coveted everything she had and constantly schemed against her.