As Shen Wanwan and Shao Yuye made their way to the next challenge, the hashtag #The Harder Shao Yuye Tries, the Unluckier He Gets# successfully climbed to the top of the trending list.
Curious netizens clicked in without knowing what to expect, but after watching the clips, many found themselves becoming fans of Shao Yuye.
[Hahaha, Shao Yuye is actually kind of adorable.]
[I’m dying of laughter. A’Ye, stop already! How do you get -10 Speed Tokens everytime!]
[Guys, please stop saying that. I’m seriously afraid that if Brother Ye sees these comments, he’ll feel the need to prove it a few more times and get unluckier!]
This was the first positive trending topic Shao Yuye had gotten in the four days since joining the variety show.
His manager, Brother Li, was ecstatic when seeing it and immediately messaged him with a warning:
[The online feedback is great right now. You and Shen Wanwan just keep things as they are. Do NOT cause any more trouble, OK?!]
Inside the car, both Shao Yuye and Shen Wanwan were glued to their phones.
Their relationship had been rocky from the start, and after this chaotic morning, they were nothing more than reluctant teammates. Naturally, they had nothing to say to each other, and the awkwardness in the air was almost tangible.
Shao Yuye glanced at Brother Li’s message and curled his lips, scoffing internally.
Keep things as they are?
What exactly did that mean?
Was he supposed to keep enduring Shen Wanwan’s relentless jabs until he keeled over in frustration?
Shen Wanwan’s name was also trending, but hers was tied to the clip where she had outmaneuvered Jiang Qianfan’s team to snatch 120 Speed Tokens.
Public opinion on her was mixed.
Some accused her of being ruthless and giving Jiang Qianfan’s team no way out, while others were impressed by her skills and became her fans.
Shao Yuye scrolled through Weibo for a bit before shaking his head silently.
He had long accepted that he was the type of person who would stir up a storm over the smallest actions, with every little thing he did getting blown out of proportion by the internet.
But Shen Wanwan seemed to have it even worse.
Even he felt suffocated by the hostility in some of the comments.
She must have seen them too.
No one can resist checking how they’re being talked about online.
After some thought, Shao Yuye made a rare attempt at empathy. “Don’t let those comments get to you.”
Shen Wanwan ignored him.
Not wanting to embarrass himself further, Shao Yuye dropped the subject.
That was until he heard a small *plop* beside him. He turned his head and saw the sharp-tongued girl fast asleep, her phone slipping from her hand.
Initially, he had only glanced over because of the noise, but when his gaze inadvertently landed on her face, he found himself momentarily dazed.
She looked… so docile.
A face that screamed innocence.
Awake, this innocent look was completely overshadowed by her sharp, aggressive personality.
But asleep, she seemed utterly defenseless, like a fragile little girl who needed protection.
And for some reason, her sleeping face looked eerily similar to that of his long-lost sister.
That inexplicable sense of familiarity surged within him again.
How could that be possible?
Shen Wanwan’s father was Shen Rong, one of the most powerful real estate tycoons in the capital. The luxurious villas that Shao Yuye couldn’t afford even if he gritted his teeth and saved for a lifetime? Her family owned them by the hundreds.
Brother Li’s scolding from yesterday still echoed in his ears.
Shen Wanwan was a pampered little princess born into a world of privilege.
She had nothing to do with him.
Half an hour later, they arrived at the Level 13 area.
Jia Lu and Chi Tian were already stuck on this stage.
Shao Yuye nudged Shen Wanwan awake.
She opened her eyes, feeling an overwhelming wave of exhaustion.
“How did I fall asleep?” she murmured.
{You were holding back the pain earlier, draining your mental energy. You overexerted yourself and got exhausted.}
Shen Wanwan froze.
After the basketball and archery challenges, her wrist had indeed felt swollen and sore.
But now, that sensation had completely disappeared. She didn’t feel any pain at all.
{Because your brother is the second male lead. He carries light.}
Her eyes flickered. “What do you mean?”
{Look.}
The small light orb beside her spoke as her vision suddenly blurred.
It was as if a thin mist had settled over her sight.
She saw it. Shao Yuye’s entire body was bathed in a radiant glow, the most dazzling presence in the area.
Not far away, Jia Lu’s glow was noticeably dimmer, and Chi Tian’s was even fainter.
{The closer someone is to the female lead, the brighter their light.}
Shen Wanwan turned her head.
The camera crew, standing a short distance away, was shrouded in a dull gray mist.
It would be a lie to say she wasn’t shocked.
She hadn’t interacted much with them, but she remembered that the girl in the front row had a cute set of tiger teeth when she smiled, and the tall, thin cameraman beside her was rather shy.
Yet in the novel, they were all faceless nobodies.
Their features were blurred, their presence indistinct, swallowed by the grayness.
{Because they’re just background characters.}
Background characters didn’t need light.
Right after 001 finished speaking, a faint scoff seemed to echo in the air.
Then, it continued : {Luckily, your brother is the second male lead. Staying close to him should help counteract some of the negative effects. So hurry up and acknowledge him!}
They arrived at the center of the Level 13 area, a public park.
An NPC dressed in old-fashioned English attire clutched his head in distress:
“Oh dear! The goddess statue is damaged! Which of these flowers is her true sacred bloom?
“Are you two here to solve the mystery of the goddess statue as well?”
A vein popped on Shao Yuye’s forehead. “Just speak normally.”
Ignoring his frustration, the NPC continued, “To earn the sacred bloom, you must first pass the ‘Mirror of Understanding’ test…”
With no choice, Shen Wanwan and Shao Yuye patiently listened as he explained the rules.
In short, they would undergo a three-minute rapid Q&A session. Ten seconds would be rewarded for each correct answer, while incorrect answers had no effect.
Once the quiz ended, five different-colored flowers would be presented, and the contestants would have to offer one to the goddess statue within their rewarded time.
If the chosen bouquet color is correct, they will receive the password to pass to the next level.
If it’s wrong, they must return to the starting point and go through the rapid Q&A again.
Not far away, Jia Lu and Chi Tian were exhausted, hands on their hips as they ran back.
Clearly, they had chosen the wrong bouquet.
“How did you guys get here so fast?”
Seeing Shen Wanwan and Shao Yuye, Chi Tian was stunned. Weren’t they still at level 11 when the rankings were announced this morning?
And the previous two levels were really difficult. They had to rely on prop cards and Speed Tokens to skip levels just to get here.
Yet these two had caught up so easily?
Shao Yuye took the initiative to greet them.
Jia Lu also gave them a slight nod.
Shen Wanwan and Chi Tian were roommates. Though they didn’t talk much, Chi Tian didn’t find Shen Wanwan annoying.
Chi Tian gathered her courage and asked, “Want to cooperate? Give us 10 tokens, and we’ll eliminate one wrong answer for you.”
Shao Yuye’s first instinct was to refuse.
Ha, 10 tokens?
Might as well rob them!
The best token bonus on the reward wheel was only +20.
Besides, they were still competitors. Who knew if the information was right or wrong?
But before he could refuse, Shen Wanwan nodded. “Deal.”
10 coins wasn’t expensive.
And it narrowed the options by 20%, saving effort and worry.
Shao Yuye snapped his head around.
“You’re sure?!”
Shen Wanwan glanced at him lightly and struck first : “Someone who lost 20 coins doesn’t get a say.”
Shao Yuye : “…”
Tch!
They exchanged payment and information.
“The blue flowers are wrong.”
Chi Tian pocketed the 10 speed tokens with a bright smile. “Pleasure doing business~”
Shen Wanwan curved her lips slightly.
“Mm.”
Since Chi Tian and Jia Lu had a time penalty, Shen Wanwan and Shao Yuye got to answer the questions first.
They sat before the so-called ‘Mirror of Understanding.’
Their reflections were clear in the mirror.
Looking closely, even their facial features had a subtle resemblance.
Shen Wanwan was the first to lower her eyes and look away.
A *ding* signaled the start of the timer and the official Q&A.
“What color was Qi Luozhou’s outfit on the first day?”
Shao Yuye : ?
How was he supposed to know that?
He just guessed.
“Black!”
*Puff!*
A small gust of air shot out from the nozzle.
It lifted Shao Yuye’s bangs slightly and sent a loose strand of Shen Wanwan’s hair brushing against her cheek, making her look particularly delicate.
Shen Wanwan was displeased. “You can’t even remember that?”
Shao Yuye scoffed. “Who has time to remember his outfit color? Am I that bored?”
Shen Wanwan : “But you could’ve let me answer.”
Shao Yuye : “You knew?”
Shen Wanwan : “Mm.”
Shao Yuye : “…”
—Damn!
Second question.
“What was Bai Ling’s first-day reward?”
Shao Yuye : “…”
Shen Wanwan : “…”
Three seconds passed. Neither answered, triggering another blast of air.
Shao Yuye clicked his tongue. “…Didn’t you say you’d answer?”
Shen Wanwan replied calmly, “I don’t know.”
Shao Yuye’s voice raised slightly. “Then why didn’t you say so earlier?”
Shen Wanwan smiled. “Do you know?”
Shao Yuye, unfazed : “I could’ve guessed!”
The comment section was dying of laughter.
[Did you see Shen Wanwan’s disgusted look? Hahahahaha, why is this so funny?!]
[OMG, our Brother Ye’s identity as comedian is revealed!]
[I’m gonna laugh myself sick in this livestream!]
[That 10 token deal was wasted. With the way these two answer questions, they won’t even have time to pick the flowers!]
Third question.
“Who is the person Shao Yuye least wants to team up with?”
This one was obvious.
Shao Yuye hesitated, lips slightly parted but silent.
Instead, Shen Wanwan answered without hesitation—
“Shen Wanwan.”
Finally, the sound of a correct answer rang out—
“Ding! Correct. +10 seconds~”
Shao Yuye : “…”
*Ahem.*
Well.
That was awkward.
But before he could dwell on it, the next question popped up—
“What’s the most embarrassing thing Shao Yuye has ever experienced?”
Shao Yuye : “…”
Why was it about him again? The production team was totally messing with him!
The comment section exploded with guesses.
[Definitely when he went off-key at his concert!]
[Oh, speaking of that concert, I still remember Brother Ye covering his face with his shirt… and those abs, omg…]
[ No, no, I bet it’s when he played <King’s Sniper> and got caught in a live-stream with a 0 kill record!]
Shao Yuye rubbed his chin. Damn, if he had known the questions came from their pre-show surveys, he would’ve written something more respectable.
He and Shen Wanwan spoke at the same time—
“When I got chased all over the street by a goose as a kid.”
“Getting chased by a goose.”
“Ding! Correct. +10 seconds~”
The chat exploded with question marks.
[Wait… That’s a lot to process. Someone explain! My brain’s about to crash.]
[Brother Ye got chased by a goose as a kid?! That’s so cute, omg!]
[How did Shen Wanwan know?!]
[Seriously, how did she know?!]
Even Shao Yuye himself was baffled as he turned to Shen Wanwan.
“How do you know that?”