Chapter 27: You Are So Wicked

The atmosphere at the table shifted into a subtle harmony before anyone realized it.

Xu Shujian leaned back in his chair, remaining silent. The show had to go on, and he couldn't afford to burn bridges openly—at the very least, he had to show respect to the production team. Since Pan Yun had made him uncomfortable, he would simply treat her in kind; in Xu Shujian’s mind, this was a matter of "courtesy demands reciprocity."

He would continue to be himself. If someone made him uncomfortable, he would mold them into a state that made him comfortable.

Pan Yun looked at the instant noodles and self-heating hot pots on the table and softly confirmed with Xu Shujian, "Do you really agree with my spending philosophy?"

Xu Shujian nodded naturally. "I do. Otherwise, why would I work so hard to earn money? Isn't the ultimate goal to save it?"

Pan Yun smiled. "Then I must apologize to you."

Xu Shujian waved a hand. "It's a small matter. You’re all hungry, aren't you? Just order some food. We still have money, after all."

Pan Yun’s expression turned resolute, and she shook her head immediately. "No. Even if you agree with me, I can't be impulsive. I said I’m a professional when it comes to this, and I will certainly stick to that. I’ll go get us some hot water; we’ll stick to the instant noodles and the self-heating pots."

With that, Pan Yun looked at the group. "It’s fine, everyone. Let’s just bear with it. We can have a grand feast tonight. The production team showed me the restaurants at our destination; the food there is much better. Trust me, you’ll see that saving on this meal was worth it."

Xu Shujian retreated, his mission accomplished. Internally, he mocked her supposed "professionalism" while reaching down to rub his thigh, which was still stinging from where Song Yue had pinched him.

He wasn't worried about how the audience would perceive this. Among this group, how many were actually normal? Fighting fire with fire was just standard operating procedure.

Yu Hui’s face fell instantly. "Sister Yun..."

Pan Yun interrupted him. "Objections overruled. Either learn from Shujian and go earn your own money."

Once the group’s attention was no longer on Xu Shujian, Song Yue leaned in close, whispering with a smile near his ear, "You are so wicked."

Xu Shujian shot her a glance and straightened his posture. Could she please maintain the boundaries expected of a divorced couple? Dammit, what kind of perfume was she wearing? It was giving him goosebumps.

Ten minutes later, as the group sat around several tables pushed together, a few camera operators couldn't help but chuckle. They had been tracking Xu Shujian and Song Yue the entire time, and to them, the scene was downright comical.

A moment ago, Xu Shujian and Song Yue had been enjoying a meal of three dishes and a soup—a feast that was truly a delight to the senses. Now, the rest of the group was huddled over instant noodles or self-heating hot pots, splitting a single slice of luncheon meat and checking to see who wanted a piece. No one turned it down.

"Actually, it's not bad. Everything tastes good when you're hungry," Zhang Qidong added, trying to save face.

Yu Hui chuckled. "You said it. The fish head soup Brother Xu left behind was pretty good, too."

***

Yu Hui fell into a reverie. Who had been chatting with him last night? It seemed to have been Zhang Qidong and Pan Yun, both of them pouring out their grievances.

Zhang Qidong talked about how many messes he had cleaned up for Lin Xiaoxian, how much money he had spent, and how many favors he had cashed in. Pan Yun talked about how she looked after Chen Linye in every minute detail and how much she loved him, yet Chen Linye had become increasingly rebellious, feeling she shouldn't interfere so much and that he was completely misunderstood.

It had gotten to the point where even Yu Hui had joined in, griping a bit about Huang Lingling. He had thought he’d found allies, and that things would get more comfortable from there. What nonsense. After a night’s sleep, it felt completely meaningless.

Yu Hui looked at Xu Shujian, who was standing by the window admiring the river view. He thought to himself that sticking with Brother Xu was the way to go. They had managed to enjoy a feast for no apparent reason, the moral high ground seemed to be on their side, and they had even earned their own money.

*Will this make us look like total losers when it airs?* he wondered. *What if I fail to gain any traction, lose my wife, and get chased by a mob of angry commenters?*

Yu Hui frowned, then picked up a piece of tripe from his self-heating hot pot and placed it into the disposable cup in front of Huang Lingling.

There was hardly any food to begin with, and regardless of whether it was noodles, hot pot, or self-heating rice, they were all eating together, using the disposable cups as makeshift bowls. Yu Hui felt that Brother Xu’s level of play was a bit too high for him to grasp. By comparison, his own wife was easier to coax, and Yu Hui felt like he could still salvage things.

Huang Lingling didn't stop Yu Hui from adding food to her cup, but she unconsciously pursed her lips. She had expected to be happy—after all, in their daily life, Yu Hui rarely made such gestures—but she didn't feel much of anything. It felt more like the inertia of expectation that had failed to land, leaving her feeling inexplicably lost inside.

Zhang Qidong offered a forced laugh. He realized no one was picking up on his cues.

He had spent the whole night talking, constantly agreeing with Pan Yun and Yu Hui. It had been fine when Xu Shujian and Song Yue weren't around, but as soon as those two appeared, the atmosphere returned to one that made him uncomfortable.

Out of the corner of his eye, Zhang Qidong looked toward the window. Xu Shujian and Song Yue were standing very close to each other.

*What’s the meaning of this? You, Xu Shujian, mess everything up for everyone else, and then go off to be lovey-dovey yourself?*

Zhang Qidong began to re-evaluate. He had to admit that the rhythm of the show seemed to be following Xu Shujian’s lead. So far, Xu Shujian had already caused a qualitative shift between Yu Hui and Huang Lingling—she had been preoccupied all day. And as for himself, Xu Shujian had even encouraged the conflict between him and Xiaoxian, all while singing songs and making money on the side. He was packed with content.

He had truly underestimated Xu Shujian. Then again, being able to endure ten years with Song Yue—he couldn't have done that without some level of cunning.

Zhang Qidong felt he had become too passive, treating the filming like a simple performance or a vacation. It seemed he needed to take this seriously.

After a few bites, Zhang Qidong looked at Chen Linye. "Aren't you two the tour guides? Come on, introduce us to Qionghai Lake."

***

Chen Linye looked up, looking a bit embarrassed. "I think we lost the tour guide handbook."

Zhang Qidong’s voice rose a notch. "Lost it? How could you lose that?"

...

By the window, Xu Shujian and Song Yue were looking down at the fish in the lake. The farmhouse was well-situated, with the restaurant partially suspended over the water. Perhaps the guests or the owner had fed the fish here, because whenever someone leaned against the window, the fish would swim right up.

The commotion behind them grew louder. Xu Shujian glanced back, then paid a little more attention.

Zhang Qidong was being very active, sternly telling Pan Yun and Chen Linye that they shouldn't have lost the handbook. He gave various examples of how such mistakes shouldn't be made. After the scolding, he offered "earnest" advice, saying that while the people present might not mind, they were filming a show—what would the audience think? Wouldn't they think they were unreliable? He told them to pay attention to these details, putting on the air of someone looking out for their best interests.

It was factual and grounded. Pan Yun and Chen Linye agreed with Zhang Qidong’s logic and listened intently.

Then, he asked Chen Linye to take photos for everyone, making all sorts of difficult demands, saying he wanted to see something different and even requiring Chen Linye to go outside the farmhouse to take landscape shots from a distant hillside.

Chen Linye didn't want to, but his attitude wasn't firm; he refused in a joking tone.

Huang Lingling couldn't stand it anymore and remarked that Mr. Zhang was teasing the youngsters again.

Only then did Zhang Qidong laugh loudly and say he was joking. He even leaned in to whisper an explanation to Chen Linye, saying he was helping him—helping him mitigate the negative impact of losing the tour guide handbook.

*If I give you a hard time, don't you become the victim? Won't the audience feel bad for you?*

He suggested they share the burden of the "black pot." As the senior, he wasn't afraid of being criticized, adding how many times he had been scolded over the years.

He had Chen Linye and Pan Yun completely fooled. The look in Pan Yun’s eyes as she gazed at Zhang Qidong actually held a hint of genuine gratitude.

Song Yue leaned toward Xu Shujian and laughed with a touch of disdain. She whispered, "He’s showing off his management skills. He must be feeling pressured by you—his sense of presence is getting weaker and weaker."

Xu Shujian nodded slightly, then glanced toward the production team. Sure enough, Tang Mingyue looked somber; she was likely contemplating how much of a headache this would be to edit.