They had to admit it, it was a scrumptious dinner. It would have been perfect if not for the unnecessary reminder written on the table by the production team.
"This will be the last dinner prepared by the production team for everyone."
This unwelcome reminder added an unsettling spice to the food.
With a weakened appetite, everyone stared at their bowls and ate,
Back in the Capital, Lu Zhengya was glued to the livestream. His gaze got darker and darker as he saw #GardenCP# climb higher and higher in the trending list.
Who was the one that suggested I bomb the extravagant sum to buy her a spot on this programme? How fantastic! Now I can only sit here and watch her act all chummy with other people...
Running errands outside, piercing chills ran down uncomfortably along Bai Yan's spine.
Watching the close, friendly interaction between Jinli and Lu Qingyuan, inexplicable stuffiness balled in Lu Zhengya's chest. Just the other day, Bai Yan had reported to him. He knew his nephew would be on the show, he hadn't thought too much about it.
While he did not hate this nephew of his, their relationship couldn't be classified as a good one. More accurately, his relationship with everyone in the Lu household was the same. All simply blood-related strangers.
If he had known that things would turn out this way, that Jinli would get along better with Lu Qingyuan than with him, he would have arranged for work to come Lu Qingyuan's way.
At that thought, flames of irritation crackled in his heart. Together with it, an unexplained grievance flashed through his mind.
Why? Why can you get along so well with Lu Qingyuan? Why not with me?
Appearance? Power? Status? How am I inferior to that brat?
Right at this moment, Lu Zhengya was unaware of his wild, uncontrollable emotions.
Possessiveness was already understatement compared to his obsession with Jinli.
Alas, since young, he was never educated to love another being in a normal, caring manner. Even his most trusted subordinate was a 26-year-old, forever alone, single and overworked slave.
All he could do was to forcefully swallow that displeasure and bury it deep within.
...
On set.
Having finished their final dinner, the guests scoured through the entire hut. They had several useful findings. 6 fully charged torchlights, an overly simplified map of the island and a mission card. On the mission card, a handful of red dots were drawn. As to what it meant, they could only wait to find out.
Looking out, the sky had darkened. Soon, it would be pitch black.
What else could be done on a deserted island at night? Well, if they were close friends, some heart to heart talk could be had. Yet, the dispirited team of idols chose to rest.
The only silver lining of the entire downcast day was that there were sufficient rooms within the hut for everyone.
Jinli had chosen a relatively cosy room for herself. Looking around, she heaved a sigh of relief. The room was neat and tidy. Everything she would require was present. What was more, she even had hot water to wash up in there.
Within moments, she had had her relaxing warm bath and snuggled into her bed. With her eyes shut, she rested.
The uninhabited island was dead silent. Her five senses were heightened to their limits. She could hear every single nook and cranny. From the rustling of the leaves in the breeze to the falling of dead leaves of the branches. She could hear the scrambling of small animals in the distance. Even further away, she heard the howling of predators in the night.
Unbeknownst to Jinli, and secret from all the guests, a line of unsettling words crawled out, foreshadowing the impending event.
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The viewers were puzzled.
What the heck?
Explain yourselves!
Don't you know? These sorts of unexplained things will lead us into unwanted fantasies?
HAHAHA! What if I want to watch even more now?
In the next instant, the screen went pitch black.
Resonating beside their ears, a resentful, screeching whine approached from a distance.
What the heck!!!?!?!?!
Absolutely EXCITING!!!!