In front of the camera, Bai Jinze smiled faintly.
Anyone with discerning eyes could see that Song Enya was Chen Feiyu's forbidden treasure, the pearl of his heart.
Initially, Bai Jinze had been pondering how to persuade Chen Feiyu to vote Xu Qingyan out in the day after tomorrow's voting, but now it seemed that he needn't bother too much after all.
Xu Qingyan was practically despised by everyone, causing trouble here and offending others there, seemingly intent on courting disaster.
What Bai Jinze hadn't expected, however, was that Xu Qingyan would suddenly turn and head towards Chen Feiyu. He ran over and babbled on for a while before returning to his original spot.
Chen Feiyu's complexion looked somewhat poor, his expression indescribably odd.
This move couldn't help but make Bai Jinze frown, casting a doubtful glance at Chen Feiyu. For some reason, a sense of unease welled up in his heart.
"Have you made up your mind?"
"I've decided, I choose... Pei Muchan," said Xu Qingyan almost without hesitation, which felt both surprising and yet very reasonable at the same time.
In the celebrity observation room, Huang Miu wore a puzzled expression, completely baffled.
"No, how come he..."
On site, Pei Muchan revealed a trace of a smile when she heard the answer. For some reason, being with Xu Qingyan made her feel relaxed.
When the staff came to put handcuffs on the two of them, Pei Muchan was still smiling.
"You're so happy to be locked up with me?" asked Xu Qingyan.
"Yeah, it's quite interesting," she said, her smile charming, like faint ink mist on fine rice paper.
But whether it was the game or the person that was interesting, she didn't say, and Xu Qingyan didn't feel like asking. Don't overthink a woman's words, just get things done.
Click, their wrists were locked together by a chain.
The chain, modified by the props team, was at its shortest approximately a meter in length, and could extend up to five meters. The locked area was covered with a cotton sleeve to prevent the wrists from being scratched.
"The chain is now locked, and it can only be opened after twenty-four hours," said the staff member.
"Is this chain sturdy?" he asked.
Staff member: "....."
Pei Muchan pursed her lips, unable to hold back a laugh.
Just then, Shen Jinyue suddenly came over, craned her neck to stare at the chain for a while. She touched it with her hands and even tried to pry it open, suddenly grimacing with effort as she pulled hard.
Staff member: "....."
Director: "......"
Shen Jinyue's explosively abstract artistry instantly set the barrage of comments ablaze, as waves of lavish praise surged in.
"I can't hold it in any longer, she's playing with something very new."
"Unveiling a new skin, though I am of age, my arrows remain sharp!"
"This is bad, she might genuinely be a genius! Nothing can confound her, she's quality testing the chain!"
By noon, the filming task was completed, and the guests had started to retreat. Only a sparse few camera teams remained on site, one of which was responsible for Shen Jinyue's perspective.
Xu Qingyan and Pei Muchan were already connected, and a small team following the two of them was sufficient. The guest resting rooms were off-limits for filming.
He pulled the chain back in exasperation and complained.
"Shen Jinyue, you really must have too much free time on your hands if you're not busy. Can't you find a better job to do?"
"Why are you so aggressive!" Shen Jinyue puffed out her chest, looking unconvinced. "This chain isn't just yours, Pei has a half share in it too!"
"I call the shots," he raised his hand, shaking the chain on his wrist, making a clattering sound.
"What's your relationship to decide that, Pei Muchan hasn't even spoken yet!" Shen Jinyue still wasn't convinced, "I'll just play with Pei Muchan's chain!"
"Life should be colorful, why do you always get stuck between yellow and green."
"You're the one who's yellow!"
"Not yellow, do you want to check your phone to see what the bullet comments are saying?"
"Ugh!!" Shen Jinyue suddenly realized the slip of the tongue with the word "play," which had caused a misunderstanding, and her face reddened, "Playing with Pei Muchan is my business, what's it to you?"
There are only two kinds of unbreakable bonds that can temporarily be established between a man and a woman: one is through money, and the other is impulsive flirtation.
Although the end of flirtation is usually quiet and silent, the crass beginnings almost always start with a not-so-stunning joke, followed by the other party's smirk.
"Since she's locked up with me, how is that none of my business?" Xu Qingyan said, turning to ask Pei Muchan, "What's our relationship?"
Pei Muchan chuckled and replied, "Just friends."
"Is that so? I'll have to search on Baidu later if 'just friends' casually get handcuffed together." Xu Qingyan pretended to reach for his phone, glancing at Pei Muchan.
"Pah! Xu Qingyan, you're so shameless!" Shen Jinyue couldn't stand it anymore, stuck out her tongue and slipped away.
Xu Qingyan didn't stoop to the level of a child, and was already planning to head back. Only the two of them remained in the semi-open-air restaurant in the backyard, he tugged on the chain, and said to Pei Muchan.
"Shall we go back?"
"Where to?"
"I heard they said we're taking a break this afternoon." He looked up at the sky, which had become overcast in an instant, the weather on the islands always changes faster than flipping through a book, "It might rain, and we can't shoot outdoors."
"Mhm."
"Let's go back to rest, by that I mean..." Xu Qingyan lifted the handcuff chain, "Back to your place or mine? I'm fine with either."
Pei Muchan lifted her foot and then set it back down, hesitated for a few seconds, and said.
"Can we go to your room?"
"Mhm." Xu Qingyan deliberately put the question to Pei Muchan, he had anticipated the answer, "Then follow me, I put the key at the reception desk for fear of losing it."
The two crossed the backyard, walked through the passageway beside the kitchen, connected at the wrist by a chain. Almost every few steps, the chain would make a rattling noise.
Almost at the same time, the wind had started picking up in the backyard.
Following that, a torrential downpour mixed with strong winds smashed down, instantly dimming the narrow alleyway outside the kitchen, as if a light above the clouds had been extinguished.
"You..." Xu Qingyan was also a bit nervous, unsure of just how much Pei Muchan would tolerate him, testing the waters cautiously.
"What's wrong?" Pei Muchan's voice was somewhat cool, the sudden dimness made her uncomfortable, and a sense of irritation began to slowly surface in her heart.
"Come closer to me, the damn chain from the crew must have been bought off Pinduoduo. The light here is dark, and the chain keeps swinging, it's creepy to listen to."
The slack chain between them could be tightened, folding it shortens the distance.
"Okay." Pei Muchan agreed, in the dark her warm breath was audible, her footsteps shifted slightly, inching closer, "You retract the chain, does it still make noise now?"
Whether it made noise was not important, it was just ten meters ahead and they could dash through the narrow corridor. It wasn't about seeing if Pei Muchan would fall for a trap, but whether she wanted to be part of one.
If she liked it, she would fall for even the silliest of tricks. If not, no matter how clever the ploy, it would just make one look like a fool.
"Don't know, let's just retract it first." Xu Qingyan answered vaguely, rattling the chain as he gathered it up in his hand, his heart pounding, and whispered.
"It's not enough."