When Sian and his group arrived at the "cabin," they were shocked. While Director Han explained how this was a survival show, emphasizing that they had to live in the wilderness without outside help and survive solely in the "cabin," Sian's first thought was of a small, one-room wooden house. After all, that was the kind of cabin he was familiar with. But forgive his ignorance. Standing before him was a single-story villa so elegant and refined it seemed to mock Sian's naivety. Even the windows were made of glass.
Some of the participants, having watched previous seasons of this reality show, weren't as surprised. After all, even with live broadcasts of wilderness survival, there had to be some aesthetic appeal. They couldn't possibly have participants sleeping in caves or out in the open for a month.
Seeing that the others weren't as astonished, Sian hid his surprise and followed the group into the "cabin"—or rather, the villa.
Inside, they were welcomed by a spacious living room at the heart of the house. The living room seamlessly blended with an open kitchen overlooking it, creating a warm and cozy space.
At the center of the living room stood an old-fashioned stone fireplace, surrounded by small shelves holding books and frames of cherished moments. A large, gray, and plush sofa occupied one corner of the room, adorned with earthy-toned cushions, facing a simple wooden coffee table.
On the other side, the kitchen connected to the living room without any separating walls. A long wooden bar with a polished surface gleamed under warm, modern hanging lights, adding a contemporary touch to the space. The high chairs surrounding the bar had metallic frames and leather seats, offering a clear view of the living room, which gave the place a sense of unity. Behind the bar, white kitchen cabinets paired with smooth marble countertops were neatly arranged, while cooking utensils gleamed on meticulously hung racks.
Sian studied the room's design and took in every detail. Meanwhile, Ben Wang jumped onto the sofa with a loud "plop," sinking into its soft cushions as if he were about to cry. After sleeping on dirt, grass, and rocks, finally having something soft beneath him was a near-religious experience. He was moments away from falling asleep when Tong Xiao smacked him on the head, saying, "Idiot! At least wash-up and change your clothes first. Look at what you've done—you've turned the sofa black!"
Ben Wang lifted his head to look at the sofa and then at himself. Honestly, everyone was in terrible shape. Their black sportswear was caked with dirt, smeared with green stains from plants and grass, and soaked from the rain, with muddy shoes completing the look.
Feeling embarrassed, Ben Wang apologized profusely.
Lan Qisheng said calmly, "There are two bathrooms here, and there's hot water as well. Take turns washing up."
Kim Hyun, who was rifling through the cupboards, found slippers—20 In total, he sighed, impressed by the attention to detail from the director and production team.
Lan Qisheng then ordered everyone to shower quickly.
About an hour later, the group was gathered in the living room. Naturally, they had cleaned up the mess they'd brought in.
Everyone had showered and changed into their spare clothes, which the crew had wisely told them to bring.
"Where's Sian?" Tong Xiao asked.
"He was the last to go into the bathroom. He's probably playing with the water—beautiful youth, you know," Liang Zhou joked, his tone that of a parent grumbling about their child.
The group chuckled. It was true; Sian was practically a kid compared to them. The youngest among them was nearing thirty, while Sian hadn't even hit twenty.
"Is there anything to eat? I'm starving," a voice suddenly called out from behind them.
Everyone turned toward the sound, but their words got stuck in their throats.
Ben Wang, who had been drinking water, choked and spat it all over Tong Xiao's face. Yet, the latter didn't get angry. In fact, he didn't even move to wipe the water off. Tong Xiao's eyes were glued to the teenager who had just announced his hunger.
Delicate toes peeked out from oversized slippers. Those slender feet, pale as porcelain, were slightly red—probably from the hot water. Even his calves had a faint blush. But wait—something wasn't right. Sian was wearing a short bathrobe.
"What are you wearing?" Lan Qisheng demanded, his voice sharp with irritation.
Sian didn't seem to notice—or care. He replied casually, "My clothes got soaked in my bag because of the rain. This was the only thing I could find."
He strolled to the sofa and sat next to Kim Hyun, who gave him a perplexed look.
Sian's damp hair dripped water, his cheeks glowed with a faint blush, and his lips held a hint of rosy color. Lan Qisheng suppressed his irritation and spoke more evenly, "You could've asked for help. And why didn't you dry your hair properly? There's a hairdryer in the bathroom."
"I don't like the noise. It's annoying."
Lan Qisheng: "…"
What was he supposed to do with this kid? Was this a rebellious teenage phase?
Lan Qisheng said nothing more and left the living room.
Sian, resting his head on the sofa, heard Liang Zhou remark, "Kid, aren't you an idol? Shouldn't you care more about your image?"
Sian frowned in confusion. "Why? What did I do?"
Zhao Ling, who had been staring at Sian in shock moments ago, finally burst out, "What did you do?! Are you stupid, or are you playing dumb? An idol strutting around half-naked on a live broadcast without shame?! Don't tell me you thought there weren't any cameras just because the drones aren't here. Every corner of this house has cameras!"
"Oh," Sian responded nonchalantly. "Of course, I know. There are over 30 cameras in total. Even the bathrooms have audio recording devices."
"Is that true?" Aaron Wang asked in disbelief. He'd noticed the cameras but hadn't realized there were microphones in the bathrooms.
Zhao Ling and the others already knew about the microphones, but they hadn't expected Sian to figure it out too. Still, that wasn't the issue here.
"Then, knowing that why are you walking around exposing yourself like this? Aren't you afraid of the fans going crazy?" Zhao Ling asked, unable to hold back.
Sian sighed and replied with unusual patience, probably because his mood was better now that the pain in his heart had lessened. "Look, first of all, I'm not exposing myself. I'm wearing this, aren't I?" He tugged at the collar of his bathrobe for emphasis. "And secondly, didn't I tell you all? I'm not an idol or a star anymore. This is my last appearance on camera. I don't care what people think of me anymore."
Zhao Ling fell silent. He'd initially thought Sian was joking about quitting his career, but now it seemed he was serious.
As the living room buzzed back to life with conversations, Lan Qisheng returned, holding a white towel. He walked straight to the sofa, stood behind Sian, and gently began drying his hair without saying a word.
Sian didn't resist Lan Qisheng's care. Why would he? It felt nice to be looked after, especially by someone proud, handsome, and strong like Lan Qisheng.
Closing his eyes, Sian relaxed as he listened to the lively chatter around him. He found it comforting to be surrounded by people. He had always loved this feeling. In the apocalypse in his world, so many people died every day that silence had become the norm, spreading everywhere like a plague.
Sian fell asleep without realizing it. Everyone else was exhausted as well. Lan Qisheng instructed them to rest. The villa had four rooms on the upper floor, each equipped with six beds.
After dividing his team into shifts for night watch and telling the rest to pick their rooms as they pleased, Lan Qisheng was about to turn away when he heard Tong Xiao say, "Sian's asleep. Should we carry him? He can sleep in the same room as me and Bin Wang."
Of course, Tong Xiao wasn't asking for Lan Qisheng's permission—where did he get such boldness? He was speaking to Liang Zhou, who had just inquired about Sian.
Turning his head, Lan Qisheng replied coldly, "I'll take him." He didn't explain further, and everyone watched with wide eyes as he approached Sian to carry him. Leaning down, Lan Qisheng placed one hand on Sian's waist and the other under his legs.
However, before he could lift him, Sian's eyes snapped open, filled with caution, anger, and a deadly intent that could freeze anyone in their tracks. In less than a second, Sian grabbed Lan Qisheng by the collar. With an impressive flip, he swung his body in a stunning maneuver, ending up with his legs wrapped around Lan Qisheng's neck. Using a burst of strength, he twisted, sending Lan Qisheng crashing to the floor.
The entire sequence happened faster than anyone could react. Sian didn't stop there. After pinning Lan Qisheng to the ground, he climbed on top of him and wrapped his hands tightly around his throat. Fortunately for Lan Qisheng, this body wasn't strong, and Sian didn't have a weapon on hand—otherwise...
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Black Box:
Lan Qisheng: "sweetheart, do you like being on top of me that much? Hmm?"
Sian: "..."
Lan Qisheng: "This time, I'll let you have the upper hand. But next time, I'll be the one on top, alright?"
Sian, shoving someone's wandering hands off his backside: "Get your hands off me, you pervert! Errant! Degenerate! Hentai!..."
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