Chapter Eighty-Two: The Plot Has Changed

Sang Yijia went to the window to answer the phone, while the filming crew circled around and returned to the doorway to shoot. After Lu Wenchuan put his luggage inside, he stepped out and immediately saw Sang Yijia on the phone by the window. His eyes flickered, and just then, a knock came at the door.

Knock, knock, knock.

A very rhythmic knock.

Anyone familiar would know it was Yan Ningsi.

[Just by hearing the knock, you know who it is.]
[Little Sisi really has her habits.]
[If this were another variety show, she’d give herself away in an instant.]

Lu Wenchuan went to open the door, and Yan Ningsi and Bian He squeezed in together.

“Brother Lu, is Jiajia not ready yet?” Yan Ningsi peeked into Sang Yijia’s room, but unfortunately couldn’t see anything.

Bian He handed the newly received task card to Lu Wenchuan. “I noticed before that you and Sang Yijia both love green, so this time, the green card goes to you.”

“Thank you.” Lu Wenchuan glanced at the dark green card, as if remembering something. He pressed his lips together and asked, “Where are Shen Jin and Lan Qing?”

“They left first,” Yan Ningsi replied, glancing back and touching the tip of her nose. “Honestly, they’re the ones who seem like actual guests on a dating show.”

“We’re more like a group of friends on a trip.”

[Hahaha, Little Sisi is quite self-aware.]
[To be honest, these two couples really don’t have any CP vibe.]
[The director’s right there, how is Little Sisi so bold?]

Sang Yijia finished her call, turned around, and saw Yan Ningsi and Bian He in the living room. Her gaze shifted to Lu Wenchuan. Their dark eyes met, and Sang Yijia quickly looked away. Thinking of something, she walked out. “Why are you two here?”

“We’re all headed to the same place for the next task,” Yan Ningsi said, hurrying over to link arms with Sang Yijia. “Do you want to see the task?”

“I have it,” Lu Wenchuan said, handing the unopened card directly to Sang Yijia.

Sang Yijia didn’t need to look to know what was inside: a small game, a sports competition, a test of teamwork.

But she still played along, opened the card, and after reading the contents, her brows furrowed.

“How is it?” Yan Ningsi clapped her hands, delighted. “I specially added this segment!”

“Isn’t it a surprise? Aren’t you thrilled?”

“…” This wasn’t in the book, Sang Yijia thought. Was this the story going off track?

But, from the start, things had been different.

Sang Yijia quickly accepted it. “Yes, I’m quite surprised.”

“How did you think of it?” Sang Yijia asked Yan Ningsi.

“Let’s talk as we walk.” Yan Ningsi kept her arm in Sang Yijia’s. “Didn’t we play a game at lunch? I didn’t rest afterwards, ran into the crew who said they were switching your rooms, and that there wasn’t enough time for the next segment. So I kindly gave a suggestion.” Yan Ningsi finished with a smile.

For a moment, Sang Yijia didn’t know how to express her feelings.

Falling behind, Bian He clicked his tongue and turned to Lu Wenchuan. “I was only two seconds late leaving the room, and Little Sisi already changed the whole afternoon schedule.”

“She’s really something,” Bian He said, giving a thumbs up in genuine admiration. “No wonder she’s never been invited on a variety show before.”

Changing plans so suddenly is troublesome, but fortunately, Yan Ningsi’s intentions were always good.

Lu Wenchuan didn’t reply; his gaze remained on Sang Yijia. He recalled what the old Master Lu had said and how he’d promised the Sang family never to appear before Sang Yijia again, yet here he was, breaking that promise.

The Sang family must have seen the livestream by now and learned his identity.

What would happen next?

Lu Wenchuan thought that once this episode ended, the Sang family would come looking for him.

His mind drifted far away, and he didn’t hear a word Bian He said.

“Brother Lu?” Bian He had spoken for a while, but Lu Wenchuan didn’t react at all. He frowned, then turned to the camera and asked, “Am I really that uninteresting now?”

The livestream audience burst out laughing.

[Hehe’s charm must only work on Little Sisi?]
[Don’t kid yourself, Little Sisi doesn’t even like Hehe.]
[Exactly, Little Sisi likes Zhuang Fei now.]

As if he knew what the viewers would say, Bian He brushed his bangs aside and, thinking himself handsome, flicked his head. “How could my charm ever fade?”

“It must be that I haven’t given it my all yet.” With that, Bian He walked toward Lu Wenchuan, slung an arm around his shoulders, leaned in close to his ear, and said, “Brother Lu, how about it?”

Right then, Sang Yijia and Yan Ningsi both turned around. Seeing this scene, Yan Ningsi’s eyes widened and her mouth opened, at a loss for words.

Sang Yijia remained calm on the surface, but in her mind flashed Duan Yuqing’s words: “Do you know how handsome my ex-boyfriend—my boss—was?”

“If I hadn’t been taken by his looks, I’d never have agreed to be his girlfriend.”

“And then?”

“That jerk came out of the closet! As if that wasn’t enough, he said I wasn’t as big as him!”

“He, well, I’m still a girl, aren’t I? Shouldn’t I be softer?!”

Sang Yijia’s brow twitched violently. No matter how she tried to suppress it, Duan Yuqing’s voice echoed endlessly in her mind.

“What are you doing?” Yan Ningsi licked her lips, curiosity lighting her eyes. She glanced again at Lu Wenchuan. “I never realized you two were so close.”

They were already arm in arm.

Lu Wenchuan shot her a cold look, and Bian He sheepishly withdrew his hand, but in front of the camera, he had to save face. “Nothing, just chatting.”

Yan Ningsi measured the height difference between him and Lu Wenchuan, nodded, and said, “I see.”

“Carry on.”

Sang Yijia reined in her thoughts. She glanced at Lu Wenchuan, feeling he wasn’t that kind of person, and besides, didn’t Bian He like Lan Qing?

“The fifth floor is the video game room,” Lu Wenchuan said. Although he hadn’t opened the card, he’d caught a glimpse when Sang Yijia did, and since the hotel belonged to the Lu family, he knew the management well.

The hotel’s business model was always about concentrated leisure and entertainment, so guests could do whatever they wanted after returning from outings.

Karaoke, movies, games, clubbing, billiards—every kind of entertainment was available. If a guest could think of it, the hotel could provide it.

Lu Wenchuan thought: As long as I change the subject, no one will overthink.

Sang Yijia: Are you sure?

Lu Wenchuan: Absolutely.

(End of this chapter)