The grandmas went into their rooms to wash up and change clothes.
Chu Xingxing and Wen Han pulled their luggage upstairs to take a short break and freshen up as well.
Just as Chu Xingxing pulled her suitcase into her room, she heard a knock on the door.
“Sorry,” Wen Han stood at the doorway, slightly lowering his head, holding a key in his hand. “This is the key to the door between our rooms. I’ll leave it with you for safekeeping.”
“Okay.” Chu Xingxing didn’t think much of it and took the key.
“And one more thing…” Wen Han’s expression was a bit hesitant. He propped his elbow against the doorframe and smiled apologetically. “How about I help you move the wardrobe in your room over to that door? Would that make you feel more secure?”
【Ahhh! Wen Han is such a gentleman, absolutely amazing!】
【Being a gentleman and polite really adds so many bonus points!】
【Wen Han’s upbringing is truly excellent.】
Chu Xingxing glanced back at the wardrobe, then looked up at Wen Han, furrowing her brows slightly.
He didn’t seem like someone who lacked a sense of security, did he?
After a few seconds of silence, she nodded and said, “It’s okay, I can just move the wardrobe over myself.”
With that, Chu Xingxing rolled up her sleeves, effortlessly lifted the wardrobe that weighed several tens of kilograms, and firmly blocked the door between their two rooms.
Wen Han: “…”
What kind of super-powered girl is Xingxing???
“Does this make you feel more secure? If you’re still not reassured, I can move a shoe cabinet over too. After all, getting a good night’s sleep is more important.”
After saying this, Chu Xingxing made a move to go downstairs and get the shoe cabinet.
“No… no need…” Wen Han felt like he might have been overthinking things.
Then he felt like something was off?
Had Xingxing misunderstood him???
【Hahahaha, I’m dying of laughter! How can Xingxing be this cute!!!】
【Mom’s Xingbao is just too adorable! Hahahaha, she’s such a straightforward girl!】
【She’s totally stumped Wen Han, hahaha, sweetie! Wen Han was worried you might not feel safe!】
【I’m laughing so hard, these two are hilarious, hahaha, Wen Han must be so confused, right?】
—
Chu Xingxing closed her door and went to the bathroom for a quick shower, casually tying her long hair into a fluffy bun.
She had underestimated the power of the tropical climate; having her hair loose really wasn’t cool or comfortable enough.
Just as she was about to change clothes, her phone vibrated.
A WeChat message. It was from her agent, Jiang Changsheng.
【Longlife: I just got off the plane. Is the recording going smoothly? Did Tian Mengtong keep causing you trouble afterwards?】
Jiang Changsheng had insisted on accompanying her, saying that since this was the first official booking for the talent he managed, he’d feel more at ease being there.
It was just that he had some work to wrap up with the company in the morning, so he took a later flight and arrived at Pearl Island.
Chu Xingxing called him directly on voice chat and gave him a quick update.
Jiang Changsheng hadn’t had a chance to watch the live stream. He’d rushed from the VIP lounge to board the plane after finishing up at the company, and received the live stream summary from his assistant on the way. So he already knew about Tian Mengtong deliberately picking a fight.
Coincidentally, there was no WiFi on that flight, so Jiang Changsheng couldn’t contact Chu Xingxing.
The moment he got off the plane, he messaged her immediately.
He didn’t call because he was afraid she might be in the middle of the live stream and unable to answer.
“I have some good news to tell you in person. It takes about fifty minutes from the airport to Sunset Villa…”
The environment on Jiang Changsheng’s end became very noisy.
His voice was choppy; the network was clearly not good.
Chu Xingxing said, “We’re about to head to the Tesco supermarket in the commercial district. How about we meet there?”
“Okay, I’ll have the driver go directly there.” Jiang Changsheng finally found a spot with a stable signal and held his pose, not daring to move his elbow.
“Alright. Be safe on the road. Tell the driver to go slow since it’s getting dark. See you in a bit.”
Afraid that the grandmas might be waiting for her, Chu Xingxing habitually added a word of caution before hanging up the voice call.
She’d heard the grandmas talking about the road conditions on the island as they were coming upstairs earlier. They mentioned that many places didn’t have streetlights and the passing bays on the winding roads were very narrow, so they told Wen Han to be extremely careful when driving later.
The call had already ended.
Jiang Changsheng still maintained his posture, the tips of his ears burning hot.
It wasn’t until the driver reminded him they could leave that he finally lowered his elbow.
Damn her concern!
Jiang Changsheng kept a cool face on the surface, but his heart felt a little raw.
Suddenly, a ridiculous thought popped into his head.
Was Chu Xingxing…
this concerned about Wen Han too?
Every time Jiang Changsheng thought he could face Chu Xingxing with the complete professionalism of a manager, she always managed to shatter that balance without meaning to.
—
After Chu Xingxing changed her clothes, she opened her door at almost the exact same time as Wen Han.
“We’re not late, are we?” Chu Xingxing checked her phone.
She had taken a total of 20 minutes, which was 10 minutes earlier than scheduled.
“No, they just finished getting ready too.” Wen Han waved his phone, showing the live stream feed from the living room.
“Good, let’s go then.” Chu Xingxing casually pulled her door shut.
Just as she reached the bottom of the stairs, she heard Wen Han’s voice behind her: “Go ahead, I need to grab something.”
“Okay, sure.” Chu Xingxing nodded and went downstairs first.
As soon as she came out of her room, Grandma Xiao Jiang’s eyes lit up, and she waved her over: “Come here, my dear! We really have a telepathic connection. Let’s take a quick photo to show Aze.”
Seeing what Jiang Yao was wearing, Chu Xingxing smiled too.
Grandma Xiao Jiang had changed into a loose, flowy maxi dress made of a silk-blend fabric that shimmered softly with her movements, like flowing, pearlescent seawater.
Chu Xingxing, on the other hand, had changed into a matching set: a cropped tank top and shorts, with leather sandals.
The material of the cropped tank top was the same as Jiang Yao’s silk dress, and the pattern was identical – clearly made from the same fabric.
The silk fabric had a unique sheen and hugged her waist perfectly.
Chu Xingxing was slim but not bony, tall and graceful. The silk tank top couldn’t hide her collarbones, her long neck, the elegant lines of her arms, or her back – every part was stunningly beautiful.
These two pieces of clothing, same material but different styles, looked uniquely beautiful on Jiang Yao and Chu Xingxing.
The flowing maxi dress exuded elegance; its lively colors highlighted Grandma Xiao Jiang’s mature beauty while still maintaining a relaxed, vacation vibe.
The close-fitting cropped top had bright, eye-catching colors, making Chu Xingxing’s already fair skin glow brilliantly. The clever tailoring made her look even more youthful and playful.
【I wanted to compliment Xingxing as soon as she came out, sob, this tank top is so beautiful! Please mass-produce it, Saci!】
【The tank top on Xingbao is amazing, and her figure is absolutely perfect. OMG, those arms, that waistline, and that unattainable chest, sob sob sob, I’m guilty, I crave my “daughter’s” body!】
【Grandma Xiao Jiang’s dress is super beautiful too, great taste. I really want to buy one for my mom.】
【Beautiful women of any age are so adorable, I love them all. Come into my bowl!】
“Come on, come on, let me take pictures for you.” Wen Xuelan put down her Hermès Birkin and took several photos of Jiang Yao and Chu Xingxing together.
After taking them, Wen Xuelan held the phone away, squinted her eyes, and started admiring them: “Tsk, our Yaoyao is still as charming as ever, and Xingbao is just handsome!”
“Post them in the group chat, post them! I want to send one to Aze.” Jiang Yao was also eager to see how the photos turned out and craned her neck to look.
“Where’s Xiaonuan? How come the grown man is the slowest?” Sheng Shuwen, who had been flipping through a book, looked at her watch and asked.
Wen Han’s voice and footsteps reached the ground floor together: “Sorry, I forgot my phone and had to go back upstairs to get it. Let’s go.”
“It’s fine. Shall we head out?” Chu Xingxing glanced at him and noticed that Wen Han was now carrying an extra backpack.
Obviously, if he had only forgotten his phone, he wouldn’t have needed to bring down an extra backpack, right?
Ai Minli was also carrying a large Kuromi eco-bag, stuffed full.
Chu Xingxing offered to help Grandma Ai Minli carry her bag, but she refused.
Ai Minli shook her head: “The bag isn’t heavy. It’s just a few reusable shopping bags. Since we’re going to the supermarket, we can use them repeatedly and use fewer plastic bags.”
“That was my oversight. I’ll bring reusable bags when I go to the supermarket from now on too.” Chu Xingxing nodded thoughtfully.
Humans nowadays had no idea how terrifying the apocalypse would be.
And the cause of the future apocalypse was precisely humanity’s endless harm and plundering of the Earth over thousands or even tens of thousands of years.
Not everyone needed to be a superhero who saves the world.
Major trends are hard to change. Maybe the best she could do was take care of the small things around her.
【Grandma Ai Minli leads by example. I’ll bring my own reusable bags to the supermarket from now on too!】
【And Kuromi eco-bags are really cute! Using them puts you in a good mood!】
Chu Xingxing took out her tour guide stick from her backpack, waved it, and the little cabbage worm on top wobbled precariously: “Let’s go!”
—
Wen Han drove steadily the whole way.
In less than twenty minutes, the group arrived at Tesco, the largest hypermarket on Pearl Island.
This was located in the main commercial district of Pearl Island.
Besides the sunny beaches and specialty cuisine, what attracts people most to a tropical island is the vibrant nightlife.
Going from the quiet, secluded private beach with only the sound of insects to the bustling, noisy city center, Chu Xingxing looked around curiously, finding everything new and interesting.
Chu Xingxing and Wen Han each pushed a shopping cart, walking into the supermarket behind the grandmas.
“Whoa, they’ve got the air conditioning cranked way too cold in here.”
Grandma Sheng Shuwen shivered and quickly pulled a large silk scarf from her bag, wrapping it around her neck.
“Hiss, the temperature in here can’t be more than 20 degrees Celsius, right?”
While wrapping her scarf, Jiang Yao spoke seriously to the camera: “Little treasures watching the live stream, pay attention, especially you young ladies. Don’t let your chest, back, or the back of your neck get cold. Going from hot to cold like this can easily make you sick.”
Grandma Ai Minli also took a cotton shawl from her eco-bag and elegantly draped it over her shoulders.
【This really shows how important the grandmas’ scarves are!】
【Ah! Grandma Xiao Jiang called me ‘little treasure’! I’m one of the grandmas’ good babies, just like Xingxing!】
【Got it! When traveling to tropical island countries, it’s more reliable to always have a shawl ready for when you go indoors.】
【Seriously, don’t be too greedy for cold air, ladies. Especially in summer when your pores are open, suddenly entering a cold place can easily give you a heat cold or fever.]
Wen Xuelan’s dress had long sleeves.
With her hair down, she didn’t feel cold, so she thought about giving her scarf to Chu Xingxing.
Just as she turned to call Xingbao, Wen Xuelan saw her son Wen Han lowering his head, rummaging through his backpack.
Then, Wen Han pulled out a beige baby alpaca wool shawl.
Wen Xuelan recognized this shawl.
It was the Christmas gift she had given Wen Han last year, bought from Peru. It was thin and soft, and when unfolded, it could be used as a small blanket.
Whoa, she didn’t realize her son was this health-conscious too?
Before Wen Xuelan could even get sentimental, she saw Wen Han hand the shawl to Chu Xingxing.
Eh? Wen Xuelan’s eyes suddenly lit up.
Even though she wasn’t cold at all, she silently wrapped her own silk scarf around her neck, a gossipy yet slightly relieved smile appearing on her face: Oh my~
Not bad, kid! Is he finally wising up?
—
Chu Xingxing didn’t feel cold; instead, she found it cool and comfortable.
She wasn’t some delicate flower grown in a greenhouse; this temperature difference didn’t really bother her. But seeing the grandmas all putting on scarves, she silently made a mental note of this little health tip.
Next time she went out, she would also bring a light shawl.
If protecting your shoulders and neck from getting cold could help you live another ten or twenty years, why wouldn’t you do it?
Suddenly, her arm touched a knitted item as soft as a cloud.
Chu Xingxing looked up in surprise.
Wen Han gave a faint smile and looked away: “I originally brought it for my little old lady, but it turns out she brought her own scarf. If you don’t mind, just throw it on.”
【Ah, so thoughtful, sob sob sob, Wen Han is the ideal man!】
【Who could resist such a gentle ‘double-door refrigerator’? Especially with a handsome face like that /looking eagerly】
【This excuse is absolutely perfect! There’s no way to refuse it!】
【Yearning for the mature doting is the best! ‘Xinghan Canlan’ GO!!!】
Wen Han hardly ever lied.
When he wasn’t saying what he truly felt, he always subconsciously looked elsewhere.
Wen Han had thought about it the entire way there to come up with a reason that wouldn’t be easy for Chu Xingxing to refuse.
“Oh…” Chu Xingxing’s gaze searched for Wen Xuelan, and after confirming she had her own scarf on, she asked hesitantly, “Don’t you need it yourself?”
“I’m dressed warmly enough. I don’t need it.” Wen Han was wearing a beige cotton-linen long-sleeved shirt. He smiled and shook his head.
As if afraid she might still worry, he unrolled his cuffs and buttoned his shirt up to the very top button.
“Thanks. Ms. Wen is really lucky to have such a thoughtful son.” Not wanting to be wasteful, Chu Xingxing took the shawl and draped it around herself haphazardly.
“My dears, I know everyone wants to look around. I suggest we split up.”
Chu Xingxing first gathered the grandmas, who were starting to wander off in all directions. She pulled out the shopping list she had made after asking everyone in the car:
“I’ll go get the items on the shopping list. My dears, feel free to move around and browse the supermarket. If you see something not on the list that we need, or something you want to buy, just put it in Wen Han’s cart.”
The grandmas couldn’t have been happier with Xingbao’s suggestion.
Their darling child was like a worm in their bellies, so thoughtful!
The production team of “Grandma’s Journey” had provided the guests with ample funds; regular shopping was well within budget.
Besides, the whole group was very easygoing when it came to daily life. No one demanded top-grade caviar for breakfast.
Chu Xingxing wasn’t worried about the grandmas buying too much and exceeding the budget.
Seeing everyone agree, Chu Xingxing put away her “Cabbage Worm” tour guide stick and said to Wen Han, “Then let’s meet at the checkout near the fruit section in thirty minutes.”
“Okay. Are you sure you’ll be alright on your own?” Wen Han nodded, though he was still slightly concerned.
“I’m just getting things from the list. I’ll be fine.”
Chu Xingxing looked around and, seeing that the grandmas weren’t paying attention to her, said very quietly to Wen Han, “Honestly, I really hate shopping. Please, please. You look like you have more experience accompanying shoppers…”
【Hahaha! My Xingbao doesn’t like shopping! So A (masculine/assertive) indeed!】
【Xingxing is seriously so A. It feels like she and Wen Han have a dynamic of ‘A female, O male’?】
【But Wen Han is only gentle in personality. With that physique, he probably isn’t the gentle type on the… boat? Sorry, my mind is wandering /blushing and running away】
【The way Wen Han slightly bends down to talk to Xingxing is so doting! I screenshotted that scene just now. OMG, the size difference! It totally hits my… aah】
Chu Xingxing genuinely, truly disliked aimless shopping trips.
One day after working out, Cookie had dragged her out for afternoon tea and shopping, and it almost made her brain shut down.
The two of them had spent over three hours browsing and eating in the Sanlitun area. In the end, Cookie only bought two “hot girl” style tank tops.
That whole afternoon, Chu Xingxing felt more tired than on leg day at the gym – a mental kind of exhaustion.
Seeing Chu Xingxing’s troubled expression, Wen Han lowered his head and smiled.
He didn’t try to force someone to accompany her anymore. He just made a mental note: Xingxing doesn’t like shopping.
—
Inside the Tesco supermarket.
Chu Xingxing was highly efficient, getting most of the essentials within ten minutes.
She couldn’t find one item Grandma Ai Minli needed: fresh, lactose-free, skim milk.
After asking a store employee, Chu Xingxing pushed her cart towards the organic food section in the corner of the supermarket.
As she bent down in front of the refrigerated unit to look for the right product, her hand accidentally touched a yogurt carton that was leaking from the bottom.
“I’m going to the restroom to wash my hands. Can you keep an eye on my shopping cart for a moment?” Chu Xingxing asked her cameraman.
The accompanying PD nodded and pointed towards the nearby restroom sign.
Chu Xingxing quickly walked towards the restroom.
This distance was already beyond the pickup range of her lapel microphone.
The restroom in the supermarket corner was rarely used and exceptionally spacious, every little sound echoing.
After washing her hands, Chu Xingxing realized the paper towel dispenser was empty, so she went into a stall to find some tissue.
Suddenly, she heard a familiar, soft, sweet female voice coming from the next stall. Chu Xingxing decisively closed the door to her stall.
“Brother Chang’an…” Tian Mengtong’s voice was a little choked, soft as water, her tone understanding: “It’s okay, I’m just a bit hypoglycemic. I just need to rest a moment.”
Tian Mengtong didn’t actually have issues with low blood sugar. Using dizziness as an excuse to go to the restroom was purely because she was hungry.
She wasn’t used to eating breakfast and was a picky eater. She hadn’t touched a single bite of the flatbread the production team had provided before boarding the plane.
She thought she could eat something from the business class meal on the plane, but ended up flying economy again.
Miss Tian couldn’t handle such unfair treatment! Although she was already a bit hungry by then, she took one look at the unappetizing, mushy chicken rice in economy class and disdainfully left it untouched.
Having gone almost an entire day without eating, Tian Mengtong was reaching her limit.
But she didn’t like the look of any of the exotic snacks in the supermarket, and the instant noodles all looked sour and spicy – nothing suited her palate.
Tian Mengtong really craved sea urchin rice bowl, Wagyu beef teppanyaki, Typhoon Shelter lobster, curry crab, pineapple fried rice, raw marinated mantis shrimp…
However, the budget allocated by the “Let’s Travel Together” production team to the guests was extremely limited.
The small amount she got wouldn’t even buy her shrimp shells, let alone mantis shrimp.
“Brother Chang’an, are you here yet?” Tian Mengtong’s voice was full of pleasant surprise. Then, with a “click,” the door of the stall next to her opened.
After a sound of light, quick footsteps –
Jiang Chang’an’s cool voice drifted faintly into the women’s restroom: “This is all I have for now. I got it from the accompanying PD. Eat something to tide you over first. After the live stream ends tonight, I’ll take you out for some real good food.”
“Have you eaten?” Tian Mengtong asked considerately.
She didn’t care if discussing food in the restroom was appropriate or not.
Meanwhile, Chu Xingxing, listening from her stall, found it quite nauseating…
Jiang Chang’an: “Yeah, eat up before it gets cold.”
Using the excuse of going to the restroom, he had casually snatched his own accompanying PD’s fried shrimp tempura bento box and seaweed fish ball soup.
The production team strictly enforced the rules for other guests, even for seasoned veteran actors.
To ensure the show’s effect, they had signed strict agreements with all guests beforehand, prohibiting the use of any funds not provided by the production team during the entire trip. Violators would face heavy fines.
But no one dared to touch the son of their own company’s boss, unless they wanted out of the industry.
Of course, the meals ordered by the production team for their staff were counted per person.
Because Jiang Chang’an had taken one bento box, there was now a very unlucky accompanying PD outside, reduced to watching her colleagues eat their fragrant fried shrimp tempura bento boxes.
The young PD was already cursing Jiang Chang’an’s ancestors in her heart.
Jiang Chang’an sneezed.
Was some scoundrel trying to harm him???
“Thank you, Brother Chang’an. Sorry for the trouble.” Tian Mengtong shrunk her neck and looked up at him pitifully: “No one else will find out, will they?”
“You little troublemaker, don’t be silly. How would anyone know if you don’t tell them?”
Jiang Chang’an reached out and pinched her chin, lifting it slightly, examining the rims of her reddish eyes: “You’re too thin. Eat more. Do you like raw marinated seafood? I know a good seafood place. I’ll take you there tonight.”
“I do…” Tian Mengtong bit her lip, not daring to look at him again.
She turned and ran back into her restroom stall, locked the door, and sat on the toilet, clutching her wildly pounding chest.
As expected, even with a second chance at life, she still couldn’t resist Jiang Chang’an’s blatant favoritism.
Even though eating while sitting on a toilet was kind of gross.
But Miss Tian couldn’t worry about that now. She opened the bento box and started shoveling food into her mouth.
If she didn’t eat soon, she was going to starve to death.
—
In the next stall, Chu Xingxing rolled her eyes. There were too many things to criticize.
The original male lead’s intense “special favoritism” was nauseatingly annoying.
Couldn’t he manage the basic courtesy of not disturbing others while trying to be cool and showing favoritism?
A hardworking person had been busy all day and was still hungry. Their meal was sacrificed to fuel the male and female leads’ romance. That accompanying PD was seriously unlucky.
Chu Xingxing felt deep sympathy. She remembered she had some snacks from the villa in her bag; she could give them to the young PD to tide her over.
She pushed open her stall door.
In an instant, she was stunned by the sight before her.
From the stall on the other side of Tian Mengtong, a little head with light brown hair popped out, looking at her with delighted surprise.
“Cookie?!” Chu Xingxing moved her lips but no sound came out.
“Shhh…”
Cookie put a finger to her lips, her big eyes winking mischievously. She was clearly up to some prank, full of “naughty ideas.”
Cookie had arrived at the restroom a minute earlier than Tian Mengtong. She had put on a gruff voice, pretending to be a local and saying several sentences in the Thai language, successfully fooling Tian Mengtong, who had carefully checked all the stalls.
Plus, since this restroom was in the most remote part of the supermarket, hardly anyone came here, so Tian Mengtong had naturally let her guard down while talking to Jiang Chang’an.
Cookie stepped up onto the toilet, peering down at Tian Mengtong eating so contently in her stall, grinning as she sent a message to her own accompanying PD.
Head buried in her bento box, Tian Mengtong had no idea there was anything unusual above her.
Then, Cookie grabbed Chu Xingxing and slipped out of the restroom.
They walked to a slightly more remote shelf area. Chu Xingxing confirmed no one was around and their mics were off before stopping.
Cookie’s little face was scrunched up in complaint as she said to Chu Xingxing: “Hmph! Why do Jiang Chang’an and Tian Mengtong get to break the rules? It’s not fair! I already told my PD to bring the cameraman to the restroom entrance to catch them.”
Cookie was young, well-protected by her parents, and often got hung up on issues, insisting on absolute fairness and justice.
Cookie had wanted to use her own money to buy a coconut milk mango smoothie earlier, but she begged the production team for ages and they still wouldn’t let her.
The accompanying PD even warned Cookie that if she bought it, she might be sued for breaching her contract.
So why did the production team turn a blind eye when it came to Jiang Chang’an and Tian Mengtong?
And the two of them had even agreed to go eat raw marinated seafood after the live stream!
And it was raw marinated seafood!!!
Cookie absolutely loved raw marinated seafood. The fresh, rich, jelly-like seafood was delicious with congee or rice.
The girl, feeling unfairly treated, was furious. She had directly told the production team that Jiang Chang’an had stolen a staff member’s bento box for Tian Mengtong to eat, and that they had planned to go for seafood after the live stream ended.
“You, that was way too rash…”
Chu Xingxing shook her head and poked Cookie’s forehead. “You can’t be so careless in the future. At the very least, you can’t leave yourself vulnerable.”
Cookie didn’t understand what “rash” meant and blinked blankly.
Chu Xingxing tended to think things through more thoroughly.
She was worried that Cookie’s “tattling” might not be a big deal regarding Tian Mengtong, but offending Jiang Chang’an could make things very difficult for little Cookie on the show later.
Moreover, Jiang Chang’an was extremely cunning and very vindictive.
Right now, she and Cookie were close, and they both seemed to be on bad terms with Tian Mengtong.
Jiang Chang’an had all the symptoms of a “CEO disease,” but he wasn’t stupid. He would definitely target both of them together.
“Then what do I do…” Although Cookie didn’t fully understand, she vaguely felt like she had messed up. She twisted her hands together.
“Don’t be scared. Sister has a way.” Chu Xingxing gently flicked Cookie’s nose to comfort her. “Use your head before you do anything from now on. If you’re unsure, just ask me.”
“Oh… okay, I get it. I was wrong.” Cookie looked pitiful, like a puppy begging for forgiveness.
Faced with such a ‘beautiful but a bit airheaded’ girl, Chu Xingxing couldn’t really get angry.
Chu Xingxing didn’t want to provoke the original male lead, but she wasn’t afraid of him either.
The word “escape” wasn’t in her dictionary.
Don’t provoke if you can help it, but fight back directly if you can’t avoid it.
Even if Jiang Chang’an started targeting her, it wouldn’t be for long.
Because soon enough, he wouldn’t even be able to save himself…
—
Of course, the production team wouldn’t miss out on such a dramatic, unplanned event perfect for variety show entertainment.
The head director gave the order, moving several camera crews to stake out the restroom entrance and sending a female director into the restroom to “catch” them.
They also subtly guided the other guests of “Let’s Travel Together” to the area near the restroom.
The head director believed that Tian Mengtong wouldn’t “sell out” Jiang Chang’an.
They would just treat it as a funny moment for the show and not pursue the matter too harshly against the “young master.”
—
At the women’s restroom in the supermarket corner.
The female director sent to “catch” them had volunteered, and coincidentally, she was the one whose bento box Jiang Chang’an had stolen.
“Eh? Teacher Tian, what are you doing here… eating… our staff’s boxed meal?”
The female accompanying PD almost screamed at the top of her lungs.
Cookie, scared, nervous, and eager to see the commotion, pushed her way to the front and craned her neck to look inside the women’s restroom.
Jiang Changsheng had just arrived at the supermarket. He was originally looking all over for Chu Xingxing, but unexpectedly stumbled upon the commotion from his brother’s show.
The guests outside and the viewers watching the live stream heard everything loud and clear.
【WTF? What’s going on??? Tian Mengtong is eating a staff bento box in the restroom?】
【Pfft, isn’t the smell… strong? Did Tian Mengtong forget her ‘rich heiress’ persona???】
【Hahahaha what kind of drama is this! Is this really not scripted? I don’t believe it!】
【Dying of laughter hahaha, I almost feel sorry for Tian Mengtong…】
【OMG! The rich heiress squatting on a toilet, secretly eating hahaha. This is definitely going trending!】
Tian Mengtong had just come out of her stall, still holding the leftover bento box and disposable chopsticks, a smear of oil at the corner of her mouth…
Wasn’t no one supposed to know?!
How did this accompanying PD find the restroom???
Tian Mengtong froze, not daring to take a single step out of the restroom.
“It’s not her fault. When I came to the restroom, I found Mengtong was hypoglycemic and about to faint. There was no time to notify the production team, so I directly borrowed a bento box from a director to give her for emergencies.”
Jiang Chang’an walked out from the crowd, calmly telling the lie: “This is my fault, she has nothing to do with it. I willingly accept any punishment.”
Not only were the guests stunned, but the production team was too.
The fans and CP fans watching online, however, exploded—
【Jiang Chang’an is so freaking cool!!!】
【So manly, wc! Our Chang’an-ge is truly the ‘Crown Prince of the Entertainment Industry’! That responsibility, that courage, aah!】
【Ah, my heart goes out to our Tongtong. Her low blood sugar is because she didn’t eat. It must be the production team’s fault for not having any food that suited Tongtong’s taste.】
【’Changmeng Baisui’ is too good to be true! Mom, my CP is real, right, right, RIGHT?!】
【So domineering! ‘Changmeng Baisui’ – I could ship this for a hundred years!】
The head director gave an awkward smile and symbolically “punished” Jiang Chang’an by making him take off his shirt, leaving just a vest underneath, and do fifty push-ups.
Xiao Xiong, Su Wei, and a few of the male idol group members exchanged subtle glances.
Was this a punishment???
This was clearly a chance for Jiang Chang’an to show off his muscles!!!
Without a word, Jiang Chang’an took off his shirt and started doing push-ups right there.
With each movement, the muscles in his arms, especially the clear definition of his abs, were on full display.
【Hiss, ha! Suddenly ‘Let’s Travel Together’ seems worth watching again! More, more!!!】
【Ah, I crave that body. Our Chang’an-ge looks slim in clothes but has muscles – just perfect!】
【With a body like that, who wouldn’t be confused? I certainly am!】
After finishing the push-ups, Jiang Chang’an casually wiped his palms with a disinfectant wipe.
He spotted his brother in the crowd and his expression relaxed considerably.
Just as he was about to make eye contact and silently say hello, Jiang Chang’an’s brow furrowed instantly.
He saw Chu Xingxing’s accompanying PD pushing a shopping cart and waving from the next aisle: “Teacher Chu, why have you been at the restroom so long? No rush, no rush, I was just worried something happened. The grandmas are still shopping, Teacher Wen is with them, they’re upstairs and haven’t come down yet. No hurry…”
“Thank you for watching my cart, PD. Sorry, I got a bit lost just now. We can resume the live stream.” Chu Xingxing, holding a carton of milk, walked over and took the shopping cart.
“Hey, I’ve been looking all over for you…”
Jiang Changsheng heard Chu Xingxing’s voice too. Ignoring his brother’s attempt to signal him, he walked straight towards her.
Jiang Chang’an’s expression gradually turned cold, a hint of malice flashing in his eyes.
Chu, Xing, Xing.
He had been suspicious earlier. It was highly likely that one of the female guests had accidentally stumbled upon Tian Mengtong and reported it to the production team.
His best guess was that airhead mixed-race girl group dancer, Cookie – she looked young and not very bright.
Now it seemed maybe it wasn’t Cookie.
And even if it was, Cookie might have been used by someone. That little brat didn’t have the brains to think that deep.
It was this hypocritical woman who crawled out of the slums, stirring up trouble.
Chu Xingxing. He had completely underestimated her before, thinking she was just a mediocre gold digger.
This one was a real tumor.
If he didn’t cut her out soon, she might ruin his brother’s life.
—
On the other side of the supermarket.
Before resuming the live stream, Chu Xingxing gave some snacks from her bag to her accompanying PD, Xiao Mao, asking her to give them to the director who missed out on the bento box. “If you guys haven’t eaten or can’t hold up, please tell me. Don’t push yourselves,” Chu Xingxing instructed Xiao Mao worriedly, patting her shoulder.
Having been cared for by such a beautiful woman, Xiao Mao almost teared up.
Sob sob sob, Teacher Chu is so nice!
Seeing Xiao Mao’s pale lips, Chu Xingxing quickly unwrapped a coconut candy and popped it into her mouth: “Promise me you won’t push yourself, okay?”
“Okay…” Xiao Mao nodded excitedly.
Sob sob! The beautiful woman fed her candy herself!!!
Afterwards, Chu Xingxing’s live stream resumed.
“Agent Jiang, have you eaten? We’re going to Idol 101 Restaurant for dinner soon. Do you want to come?”
Chu Xingxing smiled and waved.
Seeing a familiar face in a foreign country was always nice.
Upon hearing the words “Idol 101 Restaurant,” Jiang Changsheng’s expression mirrored Wen Han’s from the first time he heard it.
It completely extinguished his enthusiasm for this “reunion after a long separation” (which had only been half a day).
“What ‘Idol 101 Restaurant’? I didn’t know Pearl Island had a restaurant themed around a survival show?”
Jiang Changsheng asked suspiciously, his brow furrowed, his fingers tapping together impatiently.
The cameraman knew Jiang Changsheng’s identity and deliberately kept Young Master Jiang out of the frame; only his voice was captured.
This conversation, however, sparked great interest among the fans—
【Is Xingxing talking to her agent? Wow, her agent’s voice is kinda nice?】
【I thought all CBM Entertainment agents were either ‘cool sisters’ or older men, but this is a nice youthful voice!】
【Chu Xingxing’s agent sounds pretty young. The camera briefly showed his hands earlier – they were very beautiful hands. Hand enthusiasts are satisfied.】
【Xingbao’s agent’s voice sounds a little familiar, but definitely youthful and fresh.】
【Why won’t they show the agent? I’m really curious what he looks like. Xingxing looks up when talking to him, so he must be really tall! My Xingxing is at least 1.7m, which is very tall for a girl!】
“It’s not a survival show restaurant. It’s a local tourist attraction. They give unknown trainees a chance to practice on stage. The restaurant serves various cuisines, the food is good, and the prices are fair. At 9 PM, there’s a live, fully-un-mic’ed stage performance, and then a pool party afterwards…”
Chu Xingxing enthusiastically showed off the restaurant’s pool party photos and food pictures again.
Jiang Changsheng: What the heck?!
He didn’t look at the food photos at all. He grabbed the phone and zoomed in on each photo local tourists had uploaded of the native trainees.
Jiang Changsheng was furious: Do these guys think they look better than me???
Not only couldn’t they compare to him, Jiang Changsheng, but he even felt Wen Han was slightly better looking than these local trainees… maybe just a tiny bit.
Wen Han: Feeling somewhat offended…
“You’re spending money to go see these guys? The production team gave you a pretty big budget?”
Jiang Changsheng was getting angrier, his tone becoming a bit harsh.
Chu Xingxing shook her head: “We’re not spending any money! You only have to pay if you want to buy support merchandise and interact. Just eating and watching the performances doesn’t cost extra. I checked; the prices at Idol Restaurant are the same as regular restaurants, no markup. And…”
Chu Xingxing paused, pulled out her little notebook where she’d done her research, and said mysteriously: “If you really want to interact with the trainees, it’s not expensive either. Look, here’s the price list.”
Jiang Changsheng turned his head away: Not interested in looking…
“Come on, look. Looking doesn’t cost anything…” Chu Xingxing giggled and reached out to turn Young Master Jiang’s head back.
Feeling Chu Xingxing’s slightly cool fingers on his cheek, Jiang Changsheng, ears red, “reluctantly” turned his head.
Chu Xingxing: “See, if you buy the supporter’s big gift pack, you can get ten trainees to surround you and sing ‘Happy Birthday,’ plus an individual improv solo. The big pack is only about 200 RMB. Inside, there’s a co-branded trendy hoodie, a sun hat, a star-shaped support light stick that flashes and sings, locally branded snacks, candies, and chocolates endorsed by the group, sample-sized local skincare and makeup products endorsed by the group, plus a co-branded Sanrio makeup bag, phone case…”
【Wow! Just the trendy hoodie alone for 200 RMB is worth it! What can 200 RMB buy you in the domestic entertainment industry???】
【200 RMB? Company X will give you a chance to buy… oh, you might not even be able to buy the chance to buy (shrugs)】
【200 RMB in the domestic industry gets you a disdainful look /doge】
【Domestic entertainment, what exactly are you so proud of???】
【I’ve never followed idols, but I want this big pack too! Those trainees actually surround you and sing ‘Happy Birthday’ plus improv! And they’re really handsome and in good shape!】
Jiang Changsheng pursed his lips and frowned.
He had to admit, the local entertainment companies knew what they were doing.
No wonder so many foreign idols and stars submitted collaboration proposals to CBM Entertainment every year through various channels, desperately wanting to break into the domestic market.
Chu Xingxing said seriously: “It’s really, really a great deal. It doesn’t exceed the budget either. When I told the grandmas, they were all so happy! Ms. Wen said she could celebrate her 70th birthday early today…”
Not only were the grandmas happy, Chu Xingxing was happy too.
If it weren’t for the fact that she hadn’t received her first payment for “Grandma’s Journey” yet, and the poor girl Chu Xingxing had hardly any money in her account, she would have wanted to celebrate her 21st birthday early too!
Who doesn’t like beautiful things, really?
Seeing pretty sisters puts you in a good mood, and seeing handsome, fit trainee brothers also makes you happy.
When people are happy, their brains secrete “beneficial hormones” like dopamine, which slows aging, accelerates metabolism, improves sleep quality, and can even extend lifespan by up to forty percent!
With such health benefits, how could you not go?
Absolutely must go!!!
【Oh my god! Xingxing is taking me to heaven!!!】
【This restaurant is very famous locally. Many of their country’s idols sang and danced here as trainees before debuting.】
【Ahhh! What? Local photocards and support merchandise are this cheap??? Are the trainee brothers handsome? In good shape? If not, buying a 5 RMB photocard isn’t worth it either!】
【Just listening makes me happy, what do I do!!!】
【I think places like this are best avoided. You’ll go deaf. I went once, then my boyfriend told me not to go anymore. I couldn’t hear anything afterwards.】
Jiang Changsheng stared coldly at Chu Xingxing’s eyes, bright as stars, glanced over her cheeks, slightly flushed – whether from talking too fast or excitement – and his heart felt like it was sinking in an icy abyss.
If it weren’t for the live stream…
Jiang Changsheng wanted nothing more than to rip off his shirt and throw a check at Chu Xingxing: I’ll give you money to look all you want, can you just not go looking for other guys?
