Chapter 13: The Road to Taofeng Plaza

“What do we do now?” Feng Qiqi immediately asked, watching Director Chen depart. Her puffed-up cheeks clearly showed she was still stewing over Director Chen’s dismissive laughter from moments ago.

“Alright, if any of you have special requests for tonight’s stage setup or props, please come register with me,” Xiao Li announced, stepping forward immediately after Director Chen’s exit to gather the guests’ suggestions. “Also, since this is an outdoor event, the production team will be returning your mobile phones to you.”

Xiao Li subtly shifted, revealing a plastic box he had kept hidden behind him.

As soon as Feng Qiqi retrieved her phone, she immediately prepared to hail a taxi. “This way, we can just take a cab over!”

“Hold on, hold on!” Xiao Li quickly stepped forward to stop Feng Qiqi’s actions. “For this task, you’re not allowed to take a taxi directly to your destination. The phones are merely for convenient contact!” He then promptly distributed the rules for this segment of the activity to everyone present.

“Hmph,” Feng Qiqi muttered, her demeanor now resembling a deflated ball.

Lin Ziyao’s brow furrowed in thought as she perused the rules sent to her phone, trying to discern Director Chen’s true intentions.

“So, what do you think? Any good ideas?” Qin Yu leaned in close, nudging her gently with an elbow as she whispered.

She offered no reply to Qin Yu’s question, her expression noncommittal. Considering Director Chen’s typical approach and the nature of variety shows, she surmised he was deliberately introducing obstacles to heighten entertainment. Otherwise, simply riding to the performance would undoubtedly bore the audience.

“Actually, walking there wouldn’t take us much time at all,” Xu Li, the most experienced person present, offered as a suggestion to the group.

It was currently half-past ten in the morning. Even if they walked, they would arrive by noon, around twelve o’clock at the latest. With the activity not starting until six in the evening, they had ample time.

Hearing Xu Li’s words, Tang Wenjie’s eyes lit up. “Teacher Xu, that method is indeed viable!”

He then pulled out his phone, scrolling through the map. “What’s more, we don’t even have to walk the entire way. We just need to reach the nearest bus stop, and then we can take a bus to Taofeng Plaza.”

To be absolutely certain, Xu Li specifically asked Xiao Li, “Xiao Li, taking a bus should be fine, right?”

“No problem,” Xiao Li confirmed with a swift nod. Director Chen had indeed considered prohibiting taxis, but taking public transport fell well within the game’s rules.

Only three of the men present had undergone any significant physical training. Thus, Xu Li turned to the comparatively frailer women, asking in a consultative tone, “Regarding my suggestion, what are your thoughts?”

“I have no objections.” Unable to conceive of a better alternative at the moment, Xu Li’s proposal was arguably the optimal solution. Qin Yu saw no reason to refuse.

Following Qin Yu, Lin Ziyao, Dai Wen, and Feng Qiqi also nodded, agreeing to Xu Li’s suggestion.

“Then let’s depart after lunch. For now, everyone should prepare what they’ll need!” With the guests unanimously approving Xu Li’s proposal, the seasoned man showed no haste in setting off. To prevent any mishaps on the journey, he first ensured everyone ate their fill, then allowed ample time for the other guests to gather their necessary items. Everything was meticulously arranged.

“I thought you might have some unique idea,” Qin Yu remarked, passing by her.

Since they would need to walk to the outdoor bus stop that afternoon, the two of them prepared the lunch ingredients in the kitchen beforehand. This preemptive step ensured they wouldn’t be flustered when it came time to cook.

Hearing Qin Yu’s comment, she set down the freshly washed vegetables and shot her a sidelong glance. “Do you take me for a deity? If someone else comes up with a good idea, naturally, I don’t need to rack my brains.”

“That does sound quite like you,” Qin Yu said, plugging in the rice cooker. Seeing Lin Ziyao’s expression as she spoke, she couldn’t help but chuckle.

“My personality? Slacking off, perhaps?” She paid no mind to Qin Yu’s words, stretching languidly before stepping out of the kitchen. “Alright, everything here is ready. Once the rice is cooked, we can stir-fry. We should head back to our rooms and pack what we need to bring later!”

The midday sun blazed overhead as the guests, having finished lunch, gathered at the resort’s main entrance. Although it was August, Jiang City’s unique geographical location still allowed for a refreshing breeze to gently caress their faces.

Lin Ziyao and Qin Yu traveled light, their gear consisting of just a single bag containing an umbrella, tissues, and a bottle of water. They were prepared for a minimal trek.

In contrast, Feng Qiqi and Dai Wen had packed sunscreen, cosmetics, and various small trinkets into their bags, which were now practically bursting at the seams.

“Where’s Xiao Li?” Yang Tian glanced around, searching for any sign of him. He had informed Xiao Li of their departure time back at the villa, instructing him to arrange for a cameraman to follow them. Yet, there was still no cameraman in sight.

Honk! Honk!

The sound of a car horn blared, drawing everyone’s attention. A black seven-seater commercial van pulled up before the guests. The passenger window slowly lowered, revealing a camera, and through the opening, Xiao Li could be seen in the driver’s seat.

“Oh, great! Director Chen really was tricking us!” Seeing the available commercial van, Feng Qiqi immediately began complaining about Director Chen’s forced attempts at creating variety show drama.

Hearing Feng Qiqi’s grumbling, Xiao Li, as a mere employee, found it awkward to respond. He could only offer a sheepish smile from the driver’s seat, waiting for her to finish before speaking. “Guests, you can place any bags or other items you’re carrying in the car. This vehicle will follow you throughout your journey.”

After Xiao Li’s announcement, several of the women placed their bags in the van, keeping only a parasol in hand, and began their afternoon walk.

While others could simply focus on walking, Lin Ziyao could not. She needed to devise a way to complete the task assigned by the system: attracting the attention of a thousand spectators at Taofeng Plaza.

According to the activity rules provided by Xiao Li, Director Chen had applied for the use of Taofeng Plaza, estimating a capacity of seven hundred people. With nearby residential buildings, it was not impossible for residents to peek out and watch if they heard the commotion of the show. Thus, the system’s requirement of a thousand people could largely be met.

“Is the problem how to attract attention?” she murmured aloud.

In truth, the accompaniment provided by the system had already handed her the solution to the task. The only remaining question was how to effectively utilize this accompaniment. After all, though the song had been widely criticized as “tacky” in her previous life, its undeniable popularity was a force to be reckoned with.

Relying solely on the accompaniment wouldn’t suffice; the entire song needed to be performed to ensure complete success. Was she expected to directly compose lyrics for the system-provided backing track now?

This particular song was one of the few whose lyrics she still remembered. In her previous life, even a random person could hum a few lines of it. However, she worried whether her current self, who could only perfectly perform songs with the system’s aid, could flawlessly recreate this universally beloved tune from her past.