Chapter 12: A Duo’s Dilemma and a Hidden Trap

After breakfast, everyone remained seated, their gazes fixed on Director Chen as he entered the dining room to announce the day’s tasks.

As this was the second day of filming, they had grown accustomed to the routine, understanding that Director Chen’s appearance always heralded a new challenge.

Director Chen’s attire was identical to the previous day’s. Lin Ziyao even wondered if he had brought any change of clothes to the villa at all.

He approached the group in the dining room and offered a greeting. “Did everyone sleep well last night?”

Whether it was his words or something else, Lin Ziyao inexplicably shot a glare at Qin Yu.

Qin Yu, however, remained unfazed, calmly sipping her milk as she listened to Director Chen speak.

Their subtle exchange went unnoticed by the others. Only Director Chen continued, “Yesterday, everyone showcased their talents, so…”

Director Chen paused dramatically, building suspense. “Today’s activity will require the talents you all displayed yesterday!”

He unfurled a map he carried, pointing to a specific spot. “Today, the production team will be heading here with all of you.”

“Where is this?” Tang Wenjie, being new to the city, found the location Director Chen indicated unfamiliar.

Lin Ziyao glanced at the map and explained to him, “This is Taofeng Square, practically the busiest spot in Jiang City’s downtown area. Many citizens gather here for various activities.”

“Precisely,” Director Chen affirmed, elaborating on the rules for the assembled guests. “At Taofeng Square, you must use your talents, or any other means, to attract passersby.”

“One hundred pre-selected audience members from our production team will cast their votes, and ultimately, the winner will be whoever garners the most votes.”

[Please attract the attention of five hundred audience members.]

The system thoughtfully sent Lin Ziyao her mission. This time, she breathed a sigh of relief, finally free from a task that required collaboration with other guests.

However, just then, Qin Yu raised her hand and asked, “Director Chen, yesterday I demonstrated speed-writing, and I did it with Lin Ziyao. What should I do now?”

As Qin Yu posed her question, she pointedly ignored the warning glance Lin Ziyao shot her way.

“Is that so?” Qin Yu’s question wasn’t unfounded. She had indeed explicitly stated her performance was speed-writing yesterday, and the current situation prompted Director Chen to ponder carefully.

“Director Chen, may I offer a suggestion?” Dai Wen, who rarely spoke, now put forward her idea. “Why not have them form a duo? The total number of people they attract can then simply be averaged between them.”

“I have no issues with that, but what do you all think?” Director Chen found Dai Wen’s suggestion quite good, yet as the director, he also needed to consider the guests’ opinions, so he sought advice from the others present.

Teacher Xu Li pushed up his glasses and declared, “I have no objections!”

“Neither do I!” Yang Tian leaned back in his chair.

Tang Wenjie and Feng Qiqi also shook their heads, signaling their agreement.

“Then it’s happily decided!” Director Chen clapped his hands, settling the matter.

‘Why didn’t anyone ask for my opinion?!’

Lin Ziyao sat upright in her chair, a forced smile gracing her lips, while internally, she was tearing her hair out in frustration.

She had finally gotten a break from a solo system task, only to be involuntarily paired up this time. With Director Chen’s decision already made, she had no choice but to accept the outcome.

[Mission Update: Please attract the attention of one thousand audience members with your partner.]

Damn it!

The mission had actually increased in difficulty! She checked the rewards, only to find the difficulty had gone up without any corresponding increase in compensation. ‘I could just cry myself to death,’ she thought.

“Today’s activities are scheduled to begin at six in the evening. You all need to arrive at the venue before then,” Director Chen stated, gesturing to Xiao Li beside him.

“Our staff members are already there setting up the stage. If you have any special requests, you can tell Xiao Li now.”

“Wait, Director Chen!” Lin Ziyao quickly called out, having spotted an issue, stopping him just as he was about to leave.

Her words halted Director Chen, who had already stepped halfway out the villa door. A smile even played on his lips in a spot unseen by the guests.

Without turning back, he simply asked, “Is there something you need?”

‘I didn’t expect her to actually uncover the trap hidden within the event’s arrangements.’

“Director Chen, could you tell us what time the cars are scheduled to depart from the villa this afternoon?” Everyone found Lin Ziyao’s question rather odd.

Surely, the production team would inform the guests when to board the vehicles. Why ask such a superfluous question now?

However, upon hearing her question, Qin Yu carefully considered Director Chen’s previous words and immediately caught on. “Director Chen just said, ‘You all need to arrive at the venue before six,’ not ‘we.'”

“This implies he subconsciously excluded the guests from the arrangements.”

Qin Yu also stood up, asking, “So, could Director Chen please tell us when transportation will be arranged to take us there?”

Hearing this, the others instantly grasped the gravity of the situation. This was a secluded resort, at least ten kilometers from the city center.

Without arranged transportation, walking there alone would likely take them half a day.

“Oh dear, I completely forgot to mention it to all of you guests!” Director Chen turned, feigning forgetfulness. “Since the stage is being set up, we already arranged transport for the production staff this morning.”

“Therefore, all guests will need to figure out their own way to solve the transportation issue.”

“Hey!” Feng Qiqi was the first to protest. “If we have to walk all the way there ourselves, we’ll probably be exhausted to death before we even reach the stage!”

Apart from Feng Qiqi, the other guests remained silent, each pondering how to make the journey.

“Wen-jie, Ziyao, Qin Yu, what do you all think?” Feng Qiqi sought to rally the female guests to her side.

“Cough, cough, Qiqi-jie, Director Chen’s just making excuses. This is actually part of the show,” Lin Ziyao whispered, seeing that Feng Qiqi hadn’t caught on to Director Chen’s rather poor acting.

Upon hearing Lin Ziyao’s words, Feng Qiqi instantly fell silent, wishing she could dig a hole and bury herself.

She inwardly cursed herself for letting her guard down and forgetting this was a reality show, where even the youngest, Lin Ziyao, had seen through Director Chen’s clumsy act, while she alone had been fooled.

She cleared her throat twice, feigning composure, and addressed Director Chen. “Cough, cough, Director Chen, please delete that last part. I might have overacted a little.”

“No worries, no worries! Reality shows are all about authenticity!” Director Chen, having finally captured some good footage, certainly wouldn’t obediently listen to Feng Qiqi, instead chuckling dismissively.

“Rest assured, cameramen will be following you throughout your journey!” With that, Director Chen left Xiao Li alone to gather the guests’ stage requests, while he himself departed ahead to Taofeng Square, where the stage was currently being erected.