The guests all returned to their original seats, leaving only Xia Yan still standing beside Lu Chengyan.
Lu Chengyan looked up at him, his eyes asking: What are you standing here for?
Xia Yan pointed to the empty seat on the inside next to Lu Chengyan: “Brother Lu, can I sit on the inside next to you?”
Lu Chengyan didn’t speak, but pulled back his long legs that had been stretched out in front, signaling that Xia Yan could go in.
Xia Yan grinned, revealing a few bright white teeth, and smiled very sweetly: “Thank you, Brother Lu…”
The moment Xia Yan’s butt hit the seat, just as he was preparing to have a long chat with Lu Chengyan to close the distance between them, Lu Chengyan closed his eyes again to rest.
If Lu Chengyan fell asleep, how was he going to pursue him? How was he going to farm affection points? How was he going to go home?
He wouldn’t allow it; he was going to harass Lu Chengyan.
Xia Yan pinched Lu Chengyan’s sleeve with his index finger and thumb, shaking it gently: “Brother Lu, are you falling asleep?”
Lu Chengyan opened his eyelids and glanced at him sideways. His left eye spelled “You”, and his right eye spelled “You tell me”. He opened his noble lips and asked, “Something the matter?”
Xia Yan withdrew his hand, putting on an obedient and well-behaved expression: “Brother Lu, are you really okay? I’m pretty heavy, it should hurt quite a bit if I crashed down on you like that.”
Lu Chengyan took back his gaze and closed his eyes: “I’m fine. It didn’t hurt.”
So cold and aloof. So difficult to communicate with.
Xia Yan brazenly continued his harassment, suddenly noticing that Lu Chengyan’s neck looked a bit red. Judging by the location, it was the exact spot he had bumped into earlier.
Could it be that he was the one who bumped it red just now?
Xia Yan wanted to take a closer look. He reached out his hand, but before his fingers could even brush Lu Chengyan’s collar, his wrist was fiercely grabbed and restrained.
“Ah, ng…” Xia Yan let out a short, muffled sound. Just hearing it was somewhat reminiscent of things that made the imagination run wild.
The guests looked over in unison at the sound, only to see Xia Yan’s wrist being caught by Lu Chengyan. The corners of Xia Yan’s eyes drooped a few degrees lower than before, carrying an indescribable sense of grievance.
Ignoring the gazes of everyone present, Lu Chengyan stared ungraciously at Xia Yan and interrogated, “What are you doing?”
Xia Yan jutted out his chin: “Your neck looks like it got bruised red by me. I wanted to take a look, Brother Lu, does it really not hurt?”
Lu Chengyan tossed Xia Yan’s hand aside and cast a cold, indifferent sidelong glance: “Sit back down. Act up again and you won’t be sitting here.”
Xia Yan aggrievedly bit his lower lip lightly. A moment later, as if gathering all his mental preparation, he abruptly leaned in a few inches closer and asked, “Brother Lu, are you still mad at me? What do I have to do for you to forgive me?”
Lu Chengyan’s brain stopped working for a split second, his mind and world entirely filled with the breathtakingly exquisite face right in front of him.
His fingertips curled slightly, and he quickly regained his composure.
Given his status and position, there was no shortage of people willing to throw themselves at him shamelessly. There were plenty of attractive people like Xia Yan, yet every single one of them had been driven away by his thunderous methods.
He disliked anyone who approached him with an ulterior motive.
Xia Yan crashing into him earlier might have been an accident, but right now, it was definitely not pure, featuring deliberate gentleness and a calculating gaze, combined with Xia Yan’s notorious past behavior.
Logically speaking, he should say harsh words to make Xia Yan stay far away from him.
Yet inexplicably, facing this face belonging to Xia Yan, he found himself unable to do anything to harm the other person.
He glanced at the camera, signaling for the camera crew to look away for a moment.
Then, leaning close to Xia Yan’s ear, he said in a voice meant only for the two of them: “Please have some self-respect. I’m not interested in men.”
[Ding! Target’s affection points increased by 2 points. Current affection points: 3.]
[Host, keep up the good work! Only 97 points left until you reach 100 affection points…]
Lu Chengyan’s words and the system’s notification sound rang out back-to-back. Hearing them, Xia Yan almost snorted out loud.
Was the word “hypocrite” custom-made specifically for Lu Chengyan?
Saying he wasn’t interested with his mouth, while secretly adding affection points in his heart.
Xia Yan licked his canine tooth and deliberately blew a puff of air toward Lu Chengyan’s ear: “Brother, I don’t have any other motives, I just want to make you stop being angry.”
“I’m not angry,” Lu Chengyan said rigidly, pressing his hand against Xia Yan’s shoulder to push him back into his seat. “And we aren’t close. Watch how you address me.”
[Ding! Target’s affection points increased by 2 points. Current affection points: 5 points.]
[Host, Host, you’re amazing! You’re the thick-skinned host I’ve ever brought along, letting loose like this on day one of the mission!]
Xia Yan: …
Was that supposed to be a compliment?
Xia Yan didn’t want to dignify the system with a response.
It wasn’t wise to flirt too aggressively on a first meeting; it would only produce the opposite effect.
Xia Yan didn’t make a fuss anymore. He obediently sat in his spot picking at his fingernails, occasionally stealing secretive, fawning, and cautious glances at Lu Chengyan, thinking he was being very subtle.
Lu Chengyan could feel Xia Yan’s gaze and his slowed breathing, and an unprompted trace of guilt arose in his heart.
Was he a bit too fierce with what he said just now?
The guests were chatting amongst themselves on the surface, but in reality, all of them had split their focus onto Xia Yan and Lu Chengyan’s side.
They had watched as the two whispered to each other, followed by Xia Yan looking heartbroken and desolate, while Lu Chengyan sat there as if nothing had happened, maintaining his consistent high-class, cold, and glamorous persona.
It looked completely fine on the surface, but that was the biggest problem of all.
As everyone knew, Lu Chengyan was the crown prince of the Lu family, pure-hearted and ascetic, completely untouched by women, and equally untouched by men.
Rumor had it that someone in the circle previously tried to take a shortcut by climbing into Lu Chengyan’s bed, only to be thrown out on the spot and blacklisted by him.
There were also rumors that Lu Chengyan had been pestered by an eighteen-or-nineteen-year-old manipulative person calling him brother on a certain film set, and that very same day, that person was kicked off the crew.
Yet from just now until this moment, not only had Xia Yan pounced on Lu Chengyan, but he had also called him Brother Lu and even Brother several times. Even so, Lu Chengyan hadn’t uttered a single harsh word. It was deeply abnormal.
None of the guests present were fools; put together, their scheming minds numbered in the thousands. Xia Yan falling onto Lu Chengyan might have been an accident, but Xia Yan himself most likely had designs on Lu Chengyan.
Just in that short span of time, the airplane cabin was practically pickled in the scent of green tea.
However, they didn’t dislike it.
For one thing, Xia Yan was gorgeous. For another, Xia Yan’s green-tea antics weren’t annoying. And thirdly, Lu Chengyan himself didn’t look like he genuinely disliked it either.
In their hearts, they silently locked these two individuals together…
The plane cruised smoothly through the stratosphere.
The guests all took a brief nap on the plane. Seeing that the guests were in high spirits, Zhao Weidong decided to stir up some drama.
“I’m here to bring you all some unfortunate news. This morning, I received word from the guesthouse side: yesterday, a hurricane struck the Santorini islands. Due to the landlord’s negligence in forgetting to close the windows, half of the rooms were flooded and are currently uninhabitable. Therefore, all of you will have to share rooms, two people per room.”
“Room assignments will be decided through a game next.”
The guests looked at Zhao Weidong suspiciously, strongly suspecting that the director was staging this himself.
What kind of hurricane didn’t come early or late, but chose to hit right while they were filming?
Anyone who had watched Season 1 knew that Director Zhao loved creating drama.
Shen Xingci openly questioned him on the spot, his passionate youth voice ringing loud and clear: “What kind of hurricane arrives this coincidentally? Director, did you check the weather forecast and deliberately make the landlord pull a stunt like this?”
Song Yutong rested her chin in her hands and chimed in: “Exactly, exactly! Director, before we set off, you even promised us in the group chat that the accommodation arrangements were completely foolproof. Is this what you call foolproof? Director, you go back on your word!”
With his character being called into question, Zhao Weidong raised three fingers.
“Oh heavens, distinguish the loyal from the treacherous!”
“I swear it really is an accident. Santorini is currently in peak tourist season, and since this happened on short notice, there’s no time to arrange new lodgings. I guarantee it’s just for tonight, and tomorrow I promise you’ll all sleep comfortably.”
“Two people per room, with two beds and a privacy curtain drawn down the middle.”
Gu Xiaoran, who hadn’t said much up until now, spoke up. Crossing her arms over her chest, she asked nonchalantly: “Failing to deliver on a promised arrangement counts as the production team’s fault, right? Shouldn’t you give us some compensation?”
With Gu Xiaoran initiating the assault, Song Yutong followed up in seconds: “That’s right! Since it’s the production team’s fault, we want compensation. Everyone, chant after me: Compensation! Compensation!”
With her leading the charge, aside from Lu Chengyan, the guests echoed her one after another.
“Compensation! Compensation! Compensation!”
Xia Yan joined in on the teasing, catching out of the corner of his eye that Lu Chengyan was sitting there unmoving, putting on a high-cold, pretentious posture. He found it a bit unbearable.
In collective activities, one had to blend in with the group.
He grabbed Lu Chengyan’s wrist, shaking it in rhythm with everyone else’s crusade: “Compensation! Compensation!”
Caught off guard, Lu Chengyan had his hand captured. He shot Xia Yan a sidelong glare and commanded with displeasure: “Let go.”
Xia Yan didn’t let go, blinking his watery eyes as he gazed deep into Lu Chengyan’s eyes.
“Brother probably hasn’t taken a vacation in a long time. Since you’re participating in a variety show this time, loosen up a bit. Don’t always wear a poker face. Just treat it like a vacation and have fun with everyone.”
Lu Chengyan didn’t reply, pulling his hand back forcefully, but it didn’t budge an inch.
He stared at Xia Yan in astonishment, failing to understand where someone who looked so frail got so much strength.
Feeling the force in his hand, Xia Yan grinned, revealing his two canine teeth: “Brother, I don’t have many merits, but I am strong. You won’t be able to shake me off. Obediently join everyone in demanding compensation from the director.”
Refusing to believe it, Lu Chengyan struggled twice more, and then had no choice but to believe it. Xia Yan’s hand was practically welded to his; no matter how hard he shook, it didn’t move at all.
He accepted his fate.
With a life-is-meaningless expression, he let Xia Yan grab his hand and wave it up and down.
Out of the corner of his eye, Zhao Weidong watched the whole scene, grinning from ear to ear.
One was a black-red traffic magnet, the other was the nation’s top movie emperor, and the two of them getting tangled up on his dating variety show meant the show was guaranteed to blow up!
In high spirits, he agreed to the guests’ request for compensation and waved his hand: “Alright, compensation—one hundred euros per person!”
“One hundred euros is nowhere near enough!”
Song Yutong still wanted to fight for more. Based on the pattern from Season 1, their living expenses during the show were entirely earned through missions and odd jobs.
If they asked for more now, they would suffer less hardship later.
Seeing that the other guests were about to chime in, Zhao Weidong spoke up to cut them off: “The guests from last season started with zero euros. If you think it’s too little, you can leave it, and I’ll go donate it later.”
Compared to last season, starting with one hundred euros per person was already quite generous.
Seeing that they couldn’t squeeze anything more out of the director, the guests stopped there.
Contentment brings happiness, after all. If they kept making a fuss and ended up losing the eight hundred euros entirely, that wouldn’t be good.
The production team distributed eight hundred euros in cash on the spot.
Immediately afterward, Zhao Weidong announced the start of this season’s very first game for Love is You.
“On our first night in Santorini, everyone will be sharing rooms in pairs. Since you are all officially meeting for the first time and don’t know much about each other yet, in order for everyone to choose their ideal roommates, we will be playing a game next to get a preliminary understanding of one another.”
“The name of the game is I Have, You Don’t. The game uses a point system: first place gets 4 points, second place gets 3 points, third place gets 2 points, fourth place gets 1 point, and the remaining placements get 0 points. We will play a total of three rounds. After three rounds, rankings will be based on the total score, and players with higher total scores get priority in choosing their roommates and rooms…”