“What kind of mystery is the production team trying to pull? Still ‘top-tier’, don’t let it end up being another top-tier star that nobody recognizes!”
“True top-tier stars are busy as hell every day with endless schedules; where would they find the time to go on a dating variety show? It’s definitely just another struggling celebrity trying to cling to popularity.”
Netizens didn’t believe that any top-tier star would go on a dating show, and they mocked the production team in the comments below their official blog.
Inside the cabin, upon seeing this new guest teaser, Xia Mu couldn’t help but feel expectant about who the new arrival would be. He brought this topic up during a meal, and once everyone heard it, they immediately became interested.
Xia Mu was curious: “I wonder if the newcomer is a ‘1’ or a ‘0’?”
As early as the first day when everyone introduced themselves, they had already stated their attributes. Currently, the show had three 1s and four 0s. With more 0s than 1s, Xia Mu naturally hoped the newcomer would be a 1, so they could balance things out.
Pei Huaiyue, however, didn’t care in the slightest.
His mind was filled only with his mission, and he didn’t pay much attention to other matters.
During the daytime, those in the cabin went to work or school, returning only at night.
Su Jin recently had a performance and needed to spend a lot of time rehearsing. He was busy, leaving early and returning late every day, waking up at the crack of dawn to have Gu Yanchen drive him to the theater.
Pei Huaiyue, the lover of sleeping in, always opened his eyes to find the room empty and desolate, with only himself left.
Today, he finally rose early.
Although he only did so because he had told 029 to electrocute him awake if he didn’t get up on time.
Pei Huaiyue rubbed his face. Watching Gu Yanchen, who was about to go downstairs with Su Jin, he let out a yawn and said with bleary, sleep-filled eyes: “Brother Chen, I have something to take care of at the company today. Can you drop me off on your way?”
Gu Yanchen knit his brows: “I have to drop off Su Jin in the morning.”
“Brother Su Jin, you’ve monopolized Brother Chen for so many days now, making him drive you every morning. I’m only asking Brother Chen to take me this once. You won’t disagree, right?” Pei Huaiyue looked at Su Jin with a face full of grievance.
Su Jin: “I.”
“You agree? I knew Brother Su Jin was the best.” Pei Huaiyue’s beautiful lips curled up, his eyes crinkling as he smiled.
“Alright, then hurry up and get up to get ready; I’m leaving right away.” Su Jin had no choice but to agree helplessly.
The Su Jin fans in the livestream room were instantly angry enough to die.
Is Pei Huaiyue sick? When did Su Jin ever agree?
I can’t stand how “green tea” he is; relying on Su Jin being a good person, he bullies him like this!
He really has to stick his oar into everything, no matter where it is. He’s like a ghost that won’t go away!
Pei Huaiyue rose lazily from the bed, changed his clothes, and walked out of the door with a clean, bare face that had been washed with only plain water.
A few crystal-clear water droplets still hung on his eyelashes, refracting magnificent radiance in the glimmer of the autumn morning.
For a moment, the netizens in the livestream room were stunned speechless once again.
Although Pei Huaiyue’s character was poor, his face was truly beyond reproach.
He was even this good-looking without makeup.
Born on such an annoying person, it was truly a waste of heaven’s gifts.
Sitting in Gu Yanchen’s car, Pei Huaiyue took the passenger seat one step ahead of Su Jin. “Brother Chen, I get a bit carsick. You don’t mind if I sit in the front, do you?”
Carsick?
Both Su Jin and Gu Yanchen were speechless. Since when did Pei Huaiyue have a problem with carsickness?
Just as Gu Yanchen wanted to say something, Su Jin, out of spite, said: “Since that’s the case, then you just sit there.”
Pei Huaiyue’s sudden intervention made him feel very unhappy, but he was accustomed to being gentle and magnanimous in front of everyone and didn’t want to lose his temper at Pei Huaiyue, so he could only swallow his anger. However, the smile on his face had already dissipated; he pursed his lips and stopped talking, and the atmosphere in the car turned subtle.
Pei Huaiyue was awakened by a flurry of notification sounds for points. On the surface, he remained calm, but inside, he was already happily counting his points.
Gu Yanchen dropped Pei Huaiyue off at Star Leap first, and only after he stepped out of the car did he continue to take Su Jin to the theater.
Watching them leave, the smile on Pei Huaiyue’s face hadn’t faded yet. He stretched, turned around, and walked into the Star Leap building.
“I heard Pei Huaiyue is coming today. What do you think he’s coming here for?”
“What else could it be? He’s been cursed to death online recently and even dragged our company’s Xu Ran into being cursed along with him. Whoever touches him nowadays has bad luck. The company probably called him back to terminate his contract.”
“Stop talking, he’s entered the elevator.”
A colleague watching the livestream saw that Pei Huaiyue was about to arrive and hurriedly told everyone to shut their mouths.
The elevator door opened.
Pei Huaiyue walked toward the Streamer Management Department.
As soon as he entered, he bumped into someone with a look of extreme arrogance on their face.
Dai Xiaotao could be said to have been very glorious during this period. Although he was a major internet celebrity, he hadn’t had any viral topics in the last year, and the influencer circle kept churning out newcomers. His account data hadn’t broken 100,000 likes in a long time; if things continued like this, he would soon be forgotten.
It wasn’t until he posted a co-created video with Xu Ran, borrowing the tailwind of people trashing Pei Huaiyue, that he returned to the public eye. In the last few days, he had been receiving business advertisements until his hands were soft, and his account data had also broken 100,000 likes for several consecutive days.
People in the company fawned over him in every possible way upon seeing him, and Xu Ran interacted with him online and offline every day, practically becoming Dai Xiaotao’s stooge.
At this moment, he was trailing behind Dai Xiaotao, helping him carry his bag.
Pei Huaiyue’s gaze swept past Dai Xiaotao and landed on Xu Ran, asking curiously: “Why are you mixed up with him? Didn’t you use to say that you hated him the most for his posturing, acting all like ‘I’m Star Leap’s number one streamer’?”
Xu Ran was choked by Pei Huaiyue’s words, his face flushing bright red.
“When did I ever say that? Pei Huaiyue, don’t slander me just because you’re harboring a grudge against me for turning over a new leaf!”
“Oh.”
Pei Huaiyue’s expression was indifferent.
He didn’t say anything more to them and headed toward the manager’s office.
Dai Xiaotao gave Xu Ran a meaningful look. Xu Ran understood and hurriedly blocked Pei Huaiyue’s path.
“Pei Huaiyue, you bumped into Brother Tao just now and haven’t apologized to him yet.”
Pei Huaiyue looked surprised. “Really? Oh, so Dai Xiaotao is here too. Maybe because he’s too short, I didn’t notice him.”
Dai Xiaotao was only 175cm tall and usually wore 4-5cm height-increasing insoles when he went out. Even so, standing in front of Pei Huaiyue, he was still a whole head shorter.
Every time Pei Huaiyue mentioned his height, he would get so angry he couldn’t stand it.
Today, however, he only raised an eyebrow and said with a relaxed demeanor: “Since you’re about to be terminated by the company, I’ll act with mercy and not hold it against you. I came to the company today to sign a new advertising contract. You know ‘Fleuris’? It’s an international luxury skincare brand. Just signing one advertisement pays a commission of tens of millions.”
Although Star Leap wasn’t a major brand company in the influencer world, it had the backing of the Gu Group and had never been soft-hearted when it came to resources for its streamers.
It was just that Pei Huaiyue didn’t like to show off, didn’t want to rely on connections to take too many resources, operated his account according to his heart, and didn’t lack money, he didn’t need to rely on taking advertisements to survive, which was why he had never had commercial resources.
At this moment, hearing Dai Xiaotao showing off in front of him, he only hooked his lips into a smile, intentionally using an affected, delicate voice: “I’m so envious. Since Brother Dai Xiaotao is earning so much money, remember to pay your taxes properly; don’t commit tax evasion.”
“Who are you saying is committing tax evasion!” Dai Xiaotao looked at the follow-up director trailing behind Pei Huaiyue, feeling a sudden jolt of panic in his heart. His tax situation was indeed not clean, but how could Pei Huaiyue possibly know?
Pei Huaiyue was laughing to death seeing how scared he was.
He knew, of course, because he had read the original book. He remembered that in the near future, Dai Xiaotao would be reported and banned across the entire internet for tax evasion. As glorious as he was now, that was how miserable he would be in the future.
So, Pei Huaiyue couldn’t be bothered to argue with him.
Netizens in the livestream room immediately began to discuss it.
Why does Dai Xiaotao look so panicked? Could it be that he really is committing tax evasion?
How is that possible? It’s obvious Pei Huaiyue is slandering people; does anyone still believe his character?
Signing one advertisement and earning over ten million—influencers these days really make money, living even better than the “208” stars [a derogatory term for high-earning entertainers].
Fleuris would have eyes for Dai Xiaotao? How would they think of that? He looks so tacky, wearing height-increasing insoles all day and night. Isn’t him advertising for Fleuris making the brand lose face?
Pei Huaiyue is truly so “green tea.” By intentionally bringing up tax evasion, now, whether Dai Xiaotao has actually done such a thing or not, he’s going to be suspected!
If he hasn’t done it, why is he nervous?
“What are you guys arguing about so early in the morning?!”
Just as the livestream room was heatedly arguing, Supervisor Wang also walked out of his office.
Seeing the two of them glaring at each other, he instinctively scolded them.
Pei Huaiyue shrugged. “He’s the one who insisted on finding me to argue.”
Dai Xiaotao snapped back to his senses, glared viciously at Pei Huaiyue, and then acted spoiled toward Supervisor Wang: “Supervisor Wang, didn’t you say you were letting me come today to sign the new business advertisement? I have absolutely no problem on my end.”
Supervisor Wang, however, bypassed him and nodded and bowed to Pei Huaiyue with a look of flattery: “Mr. Pei, you’ve arrived. The advertising contract for Fleuris has already been prepared for you. Would you like to see when it’s convenient to sign it?”
What?
The advertising contract for Fleuris was prepared for Pei Huaiyue?
Everyone in the office was stunned.
“Doesn’t Pei Huaiyue not take advertisements? And for an international luxury brand like Fleuris.” “His rich second-generation persona was exposed as fake before, so there’s no need to maintain that persona, so maybe it doesn’t matter whether he takes ads or not?” “Didn’t they say he was here at the company today to terminate his contract? What happened to the termination—how did it become signing a new advertisement!” “Dai Xiaotao thought the advertisement was for him; this face-slapping is a bit swollen.”
Hearing the whispering of the crowd, Dai Xiaotao was so angry his face flushed red.
“Supervisor Wang, what’s going on? You clearly yesterday evening…” He spoke without thinking, and when everyone looked at him, he hurriedly covered his mouth, though his face displayed pure resentment.
Supervisor Wang’s face went cold. “When did I ever promise you that the Fleuris advertisement was prepared for you? The brand representatives stated clearly in person that they only have eyes for Pei Huaiyue!”
“Ah—” Dai Xiaotao was driven insane with rage, pointing his sharp, long-nailed fingers at Pei Huaiyue. “Did you steal my advertising contract? You bitch!”
Pei Huaiyue, however, raised an eyebrow and smiled at him. “You’re so angry, if I don’t sign it, wouldn’t that mean I was insulted by you for nothing?”
Recently, due to his “black-and-red” fame online, many merchants had set their eyes on his traffic and come to find him for all kinds of advertising partnerships.
Pei Huaiyue wasn’t interested in any of them.
He hadn’t liked taking advertisements before, and he remained the same now.
Only Fleuris.
This brand had always been endorsed by Gu Minghe. Upon hearing that the brand representatives had come looking for him, Pei Huaiyue’s heart stirred.
He couldn’t bear to refuse anything related to Gu Minghe.
He hadn’t seen Gu Minghe for a very long time, to the extent that even in trivial matters like this, he would feel an endless stream of longing.
After Pei Huaiyue finished signing the contract and came out, the people in the office looked at him with much more caution.
Previously, there had been rumors in the company that Pei Huaiyue had a very powerful backer, and everyone dared not provoke him easily. Now that he had been cursed like that online, not only did the company not terminate his contract, but they even gave him an advertising contract paying tens of millions in commission. One didn’t need to guess to know that this person’s background was one they couldn’t afford to provoke.
The corporate cattle and horses all fell silent.
And Dai Xiaotao had left in a rage long ago.
Pei Huaiyue went to the restroom, with the follow-up director waiting outside.
Just as he was standing in front of the mirror washing his hands, Xu Ran emerged from another cubicle, looking at Pei Huaiyue with a fawning face: “Xiaoxue, it’s not what you saw between me and Dai Xiaotao. I had no other choice but to fawn over him. You know, my traffic isn’t as good as yours, and I was cursed by so many people, I really couldn’t bear it, that’s why.”
“Alright, Xu Ran,” Pei Huaiyue turned around, his eyes somewhat cold and indifferent: “Stop finding so many excuses. Since you’ve chosen Dai Xiaotao, then you should go fawn over him properly; there’s no need to waste your energy on me anymore.”
Saying this, he wiped his hands dry. As he left, ignoring Xu Ran’s unsightly expression, he smiled: “By the way, remember to convert all those bags and jewelry I bought for you into cash at the secondhand market price and return it to me. Otherwise, we’ll have to see each other in court.”
“Pei Huaiyue, do you really have to be this heartless?!”
Xu Ran shrieked in a breakdown.
Pei Huaiyue, however, no longer paid him any attention.
Xu Ran stared resentfully at Pei Huaiyue’s back, his eyes reddening with anger.
He was jealous that Pei Huaiyue looked better than him, jealous that Pei Huaiyue was so rich, jealous that Pei Huaiyue could be linked in scandals with Gu Yanchen. He was jealous enough to die, following behind Pei Huaiyue every day like a dark, twisted rat, watching the other person buy him bags and jewelry, secretly laughing at him for being an idiot in his heart.
Now, the idiot was still living so gloriously, and was even going to take back everything he had given him. Xu Ran felt he hated Pei Huaiyue to death!
Returning to the cabin at night, the staff said tomorrow would be their first date, asking everyone to prepare well.
In order to be in a good state for the date, everyone went to sleep early tonight.
The next day, after everyone finished breakfast and came to the living room, three gifts had been placed on the sofa. The staff said: “These are the date gifts prepared by the ‘1’ party. Everyone, please choose. Whichever one you pick, that’s who you’ll go on a date with.”
There were only three gifts, meaning one person would be left without a date.
Everyone prayed secretly that it wouldn’t be them.
Pei Huaiyue woke up 029: “Little System, help me take a look quickly, which gift is Gu Yanchen’s.”
029 dutifully scanned the area and finally locked onto the light purple gift box.
Pei Huaiyue then wrote “purple” on a piece of paper.
The final revealed results were: Shen Zhimian picked Zhou Jingyuan’s, Xia Mu picked Jiang Leran’s, and both Pei Huaiyue and Su Jin picked Gu Yanchen’s gifts.
The staff then let Gu Yanchen make his choice.
Gu Yanchen looked at Pei Huaiyue with eyes full of apology: “Sorry.”
Then he chose Su Jin to be his date for the day.
Suddenly, the livestream room’s comments went wild with joy.
Hahaha, Pei Huaiyue deserves it!
Gu and Su are a match made in heaven!
President Gu is powerful; looking forward to the two of them dating!
It’s over; only Pei Huaiyue wasn’t chosen. He has no date.
The netizens gloated.
But at this moment, the staff mysteriously pulled out a pink gift box and handed it to Pei Huaiyue.
“Pei Huaiyue, this is the date gift prepared by the new male guest.”
“Congratulations, you have gained the privilege of going on a date with the new male guest.”