The assistant director led him to the Guest Room a closed gray door.
Lu Ren paused for two seconds at the entrance, mentally reviewing his plan.
First, he had to divert Yin Beilin’s attention away from himself and onto Rao Mengmeng.
Second, he must avoid drawing Young Lady Xu’s attention.
And finally, most importantly… he had to stay on guard against Yin Beilin’s flirtatious advances at all times!
The thought of that last point made Lu Ren instinctively touch the back of his neck the bandage was still firmly in place.
He breathed a sigh of relief.
*I absolutely cannot let Yin Beilin do something like that on the show,* Lu Ren thought, his face flushing. *If he did, I’d never be able to clear my name, no matter how hard I tried.*
With his plan firmly in mind, Lu Ren clenched his fist, took a deep breath, and pushed open the door.
The first things he saw were Luo Jiuge and Rao Mengmeng. It wasn’t because they were stunningly beautiful or anything the sofa was just directly in front of the door, making them impossible to miss.
Only then did he notice the cameramen stationed in each of the four corners of the room.
Both ladies looked even more stunning and glamorous than the last time, clearly having put a lot of effort into their styling.
Luo Jiuge wore a sleek, elegant black gown. Her long, wavy hair cascaded down the side of her face, complementing her fiery red lips and a sparkling gemstone necklace. Her beauty was breathtakingly bold.
Rao Mengmeng, on the other hand, wore a pure and innocent blue-and-white floral dress. Her smooth black hair flowed behind her, held back by a pure white headband.
Seeing him arrive, she immediately stood up and greeted him with a smile.
“You’re here!”
“I’m here, I’m here,” Lu Ren nodded hurriedly. “Good morning, Teacher Luo! Good morning, Mengmeng!”
Luo Jiuge, seated on the sofa, beamed at him. “Lu Ren, right? Good morning.”
“Good morning,” Lu Ren replied quickly.
He was inwardly stunned. *Holy shit, Peach TV said we were meeting at six. I thought I was up early, getting dressed and coming downstairs between four and five. Did these two have to wake up at three just to do their makeup?*
“Teacher Lu.”
Another voice called out from the side.
Lu Ren turned and came face-to-face with a tall man. He was dressed in a black tank top and a trendy denim vest, looking both masculine and stylish.
With his thick eyebrows and single eyelids, he looked exceptionally cheerful yet possessed a wild, rebellious edge. His exposed arms were lean and powerful.
So this is Zhou Zichuan?
“Hello!” Lu Ren nodded repeatedly, taking a seat on the sofa next to Zhou Zichuan.
Still, he couldn’t resist stealing another glance.
The photographers immediately raised their eyebrows, capturing every moment of his “eager” gaze fixed on Zhou Zichuan.
Rao Mengmeng had already done her homework. Seeing Lu Ren, with his pretty-boy face, staring intently at Zhou Zichuan, a wave of disdain washed over her.
*It seems my previous impressions were wrong…*
*Even if Zhou Zichuan is a top celebrity right now, she would never be able to catch his eye. This really has nothing to do with Brother Lin.*
Rao Mengmeng shook her head inwardly, withdrawing the slight interest she had shown in Lu Ren. She turned away and began chatting with Luo Jiuge.
Though Luo Jiuge’s motivations differed from Rao Mengmeng’s, their conclusions were remarkably similar.
As a major star about to appear on the show, she had put in the effort to read the background files of every guest.
*Lu Ren’s reputation is so bad that it’s better not to get involved with him early on otherwise, if he ends up leaving the show halfway through, things will get messy.*
Seeing Lu Ren staring at him, Zhou Zichuan tilted his head and asked curiously, “Teacher Lu, what’s wrong? Why do you keep looking at me?”
*Here it comes! Here it comes!*
The cameramen, with their cameras already rolling, froze for a moment. The next second, they all perked up and aimed their lenses at Lu Ren and Zhou Zichuan.
Even the conversation between Luo Jiuge and Rao Mengmeng paused for a second as they both glanced toward Lu Ren without leaving a trace.
The next moment, everyone in the Guest Room saw Lu Ren reach out and “caress” Zhou Zichuan’s arm.
Forget everyone else even Rao Mengmeng almost lost her composure.
What the hell? They just met and they’re already… “getting intimate”?
But the next instant, Lu Ren’s voice, tinged with envy, echoed through the Guest Room.
“How did you train your biceps like this?” Lu Ren asked. “They’re so well-defined.”
Rao Mengmeng: “…”
Luo Jiuge: “…”
The production team: “…”
*Is that it?*
Hearing this, Zhou Zichuan flexed his own arm, his tone smug. “See? I think it’s not bad.”
He had undoubtedly trained well. His muscles were well-defined but not overly bulky, creating a lean and smooth silhouette. Paired with his handsome face, he truly exuded masculine charm.
Beside him, Lu Ren nodded like a chick pecking at rice.
“You need to do more barbell curls, Teacher Lu.”
Lu Ren reached out to pinch his own arm, which looked like a piece of poached chicken, and said gloomily, “I’ve tried before, but I never saw any results.”
“Fitness is all about consistency.”
Out of good intentions, Zhou Zichuan reached out to examine Lu Ren’s arm. But when he grabbed it, he was surprised.
“Teacher Lu, your flesh is so soft. You must not be training enough.”
“No, that’s not it,” Lu Ren shook his head. “I’ve trained before, but I just can’t get any definition.”
Zhou Zichuan squeezed Lu Ren’s arm again, a look of understanding crossing his face.
“Your frame is just too small,” he concluded. “It’ll definitely take longer for your muscles to shape up.”
Zhou Zichuan was uninhibited and focused solely on guiding Lu Ren.
On camera, Lu Ren’s skin, exposed by his short-sleeved white T-shirt, was almost as pale as the fabric itself. Zhou Zichuan’s slightly darker hand rested upon it, giving a gentle squeeze that caused the fair, soft flesh to bulge slightly…
It was, well, a bit ambiguous.
The production team, sensing a moment, quickly shifted the focus, keeping the camera mostly trained on the two men who were touching each other.
Rao Mengmeng and Luo Jiuge, the two stunning beauties, were left ignored to the side, their expressions turning somewhat speechless.
*Creeak—*
Just then, the main door was pushed open again.
Luo Jiuge and Rao Mengmeng froze, their eyes lighting up in unison as they stared intently at the newcomer and stood up.
Lu Ren stiffened and also looked over.
His fair arm was still being held by Zhou Zichuan. As he lifted his head, his gaze met Yin Beilin’s dark eyes perfectly.
Lu Ren: “…”
He discreetly and stealthily pulled his arm back.
Zhou Zichuan didn’t notice or rather, there were few people in the Guest Room whose attention wasn’t fixed on Yin Beilin.
Yin Beilin was still dressed in all black. He wore a crisp, black BotteVeta shirt, its buttons meticulously fastened to the top. A black triangular faux-pocket square design adorned the left chest, paired with black trousers of the same material.
His handsome face remained impassive, yet his presence was so powerful it couldn’t be ignored. He held the door open with his right hand, waiting for the Assistant Director to blushingly scurry away before finally letting it go and slowly sliding his hand into his pocket.
This simple, gentlemanly gesture was enough to make Rao Mengmeng’s face flush with a hint of red.
But in the half-second she was lost in thought, Luo Jiuge had already walked over.
Draped in a black dress, she glided toward Yin Beilin and stood beside him, her tone intimate.
“Beilin, you’re so late,” Luo Jiuge chided playfully. “We’ve all been waiting for you.”
The cameraman, who had been assigned specifically to film Yin Beilin and Luo Jiuge, immediately focused the lens on the two of them.
Both dressed in all-black, they stood together a stunning man and a beautiful woman, a perfect match.
Rao Mengmeng pressed her lips together and walked over with a gentle smile. “Teacher Yin!”
Zhou Zichuan also stood up quickly to greet him.
Lu Ren naturally followed suit.
However… Lu Ren guiltily shrank behind the others, trying to minimize his presence.
…He couldn’t shake the feeling that Yin Beilin had just glanced at him with disdain…
Uh.
Facing the crowd that had gathered around him, Yin Beilin gave a slight nod.
“I’m a bit late getting into the car. Sorry for keeping everyone waiting.”
In truth, everyone present knew perfectly well that the production team had deliberately arranged for Yin Beilin to arrive last. They wanted the dramatic effect of his final appearance, so no one took offense.
Seeing that all five guests had arrived, the show’s general director, Director Qian, finally stood up.
His face was round, and when he smiled, he looked like a friendly, approachable uncle the kind of director who seemed easy to get along with.
Clapping his hands together, Director Qian said with a beaming smile, “Thank you all for getting up so early to meet us here at Peach TV.”
“We’re about to begin filming the first episode of *Fantasy Couple*. Since the filming location needs to be kept secret, we’ve gathered you all here today.”
“Now that everyone is here, please double-check your belongings. We’ll be departing for the filming site immediately.”
“Is that everyone?” Luo Jiuge’s stunningly beautiful face showed a hint of surprise. “Director Qian, if I recall correctly, isn’t there still a Miss Xu?”
Director Qian paused, then nodded. “Miss Xu Qingqing will meet up with us later.”
Lu Ren nodded inwardly, understanding the situation.
*Xu Qingqing is probably going there on her own.*
*That makes sense. After all, it would be a bit beneath a Young Lady to leave her stretch Lincoln behind and squeeze into the production team’s guest car.*
The group followed Director Qian through a special entrance for Peach TV.
However, instead of taking them downstairs, Director Qian led them to the top floor and then up a staircase.
The camera crew followed closely behind. The hallway was narrow, so everyone walked in single file rather than side-by-side.
“Huh?” Rao Mengmeng exclaimed. “Director, why are we going up?”
Zhou Zichuan looked around. “Is there a skywalk?”
Luo Jiuge and Yin Beilin walked one behind the other. Lu Ren, following behind Luo Jiuge, also looked around curiously.
When he had driven past Peach TV earlier, the building had looked like a simple rectangular block. He hadn’t noticed any other walkways on the roof.
Besides, with fans guarding every ground-floor entrance, it seemed nearly impossible to avoid being followed by paparazzi.
“It’s alright, everyone. Just follow us,” Director Qian’s voice echoed ahead in the stairwell.
“We’ll be there in a moment.”
The production crew quickened their pace, and the others followed suit.
But climbing stairs was a chore. Luo Jiuge, in her high heels, felt a wave of exhaustion after just a few steps.
The hallway lights were dim. She misstepped, let out a startled cry, and stumbled backward.
Yin Beilin’s brow furrowed. He spun around and reached out to catch her, but she had already fallen back too far for him to grab.
A moment later, Lu Ren’s voice sounded from behind her.
“Luo… Teacher Luo, are you okay?”
Someone had broken her fall. Only then did Luo Jiuge’s heart, which had been pounding wildly, begin to steady.
She was leaning heavily against Lu Ren, and with Yin Beilin watching, her beautiful face instantly flushed. She scrambled to her feet. “I’m fine.”
The others turned back with concern. “Teacher Luo, are you okay?”
Yin Beilin, in particular, kept his gaze fixed on her, his brow still furrowed.
It was rare to see such a cold person show such a strong reaction. Looking at Yin Beilin’s handsome face, Luo Jiuge’s mind momentarily went blank.
Suddenly, a muffled groan came from behind her.
The groan was low and hoarse, right beside her ear. Not too loud, not too soft, it sounded exceptionally provocative in the empty stairwell.
Luo Jiuge snapped back to her senses, her face instantly flushing with a mix of shame and anger.
*That Lu Ren really is a degenerate,* she thought. *I only tripped, but he deliberately made a sound like that, as if something was happening between us.*
Luo Jiuge’s lips tightened into a thin line. She frowned and turned around, only to meet Lu Ren’s bitter expression.
Lu Ren looked at her, his voice trembling. “Teacher… Teacher Luo, if you’re okay… could you… move your high heel…?”
Luo Jiuge: “…”
She looked down.
Her five-centimeter stiletto heel was planted firmly on Lu Ren’s pristine white sneaker.
Luo Jiuge quickly pulled her foot back, her face crimson as she stammered, “I’m sorry.”
Lu Ren forced a dry smile. “It’s fine. As long as you didn’t get hurt.”
Lu Ren thought tearfully, *But… are high heels made of awls?
*Holy shit, stepping on someone really hurts.
Fortunately, the rest of the way went smoothly. To be safe, a lighting technician stood beside Luo Jiuge, and Yin Beilin also swapped places with her, letting Luo Jiuge walk in front.
Lu Ren still followed behind, slowly climbing. But after taking a few steps up, his wrist was suddenly grabbed from ahead.
Lu Ren’s heart sank, and he looked at Yin Beilin in terror.
Help, people are still filming!
But the next second, a bandage was placed in his palm.
Lu Ren looked at him in astonishment, and Yin Beilin’s deep, magnetic voice sounded.
“You scraped your arm. Put this on.”
Lu Ren looked again and realized his right arm was indeed scratched.
He hadn’t even noticed it just now, so he awkwardly took the bandage. “Thank you… uh, thank you, Teacher Yin.”
“Teacher Yin” looked at him, his eyebrows twitching slightly.
Lu Ren’s heart sank again, and he instinctively flashed a flattering smile.
Fortunately, Yin Beilin said nothing. He glanced at Lu Ren before turning away.
The group finally reached the rooftop of the Peach TV building.
It was already 6:30 AM, well past dawn. Sunlight broke through the clouds, spilling down in a brilliant cascade. Though the heat was beginning to set in, the blue sky and white clouds made for a beautiful view.
Yet, as they stood on the vast, open rooftop, a moment of collective confusion washed over them.
Lu Ren asked blankly, “Director… how do we get down—”
*Rumble—!*
Before Lu Ren could even finish his sentence, a thunderous roar erupted from above, and a massive shadow engulfed them.
Startled, Lu Ren instinctively looked up.
A giant helicopter, its rotors spinning furiously, was slowly descending.
The side door was open, revealing a young woman sitting on the edge. She wore a red strapless gown, her hair tied up in a high ponytail. The long red skirt billowed in the wind like a blood-red rose, and her black ponytail whipped behind her.
The helicopter touched down with a heavy thud.
The woman in red rose to her feet. With measured grace, she stepped out of the aircraft, assisted by an attendant.
Wearing red-soled Louboutins, she walked toward the five of them, step by step, before stopping and crossing her arms.
“Nice to meet you.”
Her chin was tilted up, and even on level ground, she looked down on them with an air of superiority.
“I am Xu Qingqing.”