Chapter 390: How Can There Be No Elders?

"Secret Room Escape"?

Bai Liang suddenly remembered, but wasn't this already aired a few days ago?

More accurately, it was two episodes combined into one whole episode/period themed "Haunted Mansion."

Because he got so scared he forgot to promote "The Longest Day in Chang'an" and "Ne Zha," the production team directly added subtitles in post-production.

The subtitles were so over-the-top they even trended online at the time.

Many of his fans said this was his most "embarrassing" moment since his debut.

But he was still agile as ever.

He dragged Big Mi Mi around, dodging and retreating behind the others.

This show was relatively "boring" among the variety programs Bai Liang had participated in.

Because he didn't do anything particularly flashy.

This should be blamed on Big Mi Mi—she kept clinging to him, making it hard for him to break free; originally, after being scared, he'd planned to sneak off and dress up as a ghost to scare the others.

But Big Mi Mi clung to him like a slug, as if glued on with suction cups.

Even so, because she kept pushing him to solve puzzles, he still stole a lot of the spotlight.

Especially when everyone else was stuck thinking for ages and he couldn't help but nudge the progress forward—he didn't say a word, but post-production added the subtitle: "In this silence, the noise was deafening."

The effect was real, but it also stirred up some resentment.

For example, Deng Lun's fans were a bit unhappy, wondering if the production team had secretly given Bai Liang a script.

Usually this would lead to fan wars, but the Capybara fans stayed silent, quietly posting screenshots of Bai Liang's various exam scores.

This level of setup could easily qualify him for "Secret Room Escape: God Edition"—he fit right in among that crowd of high-education, high-IQ contestants.

Of course, the Capybara fans were reasonable.

If you don't like logical debate, feel free to go full fan war instead.

We don't mind your low standards; you don't mind our numbers~

Seeing the fiercely watchful Capybara fans, Deng Lun's team quickly stepped in to calm things down. Another peaceful day ended.

Capybara fans: Maintaining fan peace relies entirely on us!

Aside from that, Bai Liang and Big Mi Mi's overly intimate interactions sparked a bit of discussion.

Two gossip kings together—it felt weird not to stir up some rumors.

It didn't make sense.

But it just happened—there truly were zero rumors between them.

Because right after the show aired, Big Mi Mi casually liked a marketing account pushing the Bai Liang–Yang Mi CP.

Her position as "big sister-in-law" was rock-solid.

What rumors? This is her good little brother—family, through and through.

This trick for fooling fans was truly effective.

But today, when Yang Mi herself watched this episode

"Aaaaaaah!"

On-screen, the guest screamed and scrambled around; off-screen, Yang Mi and Zhu Zhu Xudan also shrank into a huddle, terrified.

Yang Mi's native dialect slipped out—she was speaking in Xinjiang-style exclamations.

Mao Xiaotong, who had already seen the episode, wasn't paying attention to the show—she was sneakily observing Yang Mi's expressions.

As expected!

Soon she noticed Yang Mi didn't seem that scared—instead, her brow was slightly furrowed.

At that moment, Big Mi Mi on-screen was trembling, curled up in Bai Liang's arms.

She clung to him so tightly! Her motion of diving into his arms felt utterly natural.

As if she'd done it before.

"Huh? Big Mi Mi's also this scared?! So her courage is this small~" Zhu Zhu Xudan dared to secretly mock Yang Mi.

Mao Xiaotong thought if this little girl really tried to "steal" anything, she'd get caught the same day.

But Yang Mi laughed and replied: "Nonsense, Big Mi Mi's got a lot of courage."

"No way, look how she's screaming and hiding in Little White's arms!"

Mao Xiaotong: Amazing! Amazing!

Is this tipsy girl really clueless, or is she pretending to be clueless while secretly stoking the fire?

She's literally picking the worst possible moment to bring it up.

But Yang Mi acted as if she hadn't heard it—she didn't respond at all.

As the music and background grew eerie again, the girls fell silent, as if immersed in the atmosphere.

Just then, a ghostly shadow flashed across the screen, making everyone instinctively hold their breath.

And the next second~

"Thump-thump-thump~"

"Aaaaaaah!"

"Help!!!"

Bai Liang:???

What's going on in there? Screaming like a pig being slaughtered. I'm not even a knocking ghost~

After a long while, Yang Mi finally came to open the door—Bai Liang was yanked inside and nearly beaten senseless by the girls.

"Why did you come?"

"Came to join the fun."

After saying this, Bai Liang added, "This show really is scary—I came over to give you guys some courage. If you're scared, you can snuggle into my arms."

Reba: "You're so thoughtful~"

He gives Big Mi Mi courage on the show, and off the show, he gives them courage too.

How should one evaluate this behavior?

For a moment, she couldn't find the words, but she firmly wrapped one of Bai Liang's arms around herself and leaned in.

To be honest, it really feels safe!

Satisfied!

But~

Slap!

"Ouch! Why did you hit me?" Zhu Zhu Xudan complained.

"Where are you putting your hand?"

"I'm just scared."

Scared? Being scared doesn't mean you hug someone else's boyfriend~

And your hand stretched so far, you even touched Reba—your nerve is sky-high!

But Reba had long known that this little girl had designs on Bai Liang; back when they were filming "Three Lives, Three Worlds," she even dared to ask for Bai Liang's clothes while keeping watch.

Hmm. Not sure if she wanted his clothes—or him.

Precisely because of this unhidden, blunt "design," Reba couldn't really treat her as a rival and go all out against her.

It always felt like Zhu Zhu Xudan was acting like a fangirl chasing a star.

She kept testing the boundaries of danger, yet never truly triggered any alarm.

It gave off a kind of helpless, "What can you even do?" feeling.

But if her little hand dares to wander, she definitely deserves a slap!

"Xiao Tong, switch places with her—Zhu Zhu's head isn't clear."

Mao Xiaotong:

"Nah~"

But Reba's insistence was too strong to refuse, so Mao Xiaotong reluctantly switched places with Zhu Zhu Xudan, placing herself between them.

This made Zhu Zhu Xudan pout in quiet disappointment, but after one glance from Mao Xiaotong, she feared her secret would be exposed, so she obediently moved aside.

But something strange happened!

Mao Xiaotong, who had thought she was no longer scared after watching it before, suddenly felt afraid again.

She couldn't help leaning slightly toward Bai Liang, then quietly pulling back a little.

She repeated this back-and-forth several times, until another terrifying scene appeared.

Amid the girls' screams, Zhu Zhu Xudan clung tightly to Mao Xiaotong, pressing her full weight onto her.

It threw Mao Xiaotong off balance, nearly causing her to collapse into Bai Liang's arms.

Luckily, she caught herself in time and didn't fully fall into his arms, but extensive body contact was unavoidable.

At the same time, one hand instinctively wrapped around Bai Liang's arm.

Bai Liang: Do sweet girls naturally come with softness?

"Zhu Zhu Xudan, are you trying to kill me?!"

"I'm scared~"

Though she scolded Zhu Zhu Xudan aloud, Mao Xiaotong wasn't actually angry—her feelings were completely at odds with her words.

She didn't even rush to push Zhu Zhu Xudan off her right away.

Instead, she twisted a little, then reluctantly got up, dragging it out.

At this point, Reba also leaned over to tease Zhu Zhu Xudan, while Mao Xiaotong, who had gained the advantage, just grinned, unharmed!

Unfortunately, this kind of behavior only happened once more after that.

After all, "Escape Room" is primarily a puzzle show, not a horror film.

After the show ended, Mao Xiaotong and Zhu Zhu Xudan stepped out of Reba's room.

Bai Liang naturally stayed put inside.

Zhu Zhu Xudan turned back with lingering glances, until Mao Xiaotong suddenly said, "Zhu Zhu, come with me."

"Xiao Tong, I didn't mean it just now," Zhu Zhu Xudan thought she was about to be scolded, since she'd made the other woman look foolish twice.

"Just come with me."

She led her to her own room, then pulled out some of her favorite snacks and handed them to Zhu Zhu Xudan.

"Here, have some~"

Huh? Isn't she going to scold me—instead, she's giving me a reward?

Though confused, Zhu Zhu Xudan exclaimed happily, "Wow, Xiao Tong, you're so nice!"

"You're pretty nice too," Mao Xiaotong said, her expression slightly complex.

Unfortunately, the slightly tipsy girl didn't catch the nuance—she just smiled brightly and took the snacks and fruit back to her room.

Meanwhile, Mao Xiaotong rubbed her palm, as if savoring something—then suddenly thought of Big Mi Mi.

Combining this with Reba's expression just now, she still felt something was off—Big Mi Mi had only officially divorced a few months ago; could she really be involved with Bai Liang?

If Big Mi Mi can…

As she thought this, she shook her head sharply, realizing how absurd she'd become.

She told herself that right now, Bai Liang and Reba were probably back together hot and heavy—maybe they'd already started whispering to each other.

Thinking of this, she couldn't help laughing out loud.

Funny, Reba was suddenly on the same wavelength as her.

"Big White, do you speak Beijing dialect?"

"A little. Why?"

"Learned it from Big Mi Mi? Say a few lines for me~"

This was a trap question—if he blurted out even a few lines of Beijing dialect, he'd be directly admitting he learned it from Big Mi Mi.

But Bai Liang had a bad habit: even when he knew it was a trap, he sometimes still wanted to jump in just to see what would happen.

"Oh my! Is this authentic? Or aren't you my dad's dog servant?!"

"Oh no! What even is this?!"

"Still saying bean curd juice smells foul? Eat it from the side!"

"Don't say that anymore!"

Reba couldn't hold back her laughter, covering her mouth and giving Bai Liang two light slaps. "What even is this mess?"

Bai Liang looked utterly innocent. "Didn't you tell me to say a few lines of Beijing dialect? I even added some artistic flair—do you think I have no artistic sense?"

"Artistic sense?" Reba firmly shook her head. "That's an artistic virus!"

"But it's still art~" Bai Liang felt affirmed, then casually asked, "Do you eat bean curd juice?"

"So I should eat it from the side too?"

Huh?

Bai Liang froze. "Are we talking about the same thing?"

"Guess~"

She gave him a slightly forlorn look, then shoved him back into the bathroom to wash up.

After all, bean curd juice already tasted strange—adding the stench of braised offal was more than she could bear.

So the question arises: did Bai Liang pass the third trial?

No one knew, because Reba never brought it up again.

Maybe it was because they were filming wedding scenes the next day.

"Wow! Reba, you look stunning in your wedding dress!"

"Right? I think so too!"

In the makeup room, Reba didn't offer any modesty in response to the other girls' exaggerated compliments.

Looking at herself in the mirror, her smile spread naturally across her face.

Originally, a brand had wanted to sponsor her wedding dress, but due to her personal wishes, the production team ultimately declined the sponsorship.

So this wedding dress was custom-made by Reba herself.

She planned to take it with her after filming—so she treasured it more than anything.

After it was delivered to the set, she wouldn't let anyone else touch it.

Unlike ordinary white wedding dresses, this one incorporated subtle rose motifs.

The inspiration came from her previous birthday party.

Although Bai Liang had only pulled out half a rose from his pocket, that moment's meaning made Reba want to weave it into her wedding dress.

Pure white, dotted with touches of red, gave it more femininity and a fairy-like aura.

"Sis, you said you wanted to invite your parents—that was terrifying."

Her assistant Lingling muttered this under her breath after complimenting her, while no one else was paying attention.

Reba lightly covered her mouth and smiled. "Now that I think about it, it was pretty extreme. Glad you talked me out of it."

How could you not talk her out of it!

It was just a wedding scene—why invite actual parents? People might think they were forcing a real marriage, turning fiction into reality.

And besides—

Lingling figured that if Reba really invited her parents, her father's first move wouldn't be to offer blessings—he'd grab a weapon and chase Bai Liang down to beat him.

She knew Reba's father had been nursing a grudge against Bai Liang for a long time.

He'd even secretly added Lingling on WeChat, asking if it was really true.

"Uncle, everything in the entertainment industry is fake—just hype!"

That's what Lingling told him. Whether he believed her? Who knew.

She'd done all she could. If Little White was destined to get beaten, he deserved it.

But today—

"Yellow Hair" wouldn't suffer a beating.

On the contrary, he'd get to kiss his bride.

When Reba stepped out of the makeup room, the entire crew erupted in oohs and aahs.

Bai Liang, now dressed in his suit, had been chatting with Wang Yanlin when suddenly he got elbowed.

"Holy shit—ambush?"

"What ambush, bro? Your bride's here~" Wang Yanlin reminded him.

Bai Liang turned—and there she was, his "bride," walking steadily toward him.

He wouldn't let the girl approach alone while he stood still.

So he strode forward to meet her.

In that moment, no one else existed—only her.

The two of them's blatant display left many on set stunned. What the hell—aren't you even pretending anymore?

Director: Who said we're not acting? We're right in the middle of it.

Turn it on! What are you waiting for?!

Don't ask—asking means we're filming!

As long as the camera is rolling, whatever these two do is part of the shoot.

True or false, false or true—it's not that important anyway.

The wedding scene in "You Are My Glory" was originally a group wedding, but the director insisted we could shoot two versions—after all, we have plenty of time.

One group wedding, one private one.

Just expand the footage a bit—what if we rewrite the script later? Miss Gu, don't you agree?

Gu Man: I can rewrite it right now!

But since the director is so damn considerate, she figured whether to change it or not didn't really matter.

The behind-the-scenes footage of this drama will make the audience ecstatic!

By the way, they'd checked—there's no wedding scene in "Love Me If You Dare," just a trip to the Minzheng Bureau to register.

This habit of comparing everything to another drama—how did it even spread to the "You Are My Glory" set?

But everyone tacitly accepted it, sneaking around like thieves to spy on the other drama's progress, almost resorting to espionage.

Doesn't this make us win big?!

Unlike before, when they'd reshot due to "dissatisfaction."

Today's wedding scene, even with two versions, was shot only once.

Reba didn't even check the monitor playback—after confirming with the director that it was fine, she firmly refused to shoot a second take!

This is quite understandable.

And with these two performing at this level, it's impossible to tell truth from falsehood, leaving virtually no chance of a performance error.

The only possible mistake could be from other crew members' operations.

Fortunately, Reba felt lucky.

Everyone on set, from crew to extras, cooperated perfectly—no slip at all.

Including the most important long take.

Even today's wind was unusually gentle, lightly stirring her veil—and nothing more.

When she stood there, eyes red and brimming with tears, yet carefully lifting her head so the tears wouldn't smudge her bridal makeup.

Who could tell if it was real or fake?

When the master of ceremonies announced, "The groom may now kiss his bride," the atmosphere reached its peak, like the instant a firework explodes.

Too bad, the cooling after the explosion was just as swift.

After filming ended and she sat in the makeup room, Reba asked, half-dazed and hopeful: "Am I supposed to change into a Xiuhou dress now? Or another gown?"

"Sis has other scenes to shoot this afternoon," Lingling said cautiously.

"Huh? Really?"

Seeing Reba's unmistakably disappointed expression, Lingling felt a pang of pity—was this even called being in character?

No, it should be called never having been in character at all.

There was no Qiao Jingjing—only Dili Reba.

Fortunately, at that moment, Capybara poked his head in the door: "Is the bride ready yet? The feast is open~"

Feast? What feast?

Lingling froze, then realized—Bai Liang had come to call Reba for lunch.

Wow! These two really keep acting even after filming's done, huh?!

"Oh, honey!" Reba turned with a smile, switching the term of endearment with perfect ease.

Then she asked curiously: "Do we have to go around and toast?"

"Yes, according to our local custom, after the ceremony comes toasting table by table," Bai Liang recalled, remembering the wedding rituals.

And we'll get lots of red envelopes from the elders~

But Reba pursed her lips: "Hmph! You said earlier we'd follow our own customs—liar!"

"I'll make it up to you tonight?"

Lingling couldn't take it anymore! These two didn't even treat her like a person!

The sugar in this dog food is way too high!

Originally, Bai Liang thought there were no elders present, so no red envelopes—kind of a shame.

But he forgot one thing.

"Here! This is Uncle's love for you."

Wang Yanlin grinned mischievously and handed over a red envelope.

How could there be no elder?

He was determined to be that elder today!

Bro, who doesn't want to be the other guy's godfather?

And the red envelope was handed to Reba—she took it outright, even smiling and saying thank you.

This officially cemented Wang Yanlin's identity as an "elder."

Bai Liang:???

Holy shit! There's a dog!

He never imagined this bastard could come up with a move like this.

Wang Yanlin: I'm wrapping up tomorrow and leaving—what do I care? Have fun and run!

Bai Liang silently filed away this "grudge."

Because if he remembered correctly, this kid seemed to already be preparing for a wedding too — and that was a real wedding!

(End of chapter)