Chapter 2028

The netizens who had rushed into the live stream were still discussing Tan Du's matter, but no matter how fiercely they argued, it didn't affect the current tranquility in the cottage in the slightest, and the barrage gradually quieted down.

Qiao Yu doesn't like greasy food in the morning; back on the set, he'd rather switch between various porridges and sandwiches every day than try anything else.

Consequently, when Chen Cheng walked into the kitchen with a sullen face, he saw Jin Chen having washed several kinds of fruit, carefully cut and portioned, apparently intending to make fruit oat cups.

Chen Cheng rudely snatched half a mango and stuffed it into his mouth, opened the fridge to pick ingredients, and suddenly heard Jin Chen ask: "How's the progress, you unfussy cool guy."

Chen Cheng: "……"

He roughly ruffled his red hair, venting frustration by tapping the egg, "Don't ask, annoying."

Jin Chen glanced at him, not tolerating his bad habit at all. "Outdated does not wait."

Chen Cheng paused for two seconds, his gaze toward the camera wanting to speak but stopping, then he turned his back to the camera and spoke.

"He's still wearing the necklace I gave him before, yet his attitude is so cold—I don't understand."

When he saw Jia Jia wearing the necklace, Chen Cheng truly couldn't restrain himself, almost questioning why they had to break up back then, but when he actually leaned in to kiss him, he realized he didn't dare ask.

Jia Jia has always been inscrutable to him.

Jin Chen looked at Chen Cheng with a strange gaze, as if wondering whether he truly didn't understand or was doing it on purpose.

Being stared at made Chen Cheng feel uneasy all over, "What are you looking at?"

Jin Chen: "... Tsk."

"This damn kid."

"His coldness toward you might stem from your attitude toward him—on the first day you were almost ready to just hit him outright."

Chen Cheng choked, "I didn't mean to hit him."

Jin Chen's eyes showed concern, "It's fine if you don't understand; you can just follow Jia Jia's pace."

": Hahaha, Jin Chen's gaze is overly caring, like that of an idiot."

": The awkwardness of the rival duo mostly comes from Chen Cheng, this cool-guy simpleton who doesn't understand love."

": I originally thought Jin Chen and Chen Cheng were a buddy duo, but now I inexplicably see a hint of fatherly love."

Qiao Yu came over yawning, having caught a couple of sentences from the wall corner, curiously watching Chen Cheng's back while stroking his chin.

"If they could avoid the accident from their past life, perhaps their ending would truly be different."

Chen Cheng in the kitchen didn't notice behind him; seeing Jin Chen again concentrating on adding various fruits, he softly clicked his tongue.

"You seem to be preparing cat food."

"All flashy and showy."

Jin Chen gave him a sideways glance; just then Qiao Yu entered, seeing the favorite fruits, he approached with a cool voice.

"Meow~"

Jin Chen's motion of mixing the cereal stalled, his whole demeanor softened; he fed two blueberries to the seated Xiao Mao Cat, then pinched his puffed cheeks.

"Don't listen to his nonsense."

Qiao Yu nodded with a smile, taking the cereal cup out to enjoy.

Chen Cheng, facing the direct hit: "……"

He looked at Qiao Yu almost incredulely, probably unable to fathom how someone could be so bold in their expression.

": Ahhh, what a good little cat!"

": Damn, Qiao Yu is so good at acting cute, what has he done to our Emperor Jin?"

": How sweet the lovebirds are, Chen Cheng just now was that much more tragically contrasted, hahaha."

Breakfast was everyone eating separately, but they still couldn't avoid running into each other in the cafeteria; Tan Du stood at the doorway, giving Qiao Yu several deep looks, then walked over with an apologetic smile.

"Sorry… Qiao Yu, yesterday I was impulsive, but the Program Team already checked and there was nothing else in the cake."

Tan Du's tone was sincere, and he didn't mention at all the incident of Qiao Yu smashing cake on his face.

Precisely for this reason, his fans in the bullet comments refuse to let it go, as if Qiao Yu had done something terribly unforgivable to Tan Du.

Moreover, dissatisfied with just venting on the livestream, he shifted to various platforms again, and a cyberbullying campaign that many had anticipated was once again stirred up.

Ling Gun Gun wasn't idle at all, donning a mask to battle on forums and against various online armies, not forgetting to collect the cyberbullying list as ordered, waiting for the final net to sweep them all away so Tan Du could no longer stir up trouble.

The undercurrents at the dining table weren't particularly obvious; Qiao Yu merely gave a cold smile, not wanting to talk to him at all.

Moreover, he kept glancing back and forth between Tan Du and Ning Ning, not quite understanding why the main couple's progress wasn't as fast as in their past life, instead feeling a sense of everyone having hidden motives.

Qiao Yu deeply felt how difficult it is to be a villain.

——

In the morning, Gou Ge happily bounced into the cabin with the task card.

"Believe that after a night's rest, all guests have already adapted well to cabin life, so without further ado, please follow the Program Team to today's first group date location~"

The Program Team's bus waited outside the inn; the sun was strong today, Qiao Yu held up his little fan blowing away, just after finding a seat and sitting down, he turned his head wanting to pull Jin Chen.

Sizzle——

Qiao Yu got sprayed in the face.

He widened his eyes in fright, tilted his head back, and reached out to tug at Jin Chen.

"What is this?"

"'Don't open your eyes—sunscreen spray.' Jin Chen held down Qiao Yu's hand."

All of Qiao Yu's skin exposed outside his clothing was sprayed all over, instantly feeling refreshed.

He returned the favor by aiming the little fan at Jin Chen, blowing together side by side, and still had leisure to enjoy the scenery outside the window.

Chen Cheng, seated in the back row, took in everything; lost in thought, he glanced sideways, while Jia Jia leaned by the window flipping his phone, not knowing what he was thinking.

Chen Cheng moved his fingers, turning the overhead cold vent toward Jia Jia.

Jia Jia's eyes flickered slightly; he lowered his gaze without saying anything, and after a few minutes he suddenly turned off his phone and looked at Chen Cheng.

"The air‑conditioning cold wind is too strong; I'm a bit chilly."

Chen Cheng frowned, just about to flip the cold wind vent back to close it, but his raised hand was grabbed by Xu Jia, "Give me your jacket, you're full of fire."

Chen Cheng clicked his tongue, instinctively wanting to retort, then heard Jin Chen's extremely offhand cough from ahead.

: Laughing mouse, Jin Chen worries like an old father.

: Tan Du and Ning Tong are both very silent today, always feeling something big will happen.

: Don't forget tonight is the attack and defense exchange, feels like they both are committed to dismantling the hot love group.

: Same as above, these two people still have no Candy so far, how weird.

"……」Chen Cheng covered Xu Jia's head with the sun-proof jacket, arms crossed, eyes closed, feigning sleep.

Ning Tong's phone in his pocket suddenly vibrated; upon seeing the message, he instinctively looked toward Tan Du.

"After this show……" Tan Du assured him in his ear, after a long while, Ning Tong nodded slightly, "I'll help you, Brother Du."

Half an hour later, the bus drove onto the final stretch of asphalt road steaming with heat waves, and finally arrived at today's destination, the scenic flower field.

The scorching sun baked the flower sea into a sizzling palette; the golden sunflowers chased the sunlight, growing wildly; the pink-purple hydrangeas squeezed the trellis, and heat waves rolled petals onto people's faces.

Upon reaching the center of the flower field, Hu Shi, who first found the task card, read it thoroughly, still a bit disappointed.

"I thought it was really a date, didn't expect it to still be a game mission."