It was hard to tell if it was just an illusion, but Chi Xingyu’s face looked a bit pale. He gulped down half a cup of water. Chi Xingyu never expected what he made could taste so bad. As breakfast came to an end, the production team suddenly announced the day’s schedule.
“Since everyone has had some time to get familiar with the cabin, we will be starting a new segment today — the Date Battle.”
“In this segment, the guest who finishes first in the game gets to invite another guest out for a private date, leaving the cabin for an exclusive time together. The others will have to stay behind.”
The Date Battle could be seen as the most fundamental aspect of raising heart rates — if you want to go on a date, you have to win, and the tension of the show instantly surged.
Confirming everyone understood, the production team said, “Alright, please change into your swimsuits and move to the beach.”
Tong Sui received a large pink pair of shorts from the production team, stopping just above his knees. With his fair skin, the pink color suited him well. The team didn’t provide tops, which was common for boys at the beach. However, Tong Sui thought it would be somewhat odd to be shirtless in front of the cameras, so he found a white short-sleeve t-shirt to wear instead.
After changing, all the guests gathered on the first floor. Contrary to what the viewers had expected, everyone had tentatively put on shirts. Even Sang Cai was heavily covered up for sun protection.
— What’s wrong with this season’s guests? Good men don’t expose themselves, you know?
— So handsome guys are this traditional? I’m crying; I was going to study human muscle distribution.
— Wearing so much, do they not want to enjoy the heat?
Director Sun Tao, who arranged this segment, felt his heart bleed; he knew this was a good way to attract attention. If it were another group of guests, he would have already sent someone to strip them down. After all, he was getting paid for a reason. But the people in this group were mostly ones he couldn’t provoke. Sacrificing some heat wasn’t much compared to upsetting the sponsors.
A group of people then walked to the nearest beach, just a five-minute walk from the cabin, where various tourist attractions had been developed along the coastline. The production crew had early set up the cameras, stating, “Behind where you are standing is the challenge for today — jet skiing.”
Tong Sui turned to look. Dozens of jet skis were anchored at the shore, one cutting through the waves at high speed, sending up two white spray trails. The speed was impressive.
“Today’s competition involves riding the jet skis around the distant buoy and back. The person who completes it in the shortest time wins.”
Jet skis can go very fast, and there are requirements for courage and handling skills. To ensure their safety, the production team provided life jackets for everyone, along with a professional coach to explain the key points.
As Tong Sui listened to the coach, he realized that operating the jet ski wasn’t that difficult for him. However, being on the water made him uneasy since he was not a great swimmer and harbored a dislike for being in the water.
In contrast to Tong Sui’s frown, both Zhong Yi and Chi Xingyu were very interested. Zhong Yi often tinkered with racing cars, so this was child’s play for him. Chi Xingyu was quick to accept new experiences and responded fast, showing no lack of skill despite lacking experience.
After a period of practice, the competition began. Qin Xiuxian was the first guest up. He usually trained hard and had good body coordination, thus achieving recognition for his performance. However, Sang Cai, who took her turn after him, showed little interest in this segment, knowing she couldn’t compete with the others, and leisurely completed a lap before returning.
Following her was Zhou Siyuan, who had already removed his glasses and sat firmly on the jet ski. It was rare to see him so focused on a game.
With the starting whistle, the jet ski shot off like an arrow released from a bow, moving faster than Qin Xiuxian had moments before. After a complete lap, Zhou Siyuan steadied his jet ski, slicking back his damp hair. The white shirt under his life jacket clung to his body, faint outlines of muscles visible.
“How did I do?”
The production team responded, “You were five seconds faster than Qin Xiuxian; you’re currently in first place.”
Zhou Siyuan let out a sigh of relief. “That’s great.”
As he spoke, he passed other competitors and fixed his gaze on Tong Sui. Just with that one glance, Tong Sui seemed to understand the meaning behind Zhou Siyuan’s eyes.
Zhou Siyuan was serious because he wanted to win first place and then go on a private date with Tong Sui.
Zhou Siyuan was a gentle person; he took everyone’s feelings into consideration, yet all his actions were confined within reasonable limits. It was only when he exceeded normal interactions by exchanging suggestive glances that he did so with Tong Sui.
He rarely took the initiative to fight for anything, preferring to focus on doing his best. However, in the world of dating variety shows, failing to be proactive could leave one at a disadvantage, allowing opportunities to slip away to others.
This was a private date — the best opportunity to deepen their feelings. All the guests were very aware of this.
As it turned to Zhong Yi’s turn, he surprisingly did not exhibit his usual arrogance and sincerely hopped on the jet ski. Zhong Yi’s looks were already exceptional, and when he displayed seriousness, he eclipsed his typical nonchalant persona, seeming like an entirely different person.
With a command, his figure zipped across the water’s surface. The rapid speed stirred gasps from those around; Zhong Yi was reckless, moving faster than the coach had demonstrated.
For a newcomer still getting the hang of things, that level of risk was considerable; the consequences of a fall were too harrowing to imagine.
The audience commentary read:
— This is way too intense!