Chapter Thirty-Four: Mission Requirements

The new round of interviews had ended. The production team was quite considerate, providing breakfast for the guests, though lunch was not included.

The director held a stack of task cards and explained, “Each of these tasks is different.”

“Everyone will draw lots to decide what task they’ll do next.”

Sang Yijia recalled the plot from the book. This time, the task was not difficult, but it required patience.

“Now, each couple should send one representative to draw a card.”

Lu Wenchuan looked toward Sang Yijia, as if asking who should go.

Sang Yijia shook her head, “I’ve never been lucky.”

“What a coincidence, neither have I,” Bian He chimed in immediately upon hearing Sang Yijia, “Little Sisi, how about you draw this time?”

“No,” Yan Ningsi refused outright.

Bian He wasn’t willing to give in, and the two stared each other down, waiting for one to yield.

“I’ll go,” Lu Wenchuan glanced at the childish pair beside him, stood up, and went to draw a task card, choosing a green envelope.

Sang Yijia’s eyebrows arched slightly.

Then Lan Qing went up, but seeing Lu Wenchuan’s task card, she sounded a bit regretful, “I wanted the green one.”

Her words hinted that she hoped Lu Wenchuan would give up the card, but he ignored her and returned with the green envelope.

Lan Qing’s expression soured; she had thought Lu Wenchuan would show at least some courtesy, but he seemed entirely indifferent.

On camera, and with the live broadcast ongoing, Lan Qing would never lose composure. She smiled and explained, “Today’s lucky color is green.”

Lan Qing herself didn’t mind, but the viewers in the live stream certainly did not act indifferent.

[Just a task, couldn’t even give it up. Rude.]
[Don’t worry, Qingqing, every color is your lucky color.]
[Qingqing spoke up and still wasn’t given the card? What kind of person is that?]
[Any man who fancies Sang Yijia can’t be much good.]
…

The comments rolled in, line after line, but the director’s team paid them no mind.

Yan Ningsi and Bian He tacitly pretended not to see, then played rock-paper-scissors to decide who would draw.

In the end, Yan Ningsi lost. Before setting off, she looked down at Bian He, “If we get a bad task, it’s all your fault.”

Bian He: “…”

On the other side, Lu Wenchuan handed the task card to Sang Yijia, “Open it and see.”

“Alright.” Sang Yijia wasn’t one for theatrics; she opened it as soon as she was told. She knew what the task was, but not the requirements.

She opened the green envelope without hesitation and read it line by line.

“It’s a fishing activity, but the requirement is that the two of us must catch ten pounds of fish.”

Sang Yijia read the gentle reminder, “No cheating allowed.”

“Time limit: two hours.”

Lu Wenchuan nodded, “Lunch?”

“Probably,” Sang Yijia tucked the task card away. “Fishing—do you know how?”

“Yes,” Lu Wenchuan nodded, “It’s not difficult.”

Sang Yijia felt reassured. She couldn’t fish, but she could cook.

“We’ll see what kind of fish we catch. I’ll handle lunch.”

Lu Wenchuan was a bit surprised, but had no objections.

Elsewhere, Lan Qing returned with a pale blue envelope and handed it to Shen Jin, her eyes showing a trace of disappointment, “I wanted the green one.”

“No worries,” Shen Jin hurried to comfort her, “Green or blue, as long as you chose it, I like it.”

“That’s not quite right,” Lan Qing was touched, but maintained a measure of restraint in front of the camera. She knew that if Shen Jin succeeded too soon, he’d likely discard her just as quickly.

“No, really,” Shen Jin shook his head repeatedly, then pulled Lan Qing aside, “Let’s open it together.”

“Okay~”

Shen Jin and Lan Qing opened their envelope with affectionate fuss, while Yan Ningsi tossed hers directly to Bian He, “Quick, open it.”

Sang Yijia had already mentioned the task, but the requirements differed.

After handing the envelope to Bian He, Yan Ningsi sat in an empty spot nearby and covered her eyes, “Tell me the result.”

“What’s the rush?” Bian He unhurriedly opened the envelope, carefully building suspense.

When he finally got the card out, he turned his head and closed his eyes, “I don’t dare look either.”

“Someone help us check?” Yan Ningsi peeked through her fingers, “Yijia, can you tell us?”

“Sure,” Sang Yijia did not refuse, glanced at the card, “Your task isn’t too hard. You need twelve pounds of fish, within two hours.”

“What if we don’t finish?” Yan Ningsi seized on the key point, “No lunch?”

“…” Sang Yijia was silent for a moment, then nodded, “Yes.”

“Twelve pounds of fish.” Yan Ningsi felt overwhelmed, “How many fish is that?”

“One pound each?” Bian He ventured.

“That’s twelve fish!” Yan Ningsi was even more dismayed.

Bian He replied, “Doesn’t seem that hard.”

“The production team wouldn’t set impossible tasks.”

“Wait a second,” Sang Yijia noticed another line on the back of their task card, “You can also complete the task by net fishing.”

“There’s no quantity requirement for that.”

“Let’s choose that!” Yan Ningsi slapped the table, then turned to Bian He, ready to insist until he agreed.

Bian He quickly raised both hands in surrender, “Yes, yes, whatever you say.”

Yan Ningsi and Bian He had settled on their task.

Lan Qing and Shen Jin read their requirements: they had to catch fifteen pounds of fish, and were not allowed to seek help from others.

If they failed, not only would lunch be lost, there would also be a penalty.

Lan Qing bit her lip as she read the requirements; if she’d gotten the green card, things would have been much easier.

But the green card went to Lu Wenchuan.

“What should we do?” Lan Qing looked helplessly at Shen Jin, “I don’t know much about fishing.”

Shen Jin felt the same; he was clueless about fishing.

“We can’t ask for outside help, but it doesn’t say we can’t use other means,” Shen Jin thought aloud, “I’ll look up some information.”

“There shouldn’t be a problem,” Lan Qing’s eyes shone with admiration for Shen Jin, “You’re amazing.”

…

Sang Yijia glanced over. In the original plot, the task had been drawn by the protagonist, who didn’t care at all, simply following Shen Jin everywhere.

One thing was certain: Lu Wenchuan completed the task alone.

Sang Yijia looked at him again; he had claimed to know a little, but perhaps he knew a lot.

“Alright, now everyone’s tasks are set. You can head out!” The director chuckled, “But, guests must find their own tools and reach the destination.”

“From the moment you leave the courtyard, the countdown begins.”

Meaning, the travel time counted toward the total.

They were doomed!