"No, it has to be put down. People who don't know might think we're doing something."
"I'm a gentleman."
Shi Xinxin pouted. With it covered, nothing could be seen from the outside.
With a man and a woman hiding here alone, it would only attract others' attention and suspicion.
Especially people like Yun Rou and Sheng Chen Jin.
Shi Xinxin stated that she was particularly wary of the two.
"Hey." Xiao Jue suddenly sat up and fumbled on Shi Xinxin's seat, finding something that looked like a button.
He pressed it gently, and with a bang, the backrest of the recliner seemed to be detached and lay flat with the seat cushion.
It was effectively turned into a lounge chair.
"So amazing!" Shi Xinxin's eyes widened, and she looked at the seat, which had now become a lounge chair, with surprise.
She wasn't unfamiliar with such things, but she was amazed that the program team was so creative.
She glanced at the small camera directly opposite them and knew that filming had already begun.
[How long has it been, and two bugs have already been found?]
[Director Fang: I never expected this in my life.]
[Who would have thought Shi Xinxin and Xiao Jue had such wild ideas, and all they wanted was to catch up on sleep.]
[Why are the guests arriving at such different times? Could it be a deliberate arrangement?]
[The one upstairs might be onto something.]
"Who is your partner?"
Shi Xinxin had already comfortably reclined, her large sunglasses still perched on her nose, her hands clasped behind her head, exuding an air of leisurely ease.
Xiao Jue rolled over and lay on his side, allowing him to see Shi Xinxin's profile.
He pondered for a moment, curious if she knew anything.
"I don't know. Director Fang said my partner would come to find me himself."
"He also explained that only one person in a pair knows their partner."
She turned her head and looked at the contemplative Xiao Jue, smiling.
"He talks too much. He explained it to me before I even asked."
[Someone enlighten me, I feel like I can't keep up with the plot.]
[Director Fang was afraid she wouldn't understand, so explaining is normal, right?]
[Everyone, looking at this episode's theme, ordinary thinking will lead the guests into traps.]
[Besides, if the guests don't understand the director's rules, they can't question them. Even if they ask, he might just keep it a mystery.]
[My mind is enlightened!]
Xiao Jue was taken aback and seemed to understand.
"Director Fang said my partner is you."
"Hey, why did you come so early?"
Xiao Jue was very curious.
"Director Fang said guests would arrive at the filming site after seven o'clock."
Shi Xinxin said indifferently, yawning.
"Didn't he say guests should arrive at seven-thirty at the filming site?"
As soon as Xiao Jue asked, he felt like he had discovered something significant.
He immediately looked at Shi Xinxin, who gave him a meaningful smile.
Mom, he felt he had been tricked.
"Sleep, it's still early."
Shi Xinxin closed her eyes first and slowly drifted off to sleep. Since there were cameras, she could rest with more peace of mind.
Xiao Jue nodded in agreement and closed his eyes.
[Not a single official in the court dared to offer advice.]
[Since none of you will say, I'll just keep it to myself.]
[Are we going to play a game that requires brains today?]
[Wow, watching them sleep makes me sleepy too, but I really want to see who enters next.]
At this moment, no one knew that the old-fashioned desktop computer in front of Shi Xinxin was quietly recording the entry location and gestures of everyone.
Excluding Yang Xi and Yin Xue, the guests this season were Bai Bin, Ye Xun, Long Keyu, Shi Xinxin, Xiao Jue, Gu Lin, with the addition of Sheng Chen Jin and Yun Rou.
Gu Qi was unable to attend due to a prior engagement at an academic forum.
Originally, Shi Xinxin had been invited to this academic forum, but knowing that the old men were coveting her pharmaceutical technology, she had directly refused and instead agreed to participate in the variety show with Director Fang.
Almost precisely at eight o'clock, Bai Bin arrived at the destination. Looking at the empty venue and the abandoned hospital behind it, he was momentarily confused before finding the first camera and pointing to the sky.
He didn't wander around but observed the surrounding grass and squinted, finding two small wooden chairs behind the bushes.
He first brought one out. As an accomplished actor, he sat there obediently, while the two who were catching up on sleep also breathed evenly and softly.
Just as he was thinking about what to do, Ye Xun's car arrived. He glanced at his watch; it was 8:11.
The director said guests could only arrive after eight o'clock. He assumed that the female guests might have more trouble with their makeup.
Ye Xun greeted him, and he nodded, then walked to the bushes to bring out the other small wooden chair.
"Hey, why are you so early? Didn't the director say guests should arrive after eight-ten?"
Ye Xun habitually ran a hand through his hair and looked at the idle Bai Bin.
"Didn't he say eight..." As Bai Bin heard this, he felt something was wrong.
He immediately changed the subject, "Who is your partner?"
Bai Bin remembered that Director Fang had told him his partner was number two.
"Number one," Ye Xun said, walking to the second camera and making a V-sign.
"Then we're still a team. I'm number one."
Ye Xun turned his head and smiled gently, expressing his good fortune.
Neither of them was very outgoing; one was refined, the other gentle. They couldn't find common topics, and an awkward atmosphere began to build.
When Long Keyu arrived at the scene, it was 8:30. Gu Lin arrived at 8:41. Bai Bin paid attention to the arrival time of each person.
Observing their actions in front of the cameras, he seemed to understand something.
"I think Director Fang deliberately gave everyone different arrival times."
Ye Xun was also very perceptive. Seeing Bai Bin frequently checking his watch, and Long Keyu and Gu Lin naturally pairing up, she seemed to understand something.
"Long Keyu, are you number three?"
"Gu Lin, are you number four?"
The two looked at each other and said in unison. They were stunned for a moment, then high-fived, successfully forming a team.
At nine o'clock sharp, Sheng Chen Jin arrived at the filming site.
The atmosphere that Long Keyu and Gu Lin had finally managed to liven up was like a basin of cold water poured over it, chilling it thoroughly.
Gu Lin ran into the bushes and brought out the small stool he had found.
He shyly handed it to Sheng Chen Jin.
"Mr. Sheng, please sit."
After saying that, he tightly clenched his hands, feeling a little nervous.
Mom, he handed a stool to the richest man in the country.
"Thank you." Sheng Chen Jin performed the gesture at the seventh camera, took the stool, and scanned the surroundings.
"Director Fang asked me to arrive after nine. It seems everyone's time is different."
"Are there three more who haven't arrived?"
Sheng Chen Jin said coolly, but his expression was quite gentle.
Gu Lin was still immersed in the joy of the richest man in the country thanking him.
He scratched his head and shyly asked the question he hadn't understood.
"You mean Xinxin? They don't seem to have arrived yet."
Ye Xun, however, spoke with a slightly weaker voice, clearly a little nervous in the presence of Sheng Chen Jin.
She instinctively moved closer to Bai Bin, someone she knew.
"Sorry, I'm late."
Sheng Chen Jin's eyes flickered. Just as he was about to thank her, Yun Rou, who arrived late, hurriedly got out of the car.
"Director Fang said guests would arrive after nine-ten. It seems I've been tricked."
She quickly struck a cool pose with her chin resting on her clasped hands in front of the eighth camera.