Chi Xingwen was beaming with joy, “Great! Finally, we get to eat!”

“In second place, we have Ye Fei and Dong Shen. As the third most popular duo in the live broadcast room, they score one point. Completing three tasks from the barrage comments earns them three points, totaling four.”

Dong Shen rubbed Ye Fei’s hand, “Baby, you’re amazing. You got all the tasks right.”

Ye Fei smiled, “Mm.”

“And in first place—” Cheng Song paused, then turned to Yao Tong, “Brother Tong, do you think first place goes to you and Brother Wenlun or Mr. Ji and Mr. Lin?”

Knowing they had several disagreements with Shao Wenlun, Yao Tong understood they wouldn’t come in first. With self-awareness, he replied, “It’s definitely Mr. Ji and Mr. Lin. They both outshine me and Shao Wenlun by a mile in terms of looks alone.”

Shao Wenlun chuckled, “So, I’m the one dragging you down with my looks.”

Yao Tong rolled his eyes, not wanting to argue with him.

【Haha, Shao Wenlun, enough! You’re quite handsome even without comparing to Mr. Lin!】

【To be honest, being with Shao Wenlun just feels exhausting. He’s so immature.】

【Oh no! Brother Lun treats Brother Tong so well! It’s normal for couples to bicker and say things in anger!】

Sensing the awkward atmosphere, Cheng Song teased, “Brother Lun, are you cursing me under your breath?”

Shao Wenlun forced a smile, “Of course not.”

Cheng Song stopped the banter and continued from the script, “Alright, indeed, in first place are Mr. Ji and Mr. Lin.”

Ji Chengyi was somewhat surprised and glanced at Lin Jindu, who remained composed.

“For being the most popular duo in the live broadcast room, they earn three points. Completing two tasks from the barrage comments earns them two points, totaling five.”

Ji Chengyi: ?

Lin Jindu: ?

Ji Chengyi: …

Lin Jindu: …

Despite their successful performance, they seemed hesitant to speak, perhaps due to the unexpected outcome.

【Haha, this is hilarious! The two CEOs completed five tasks but only got points for two!】

【Who asked them not to kiss!】

【First place, first place! Mr. Ji’s looks are truly the best!!!】

After announcing the top three rankings, the fourth place went to Yao Tong and Shao Wenlun.

As the fourth most popular duo in the live broadcast room, they didn’t earn any additional points. Due to their conflicts taking up a lot of time, they only completed one task from the barrage comments, totaling one point.

After revealing the rankings, it was time to distribute lunch according to the rankings.

Compared to the simple breakfast in the morning, Ji Chengyi was pleased with the rich lunch spread. Not only did they have rice and noodles, but there was also a pot of seafood hotpot with a variety of dishes.

Satisfied, Ji Chengyi turned to Lin Jindu and said, “It really pays off to come in first.”

Looking at Ji Chengyi’s eyes filled with obvious joy, Lin Jindu replied seriously, “Yes, let’s continue to do our best this afternoon.”

Yao Tong, who came in fourth place, didn’t have any food. Chi Xingwen offered to share some of his food, but he declined and left with Shao Wenlun to buy their own.

Everyone could see that the couple didn’t want to argue in front of the others, so they let them leave.

…

After quickly finishing lunch, Cheng Song didn’t immediately start the afternoon activities. Instead, he initiated a discussion around the topic of “travel conflicts.”

After about half an hour of discussion, Cheng Song finally said, “It’s about time. Are you all well-rested?”

Knowing that more tasks were ahead, the relaxed expressions of the guests turned lazy.

“Not really, let’s rest for another three hours,” Chi Xingwen jokingly protested.

“Alright, if Little Chi isn’t well-rested, you can continue resting,” Cheng Song teased, “This way, the other three groups can play around and have dinner.”

Chi Xingwen quickly perked up, “Alright, alright! We’re well-rested! Let’s continue the hard work! What are we doing this afternoon?”

Cheng Song grinned mysteriously, “The afternoon task is an exploration for treasure, but what you explore and find as treasure is up to you to choose.”

“How do we choose?” Dong Shen asked.

Cheng Song replied with a smile, “It’s simple.”

He waved four cards in his hand, “I have four different tasks here. Each group can pick a card, and the task on the card is what you’ll do.”

Shao Wenlun said, “It’s all about luck.”

“Yes.” Cheng Song nodded and looked at everyone, “So, who’s going to pick first?”

All eyes turned to Lin Jindu.

Lin Jindu suggested, “Let’s choose based on seating order.”

Everyone agreed.

Cheng Song then brought the cards to Dong Shen, “Then, Brother Dong, you go first.”

Dong Shen playfully dodged behind Ye Fei, “I won’t pick. Baby, you’re lucky, you go ahead.”

Ye Fei chuckled, “If I don’t choose well, you can’t blame me.”

Dong Shen replied, “I won’t, I won’t.”

On the back of the cards was the show’s logo, and since Ye Fei couldn’t discern anything, he randomly selected a card.

“No need to announce your choice, just look at the card yourselves,” Cheng Song then moved towards Yu Heyan and Chi Xingwen to hand them the cards.

While they were picking cards, Lin Jindu leaned towards Ji Chengyi and said, “Mr. Ji, you should pick next.”

Ji Chengyi declined, “Mr. Lin, why don’t you pick? I’m not very lucky.”

Lin Jindu looked at him inte ntly, “It’s not about luck, it’s about suitability. I think you’re more suitable, Mr. Ji.”

Ji Chengyi was surprised by Lin Jindu’s unexpected compliment and hesitantly nodded, “Alright.”

【Hmm? Unbelievable! Is Mr. Lin actually complimenting Mr. Ji’s looks?】

【Well said! Give Mr. Lin a point!】

【Ahh, so sweet and lovely!!!】

When it was Ji Chengyi’s turn to choose, there were only two cards left.

After contemplating for a moment, Ji Chengyi selected the card on the left.

After looking at the card himself, he handed it to Lin Jindu, saying, “Sorry, Mr. Lin, it seems my looks aren’t up to par.”

Lin Jindu took the card and glanced at it. It read “Escape from Zombies and Find Substance 116.”

“I think it’s great,” Lin Jindu said with a satisfied smile.

“Alright,” after all the cards were chosen, Cheng Song looked at everyone, “Now, reveal the tasks on your cards.”

Ye Fei was the first to choose and reveal, “We have to escape from the jungle.”

Yu Heyan held up his card, “Escape from the haunted house.”

Lin Jindu flipped the card, “Mr. Ji and I have to escape from the zombies.”

Yao Tong declared, “We have to escape from the science museum.”

【Wow! Escaping from a haunted house sounds thrilling!】

【These tasks all seem challenging!】

【The zombie theme rocks! Can Mr. Ji play a cool and aloof scientist? That would be super exciting!】

【And Mr. Lin can play the zombie king! Kidnapping the scientist researching the zombie suppressant, then the two have a thrilling encounter in the lab!】

【Bookworms are intrigued, what would the book title be? “Smile.jpg”】

“Alright, now that everyone knows their tasks, let me briefly explain the rules,” Cheng Song said, “There’s no specific time limit for the tasks. Just find the item related to your task and bring it out. The ranking will be based on how quickly you complete the task.”

“Do we need to use the GoPro this time?” Shao Wenlun asked.

Cheng Song informed them, “No, you don’t.”

“Can we take off the tether then?” Chi Xingwen asked, holding the tether, “It’s not safe to escape while still tied up like this.”

Cheng Song chuckled, “You can untie it, but are you sure you want to?”

Chi Xingwen hesitated, “…”

Chi Xingwen shrugged, “Not so sure now.”

Seeing his reluctance, Cheng Song clapped his hands, “If there are no more questions, you may proceed!”

Everyone set off.

To maintain the mystery, the four pairs of guests were blindfolded and transported to the task location.

The blindfolds were very effective, and Ji Chengyi and Lin Jindu couldn’t perceive any changes in light. They could only sense the gradual shift from outdoors to indoors through the cooling sensation.

The warm wind by their ears turned into eerie whispers.

“Alright, you two CEOs can remove your blindfolds now,” the cameraman’s voice announced.

As they removed their blindfolds, the fluctuating lights momentarily dazzled their eyes. Once they adjusted, they found themselves in a dilapidated laboratory, stained with large bloodstains and handprints.

The scene was incredibly realistic.

The barrage comments were already getting scared.

Ji Chengyi remained composed, “Will there be NPCs playing the ‘zombies’?”

Translator’s Note: NPC mean “Non-Player Characters.

The cameraman nodded, “Yes.”

Lin Jindu also inquired, “Shouldn’t we have some weapons for defense?”

He was just testing the waters but was surprised when the staff handed them water guns.

Taken aback, Lin Jindu quickly accepted the water guns and passed one to Ji Chengyi, saying, “Mr. Ji.”

Ji Chengyi took it, prepared to thank him. But before he could speak, a broadcast announcement rang out: “Attention! The protective door has been breached. Please seek shelter in the safe room.”

Following that, the background music was accompanied by zombie growls.

“Where is the safe room?” Ji Chengyi asked.

The cameraman shook his head in response, “Mr. Ji and Mr. Lin must find it themselves.”

The sound of approaching footsteps could be heard from outside.

Lin Jindu directly grabbed Ji Chengyi’s wrist, “Let’s get out of here first!”

With no other choice, Ji Chengyi had to run along with Lin Jindu.

However, after running a few steps, something with a strange touch grabbed his ankle!

Ji Chengyi looked down to see a zombie with incredibly realistic makeup.

The zombie faced Ji Chengyi, roared, and made a biting motion towards him.

Furrowing his brow, Lin Jindu raised his gun towards the zombie’s head. However, realizing it was a real person, he lowered the gun slightly.

This slight delay allowed Ji Chengyi’s bullet to hit the sensor on the zombie’s back before Lin Jindu could react, causing the zombie to fall to the ground.

Releasing Ji Chengyi’s ankle, Lin Jindu breathed a sigh of relief. He quickly caught up with Ji Chengyi.

Amidst the sound of their running footsteps, Lin Jindu sincerely remarked, “Mr. Ji, you were quite cool just now.”

In the tense and thrilling environment, Ji Chengyi finally let go of his usual politeness and didn’t thank Lin Jindu out of courtesy. Instead, he expressed his excitement, “This is quite fun!”

Sensing Ji Chengyi’s heightened mood, Lin Jindu smiled, “Let’s run faster.”

“Sure!” Ji Chengyi adjusted his wrist and held onto Lin Jindu’s large hand from behind.

Lin Jindu: !

The warm touch of the palm felt electrifying, sending a shiver through Lin Jindu’s heart. Feeling his stiffness, Ji Chengyi explained, “It’s more convenient to run like this. I hope you don’t mind, Mr. Lin?”

Lin Jindu cleared his throat, “Mm.”

In a husky voice, he replied, “I don’t mind.”

【Wow, Mr. Ji was so cool just now! I award you the prize of marrying me!】

【Ahh, they’re holding hands! So sweet!】

【The wife took the initiative to hold Mr. Lin’s hand! Mr. Lin, enjoy the moment!】

【Mr. Ji is so charming, I’m letting out a sharp squeal!】

After running out of the laboratory, they realized they were in a zombie-themed escape room.

So, they had to follow the directional arrows and couldn’t turn back.

In the darkness, their running speed was fast and steady.

However, the zombies chasing them were faster than the two bound together.

“Mr. Ji, you find the safe room! I’ll cover you!” Lin Jindu said as he fired several shots at the zombie horde chasing them.

Amidst the sound of bodies hitting the ground, Ji Chengyi scanned the surroundings.

Finally, his gaze settled on a staircase, “It’s on the second floor!”

Following his gaze, Lin Jindu saw a green-lit safe room on the second floor.

Just as they were about to relax, they noticed the narrow and steep staircase leading to the second floor, with a terrifying prop hanging halfway up the stairs.

The gruesome prop looked incredibly realistic, causing Lin Jindu to furrow his brow.

“Mr. Ji, you go up first! Take the left side!” Lin Jindu released Ji Chengyi’s hand and pushed him towards the stairs.

Without hesitation, Ji Chengyi raced up the stairs.

For someone like Ji Chengyi, who wasn’t fond of physical activities, even those few flights of stairs felt like a near-death experience.

But he gritted his teeth and pushed on.

However, as soon as he reached the top, two “zombies” lurking near the safe room door reacted to the noise and started moving towards him.

Thinking quickly, Ji Chengyi fired four shots, taking down both “zombies.”

He then turned back and grabbed Lin Jindu, “Mr. Lin!”

“On it.” Lin Jindu took two steps to reach the second floor, then swiftly pulled Ji Chengyi’s hand, leading him towards the safe room, “Hurry!”

To facilitate filming, there were cameramen at every corner of the escape room. The director behind the monitor quickly switched between camera angles, creating an immersive viewing experience for the audience.

As Lin Jindu pulled Ji Chengyi into the safe room, the mechanical female voice from the broadcast system announced, “Safe room activated. Countdown: 2:00 minutes. The timer starts now.”

“Only two minutes?” Ji Chengyi panted in the green-lit room.

Lin Jindu, also catching his breath, glanced at Ji Chengyi before scanning the cluttered safe room. His gaze stopped at a door, “There’s an escape door there.”

Taking a deep breath, Ji Chengyi said, “Let’s check it out.”

Lin Jindu followed him.

Approaching the door, they read the sign, “This leads to the Cultivation Chamber.” Ji Chengyi tried to open the door but couldn’t.

Lin Jindu pointed to the access control panel next to the door, “It should open with a password.”

Turning his gaze back to the room, Lin Jindu spotted another door, “There’s an emergency exit door.”

Adjusting his breathing, Ji Chengyi said, “Let’s take a look.”

Lin Jindu followed him.

They examined the sign on the door.

“This leads to the Cultivation Chamber,” Ji Chengyi pushed the door, but it wouldn’t budge.

Lin Jindu gestured towards the access control next to the door, “It must be opened with a password.”

Then, he looked around the room, “The password should be somewhere in this room. Let’s search for it.”

Ji Chengyi, though unfamiliar with escape rooms, understood the concept and nodded, “Let’s split up. You search here, and I’ll look over there!”

Although the safe room wasn’t large, the straight-line distance was still over a meter.

As they couldn’t move too far apart, Ji Chengyi and Lin Jindu searched the room side by side.

Fortunately, the clues weren’t too hidden.

Ji Chengyi quickly found it as soon as he opened a drawer.

“Mr. Lin, over here!” Ji Chengyi took out a card with the show’s logo on it and read the lines printed in bold:

“Kiss the wind, Lu Mountain’s face comes into view.

Kiss the dryness, no need to seek the field’s sprouts.

Ten miles of the Long Pavilion, no guests walk.

Seconds in the water lilies.”

“What’s this?” Ji Chengyi handed the card to Lin Jindu, “A riddle to solve?”

【What’s this? It’s like a poem or something. Confused face.jpg】

【Ah, it’s a hidden message poem! A kiss in ten seconds!!!】

Initially puzzled, Lin Jindu pondered over the riddle as Ji Chengyi softly read, “Kiss the wind, Lu Mountain’s face comes into view…”

Suddenly, it dawned on him that they were recording a wedding variety show.

Realizing the hint wasn’t a riddle but something else…

Following the word ‘kiss,’ he found the show’s intention.

“Mr. Ji,” he pointed out to Ji Chengyi, “It’s here.”

Ji Chengyi followed his finger.

After reading it, they fell silent.

After a moment, they looked at each other.

Their eyes met for a brief moment in the shifting green light before both lowering their gaze, almost simultaneously, towards each other’s lips.

Then, as if by silent agreement, they averted their eyes, looking at the ceiling, then the floor.

Finally, they both turned to the cameraman.

Cameraman: …

【Haha, the cameraman is in trouble! Remember to zoom in on the details when they kiss later!】

【Cameraman, hold the camera steady! Let the two CEOs complete the task as boldly requested!】

【Countdown: 1:00.】The broadcast voice resounded.

Taking a deep breath, Ji Chengyi turned to Lin Jindu, “Mr. Lin, how about…”

Before he could finish his sentence, a “zombie” outside crashed into the glass door of the safe room with a loud bang.

Amidst urgent growls, Ji Chengyi quickly said, “Sorry, Mr. Lin.”

Lin Jindu: ?

Before Lin Jindu could react, Ji Chengyi raised his hand and wrapped it around Lin Jindu’s neck.

In the next moment, Lin Jindu felt a warmth on his forehead.

Ji Chengyi kissed him on the forehead.

More specifically, he kissed the strands of hair on his forehead, not touching his skin.

Despite this, Lin Jindu’s mind went blank for a moment.

【Ahhh! Ahhh! Ahhh!】

【Kissed! Kissed! Kissed! Ahhhh, Mr. Ji, you’re amazing!】

【Oh my gosh! Just this and Mr. Lin is already smitten!!!】