Chapter 11: He Will Never Laugh Again!

Ji Jingchuan and Lin Jinyi looked like two aggressive fighting cocks. After each receiving a hit, they immediately quieted down.

The two of them snorted at each other, making it clear they weren’t conceding, then turned their heads away in opposite directions.

Seeing that the situation had finally calmed down, the others felt at ease and went to pay the bill. Once the payment was settled, the remaining money was evenly split among the three groups, marking the completion of their pre-camping shopping mission.

The director called them over. “Dear guests, we’re heading to the campsite now.”

As they exited the supermarket, a large bus with the variety show’s logo was already parked outside. Jiang Yizhe blurted out, “This feels just like an elementary school field trip!”

“Good thing we have two elementary school students here,” Shang Que remarked, following Ning Sheng onto the bus.

Jiang Yizhe didn’t immediately catch on and asked instinctively, “Who are the elementary school students?”

“They’re right in front of you, and it’s definitely not me.” Lu Zhixu smiled, leaving the three of them behind to fight for the two available “elementary student” spots.

“Then—”

“Then, of course, it’s you two.” Ji Jingchuan smirked confidently. “Only elementary school kids would fall for such a simple trick from the production team.”

【I have a feeling Ji Jingchuan is never going to let this go. Even in the afterlife, he’ll have a QR code on his tombstone that, when scanned, plays his voice saying, ‘How did you not know this genius passed the production team’s test all on his own?’】

【Damn, that’s exactly something Ji Jingchuan would do. He once got first place in a minor celebrity sports competition and wanted to embed the video in a QR code for eternal remembrance.】

【If Shang Que were here, she’d probably say, ‘Why fight over it? Let’s add another spot—now there are three elementary school kids.’】

【You’ve mastered the essence of Shang Que’s humor. Let’s graduate!】

【Hahaha, definitely! Shang Que is the ultimate peacemaker.】

Meanwhile, after getting on the bus, Shang Que plopped down on the seat next to Ning Sheng.

Lu Zhixu saw this but said nothing and simply walked further back.

When it was just the three of them, the atmosphere in the bus remained peaceful and quiet.

However, it didn’t take long before the group still arguing about who the elementary school students were climbed aboard. Ji Jingchuan looked at the seating arrangements and immediately turned to ask, “Director, aren’t we supposed to sit according to our groups?”

“Well—” The director hesitated. “Shang Que, what do you think?”

“I refuse,” Shang Que stated flatly. “I will only sit with Ning Sheng or Lu Zhixu. I like quiet and reserved sisters.”

Ning Sheng blinked. “But I’m older than you.”

“Big sister, then.”

Lu Zhixu chuckled. “And what about me?”

Shang Que replied, “Little brother.”

【Don’t even ask—now we have big sisters, little brothers, sister-brothers, and brother-sisters.】

【I’m starting to question if I even know what the word ‘sister’ means anymore.】

【Hahahaha, in short, everyone is a sibling!】

【Does Shang Que have a younger sister? She seems like she’d be a great older sister.】

【People like her are usually either only children or have a mischievous younger brother.】

【And they’d definitely have dressed their little brother in skirts when he was a kid.】

Hearing this conversation, Ning Sheng couldn’t help but smile. She curiously asked, “Do you really want a younger sister? What’s it like to have one?”

“I know!” Jiang Yizhe raised his hand enthusiastically. “Little sisters are the cutest creatures in the world! I’m often away from home now, but whenever she has something delicious, she’ll always save a portion for me and wait for me to come back. Every time we call, she asks, ‘Brother, when are you coming home?’”

Shang Que suddenly recalled when Ji Jingchuan had just started kindergarten. Every day, he would bring her something to eat.

Sometimes it was a pumpkin pastry with a bite taken out of it. Other times, it was half a muffin. Once, it was an orange jelly cup—with only the peel left.

With a serious expression, he had declared, “This one wasn’t tasty, so I ate it all.”

Basically, the less he ate of something, the better he thought it was. While other kids his age were still struggling to control their bladders, Ji Jingchuan had already mastered the art of resisting his love for food just so he could bring something back for Shang Que.

The sound of surprised exclamations snapped Shang Que out of her thoughts. She glanced over and noticed that Ji Jingchuan hadn’t spoken in a while. From the corner of her eye, she saw him sitting alone on a seat, his head tilted at a 45-degree angle, gazing out the window. He remained in that position in complete silence throughout the journey.

As the bus ride continued with everyone chatting, time flew by. After about an hour, the bus slowly came to a stop.

The campsite was located on a hillside with a broad view and flat terrain. A stream flowed nearby for easy water access, and lush forests surrounded the area.

Everyone started getting off the bus one by one. Only Ji Jingchuan remained seated. Jiang Yizhe, who was the last to leave, reminded him, “We’ve arrived.”

Ji Jingchuan responded with a brief “Oh,” slowly turning his neck. Suddenly, a sharp cracking sound echoed in the air, and he inhaled sharply from the pain.

【Host, you held that pose for too long.】

“Shut up.”

Of course, he knew that.

That’s why he was even angrier! Had Shang Que seriously not noticed that he hadn’t spoken this whole time?

This was a big deal!

Ji Jingchuan pressed his lips together, suppressing his pained grimace, and walked off the bus with a cold expression.

He would never smile again!

—

The others had already unloaded the camping gear and were setting up their tents.

Considering everyone’s varying skill levels, the production team had provided relatively simple tents—just insert the poles, prop up the structure, and secure the corners with stakes.

Shang Que quickly finished setting up her tent. When she turned her head, she spotted Ji Jingchuan crouched alone far away from the rest of the group, fiddling with something.

She didn’t think much of it and scanned her surroundings. Lu Zhixu and Ning Sheng had also finished setting up and were now unpacking the fruit they had bought. Lin Jinyi, on the other hand, was completely lost, while Jiang Yizhe demonstrated how to pitch a tent using his own as an example.

Thanks to their teamwork, a cozy little campsite soon took shape. A folding table held washed fruit and snacks, a picnic mat was spread out on the grass, and a barbecue grill was assembled and stocked with charcoal. Five tents were arranged in a semi-circle, giving the place a warm and inviting feel.

Wait… five?

Shang Que turned her head and saw that Ji Jingchuan was still crouched in the distance. She frowned and walked over.

As she approached, she realized he was using a rock to hammer the tent stakes while grumbling through clenched teeth, “Damn it, why is this tent so hard to set up?”

“Don’t know how to set it up? Ever heard of asking for help?”

Ji Jingchuan flinched at the sudden voice. He whipped his head around and, upon seeing Shang Que, pursed his lips and turned away again, continuing to struggle with his tent.

“Lost your voice?” Shang Que’s patience was thin. She called out coldly, “Ji Jingchuan.”

The sound of stone against metal stopped. Still crouching, Ji Jingchuan defensively muttered, “What’s wrong with being quiet and reserved?”

“Idiot.” Shang Que rolled her eyes. “Unless you want to be eaten by wolves tonight, grab your tent and follow me.”

“There are wolves here?!” Ji Jingchuan’s expression changed.

Shang Que smiled. “Even if there were zombies, you’d be fine. You don’t have a brain for them to eat.”

Ji Jingchuan realized she was messing with him again and fumed. “Shang Que!”

“Pick up your tent.”

“I won’t—”

Shang Que shot him a look.

“…Fine, fine! I’ll take it!” Ji Jingchuan angrily picked up his scattered belongings and muttered, “Happy now?”

The sky gradually darkened.

After dinner, the production team arranged a small game for each group to help strengthen their friendship.

Each person would roll a die, and the one with the higher number could draw a card. The card contained two questions, and the other person had to choose one to answer.

To prevent interference from other groups, the game was conducted inside the production team’s large tent.

Shang Que and Ji Jingchuan sat across from each other with a low table between them. On the table were a stack of face-down cards and two dice.

For the first round, Shang Que rolled a 2, while Ji Jingchuan rolled a 5.

He looked smug. “As expected of a genius like me.”

“That was pure luck.”

“Luck is just another form of a genius’s aura,” Ji Jingchuan declared, drawing a card. After glancing at it, he cleared his throat and solemnly read aloud:

“Please name three good qualities of Ji Jingchuan or explain what quantum mechanics is.”

【???】

【Did Ji Jingchuan write these questions himself?】

Shang Que narrowed her eyes suspiciously. “Does it really say that?”

“Of course!” Ji Jingchuan casually tossed the card behind him and taunted, “Shang Que, don’t tell me you can’t handle losing?”

“Who says I can’t?” At his words, Shang Que immediately dropped the matter.

Ji Jingchuan urged, “Then hurry up and name three of my good qualities or—”

“Quantum mechanics is a branch of physics that studies the motion of microscopic particles in the material world. It primarily explores—”

Ji Jingchuan: ?

【HAHAHAHA! When pushed into a corner, people can accomplish anything, even answering physics questions!】

【Honestly, though, even if Shang Que made something up, Ji Jingchuan probably wouldn’t know the difference.】

【But seeing Ji Jingchuan suffer is so satisfying!】

By the time Shang Que finished her explanation, Ji Jingchuan’s face had darkened like a lump of coal. Feeling victorious, she threw the die again—another 2.

Ji Jingchuan snorted. “Your luck is terrible.”

He rolled casually. A bright red dot faced upward.

“You have terrible luck,” Shang Que shot back, mimicking his tone. She picked a card at random and read aloud, “Please list three of your own flaws or—”

“I choose the second option,” Ji Jingchuan interrupted confidently. “I have no flaws.”

Shang Que smirked and leisurely finished reading, “—or admit that Shang Que has a beautiful singing voice.”

She raised an eyebrow. “So, which one will it be?”

“First, I’m too popular, so going out in public causes a commotion. Second, I’m too handsome, which makes people feel insecure. Third, I speak too bluntly and hurt fragile hearts.” Ji Jingchuan rattled off his answer in one breath. “Those are my three flaws.”

Shang Que: …

【HAHAHAHA I give up on these two!】

【Ji Jingchuan, do you really hate admitting that Shang Que sings well this much?】

【If you say something you don’t mean, karma will strike you down.】

【One second: “I have no flaws.” The next second, when faced with complimenting Shang Que: “Well, I guess I do have a few flaws.”】

Ji Jingchuan slammed the table. “Next round!”

For the following rounds, he kept rolling the higher numbers. Without even checking the cards, he fired off challenges:

“Name three animals you dislike or praise Ji Jingchuan for being handsome and talented.”

“Cockroaches, rats, and spiders.”

“List three advantages of cockroaches or state three of my historical achievements.”

“They can be used in medicine, they always stay by your side, and they eat your leftovers.”

“Reveal your most embarrassing moment or admit that Ji Jingchuan is a genius.”

Shang Que: “At an awards ceremony, I saw a loose thread near me and absentmindedly started pulling at it. Turns out, I unraveled half the sweater of the male celebrity sitting next to me.”

【I’M DEAD. If I were that unlucky celebrity, I wouldn’t have even noticed my waist getting chilly until I was practically shirtless.】

【She must really not want to compliment Ji Jingchuan if she’s willing to share something this embarrassing!】

No matter what the question was, if one of the options involved praising him, Shang Que would always pick the alternative.

Ji Jingchuan grew increasingly frustrated, and in the end, he snapped. “Either pin a tweet saying you’re my biggest fan or change your profile picture to my support banner!”

He smirked smugly. “Which one will you pick?”

Shang Que calmly picked up the glass of alcohol that had been sitting ignored beside her all this time, took a sip, and smiled.

“I’ll take the penalty drink.”

“SHANG QUE!!!”