***
Chapter 21 – Room Assignments
Where their palms had met, a trace of warmth lingered. Gazing into the eyes so near him, Jiang Liusui froze for a moment.
It seemed… he had become the one being teased.
“Woof woof woof—!!”
The excited barking brought him back to reality. He instinctively flinched, no longer caring whether He Yujing was teasing him or not: “Then hurry up and take it away!”
He Yujing took two steps back, tightening the leash.The Border Collie wagged its tail along with his movements, happily trotting out of the villa.
The Border Collie refused to give up, repeatedly glancing back. He Yujing tugged the leash lightly, his voice teasing: “Give it up already. HEe doesn’t want to play with you.”
Glancing back from the corner of his eye, caught Jiang Liusui following closely a few meters behind. The smile in his eyes deepened.
Late July, Linzhou Island was bathed in brilliant sunlight under a clear blue sky. Following the route designated by the production team, they crossed the villa through the grassland, and a natural pink beach came into view. One of the island’s most iconic sights, the waves rolled in frothy azure, fading into layers of pink along the shore, from deep to pale, shimmering dreamily under the sun.
Separated by the boundary rope set up by the production team and a group of staff maintaining order, a large crowd of tourists had gathered, drawn by the news. Countless people were shouting He Yujing’s name, with camera and phone flashes going off repeatedly. Completely accustomed to being the center of attention, he raised a hand to the cheering crowd, acknowledging them with a casual wave.
“Ahhhhhh! I’m going crazy—!!!”
“He Yujing! He Yujing! He Yujing!!!”
“Brother Yu! Can you hear us?! Your new song is amazing ahhhh!!!”
“Suisui! Over here, over here!” From a nearby corner, a girl yelled, straining her voice, “I really—really—like you!”
Her voice was too loud to ignore. Meeting the girl’s sparkling eyes, Jiang Liusui paused for a second before smiling and mouthing the words: “Got it.”
His smile was truly captivating. Not just the fans, everyone’s eyes were drawn to him, and a wave of screams instantly swept through the crowd.
Quite the charmer.
He Yujing watched his interaction with the fans. Thinking about how Xu Miao had already started calling him affectionately after just one meeting, he unconsciously murmured that intimate nickname: “Suisui?”
“—Hmm?” Jiang Liusui turned to look back.
No sooner had He Yujing finished speaking than the normally calm Border Collie, for some unknown reason, suddenly became excited and started bouncing around. Jiang Liusui was startled and jokingly said to the dog, “What’s up? Are you calling me Suisui too?”
He Yujing couldn’t help but laugh, his usually sharp features softening.
The change in his expression was noticed by fans from afar. Even without hearing their conversation, fans who knew him commented: “So handsome, so handsome, I’m dying!! Why does his aura feel different today? He’s never been this sweet before. Is it because he’s on a paid trip and in a good mood?”
“Y-yes, yes, yes! …Ahhh, gege smiled again! Why is he so happy?!”
The screams of the crowd were overwhelming[mfn]排山倒海 (pái shān dǎo hǎi) – lit. push over mountains and overturn the seas; meaning overwhelming or immense[/mfn], and it was almost impossible to maintain order. The accompanying cameraman, seeing the situation gradually getting out of control, quickly checked with the audio engineer and director before temporarily shutting off the camera. He hurriedly stepped forward and said:
“Teacher He, Teacher Jiang, there are far more fans by the seaside than we anticipated. To avoid any accidents, let’s leave for now. We’ll end the filming here.”
The two followed the crew back along the same path. Excited by the cheering crowd on the beach, the Border Collie was practically bursting with energy, darting forward without warning multiple times. He Yujing had to hold the leash firmly, sometimes breaking into a jog to keep up with the dog’s bursts of speed.
Having spent the entire afternoon without lifting a finger, Jiang Liusui felt a bit embarrassed and said, “Why don’t you let me take the leash for a while?”
He Yujing chuckled, “Want it to scare you so much that you end up running? Then I’d have to chase both of you.”
“……”
“It’s fine. I’m not tired.”
When they returned to the villa, a staff member came forward to take the Border Collie’s leash. After spending most of the afternoon together, the dog had grown very attached and now rubbed affectionately against He Yujing’s leg, reluctant to part.
Without a second thought, He Yujing crouched down, his hands moving skillfully over the dog’s fluffy head.
Seeing this, Jiang Liusui asked, “Have you had a pet before?”
“I haven’t had any myself.” He patted the Border Collie’s neck and stood up. “But my sister has two dogs, and I occasionally help take care of them.”
In his four years in the industry, Jiang Liusui had learned that people around He Yujing were deeply curious about his family. Coupled with Shen Sijia’s detailed knowledge[mfn]如数家珍 (rú shǔ jiā zhēn) – lit. as if counting the family treasures one by one; meaning knowing something thoroughly or in great detail.[/mfn] of her gege’s affairs, he’d already picked up bits and pieces of the story.
He Yujing had an older sister, several years his senior. As the youngest son of the He family, he was nearly spoiled by everyone at home, yet he and his sister had diverging views on life that created a significant rift.
He Yujing had always been an outstanding student, yet the indulgence of his elders—and especially his older sister—had made him rebellious from a young age. His father had once hoped the siblings would jointly oversee the family business, but he was determined to become a singer, which led to countless clashes with his strict father.
It was said that even now, his father still had some reservations about his choices.
***
Xu Miao and Shang Qingzhi were the first to return to the villa. Their surfing session had ended, and they had already showered. Seeing He Yujing and Jiang Liusui, Xu Miao raised a hand in greeting.
She was just about to ask them if walking the dog was fun when the villa door was suddenly pushed open.
Mu Zhe and Qin Yi walked in one after the other, both looking utterly exhausted. Xu Miao’s expression turned sympathetic, “I guess there’s no need to ask how your day went.”
“I’m tired to death. I had no idea Zhaotai Peak was this high.” took a gulp of water, catching his breath before continuing. “Let me tell you, Brother Qin’s photography is the ultimate straight-man[mfn]直男 (zhí nán) – slang meaning overly literal, lacking subtlety, or socially awkward in certain contexts.[/mfn] style. I’ve never seen a celebrity more rough around the edges than him. It’s completely at odds with his looks.”
He then grinned and patted Qin Yi’s shoulder, “Come on, Brother Qin, show us your masterpiece.”
Qin Yi didn’t respond, resignedly[mfn]破罐破摔 (pò guàn pò shuāi) – lit. if the jar is broken, smash it completely; to give up entirely or act recklessly when there seems to be no way out.[/mfn] flipping through his phone. Jiang Liusui, sitting beside him, peeked at the photos and didn’t think they were terrible. “Not bad, actually… at least better than mine.”
He Yujing, who hadn’t been interested at first, glanced over and asked in surprise, “Your photography skills are this bad?”
Qin Yi: “……”
Jiang Liusui: “……”
Somehow, he had managed to offend both of them at once—truly impressive.
“Hello, teachers! How was the afternoon’s activities?” The host suddenly popped up from behind Jiang Liusui. After receiving several satisfied responses, the host smiled and said, “Looks like everyone had fun! We’ve prepared a lavish dinner to wrap up today.”
Although they had already seen staff members going in and out of the dining room to set up earlier, everyone still put on appropriately surprised expressions to play along. Mu Zhe gave a thumbs up: “I was worried they wouldn’t let us eat our fill.”
“Of course not!” the host said seriously. “These three days are truly a healing vacation.”
What made ⟪Fantasy Holiday⟫ stand out among similar variety shows wasn’t just its expertise in creating subtle romantic tension between guests—it put great care into atmosphere and visual design.
The long table in the restaurant was laden with dishes that looked as delicious as they smelled, interspersed with three vibrant white lychee roses as decorative touch. To fit the laid-back vacation theme, the team had even prepared red wine. A group of handsome men and beautiful women chatted as they dined, the scene pleasing to the eye in every way.
After dinner, the host announced the highlight of the evening. “It’s time to assign the rooms.”
“There are five rooms on the villa’s second floor, which means two teachers will need to share a room. We won’t impose any rules for room assignments—it’s up to the teachers to arrange themselves.”
Upon hearing this, everyone’s expressions subtly changed.
Leaving one double room intentionally—this is definitely the kind of show that loves stirring up CP.
Mu Zhe spoke first: “Should the four of us play rock-paper-scissors? The girls don’t need to participate, they can each have their own room.”
Xu Miao, outgoing and a natural at making a scene, feigned indignation. “What do you mean not letting me and Qingzhi join in? I want to play rock-paper-scissors too!”
Shang Qingzhi groaned and covered her face. “Isn’t that… a little inappropriate?”
“No worries, no worries! Let’s all play together. If you lose, I’ll switch and share a room with you.” Xu Miao draped an arm around Shang Qingzhi’s shoulders, grinning. “We’ll have ourselves a sweet Girl’s Night.”
Eventually, everyone reached an agreement. After a few rounds of rock-paper-scissors, the two lucky participants chosen to share a room were decided. He Yujing raised an eyebrow, fixing his gaze on the two who had remained silent: Qin Yi and Jiang Liusui. “You two… sharing a room?”
Qin Yi shrugged, indifferent to sharing a room with Jiang Liusui. It was the latter who hesitated. “Are there… two beds or one?”
The host, sensing an opportunity, asked mischievously, “Teacher Jiang, would you prefer one bed or two?”
At this, Xu Miao and Mu Zhe simultaneously burst into uncontrollable laughter. Jiang Liusui also smiled, then surrendered: “I don’t sleep well and like hugging something. If it’s just one bed, I guess I’ll have to sleep on the floor.”
Without skipping a beat, Mu Zhe teased, “Then hug Brother Qin while sleeping! We’re all brothers here—Brother Qin, you don’t mind, right?”
Qin Yi and Jiang Liusui exchanged a glance. Feeling flustered, Jiang Liusui muttered, “I’ll just take the floor…”
Qin Yi shook his head, calm as ever. “No need to go through all that trouble.”
Xu Miao was so excited she nearly slapped the table: “Hey hey, what do you mean? Are you really going to sleep hugging? Can I come watch?”
The host, knowing when to stop[mfn]见好就收 (jiàn hǎo jiù shōu) – lit. when things are going well, stop (while ahead)[/mfn], said: “Don’t worry, there are two beds.”
Jiang Liusui breathed a sigh of relief. Xu Miao let out a playful disappointed sigh in response.
This segment of the show turned out even more entertaining than expected. The host, smiling broadly, said: “Since the rooms have been assigned, please rest early. We’ll be heading to the pier to watch the sunrise tomorrow morning. Wake-up will be announced via broadcast at 4:30 a.m.”
He Yujing was the first to stand up and walked toward the second floor without saying a word. Jiang Liusui instinctively glanced at him, but from his perspective, he could only see the man’s expressionless profile.
He Yujing hadn’t spoken since earlier, and Jiang Liusui couldn’t shake the feeling that he seemed somewhat displeased.
Or maybe he was just tired and couldn’t be bothered to put on a show for the cameras? After all, he had spent almost the entire afternoon walking the dog alone.
At this thought, Jiang Liusui felt a twinge of guilt. Qin Yi walked over to him and asked, “Moving your luggage?”
“Yeah.” Jiang Liusui stood up as well. “Let’s go.”
His room and Qin Yi’s were on the far left of the second floor, the farthest from the activity room where luggage had been placed. Along the way, Mu Zhe spotted them dragging their suitcases one after the other and teased from his doorway, “So… starting a life together, huh?”
Having spent the afternoon together, Qin Yi and Mu Zhe were relatively familiar with each other, so Qin Yi simply played along, “Yeah.”
Jiang Liusui shot Mu Zhe with a playful grin. “You can come squeeze in too—take the floor between us.”
Mu Zhe was taken aback, not understanding how he had become the target of the teasing. Noticing Jiang Liusui’s smiling gaze, Mu Zhe met his eyes for a moment, and his ears gradually turned red.
Jiang Liusui found it amusing and added with a laugh, “Perfect, we can even form a full table for Landlord[mfn]斗地主 (dòu dì zhǔ) – a card game named Fight The Landlord.[/mfn].”
Mu Zhe: “……”
The door across the hallway suddenly swung open. He Yujing pressed one hand against the doorframe, the faint outline of veins visible on his pale hand.
He was still wearing the shirt from earlier, his broad shoulders and narrow waist outlined by the light, his face handsome yet cold. His slightly upturned eyes swept over the two in the hallway before turning to the cameraman behind them, “Stop filming them. There’s no need to actually squeeze into the same room, right?”
The cameraman hesitated for a moment before suggesting in a low voice, “We could just shoot a bit of them washing up… then the two teachers can switch rooms afterward.”
…And what’s the difference between that and really living together?
He Yujing frowned and was about to interject when Jiang Liusui glanced sideways and said, “Actually… staying in the same room isn’t a problem. Brother Qin, do you mind?”
Qin Yi asked, “Will we need to film a wake-up scene tomorrow morning?”
The cameraman nodded, and Qin Yi said, “Then it’s easier to just stay together in one room.”
Jiang Liusui thought He Yujing was worried he wouldn’t sleep well sharing a room with someone else and reassured him with a smile, “Don’t worry—I’ll sleep fine hugging a pillow.”
After speaking, he added with genuine concern, “You should get some rest too. You’ve been walking the dog all day—you must be exhausted, right?”
“……” He Yujing nodded, then, as if remembering something, softly wished him good night.
After Jiang Liusui and Qin Yi had walked away, He Yujing’s cameraman also turned off his equipment, “Teacher He, today’s filming ends here. Please rest well.”
He acknowledged with a sound, and after closing the door, he casually picked up a cigarette from the table.
A spark flared instantly, and the faint scent of tobacco soon filled the air. He Yujing took a deep drag, exhaling the smoke slowly, but the irritation in his heart only grew stronger.
He glanced at the time—it was already past ten. Tomorrow, they would have to wake up before dawn. Best to wash up and sleep now.
But he was truly in a foul mood, so he simply grabbed a mask and a baseball cap nearby.
Lin Chong, standing outside with a raised hand as if about to knock, saw him open the door and step out: “Brother Yu, I brought your toiletries, plus the oral supplements Sister Shen Jie insisted you take. She said they’re for skincare. he knows that once you’re on the show, you’ll be staying up late…”
Seeing He Yujing stride straight ahead, Lin Chong hurriedly hugged the items and followed: “Brother Yu, are you heading out? Where to? Should I call the driver?”
“Don’t follow.” He Yujing didn’t even turn his head. “I’m just going for a walk alone.”
“But…” Lin Chong saw him skillfully put on the mask and cap, leaving only his eyes visible, and could only feel anxious in his heart.
He didn’t dare follow him closely, but with He Yujing’s figure and aura, even without showing his face he was impossibly eye-catching. Not to mention, some fans could recognize him even if he turned to ashes.
So many people had seen him arrive on Linzhou Island today—what if he ran into some unstable individuals…
“I’m just nearby, I’m not going far,” He Yujing said lightly.
Lin Chong finally relaxed. “Alright, I’ll wait here. Call me if you need anything!”
The villa chosen by the show perched on a gentle slope. Purple magnolias cascaded along the hillside path, their blossoms outlined in soft gold by the decorative lights. A salty breeze drifted in from the sea, carrying the distant sound of waves crashing against the rocks—a serene, almost dreamlike scene.
His mood had been fine in the afternoon, but after the room assignments in the evening, that indescribable restlessness had crept up on him again.
Will this ever end?
He Yujing bit down on his cigarette, his gaze drifting aimlessly over the flowering trees lining the road. He walked on, lost in thought.
Scenes from the evening replayed in his mind: the host’s expression announcing the room assignments, the teasing from the others, Qin Yi and Jiang Liusui trudging down the halfway with their suitcases one after the other… And the last image lingered: Jiang Liusui’s smile as he said goodnight.
What exactly was bothering him?
If it were Chi Lianxi and Qin Yi sharing a room, even if they were hugging each other… damn it, he wouldn’t care at all.
The realization of what had been stirring his emotions all day hit He Yujing, and he came to an abrupt stop.
After a long moment, he extinguished the nearly burnt-out cigarette in his hand and turned back toward the villa.
— — — —
