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Chapter 49 – Favoritism
The morning fog shrouded the mountains, casting a gloomy hue over the sky. The production team instructed the guests to prepare themselves and gather in the lobby at eight o’clock, preparing to head into the mountains.
Jiang Liusui had finalized the schedule with the crew the previous night before returning to He Yujing’s room. The two of them entered the makeup room together. A staff member who wasn’t in the know laughed and said, “You two are so close, even your timing is perfectly in sync! Teacher Qin and the others haven’t arrived yet.”
Jiang Liusui thought to himself that it was because they had literally left the room together. He Yujing chuckled at the comment and casually took a seat beside him.
After finishing their makeup, Jiang Liusui went back to his own room to pack. He stuffed water and clothes into his backpack, along with a small bag of chocolates he happened to have on hand. The temperature was lower than expected, and he shivered from the cold before putting on the thick coat he had bought earlier.
He was the last to arrive in the lobby. The host, seeing that all the guests had gathered, greeted them cheerfully, “Good morning, teachers! It’s a bit chilly today, so remember to keep warm.”
“In a moment, we’ll be taking the cable car up the mountain. The guests will be divided into two groups, each with a GoPro. You’ll take turns filming during the ten-minute cable car ride,” the host announced excitedly. “After recording, we’ll send the footage to the editors, and it will be broadcast tonight, giving the audience a sneak peek at the holiday VLOG filmed by you all!”
Using the guests’ video diaries as a teaser to build hype for the upcoming show was a simple yet clever strategy.
After explaining the arrangements, the host announced the groupings. Jiang Liusui was paired with Xu Miao and He Yujing. Xu Miao cupped her face playfully, feigning shyness as she said, “I’m in a group with two handsome guys! How lucky!”
“Yeah.” Jiang Liusui tipped his chin up, a subtle gesture to show he was just as pleased to be grouped with Xu Miao.
He Yujing, wearing the same coat as Jiang Liusui, had been standing next to him with his hands in his pockets. Seeing Jiang Liusui’s cool pose, he teased him, “Teacher Jiang, is your idol image[mfn]偶像包袱 (ǒu xiàng bāo fú) – lit. idol baggage; a popular slang term meaning the need to maintain a polished, handsome image; often used jokingly.[/mfn] acting up?”
Jiang Liusui immediately broke character and turned around as if to hit him. He Yujing swiftly dodged to the side.
Watching their playful scuffle, Xu Miao couldn’t help but think:
Guys are so rowdy.
No matter how composed they usually look, it’s all the same.
The cable car station was located just behind the hotel. The guests waited at the boarding platform, watching as the cabin approached from a distance. Xu Miao felt uneasy. “Why is it moving so fast?”
A staff member promptly reminded them from behind, “Teachers, start running! The cabins here don’t slow down much!”
Before she could think further, the cabin moved into position, and they quickly broke into a jog to keep up. Xu Miao dashed in first and immediately collapsed onto the seat. “That was terrifying—I thought I was going to fall!”
The following cameraman panted as he caught up. Jiang Liusui also slumped into his seat. “That was intense.”
He Yujing was the last to step in, his hooded collar slightly disheveled from the sudden movement. Jiang Liusui noticed and reminded him, “Your hood is crooked.”
He Yujing leaned closer to him. Jiang Liusui was momentarily taken aback before realizing he was expected to fix it.
Jiang Liusui reached out to adjust He Yujing’s collar, pulling the messy hood back into place.
The cable car ascended into the sky. From across the cabin, Xu Miao watched with a quiet click of her tongue, thinking that this really did look like an old married couple[mfn]老夫老妻 (lǎo fū lǎo qī) – slang for couples who are extremely familiar and comfortable with each other, often teasingly applied even to people not actually married.[/mfn]. She quickly turned on her GoPro and aimed it at them, teasingly remarking, “Hmm, you two really have a great relationship.”
Jiang Liusui turned his head, slightly surprised. “Already starting?”
“Of course! As entertainers, you must be ready to be on camera every second.” Xu Miao spoke with mock seriousness before cheerfully adding, “Come on, say hello to everyone!”
Jiang Liusui and He Yujing simultaneously raised their right hands.
Jiang Liusui: “Hello, everyone.”
He Yujing: “Hi.”
They spoke almost in unison, their waving gestures perfectly synchronized. Seemingly surprised by their high level of coordination, they turned to look at each other. He Yujing raised an eyebrow first. “Why are you copying me?”
“Right back at you.”
“Alright, now it’s elementary school bickering time,” Xu Miao narrated while holding the GoPro. “They already had a little spat at the hotel earlier. Let’s not disturb them and enjoy the view outside!”
As the cable car slowly climbed higher, the stunning mountain scenery unfolded around them. Xu Miao turned the camera toward the window, filming while providing commentary: “We’re now heading toward the mountaintop. Everyone, feast your eyes—ta-da! Doesn’t it feel like we’re in a fairy tale? You can see the emerald green river valley below from both sides. Although the weather isn’t great, the distant layered peaks and mist-shrouded valleys are still beautiful, and you can even see snow-capped mountains!…”
After chattering away for a while, Xu Miao felt she had held the camera long enough and casually called out to the person across from her: “Teacher Jiang, your turn, your turn.”
Jiang Liusui took the GoPro from her. He first filmed himself for a moment, then panned the camera around. “Since everyone has seen enough of the scenery just now, let’s take a look at Teacher Xu.”
Jiang Liusui swung the GoPro toward Xu Miao, hoping to catch her in the act and maybe interact a little. But she was completely absorbed in her phone, flitting from pout to peace-sign, chin-in-hand pose to another classic selfie move before he could even get a word out.
“It seems Teacher Xu is busy,” Jiang Liusui turned the camera back, feeling that ending it so abruptly would be too lazy. Suddenly inspired, he said, “Let’s take a look at the handsome guy!”
He aimed the camera at He Yujing, who was resting his chin on one hand while gazing at the scenery outside. His browline was sharp, and his profile was both striking and stern.
He Yujing wore a black headband with white lines and a row of silver earrings in various designs. Jiang Liusui lowered his voice to a whisper: “He’s wearing a headband today—doesn’t it look great? And even though the production team confiscated all our luggages, he still managed to buy a headband and a bunch of accessories along with his necessities… he really looks like a peacock, doesn’t he?”
He Yujing had initially pretended not to hear him, but upon catching Jiang Liusui murmuring to the camera—especially the last part—he couldn’t help but turn around with a laugh.
“Using me to fill time?” He Yujing feigned displeasure. “And talking behind my back too.”
“I was complimenting you,” Jiang Liusui’s soft voice came from behind the camera, though he remained off-screen. “Please, just play along.”
The coquettish tone was irresistible to anyone. He Yujing tilted his head slightly, turning just enough to lift his gaze toward Jiang Liusui.
Every movement, every gesture with the camera was perfect—but a subtle change in expression could flip the entire vibe of the scene.
“So handsome!” Jiang Liusui cheered, clapping like a seal. Before He Yujing could bask in the satisfaction for long, Jiang Liusui pushed his luck: “The peacock’s showing off its tail.”[mfn]孔雀开屏 (kǒng què kāi píng) – metaphor for showing off, flaunting one’s looks or presence.[/mfn]
“……” He Yujing leaned in and pinched his cheek. “You’re really getting carried away, huh? Who spoiled you?”
He Yujing smiled, his movements gentle, clearly not actually annoyed. Jiang Liusui chuckled, dodging his hand, and plopped the GoPro into He Yujing’s arms. “Your turn to film! Get to work.”
Seeing Jiang Liusui use work as an excuse, He Yujing nodded reluctantly. “Fine, I’ll settle this with you later.”
He Yujing took the GoPro and started filming. Unlike Jiang Liusui and Xu Miao, he didn’t speak while recording, seemingly just capturing the scenery. After a few minutes, Jiang Liusui heard him say, “Alright, that’s enough time.”
Just then, Xu Miao finished taking her perfect selfies and immediately switched into professional mode. “Looking forward to Teacher Jiang, Teacher He, and Little Xu’s holiday VLOG! Please show lots of love for our work!”
Jiang Liusui and He Yujing simultaneously broke into applause, and Xu Miao burst out laughing. After the GoPro was turned off, she teased, “I feel like Yu-ge has changed a lot compared to how I remember him.”
He Yujing didn’t reply. Instead, Jiang Liusui leaned in slightly, curious: “Hmm?”
“My first impression of him? Super—super untouchable,” Xu Miao said, flinging her hands around dramatically, then giggled, “Now he’s so down-to-earth[mfn]下凡了 (xià fán le) – lit. descend to the mortal world; used here to jokingly say someone is more approachable or less intimidating.[/mfn]… I guess it depends on who he’s with.”
The last sentence struck a chord with Jiang Liusui. He turned his head, only to find the person beside him already looking down at him.
Jiang Liusui met He Yujing’s gaze for a moment, feeling an inexplicable flutter of panic. He hurriedly lowered his eyes, breaking the contact.
The closer they got to the mountaintop, the damper and colder the air became. Outside the cable car, a sparse drizzle had begun to fall, tracing transparent lines on the glass windows. As everyone stepped out of the cable car one by one, Mu Zhe shielded his forehead with his hand. “Why did it suddenly start raining?”
“The weather in the mountains is like this—it changes in an instant,” Shang Qingzhi said as she tied her hair up with a hairband. “Luckily, it’s just a light sunshower. A little rain won’t hurt.”
Jiang Liusui was still looking around. The view from the mountaintop was incredibly expansive, with winding asphalt roads resembling thin ribbons and lush, refreshing greenery as far as the eye could see. Someone from behind pulled up the hood of his jacket and draped it over his head.
Jiang Liusui turned his head and saw that He Yujing, after taking care of him, went to adjust his own hood.
At that moment, the host chimed in appropriately, “Teachers, you can hand the GoPros to the staff beside you. We’ll now head to the central lake to experience boating!”
The lake wasn’t far from the mountaintop’s visitor station, just a ten-minute walk to the shore. Despite the light rain, the sky had already cleared. The nearby lake water was crystal clear, reflecting the sky and the surrounding mountains.
Everyone naturally paused to take it in. Mu Zhe murmured, awe in his voice: “It’s so beautiful… like stepping into a dream.”
“Let’s make a deal,, Xiao Mu. Can you make your dreams stop raining?” Xu Miao’s curly hair gradually straightened after getting wet. She simply tied it up like Shang Qingzhi, found a hat to put on, then started frantically taking photos of the lake surface. “But it’s really beautiful! I haven’t seen a real lake in so long—the last one I saw was the artificial lake in Metropolitan Park.”
After the guests had their fill of the lakeside scenery, the host stood at the small dock and announced: “Teachers, please get ready! Put on your life jackets—we’re going to split into two groups for a boat race!”
“While you’re rowing, each team will select one teacher to answer questions from the production team. And these aren’t just any questions—they’re about you… or, more specifically, about your opponent!” The host paused for dramatic effect. “The catch? The referee isn’t us—it’s your opponent. So make sure you’re fair and honest!”
or not. So teachers, please try to be fair and impartial~”
“Each correct answer earns one point. Every teacher must participate, and we’ll have three rounds total. The group with more points wins. But pay attention—if your boat doesn’t move while answering, you automatically lose. No drifting in circles, okay? The boat must actually go somewhere!”
“The winning group will get a more sumptuous lunch.” The host smiled while announcing the groups. “Teacher Xu, Teacher Jiang, and Teacher Mu in one group; Teacher He, Teacher Qin, and Teacher Shang in the other group.”
Two small wooden boats were docked nearby. Local boatmen came to help the guests confirm their life jackets and briefly taught them how to use the oars before everyone boarded their respective boats.
That long list of rules made Mu Zhe’s head spin. Xu Miao and Jiang Liusui, on the other hand, understood them clearly. The most crucial thing was deciding who would answer the questions.
Xu Miao simply called out: “Hey! Friends on the other side! Who’s answering for your group this round?”
The other group was also discussing. Shang Qingzhi waved her hand, indicating she wasn’t good at this type of game. Qin Yi said to He Yujing: “You should go first.”
He Yujing nodded indifferently. Seeing a ring-adorned hand raised from the other boat, Xu Miao’s eyes lit up: “Yu-ge? Suisui, you go! You know him best!”
Although Mu Zhe was confused, he understood that the judge would be the opponent’s contestant: “Right! Maybe he’ll go easy on you.”
“Probably not.” Jiang Liusui smiled and raised his hand, telling the production team: “We’ve decided—I’ll represent our group this round.”
Host: “Okay, the first round will feature Teacher He and Teacher Jiang. The questions will also focus on these two teachers.”
As the host announced the start of the competition, oars from both boats simultaneously entered the water.
Mu Zhe and Xu Miao sat side by side, rowing with great effort from left and right. Especially Xu Miao, who seemed to be using all her strength, desperately pulling the oars back. Yet after several minutes, the boat showed no signs of moving forward, instead slowly spinning in place.
Mu Zhe’s face turned red: “Is rowing this difficult—”
Jiang Liusui, sitting on the same side as Xu Miao, vaguely sensed something wrong: “Wait, are we not rowing in the same direction? Our rhythm seems off too.”
Xu Miao said anxiously: “Then which direction should we row? Should we call out commands? One, two, three, how about that??”
Just as the trio was scrambling, the host began asking questions: “First question! What’s the name of Teacher He’s debut song?”
Seeing the boat finally moving, Xu Miao exclaimed excitedly, “It’s moving! It really worked!”
Mu Zhe quickly reminded her, “Keep it down, Miao Miao! Don’t distract Suisui from answering.”
Jiang Liusui, sitting at the bow, answered without hesitation: “⟪Sleepwalker⟫”
He had, for a period of time, listened to all of He Yujing’s songs. Not to mention the debut song that the public was familiar with, even the less well-known songs he could basically remember.
“Correct.” He Yujing gestured to the production team to confirm Jiang Liusui’s answer. Cheers erupted immediately.
Xu Miao cheered, “Would Suisui be affected by me? No way—he really gets Yu-ge!”
He Yujing was also seated at the bow. Compared to the chaos on the opposite boat, their side was much more orderly. Qin Yi and Shang Qingzhi rowed in perfect sync, and He Yujing only needed to match their rhythm.
The host announced, “Second question! For Teacher He: What was the first movie Teacher Jiang starred in?”
He Yujing answered swiftly, “⟪Riding the Wind⟫”
During the first recording, Jiang Liusui and Qin Yi had mentioned this film repeatedly, so he ended up watching it himself.
“Excellent! It seems both teachers know each other well,” the host remarked with a laugh. “Now, Teacher Jiang: When is Teacher He’s birthday?”
Jiang Liusui froze.
He Yujing’s birthday?
He remembered it was in June, but couldn’t recall the exact date. Jiang Liusui could only guess a lucky number: “June 6th?”
“……” The man on the opposite boat’s expression shifted slightly, his voice completely devoid of warmth. “Wrong.”
Feeling inexplicably guilty, Jiang Liusui turned his head away to avoid eye contact. Mu Zhe was practically itching to answer for him: “Ahhh, Suisui! It’s just one day off—June 7th!”
Xu Miao interjected, “Calm down, Xiao Mu! Slow and steady, remember our rhythm! One, two, three!”
“Next question for Teacher He,” the host said with a mischievous grin. “When is Teacher Jiang’s birthday?”
Jiang Liusui shot up, thinking the production team had a wicked sense of timing. If He Yujing got his birthday right, then compared to that… he…
“October 13th.” He Yujing’s words came with a faint smile that didn’t touch his eyes. “I remember it perfectly.”
“……”
Jiang Liusui suddenly felt as if he’d committed some crime and was now standing trial before He Yujing.
After a moment of silence, facing He Yujing’s loaded words, Jiang Liusui offered an innocent, well-behaved smile.
“Next question,” the host announced seriously. “Teacher Jiang, who was Teacher He’s first on-screen kiss with?”
“Pfft—!!” Xu Miao couldn’t hold back her laughter, thinking the production team was truly wicked. Mu Zhe choked on his own spit. Hearing Qin Yi and Shang Qingzhi stifling giggles behind him, He Yujing sighed in exasperation before turning his gaze to the person on the opposite boat.
Amid the cheerful atmosphere, Jiang Liusui felt a bit embarrassed and answered softly, “…With Jiang Liusui.”
He didn’t say himself directly, but deliberately took a detour in his words. Xu Miao, who had just managed to contain herself, burst into hysterical laughter: “Oh my god! Baobei, who’s Jiang Liusui? Do I know him?”
Mu Zhe also laughed uproariously, reminding her, “Miao Miao, paddle! Don’t just laugh!”
He Yujing glanced at Jiang Liusui with an amused smirk, then nodded.
The host also suppressed a laugh as he said, “Last question, for Teacher He: Which senior does Teacher Jiang admire the most?”
He Yujing internally rolled his eyes. What kind of question is this? Still, he answered, keeping his tone even, “Chi Lianxi.”
Unexpectedly, Jiang Liusui looked at him and shook his head with a sly expression. “Wrong.”
He Yujing froze for a moment. The host announced, “Time’s up! Each team earns two points this round. Time to switch players!”
He Yujing interrupted the host, pretending to be dissatisfied with Jiang Liusui’s judgment. “Wait, if it’s not Chi Lianxi, then who could it be? You’re not lying to me, are you?”
Had he changed his mind? Although he didn’t think much of Chi Lianxi either, could he have switched favorites so quickly?
Jiang Liusui replied, “Not at all. I’m absolutely fair and impartial.”
He Yujing: “Really? Lying is for puppies.”
Taking advantage of the game’s pause, Xu Miao stretched her tired wrists from rowing and watched them with a fond expression. “Why are they bickering like elementary school kids again?”
He Yujing insisted on getting to the bottom of it. Unable to resist his persistence, Jiang Liusui finally relented, “It’s you, it’s you, it’s you!”
A collective “Ohhh!” went up from the others. He Yujing was completely caught off guard. When he realized, he couldn’t suppress the smile at the corner of his lips. Enjoying the moment, he added playfully, “Oh, it’s me? Why didn’t you just say so?”
Not only Jiang Liusui, but everyone else was also amused by He Yujing’s reaction, filling the scene with laughter.
After three rounds, thanks to Xu Miao’s last-minute comeback, Jiang Liusui’s team narrowly won. Having rowed for over half an hour, the guests were all suffering from sore wrists and numb legs. Shang Qingzhi even stumbled when she got off the boat, but Qin Yi swiftly caught her.
The fine, misty sunshower had quietly ceased, leaving the sky clear and blue. A faint rainbow arched over the distant lake.
Once everyone sat down on the picnic mats by the lake, the staff came to distribute lunch. The host followed and said, “The losing team will get egg and ham sandwiches!”
Such a simple meal was barely enough to satisfy the guests after their prolonged exercise. After a moment of schadenfreude, Xu Miao asked eagerly, “What about us?”
The host beamed. “The winning team’s teachers get egg, ham, and bacon sandwiches! An extra strip of bacon!”
“……” Mu Zhe was speechless. “Truly… extravagant.”
“What was I even fighting for?!” Xu Miao collapsed dramatically onto the grass and refused to move.
The host consoled them, “Teachers, just make do for now. We’ll have a proper feast back at the hotel tonight.”
As Xu Miao and Mu Zhe continued to grumble, the host cleverly changed the subject.
“Look at Teacher He—he’s enjoying his sandwich so much!”
Jiang Liusui turned to look.
Just as the host had said, the person beside him was slowly eating his sandwich, looking completely at ease.
After moving into He Yujing’s home, Jiang Liusui had learned just how picky an eater he was. The fact that He Yujing had managed to eat the meal they cooked together that one time was nothing short of a miracle. He had two housekeepers working at his house, seemingly specially hired by his mother to cater to the young master’s refined palate—each skilled in different cuisines.
Normally so fussy, why was he so easygoing today?
“Good mood?” Jiang Liusui could only interpret it that way.
He Yujing didn’t answer, just hummed in agreement.
He was indeed in a good mood—or rather, exceptionally pleased.
Thinking about how he had kicked Chi Lianxi aside to become the senior Jiang Liusui admired most—and the fact that they worked in completely different industries… well, it couldn’t be helped. When someone was this charming, being admired was only natural.
Feeling quite pleased with himself, He Yujing didn’t mind how bland the sandwich tasted. He even leisurely held up his phone with one hand, aimed it at the distant rainbow, and adjusted the angle to snap a photo.
Jiang Liusui nibbled at his sandwich in small bites. Halfway through, feeling a bit thirsty, he reached into his backpack for water and happened to touch a small pouch.
Oh, right! He had casually packed a bag of chocolates this morning.
The transparent little package was tied with a velvet bow, containing only two chocolates of different colors. Jiang Liusui glanced around and saw everyone chatting and eating, with no one paying attention to this side. He reached out and gently touched the person beside him.
When He Yujing turned his head, Jiang Liusui slipped one of the chocolates into his palm.
He Yujing couldn’t help but curve his eyes into a smile.
This feeling was like being favored by a small animal. He cooperatively closed his fingers and softened his voice: “Giving me a special treat?”
“Mm,” Jiang Liusui replied, smiling despite himself. “Our little secret.”
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