PTBC chapter 14

After tidying up their room, everyone gathered outside to receive the day’s task.

Having been sent to the island early in the morning and just finished physical labor, everyone was a bit hungry. The sun was blazing, and Xia Yan plopped onto the ground without a care, sitting in the shade.

The others, inspired, quickly joined him, though Ge Qianyi remained reserved and adjusted her clothes.

The host could only laugh helplessly, though inwardly, he was pleased. A variety show needs distinct personalities; a group of well-behaved kids would be boring.

“Since it’s the first day, we won’t make things too hard for you. Lunch will be provided normally,” the host announced, gesturing to a nearby table filled with a feast, mostly seafood. However, he quickly added, “But this meal is an advance on your wages. Each dish has a price tag, and whatever you eat, you’ll have to earn back this afternoon. If you can’t, there’ll be punishments.”

“I knew it. The production team can’t be trusted,” Xia Yan muttered. “Can’t even eat in peace. Is this a show or a coal mine?”

The host heard him and responded with an exaggerated smile. “Don’t spout nonsense, dear. We’re a perfectly legitimate show.”

Still, they couldn’t let themselves go hungry, so they dug in.

Xia Yan scanned the table and chose a sandwich, a chicken wrap, a piece of chocolate, and an iced Americano—totaling 130 yuan.

Xu Cong was similar in his choice, except he swapped out the chocolate for a fish fillet.

Xia Yan overheard someone muttering nearby, “With these prices, it’s practically New York. The production team must be causing inflation on purpose.”

Amused, he turned his head to join the conversation, only to realize it was Jiang Chuxin, the jerk. Instantly, his smile vanished, and he turned away without a word.

Jiang Chuxin noticed and simply curled his lips in response.

After lunch, the production team sent the cast off to find jobs. They had no money on them and were told they had to earn everything they needed for the next few days.

“However, this island has very few residents, which means job opportunities are limited,” the host explained with a smile. “Whether you find work or not depends on your luck. If anyone fails to secure a job or complete their tasks, they’ll have to fend for themselves.”

Xia Yan raised an eyebrow. Having participated in many reality shows, he knew that while production teams loved to see contestants suffer, they would always prepare a few positions for them.

Otherwise, if everyone ended up empty-handed, it wouldn’t make for good TV.

Of course, the available jobs would vary in difficulty, and it wasn’t impossible that some positions were specifically designed to challenge them.

Xia Yan grabbed the map prepared for them by the production team and scanned it for potential job locations.

“Kindergarten, fish stall, fishing boat, orchard…”

He read the options out loud, then exchanged a glance with Xu Cong.

“Where do you want to go?” He nudged Xu Cong with a mischievous grin. “I have a feeling the kindergarten is for you—or that rapper Hu Fei. You look cold and unapproachable, not the type to entertain kids, and Hu Fei seems too irritable.”

Xu Cong frowned but didn’t argue. He suspected the same.

“I wonder what job they’ll assign to Ling Du,” Xia Yan mused, glancing towards the actor. “I remember he injured his back while filming recently. Hopefully, they won’t give him something too strenuous.”

“Stop worrying about him,” Xu Cong said, knocking Xia Yan on the head with the rolled-up map and dragging him along. “Let’s go. The sooner we start, the better chance we have of completing the tasks. If we’re too late, we might fail the challenge.”

Under the blazing sun, Xia Yan and Xu Cong followed the map, knocking on doors one by one. Unfortunately, the kindergarten, orchard, pharmacy, and convenience store all turned them away.

Eventually, they arrived at a fish stall.

A burly woman wearing a floral apron and holding a fish knife scrutinized the two of them closely.

“I need a helper to clean fish, but only one,” she said, her sunburned face stern as she pinched Xia Yan’s arm, then Xu Cong’s. “Which of you wants the job?”

Xia Yan and Xu Cong exchanged a glance.

“Whoever you pick is fine with us,” Xia Yan said with a smile, pushing Xu Cong forward mischievously. “But I recommend him—he’s tall and strong, perfect for the job.”

Xu Cong gave him an amused and helpless glance.

But the woman shook her head, unimpressed. “What do I need height for? Speed and precision matter here.”

“You,” she said, pointing at Xia Yan.

Even after being handed a knife and an apron, Xia Yan was still processing what had happened.

Surrounded by fish stalls, the overwhelming smell of fish hit him from all directions, making him feel a little nauseous.

Xu Cong wasn’t allowed to linger, quickly being urged forward by the production team, leaving behind a few staff members to watch Xia Yan.

The woman demonstrated how to clean a fish, though she looked skeptical. “Do you even know how to do this? If it’s not up to standard, I won’t pay you.”

Xia Yan’s competitive streak flared. “I know how.”

No way he was going to end up last on this show. The humiliation would be unbearable.

He borrowed a hair tie from the filming crew, tied back his hair, and grabbed a fish from the red basin. He scaled it, clipped its tail, gutted it, and removed its innards in one fluid sequence.

Though he hadn’t done it in a while and was a little rusty, he quickly found his rhythm. A few drops of fish blood splattered on his face.

With his fair skin that didn’t tan, clad in all black, he looked intensely focused, his brows furrowed. It was as if he were handling a high-tech weapon rather than cleaning fish.

The splash of red blood on the corner of his eye added an oddly striking contrast, making him appear more like a killer completing a mission than a guy working at a fish stall.

The cameraman immediately began snapping photos, zooming in from every angle. He could already picture the dramatic background music they’d use when this aired.

Even cleaning fish could look artistic.

What a shot.

Xia Yan, however, misunderstood, thinking the cameraman was amazed by his skill.

He wiped the blood off his face with a tissue and cleaned two more fish with increasing proficiency. Feeling pleased with himself, he showed off to the camera.

“I bet the production team didn’t see this coming. Didn’t think I could kill fish, huh?” He spoke teasingly, but in a way that wasn’t too cocky. “I can tell you didn’t do your homework. I was on a cooking show before. I didn’t master cooking, but I picked up some basic fish-killing and vegetable chopping skills.”

The PD in charge of his segment chuckled.

The team had indeed underestimated him. Who would’ve thought he’d retain such skills from a show a year ago?

Still, seeing a glamorous idol cleaning fish offered a surprising contrast and was sure to grab attention.

The PD consoled themselves with this thought.

While working, Xia Yan didn’t forget about Xu Cong. He asked the PD, “Did Xu Cong find a job? Did they really send him to the kindergarten?”

He was still curious.

To be honest, he really wanted to see how Xu Cong handled kids. After all, Xu Cong came across as quiet and always had a cold expression. It would be a miracle if the children weren’t scared to tears.

The PD, however, just smiled without saying a word.

“You’ll have to ask ‘Teacher Xu Cong’ yourself tonight,” she said.

Xia Yan gave her a strange look. He felt that her tone was odd, almost as if she were excited about something.

Meanwhile, at a construction site near the dock…

Xu Cong was wearing just a white tank top, with a sandbag slung over his shoulder. His well-sculpted muscles glistened in the sunlight. His strong waistline was defined, and after working for a while, his body was drenched in sweat. The tank top clung to him, emphasizing the beauty of his physique even more.

His handsome and aloof face, suited for dominating a runway, was now slightly flushed from exertion. A bead of sweat trailed down the side of his face, dripping onto his collarbone and leaving a trail that sparked the imagination…

Even through the screen, the sheer masculinity he exuded was overwhelming.

Several staff members standing behind the cameras barely held back their squeals, restrained only by the seriousness of the filming environment.

The PD responsible for Xu Cong clutched the assistant’s arm, her voice dreamy. “Who came up with this segment? They deserve a medal.”

The assistant, equally flustered, nodded vigorously.

“Exactly! Last time, those so-called ‘heartthrob’ guests looked nothing like their on-screen personas. But Xu Cong? He’s the real deal! Damn, it must be that S-class Alpha advantage—natural-born perfection.”

She sighed wistfully, remembering another rumored S-class alpha.

“Too bad Xia Yan didn’t get a chance to show off his physique. Just those two alone could skyrocket our ratings!”