TRYMBPIETM 41:Mirror, Night, Snow peak (4)

Chi Qingzhou propped both hands on the table, his body leaning slightly backward as he rested one foot on Xing Shuangzhan’s thigh. Tilting his head to one side, his bright eyes gleamed.

His smile carried a hint of innocence. “Su-ge, did you figure something out again?”

Xing Shuangzhan stared into his eyes, a low chuckle rumbling from his throat.

“I don’t know. I don’t know anything.”

Chi Qingzhou: “Really?”

Xing Shuangzhan: “Really. Have you forgotten? Ever since we formed a contract, I can’t see your fate anymore.”

Chi Qingzhou pressed his lips together and turned his head away. “You said the same thing last time. Do you think I believe you?”

Xing Shuangzhan reached out, gently pinching the back of Chi Qingzhou’s neck, his gaze carrying an unreadable emotion.

“It’s late,” he said. “You should rest.”

Chi Qingzhou glanced at the clock in the study. The hands pointed to nine o’clock.

He shook his head. “I’m not sleepy yet.”

Xing Shuangzhan simply picked him up and carried him toward the bedroom. “Sleep early. I’ll stay with you. In a few days, you’ll be off filming, and it won’t be as comfortable as home.”

Chi Qingzhou pouted in protest, but after washing up and lying down, he quickly curled up in Xing Shuangzhan’s arms and fell asleep.

Xing Shuangzhan turned off the bedroom light, watching him quietly in the moonlight for a while before tightening his embrace and closing his own eyes.

…

The next morning at nine, Scenery Along the Way’s official Weibo account released a promotional video for the upcoming episode, along with interviews of the two guest stars.

After casually resharing the post, Chi Qingzhou was immediately dragged away by Guan Xihua to pack his luggage.

“Where are your skincare products? Where did you put them?”

Guan Xihua searched the bathroom, but aside from shampoo, body wash, and facial cleanser, he found nothing else. He was on the verge of tearing his hair out.

“You’re an artist! How can you be so careless about skincare?”

Seeing Chi Qingzhou’s confused expression, Guan Xihua smacked his forehead.

“I can’t believe I forgot. I was so busy helping Xiaomu negotiate that ridiculous contract with his former agency that I didn’t even remind you. You only just entered the entertainment industry, and I didn’t make sure you knew how to take care of yourself.”

Guan Xihua studied Chi Qingzhou closely. Good thing his artist had naturally resilient skin—otherwise, months without proper skincare under constant exposure to the elements would have ruined his complexion.

Chi Qingzhou, on the other hand, didn’t understand Guan Xihua’s frustration.

“I do take care of my skin. Every day.”

Guan Xihua: “Really?”

Chi Qingzhou nodded firmly.

Guan Xihua: “Then where are your skincare products?”

Chi Qingzhou: “Skincare products aren’t as good as the essence of the sun and moon.”

Guan Xihua: “…??” He was speechless. He pointed at Chi Qingzhou and exclaimed, “The essence of the sun and moon? What do you think you are, a spirit? Why don’t you just ascend to the heavens already?!”

Chi Qingzhou blinked innocently.

He really did absorb moonlight to cultivate every day. That’s why he never bothered drawing the curtains while sleeping.

Cultivation helped maintain physical well-being, which technically counted as skincare, didn’t it? He wasn’t wrong.

Xing Shuangzhan chuckled.

His little contractor was becoming more and more whimsical, his personality livelier than before.

It seemed that repairing his torn soul was working.

Compared to the ghost-like emptiness he had before joining the variety show, he was doing much better now.

Perhaps, in time, Qingzhou would return to the way he was three years ago.

Guan Xihua, completely unaware of Chi Qingzhou’s situation, scolded him for a bit longer before dragging him out to buy skincare products.

Although Pearl Watches had yet to officially announce the endorsement deal, the payment had already been deposited into Chi Qingzhou’s account.

Guan Xihua checked the balance, picked out a high-quality set, and made Chi Qingzhou use it once before stuffing everything into his luggage.

“Don’t forget to do your skincare routine while filming,” he reminded.

The products were quite heavy. Chi Qingzhou contemplated secretly hiding them before departure to save space.

Xing Shuangzhan, of course, had no objections. If Chi Qingzhou wanted to hide them, he’d help.

…

The rest of the day, Chi Qingzhou was locked in a battle of wits with Guan Xihua and had no time to check online trends.

Guan Xihua did notice the commotion on the internet but, since it didn’t involve Chi Qingzhou, he didn’t mention it.

After all, Xue Jinshi was always stirring up drama.

No matter what show he joined, his fans were quick to start fights over his ranking compared to other celebrities.

This time, the dispute erupted because fellow guest Shen Wenxing’s interview was released before Xue Jinshi’s. The show hadn’t even aired yet, but the fan war had already begun.

Even though the program had clearly stated that interview videos were arranged in alphabetical order by name, Xue Jinshi’s fans refused to accept it.

Their logic: Our gege is a top-tier idol! How dare the show disrespect him like this?

How dare some no-name, third-tier actor rank above him? Outrageous!

Meanwhile, Shen Wenxing’s fans were equally exasperated.

Sure, their idol was jokingly called the King of Supporting Roles, known for playing popular characters while remaining relatively unknown himself. But that didn’t mean he deserved this treatment.

If they wanted to get technical, Shen Wenxing had debuted before Xue Jinshi. Just because Xue Jinshi was currently more famous, did that mean he could disrespect his senior?

Did Xue Jinshi’s fans think he’d stay at the top forever?

They’d better pray he never fell from grace—otherwise, he’d get a taste of his own medicine.

The argument escalated, annoying the longtime fans of Scenery Along the Way, who promptly scolded both sides.

Xue Jinshi’s fans were stunned, confused about why they were being attacked so aggressively.

The veteran viewers of Scenery Along the Way scoffed.

Please, they had seen real chaos.

Although the production team had forbidden discussion about Chi Qingzhou’s interview anomalies—like the eerie behavior of the Indian krait and the two unexplained livestream blackouts—everyone knew how bizarre things got around him.

These veteran fans had even cursed Chi Qingzhou out before. Did Xue Jinshi’s fans really think they’d hold back now?

Xue Jinshi’s supporters grew frustrated, unwilling to accept the backlash, and tried to drag the show’s permanent cast into the mess.

But even Chi Qingning’s devoted fans refused to engage.

Picking fights? Sure, they were up for that.

But involving Chi Qingzhou?

Nope, not happening.

Who knew what kind of supernatural danger might pop up in the future? Their idols might need Teacher Chi’s help one day.

Seeing this, Shen Wenxing’s fans wisely retreated, leaving Xue Jinshi’s fandom bewildered in the wreckage of the online battlefield.

Chi Qingzhou’s fans, realizing only belatedly that their idol had almost been dragged into the drama, checked the chaos in their fandom space. But by then, everything had already settled down.

With no fights left to fight, they simply resumed admiring their idol’s looks.

Eh, just another day of Chi Qingzhou earning respect all on his own while his fans got to enjoy a peaceful, drama-free existence.

…

On the day of departure to Shaoqiu City, Chi Qingzhou took out the skincare products from his suitcase early in the morning and stuffed them under his bed.

Since he carried his suitcase by himself the entire time, Guan Xihua didn’t notice his little trick. After seeing him onto the plane and giving him a few last reminders, Guan Xihua went back to continue helping his other artist fight contract disputes with their former company.

Chi Qingzhou, holding his now several pounds lighter suitcase, showed a shy smile.

The flight lasted over three hours before finally landing at Baitao Airport in Yuntian Province.

Chi Qingzhou got off the plane with his luggage, greeted Lu Man, and followed the staff toward the program team’s bus.

This time, he was the first to arrive. After resting for a few minutes on the bus, the veteran guests Liang Ji and Tang Qichen arrived together.

As soon as they got on the bus, they greeted Chi Qingzhou enthusiastically and even gave him a hug.

Tang Qichen patted Chi Qingzhou’s back firmly, and when he let go, he seemed a little reluctant—completely different from his previous stance of constantly declaring, “I’m straight.”

Meanwhile, Liang Ji glanced around the bus and immediately became alert.

“Something’s off, really off!” He pulled Chi Qingzhou and Tang Qichen closer, looked around suspiciously, and asked, “Don’t you think this bus is too new?”

Chi Qingzhou surveyed the interior decor, then nodded along with Tang Qichen.

Liang Ji became even more suspicious. “With Director Hu’s personality, would he really be so kind as to let us ride a brand-new bus? Something’s fishy, seriously fishy.”

The other guests arrived one after another during this time, and after hearing Liang Ji’s concerns, they all felt he had a point.

Seeing this, the director decided to announce the first task a little earlier.

“This episode will be live-streamed, with the guest stars acting together with the regular cast. Please wait just a little longer—two more people are arriving soon.”

“Once everyone is here, you’ll head to the next destination together—Bishui Bay Hot Spring Resort at Yuexi Ridge, where you’ll be staying tonight.”

“However, this time, you won’t be taking the bus there.”

Zhong Lingshu instantly had a bad feeling. “Then how are we getting there?”

The director raised his megaphone. “There’s a direct shuttle bus from Shaoqiu City to the foot of Yuexi Ridge! It’s super easy to find your way around in the country, right?”

Chi Qingzhou responded without hesitation, “Finding a route isn’t hard, but whether we have money for the bus is another story.”

He keenly pointed out, “Director, you didn’t mention how much start-up money we’ll be given. Don’t tell me you’re not giving us a single cent?”

The guests immediately showed expressions of disapproval and moved to surround the director.

The director let out an awkward laugh, rubbed his slightly balding head, and took a step back.

Geez, Chi Qingzhou, did you really have to expose my scheme this quickly?

He glanced around—Lu Man was still at the terminal waiting for Shen Wenxing and Xue Jinshi. Since he wasn’t here, he couldn’t even shift the blame onto someone else.

Left with no other choice, he had to bite the bullet and say, “Well, uh, this episode’s theme is budget travel, after all. I’m just staying true to the theme.”

Tang Qichen sneered, “Come on, budget travel just means limited money. But you’re giving us nothing. That’s not budget travel—that’s begging.”

The director chuckled awkwardly, wanting to escape, but Chi Qingzhou casually pressed a hand on his shoulder, making him freeze in place.

The audience watching the live stream was in hysterics.

[Tang-ge actually came up with such a sharp statement—impressive, impressive.]

[LOL, Teacher Chi barely touched him, and the director immediately chickened out. I swear I can see the desperation in his little eyes, like he’s trying so hard to tell teacher Chi that he’s innocent.]

[Confirmed: The top of this show’s food chain is Chi Qingzhou. Not even the director can keep him in check.]

Inside the bus, the director tried his best to minimize his presence, while the comment section was filled with laughter.

Lu Man finally arrived with the two guest stars. Seeing the cheerful atmosphere on the bus, his smile became slightly stiff.

Xue Jinshi and Shen Wenxing exchanged looks of disdain before stepping past Lu Man to find seats at the back of the bus.

In just a few days, Xue Jinshi seemed to have added two more streaks of highlights to his hair—his bangs now had strands of red, making his already arrogant expression even more pronounced.

He didn’t bother hiding his attitude, rolling his eyes at Chi Qingzhou before letting out a heavy snort through his nose. But the moment he turned to look at Chi Qingning, his expression immediately softened.

Noticing that Chi Qingning hadn’t yet put his suitcase onto the overhead luggage rack, Xue Jinshi quickly stepped forward, eager to help.

Xing Shuangzhan casually reached out and grabbed something from Xue Jinshi’s shadow.

A surge of pure, intense emotion instantly flowed into Chi Qingzhou’s own shadow, nourishing the torn wounds of his fragmented soul.

Chi Qingzhou curiously glanced in that direction.

Hmm. Xue Jinshi’s emotions had become much purer since the last time they met.

Lately, Xing Shuangzhan had been helping him collect emotions from the entertainment industry, but even in the past two weeks, everything he gathered didn’t compare to what Xue Jinshi just provided.

What a stroke of luck—he had run into a walking snow lotus today(In martial arts novels (wuxia) and fantasy stories, the snow lotus is often depicted as a rare, mystical herb that grants extraordinary abilities or saves characters from near death.)

Chi Qingzhou’s lips curved slightly.

Chi Qingning caught this tiny shift in expression and felt a chill run down his spine.

Panicking a little, he turned back. Xue Jinshi’s eager, intense expression suddenly made his knees ache.

Wait, why was Xue Jinshi being this enthusiastic?

Would his very inhuman second brother misunderstand and think that Xue Jinshi’s earlier snort was something he instigated?

He didn’t! He was innocent!

Chi Qingning took a deep breath, yanked his suitcase back, and effortlessly tossed it onto the luggage rack.

He said loudly, “No need, Xue-ge! My second brother told me to focus on physical training these past few days, so I can carry my suitcase just fine now.”

Xue Jinshi: “…Huh??”

For a moment, he was completely dumbfounded. He hadn’t expected this kind of reaction from Chi Qingning. After a few seconds of mental processing, he finally understood.

His brows furrowed immediately.

“Wait, what? I thought your foot was injured? Why is Teacher Chi making you do physical training?”

He turned to glare at Chi Qingzhou, his expression fierce, voice full of accusation.

“Teacher Chi, do you not know Qingning has a foot injury? How could you let him train while he’s still hurt?”

Chi Qingzhou calmly met his gaze. “Obviously, my brother only started training after his injury healed.”

He wasn’t stupid.

Chi Qingning quickly nodded. “I wouldn’t joke around with my own health.”

Chi Qingzhou shifted his gaze to Chi Qingning, smiling warmly. “Good boy.”

Chi Qingning felt relieved and quickly returned a somewhat stiff smile. “Because you’re always right, Second Brother. Exercise is good for the body.”

The other guests chimed in: “Yeah, working out is good for you. Xiao Xue, don’t overreact.”

Xue Jinshi: “…???”

He looked at Chi Qingning, expecting him to defend him, but Chi Qingning just seemed to agree with the others.

For a second, Xue Jinshi was at a complete loss for words.

Wasn’t he standing up for Chi Qingning? Why was this his reaction?

It made him look like some nosy busybody.

And why were the other guests butting in? What did this have to do with them?!

Frustrated, he clenched his fists and glanced at Chi Qingning again.

Chi Qingning’s expression remained neutral—he clearly had no intention of comforting him.

A dull frustration built up in Xue Jinshi’s chest. He shut his eyes, found a random seat, and sat down without another word.

His fans, seeing his expression, immediately exploded in rage, lashing out at all the guests and even Chi Qingning.

The small group of Chi Qingning’s fans who originally wanted to defend them: […]

Forget it. Looks like The Golden Crows(Xue Jinshi’s fans )are beyond saving. Let them do whatever they want.

….

After the guests had gathered, Shen Wenxing briefly introduced himself, and the group boarded a bus from Baitao Airport to downtown Shaoqiu City.

On the way, the director emphasized once again that the theme of this episode was “budget travel”, meaning the guests had no startup funds or transportation.

As for their phones? Naturally, the production team had already taken custody of them.

The director even orchestrated a little battle of wits and courage between the staff and the guests, making sure to confiscate any hidden cash the guests had stashed away.

By the time they got off the bus, Liang Ji looked utterly defeated. He shamelessly complained about how ruthless the production team was while simultaneously trying to find a place to—well, not beg, but busk for money.

The director promptly announced that guests could only perform at locations designated by the production team.

Since the venues were provided by the show, 70% of whatever the guests earned would have to be handed over.

Guests: “……”

Xu Xinxin turned to Zhong Lingshu and, in a sarcastic tone, commented, “Sister Zhong, look at the production team. They could’ve just robbed us outright, but they actually gave us a reason first. How thoughtful of them.”

Xue Jinshi sneered, “Even the mafia wouldn’t take as much as you guys do.”

The director smiled shamelessly—then quickly fled to the production van.

He had Lu Man hand out a map marking the designated performance spots and asked the guests to choose where they wanted to go.

Chi Qingzhou took the map and innocently asked, “Can we take it and discuss?”

Lu Man: “Of course.”

Chi Qingzhou walked back, and the guests huddled around the map.

Thanks to Zhong Lingshu, who had friends living in Shaoqiu City, they quickly realized that among the five designated spots:

One was a half-finished, abandoned building in the middle of nowhere.

One was right in front of a local police station.

One was near a crematorium.

Guests: “……”

They exchanged glances and tried to stay optimistic: “It’s okay, there are still two left.”

Chi Qingzhou glanced at one of the remaining names and shook his head. “This name… it’s commonly used for cemeteries.”

Guests: “……” Deep breath. “Okay, then the last one…”

Just then, a local resident happened to pass by. Seeing them frowning at the map, he assumed they were lost and kindly offered to help.

The group immediately asked about the last location.

The local took one look and shook his head. “Oh, that’s our city’s famous funeral supply street. Are you guys arranging a funeral?”

Guests: “……No, just… curious.”

As soon as the enthusiastic local left, everyone turned their resentful gazes toward the host, Lu Man.

Are these seriously normal places for busking?

And the director—does he even have a functioning brain?!

Lu Man shrugged, indicating that he was just as clueless about the director’s intentions.

Liang Ji complained, “He just wants to torture us. He basically wants us to walk there ourselves!”

Xu Xinxin thought for a moment. “Not impossible?”

She looked at the others.

Chi Qingzhou casually picked up his suitcase. “I’m fine with it.”

Chi Qingning immediately agreed, “I’ve been working out, walking a dozen kilometers isn’t a problem.”

Zhong Lingshu and Tang Qichen also mentioned they had been increasing their workout routines recently—walking all the way to the hot spring resort wouldn’t be an issue for them.

Shen Wenxing smiled slightly. “I often follow my cousin for morning prayers, so my stamina is decent.”

Xue Jinshi, however, looked less than thrilled. But when the others turned to him, he reluctantly nodded, saying he was fine.

Chi Qingzhou quietly pocketed the map.

When the director demanded it back, Chi Qingzhou simply smiled.

Director: “……Well, I mean, I guess you can keep it. Fine. Since you’re walking, you can take it.”

Chi Qingzhou beamed. “Thanks, Director.”

With the route planned, everyone grabbed their suitcases and set off.

…

Shaoqiu City was a slow-paced, lively place full of warmth.

As the guests passed by street vendors, they saw a little girl receiving a snack from a kind shopkeeper. A small dog jumped out from a greenbelt, rolling in front of the girl—who immediately fed it a piece of chicken.

The guests couldn’t help but smile.

Chi Qingzhou’s eyes lit up. “This is so nice.”

The bustling atmosphere, the vibrant world—this was truly wonderful.

The group laughed and agreed.

For a moment, the air between them was filled with warm camaraderie—except for Xue Jinshi, who trailed behind, his handsome face pale, lips faintly white.

…

They walked for over thirty minutes, and the sun was growing harsher.

The fittest among them—Chi Qingzhou—was completely unfazed. Tang Qichen and Xu Xinxin were only slightly sweaty. Liang Ji, Zhong Lingshu, and Chi Qingning, thanks to their workouts, were hot but not exhausted.

The two guest stars, however, had vastly different experiences.

Shen Wenxing was perfectly fine—just as fresh and relaxed as Chi Qingzhou.

But Xue Jinshi? He was drenched in sweat, his shirt soaked through, his lips bloodless. Lugging a ridiculously large, sponsor-branded suitcase, his steps started to waver.

Xu Xinxin, noticing how much he was struggling, tried to help him lift it—only for her arm to drop from the unexpected weight, nearly losing her balance.

She stared at him in disbelief. “What did you pack in here?!”

Xue Jinshi’s expression stiffened. He glanced at her sideways. “Just… necessities.”

Xu Xinxin snorted, letting go of the suitcase. She couldn’t be bothered to argue.

The other guests, equally skeptical, took turns testing the suitcase’s weight—and all of them were shocked.

This thing is ridiculously heavy!

They advised him to leave some items with the production team. “They’ll keep them safe for you.”

Xue Jinshi, visibly annoyed, snapped, “I need everything in here.”

Guests: “……”

His stubbornness annoyed them, so they stopped arguing.

Frustrated, Xue Jinshi flung open his suitcase, revealing a massive collection of skincare products, throat medicine, and training equipment.

“See? Just the essentials! Don’t tell me you guys didn’t bring this stuff!”

Guests: “……”

They stared at the bottles and jars, speechless.

Who the hell brings this much skincare to a survival-style travel show?!

Chi Qingzhou said nothing. He simply shook his head.

Chi Qingning, noticing his brother’s reaction, suddenly had a lightbulb moment.

Without hesitation, he said, “Actually, Xue-ge didn’t bring that much.”

The other guests whipped around to stare at him in disbelief. “Are you feeling okay??”

Only Xue Jinshi looked relieved, flashing a weak smile at Chi Qingning.

Then Chi Qingning glanced at Chi Qingzhou.

…Yep. That disapproving look.

Without hesitation, he turned back to Xue Jinshi and sighed.

“Actually, if you were strong enough, carrying this wouldn’t be a problem. So, Xue-ge, do you see now? My second brother was right to make me train more.”

Xue Jinshi: “………………???”

The live broadcast room laughed wildly.

【OMG HAHAHAH】
【The most savage betrayal!!】
【Chi Qingning, today’s MVP!】

Meanwhile, Xue Jinshi’s fans were furious:【You are sick! How can an artist feel complacent about not carrying skincare products? Our Brother Xue is clearly demonstrating his professionalism, okay! 】