After Dumping the Scumbag Top, I Was Relentlessly Chased by a Top-Tier Idol - Chapter 36

What? So he and Pei Yutai actually know each other?

What’s going on? Is the production team stirring up trouble? Does every guest who arrives have a pre-existing storyline with someone else?

Three simple words drew the gaze of everyone on set some shocked, others just there for the drama.

The person whose name was called blinked in shock, tilting his head toward the speaker and pointing at himself uncertainly.

Jiang Yi curled his lips slightly and raised an eyebrow. “Is it possible you changed your name behind my back?”

Pei Yutai’s head shook like a rattle.

Jiang Yi stared at him, the smile on his face gradually turning cold. “Are we going to keep talking from this far away?”

Pei Yutai immediately jogged over to him, his smile a bit fawning. “What’s up?”

“Aren’t you going to cheer me on?” Jiang Yi gestured toward Jiang Siyuan and Song Chizheng, who were interacting intimately, and spoke in a leisurely tone. “Or do you just not want me on your team?”

Pei Yutai hesitated for half a second before quickly raising his hands to massage Jiang Yi’s shoulders and back. He stayed by his side to help him warm up, whispering an instruction: “Good luck. Our team needs you.”

Their team certainly needed him. Pei Yutai had his own selfish motives, but more importantly, if Song Chizheng joined their team, it might look like a happy ending on the surface, but he felt the man came with ill intentions.

Jiang Yi paused his movements and raised an eyebrow at him. “Is it that your team needs me, or that you need me?”

Hearing this, Pei Yutai froze. He recovered quickly and continued helping him warm up, giving an answer that didn’t quite address the question: “Good luck!”

Seeing that the man beside him didn’t speak again, Pei Yutai felt inexplicably guilty. He stole a glance at him and asked, seemingly nonchalantly, “Why did you come here?”

Jiang Yi didn’t stop his warm-up. He replied casually, “What do you think?”

“Just to play?” Pei Yutai said offhandedly. He couldn’t exactly say it was because of him—even though that was the answer he desperately wanted to hear.

“No particular reason. I just felt like coming.” Jiang Yi remained nonchalant, looking somewhat uninterested.

Pei Yutai frowned slightly at him but didn’t say anything more.

On the other side, Jiang Siyuan was also helping Song Chizheng warm up. After a set of movements, Jiang Siyuan draped his arms around Song Chizheng’s neck and said, “A-Zheng, you’ll win for me, right?”

“Of course. I’ll definitely work hard to be on the same team as my baby.” Song Chizheng held him by the waist and glanced over at Lin Yizhou in the distance. He happened to catch Lin Yizhou averting his eyes and let out a cold sneer in his heart.

Heh.

If you’ve really let go, why are you hiding your eyes?

Did I see that right? Was Mr. Song just looking at Lin Yizhou?

You didn’t see wrong, I saw it too. Big CEO Song is holding the one in his arms while gazing at the one in the distance. That’s a no-no.

Lin Yizhou and Jiang Siyuan look quite similar, but their vibes are completely different. The wild, unrestrained rich young master vs. the seemingly steady and easygoing but actually insecure and cowardly tragic youth. White Moonlight vs. Stand-in! Yes, that’s right, that’s the pair I’m shipping.

To the sister above… the main couple has already gone public and you can still ship them like that? That’s quite a taste…

A whistle pierced the air, and Song Chizheng and Jiang Yi dove into the sea like two fish.

The emotional states of the two “family members” were complete opposites. Pei Yutai was halfway in the water, shouting his lungs out to cheer for Jiang Yi as if he wished he could swim alongside him. Jiang Siyuan sat on the shoreline, smiling as he watched the figure moving freely in the sea. The water occasionally washed over his calves, and the breeze ruffled his hair. Against the backdrop of the horizon, he looked as beautiful as a painting.

After staring at this “painting” for a moment, Shen Xu signaled a nearby cameraman. The latter understood and took the camera to join the main crowd following the race.

Turning off the personal body mic he had just put on this morning, Shen Xu reached out and turned off Lin Yizhou’s as well. Before the other could ask why, he suddenly spoke without warning: “Captain, do you know why I like diving?”

Hearing this, Lin Yizhou’s body trembled inexplicably. A physical memory, long forgotten by time, resonated in that moment, but he couldn’t remember why. Instead, what flashed through his mind were the words Shen Xu said after the breath-holding contest on the first day.

I like to submerge myself when I’m thinking about messy things…

He shook his head slightly, but the image of Shen Xu didn’t disappear. Instead, it jumped to the memory of Shen Xu’s terrified expression in his sleep that night.

When did he start remembering so many things about Shen Xu…

“I don’t know.” Lin Yizhou suppressed the thoughts in his head, holding back the words he inexplicably wanted to blurt out.

Is it liking? Isn’t it actually fear?

Shen Xu looked at him sideways, a slight curve on his lips, though the smile didn’t reach his eyes. “Do you want to know?”

Lin Yizhou turned his head to look at him, his face expressionless.

The gazes of the two met under the scorching sun, with sunlight dancing wildly across their bodies.

Shen Xu didn’t avoid his gaze at all. His smile grew wider, the corners of his peach-blossom eyes curving upward as the warmth finally reached them.

Silence spread between them.

Did he want to know?

Actually, he could guess a little.

But he seemed to want to hear it from the man’s own mouth more…

Realizing his own thoughts, Lin Yizhou looked away and didn’t answer directly. “Do you want me to know?”

“I do. I want you to know everything about me.” Shen Xu didn’t hesitate. He turned his gaze toward the ocean. “Actually, I’ve loved swimming since I was a kid. I even participated in youth swimming competitions and won every time.”

As he spoke, he looked at Lin Yizhou beside him, his face full of pride.

“But later, things changed at home, and I stopped participating in official competitions. I kept practicing, though. Swimming is exhausting, but it’s also very relaxing. Gradually, the time I spent swimming grew longer and longer. When I got truly tired, I’d just stay in the water without moving. Once, I lost track of time and almost drowned myself. Luckily, my family found me quickly, otherwise, I wouldn’t have the chance to sit here and brag to you.”

Shen Xu let out a self-deprecating chuckle. The jumping sunlight flickered in his eyes, but it lacked its usual vitality.

This made one wonder: was it really just losing track of time?

“The feeling of being soaked in water is very comfortable. It gives me absolute security.” Shen Xu turned his head, locking eyes with Lin Yizhou again, and said easily, “I’m telling you all this, Captain, because I want you to know that I am very good at dealing with water.”

Lin Yizhou didn’t avoid his gaze. He looked directly at the youth who was eight years younger than him. The dancing sunlight spilled recklessly into the boy’s eyes and across his mouth, spreading over his whole body until he was sparkling dazzling as if he had never been swallowed by darkness.

He didn’t know what Shen Xu had been through in the past, but based on the boy he saw in that dream that night… perhaps this seemingly powerful youth had also experienced a darkness that others could never fathom.

“Captain, so, do you understand what I mean?” Shen Xu’s eyes were bright, staying fixed on Lin Yizhou.

He understood.

He was very good at dealing with water.

So, in the water, he could be trusted absolutely.

Lin Yizhou still didn’t give a direct answer. His expression was calm. “Thank you.”

The smile on Shen Xu’s lips deepened. His captivating eyes curved into a gentle moon. “Then I’ll take it that the Captain knows.”

“Also, remember what I told you on the first day? That sentence is always valid.”

“Finally, for today…” A warm breath brushed against his ear. Lin Yizhou’s body stiffened slightly, but he heard the next words clearly.

“I like you.”

As the words fell, a whistle pierced the sky once again.

The swimming competition was over!

Failing to hear Pei Yutai’s cheers, Shen Xu and Lin Yizhou shared a knowing look. The result of the race was obvious.

Lin Yizhou looked toward the site of the competition. Pei Yutai was like a drenched puppy, head hanging low as he handed Jiang Yi a towel, looking utterly dejected.

Jiang Siyuan ran into the sea and leaped into Song Chizheng’s arms, and the latter picked him up and spun him around in the water.

From now on, this show is officially renamed ‘The Dog Food Romance Records of Song Chizheng and Jiang Siyuan.’

Regardless, it’s actually kind of sweet.

Sweet my foot. I bet Song Chizheng is doing this on purpose for Lin Yizhou to see. I’m sticking with the ‘Mr. Song is here to chase his ex-wife’ storyline!

With the competition over, the guests gathered together again.

Director Tu held up his small megaphone and spoke concisely: “As everyone has seen, Song Chizheng has won the victory in the race.”

“That being the case, Song Chizheng, please choose the team you wish to join.”

Song Chizheng’s gaze swept over Lin Yizhou before he pulled Jiang Siyuan into his arms and said leisurely, “Isn’t it obvious?”

Director Tu: “Then congratulations to Song Chizheng for joining Captain Lin Yizhou’s team. Let’s welcome him.”

The members of Lin Yizhou’s team clapped cooperatively.

Once the applause died down, Nan Qiguang picked up the conversation, leading the applause: “Welcome, little friend Jiang Yi, to our team.”

A burst of applause rang out, with Pei Yutai clapping the hardest of all.

Seeing this, Nan Qiguang teased with a smile, “What’s this, Yutai? Do you want to join our team too?”

Pei Yutai’s movements stiffened for a second, and he immediately interlaced his fingers to stretch his body, talking tough: “No, I just want to relax my muscles.”

Wen Yue noticed something. She quietly walked over to Pei Yutai’s side and whispered, “Little brother, could this be the ‘friend’ you have a crush on?”

Pei Yutai looked nervously at Jiang Yi and quickly went “shhh,” signaling Wen Yue not to speak up.

Seeing his reaction, Wen Yue gave a light laugh and sighed, “In that case, it is a bit of a pity he’s not on our team, but don’t be too sad. You’ll see him every day anyway.”

Pei Yutai nodded obediently.

“Before we officially move on to today’s competition, I have a very important announcement.”

“On the eighth day of this stage, one guest from each team will be voted off the show by the audience based on unsatisfactory performance.”

“So, please work hard to show your best side, both for your team and for yourselves.”

“Now, without further ado, the first project of the day begins immediately.”

Director Tu signaled to a staff member in a black suit. The latter understood and walked to the two team captains, making a “please” gesture.

The two captains looked at each other. Both clearly didn’t understand the production team’s intentions, but they followed the staff member obediently.

Seeing this, Director Tu explained cheerfully through the megaphone: “The first project: The Captain’s Self-Rescue Round.”

On the distant beach, two massive objects covered in black fabric had appeared at some point.

Under everyone’s curious gazes, Director Tu gave the order, and the massive objects revealed their true forms.

Iron cages large enough to hold about three people.

Lin Yizhou looked at the nearby weight-bearing equipment and an unpleasant suspicion arose, which Director Tu’s next words confirmed.

“The two captains need to enter the iron cages. A rack inside the cage holds the task they need to complete: solving a 5th-order Number Klotski (Sliding Puzzle) within one hour.”

“When the countdown begins, the weight-bearing equipment will start. It will move the cages at a constant speed to a point 11 meters above the sea, and then the cages will rise at the same speed. Our staff has tested it; within the time limit, the cages will reach a maximum height of 89 meters in the air.”

“The guests must complete the task within the allotted time. If neither completes it, the hooks on the cage will release, dropping the cage into the sea. Neither team gets points. Conversely, the team with the faster time earns one point, and the cage will be safely returned to shore.”

“After the challenge, the winner gets a reward, and the loser gets nothing.”

Pei Yutai asked in shock, “How many meters will it rise?”

Director Tu said without changing his expression, “89 meters. Roughly 30 stories high.”

Pei Yutai melodramatically clutched his heart as if he were the one doing the task. “That high? If I went up there, I’d be kneeling on the floor, unable to move at all, let alone complete a task.”

Shen Xu looked toward the sea.

That spot was exactly where he had completed the breath-holding challenge on the first day.

The 11-meter mark was undoubtedly over deep water…

He looked at the figure following the staff toward the cages.

Pei Yutai was still clutching his heart. He glanced at Shen Xu, paused for half a second, and leaned in with a strange look. “Brother Xu, why are you so serious? Worried about Brother Zhou?”

Receiving no answer, Pei Yutai assumed he was right and offered comfort: “Don’t worry. With Brother Zhou’s intelligence, completing the task won’t be a problem.”

As his words landed, a voice cut in coldly: “It seems you trust Lin Yizhou quite a bit?”

Pei Yutai looked at Song Chizheng, who had spoken, and nodded without hesitation. “Brother Zhou is the kind of person who can carry the whole team the first time he plays a game. I believe nothing can stump him. If he wants to do it, he will.”

“Seems like he’s gathered a die-hard little fanboy,” Song Chizheng sneered. “Then do you know that he…”

“There’s a saying,”

Before he could finish, Song Chizheng was interrupted by Shen Xu’s cold voice.

“The best exes should exist as if they were dead.”

A frigid gaze accompanied the words as they fell on Song Chizheng, his lips curling into a grim arc. “Mr. Song… what are you doing now? A resurrection?”

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