Chapter 76: The Perfect Wake-Up Call
[I knew it! So you two really do know each other! And now we find out that Chen Yi Bai is friends with Xu Sinian? Another day of marveling at Yi Bai’s mysterious circle of friends!]
[Friends? Is it the kind of ‘friend’ I’m thinking of? Also, who is Auntie Jiang?]
[I knew something was up when brother Xu naturally started helping with the packing! No wonder he was acting so gentle all of a sudden!]
[You two? There hadn’t been any news about this before—what a well-kept secret.]
[By the way, the pajamas really are cute, so… link, please? (asking timidly)]
The cameraman, understanding the viewers’ thoughts, asked again, “Friends?”
Chen Yi Bai nodded and added with a grin, emphasizing the special nature of their friendship, “The coolest, most awesome friend in the world.”
The elaborate titles highlighted the significance of their bond and confirmed what the audience had been speculating.
[Chen Yi Bai, you kept this so tight-lipped! You kept calling him a friend but never mentioned that it was Xu Sinian!]
[Look at him light up when he talks about his friend! Classic Chen Yi Bai, friendship-obsessed.]
[Hahaha, brother Xu is smiling in the background.]
[Who was it that claimed their friendship was fake? Brother Xu just got turned into some kind of online ghost.]
[I never would’ve guessed that the hardworking, brave, kind, gentle, and easy-to-get-along-with, great-at-cooking ‘friend’ Chen Yi Bai always talks about is Xu Sinian (shocked eyes).]
[…Actually, for Chen Yi Bai, Xu-ge probably is all of that.]
With the suitcase packed, Xu Sinian casually picked it up and carried it with ease.
Chen Bai, having nothing else to do, was handed a thermos by his “best friend” as a symbolic gesture of helping out. So he held onto the thermos protectively and followed him to the elevator.
From the hotel to the motel, they had to cross an overpass. Everything was normal going up, but as they descended, when everything seemed smooth, the cameraman noticed that Chen Bai, who had been walking normally, suddenly hopped forward as if trying to leap down the stairs in a few bounds.
His movement was quick and instinctive, done out of habit with no hesitation, giving no one time to react. Both cameramen carrying their equipment flinched, causing the camera to shake.
Chen Bai’s wild leap… didn’t succeed. Xu Sinian reacted swiftly, grabbing his wrist just in time, with a grip that was firm enough to stop him but not too forceful.
His “spell” was interrupted, and with Xu Sinian still holding his wrist, Chen Bai returned obediently, though he complained, “You were really on guard against me?”
He added, “Truly heartbreaking.”
Xu Sinian didn’t let go of his wrist, glancing at the steep stairs and then at Chen Bai’s still mischievous expression.
He didn’t say anything, yet it felt as though everything had been said.
[First time seeing the guilty party complain first! [shocked cat face emoji]]
[Help, hahaha! Brother Xu’s swift reaction speaks volumes about how familiar they are!]
[You can tell they’re super close. You don’t develop that kind of reflex without going through lots of practice.]
[Brother Xu’s silence is deafening. Chen Yi Bai, do you have any idea why your friend is so cautious around you?]
[I want to hold that wrist too! We can all hold hands, right?]
[I’m late! I saw ‘Xu Sinian appears on a variety show’ trending, thought it was just another rumor, but it’s real!!!]
Xu Sinian, fully aware of Chen Bai’s unpredictable nature, held onto his wrist all the way from the overpass to the motel without letting go.
Though the production team claimed they didn’t have the budget to keep them in the hotel, in reality, they had plenty of funds to cover both the hotel and the motel. While there were no other people in the camera frame, behind the scenes there were staff members bustling about.
Chen Bai, limited in his usual antics, walked slowly down the hallway, glancing at the passing staff. He asked, “Did they also lose in the drawing?”
Caught off guard by the question, the cameraman hesitated for a moment before politely answering, “We’re only staying here at night. During the day, we all eat together at the hotel.”
In other words, while they were all staying at the motel, only Chen Bai and Xu Sinian had to fend for themselves without catered meals.
Chen Bai got the hint, stayed quiet, and decided to change the subject, turning to his “good neighbor.” “Do you want to take a nap when we get to the room? You just got off work last night and came straight here today. You probably haven’t had much rest.”
Xu Sinian replied that it wasn’t necessary, saying, “I slept a bit in the car.”
Chen Bai looked up, scrutinizing him for a moment before lowering his gaze again, muttering a simple “Alright.”
But as he thought about it more, something didn’t feel right. He raised his head again, eyes wide, and said, “If I’d known you were coming, I would not made that call.”
The kind of call that lasted so long he’d yanked out an entire patch of grass.
Suddenly remembering something, he cautiously asked, “You didn’t take a screenshot that day, did you?”
Knowing what he meant, Xu Sinian lowered his gaze and replied, “No, I didn’t.”
[What are they talking about? What call?! I’m dying of curiosity!]
[Screenshots? Did they have a video call?!]
[I don’t know what the call was about, but why didn’t you screenshot it?! I’d take a million screenshots of my wife’s video call!]
[No screenshots, huh? Maybe a screen recording instead, hahaha (just kidding, don’t hit me)]
The chat filled with laughing emojis.
Chen Bai arrived at the double room he’d drawn. The door opened, and the entire room was visible at a glance.
Small, but cozy. Two beds, less than half a meter apart, just enough space to fit their luggage. He stood there, thinking for a moment before saying, “It’d be nice if we could push the beds together.”
He said, “We can play games together tonight.”
Xu Sinian looked over at him.
It was just a casual suggestion; Chen Yi Bai didn’t actually intend to follow through. He put down the thermos he had brought and rushed off to check the small kitchen, which would be crucial for their meals in the coming days.
He moved quickly, but mindful of the cameraman’s efforts, he slowed down halfway so the cameraman wouldn’t have to rush to keep up.
The small kitchen, located next door, was originally the hotel owner’s private kitchen but had been unused for some time. The production team had renovated it and added new kitchen appliances.
Nothing in the production team’s setup was random. Instead of calling them kitchen appliances, it was more accurate to call it a “sponsor showcase.” Chen Yi Bai tactfully stood aside to make sure all the sponsors got some screen time.
Whatever the intention was, the result was that Chen Bai didn’t have to dip into his limited budget of 100 yuan to buy anything new, saving him a considerable amount.
After a simple lunch, they had some time before the afternoon gathering. While Xu Sinian, who had taken a short nap in the car, remained awake, Chen Yi Bai, who had seemed energetic, collapsed onto the bed and didn’t get up again, instantly slipping into an afternoon nap.
He wasn’t kidding when he said he could fall asleep instantly.
After tucking him in with a blanket, Xu Sinian asked the manager, who had been trailing behind the cameraman, “Did he stay up late again last night?”
The manager leaned against the door frame, her expression one of resigned calm, and replied, “He was probably calculating how many days he’ll get to spend with you after this show ends.”
And she herself would likely be staying up late again tonight, drafting a PR statement.
Xu Sinian acknowledged her answer.
The livestream wasn’t on 24/7. It began at 9 a.m., and there was a midday break to give the guests a chance to rest and to allow the crew—especially the cameramen—to switch shifts.
After all, even cameramen are human; they can’t spend the entire day following the guests around with heavy cameras.
With a sudden cut, the viewers’ fun was interrupted.
But fun doesn’t disappear—it just shifts to the production crew. In just one morning, the show’s popularity had far exceeded expectations, thanks to the two high-profile participants, whose combined presence sent the show rocketing to the top of the trending charts.
Not only were the viewers surprised that these two seemingly unrelated people knew each other, but most of the production team had no idea either. Only when the overwhelming attention hit did they finally realize.
By the time the afternoon session began and the livestream resumed, the viewership had doubled, even after the break.
When the viewers rejoined the livestream, they flocked to two specific live channels.
Because Chen Yi Bai and Xu Sinian’s lodging was on the other side of the road from the hotel lobby where the group was gathering, they had to set out early.
Viewers missed the moment Chen Yi Bai was woken up, and by the time the livestream resumed, he was already awake, wearing a hat and walking with his friend toward the hotel.
Unlike their energetic morning arrival, Chen Yi Bai was much more subdued this time. With the hat on his head, he obediently followed his friend, swaying as he walked. He needed help from his friend to navigate stairs, still half-asleep, relying on Xu Sinian for support.
In short, he wasn’t fully awake, walking in a dream-like state, entirely dependent on his friend.
They left the house first, and by the time they reached the hotel, the others had already arrived. After briefly enduring the scorching afternoon sun, Chen Yi Bai melted into a chair as soon as the air conditioning hit him. He patted the seat beside him, inviting Xu Sinian to sit down.
Once they were both seated, the variety show veteran sitting on Chen Yi Bai’s other side glanced at his hat and asked, “You weren’t wearing that hat this morning. Why did you decide to wear it?”
The air conditioning woke Chen Yi Bai up a bit. He instinctively reached up to run his hand through his hair, then remembered he was wearing a hat. He stopped himself and smiled, “It’s a long story.”
He lifted the brim of his hat slightly. “To make a long story short, it’s to prevent my stylist from having a heart attack.”
Under the proper-looking hat was a mess of hair, flattened and wild from sleep—a sight that would give his stylist heart palpitations.
The stylist, who was standing at the back of the room with two assistants and the manager, could easily imagine the disaster under the hat and clutched her chest in anticipation.
Since no sound was being picked up, they could speak freely. One of the assistants glanced at the hat and asked, “Did he bring that hat with him?”
They had known Chen Bai for a long time and were familiar with his wardrobe. They couldn’t remember seeing this hat before.
The manager, already drafting a PR statement on her phone, chuckled and said, “Of course not.”
She had the privilege of witnessing the entire process of Xu Sinian lifting Chen Bai out of bed and putting the hat on him. “It’s his friend’s hat.”
The two assistants understood.
And it wasn’t long before the eagle-eyed viewers figured it out too.
[The hat! That’s the same hat Xu Sinian was wearing when he was spotted in Z City! The photos are still online!]
[So it was Xu Sinian and Chen Yi Bai who went to BCL together! When Chen Yi Bai filmed ‘Youth Journey,’ he was super into gaming, so of course, Xu Sinian went with him to watch!]
[No wonder people said Chen Yi Bai was in Z City too! It all makes sense now! You guys were together!]
[Wow, you two have known each other for so long and kept it completely under wraps! (Seriously, how do fans even remember this stuff from so long ago?)]
[So Chen Yi Bai was the ‘abstract photographer’ friend from those photos! Worth it! He sat behind Xu Sinian and helped take photos, even if they were… a little abstract!]
Old photos were dug up again and reanalyzed through this new lens, with every previously missed detail now coming to light.
The lively buzz online didn’t reflect the actual scene, where everyone had gathered and exchanged pleasantries before the director finally arrived, fashionably late, holding a few small cards.
Upon seeing the cards and remembering the brutal events of the morning, the smile on Chen Yi Bai’s face instantly vanished.
He immediately turned to look at his friend’s hand and cautiously asked, “You just touched my hand. Do you think your luck’s been contaminated?”
Before the guest could react, several people sitting nearby whipped their heads around, their eyes wide as saucers.
Facing the sudden wave of confused stares, Chen Yi Bai. “?”
[Hahaha, Chen Yi Bai, your innocent expression is priceless! Maybe think through your words a bit more!]
[Brother Xu, what’s going on? Why do you keep staring at Yi Bai?]
[I don’t care, I don’t care—I want to be his ‘friend’ too! How do you just hold hands like that?! [crying cat emoji]”*
[Brother Xu’s smiling again. Something’s off here, friends. Brother Xu doesn’t usually smile this much, right?]
The viewers sensed that something wasn’t quite right through their screens, but before they could delve deeper, the director spoke.
The morning’s triple disaster draw was enough, so the director announced that the afternoon would not involve drawing lots. Instead, he would shuffle the cards and randomly hand them out to each group.
“The cards you receive correspond to the profession you’ll be experiencing starting tomorrow. Please do not open them right away. Wait until all groups have received their cards.”
Even though it wasn’t a lottery this time, Chen Yi Bai, still cautious, refused to handle the cards and let Xu Sinian take them instead. Chen Yi Bai had positioned himself well, being the last one to receive a card.
Once everyone had their cards, they opened them together.
The other three groups got assigned restaurant servers, bakery counter staff, and convenience store clerks.
Chen Yi Bai and Xu Sinian were assigned to work at a bubble tea shop. Unlike the other jobs, which could be learned on the go, this one required a bit of skill.
In general, none of the jobs were going to be easy.
So this was what they meant by “life experience.”
The director asked symbolically if there were any questions. Immediately, Chen Yi Bai raised his hand.
He raised it so precisely that the director had to pause for a moment before saying, “Yes, you may speak.”
Chen Yi Bai asked, “Teacher, what about the salary?”
The two of them started acting out the scene right there, and Chen Yi Bai played along seamlessly, without missing a beat.
The director finally remembered that there were two unlucky participants in this group who had neither meals covered nor more than 100 yuan on hand.
After lunch, they probably didn’t even have that much left.
The others also realized the importance of the salary and turned to look at the director.
The director replied, “The standard hourly wage is 30, and payment will be made daily.”
Daily wages—just enough to keep these two poor souls afloat. Chen Yi Bai, who had single-handedly brought about this disastrous start, slapped his guest’s hand and declared, “Comrade Xu, I promise I’ll take care of you.”
Xu Sinian’s hand, warm for a moment, quickly cooled as he lowered his head and quietly responded.
“…”
The others watched from the side, feeling that something was a bit off but unable to pinpoint it, so they chose to stay silent.
Although Chen Yi Bai and Xu Sinian were full of fighting spirit, the viewers of the livestream, looking at things objectively, felt that these two were probably going to live meal to meal.
[Neither of them looks like someone who can hold down a job!]
[Hahaha, I’m already looking forward to seeing tomorrow’s chaos!]
[Classic Chen Yi Bai—his first concern is the salary!]
[Is this brother Xu’s first battle against poverty? Hahaha.]
In any case, the bubble tea shop assignment was settled. The director finally made a proper appearance and said, “Each guest’s workplace will be open to the public. Interested viewers can scan the livestream QR code to learn more. We look forward to your visit.”
It was a standard, official message, but the QR code was scanned so many times that the website crashed completely.
“…”
Sitting in their seats, watching the production team scramble to get the site back online, the guests began to realize that tomorrow wasn’t going to be easy.
With their jobs assigned, the rest of the time was spent informing them about the locations of the shops and the remaining filming schedule.
In a way, the production team was being incredibly transparent, sharing everything with the audience without holding back.
When the meeting ended in the afternoon and it was time for dinner, the two non-hotel residents had to fend for themselves once again.
There wasn’t much time to prepare, so dinner, like lunch, was kept simple.
That evening, the diligent cameraman was still around. As Chen Yi Bai grabbed his pajamas and prepared to shower, the shoot finally ended. In response to viewers clamoring to see him change into his pajamas, the cameraman politely left, with Xu Sinian personally closing the door behind him.
The only thing left for viewers hoping to see Chen Yi Bai in his pajamas was the sight of the dark door and the faint sound of his voice from inside: “Comrade Xu, pass me the towel…”
With that, the livestream ended. The screen went black, and the sound disappeared.
Inside the room, Xu Sinian got up and handed Chen Bai a towel.
When the sound of the shower stopped, a freshly bathed Chen Bai emerged.
With the towel draped around his neck, catching the water dripping from his hair, he shuffled into the room, showing off from all angles, and asked, “How do I look?”
The white pajamas matched his pale skin, contrasting sharply with his damp black hair. Xu Sinian nodded and replied, “Looks good.”
He grabbed the hairdryer and gestured, “Come here, let me dry your hair.”
Chen Bai obediently sat down in front of him.
The sound of the hairdryer filled the room, drowning out the occasional noise from the cars outside.
——
The next day was another bright and sunny day, no doubt about it.
That morning’s schedule called for work to start promptly at 8 AM. The cameramen and staff met Xu Sinian at the motel room door.
The person was wearing a hat and mask, holding a bag of breakfast, and had just opened the door to the room.
The cameraman greeted him first, calling out, “Mr. Xu.”
Xu Sinian nodded slightly, carrying the breakfast into the room. He said, “He should be awake by now.”
The cameraman followed him into the room.
“…”
Things didn’t go as expected—there was no one standing in the room, nor was there anyone in the bathroom.
Only a person, who had already changed out of their pajamas, lay face-down on the bed, buried under the blanket like a corpse.
By this time, the sun had risen, and sunlight filtered through the leaves of the banyan trees outside, casting dappled patterns on the windowsill and floor. The light even touched the back of the “corpse’s” head.
The room was silent, with only the hum of the air conditioning in the background.
Xu Sinian set down the breakfast and dutifully went to wake the person up.
To be precise, it was his second time doing so that morning.
He had already woken the person when he went out to buy breakfast, and they had promised to get up while he was out. The clothes were changed, so they must have gotten up at some point, only to fall asleep again.
Waking them the second time was much easier than the first. He simply stuck a straw into the soy milk and handed it over. The “corpse” took a sip and immediately opened their eyes. Their mind wasn’t fully awake yet, but they automatically sat up to drink.
As long as they were sitting, that was progress. Watching them sip the soy milk, Xu Sinian bent over, grabbed the hat from the nightstand, and carefully placed it on their head, pressing down the hopeless mess of bed hair.
He did all of this smoothly, leaving both the cameraman and the early-morning viewers watching the livestream in stunned silence.
[Mr. Xu, you’re really skilled at this (I’m awake now, but Chen Yi Bai still isn’t!).]
[So ‘that’s’ what the hat was for! No wonder the stylist said they’d have a heart attack seeing his hair, haha!]
[Why do you two have more chemistry than the couples on those dating shows?]
[Help, what is this automatic soy milk drinking machine? Where’s my sanity? Where’s my link to buy one? And where’s my ‘wife’?]
[Just let him sleep. Poor guy looks completely exhausted. [Picture of a kitten being petted]]]
Thanks to Chen Yi Bai casually calling him “Comrade Xu” the day before, Xu Sinian had suddenly become “Comrade Xu” overnight, and now everyone was calling him that.
After a few sips of soy milk, the “corpse”—Chen Yi Bai, the culprit behind all this—finally woke up.
He had slept well, had breakfast, and his hat was already on. He wasn’t quite sure how it had all happened, but it seemed he was ready to head out.
After stuffing his phone into his pocket, Chen Yi Bai stretched and did some quick punches and kicks to get his body moving. Feeling ready, he opened the door.
As he was about to step out, the thoughtful cameraman reminded him, “There are a lot of people outside, so be careful of the flashlights.”
Chen Yi Bai paused and sucked on his soy milk, “Huh?”
Oh god, I love CB so much