Chapter 291
The guests were dragged out of bed before they’d even fully woken up, forced down the mountain, and loaded onto a bus heading to the port.
“Since the villa is still under renovation, the next seven days we’ll be starting a romantic and luxurious ocean cruise!”
Director Niu spoke with excitement and pride. “We’re now heading to Shanghai Port, where a luxury cruise liner—booked at great expense by the production team—is waiting for you! Isn’t everyone excited?!”
“It’s just a cruise ship, what’s there to look forward to?” Qiu Chengye asked flatly.
Lai Bingxuan, who had just lifted her sleep mask to peek out, pulled it right back down again. “I thought it was something special.”
Director Niu’s mouth twitched.
I swear, I’m going all in against you rich brats!!!
[What’s the harm in this world having one more rich person anyway!]
[Dear heavens, if you only feel accomplished by bullying someone who only drinks 9.9-yuan sodas, orders only free-delivery takeout and prays for discount vouchers beforehand, watches movies on Venice app, listens to music with 30 minutes of ads, shops only with full-discount coupons, travels only in off-season, buys secondhand bags, uses “buy first, pay later,” never dares book premium rides, then just pretend I said nothing.]
The bus soon pulled up to the port. A massive luxury cruise ship was docked at the pier.
Standing at the base, Xie Mi craned her head back nearly 180 degrees and still couldn’t see the top.
“My god, it’s a moving castle.”
Was this really a cruise ship, or a whole island?
Things only got more exaggerated once they boarded.
There were dedicated staff to welcome them, who immediately collected their luggage and sent it straight to their cabins.
The guests, led by the production crew, were guided to the very center of the ship—a space so large it felt like a public square.
Xie Mi looked upward. The decks rose 30 stories high, with no end in sight.
Beyond the living quarters, there were more than 20 restaurants of different cuisines, over 30 entertainment and leisure facilities: swimming pools, sports courts, gyms, cinemas, bars, diving platforms, and more.
[Dumb question: is this a country?]
[Finally understand why novel heroines always get lost on cruise ships]
[No wonder the heroine runs away—every few steps there’s a CEO, the farther you run the more motivation you get]
[Dad, my phone dragged me here again]
[Ever since I learned to surf the internet, my poverty has only gotten more specific]
[Okay now I believe the production team really did spend big]
“Is the crew planning to disappear after pulling off this stunt?” Xie Mi rubbed her chin thoughtfully.
Shen Moqing nodded. “Agreed.”
Director Niu, who was walking at the front enthusiastically introducing everything, suddenly spun around.
“You two in the back—no whispering!”
Xie Mi looked shocked. “What? Even complimenting the director’s generosity isn’t allowed?”
His face immediately cleared up. “That’s allowed.”
Xie Mi turned right back to Shen Moqing.
“Yep, definitely planning to run.”
“Alright, what we just toured are the basic living facilities. But of course, that’s just the tip of the iceberg—there are many more fun places waiting for you to discover!”
“In the next few days, please enjoy life on the cruise to the fullest. Of course, we won’t be staying on the ship the entire time.”
“This voyage will pass by three islands, each with a different vacation experience.”
“Now, please put on your upgraded heart-rate wristbands. From this moment on, our seven-day journey of romance and heart-pounding excitement officially begins!”
With the grand opening finished, the eight guests were led into a seaside-view romantic restaurant.
As soon as they sat down, servers brought out course after course, the table filled with a dazzling spread of dishes.
“It’s lunchtime. Please, everyone, enjoy the food,” Director Niu said with a smile.
“Then I’ll dig in first!”
The foodie, Xie Mi, wasted no time. She picked up a piece of tender, juicy fish and popped it into her mouth—it was delicious beyond words.
The others, however, hesitated.
“Would the production team really be so kind, suddenly treating us to a meal?” Qiu Chengye narrowed his eyes, suspicious.
“No tasks required before we can eat?” Liu Woxing asked.
Yu Jinzhe looked innocently puzzled. “Did they sneak bug corpses into the food?”
[That’s exactly the kind of thing YOU would do!!]
[But honestly, it’s suspicious. A few days ago the guests were suffering, filling up on free eggs just to survive. Now suddenly a luxurious meal, no strings attached? Feels fishy.]
[And a cruise trip on top of it? Since when has the production team been this generous?!]
If the crew had held back last season, this season had completely exposed their demonic nature.
No good deed without hidden motive.
[But what do we do now that Sister Xie already ate? It’s over!]
“Teacher Xie…”
Liu Woxing, also sensing something was wrong, instinctively tried to stop her—but too late. Xie Mi was already eating like a storm.
Still chewing, she said, “Starting bitter doesn’t always mean ending sweet, but starting sweet is definitely sweet. Whatever the crew’s planning later, with food in front of me, I’m eating first.”
That was her moral compass—“the way of gluttony.”
[Damn, makes too much sense—I’m actually convinced]
[I was just debating whether to order milk tea. After hearing Sister Xie, it’s clear now: saving won’t make you rich, spending won’t make you poor, the point of living is enjoying the moment. Forget it, I’m ordering two cups right now.]
“You’re not afraid there’ll be some terrible punishment later?” Lai Bingxuan leaned over to look at her.
Xie Mi leaned too, making a heart with her fingers. “Take it one step at a time. Worst case, die halfway.”
The assistant director behind the camera gave her a big thumbs-up.
As expected of my idol.
[It’s not that I have no way out—I still have the road to death [finger-heart]]
[Such a beautiful mindset]
Xie Mi’s words seemed to sway the others. After all, if they didn’t start eating, she and Shen Moqing would finish all the good dishes by themselves.
At that moment, Director Niu reassured them. “Don’t worry, it’s just a regular lunch. Eat to your heart’s content, nothing’s wrong.”
“After all, you’ve suffered enough these past days. It’s only fair we reward you a little.”
Hearing this, the others finally dropped their guard and began eating.
Director Niu watched them with a kindly expression, though behind it flashed a glint of cunning.
Of course, it wasn’t just a meal.
Beforehand, the guests had been made to put on upgraded heart-rate watches. These could track even the tiniest fluctuations in their heartbeat.
This meal was, in fact, a large-scale “heart-throbbing observation experiment.”
Eight disguised experts had already blended in with the staff, secretly observing every movement of the guests, recording each subtle change in their wristbands.
So they could pinpoint exactly—at this very moment—which fellow guest each one liked the most.
