Chapter Ch99.2 - Sleeping Together
translator: xiin
editors: apricot & juurensha
It was approaching dinner by the time Zoe finally announced the end of the meeting. When the team walked out of the South Tower, they saw a group of robots working busily at the entrance to North Tower, loosening the soil and planting flowers, and carrying colorful furniture and beds into the building.
Caesar watched for a long time and couldn’t help pulling Wu Jin over and gesturing, “There were 250 people, and 180 of them have been eliminated. Why are they increasing the number of beds? And mosquito nets––summer has already pa.s.sed, and the program team didn’t buy us any nets. What’s going on here?”
Zoe seemed to recall something, “I heard that the next round is indoors, and it’ll be with some specially invited guests. In the morning, Instructor Ying also said that they’ll be moving all the contestants to the South Tower and emptying out the North Tower so that it can all be rearranged.”
Caesar was struck dumb with awe, “One entire tower for guests? What kind of guests are these? Giant G.o.dzillas?”
Wu Jin couldn’t help but glance over a few more times.
It seemed that the robots were placing the flowerpots together to spell out words, but he couldn’t confirm anything in the evening light.
In the Crosson Show canteen, the contestants who’d been starved for over 100 hours in a prehistoric jungle walked in and stared like fools.
There were braised pig trotters, roasted suckling pig, fried fish, buddha jumping over the wall, and so on all arranged on the long table. The program producer gave a speech beneath the bright lights––
Everyone at the table was wolfing food down, and n.o.body looked up at all.
Caesar made a quick on the spot decision, rolled up his sleeves, and rushed towards the braised fatty pork.
Wen Lin reminded him, “Your weight…”
Caesar waved it away, “Who cares! I’ve already gotten fat, and I’ll still be fat after eating. I have to lose weight anyway!”
Wu Jin explained the philosophical meaning behind this statement to Wen Lin, “Being fat is idempotent…”
On the stage, the program producer smacked the microphone after expressing his sincere thanks to the daddy sponsors.
There was a sharp crackling sound, and there were also the constant sounds of burps from beneath the stage.
“I’m announcing two things.” The program producer slapped the table, “Everyone stop, stop! First of all, as we mentioned before, we’ll be a.s.signing new sleeping arrangements for the contestants. This time, it will be done according to the audience’s votes.”
“Secondly, a seven day holiday starts tomorrow. Before the holiday, remember to find Instructor Ying Xiangxiang to learn what survival skills are required to survive the next elimination match…”
The trainees were all confused, “Instructor Ying? … Shouldn’t it be Instructor Blood Pigeon?”
Ying Xiangxiang nodded and smiled from the side.
After the dinner party, the voting channel for the contestants’ sleeping arrangements would be opened up at 8:00PM sharp.
While they were waiting for the results, the camera swept over the remaining 180 contestants. Qin Jinbao, who was wandering around while eating, Thin Fire, who was putting on make-up, Wu Jin, who was speaking to Zoe in a low voice, and Caesar, who was acting gay together with Red…
The straight man Blood Pigeon wondered, “What are those two doing? They’re leaning against each other with their bare arms and almost merging into one unit!”
Ying Xiangxiang was eating melon seeds and watching the show, “It should be that Caesar doesn’t want to share a dorm with Little Thin and took the lead to fire up the two fools CP.” She looked at the background voting statistics, “Oh, it should be that our two Crosson fools don’t remember that the dorms hold four people each, not two.”
Two hours later, the results of the vote were announced.
Caesar wolf howled and complained to the program group, “No way, it can’t be, I swear, if this coquettish man sleeps with me, he will definitely plot against me––”
The crew member who was responsible for solving such civil disputes was amused, “It’s not as though the two of you haven’t shared a dorm before. Besides, that Little Thin…”
Caesar immediately changed his words and blundered on, “Then, I swear, I will do something to that coquettish man if we have to live together.”
Crew member: “… Alright then, you two can continue to plot against each other.”
Then, his hand moved like lightning as he printed out the dorm a.s.signment list, “It can’t be changed. We have to hold to the audience votes! Remember to stick this up on your dormitory door.”
South Tower 602: Caesar, Thin Fire, Mao Qiukui, Wei Yan.
The vast army of trainees finally went back to their new bedrooms before the curfew kicked in.
Caesar thought about it back and forth, then opened the door and peeked in––
In 603 next door, the Jingyi Double C was interacting with Dolma Entertainment in a friendly manner. The helpful Contestant Ming Yao helped Qin Jinbao move his mat, and the two of them were having a deep discussion regarding the development of modern storytelling. Qin Jinbao also offered to give him a bar of soap to use as an ancient judge’s gavel. However, even before Ming Yao could start showing off about his own team captain in the corridor––Zuo Botang came back just in time to press the Ming Yao mute b.u.t.ton and haul him back inside.
Caesar glanced at 601 again. Zoe, Wen Lin, Little Witch… the remaining person, Contestant Wei, was still missing.
In dormitory 601, a full third of the votes had come from the Scarf CP fans.
Caesar whooped and pounced at Wu Jin, “Little Witch, ah, your big brother can’t live with you anymore, but we’re only separated by a wall. If that coquettish man does anything to you in the middle of the night, I’ll knock down the wall, and we can beat that guy up!”
Wu Jin was shaken to and fro by Caesar and barely managed a nod. Even the little Pterosaur in his arms was dizzy from all the shaking.
The little Pterosaur stuck out its head in anger.
“……” Caesar stared at it for a good while before remembering that they’d returned to modern society, “Little Witch, you even brought this thing back! Ah, I’ve eaten this before… what’s it doing? Don’t peck, don’t peck!”
At the last second before curfew, the elusive Contestant Wei arrived at dormitory 601 right on time.
As early as five minutes ago, Zoe had called Wen Lin and Wu Jin together for a brief meeting.
“Dormitory relationships are a very important aspect of social life.”
“We all belong to White Moonlight Entertainment, and only Contestant Wei is an individual trainee. We want him to feel the warmth of home, and not the rejection of three against one!”
Wen Lin nodded repeatedly, and Wu Jin also nodded repeatedly.
Zoe: “Especially Little Witch. In the previous season of the Crosson Show, many contestants ended up as enemies because they formed CPs. Remember, friendships formed in battle are priceless, and the program group’s marketing strategies cannot interfere with the pure friendship between you and Contestant Wei!”
Wu Jin continued to nod, his cheeks turning a little pink.
Zoe was satisfied, “As for specific implementation of this methodology, what exactly is care for one’s roommate? For example, we can watch a movie together every Sunday night…”
There was a noise from outside the dorm.
Zoe quickly stood up and shook hands with Wei Shi enthusiastically, taking the opportunity to introduce his team’s support player Wen Lin.
Wei Shi lifted his gaze.
Wu Jin stood behind Zoe and Wen Lin. He poked his head out and looked over, a silly grin on his face that made him look like a little fool.
Taking advantage of the time before lights out, the three of them helped Wei Shi carry the boxes into his room.
There was the sound of a meow from beneath their feet, and a furry black cat’s head rubbed naturally against Wu Jin’s calf.
When they pa.s.sed by the chandelier in the living room, the little Pterosaur that was perched on top glanced at Wei Shi a few times before suddenly fluttering its wings twice and landing on a box, its expression full of ‘want hugs’.
The black cat stopped its rubbing.
The jealous cat’s eyes stared at the little Pterosaur that was perched on top of the box, its evil cat claws reaching out towards its prey before a black shadow suddenly burst out––
Dinosaurs flew, and cats jumped in mid-air, a long beak clutching at a furry head. The black cat howled and waved its claws, its fur all puffed up.
Zoe: “!! Little Witch––”
Wu Jin and Wei Shi moved at the same time.
The youth hugged the little Pterosaur that was still fluttering around, comforting and patting its wings. Wei Shi picked up the cat, and the black cat immediately turned into a flattering dog and licked at his fingertips.
Then, it pushed against the box and continued on its way.
“……” Zoe seemed to feel that something was off, but he couldn’t quite pinpoint it at the moment.
The two people’s rhythm and movements seemed to be in-sync from start to end, and there was no disconnect at all. If this scene happened in the survival show––it would be considered very good tacit understanding.
Looking again at the room full of cat, Pterosaur, and rabbit…
Zoe suddenly thought of a forum post comic he’d once looked at: Go––it’s the third child––birth––
Zoe was a little shaken and felt like he’d just been struck by lightning until he was all tender inside. He quickly shifted his attention elsewhere.
Dormitory 601 was slightly smaller than 701. Each contestant had their own room, a bathroom, and a terrace, and they all shared a s.p.a.cious living room. After Wei Shi was settled in, Wu Jin obediently followed his captain and withdrew.
The infrared camera was lit up in the darkness, meaning that it was currently recording for the program.
Wu Jin washed up as usual and petted the little Pterosaur before leaving it in the living room and keeping it separate from Brother Rabbit. It would take a while for the two animals to be familiar enough to get along peacefully.
And the cat…
Wu Jin lay down in bed.
The camera followed him slowly.
The youth pretended that there was nothing going on and rolled himself up in the quilt, but his heart was beating faster than usual.
––Like a child having a relationship under his parents’ noses.
The clock ticked, tocked, and eventually pointed to 12 o’clock. The soft curls on the pillow shifted slightly, as though blown by the night breeze.
It was 12 o’clock.
The infrared camera turned off.
Shooting ended.
Wu Jin jumped up happily and slowly snuck his way outside barefoot.
He made a ‘shh’ gesture to Brother Rabbit, then silently opened the door.
Juurensha: Hahaha, Little Witch sneaking around with WS! And the ptresaur is so cute, someone please give it a hug.
xiin: they’re sharing a dorm! YES! YES YES YES MIDNIGHT CUDDLES~