Although there were some twists and turns in Ning Xuan’s group, they eventually got the keys. Qi Ming’s face was particularly red, whether from exhaustion or shyness.
Ning Xuan, being considerate, handed him tissues to wipe his sweat. Rong Jin couldn’t help but look at Chi Feiran.
Chi Feiran, who had climbed the wall twice without breaking a sweat, was chatting with Jiang Haoyun, who had experience in wall climbing.
Then, in the midst of this, Rong Jin, with complicated feelings, noticed that Qiu Lang’s eyes were constantly on Chi Feiran.
Rong Jin: “…”
Qiu Lang, oblivious to the fact that he had been caught glancing at Chi Feiran by Rong Jin, was busy thinking about how well this program recording was going. Despite the embarrassing moment earlier, the effect of these variety shows was to be cute in the end, attracting fans.
With money in hand, popularity earned, and the possibility of winning a beautiful companion, it was all good.
Lu Wei had no idea that, besides Jiang Haoyun, all the guests in this episode were having rich inner monologues and could potentially host their own shows. After finishing the opening words, he signaled the waiting crew to open the castle gate.
Just a door, yet it felt like stepping into another world.
A long arched corridor, the main body made of white marble, with intricately carved patterns on the entire arch ceiling. Stained glass windows adorned the sides of the corridor, casting magical colors with the incoming sunlight.
Walking further in, they entered a colorful world. Murals adorned the walls, descending from the dome with bold and intense colors. Despite the passage of time, careful maintenance prevented the scene from feeling outdated. Instead, it exuded a unique charm.
No amount of description by Lu Wei could match the actual impact of witnessing this beauty.
Almost everyone was marveling at the scenery. Everyone except… Chi Feiran.
Nervous, anxious, and a little scared, Chi Feiran was forced to join the others in exclaiming, “Wow… it’s beautiful…”
Not exclaiming along would make him seem indifferent. Should he mention that he had been looking at this house every summer since he could remember, and now it didn’t feel as special? No, he couldn’t say that.
Then, a sudden and awkward meow caught everyone’s attention.
Startled, Chi Feiran looked towards the source of the sound along with everyone else. They saw a slightly larger-than-average long-haired cat running towards them, meowing loudly, like a small cannonball.
It was Caesar!
While everyone instinctively stepped aside, Chi Feiran reflexively reached out to catch him.
With a weight of over twenty pounds, Caesar came running like a madman. A leap, and he jumped into Chi Feiran’s arms, making Chi Feiran stagger back a couple of steps. Fortunately, Jiang Haoyun gave him a hand.
Chi Feiran held the fluffy little creature in his arms, feeling its warmth. He almost blurted out, “Caesar, you’ve slimmed down,” but thankfully, he remembered they were still recording a program.
Chi Feiran stuttered for a moment before saying, “Haha, it seems… he really likes me…”
It was more than just ‘liking.’ Caesar was purring loudly, rubbing his furry face against Chi Feiran’s chin, and making adorable kitten-like sounds.
Chi Feiran, captivated by Caesar’s affection, almost didn’t want to let go.
While others were still in shock after the initial surprise, they gathered around to see the cat. Ning Xuan couldn’t resist and reached out to touch Caesar’s smooth and soft fur. “So cute!”
But Caesar completely ignored them, continuing to show affection to Chi Feiran.
Turning to Charles, Lu Wei asked, “Mr. Charles, may I ask about this cat?”
Charles smiled and said, “This is the beloved pet of my young master, Caesar.”
Charles then looked at Chi Feiran with a kind tone, “It seems to really like you. If possible, I hope you can take care of it. The young master has been away from home for a long time, and it’s a bit lonely.”
Chi Feiran felt a pang of sadness from Charles’s words. Holding Caesar a little tighter, he softly said, “Of course.”
The program crew had no objections to this arrangement. A doll-like cat with such high visual appeal could attract many animal-loving viewers.
As the six guests continued the tour with Chi Feiran holding the cat, it was undeniably eye-catching. The cameramen couldn’t help but focus on them.
While others were just appreciating Chi Feiran’s natural ability to attract cats, Rong Jin, as a semi-informed person, pondered with a thoughtful expression.
Because the recording had just begun, and the guests had undergone long journeys, the program crew, after a couple of minor events, entered a resting segment.
Given the theme of the show was a “perfect vacation,” continuous hardships wouldn’t create the right vacation atmosphere.
Charles led them on a brief tour inside the castle, showcasing what it meant to be “wickedly rich.”
Jiang Haoyun sighed, “I always thought places like these should be museums… never expected… people use them for themselves!”
Qi Ming pointed out, “They only live here for a couple of months a year.”
While Qiu Lang’s family was wealthy with properties across the country and even abroad, he couldn’t pretend to be unimpressed by such opulence.
Maintaining his character, he said with an air of understanding, “Living in such a castle is not about affordability but maintenance. It’s essentially an art piece. Many of those news reports about foreign tycoons donating castles were likely due to the inability to maintain them.”
Ning Xuan added practically, “Walking around your own house can be tiring. Ordinary people can’t understand this feeling.”
Rong Jin, who had been quiet, casually said, “Hmm,” following Ning Xuan. His attention was mainly on Chi Feiran.
Holding the cat, Chi Feiran was lost in his thoughts.
Chi Feiran: “…”
Actually, they had personal transporters, and Chi Feiran and Chris often played with Segways in the house.
However, the program team probably wanted to preserve the authentic castle atmosphere. Therefore, except for using personal transporters when going uphill, all other means of transportation, like Segways, within the castle were put away.
After collecting enough footage, Lu Wei said, “Alright! The next exciting part is the lunch segment!”
As soon as he spoke, everyone felt like something interesting was about to happen.
The restaurant door was opened in front of them, and neatly lined up waiters, dressed in uniform, nodded slightly and led them to their respective seats.
Lu Wei’s face revealed a mischievous smile. “As the first meal for everyone in the castle, the program team naturally can’t treat you poorly. All the dishes for this meal will be prepared by the world’s top chefs—”
Everyone looked at him, waiting for him to say something misleading.
With a somewhat shy expression as if saying, “Why are you all looking at me?” Lu Wei continued, “But the dining level will be determined based on the results of the little game we just played!”
Sure enough, it was a trap.
Chi Feiran’s group would receive a full-course meal prepared by a top chef, from appetizers to desserts. Jiang Haoyun’s group was one level below, and the worst-off was Ning Xuan’s group.
In front of her and Qi Ming were plates of pasta, beautifully arranged and with enticing aromas, but… just a plate of pasta.
The most commendable aspect was probably that the portions were decent, not sacrificed for the sake of presentation.
Although it took only around ten to twenty minutes to get the keys, the difference in treatment was touching.
Looking at the dishes that arrived, Chi Feiran felt a bit guilty and turned to Lu Wei. “Can I…”
Lu Wei, the experienced guy, naturally understood what he wanted to do and said directly, “No! You can only share with your group! We have to ensure fair competition in the game!”
Chi Feiran looked deeply at him. This guy was really wicked! He only said the first-place prize was a surprise, but he didn’t mention that the surprise was relative!
On the other hand, Ning Xuan took it lightly. “Perfect for losing weight.”
She even had time to tease Qi Ming across from her. “Do you have enough? Want me to share half with you? I can’t finish it.”
Qi Ming’s ears turned red, but he responded calmly, “You go ahead. If you can’t finish it, give it to me.”
Rong Jin, hearing this conversation, somehow felt that the full-course meal wasn’t so happy after all. He couldn’t help but look at Chi Feiran again.
Chi Feiran, face expressionless, continued petting the cat, thinking about how to smoothly act out the next scene of cheating.
On Jiang Haoyun’s side, it was a learning moment. He said to Qiu Lang, “Little Qiu, if you can’t finish it, give it to me!”
Qiu Lang glanced at the straightforward Jiang Haoyun and reluctantly agreed, “…okay.”
Rong Jin: “…”
So, why were they getting a full-course meal???
Chi Feiran didn’t sense Rong Jin’s thoughts, and he had no appetite for the meal. Then, he encountered an even more awkward situation.
Jiang Haoyun: “…the program team is too evil.”
Qiu Lang said, “I agree.”
Chi Feiran dared not turn his face to see the expressions of Ning Xuan and Qi Ming’s group, as he was currently performing the live action of peeling a lobster.
The lobster wasn’t for him and Rong Jin; it was for Caesar.
This wasn’t originally part of the program team’s plan. Caesar refused to be carried down to eat properly, leading Chi Feiran to peel the lobster and feed the cat.
Although there were already pre-peeled lobster meat for them, the program team went evil and brought out an unpeeled lobster, forcing Chi Feiran to peel it on the spot while feeding the cat.
They shot close-ups of the lobster and the cat, and another camera focused on the plates in front of Ning Xuan and Qi Ming.
People were already envious, and now they were being outshone by a cat. This was just too evil!
