TCFGBH Chapter 17

The clear blue sky and bustling crowd painted a vibrant scene.

Xia Yan lowered his head, walking quickly through the crowd, deliberately ignoring the admiring glances directed at him. It wasn’t until he was back in his room that he finally relaxed.

“Phew~”

He took a deep breath, quickly downed a glass of iced water, then collapsed onto the sofa, speaking affectionately to the system: [That was so scary.]

The system encouraged him: [the host’s acting was great.]

[The protagonist gong is really difficult to deal with.]

[After all, he’s the protagonist, the chosen one of the small world.]

[……]

Xia Yan rubbed his wrist, still feeling the lingering warmth from the man’s intense grip. For that moment, he had been frightened, his hairs standing on end, fearing that the protagonist gong might suddenly beat him up.

He had said a bunch of inexplicable things, sarcastically mocking Zhao Wenhan and self-indulgently suggesting that Zhao Wenxiu had feelings for him, treating the two brothers as his spoils.

Hate level MAX.

The dating show was filmed for seven days and was already on the fourth day. According to the director’s schedule, on the last day, each participant would have a personal live broadcast to stir up emotions and gain followers.

Xia Yan planned to “accidentally” leave his phone behind during that broadcast and conveniently “accidentally” receive an ambiguous text message, which would be exposed online, allowing him to exit the show successfully.

Hmm… but who should send the text message?

Xia Yan flipped through his WeChat contacts from top to bottom.

Liu Jinhao? No way! He couldn’t drag his brother into this. Luan Changfeng, only a few words, is not safe. Xing Zheng, an ex who he had pursued, it’s immoral to disturb him again…

……

…………

Xia Yan searched repeatedly but couldn’t find a suitable candidate.

The risk of being someone’s ‘cheating partner’ was high. If the netizens found out, he’d be branded as a home-wrecker, and his reputation would be ruined.

So difficult.

Xia Yan was troubled!

The system suggested quietly: [How about we create a fake account?]

[???]

A new path had opened up!!!!!!

Xia Yan’s eyes lit up as he opened a shopping app, bought a new phone, and got a new SIM card through a certain platform.

With everything done, he relaxed and lavishly praised the system.

The system enjoyed the praise and started a mutual admiration session.

They were getting along harmoniously.

However… Xia Yan felt like he had forgotten something. He pondered deeply, scrolling aimlessly on his phone, until the ringtone sounded. The large ‘Tu Xi’ characters finally made him realize.
He had forgotten Tu Xi and the photographer on the beach.

As the largest investor in the show, Zhao Wenxiu wanted to have a private chat with one of the guests, so the cameramen naturally didn’t refuse.

Tu Xi had gone to buy some chilled coconut water, so the two had parted ways.

Xia Yan picked up the phone with a hint of guilt: “Hello.”

“Yan Yan, where are you?”

“I…” The youth hesitated, glancing around the room, finally landing on a blue bottle. He blinked and said, “I suddenly remembered I forgot to bring sunscreen, so I came back to the villa.”
There was a moment of silence from the other end, and then Tu Xi’s voice came softly: “But I heard from the photographer that you left with Zhao Wenxiu.”

“……”

“…………”

The youth’s heart tightened, feigning surprise: “Oh? We only talked for a bit, so we parted ways. It wasn’t anything important, so I didn’t mention it.”

“I see.”

Tu Xi didn’t press further, which relieved Xia Yan.

But he had relaxed too soon.

“Yan Yan, remember to bring sunscreen, don’t forget.” The man’s light voice came from the phone, “I’ll help you apply it.”

Xia Yan: “??!!”

No way! This would be a disaster!!!

“I…” Xia Yan gritted his teeth, trying to keep calm, “I’ve already applied it in the room. Applying another layer will make it sticky, and I don’t like that.”

Good, he stayed calm and didn’t break character.

“Oh.”

“……” Why did that short word seem so laden with meaning?

“Then please help me apply it; I’m troubled.” Before Xia Yan could refuse, Tu Xi had already hung up, leaving him stunned and holding the phone.

[System.]

999 helplessly replied: [Host, do your best.]

[……]

Applying sunscreen for each other is normal between couples. However, when the partner is a top celebrity who is hard to win over, showing resistance would definitely break character.

Xia Yan glanced around the room again.

Sunscreen hats, sunglasses, umbrellas… He could use so many excuses, but he specifically mentioned sunscreen!!!

He brought this upon himself.

After hesitating for two or three seconds, he finally picked up the blue bottle of sunscreen and bravely headed to the beach.

–

Xia Yan had twisted his ankle yesterday. Although the swelling had slightly gone down today, he still couldn’t walk properly according to normal conditions.

But he didn’t want to be carried around by Tu Xi on camera.

So, he secretly applied a pain relief patch and used the system to block the pain, pretending it wasn’t severe, deceiving everyone.

The beach had been cleared out, leaving only the eight guests.

The Bai Zhiyi couple had gone swimming, their blurry figures seen from afar; Song Xueyang and Zhong Feiyang, without money, begged the director for a side task and happily went off to earn some.

Fang Xihua was nowhere to be found. Wei Junhao and Zhao Wenhan stood like sentinels, one on each side of Xia Yan and Tu Xi’s umbrella.

One was wearing sunglasses, seemingly asleep.

The other was blinking with teary eyes, looking at Xia Yan.

Xia Yan: “……” The pressure was immense!!!

He steeled himself and returned to the shade. Tu Xi had already taken off his top, arms crossed, resting his chin on them, showing his firm, white back, waiting for him.

“Yan Yan, please.” Tu Xi turned his head and looked at him with an innocent expression, “I can’t reach my back.”

A final verdict.

No turning back.

With two black cameras focused on him, Xia Yan squeezed the sunscreen and quickly regained his composure, appearing relaxed and natural: “Alright.”

As the protagonist shou and top celebrity, Tu Xi’s physique was naturally flawless.

His white, smooth skin, broad shoulders, and subtle, flowing muscle lines were evident. Xia Yan applied the sunscreen slowly, feeling the man’s pulse through the creamy white lotion.

It was Xia Yan’s first time touching a man’s back from childhood to adulthood—

—Though it was only applying sunscreen.

He lowered his eyes and slightly pursed his lips. Although he appeared calm, his ears had secretly turned red.

The back was a large area, and Xia Yan took five minutes to apply the sunscreen. When he was done, he quickly tossed the bottle aside: “Done.”

“Thanks, Yan Yan.”

“It’s nothing. We’re a couple, it’s my duty.”

“You’re so good, Yan Yan.” Tu Xi glanced at Zhao Wenhan and said a few sweet words. Suddenly, his expression turned serious: “Yan Yan, you…”

Xia Yan was confused: “What?”

“It looks like your face is peeling from the sun.” Tu Xi gently touched the youth’s cheek, “Did you get sunburned yesterday while playing volleyball?”

Xia Yan paid little attention to his appearance, usually just washing his face with water and not examining himself closely in the mirror.

When the man mentioned it, he recalled that his right cheek was a little red and peeling this morning.

The injury was minor and not noticeable without a close look.

Moreover, Xia Yan had adjusted the pain perception and didn’t feel discomfort, so he naturally overlooked the minor issue on his face.

He replied uncertainly: “I guess so.”

“Didn’t you apply sunscreen yesterday?”

The youth fell silent: “……”

“Yan Yan, how can you neglect your body?” Tu Xi sighed, “Did you apply sunscreen today?”

“…… I did.” In reality, he hadn’t.

But Xia Yan remembered what he had said in the villa so that he couldn’t contradict himself.

A sea breeze blew by, accompanied by the clear calls of birds. The wind lifted the man’s short hair, and in the shadow, his chestnut-coloured eyes seemed to turn into a deep grey-brown.

It felt like his lie had been seen through clearly.

Xia Yan’s heart tightened slightly, and he averted his gaze.

After a while, the man suddenly smiled, lifting the gloomy atmosphere. He picked up the sunscreen and squeezed a large dollop into his hand.

“Every two hours, sunscreen needs to be reapplied for the best effect.”

“?” Xia Yan didn’t understand why he was saying this.

“Your sunscreen… seems insufficient and hasn’t formed a proper layer.” Tu Xi leaned in, “If you get injured again, it’ll be bad. Let me reapply it.”

Form a layer!

A professional term related to sunscreen.

Xia Yan didn’t understand it completely and was confused, thinking that just applying sunscreen on his face wasn’t a big deal.

The man hesitated for two or three seconds, giving him an opportunity. The creamy sunscreen was applied to the youth’s face, avoiding the sunburned area, evenly and meticulously.

The man’s touch was gentle as if handling a piece of art.

The youth closed his eyes, his lashes casting a small shadow on his lower eyelid, allowing him to do as he pleased.

“It seems I squeezed out too much.” Tu Xi’s voice turned a bit hoarse as his fingers slid along the youth’s jawline, moving down to his slender neck, “I’ll apply it here too.”

The man’s large hand enveloped the youth’s gently trembling Adam’s apple.

The neck is a vulnerable spot, and the youth instinctively opened his eyes, trying to pull back, but Tu Xi forced him back, soothingly saying: “It’s fine, it’ll be over soon.”

The neck led to the collarbone.

The collarbone had a small dip that couldn’t be covered with his palm. So he used his fingers to glide over every inch of skin, feeling the subtle shivers of youth, and closed his eyes in satisfaction.

The silent cameras captured everything.

The cameraman wasn’t sure why, but even though it was just mutual help between couples, there was an inexplicable sense of embarrassment.

On the other side, Zhao Wenhan glared with jealousy, his eyes red.

Zhao Wenhan had been pampered since childhood. Everything he wanted was always delivered to his hands. His first real setback in life came when he encountered Xia Yan.

The feeling of unrequited love could drive a person crazy, especially when… he had once briefly experienced it.

The few minutes in the bar now felt like a fleeting dream, gone instantly.

Though anxious and restless when he arrived at “Love Island,” he harbored a wicked hope to replace Tu Xi’s position.

But in the blink of an eye, two days had passed.

Xia Yan was still with Tu Xi, and his older brother suddenly sent a message saying he had urgent matters and would be away for a few days, advising him not to act impulsively.

Zhao Wenhan wasn’t unreasonable. He knew how busy his older brother’s work was. After all, the Zhao family’s company profits were soaring, and as a major shareholder, his assets were also increasing.

Yet… his brother, who had promised to help, had left and forbade him from taking action.
Zhao Wenhan bit his lip, feeling dissatisfaction towards his older brother.

He rubbed his eyes, lashes wet, unable to stop his gaze from falling on the affectionate couple before him, despite feeling increasingly uncomfortable.

……

…………

Today, Xia Yan was wearing a loose round-neck top. As Tu Xi’s hand moved further down, Xia Yan could no longer bear it and grabbed the man’s hand.

“I’m wearing clothes; the area below isn’t getting sun.”

He tried to keep calm, not showing fear on camera, but was internally panicking. If Tu Xi became more demanding…

Xia Yan couldn’t guarantee what he might do.

After all… being touched inside his clothes on camera, even if it was just applying sunscreen, felt very strange! Just applying sunscreen to the front was awkward.

It felt like a form of shameful affection under the bright sun.

“Sorry, I got a bit carried away.” Tu Xi smiled innocently, with a hint of satisfaction in his relaxed expression.

As he withdrew his hand, his finger brushed against Xia Yan’s Adam’s apple, which visibly made Xia Yan shiver. He was clearly very sensitive.

The cameramen: “?”

Focus, close-up, everything!

Xia Yan: “……” Help! The kid might become a hermit!!!

The cameramen were anxious about what Tu Xi was absorbed in, wishing for a big scene. Xia Yan remained tight-lipped, fearing more embarrassing statements from Tu Xi.

He would collapse on the spot!

Although their voices weren’t loud, Zhao Wenhan and Wei Junhao could only hear a few vague words from a distance.

Wei Junhao, who had been silent behind his sunglasses, suddenly opened his eyes and watched the couple with an unreadable expression.

He stared at Xia Yan’s flushed ears, sneering, “Hmph!”

Getting flustered from a bit of teasing and still calling yourself the dominant one?

Clearly, he was being dominated.

The most ridiculous part was that he had believed his lies.

Wei Junhao gritted his teeth, abruptly getting up from the lounge chair and furiously packing his things. As if he had Parkinson’s disease, he constantly dropped things.

The loud noise shattered the beach’s tranquillity.

The enchanting and ambiguous atmosphere was replaced with the impression of a construction team.

The Bai Zhiyi couple: “……” What’s going on? Did someone take explosives?

–

That night, Xia Yan had a strange dream all night and felt listless the next morning. By the afternoon, around two o’clock, the director suddenly called him.

“Xia Yan, wait a moment.”

“?”

“Your manager just called me. He asked for a day off for you,” the director continued, “I agreed. You can pack your things and return to the capital.”

What could Wang Dazhuang be dealing with?

Xia Yan was puzzled but welcomed the chance to skip a day of facing cameras and acting. Who could resist the temptation of a day off?

The youth nodded, “Okay, thank you, Director.”

“It’s no trouble. After all, you have important business resources to discuss. I can’t just cut off people’s livelihood,” the director joked.

“?”

“You should tone down your behavior and pay more attention to Tu Xi. The online sentiment can easily change,” the director advised earnestly, “On camera, you need to restrain yourself… Don’t ruin your future.”

Having been in the industry for years, the director had always been kind to others.

Even with average acting skills, Xia Yan’s looks and demeanor were perfect for a decorative role in a show. It would be a shame for him to leave the industry.

No! This face shouldn’t just be seen by them.

He must share it with all the netizens.

Recently, a new camera was released that claimed to perfectly capture a person’s appearance without beauty filters or distortions. He had to get one.

On the last day of the show, it would go viral!!!

The director’s eyes burned with ambition as he eagerly sought connections for the new camera, completely ignoring Xia Yan.

Xia Yan: “……” What is this resource?

Are they giving resources to someone planning to leave the industry? Especially for endorsements, if the spokesperson collapses, there would be a threefold penalty for breach of contract.
With his reputation so poor? Who would be so foolish?

Xia Yan pulled out his phone and checked the messages he had blocked from his manager.

In just five days, Wang Dazhuang had sent over 300 messages. The latest were a screenshot of a flight ticket purchase and two small packages.

Wang Dazhuang: [The plane ticket is booked. If you’re not back by tomorrow morning, I’ll hang myself at your door.]

[Also, I’ve brought the two packages left at your door inside. Is there something wrong with your phone? Why are you buying a new one?]

Wait! The packages!!!

The youth quickly opened the shopping app and despairingly discovered that he had entered the default address for shipping.

His apartment in the capital.

Normally, regular packages would take three days to arrive.

But there were only two days left, and the day after tomorrow was the show’s last day. He hoped against hope and privately messaged the store: [Hello, how long does it take to deliver a phone to this address?]

[Hello, dear, it takes six days.]

[？？？]  Xia Yan blinked, confirming he hadn’t read it wrong, [Why so long? I can pay extra for expedited shipping.]

[Expedited also takes six days. The address on Love Island is relatively remote, so delivery is slower. Hope you understand.]

[Okay, I understand.]

[Yes, if you have any more questions, feel free to ask.]

The next moment, the customer service chat ended, and an automatic rating system popped up.
Xia Yan silently gave a full score.

As fellow workers, let’s not make things difficult for each other.

The phone issue was easy to resolve; there were phone shops on Love Island. The troublesome part was the phone number, which generally required personal identification and face recognition to register.

If someone recognized him, it would be a hassle.

Online phone number registration only required completing the paperwork, and the SIM card would be sent.

“Ugh!” The youth sighed deeply. It seemed he had no choice but to return to the capital. As for endorsements… if all else fails, he’d sell his house to pay the penalties.

With a 4:30 p.m. flight, a three-and-a-half-hour flight, and landing at eight, Wang Dazhuang picked him up.

“Xia Yan!!!”

“Gentlemen use words, not actions.”

“Why are you flirting on the livestream? Are you trying to attract more haters? If you like Tu Xi, then like him properly. If you don’t, then break up… Ah, no! You can’t break up now; your reputation will be even worse…”

Wang Dazhuang chattered endlessly, looking furious but driving steadily.

Xia Yan listened with “mm-hmm” and “oh” responses.

After a while, when Wang Dazhuang had finished venting, Xia Yan asked, “What’s this business resource you mentioned?”

“This!” Wang Dazhuang suddenly became excited, “You’re lucky!!!”

Xia Yan suddenly had a bad premonition.

“The manager from Beaufort called me, wanting you to come for a detailed discussion. They want you to be the spokesperson for their new season of clothing.”

Beaufort was a prestigious brand encompassing clothing, jewelry, bags, cosmetics, and other high-end products.

Even top celebrities scrambled to promote Beaufort’s products for free, hoping to be chosen as the spokesperson.

Such a big brand? Why did they notice him?

Xia Yan hesitantly asked.

“Hehe!” Wang Dazhuang grinned, “It’s thanks to your own abilities. Remember the little girl you saved on the first day of the show?”

“Yeah.”

“Her father is a major shareholder of Beaufort, and her mother is a manager in the planning department. They only have this one daughter and treasure her dearly.”

“……”

“The little girl always remembered you and pointed out her savior from the video. Her parents wanted to show their gratitude, so they offered you this opportunity.”

Xia Yan’s vision darkened: “……” I really should thank them!

He wiped away the internal blood stains and forced a smile, “You know my reputation. Isn’t it inappropriate for them to use their authority like this?”

“What are you talking about?” Wang Dazhuang shot him a look, “The girl’s mother said she watched all your livestreams and thought you fit the theme for the new season, so she chose you.”

“Of course, the specifics will be discussed in tomorrow’s meeting.”

“Tonight, rest well. Tomorrow, I want to see you in your best condition!” Wang Dazhuang declared. “So, I’ll be staying at your place tonight. Don’t even think about sneaking off.”

Xia Yan: “……”

After a forty-minute drive, they arrived at Xia Yan’s apartment. He opened the door, silently picked up the packages on the coffee table, and retreated to his room.

On the bright side, the “tools” for his plans would arrive the day after tomorrow.

If his reputation was ruined and he was about to leave the world, using all his assets to pay off the debts didn’t seem too bad.

At worst, he’d end up begging under a bridge.

With this grim consolation, Xia Yan eagerly unpacked the packages, inserted the SIM card into the new phone, and prepared for the new number.

However…

The phone number needed to be activated at a service center and required personal identification and face recognition.

Xia Yan’s heart sank: “???”