After announcing the first and second place directors and distributing the awards, everyone returned to the cabin together.
Awaiting them was a dinner meticulously prepared by the production team. Upon entering, a tantalizing aroma, unique to food, wafted from the room.
The hungry group couldn't wait and rushed into the cabin to find a hot pot!
"Director, you are the one!" Lu Ruifeng gave the director a thumbs up and happily took a seat with Dao Huiqing.
There's no fatigue that a hot pot can't relieve. And if there is, then have it twice!
Lin An and Nian Wenran came in a bit later, casually taking seats. It was only after sitting down that Lin An noticed they were both on the spicy hot pot side.
"Let me know what you want to eat later," Lin An instructed. Before Nian Wenran could respond, Lin An went over and prepared two plates of dipping sauce.
Su Nuo looked at Lin An with a teasing expression, "Lin An, you're unusually enthusiastic today."
Lu Ruifeng cheered on the side, "Exactly, my Brother Lin is acting strange today."
"Eat yours! Even a hot pot can't shut your mouth," Lin An scooped a bunch of vegetables into Lu Ruifeng's bowl with a ladle.
Suo Guanshan quietly added, "He's in a hurry."
Lu Ruifeng was more than happy to stir the pot, "Brother Lin, you even served me vegetables personally. I want you to make the dipping sauce for me too." He looked at Nian Wenran with a wink while saying this.
Everyone joined in the excitement, "Me too, me too."
Lin An raised his hand to press down, "Only one serving, that's it. Ruizi, quickly have your sister Dao adjust it for you. Oh, Su Nuo, I don't know why I suddenly wanted to contact your agent just now, to tell her about your diet these days. And you, Old Guan, you really make a splash when you speak up."
Sister Dao: You're eating, don't cue.
Suo Nuo: !!! ∑(°Д°ノ)ノ
"Tsk, look at our Old An, already protecting his food," Suo Guanshan continued provocatively.
The two of them exchanged banter back and forth, creating a lively atmosphere.
Suo Guanshan also inquired about Lin An's knowledge of plants. He had seen many beautiful flowers on the island recently and was inspired to create a work centered around flowers for a competition.
Lin An remembered Boss He's participation in the competition and invited Suo Guanshan to come and see: "In a few days, I'm going to the Hundred Flowers Competition with a friend. The types and quality of flowers there are definitely higher than those in the market and some wildflowers. You can come and take a look."
Suo Guanshan nodded and asked for the specific date of the competition.
Lin An added, "But they are all artificially cultivated. They may not have the wild quality of the flowers you've seen on the island these days."
Suo Guanshan waved his hand, saying, "It's okay, I want that stunning effect, as long as it looks good. The beauty of the wild is something even if I experience, I might not be able to carve out. Such mysterious things require a master."
"Okay, it's a deal then. We'll go together in a few days."
After Lin An and Suo Guanshan finished their conversation, they turned to see Nian Wenran dipping into the sauce...
Taking advantage of his long reach, Lin An easily scooped some vegetables into the clear soup side and continued to pick some for Nian Wenran.
Lin An had noticed that Nian Wenran seemed particularly shy in crowded places, and her timid nature grew bolder when they were alone.
For example, during today's sea trip, Nian Wenran didn't hesitate to tease him, showing no signs of being an introverted girl.
While Lin An and the other two brothers were engaged in a lively conversation, he suddenly felt something square being placed in his hand. Looking down, it was a carton of milk.
Nian Wenran pointed to her phone, signaling Lin An to check the message.
Lin An smoothly opened his phone and saw a message from Nian Wenran in the chat window.
Nian Xiao Wang: This is the only box of milk. Take it discreetly, and don't say it's from me. I don't have any more.
(/ω＼)
She really is cute.
Then, with a calm expression, he used a straw to puncture the milk box and started drinking. The people at the table didn't notice the little situation between these two and continued chatting enthusiastically.
After finishing the meal, Lin An initially thought about cleaning up and doing the dishes. However, the director's team said they would handle everything today, and the guests could just go rest.
Experiencing care from the production team for the first time, Lin An suddenly felt a bit unaccustomed.
"Well, Lin An, how about we go out for a stroll?"
Seeing Nian Wenran looking a bit constrained and nervous, Lin An couldn't help but tease her a bit. Suddenly, Lin An moved, closing the distance between him and Nian Wenran.
"Nian Wenran, are you asking me out?"
Nian Wenran's face visibly turned red, and her speech became stuttered, "I, I, I'm not, but also, but I..." As she looked at Lin An with a mischievous grin, Nian Wenran felt both angry and shy. "You're going too far!"
Lin An's current expression gave him a somewhat roguish appearance, especially since he didn't often smile. This sudden change made him unusually charming to Nian Wenran.
Lin An continued to smile at Nian Wenran, who remained silent. At first, she glared back at him with a hint of anger, but soon she succumbed, and her gaze swiftly turned away.
"So, are you coming or not?"
Combined with her current tone and expression, she looked exceptionally cute. The goddess who usually appeared cool and introverted suddenly became shy, and Lin An couldn't resist the charm of this adorable contrast.
Lin An instinctively raised his hand and gently touched Nian Wenran's head. Seeing Nian Wenran looking at him with a cute expression, he awkwardly coughed twice, "Let's go, why not. It's a good opportunity to digest."
After walking a few steps, Lin An noticed that Nian Wenran hadn't caught up and was standing there foolishly. He turned around and made a "come here" gesture towards her, saying, "Hurry up, Little Red Puppy."
Nian Wenran snapped back to reality and quickly caught up, playfully hitting Lin An's back, "No, it's you who's red! Stinky An!"
"I didn't say your face is red; I'm wishing you become famous. Someone seems to be reading too much into it." Lin An said seriously.
"You you you..."
"Me me me, blah blah blah."
"You childish devil!"
***
The two of them continued to bicker and playfully circled around the cabin. As they were about to return to their room, Lin An leaned in and whispered to Nian Wenran's ear, "I remember the captain said someone is my girlfriend today, and someone didn't seem to deny it, huh?"
With a loud slam, the room door was abruptly closed.
Wow, she's strong. Good thing I'm agile!
Lin An instinctively touched his nose. However, he was in a good mood at the moment, humming a tune as he returned to the room to rest.
In the second-floor living room, Lu Ruifeng, playing games with Dao Huiqing, curiously asked, "What's up with Brother Lin today? Why so happy?"
Dao Huiqing revealed a meaningful smile, "Spring has come, and Brother Lin is about to bloom."
"Bloom? What is he blooming, and hey, sister, it's summer now."
Dao Huiqing tapped Lu Ruifeng's head, "Focus on the game, we might lose."
"Ah!!! Our crystal!"
***
The letter-writing segment continued as usual, and the relationships among the guests gradually stabilized. Even with eyes closed, one could easily guess who would write to whom; there was no suspense.
However, a slight variable appeared tonight. The newly joined actress, Xia Jubai, wrote a letter to the male lead, Wen Jiusi.
This small change didn't attract much attention, especially since the new guest had joined recently, and more variables meant more excitement for the audience.
However, Su Nuo's fans weren't too pleased; some even developed a slight dislike for the actress.
After all, Su Nuo's feelings for Wen Jiusi were quite straightforward. Su Nuo's fans were rational for the most part, occasionally questioning whether the actress was just seeking attention. Other fans pretended not to acknowledge her existence and continued praising Su Nuo.
Su Nuo's fans were probably spot-on; Xia Jubai's move was indeed an attempt to gain popularity. Although it might not necessarily be positive attention, fame was crucial for those in the entertainment industry.
However, after Xia Jubai unexpectedly won an award, she stopped seeking attention. Timing, location, and the right people – she concealed her ambitions well. Few could perceive the ambition hidden beneath her indifference to fame and wealth temperament.
Except for Lin An.
One night passed, and the guests welcomed a new day.
The tasks for these two days involved salvaging ocean garbage. However, on the second day, the approach changed. The production team brought in a specialized diving instructor to teach the guests diving techniques.
When the director asked who could dive, several guests raised their hands, indicating that they had diving certificates.
Lin An glanced around and noticed that half of the guests could dive. What surprised him was that even Nian Wenran could dive.
Lin An quietly gave Nian Wenran a thumbs up. This small gesture was seen clearly by the audience in the livestream room.
「kswl, aww, so sweet!」
【KSWL is an internet slang acronym in Chinese that stands for Kāixīn sǐ wǒ le [开心死我了], which can be translated to "I'm so happy that I could die of happiness" in English. It's often used to express extreme joy or excitement】
「Thanks for the invitation. I've been feeling full since yesterday」
「This couple is so sweet!!!」
Except for Nian Wenran, who couldn't dive, the other guests who could dive put on their gear and went underwater one by one.
Only Lin An, Lu Ruifeng, Suo Guanshan, and Xia Jubai were diligently learning from the instructor.
Lin An and Xia Jubai were particularly serious about learning. Lin An felt that if there's an opportunity to learn for free, he should make the most of it.
He was naturally quick at learning things, especially when it involved using his limbs, which could be considered a bit of a talent. After all, he almost became a special sports student in his earlier years.
While Lin An was immersed in learning and training, Nian Wenran stayed by his side, holding a small umbrella.
For Lin An, the day passed by very quickly. Engrossed in learning, he temporarily didn't pay attention to Nian Wenran. It wasn't until the morning training session ended that he noticed Nian Wenran had been there the whole time.
"The sun is too harsh. Stay in the cabin at noon," Lin An said, looking at Nian Wenran, who had a thin layer of sweat on her forehead, giving her firm instructions.
"No."
"Listen to me."
"I want to watch you train."
"What's there to watch? Isn't it better to stay inside?"
"Good figure..." Nian Wenran suddenly stopped.
Lin An chuckled, looking at Nian Wenran, "Comrade Nian Xiao Wang, something's off with you."
Nian Wenran made a funny face at Lin An, "Blah blah blah, you heard it wrong!"
"Alright, alright, I heard it wrong." Lin An packed up his backpack, casually taking Nian Wenran's umbrella, "Let's go, time to eat."
The afternoon learning session was similar to the morning one. Lin An didn't find it tedious, especially with someone accompanying him.
He had grasped the basic techniques, and tomorrow, with the director's guidance, Lin An could start his underwater work.
However, Lu Ruifeng struggled. It seemed like he had invested all his talent points in singing and songwriting. After a day of learning, he still wasn't proficient. The director dared not let him dive after seeing his learning progress.
Lu Ruifeng looked pitifully at Dao Huiqing, "Sister, I can only rely on you, sorry."
Dao Huiqing didn't mind and rubbed Lu Ruifeng's little head, comforting him, "It's okay, I'm pretty good at diving."
Apart from that, a major highlight of today's show was the small interactions between Suo Guanshan and Xia Jubai during the learning session. Lin An was too absorbed in his studies to notice Suo Guanshan's situation.
Even if he had noticed, Lin An wouldn't say anything. After all, it didn't seem appropriate for a grown man to comment on a girl. They were all adults, and everyone needed to exercise good judgment. Lin An trusted Old Guan's judgment.
In comparison to the educational atmosphere on Lin An's side, the scene with the other guests seemed much more poetic and picturesque.
Especially Su Nuo and Wen Jiusi.
The two roamed hand in hand in the beautiful underwater world. Fishes swam around them playfully, watching sea anemones sway with the water flow, and occasionally, mischievously stirring up the sand under the sea to amuse the photographers.
During their dive, the two also picked up many cans and dusty plastic bottles hidden in the crevices of rocks. The most surprising find was a beautiful glass bottle.
Su Nuo studied it for a while before realizing it was a message in a bottle, seemingly intentionally thrown into the sea by someone.
This message in a bottle was also an important token of affection for the main characters, contributing to their deepening understanding of each other while unraveling its secrets. Therefore, this dift bottle could be considered a catalyst for their relationship.
When they brought the bottle back to the cabin, Lin An and Nian Wenran happened to be having dinner.
As soon as Lin An saw the bottle, the plot involving it immediately flashed in his mind. However, Lin An had no intention of helping them unravel the mystery.
If he intervened, it might complicate the development of the main characters' relationship. Lin An had already caused quite a stir since coming here; he didn't dare to let the little butterfly flap its wings again.
But sometimes, what you fear might come true.
Before Lin An could finish his thoughts, he heard Su Nuo ask, "Lin An, should we open this bottle and take a look?"
"Up to you. You found the bottle; you decide." Lin An thought his answer was quite prudent.
"You're dodging the question." Su Nuo looked at Lin An with a speechless expression. "I thought you had some ideas since you've been staring at this bottle."
Lin An could only fake a smile to hide his guilt, "Haha, I just think the bottle looks nice."
Nian Wenran, a bit puzzled, asked Su Nuo, "Since you've found it, it means you have a connection with the bottle. Why not open it and see?"
"This bottle is a message in a bottle, but Wen Jiusi and I discussed it and think that the owner intentionally sank the bottle into the sea. It indicates that they didn't want anyone to know the contents inside. But we're curious."
Nian Wenran thought for a moment and found Su Nuo's reasoning reasonable, "I thought this bottle sank on its own. Thinking about opening it, maybe the owner wrote an unfinished wish or a touching love message inside. Perhaps we can find them and help them fulfill their wish or hear about that beautiful love story."
Su Nuo's eyes lit up as he listened, "Wenran, you're right!"