Chapter 37: A Smelly Live Stream

Chapter 37: A Truly Smelly Livestream

Zhou Yun was utterly incapable of resisting a challenge; the moment he was compared to Fu Zeyu, his intellect instantly plummeted.

Chu Yan had noticed early on, when Fu Zeyu first appeared, that these two were at odds, like sworn enemies.

And just like that, it was easy to manipulate them.

Though Zhou Yun grumbled and cursed, Chu Yan effortlessly ignited his competitive drive against Fu Zeyu. The house-picking round had clearly been a loss for Zhou Yun, and as he stared at the dilapidated house, he resolved to crush Fu Zeyu in the subsequent challenges.

However, because they were far away, by the time Chu Yan and Zhou Yun returned to the meeting point, everyone else had already arrived.

It was worth noting that the other four guests had quite decent accommodations—especially House No. 1, a super comfortable, luxurious villa that belonged to the village chief.

"Now, please draw lots once more," the director’s voice rang out from amidst the crew. "Please note, this draw is crucial. The upcoming task will be a paired challenge, and your success or failure will directly determine what you eat for dinner tonight. So, pick wisely."

"Just like before, those who draw matching numbered balls will automatically form a team. Additionally, different numbers correspond to different tasks. Now, please come forward to draw your balls."

Zhou Yun and Fu Zeyu were both eager, while Chu Yan and Lu Zhaoyang remained calm. Since this was a livestream, dragging things out would only hurt the show’s pacing, so the draw concluded quickly.

Chu Yan looked at the No. 1 ball in his hand, then at Fu Zeyu beside him, who was side-eyeing him—holding an identical No. 1 ball.

Perfect. He’d been paired with his ex-fiancé’s uncle. Talk about awkward.

Zhou Yun, on the other hand, let out a relieved sigh. He’d drawn Lu Zhaoyang as his partner—both had No. 2 balls. As long as it wasn’t Fu Zeyu or Chu Yan, he could deal with it.

The remaining pair was Li Wenzhang and Xu Meng, holding No. 3 balls. Li Wenzhang was as amiable as ever, while Xu Meng’s face was tight, though she was doing her best to maintain her elegant goddess image.

"Now, let’s announce the tasks for each group."

No. 3 Group Task: Help the villagers herd ducks and return them to their pen within the allotted time.

It didn’t sound too difficult—maybe even a bit fun. But Chu Yan, who’d spent time in rural areas, could only pray for the beautiful older sister that there weren’t too many ducks. Otherwise, they might still be chasing them by nightfall.

Next was the No. 1 Group Task: Feed the pigs and shovel pig manure.

"Pfft—HAHAHAHA! Oh my god, feeding pigs?! HAHAHA! Fu Zeyu, you’re actually gonna shovel pig shit?! HAHAHA—"

Before the director could even finish, Zhou Yun burst into uncontrollable laughter, pointing at Fu Zeyu, whose face had turned green, and doubling over in amusement. The livestream audience was also dying laughing—though it was a bit mean, they couldn’t help but want to see the lofty young master of a wealthy family shoveling pig manure.

Fu Zeyu clenched his jaw, shooting death glares at Zhou Yun, who was laughing so hard he could barely breathe. A million curses raced through his mind.

Chu Yan, meanwhile, looked just as horrified.

But clearly, Zhou Yun had spoken too soon—the production team wasn’t about to spare anyone.

No. 2 Group Task: Carry manure and fertilize the vegetable fields.

"Pfft—"

This time, it was Chu Yan who couldn’t hold back his laughter. Not long ago, he’d actually imagined making Second Young Master Zhou carry manure. Had he somehow developed a knack for jinxing people?

"HAHAHA! Second Young Master Zhou, why aren’t you laughing now? Is it because it’s not funny anymore? HAHAHA! Carrying manure—who even came up with this?! Making Second Young Master Zhou carry manure?! HAHAHA—"

Now it was Zhou Yun’s turn to stop laughing, while Fu Zeyu felt slightly better. The production team had managed to traumatize both young masters equally.

But everyone had underestimated the show’s creativity—they weren’t just out to mess with the two rich young masters. They were out to mess with *everyone*.

Inside a massive pigpen, the ground was littered with food scraps mixed with pig waste. Dozens of large white pigs rolled around, their grunts audible from a distance, along with the overwhelming, gut-churning stink of manure.

Four impeccably dressed men stood at the entrance of the pigpen, listening as the staff explained their tasks. The sight of the mess and the unbearable stench had them ready to quit.

Chu Yan and Fu Zeyu were responsible for feeding the pigs—who were currently rolling around in their own filth—and shoveling out the manure.

Zhou Yun and Lu Zhaoyang had to carry the manure shoveled out by the first two and spread it over a distant vegetable field.

Only those who completed their tasks would earn the right to select ingredients for dinner. The first team to finish would pick first, with the number of ingredients determined by their ranking: six, three, or one portion. If no team finished within the allotted time, they’d get nothing.

What if they had no ingredients for dinner?

Well, they’d just have to go hungry.

The words *"Extreme Makeover: Home Edition"* flashed through both Zhou Yun and Fu Zeyu’s minds simultaneously. Their brothers *had* to have signed them up for some twisted version of a reality transformation show.

"Gag—"

"Gag—GAG—"

The area around the pigpen was filled with retching sounds—not just from the four guests, but even the crew members were gagging behind their masks. The stench was so overpowering that even masks couldn’t block it.

"I'll starve first!"

Fu Zeyu immediately gave up. There was no way to even step into the pigpen without sinking into filth, and even if he could, he was afraid the pigs would trample him.

"I can skip one meal. I refuse to believe the production team would actually let a young master like me go hungry."

This was the first time in over twenty years that Zhou Yun and Fu Zeyu had stood on the same side. There was no way they were doing this.

Who were they? The pampered rich kids of elite families. Shoveling pig shit? Carrying manure? What genius had come up with this? The audacity!

But just as they were all gagging, the livestream audience noticed something—Chu Yan had somehow already put on a mask and a professional work uniform.

Without missing a beat, Chu Yan first circled the pigpen, locating the pig feed prepared by the farm owner. Then, efficiently, he poured bucket after bucket into the feeding troughs. The pigs, previously rolling in filth, immediately scrambled toward the food like ravenous beasts. The viewers were on edge, afraid the pigs would knock Chu Yan over—but he stood his ground coolly, not a hint of the spoiled young master’s arrogance.

No—even the audience at home couldn’t have remained that composed. After all, not many people had experience feeding pigs nowadays.

Wait… did he actually know what he was doing?

Once the pigs were busy eating, Chu Yan leisurely picked up a shovel and stepped into the pen. The floor was smooth concrete, with drainage channels along the edges. All he had to do was shovel from one end to the other.

By the time Fu Zeyu and the others noticed the ruckus had died down, Chu Yan had already cleared a significant portion of the pen. The livestream chat blew up with shock.

"What the hell? Why does Chu Yan look so skilled? Wasn’t he raised in a wealthy family?"

"My family owns a pig farm—I swear, his shoveling technique is by the book. And the way he fed the pigs was even smoother. He didn’t even look disgusted, like he’d done this before."

"Holy crap, he’s so handsome *and* professional? I think I’m doing a 180 from hater to love!"

"He’s seriously dedicated. Is this really the same useless, pathetic simp from the rumors?"

The confusion wasn’t limited to the audience—Zhou Yun and Fu Zeyu were equally stumped.

"How does he know how to do this? Has he done it before?"

But that was impossible. Fu Zeyu wasn’t close to Chu Yan, but everyone knew how Chu Yan had spent his childhood fawning over Fu Hongan. Fu Zeyu had even seen it firsthand a few times at home. Chu Yan was definitely the spoiled brat type—yes, he was a lovestruck fool, but the Chu family wouldn’t have abused him like this, right?

The fact that Chu Yan had willingly stepped into a pigpen full of filth was weird as is. But his skills? So naturally, so skillfully—it was totally unreal.

"No way… he actually raised pigs before, just to impress Fu Hongan?"

Zhou Yun blurted out his outlandish theory, only for Fu Zeyu to nod solemnly—after all, this guy was capable of any foolish act to win over his nephew.

The live-stream audience lost it laughing at their absurd conclusion. Why would anyone raise pigs to chase after a wealthy young master? What kind of batshit crazy idea was that?

But curiosity aside, there was no way they were doing this job.

Exchanging a glance, the two silver spoon boys reached another silent agreement—they found a shady spot far from the pigpen to camp out under a tree, even requesting extra masks from the crew to protect their delicate noses from the stench.

"If he wants to do it, let him."

Fu Zeyu was convinced his nephew’s ex-fiancé must have lost his marbles from the rejection.

Zhou Yun nodded vigorously—only someone with a screw loose would take on such a task.

Soon enough, a second "screw loose" individual appeared—Lu Zhaoyang.

He had been feeling dejected. Though Chu Yan seemed kicked out of high society, he was still once a true young master. Their group had three of them—only Lu Zhaoyang was the outsider.

The world of these spoiled rich kids was one he couldn’t blend into. He had planned to quietly complete the task, only to find it unbearably difficult. Worse, he had no idea how to do any of it. Then, he noticed Chu Yan silently picking up the shovel.

Why would a young master stoop to such labor? How could he remain so composed under public ridicule? How, after falling from grace, could he still be so resilient?

The long-depressed Lu Zhaoyang suddenly felt inspired.

He grabbed an unfamiliar carrying pole, suppressing his nausea as he approached the manure pit—overflowing with filth from the pigpen.

It was disgusting. It stank. But Lu Zhaoyang clumsily tried anyway. After much effort and several retches, he barely managed to fill two buckets. Yet, he had no idea how to use the carrying pole. The comments section blew up with instructions, but he couldn’t see them. After much fumbling, he finally hoisted the pole onto his shoulders—only to realize the buckets swayed wildly once lifted.

In his panic, the two manure-filled buckets swung uncontrollably, splattering everywhere and throwing him off balance. After a few unsteady steps, the once-glamorous idol ate shit spectacularly, tumbling onto the ground—drenched in pig shit.

"Yue—"

"Yue—"

This was a fragrant broadcast. The production team wasn’t just torturing the six guests—they were torturing everyone.

Even the usually subdued Lu Zhaoyang completely lost his cool. His shoes, his pants—everything was ruined. *Aaaaah, he was dirty!*

It had been years since he’d last been this frantic.

His anti-fans in the live chat mocked him relentlessly, while his few loyal fans watched their idol’s miserable state with hearts breaking.

"It’s been so long since we’ve seen him this *alive*... I want to cry."

"Feels wrong to say, but I’m almost grateful to the show. Our bright, cheerful boy has been like a zombie these past few years. Today, he finally has some spark again..."

"Stay strong, bro. We’ve always believed in you. We’ve been waiting."

Though their comments were quickly drowned out by ridicule, the fans didn’t care. They’d endured years of this.

The audience laughed. The two young masters lounging in the distance laughed until they were breathless—until Fu Zeyu needled Zhou Yun that if Lu Zhaoyang failed, they’d all go hungry. Only then did Zhou Yun’s laughter die in his throat.

Fu Zeyu grinned smugly. Score another point for him.

From afar, they watched Chu Yan working like a machine in the pigpen. While they’d been lounging like royalty under the tree for over an hour, he hadn’t rested once. Say what you will, but the guy wasn’t the total waste of space people said.

"Hey," Zhou Yun suddenly spoke up. "Did your family break off the engagement because he wasn’t the Chu family’s real son?"

"The hell?" Fu Zeyu scoffed. "The Fu family has no need to be that shallow."

With the Fu family’s status, a powerful alliance through marriage was ideal—but if they truly liked someone, they wouldn’t force themselves into a marriage of convenience just for status.

"Hmph. Then your nephew must have terrible taste."

Zhou Yun felt torn. He used to despise Chu Yan for being a pathetic simp who lost himself over a man. But today’s performance was... unexpected. At the very least, Chu Yan was doing something Zhou Yun would *never* stoop to.

Fu Zeyu studied Chu Yan—his figure, his face, all first-rate. And today’s performance was actually kinda badass. Being liked by someone like him should’ve been flattering. So why did his nephew hate him so much?

It was beyond him. But what puzzled Fu Zeyu more was the inexplicable chill creeping over him in this sweltering heat. Not a refreshing coolness—but the kind that made his hairs stand on end.

Unbeknownst to him, Zhou Yun felt the same.

An inexplicable unease settled in, as if something terrifying was watching them.

Was it guilt?

They *were* in the same group, after all. Their teammate had been working hard for nearly two hours while they lounged under a tree. But... since when were they the type to feel guilty?

The answer came when the director hurried over, phone in hand.

"Who the hell’s calling me in broad daylight?" Fu Zeyu grumbled, eyeing the grinning director. "Thought we weren’t allowed phones. Hypocrite."

"Xiao Si, enjoying the shade?"

That voice. That lazy, unhurried tone—

Fu Zeyu leaped up from the lounge chair, hands trembling around the phone.

"Th—Third Brother! What brings you...?"

The voice remained leisurely. "Is this what you call *good behavior*?"

"I’ll get to work right now!" Fu Zeyu snapped to attention, putting on his best brown-nosing smile. "I’ll shovel that pig manure spotless! I swear!"

"Shoveling pig shit? That’s *my* specialty!"

Zhou Yun stared as if he’d seen a ghost. "Fu Zeyu, are you possessed?"

Hanging up, Fu Zeyu looked like a man condemned. "Worse than possession."

"Who could scare *you* like that?" Zhou Yun leaned in, curiosity piqued. Anything that rattled his rival was worth knowing.

"My third brother," Fu Zeyu whispered.

Zhou Yun’s eyes widened. Then, instinctively, he also lowered his voice. "You mean... *that* third brother? The Fu family’s... family boogeyman?"

It wasn’t surprising Zhou Yun knew of him. In their circles, Fu Junhang’s reputation was infamous—his name synonymous with *do not provoke*. But Zhou Yun’s understanding ran deeper than most, because he’d *met* the man. His eldest brother was acquainted with him—on decent terms, no less.

He still remembered their first encounter. He’d been sixteen or seventeen, visiting his brother at the company. As he approached the office, agonized screams tore through the half-open door. Trembling, he peeked inside—

A man knelt on the floor, hands bound. A polished black dress shoe pressed down on his fingers, grinding relentlessly into the bloody mess.

The man screamed bloody murder. The shoe’s owner, however, sat casually on the sofa, cigarette in hand. His face was turned away, but his silhouette alone made Zhou Yun’s blood run cold.

The screams lasted minutes. Zhou Yun stood frozen—not by choice, but because his legs might as well have been rooted.

And at that moment, the owner of the leather shoes slowly turned his head, revealing a face more handsome than Zhou Yun had ever imagined. But all Zhou Yun remembered was its coldness and madness, especially those eyes—so beautiful yet instantly enveloping him in an icy grip, as if that single glance had frozen every cell in his body.

"Had enough, kid?"

The man let out a low chuckle, sending chills down Zhou Yun’s spine, choking him with the dread of a predator toying with its prey.

Honestly, it was the first time in his life he’d met someone so terrifying. The aura was simply overwhelming—he wouldn’t dare get within five meters of him.

Later, Zhou Yun learned that man was the Fu family's infamous so-called madman, Fu Junhang—also his elder brother’s (Big Bro) friend.

The fact that his brother could be friends with someone like that only made Zhou Yun admire him even more.

Actually, because of his brother, Zhou Yun had encountered Fu Junhang a few more times later, but he never dared to get close. His fear of this man was carved into his bones, so he completely understood Fu Zeyu’s exaggerated reaction earlier.

Just as Zhou Yun was still reeling from the shock, Fu Zeyu ducked back in before leaving and whispered a warning.

"One more secret—this show? My third brother sent me here. Take that as you will."

Zhou Yun’s scalp prickled. So… his own brother had sent him here because of Fu Zeyu’s third brother?

Oh shit, oh shit!

"I’ll go shovel pig manure! I can do it, I’m capable—I’m the goddamn manure-shoveling MVP!"

Chat: THEY'RE POSSESSED!! Those rich boys are 100% haunted!!