Chapter 46 Tipsy.

Chapter 46: Tipsy

"Pfft," Shen Tong burst out laughing, making no attempt to hide her schadenfreude. "I heard everything clearly from the sidelines. Yu Xin warned you, but you refused to believe him and even suspected he had ill intentions. Now it seems like…"

She didn't finish, but everyone understood she meant they had brought it upon themselves.

[Shen Tong's right. Yu Xin tried to stop them. These two didn't listen—who can they blame?]

[These two lack common sense, but they're quite skilled at playing the blame game.]

"I didn't…" Yu Ning mumbled, his large, watery eyes scanning the others, trying to use his usual vulnerable, pitiful demeanor to win their trust and sympathy.

But his once-unfailing tactic failed him here. The other guests watched the drama unfold, none offering support. Even Qin Shizhen, usually the most good-natured and kind to him, now looked at him with disapproval.

"Too, too disgusting," Ye Ran had long lost his initial bravado. His face was pale as he furiously wiped his lips. "You—you're lying, right? It can't be true!"

"I'd say enough is enough. Yu Xin warned you not to eat it, but you didn't listen. When things went wrong, you accused Yu Xin of tampering with it. When he explained, you claimed he was lying. What reason would Yu Xin have to lie to you?"

Sheng Xingyao spoke bluntly. Yu Ning, who had never been spoken to like this before, flushed crimson.

This time, he could barely maintain his composure in front of the camera, glaring resentfully at Yu Xin.

This was all Yu Xin's fault! If not for Yu Xin, why would he have joined this awful show? How could he have been so humiliated?

He had completely forgotten that he was the one who had begged Yu's eldest brother to join the show, determined to prove himself superior to Yu Xin. Yet, ironically, he was the one who ended up looking utterly incompetent.

But Yu Ning had become utterly fixated. He couldn't stand to see Yu Xin thrive. Every misfortune in his life was attributed to Yu Xin. Yet, unlike before, Yu Xin no longer allowed himself to be manipulated. In their recent confrontations, Yu Ning always came out worse. Now, even Ye Ran, whom he had painstakingly won over, had grown distant.

And it was all because of Yu Xin!

His gaze toward Yu Xin grew increasingly venomous, though he didn't realize it himself—his eyes seemed to drip with poison.

[Is it just my imagination… Yu Ning's expression is terrifying right now…]

[I feel it too. The way he's looking at Yu Xin—it's like they have some deep-seated grudge.]

[What happened to the kind little angel? He doesn't look like one at all now…]

Yu Ning couldn't suppress his intense stare at Yu Xin, his hidden malice swelling to an almost uncontrollable degree. Suddenly, he felt a profound chill.

Startled, he snapped back to reality and locked eyes with another person.

It was the man who had accompanied them. He stood silently behind Yu Xin, his face obscured in the shadows, but his glass-like eyes now revealed an inorganic coldness, devoid of emotion, staring at Yu Ning as if he weren't looking at a living person.

He was warning him.

Like being targeted by an unfeeling, massive cold weapon, Yu Ning dared not breathe, a thin layer of cold sweat breaking out on his back.

He had a feeling that, in the presence of this man named Ji Yixing, his life meant absolutely nothing.

The man stood behind Yu Xin, his tall frame subtly enveloping him like a silent shadow, his protective stance unmistakably clear.

Yu Ning reluctantly averted his gaze, his palms now slick with cold sweat.

He clenched his fists, his heart seething with indignation. Why? He and Yu Xin had only known each other for a few days, yet this man was so fiercely protective of him. What tactics had Yu Xin used to win him over?

Just like the other guests on this show, they were all blindly siding with Yu Xin. He was clearly the more likable one!

Yu Xin keenly sensed the shift in atmosphere around him and turned back in confusion. Ji Yixing wore a gentle, harmless expression, tilting his head slightly as if puzzled by Yu Xin's sudden turn.

Was it just his imagination?

Never mind. Yu Xin didn't dwell on it. After confirming everything was fine, he turned back.

By this point, Yu Ning and Ye Ran had lost all face and dignity. Too ashamed to continue arguing, they hurried back to their tent.

The other guests paid them no further mind, continuing to chat and laugh as they went about their tasks, completely unaffected by the earlier drama.

In the end, Qin Shizhen felt a pang of pity and brought them the leftover corn from the morning. Whether they ate it or not was up to them.

Tonight, the sky was nearly clear, with a bright moon hanging high, casting a soft, ethereal glow. The gentle sound of waves lapped the shore in soothing, rhythmic cadences, almost magical to the ear.

The moonlit sand looked even paler and finer, with coconut tree shadows swaying upon it. The cool sea breeze dispelled the day's heat, and fireflies flickered in the nearby jungle.

The guests gathered around the bonfire, having finished the sake that accompanied the sashimi. The warmth from the alcohol dissipated quickly in the night breeze, leaving everyone in a pleasantly tipsy state. Bathed in the serene night, they felt utterly at ease.

Yu Xin had also drunk some. His body, after rebirth, had a low tolerance for alcohol. After just a few cups, his cheeks were flushed, and his eyes sparkled with a hazy gleam.

In the firelight, he revealed a rare side of himself, leaving the others almost mesmerized.

Sheng Xingyao stared intently, leaning in without thinking: "Yu Xin—"

After calling his name, he wasn't sure what to say next, so he simply held out his cup: "Let me taste your sake. I want some too."

Yu Xin glanced at him. Sheng Xingyao's eyes were glazed over, fixed directly on him. Clearly, he had also had quite a bit to drink. Yu Xin took Sheng Xingyao's cup and poured him half a glass.

With a flick of his wrist, feeling in good spirits, he was about to pour himself some more.

A hand reached out from beside him, grasping his wrist to stop him. He followed the arm and saw it was Ji Yixing.

Ji Yixing held his wrist firmly, looking at him: "You've had enough for today. Any more and you'll feel unwell tomorrow."

Yu Xin was still fairly lucid but felt like being stubborn. He tried to twist his wrist free but couldn't break the grip. He looked discontentedly at the person holding him: "Let go."

The slender, pale wrist squirmed like a fish in his hand. Ji Yixing tightened his grip slightly, his expression shifting to one of helplessness, with a hint of barely perceptible indulgence: "Yu Xin, listen to me."

Nearby, Sheng Xingyao had already finished the half-cup Yu Xin poured for him. His vision was blurry, everything appearing double. He shook his head and widened his eyes, staring at the two of them. Hesitantly, he said, "You, you two… why are you holding hands…?"

Ji Yixing, Yu Xin: "…"

Yu Xin's eyes cleared up a bit. He twisted his wrist again, and Ji Yixing released the slender arm, coughing lightly.

Yu Xin rubbed his forehead: "I really might have had a bit too much."

He put away the sake cup, but Sheng Xingyao persisted, staring at them and waiting for an explanation from either Yu Xin or Ji Yixing.

Impatient, Yu Xin pushed away the head leaning toward him: "You're drunk. You're seeing things."

Sheng Xingyao's head followed his hand: "…Oh."

Someone else approached from further down the beach—a crew member. At first, he thought it was someone summoned by Yu Ning, but the person walked straight toward their group.

"Mr. Ji." The staff member approached, holding a communicator, and addressed him respectfully: "There's something we need to inform you about."

"Alright." Ji Yixing stood up and followed him to the side.

A moment later, Ji Yixing returned, his expression more serious. He said to everyone, "There's something I need to attend to. I'll have to leave for a while."

The most sober among them, Qin Shizhen, stood up: "Mr. Ji, is everything alright?"

"It's nothing serious, just something I need to handle personally," Ji Yixing explained as he walked over to Yu Xin and crouched down in front of him.

"Yu Xin?" he said softly.

Yu Xin heard Ji Yixing's words. Though his head was a bit dizzy, it didn't affect his understanding. "Ji-ge, are you leaving?"

"I'll only be gone for a while. I'll be back," Ji Yixing said, looking him in the eye. "Take good care of yourself while I'm away."

As he spoke, he took something off his own neck and carefully placed it around Yu Xin's.

The object was small, black, metallic, and still warm from Ji Yixing's body heat. He tucked it securely into Yu Xin's collar.

Yu Xin reached up to remove it and examine it. "What did you give me?"

His fingers traced an oval-shaped object, smooth and rounded. Ji Yixing stopped his hand. "It's just a bug-repellent charm. Keep it on, don't take it off. Just humor me."

Ji Yixing put on his black jacket and took one last look back before leaving. Yu Xin waved cheerfully, beaming. "Goodbye, Ji-ge."

He looked completely unfazed.

Ji Yixing turned away, ignoring the sudden urge to stay that sprung up inside him.

It had only been a few days, yet he already felt reluctant to leave. He thought it was ridiculous.

Ji Yixing left.

Of the remaining group, aside from Qin Shizhen and the relatively sober Yu Xin, most were worse for wear. Sheng Xingyao's eyes were dazed, and Shen Tong had buried her face in Ruan Qing's arms, refusing to lift her head.

Qin Shizhen shook his head helplessly, herded everyone back into their tents, quickly cleaned up where they'd eaten, and then went to rest as well.

The next day.

The sun was high in the sky, and it was late morning when the guests began to emerge from their tents one by one.

Yu Xin had also overslept and missed his usual morning workout. Although he had stopped drinking in time the night before, his body, having gone so long without alcohol in both his lifetimes, was still somewhat unaccustomed to it.

His head felt foggy and heavy. In his daze, a memory flashed before his eyes—someone stopping his hand as he poured wine yesterday.

Ji Yixing?

Right, he had left last night.

He glanced around the campsite and, sure enough, the tall figure that was usually around was gone.

It seemed Ji Yixing had given him something. The pendant around his neck suddenly felt very conspicuous. Yu Xin took it out and examined it carefully. The black pendant was small, and he couldn't tell what it was for.

He vaguely remembered Ji Yixing saying it was for repelling insects. Yu Xin turned it over and over but couldn't figure out how it worked.

Oh well, he never really understood these interstellar gadgets anyway. If Ji Yixing said it repelled insects, he might as well keep it on.

Even with Ji Yixing gone, the show had to go on.

Today, they planned to explore the jungle to see what food they could find. Although seafood was delicious, eating it every day wasn't practical. Moreover, this deserted island had just as abundant land resources as marine ones.

The guests had become quite adept at helping Yu Xin set traps. Yu Xin selected a location and carefully observed the surrounding environment.

There were many ways to track animals in the wild—footprints, the state of vegetation, droppings, and more. Yu Xin set up several small traps where the vegetation was most trampled.

Nearby, mud smears on the trunk of a shrub indicated that an animal, not too small, definitely not a pheasant or rabbit, had rubbed against it.

There was a pond nearby where many animals came to drink or bathe.

Yu Xin guessed it might be a wild boar or a young deer. For this reason, he set up an extra-large, sturdy trap nearby, waiting for prey to walk into it.

Once the traps were set, all that was left was to return to camp and check the traps the next day.

Back at the camp, he encountered someone he didn't want to see.

It was Yu Ning. Surprisingly, he hadn't brought his companion Ye Ran this time and had come alone to find Yu Xin.

Yu Xin couldn't believe that after the humiliation Yu Ning suffered yesterday, he dared to show up again as if nothing happened.

That took some nerve.

But Yu Xin had no intention of engaging with him. Why bother asking for trouble for no reason? He pretended not to see him and walked around him.

"Yu Xin!" Yu Ning hadn't expected to be ignored and quickly called out to him. Yu Xin pretended not to hear and kept walking.

"Can we talk one last time? Just the two of us," Yu Ning pleaded, catching up with him. "I promise it's the last time. I won't bother you again."

This time, he spoke normally, without deliberately using that fake innocent tone.

"I don't think we have anything left to discuss," Yu Xin said coldly, not even looking at him.

"Don't you want to know about that matter?" Yu Ning deliberately spoke vaguely, leaving plenty of room for speculation. "The one you asked me about before you left home. I can tell you now."

"Let's go somewhere without cameras. I'll tell you everything."

Yu Xin turned and stared at him for a moment. The scrutinizing gaze made Yu Ning nervous. He realized he no longer understood Yu Xin's thoughts at all.

Before, just a few words from him would have hooked Yu Xin.

Just as Yu Ning thought Yu Xin would refuse, Yu Xin suddenly spoke. "One last time."

"Okay, lead the way."

-----------------------

Author's Note: I was down with gastroenteritis for two whole days QAQ… Everyone, please be careful what you eat in the summer, don't be like me (regretfully).

Thank you all so much for your support, I will continue to work hard!