Chapter 10: The Strange Birthday Photograph

By evening, everyone had returned. Aside from Zhang Qidong, who remained leisurely, the others were not in high spirits, appearing as if they were still under the influence of the "zero-point moment."

The production team had set up a long dining table in the courtyard for the evening meal. The table was already laden with various dishes, along with snacks and refreshments—though these were all commercial brands sponsored by the show.

Seeing Yu Hui sitting at the table, clutching his guitar with a melancholy expression, Chen Linye hurried over. They shared a room, and for the time being, Chen felt a closer connection to Yu.

"How are you holding up?" Yu Hui asked.

Chen Linye shook his head and whispered, "It’s too difficult. I really feel like I don't know how to communicate."

Seeing that Chen was also in a bad state, a smile touched Yu Hui’s face. "Brother, we are both in the same boat. You’re actually doing alright—you’ve only been miserable for an afternoon. I’ve been struggling all day. Miaomiao completely ignores me; she’s been chatting away with President Song and the others."

Chen Linye looked surprised. "You should go join the conversation. Your personality isn't like mine; this segment is truly stifling, and you definitely need to vent."

Yu Hui shook his head. "Forget it. I’m afraid my sharp tongue will only offend the others."

Chen Linye sighed. "I think we’re just better at making music."

"I think so too. At least playing an instrument lets you relax and clear your mind."

One by one, the others took their seats. The seating arrangement remained the same as the previous night. The Chen and Yu couples, feeling somewhat at a disadvantage, deferred the central seats to the others. Zhang Qidong was not one for false modesty, and Song Yue had no intention of engaging in such meaningless deference.

Compared to yesterday, Xu Shujian clearly sensed a change in Song Yue, who even began placing food on her plate. Many at the table looked on with surprise, whispering about how the relationship between Song Yue and Xu Shujian seemed to have improved after the recording of the "zero-point moment."

Once dinner was nearly finished, Tang Mingyue approached, holding a finely folded booklet.

"Here is the situation: tomorrow's itinerary includes an outing. Therefore, we need to choose one family among you to act as the rotating tour guide. Do not underestimate this role. This dinner is the last meal provided by the production team. For the next two days, we will provide an independent budget of one thousand yuan, which will be managed by the tour guide. The guide will also need to study the guide manual, which contains introductions and schedules for each attraction..."

This was a new segment added by Tang Mingyue. As Liu Zhiran had said, since they were already there, why couldn't they find a breakthrough? If there wasn't enough content, they would add segments to create it. These trivial matters happened to reflect the daily lives of each family.

"So? Is there anyone who would like to volunteer as the first rotating tour guide?"

Everyone looked at each other. Pan Yun raised her hand. "I’ll do it. I’m a full-time mother, so I’m used to taking care of people."

Many agreed, feeling that Pan Yun was well-suited for the position. Yu Hui even joked that they might as well let Pan Yun serve as the tour guide for the entire trip, given that she was a professional.

Pan Yun beamed, taking the guide manual and beginning to read it immediately.

Directly in front of the dining table, a large LCD screen had been set up earlier that afternoon. After the commotion settled, they moved on to the main topic. The production team projected the photos taken of each family that day, laying out the issues for the guests to discuss among themselves.

Once everyone had set down their chopsticks, the screen lit up.

Yu Hui, who had been laughing and joking, immediately changed his expression and grew quiet.

The first photo was of Yu Hui and Huang Miaomiao. It was an abstract image that Chen Linye couldn't quite understand at first, prompting him to stand up to get a better look. A model of a birthday cake hung in mid-air, while Huang Miaomiao and Yu Hui stood beneath it, both looking somber.

"What does this mean? Did Brother Hui forget Miaomiao's birthday?" Chen Linye asked, puzzled.

Zhang Qidong chimed in, "That’s a stretch. I even forget my own birthday; surely people don't dwell on such things in daily life?"

Lin Xiaoxian looked over. "That’s you. You’re always forgetting my birthday, too."

Pan Yun added, "I feel like Brother Hui has never celebrated Miaomiao's birthday. He seems like the type to be a bit thick-headed." (Although Yu Hui was younger than Pan and Chen, his flamboyant personality led them to address him as "Brother Hui.")

Huang Miaomiao shook her head. "It’s much worse than what you’re saying. On May 9th, 2024—the year before last—he was in a traffic accident. He suffered a fractured right arm and a severe concussion. I took care of him in the hospital until the third day, May 9th. I still remember that date. That morning, he suddenly told me 'Happy Birthday.' At first, I was touched, thinking that even with a brain injury, he remembered to celebrate my birthday. But it wasn't my birthday at all. He insisted it was, and even argued with me, claiming I had misremembered. I was confused, so I looked it up. And wouldn't you know it, that day was actually his ex-girlfriend's birthday."

"Ah?"

"I... Brother Hui, this... even I’m finding this hard to understand."

Seeing everyone staring at him, Yu Hui explained, "I truly didn't memorize these things on purpose. I was injured, and my memory had become disordered. It was a physiological... malfunction. Like a short circuit in a machine, a bug occurred. I apologized to her and even compensated her with a birthday banquet for our friends, but she just couldn't get past it. It wasn't intentional, do you understand?"

"March 20th is her birthday—I definitely remember that. You can't expect someone who isn't in good health to act normally, right?"

The scene fell into silence.

Pan Yun was usually a warm-hearted person, but this time, she didn't offer a platitude. She put herself in Miaomiao's shoes: if someone was injured or had lost their memory, yet still remembered your birthday and spoke of it, how much weight did you hold in their life?

If Chen Linye had done such a thing, how would she feel? Pan Yun found it impossible to imagine. Furthermore, there was the underlying issue: Huang Miaomiao had always felt that there was another person's shadow in her life, which only compounded the problem.

Zhang Qidong frowned. His first reaction wasn't how absurd the situation was, but a subtle sense of crisis. Even to him, this was a serious matter in a marriage. Rationally analyzed, it meant the man hadn't forgotten his ex; he was still so deeply in love with her that many details about her were etched into his subconscious.

The question was, with such a massive "flaw," how could he dare to participate in a divorce show? Wasn't this suicide? What was the plan? To stop living once the show ended? If this were broadcast, how much would he be berated?

Zhang Qidong shook his head subconsciously. No, this was too bizarre—but it would probably generate massive buzz, wouldn't it?

His eyes darted between Huang Miaomiao and Yu Hui. Could it be... could this family be playing the same game as him? The more absurd the husband acted, the more the audience would sympathize with the wife.

Zhang Qidong didn't know how they planned to land, but he knew his own exit strategy. He had done enough; once the show ended, he would return to the background and let Lin Xiaoxian take the spotlight completely. As long as he acted absurd enough, the audience would sympathize with Lin Xiaoxian even more. Let them feel sorry for her—he would simply provide support from the sidelines while staying out of the frame. He would let the audience pay for their sympathy, and the subsequent profits would end up in his own household anyway.

Lin Xiaoxian was well "protected" by him. She was relatively naive and didn't manage the accounts; in the end, the profits still fell into his pocket.

Zhang Qidong felt that, no matter how he calculated it, he was the winner. However, this couple seemed to pose a threat to his plan. Zhang Qidong felt he wasn't being absurd enough. He had underestimated this fellow Yu; it seemed the kid had some tricks up his sleeve.

"Ahem..." Zhang Qidong coughed twice and spoke. "Miaomiao, I think this matter might be excusable. It’s hard to define if a physiological injury equates to a lack of importance. Perhaps the neurons storing the memories of you were simply damaged?"

Yu Hui paused, then immediately looked at Zhang Qidong. "See! Brother Dong understands me!"