Chapter 43 Don't Be Like This! That Will Cost Extra!

On a small, rocking boat.

The dim light from the vessel illuminated the boundless sea ahead, and the silence of the night ocean inspired a subtle sense of dread.

At that moment, the voice of the cameraman broke the stillness.

"Teacher Chuanjun, whatever possessed you to bring this thing onto the island? I saw Sister Xuan hand you some floral water repellent. Don't you even plan to bring floral water to the island?"

Wang Chuanjun glanced up at the accompanying cameraman. "I brought insect repellent. As for the thing in my arms, Xu Xiu asked me to bring it. I couldn't very well refuse to grant his wish, could I?"

The cameraman's mouth twitched. "You're certainly good to him!"

Once the two arrived at their destination, Wang Chuanjun immediately stood the object up right by the doorway.

At this point, the viewers finally got a clear look at what it was—a mannequin display.

Draped over the mannequin was Xu Xiu's signature non-mainstream synthetic wig, along with his matching shirt and pants.

*Do not cry before my grave, you'll stain the road of my reincarnation.*

*If you love, love deeply—if you love not, please do harm not.*

Though Xu Xiu himself had not arrived, the non-mainstream trend had finally swept across the island.

*When one person weeps, true love is invincible!*

*Resurrecting the glory of the Burial Love Clan is a duty my generation cannot shirk!*

Boys' dormitory.

Just as Xu Xiu was about to step one foot into the comfort of his dorm, a familiar voice echoed from behind.

He felt as though his fate had been seized by the throat.

"Director Gao? Why did you come personally?" Xu Xiu instantly switched to a beaming smile.

With no cameras rolling at the moment, Gao Liang spoke with blunt directness.

"Want to make some money?"

"I do!"

"Come with me."

Before Xu Xiu could react, he had already been bundled into Gao Liang's black commercial vehicle.

Only belatedly did Xu Xiu register the pitch-black, desolate scenery outside the window, sending a shiver of dread down his spine.

Surely he hadn't boarded a shady unlicensed vehicle?

And this was a literal, genuine shady ride!

In both the physical and psychological sense of the word.

"Director Gao? Director Gao? Director Gao!!!"

"Are you out of your mind? Why are you yelling? I'm not deaf!" Gao Liang in the front passenger seat couldn't help firing back a curse.

"Right—Director Gao, where are you taking me? It's the middle of the night, just the two of us lone men, and I'm still a baby of just over two hundred months!"

"Where do you get all this nonsense? I asked you, do you still want to make money or not?"

Xu Xiu hesitated for a moment.

"Director Gao, money is important, of course, but you can't expect me to make it this way!"

"If a person abandons their bottom line, what difference is there between them and someone completely carefree?!"

"Oh, right, what I meant to say was—you'll have to pay more!!!"

"Get lost!"

"Aye~ You got it!"

[Ding! Detected that the host's absurd behavior has gained exposure: Singing Skill +0.0069 × 3, Acting Skill +0.0069 × 3, Culinary Skill +0.0069 × 3, Physique +0.0069 × 3.]

Someone had suffered a mental defense breach!

Who that someone was, I shall not say!

After driving for nearly half an hour, the two finally reached their destination—a recording studio.

"Director Gao, you don't expect me to record a song, do you? I don't have any money."

"What money? When you're out and about, who doesn't have a few friends?"

Director Gao walked inside, exchanged a few pleasantries with the owner, and the owner readily agreed.

The sheer efficiency was jaw-dropping.

In the end, they produced a solo edition exclusively by Xu Xiu, and a duet version featuring Xu Xiu and Meng Ziyi.

Director Gao took care of all the remaining details, leaving Xu Xiu with only one instruction: Don't let me get the short end of the stick!

The next day.

Early in the morning.

Xu Xiu, Wu Dajing, Li Xueqin, Song Yanfei, and Meng Ziyi boarded a small boat bound for the isolated island.

These individuals were all bare-faced, hair uncombed, and faces unwashed just as they were.

Xu Xiu was going to check out the local sights, Wu Dajing was tagging along to say goodbye to Wang Chuanjun before heading off to record another program, while the remaining three were simply going to watch the sunrise.

The differences between men and women were on full display here.

For Xu Xiu, having the leisure time to watch the sunrise was far inferior to pulling off a quick self-relief session.

Wasn't mindlessly staring at a sunrise exhausting?

Wasn't a quick release immensely satisfying?

After finishing, your entire being felt refreshed and invigorated! It could even trick you into believing you were a Buddhist monk who had lost all taste for the female form!

As the group's boat approached the island, a tall figure materialized on the shore.

Wang Chuanjun stood there looking utterly haggard.

Unwashed face, uncombed hair, gazing blankly at the approaching figures.

He hadn't expected these people to come visit him, let alone so early in the morning, which strangely touched his heart.

Beside him stood the mannequin he had brought, its clothes fluttering wildly in the sea breeze.

Seeing this scene, the people on the boat nearly collapsed with laughter.

Wang Chuanjun gave off the distinct impression of a solitary elderly man keeping a dog for company, while they looked like children coming to visit an elder.

The buff stack was complete.

"Big brother!" Xu Xiu cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted.

Wang Chuanjun tilted his head to listen intently, then waved back at them.

"Hey, little brother!"

With that, Chuanjun turned and sprinted toward a nearby vending machine provided by the production crew equipped with artificial intelligence.

In short: A human worked inside, and the smart system helped you retrieve items.

On this island, contribution points could not be pooled; one had to complete tasks to earn island-specific contribution points.

Fortunately, Wang Chuanjun had ground coffee yesterday and picked up marine litter, which allowed him to exchange for a modest amount of island contribution points.

His gaze scanned the vending machine before finally resting on the most expensive item: Luosifen (snail rice noodles).

He actually went ahead and grabbed a bag of Luosifen!

Clutching the Luosifen, Wang Chuanjun waved excitedly at the group. "Hey, friends!"

"No time to say hi, we're leaving, we can't dock, see you around!" Xu Xiu waved dismissively.

"Right, we just dropped by to say hello and now we're off!"

"Bye-bye!"

Heh... wait, not so fast!

Wang Chuanjun's smile froze instantly as he hurriedly hoisted the bag of Luosifen and waved it frantically.

"I made breakfast for you guys!"

"Not hungry!"

Despite his words, Xu Xiu had already begun climbing down from the boat.

Seeing this, Wang Chuanjun beamed happily. "I'll come meet you! Hehe, take your time, there's no rush!"

"￥&+é#@×"

Wang Chuanjun's mouth never stopped moving. The floodgates, sealed for so long, were finally unlocked by the arrival of his friends, and he kept up a stream of non-stop, chattering small talk.

Though he had no idea what he wanted to express to them, he simply felt a strong urge to speak.

Li Xueqin interrupted, "Ge, are there really no bugs at all?"

Wang Chuanjun's expression shifted instantly, and he jogged back toward his cabin.

The others paid little attention to Wang Chuanjun's antics and instead turned their gazes to the mannequin standing nearby.

The mannequin was far too striking to ignore.

"Hang on, yesterday you pestered Brother Jun with all that nonsense just to make him drag this piece of junk onto the island?"

"Do you have some kind of obsession?"

"Other people's physical bodies arrived, but their style didn't; in your case, your physical body hasn't arrived yet, but your style got here ahead of you!" Wu Dajing remarked with a complex expression.

Xu Xiu looked up. "You've watched the Magic Phone too? Then we're best friends!"

"..." Wu Dajing fell silent.

Meng Ziyi, standing nearby, asked with a puzzled look, "What are you two talking about? I've watched the Magic Phone too, but why don't I understand what you're saying?"

"You're still young. You'll understand when you're older," Xu Xiu fobbed her off casually.

Meng Ziyi glanced down at herself. She wasn't that young anymore!

Scratching her head.ing