Chapter Nine: You Truly Don’t Treat Us Like Outsiders

Boys' dormitory.

The people from the south and the international guests, who had never even seen a communal sleeping platform before, were completely dumbfounded. They stood before the large, shared sleeping area, feeling utterly at a loss. Aside from Wang Sulong, everyone else was a newcomer, and they all appeared quite uneasy.

Wang Sulong then proposed, "How about this: can we have those who snore sleep on one side, and those who don't on the other? That way, we won't disturb each other."

"I don't snore. Whoever doesn't snore, come over here with me," Xu Xiu immediately chimed in.

"I don't either."

"Me too!"

In the end, Xu Xiu, Wang Sulong, and Fei Qiming claimed the spots at the far end. Everyone else, all of whom snored, took the spots closer to the door.

"Hey, Xu Xiu, can you change out of that outfit? It’s just too awkward to look at."

"Seriously, you’re such a handsome guy, why on earth did you decide to wear that getup?"

"And those giant bangs—I just want to cut them off. This whole thing is just too ridiculous."

Listening to their chattering, Xu Xiu scratched his head. To be honest, it was the height of summer, and being in Hainan, it was genuinely hot. Xu Xiu felt his scalp itching; he felt like his brain was about to start growing. Besides, he felt he had already milked enough "exposure value" from this costume, and it was unlikely to generate much more. He couldn't just keep wearing this fake wig forever; he might end up with heatstroke.

"Alright, fine, I’ll go change."

"Good, good, hurry up, hurry up."

Soon, Xu Xiu took off the wig, revealing the face that had been sealed underneath. Wang Sulong’s jaw dropped.

"Huh???"

He hadn't expected Xu Xiu to be so handsome. If he had known, he wouldn't have let him take the wig off; now, his own position as the top heartthrob of Peach Blossom Dock was in jeopardy.

"Damn, you’re this handsome? I thought you were just average-looking, which is why you were doing the comedy routine."

"Why are you playing the clown when you look like this? Wouldn't it be better to just rely on your face like Long-long does?"

"Exactly! We could clearly rely on our faces, yet we choose to rely on our talent. Sigh..." Wang Sulong added shamelessly.

Xu Xiu didn't take their comments to heart, because that was exactly what he had thought too... before he got the system!

After taking off the wig, Xu Xiu began to change his clothes. When he removed his shirt, he revealed a solid, muscular torso. He hadn't spent the last two and a half years idling; he was in great shape—the kind that looks lean in clothes but is muscular underneath. This sight left everyone in the dorm stunned. They hadn't expected Xu Xiu to have such a physique.

Is this even fair?

After finishing with his shirt, Xu Xiu started to take off his pants. Just as he was halfway through, Wang Sulong suddenly remembered something. There were viewers watching right now; this was a live broadcast! He lunged forward, stretching out his arms to block the camera for Xu Xiu. The others suddenly realized what was happening and rushed to block the camera as well.

The audience, however, wasn't happy. What kind of footage were they hiding? Did they think the viewers were lacking in traffic?

"What are you doing? Treating us like outsiders? Move aside!"

"Oh my~ what are you doing~ *ying ying ying*~ I’m too shy to look, but Xu Xiu, do you want a girlfriend who’s 1.7 meters tall? I have a nice voice and I’m not clingy~"

"Husband (voice cracking)! I never expected Xu Xiu to be so well-built. I unilaterally declare you my husband."

"Ugh, you women, you’re not human when you get thirsty! I only dare to call Sister Meng my wife; compared to you, I’m just a rookie!"

The boys' dorm was like it was on fire. The guys in front of Xu Xiu were scrambling, terrified that something inappropriate would be broadcast. Their worries were a bit excessive, as there was nothing unsuitable for children to see. However, while he had changed, the new outfit looked incredibly cheap. It was a grey linen set that gave off the vibe of a Taoist monk descending from a mountain. And they weren't wrong—it didn't just look cheap; it was cheap. Xu Xiu had bought it on Pinduoduo for 9.9 yuan with free shipping.

Xu Xiu didn't think there was anything wrong with it. At the very least, it served as cover, right? Before the system arrived, Xu Xiu had lived in a basement dorm without a hint of sunlight, and he frequently suffered from eczema. During that time, the ointments from Pinduoduo had saved him. To Xu Xiu, what was wrong with being cheap? It was fantastic!

Once changed, Xu Xiu lay down on the communal platform. Surprisingly, it was quite comfortable. He didn't know if there was a Simmons mattress underneath, but it felt great to lie on.

"Hey? You two teachers, I didn't expect it to be this miserable, right? You arrived a season late; last season we had single rooms, the environment was so good," Wang Sulong couldn't help but complain to Wang Chuanjun and Wu Mu.

"But I think it's alright here," Wang Chuanjun replied.

That left Wang Sulong stunned. Among everyone, he felt Wang Chuanjun might be the hardest to get along with. He hadn't expected Wang Chuanjun to actually like this place, and it seemed he was even enjoying it.

"You think it's alright? Teacher, do you actually like this kind of life?" Wang Sulong asked.

"Yes, I think if we all have a round of drinks tonight, we'll sleep very happily!"

"Hahaha!"

At the mention of alcohol, everyone laughed in tacit agreement. At this point, it was clear they weren't familiar with each other yet, as they were all using honorifics and calling each other "Teacher."

Xu Xiu ignored their chattering; he was already drifting off to sleep. As they chatted, they realized someone was missing.

"Hey? Where did Da Jing go? He didn't get lost, did he? Didn't he come back with us?"

"I don't know, maybe he went to the restroom?"

Just as they were discussing it, Wu Dajing finally returned. It turned out he had gone to deliver gifts. He had brought plenty of Olympic mascots and had given one to everyone. It was a very meaningful souvenir.

"Let's go, shall we go out for a stroll?"

"Let's go, let's go. Someone help me pull Xu Xiu up! This guy is lying there and won't move!"

"Oh, don't bother me, let me sleep for a while. This is so comfortable," Xu Xiu waved his hand.

"Sleep? What sleep? You're a young man, you need to perk up. There's no need to sleep much while you're alive; you'll have plenty of time to sleep when you're dead," Wang Sulong whispered like a demon.

"..."

I really admire you, you old fox!

Unable to resist Wang Sulong's pestering, Xu Xiu had no choice but to follow them outside. On the way, they ran into Li Xueqin, Meng Ziyi, Lamu, and Song Yanfei, who were out for a walk. When the four women saw Xu Xiu's true face, they were absolutely stunned. Although they had caught glimpses of his face before, it had been half-hidden by his bangs; only now did they see his real appearance.

How could someone this handsome choose to play the clown? Are you trying to kill us?