Chapter 19: Why Don’t We Form a Duo?

Gu Xiaomo stopped in front of a girl who was building a sandcastle and sat down.
“Miss, do you have a boyfriend?”
The girl glanced at her, not even bothering to respond.
Gu Junhao immediately spoke up,
“She’s Gu Xiaomo, she’s been in a lot of hit dramas. Don’t you recognize her? We’re filming ‘Let’s Be Brave in Love’ right now. It’s huge online, you must have seen it!”
The girl replied indifferently with a simple “Oh.”
Wasn’t that enough? Shouldn’t she be moved to want to fall in love by now?
Cui Meiying thought her slim waist would draw everyone’s attention. She even did her signature hair-flip move that always drove the big spenders in her livestream crazy.
Yet, apart from Deng Jiachao, who was so mesmerized he toppled into the water, and a dog on the beach who imitated her hair flip, not a single person spared her a glance.
“She’s killing me—Deng Jiachao is literally acting out my feelings.”
“That dog is adorable, it’s actually copying her.”
“These people don’t know how lucky they are. Such a beautiful woman in front of them, and they’re just indifferent?”
“I’m a woman and even I’m drooling. Are these men even men?”
“The host already said it—the people here are afraid of marriage. I’ve seen plenty of women afraid of marrying, but men? I usually see men being wolves.”
“Maybe the sea breeze has blown away all their desires? I’m starting to believe it.”
All four found it unbelievable. They found a spot and held a group meeting.
“What’s wrong with people here? When we filmed before, there were always crowds, people wanting photos, autographs. Here, I offered to sign something, and I might as well have been invisible,”
Gu Junhao and Gu Xiaomo could have died of embarrassment.
Deng Jiachao protested,
“An autograph is nothing, Meiying is so—”
...sexy and alluring,
Cui Meiying, Gu Xiaomo, and Gu Junhao all stared at him.
Deng Jiachao hurriedly changed his tune,
“I mean, Meiying and I both worked so hard. Good thing last episode’s money-making challenge wasn’t here or we’d be riding donkey carts.”
Deng Jiachao honestly thought the men here had no taste. Cui Meiying’s bikini today was fantastic, yet no one paid any attention.

Meanwhile, over on Lexi’s side,
Lexi and Wang Sisi came out of the hotel carrying luggage. Huo Hongming and Wang Zhaorui were already on the donkey cart, each with a bowl of instant noodles in hand.
Wang Sisi:
“What about ours? You just started eating?”
Huo Hongming slurped and said,
“There’s a kettle in your room too, didn’t you boil water yourselves?”
Lexi chuckled—men, honestly. Girls should look out for each other.

“Sisi, you love dance battles, don’t you?”
Wang Sisi shrugged.
They’d seen the menu in their room earlier; there was a self-serve barbecue on the third floor.
So they decided: make some money today, then enjoy a good meal together.
Yesterday, some had been drenched, some frightened—they needed a treat. Instead, they saw these two selfish guys.
“Where are you going? We’re setting out.”
Lexi and Wang Sisi walked ahead, Huo Hongming and Wang Zhaorui followed behind with the donkey cart.
Outside the mall,
Lexi and Wang Sisi started a dance battle.
“What is this, Lexi, what are you doing? Why is it so funny?”
“Lexi, are you barking? Are you a dog?”
“These two are a riot.”
“How do they keep a straight face? I’m crying with laughter.”

Lexi played a monkey, a dog, a chicken—hilarious and lively.
The onlookers laughed nonstop,
and because Wang Sisi’s dancing was genuinely skilled and she took the battle seriously,
people actually tipped them.
At first, Huo Hongming was disdainful, Wang Zhaorui embarrassed on their behalf, neither could bear to watch.
But as the money piled up, their eyes lit up and they started shouting,
“Something good to see here! Don’t miss out, come and watch!”
Soon, they’d earned enough for a few good meals. Lexi and Wang Sisi stopped.
They shook hands and said,
“Good job.”
Then headed back.

Inside the hotel,
Lexi and Wang Sisi were happily feasting on meat and shrimp,
while Huo Hongming and Wang Zhaorui, lacking funds, were stopped at the door and could only watch longingly.
Lexi and Wang Sisi were thoughtful enough to choose seats closest to the entrance.
Lexi waved,
“Hey!”
Huo Hongming replied quickly,
“You want us to pay, right? We could still eat.”
Lexi pursed her lips,
“No, I was just asking if you can see. Should I have Sisi sit next to me too, so you have a better view?”

Wang Sisi immediately turned and waved the nearly-bursting lettuce-wrapped meat at them, then opened her mouth wide, stuffed it in, and chewed with dramatic relish.
Huo Hongming stomped his foot,
“So what, public figures shouldn’t eat like this. Zhaorui, let’s go.”
“He’s triggered, he’s triggered. Serves them right—eating instant noodles while you get barbecue. They deserve to be envious.”
“Lexi and Wang Sisi are making the food look so good, now I want barbecue too.”
“Someone get these two a meat sponsorship—I’ll buy whatever they endorse.”
After laughing at the two’s dejected backs,
Wang Sisi said,
“People watching the stream must be roasting us now.”
“No, no, no one’s blaming you. We’re all blaming Huo Hongming and Wang Zhaorui—they had it coming.”
Lexi:
“Let them complain if they want. I don’t care. I treat people the way they treat me.”
Wang Sisi reached over to high-five Lexi,
“Me too. Hey, do you think what we have left is enough for train tickets? Maybe we should just take the train and let those two ride the donkey cart. I think they’re better matched, and so are we. Why bother with a dating show? Can’t it just be a friends’ trip?”
Lexi agreed,
“Maybe viewers just prefer watching romance shows.”
“No, I don’t care for romance. I want to see a friends’ adventure.”
“Me too, me too. None of these pairs have any chemistry.”
“I strongly support you two taking the train and leaving them behind!”

Outside the hotel,
Huo Hongming said,
“Old Wang, Little Wang can dance, but can she sing? Otherwise, let’s form a duo. You sing, I act, we’ll put on a stage show, earn some money, and then sit at the table across from them. See who envies whom then.”
Yesterday Wang Zhaorui had to eat dry instant noodles, today it was instant noodles soaked in water. If they didn’t earn some money, since all the bread had fallen in the gutter, dinner would be instant noodles again.
And who knew how many days of instant noodles lay ahead—just the thought made Wang Zhaorui queasy.
“Deal.”
“Now I finally understand why Wang Zhaorui’s concert tickets don’t sell.”
“And why Huo Hongming’s acting career never took off—he’s more famous for feuds than for roles.”
One sang like chanting scripture, making listeners feel out-of-body. The other delivered lines like picking a fight, making people fear for their lives.
The crowd dispersed, and mall security approached.
“What are you doing? Move along.”

At the Song family home,
Tang Yuexin sat in the living room, letting the maid feed her fruit while she watched the livestream.
“Tsk tsk, this Lexi has no shame.”