Chapter 24: Regrouping for the Game

"Hello,"
The call connected, but the video call was switched to an audio call.
"Move aside, move aside,"
Bai squeezed forward, but seeing it change to audio, Cui Meiying immediately pushed them away.
Those three lechers—Cui Meiying was thoroughly disgusted.
"Ah,"
The male guests were all disappointed, cursing the patron in their hearts for ruining their moment of pleasure.
"Speak,"
An impatient, cold voice came from the other end. It pulled everyone out of their regret; they exchanged glances.
Cui Hongming spoke up,
"Mr. Wang, I'm actor Huo Hongming, and I have with me internet celebrity Cui Meiying, singer Wang—"
"Topic,"
Huo Hongming was interrupted, stunned for a moment before replying,
"Oh, alright, Mr. Wang. I trust you've seen the trending searches, about Lexi—"
He was interrupted again,
"Purpose."
It made Huo Hongming extremely nervous. He glanced at the other guests,
But they all indicated he should continue.
This patron never lets anyone finish their sentences. Maybe, just like last time, Lexi won't be forced off the show—instead, they'll be the ones pushed out.
"No more words, I'm hanging up,"
The voice on the other end came again.
"Wait,"
At this point, Huo Hongming had no choice but to finish his statement,
Afraid of being interrupted again, he sped up his speech,
"Our unified demand is to have Lexi leave the show."
"Read."
Everyone: Must you be so aloof?
So, is that consent or rejection? Gu Xiaomo couldn't help but want to ask,
But before she could,
The call was disconnected.
An hour passed, and the seafood banquet began.
As everyone reached for the seafood, the host stopped them,
[This host is so wicked—doesn't call stop early or late, only right as they're about to eat.]

[Huo Hongming's drooling—he's an actor, after all. Not living off his looks, but still should manage his image, right?]
[I wish I could be there; if the host says stop, I wouldn't listen. I'd just eat, haha...]
"Before eating, let's play a game. The table that wins first place gets to eat all the seafood they want. Second and third place can pick some to eat, and last place gets nothing,"
The host picked up a plate of fried noodles,
"Last place only gets our fried noodles; remember, two people share this plate. So, everyone, do your best."
Everyone was a bit listless, whether today’s arrivals—Lexi, Huo Hongming, Wang Sisi, Wang Zhuorui—or those who had been here for days—Gu Xiaomo, Gu Junhao, Cui Meiying, Deng Jiachao.
Their stomachs rumbled with hunger.
"But for this game, the paired guests will be split up and reassigned."
Huo Hongming was the happiest; his hunger vanished and he nearly jumped for joy,
"Fantastic! Host, this decision is absolutely right. Does this mean after we switch, we won't switch back?"
[Huo Hongming, you’re too pleased—aren’t you giving Lexi any face at all?]
[Lexi lost her own face; no need to save it for her.]
[Haha, Huo Hongming is happy now, but whoever gets teamed with Lexi next won’t be. Curious who the unlucky one is.]
The host produced two boxes, one red and one green,
"Female guests draw from the red box, male guests from the green."
[It's odd not to draw from the same box.]
[Separated draws—could it be male guests with male guests, female guests with female guests?]
[If it really turns out to be all-male and all-female teams, that’d be great. Lexi’s personality may be lacking, but her looks are top-notch—sweet when she smiles, cool when she doesn’t. Cui Meiying is a stunner, Gu Xiaomo has classical beauty, looks better in period costume than modern clothes, Wang Sisi is decent too. The male guests… well, complicated.]
The host:
"Now, I'll announce the new pairs."
"Lexi and Wang Sisi are a team."
"Cui Meiying and Gu Xiaomo are a team."
"Ah,"
Huo Hongming was secretly hoping to be paired with Cui Meiying,
Here by the sea, the game would surely be romantic.
"Host,"
The host ignored him and continued,
"Huo Hongming and Deng Jiachao are a team."
"Wang Zhuorui and Gu Junhao are a team."
Deng Jiachao immediately confirmed,
"Host, once this game is over, the partners revert back, right?"
He wanted to stay paired with Cui Meiying.
The host:

"At Xishan River, these will be the teams. Alright, since everyone is hungry, let's get into the game and then eat."
"Those who arrived today might not know what the earlier teams have been doing here at Xishan River these days."
"The earlier teams became matchmakers for the villagers; everyone knows matchmaking requires both eloquence and stamina. So our game is double jump rope—the pair with the most jumps wins."
"Host, jumping rope favors the women. We men are at a disadvantage,"
Huo Hongming felt it was unfair.
The host just smiled and handed out ropes.
[Cui Meiying and Gu Xiaomo will definitely win.]
["Protect Princess Xixi" can twist her waist, but that doesn't mean she can jump rope.]
[@Protect Princess Xixi, Lexi’s lackeys are here again. Cui Meiying isn’t up to it, but Gu Xiaomo definitely is. Her web series are all period pieces; wire work is routine for her. Jump rope is nothing—your mistress will never be first.]
Cui Meiying and Gu Xiaomo were confident,
Wang Sisi told Lexi not to worry,
"I jump rope often. I'm pretty good at it. We can definitely win."
The female guests exchanged smiles and encouragement, while the male guests grumbled,
"Two grown men, face to face like this—feels odd."
"We're all old bones now, being made to jump rope—ridiculous game."
The host:
"Who wants to go first?"
With the system's help, Gu Xiaomo didn’t bother to pretend; she stayed silent, and the other two male pairs didn’t want to be first either.
Lexi and Wang Sisi nodded to each other. Lexi said,
"We’ll go first."
Wang Sisi flicked the rope, and the two jumped one after another.
Gu Xiaomo went from disdain to nervousness,
Until they finally failed, and the host announced their score,
"Eighty-six jumps,"
Gu Xiaomo cursed the system in her heart: Are you insane? Letting Lexi jump so many times, stealing the spotlight.
Determined to reclaim the attention, Gu Xiaomo insisted on going second.
Full of confidence, she was stunned by the result,
"Gu Xiaomo and Cui Meiying: one jump."
[What happened? No way, they should be the champions.]
[Host, give them another chance! They must not have been ready.]
Apart from Gu Junhao, the male guests were all secretly pleased at Gu Xiaomo’s misfortune.