Chapter 201: Effort Doesn’t Match The Reward
This was the first time Zhou Shiqing had breakfast with Xuan Xia.
It was even the first time Zhou Shiqing received such attentive care from Xuan Xia.
It made Zhou Shiqing, who usually only ate until 60-70% full, completely stuffed today.
He lazily leaned back against the chair, and as Zhou Shiqing looked at Xuan Xia again, he suddenly felt something was off.
After all, they had known each other for so long—when had she ever been this… attentive and fawning? Urging him nonstop to eat, as if afraid he wouldn’t get full.
Something was wrong, very wrong.
Zhou Shiqing asked suspiciously, “You’re acting strange. What are you up to?”
Xuan Xia glanced at him and said innocently, “Teacher Zhou, what are you saying? I’m just thinking ahead for the upcoming recording and want you to eat more. Didn’t yesterday’s rules say that today’s lunch and dinner will be settled based on mission completion?”
With that, Zhou Shiqing felt even more that she was up to no good.
“You mean we won’t get good food today?”
Zhou Shiqing asked while staring at her, calculating in his mind that if she dared nod yes, he would make sure…
Make sure to do what? Zhou Shiqing hadn’t figured it out yet.
Fortunately, that wasn’t what Xuan Xia meant.
“No, I believe in Teacher Zhou’s abilities. We will definitely get good food today.”
“Then you…”
“It’s like this, Teacher Zhou.” Xuan Xia sat up straight and looked at Zhou Shiqing seriously. “I did a quick divination, and I have a water disaster today. It’s not suitable for me to get near water.”
Zhou Shiqing: “…Huh?”
Xuan Xia continued, “So, if the program group has any missions involving water, could Teacher Zhou handle them alone? Of course, if it’s a land-based mission, I’ll actively cooperate and absolutely not hold you back.”
It was also because she wanted Zhou Shiqing to handle any water-related missions alone that Xuan Xia kept urging him to eat more—what if those water missions required a lot of stamina?
Zhou Shiqing looked at Xuan Xia for a long time with a complex, indescribable gaze. During this time, Xuan Xia said nothing more, just waiting for his answer.
Before making this proposal, she had already thought it through: if Zhou Shiqing agreed, she would serve him like a young master today to repay his great kindness.
Of course, if he didn’t agree, she wouldn’t force it. She would just… deal with the water when it came.
Though she thought that, until she heard his answer, Xuan Xia still held onto some hope.
Zhou Shiqing took a breath and finally spoke, but asked, “You can actually do divination?”
Xuan Xia: “That’s not the point.”
How was that not the point?
Seeing Zhou Shiqing’s expression, Xuan Xia figured her proposal wouldn’t get his agreement.
Though she was prepared, she still felt very disappointed.
Xuan Xia sighed, about to end the topic, when An Qi and her partner Gu Sun walked over.
Gu Sun asked, “Teacher Zhou, Teacher Xuan, can we sit?”
“Of course.” Xuan Xia replied, gesturing for them to sit wherever.
Up to now in the recording, she hadn’t interacted with this Gu Sun at all. Besides knowing he was a boy group member and An Qi’s partner, she knew nothing else.
Now seeing him up close, Xuan Xia couldn’t help but size him up thoroughly.
At this look, Xuan Xia wanted to sigh again.
This Teacher Gu had ups and downs in career luck, the kind of fate that always fell short by a final step. He was hardworking and diligent, but his efforts and returns were never proportional.
It could be said that he put in 100% effort but only got 60% in return every time.
Once or twice was one thing, but every time like this—how could it not make one sigh?
However, such a tough fate wasn’t hopeless; everything always left a sliver of turnaround.
Xuan Xia hesitated whether to mention it, not knowing if Gu Sun believed in such things.
Perhaps because Xuan Xia stared at Gu Sun for too long, not only did Gu Sun notice, but so did An Qi and Zhou Shiqing.
An Qi curiously tilted her head at Xuan Xia, asking with her eyes why she was staring at Gu Sun nonstop.
Zhou Shiqing was more direct and blunt: “Did a flower bloom on his face? Do you need to stare so intently?”
If she didn’t know she couldn’t laugh, An Qi might have burst out laughing.
Xuan Xia turned and gave Zhou Shiqing a look, not wanting to argue with him. Turning back, she asked Gu Sun directly, “Teacher Gu, what do you think of divination and fortune telling? Interested?”
An Qi: “…”
Zhou Shiqing: “…”
Gu Sun was stunned for a moment, then seeing Xuan Xia asking so seriously, he didn’t know how to respond.
After being speechless, Zhou Shiqing started suspecting that Xuan Xia suddenly saying this to Gu Sun was to prove to him that she really could do divination.
An Qi saw the atmosphere cooling and quickly backed Xuan Xia up: “Ah, yes yes yes, Xuan Xia is pretty skilled in this area. Xuan Xia, you’re suddenly asking Gu Sun this—did you see something?”
Now, Zhou Shiqing and Gu Sun had the exact same expression.
Xuan Xia gratefully glanced at An Qi—sisters were reliable at key moments.
As for An Qi’s question, Xuan Xia replied, “It depends on what Teacher Gu thinks. If Teacher Gu is interested, we can discuss it.”
Discuss it…
Zhou Shiqing frowned and said grumpily, “How about you discuss with me first—about that water disaster of yours.”
“Water disaster? What water disaster?” An Qi asked Xuan Xia softly.
“It’s nothing.” Xuan Xia said, “I was just discussing with Teacher Zhou, hoping that for any water-related missions, Teacher Zhou could handle them alone.”
Hearing this, An Qi asked, “Water-related missions? Xuan Xia, do you already know today’s mission content?”
Xuan Xia said no, “I’m just guessing and discussing with Teacher Zhou just in case.”
An Qi said “oh” with a bit of regret.
“Dear teachers, recording starts in half an hour. Please head to the assembly point.” A staff member announced via megaphone to all the guests having breakfast.
Hearing this, Gu Sun clearly relaxed and naturally skipped Xuan Xia’s question.
He stood up first and asked An Qi if she wanted to head to the assembly point now, looking like he planned to make a run for it.
Xuan Xia was speechless—were her questions that off-putting?
If he didn’t believe in it, he could just say so. She wasn’t a charlatan trying to scam him.
The guests present also got up one after another, but not following the staff’s guidance to the assembly point—instead, they went to touch up their makeup last.
After touching up and confirming their image could withstand the live broadcast camera shots, they headed to the assembly point one by one.
Xuan Xia followed the same process before leaving. Upon arriving at the assembly point, she first noticed Wen Zhu and Cui Xiaobai.
These two hadn’t appeared at the restaurant for breakfast earlier—they had come straight to the assembly point.
Now, they stood at opposite ends, ignoring each other completely, without any of the lively energy from when they first arrived last night. Their mental states seemed off too, probably from soaking in the water too long last night.
