Chapter Seventy-Five: Arrival at Yunmeng Island

Do you prefer endless despair, or do you yearn to see a glimmer of hope within that despair? Chen Fang preferred the former.

Of course, most people would probably choose the latter.

The song lingered over the sea for a few seconds before slowly fading away.

Chen Fang took a deep breath. The salty tang of the sea air made him uncomfortable; he coughed a few times, then quickly resumed his usual carefree, unruly demeanor. He glanced at Xiao Wang. “It’s raining—at least give me an umbrella! How can you be a follow-PD and still lack such basic awareness?”

Xiao Wang stared blankly for a few seconds. The familiar man had returned.

“I saw how immersed you were in your singing, so I didn’t want to interrupt you,” Xiao Wang explained.

Chen Fang was disappointed. This young man had no intuition. In the chaotic world of showbiz, it was hard to climb the ladder without a keen eye.

Fortunately, the rain wasn’t heavy—at least, not yet. But who could say what it would be like in a while?

“Old sir, how much longer until we reach Yunmeng Island?” Chen Fang tilted his head back slightly and asked.

The elderly captain gauged their direction, glanced at his watch, and replied, “I’ll speed up a bit. We should get there in half an hour.”

That’s fine! It was only five o’clock now. If they could arrive in half an hour, they’d definitely make it before six.

Chen Fang turned to Xiao Wang and the cameraman, flashing a roguish smile. “Did I look cool singing just now? Did you get it all on camera?”

Xiao Wang: I still prefer you when you’re singing.

“Don’t worry, our show’s cameramen are all professionals,” Xiao Wang boasted.

Chen Fang nodded.

He pulled his clothes tighter around himself. The old captain tossed over a few raincoats.

“Mr. Chen Fang, what’s the name of the song you just sang?” Xiao Wang asked.

At that moment, Chen Fang realized he’d never mentioned the song’s name.

“‘Under the Sea,’” Chen Fang replied softly.

Under the Sea? It fit perfectly with the mood of the song.

“And what kind of circumstances inspired you to write such a song?” Xiao Wang pressed on. This song was a highlight; the more details, the more professional the show would seem.

Chen Fang thought for a moment, then fabricated a lie that sounded outlandish yet held up logically. “I wrote this song a long time ago, just after I entered society. At my poorest, I had only a dozen or so yuan to my name. I even considered throwing myself into the sea. That was when inspiration for this song struck.”

Perfect! Chen Fang secretly gave himself a thumbs up. These days, if you didn’t know how to sell your misery, you couldn’t be a proper white lotus or green tea.

Besides, Chen Fang wasn’t exactly lying. In the memories of the brain he’d inherited, the Chen Fang who once occupied this body had indeed gone through a rough patch. He had even contemplated ending his life.

Luckily, Pang Tong had been by his side. That was what gave the old Chen Fang the grit to survive, busking on the streets to get by.

Even if someone tried to fact-check, they wouldn’t find any holes. Xiao Wang had learned about Chen Fang’s past and harbored no doubts, looking at him with newfound sympathy. “So Mr. Chen Fang has had such a hidden chapter in his life.”

Chen Fang gazed up at the sky, trying hard not to let tears fall. In truth, he was on the verge of laughing.

“It’s all in the past now,” Chen Fang sighed deeply.

The others couldn’t help but feel a sense of admiration for him.

The old captain, who must have been in his seventies or eighties, was especially moved by Chen Fang’s look of resignation. “Young man, look forward. Life will get better.”

Chen Fang offered a sincere smile. “Thank you, sir.”

Exactly! Life would get better from now on! Chen Fang wasn’t one to dwell on the past—living in the past was simply too exhausting.

Half an hour later, the waves hadn’t grown rougher. Out of the darkness, vague shapes appeared on the water. As the boat drew closer, the outline of Yunmeng Island became clearer and more defined.

It was at this moment that the rain finally poured down in earnest. Thunder rumbled. Lightning flashed in torrents. The sky and the sea seemed to collapse into one another.

The old captain hurriedly searched for a safe spot to dock and secure the boat.

Yunmeng Island wasn’t large. The residents here survived by fishing. Few who lived on Yunmeng Island ever left, because despite its small size, the island had surprisingly complete infrastructure—not only well-decorated restaurants but also a small hospital and a cinema.

After paying the captain, Xiao Wang led Chen Fang and the cameraman to the program’s lodging.

Ten minutes later, the three of them arrived at the gate of a villa. A sign hung on the gate: “Let’s Fall in Love Together” Filming Residence.

“Whew, made it,” Xiao Wang said with relief. “We got here before six.”

Chen Fang asked with interest, “Even if we were late, only I’d be punished. Why are you so worried?”

Xiao Wang scratched his head awkwardly. “According to the rules, if a guest is late, the penalty is sleeping in a tent. I’m your follow-PD—my penalty is a docked salary.”

Chen Fang: Really?

You should have said so sooner! If I’d known, I wouldn’t have rushed.

The three entered the villa. The other guests had already arrived. Chen Fang was the last to show up.

Unlike the other guests, who were all neat and tidy, Chen Fang had been caught in the rain on the boat, and his clothes were soaked, revealing the faint outline of eight abs.

Among the guests, Chen Fang spotted Cheng Jie at once. After all, among the seven guests, only Cheng Jie watched him with eyes full of resentment; but as soon as the camera shifted to Cheng Jie, he immediately put on a gentle, friendly smile.

“Our creative genius has arrived,” a male guest quipped with a smile.

Chen Fang glanced at him, unfamiliar with the face, but the tone was tinged with provocation.

At that moment, Cheng Jie couldn’t hold back any longer. “Someone sure has a big ego—we’ve been sitting here waiting all afternoon.”

A trace of annoyance flickered across the eyes of the other guests. Chen Fang had been too slow. With the group incomplete, the production team couldn’t announce the next mission, so everyone had been stuck waiting.

Among them, only An Tinghan’s gaze remained friendly.

Upon hearing this, Chen Fang sighed, putting on a pitiful expression. “I’m really sorry. I’m just a newcomer—I can’t afford a private jet, a yacht, or a luxury car. I had to hitch a ride and beg for a boat to take me here. I’ve wasted everyone’s time, and I truly apologize!”

With that, he even bowed to the group.

Everyone was stunned.

In that instant, their expressions darkened further. Chen Fang’s apology, rather than conciliatory, was actually rather infuriating.

The key was, even though they’d been provoked, there was nothing they could say in response.

Chen Fang was thoroughly pleased. Trying to be sarcastic with me? Back when I was a master of irony on Earth, you all were probably still pushing dung balls somewhere!

The show’s director, who had been closely observing the guests’ dynamics, finally picked up the microphone as the atmosphere was about to freeze. “Mr. Chen Fang, please take your seat. We are about to begin our seven-day journey on Yunmeng Island.”

Only now did the program truly begin.