“If you’re sick, go get treated. Stop flattering yourself!”
“The audience was captivated because of the magnificent beauty of our motherland!”
Faced with the deputy director’s constant display of his natural talent—his poisonous tongue—Director Zhang merely shot him a sidelong glance and drawled, “Oho~ Jingji Ge has started growing thorns all over again? Is that why you snap at everyone you see?”
The deputy director: “…”
When would this damned joke finally die?!
“Then you should really reflect on yourself. Why does everyone want to snap at you the moment they see you?”
“Is it because you’ve done too many rotten things? Because you’ve stopped acting like a decent human being again? Because you’ve done something stupid again?”
“That’s why you’re so irritating! Sometimes, by comparison, that bunch of little devils you’re always talking about are much better than you, you know?”
Director Zhang: “…”
Aaaah! Why did Cheng Dong have to be born with a mouth?!
Can’t I just have him poisoned into silence?!
Which one of us is the actual director here?!
“Go sit at the same table as those idiots! This director can’t be bothered to argue with a sharp-tongued menace like you!”
It absolutely wasn’t because he wasn’t naturally gifted and couldn’t win an argument against Cheng Dong, that old bastard!
The deputy director curled his lips. “If you can’t win, just admit you can’t. Why do you have to make such a desperate attempt to save face?”
“Just openly admit that you can’t outtalk me. I won’t laugh at you. Is that really necessary?”
Director Zhang glared at him. “It is!”
This time, the deputy director couldn’t be bothered to argue with him anymore. “Speaking of which, how much longer are we going to film this night scenery? We’ve been climbing the mountain for ages, and it’s taken quite a bit out of us!”
Director Zhang instinctively glanced at the guests, who were playing wildly not far away, and fell silent for a moment.
“Don’t these people turn into gluttonous beasts the moment mealtime arrives? How come they haven’t complained about being hungry even though it’s been so long since dinner?”
“How strange!”
The deputy director let out two dry laughs. “You’re still standing there marveling at it? Those tall, strong guests can skip a meal or two without much trouble!”
“But don’t forget, those children are still growing! Hurry up and arrange the trip back down!”
“If something happens to your guests, I think you really can say goodbye to your position as chief director!”
Director Zhang gave him an uneasy smile. “We’re going, we’re going. Right now!”
“I’d rather let myself starve than let those children go hungry!”
Before they went up the mountain, he had already distributed enough lightweight, high-calorie food to every guest in case they ran out of energy halfway up.
But it wasn’t an actual meal, and it was getting late. It really was time to head back.
…
On the way down, Director Zhang simply waved his hand and paid for everyone to take the cable car down the mountain, successfully earning praise from all the guests.
Although none of it was particularly sincere, Director Zhang was quite satisfied.
After all, he was perfectly capable of comforting himself. He wasn’t like those high-maintenance babies!
“In the blink of an eye, it’s time for our gluttons to feed again!”
“Although dinner is running a little late today, making this small sacrifice to admire the scenery is absolutely worth it!”
“But everyone really did work hard today~ I wonder how everyone’s legs are holding up after climbing Mount Laojun?”
Director Zhang’s final question was delivered in such an obnoxious tone that the guests whose legs were trembling with exhaustion practically wanted to rip him to pieces.
Wu Dacheng let out two dry laughs. “Someone who took the cable car both ways without climbing a single step has no right to ask us that question!”
Su Xiaoye scrunched up her nose and nodded, while Xie Wanwan’s eyes were filled with accusation. “Exactly! No wonder your reputation as a director is so terrible!”
“You’ve brought it all on yourself by tormenting your guests!”
That’s right. As the director of the show, Director Zhang had spent the entire time watching the guests struggle up the mountain through the livestream.
He had taken the cable car to the summit early that morning and then sat there watching the guests make fools of themselves.
It was a miracle the guests had happened to reach the summit just as the sunset was at its most beautiful.
They had been completely absorbed in the scenery and the joy of reaching the top, so they had forgotten all about Director Zhang.
Otherwise, Director Zhang would definitely have experienced the little demons driving him to the brink of insanity—though, to be fair, he had already experienced it countless times!
Director Zhang put on an exaggeratedly charming expression. “What could I do~? I’m the director, and you’re the guests~”
“I’m just exercising a little director’s privilege, that’s all~ But speaking of which, the way you all looked so tiny and adorable as you struggled halfway up the mountain was truly precious~”
“I sat in the cable car and watched you on the livestream, each of you short and tiny, crawling slowly toward the summit like ants. It was absolutely fascinating~”
“What a shame none of you will ever get to experience that feeling yourselves. Sigh~”
[Holy crap~ Director Zhang has finally found his backbone?! The long-awaited return of the guests being tormented to within an inch of their lives by Director Zhang is finally here?!]
[Yes! This is amazing! I hereby announce that in the eighteenth round of Director-versus-Guests mind games, Director Zhang is the winner!]
[Director Zhang, you’re really brave~ Taunting those little demons right to their faces like that—I admire your fearless attitude toward death!]
It wasn’t just the viewers in the comments section. After hearing him, even the deputy director seemed to have had all the wrinkles in his brain smoothed out. “What the hell? Are you planning to die? How can you be this arrogant?”
“Don’t you know that when those kids go crazy, they really go crazy? Aren’t you afraid they’ll come assassinate you tonight?”
Director Zhang smiled faintly, fully embracing his superior state of mind. “Whatever. If I can’t stay alive, I’ll go die by myself.”
The deputy director looked him up and down, a trace of sympathy flashing through his eyes. “I can tell. Our chief director has been tormented by his guests until he’s mentally snapped!”
“How interesting. Our production team really is full of hidden talents! Even Director Zhang, who’s always been the best at tormenting guests, has finally been completely disciplined by his own guests!”
“What goes around comes around. No one escapes their comeuppance! Zhang Huaicai, you deserve it!”
Director Zhang glared at him. “What do you mean, comeuppance? I was only playing along with those kids!”
“Do you really think a bunch of little brats could torment an old hand like me? Has water gotten into your brain?”
The deputy director didn’t argue with him at all. He merely replied, “Got it, Mr. Tough Mouth.”
That old bastard’s mouth would stay stubborn for three whole days even if the sky fell down!
In fact, he was the sort of person who could hold up the sky with his mouth alone!
After hearing Director Zhang’s infuriating provocation, the guests were stunned for quite a while before looking at him with curious expressions.
Xie Tangning’s face lit up with delight. “Director Zhang, not bad! Where did you learn that move? You actually managed to pull it off!”
Xie Changyu was equally generous with his praise. “I admit it, Director Zhang. You really got one over on your guests today!”
“Those things you just said made me so uncomfortable!”
“That proves just how profound your skills are. I only heard two words before my hands started itching. Fortunately, my self-control is strong enough to keep me from causing a livestream incident!”
Lu Huaiyu looked at his own silly puppy in surprise. “You’re finally developing some emotional intelligence? I’m so unused to it when you don’t spray a little venom from that mouth of yours!”
Xie Changyu immediately punched his older brother. “Big brother~ Stop exposing me all the time, okay? The fans are watching! I have a reputation to maintain too!”
“You have to praise a child when he’s making progress!”
The moment his little brother put on a spoiled act, Lu Huaiyu was completely won over again. With not an ounce of irritation, he said, “All right, all right~ It’s my fault, my fault~”
Xie Changyu gave an arrogant little snort. “Hmph~ Since I’m so magnanimous, I’ll forgive you!”
