After freshening up, Yan Xi and Zhou Qingyu headed downstairs.
Queenstown marked the final stop of The Journey’s filming, and today was the show’s last day of recording. Once this live broadcast concluded, the entire production would wrap up.
When they arrived at the dining room, Pei Yubai was already waiting at the table.
Yesterday’s incident seemed to have left no impact on him. As usual, he had prepared breakfast for Zhou Qingyu. She glanced at him with slight confusion—if not for the cast on his arm, she might have thought the canyon incident had been nothing but a dream.
Breakfast was the same as the past two days. Zhou Qingyu, currently watching her weight, had a light salad, while Yan Xi enjoyed a heartier X-country specialty: whitefish cakes and oatmeal porridge.
Just as they sat down, Pei Hanli and Zhou Yanci descended the stairs. These two had partnered for the trip, opting for the same approach as Zhou Qingyu—hiring a dedicated travel consultant to handle everything.
Now, as Zhou Qingyu nibbled on her greens and Yan Xi chewed the dry fish cakes, they both watched longingly as the chef carried plate after plate of freshly prepared breakfast to Zhou Yanci and Pei Hanli’s table.
A lavish spread unfolded before them: truffle-topped eggs Benedict sandwiches, herb-butter roasted lobster, pan-seared venison, creamy black abalone grills…
Zhou Qingyu swallowed hard, suddenly finding her salad leaves far less appealing.
Pointing at Pei Hanli’s meal, she declared, "Pei Yubai, I’m done with salad. I want that!"
Pei Yubai offered a strained smile. "I’ll arrange it for you."
He hurried to the kitchen to instruct the chef, but the latter merely glanced at the spread and shook his head. "These are premium ingredients—not something you can just whip up."
"I’ll pay extra!" Pei Yubai insisted.
"It’s not just about money," the chef sighed. "Even if we source the ingredients, cooking will take time. If you’re willing to wait, fine."
But Zhou Qingyu had a show to film—she couldn’t afford to wait.
Defeated, Pei Yubai returned to the dining room with the bad news—only to find Zhou Qingyu and Yan Xi already seated beside Pei Hanli and Zhou Yanci, happily digging in.
"Miss Zhou, this lobster is excellent—high in protein, won’t make you gain weight."
"You should also try the langoustine. White meat is perfect for maintaining lean muscle…"
Pei Hanli smiled as he served Zhou Qingyu, using serving chopsticks to transfer each delicacy to her plate with none of the aloofness expected of a CEO.
"I shouldn’t!" Zhou Qingyu protested half-heartedly. "Even seafood can be fattening if I overindulge!"
"Don’t worry," Pei Hanli reassured. "If you can’t finish it, I’ll take care of the rest. Just sample what you like—nothing will go to waste."
Zhou Qingyu beamed. "Pei Hanli, you really get it, don’t you?"
He understood her dietary restrictions as a celebrity, hence the emphasis on seafood. He also anticipated her desire to taste without overeating, volunteering to handle leftovers.
"If you ever apply to be my butler, I’d hire you in a heartbeat!"
Pei Hanli lowered his lashes, veiling the cunning glint in his fox-like eyes. Something smoldered in those dark depths.
"Miss Zhou, I’ll always be at your service—if you’ll have me."
[Ahhh I’m shipping CEO Pei now!]
[Where else can you find such an attentive, service-minded hottie?]
[It was obvious since the ski resort—Pei Hanli’s totally into Miss Zhou!]
[He’s way better than Pei Yubai anyway. Never heard a single scandal about Pei Hanli!]
[Real men know how to behave! Screw playboys!]
Zhou Qingyu was quite pleased with Pei Hanli too—at the very least, he made her feel comfortable.
She turned to Zhou Yanci with a teasing smirk. "Pei Hanli knows how to serve breakfast. Don’t you have anything for Yan Xi?"
Zhou Yanci methodically sliced his venison before lifting his gaze. "The Pei Group has no ventures in X-country. Who do you think arranged for such an authentic chef if not me?"
Then, he slid the neatly cut venison toward Yan Xi.
Yan Xi blinked. "I can cut my own food!"
"Your head must hurt after all that wine last night."
Her cheeks pinked. "Not anymore."
Zhou Qingyu lifted her chin proudly. "That’s because of my hangover cure! Also—I know who Yan Xi has a crush on!"
Yan Xi immediately clapped a hand over Zhou Qingyu’s mouth, shaking her head frantically.
Zhou Yanci’s grip tightened around his knife. "Who?"
Zhou Qingyu grinned. "Let me into the Violet Gardens project, and I’ll tell you."
"Done."
The instant agreement caught Zhou Qingyu off guard—she nearly choked on her milk. As she coughed, Yan Xi patted her back.
"You’re serious?" Zhou Qingyu gaped.
The Violet Gardens project was nearing completion. Construction, interior design, sales—all that remained were the profitable phases. By letting her join now, Zhou Yanci was practically handing her a vice president’s role and a share of the billions in revenue.
"Who is it?" Zhou Yanci repeated.
Yan Xi made frantic silencing gestures at Zhou Qingyu.
Zhou Qingyu mouthed back, "This is worth hundreds of billions!"
Yan Xi’s eyes widened in panic—if Zhou Qingyu spilled now, she’d want to vanish into thin air!
But Zhou Qingyu only laughed and tossed her hair. "You really want to know? Too bad—I’m not telling!"
Zhou Yanci said nothing, silently dicing his venison into ever finer pieces.
Pei Hanli glanced over, noting how the meat had been reduced to confetti under that storm of knife work.
Meanwhile, Pei Yubai stood silently to the side.
He knew he’d lost this breakfast battle to Pei Hanli. Not that he believed Pei Hanli genuinely cared for Zhou Qingyu—what was there to love about her besides her looks? Arrogant, domineering, utterly self-absorbed.
No, Pei Yubai suspected Pei Hanli’s interference was strategic—a move to block him from securing the Pei family shares. If Pei Hanli won Zhou Qingyu’s favor, their grandfather’s 3% "dowry" stocks would go to him instead.
Clenching his fists, Pei Yubai approached Zhou Qingyu as she ate and presented a travel brochure. "Qingyu, it’s our last day. Any plans for activities?"
She flipped through the pages listlessly. The cold had sapped her enthusiasm for most options.
"Yan Xi," she called, "what do you want to do?"
Yan Xi skimmed the brochure but seemed equally uninspired.
Queenstown’s best attractions were snow-related, but after the blizzard trauma, Yan Xi wanted nothing to do with winter sports.
Pei Hanli suggested, "Miss Zhou, hunting is legal here. How about a game hunt?"
"With real guns?" Her eyes lit up.
Pei Hanli nodded. "It requires an application, but we can use real guns. Yanci and I planned to play with them today."
As he spoke, he casually slung his arm over Zhou Yanci’s shoulder, the picture of camaraderie.
However, Zhou Yanci clearly wasn’t having it and shrugged him off impatiently.
Zhou Qingyu was intrigued by the activity. Guns were prohibited in China, but in some foreign countries, firearm ownership was legal. She rarely got the chance to handle one, and the idea excited her.
Yan Xi was also curious. She had touched a real gun during military training before—the recoil had left her shoulder sore—but that didn’t dampen her enthusiasm.
Zhou Qingyu commanded Pei Yubai, "Pei Yubai! I want to go hunting later—hurry up and make the arrangements!"
When the young mistress wanted something, she always got it. Wasn’t that the duty of a travel consultant?
If Zhou Qingyu wanted a luxury yacht, Louis could secure one in minutes. If she wanted to throw a concert, Piao Baoyuan could organize a high-quality performance in just a few hours.
In Zhou Qingyu’s eyes, arranging a hunting trip should be even easier than acquiring a yacht or setting up a concert. A competent travel consultant shouldn’t fail at this.
But Louis and Piao Baoyuan were professionals, backed by American Express and its vast network of resources. Pei Yubai, on the other hand, was clearly out of his depth.
Contacting hunting clubs, renting a helicopter, applying for firearms, ordering hunting gear—all of this took time. By the time Zhou Qingyu and Yan Xi finished breakfast, Pei Yubai had only just managed to reach a hunting club.
Zhou Qingyu frowned. "At this rate, I’ll be waiting forever!"
Pei Yubai cursed inwardly. Only ten minutes had passed since she’d made her demand! He wasn’t Superman—if she’d given him more time, he could’ve handled it!
Flustered, he scrambled to coordinate with the hunting club over the phone. His English was fluent, but there were too many details to sort out, leaving him overwhelmed.
Standing at the villa entrance, Zhou Qingyu crossed her arms in displeasure. "So slow. Can’t even handle something this simple. Pei Yubai, you’re useless!"
Pei Yubai’s expression darkened, but he had no choice but to keep calling.
"If the young mistress wants to go, why not join us?" Pei Hanli stepped forward.
Zhou Yanci followed beside him, both already dressed in camouflage gear that accentuated their broad shoulders and toned physiques.
Zhou Yanci’s uniform was impeccably neat, buttoned all the way up, giving off an air of restraint. Pei Hanli, meanwhile, had his sleeves rolled up, revealing the faint outline of muscle on his forearms.
[These two should just debut together! Now this is what novel CEOs are supposed to look like!]
[Real-life tycoons vs. the fake ones in dramas—no comparison!]
[Let’s be fair, Pei Yubai is also a CEO—Tianhui’s, no less…]
[Don’t mention Pei Yubai. Right now, he’s just running around like a headless chicken!]
Pei Hanli approached Zhou Qingyu. The snow at the entrance had dampened the tips of her shoes, and without hesitation, he knelt to wipe them clean.
Even though he was a head taller than her, he still looked up at her.
"Young Mistress, care to join us?"
At 173 cm, Zhou Qingyu was considered tall for a woman, but next to Zhou Yanci—or even Pei Yubai—she always had to crane her neck. Pei Hanli’s height, however, was just right, putting her in a better mood.
Like a pampered ragdoll cat, she was much more agreeable when pleased.
"Sure!"
Pei Hanli had already made all the arrangements—firearm permits secured, helicopter rented and waiting on the open plaza outside the villa.
He stood and clapped his hands. A large logistics truck rolled up and parked in front of the villa.
The truck’s rear doors opened, revealing a team of neatly dressed boutique staff stepping out. The dull storage compartment transformed into a dazzling display of hunting gear—camouflage outfits, windbreakers, all tailored for women.
"Young Mistress, care to try?" Pei Hanli gestured invitingly.
Zhou Qingyu eyed him. "You came prepared. What if I didn’t want to hunt?"
"Always need a Plan B. Can’t keep the young mistress waiting."
Pei Yubai rushed back. "Qingyu, I’ve contacted the hunting club—they’re sending a guide soon—"
He froze at the sight of the helicopter and the truck full of gear.
Zhou Qingyu smiled sweetly. "Pei Yubai, anything else?"
Pei Yubai choked. Compared to Pei Hanli’s flawless preparations, his last-minute arrangements looked like a joke.
Silent, he clenched his fists, nails digging into his palms.
A fragile ego shattered quietly on the ground.
[Is Pei Yubai even a real travel consultant? His planning is terrible!]
[Ugh, he’s so annoying. I miss Louis and Piao Baoyuan—they could make anything happen!]
[Pei Hanli’s not bad either~]
[Agreed! Feels like he’s the one who should be the young mistress’s consultant~]
Zhou Qingyu couldn’t care less about Pei Yubai’s bruised pride. Happily, she linked arms with Yan Xi.
"Come on, let’s go change~"
The two picked matching camouflage outfits, paired with sturdy military boots, and tied their hair into sleek high ponytails.
By the time they emerged, the helicopter was ready to take them straight to the wilderness.
Pei Hanli held the helicopter door open for Zhou Qingyu. As she climbed in, he instinctively moved to follow—to sit beside her.
Zhou Yanci yanked him back by the collar.
"Get lost."
Zhou Qingyu paid no attention to Pei Hanli, tugging Yan Xi’s hand instead. "Xi’er, come on up!"
Yan Xi hugged her water bottle and bounced over cheerfully. "Coming~"
Pei Hanli shot Zhou Yanci a sheepish look. "Yanci, don’t be so stingy. I just wanted to sit next to her."
Zhou Yanci’s expression was icy. "That’s exactly why you’re getting lost."
Pei Hanli smirked. "I thought you and your sister didn’t get along?"
"She’s still my sister," Zhou Yanci said coolly, eyeing him. "And you? Don’t think I don’t know what you’re after."
Being Zhou Qingyu’s travel consultant? Fine.
Being her boyfriend? Not happening.
Doing his job? Acceptable.
Getting too close? Absolutely not.
[Hahaha! Brothers always see right through guys who want their sisters!]
[The rumors say these siblings don’t get along, but they seem fine—bickering is fun!]
[Fight at home, unite against outsiders!]
[My brother’s the same—always teases me, but the second I mention a guy, he turns into a critic!]
Yan Xi peeked out from the helicopter door, wide-eyed.
Pei Hanli was, after all, the major antagonist in the novel. Zhou Yanci’s action of grabbing his collar outright—where did that leave the dignity of a villain like him?
Yet Pei Hanli showed no trace of anger, his face still wearing an inscrutable smile. "Brother, trust me, I’ll treat Miss Zhou well!"
Zhou Yanci: "???"
He frowned. "What did you just call me?"
"Brother!" Pei Hanli was nothing if not pragmatic. "You’re Miss Zhou’s elder brother, which makes you my elder brother too. Respect for seniority—I’ve always been very well-mannered!"
Zhou Yanci: "..."
"I really will treat Miss Zhou well!" Pei Hanli repeated earnestly.
Zhou Yanci shoved him aside. "I don’t believe a word you say."
.
Pei Hanli had only rented a four-seater helicopter.
Yan Xi knew it was deliberate. The man had prepared dozens of outfits for Zhou Qingyu to choose from—even Yan Xi’s clothes were accounted for. How could someone so meticulous overlook something as basic as helicopter seating?
But Pei Hanli boarded last. After everyone else had taken their seats, he turned to Pei Yubai with a smirk. "My dear brother, seems like we’re short on space. Guess you’ll have to find your own way there!"
Pei Yubai’s face darkened, his jaw clenched in fury.
He called out desperately to Zhou Qingyu, "Qingyu, my helicopter will be here in ten minutes! Let’s just wait and take ours instead!"
Zhou Qingyu, engrossed in gossip with Yan Xi, glanced up coldly. "Pei Yubai, my time is precious. I hate waiting. Catch up on your own."
With that, Pei Hanli smoothly boarded, slamming the door shut without a second glance at Pei Yubai’s livid expression.
……
The helicopter gradually soared toward the primeval forest.
The winter woods near Queen’s City were eerily silent. The roar of the rotor blades shattered the tranquility as the aircraft glided over an endless expanse of snow-laden treetops, stretching like a white ocean to meet the horizon. Sunlight scattered like gold dust, shaking loose powdery snow from the branches.
They landed on a clearing at the forest’s edge. The cabin door swung open—Pei Hanli and Zhou Yanci jumped out first, followed by Zhou Qingyu and Yan Xi.
Zhou Qingyu hadn’t planned to stick with Pei Hanli’s group. With the film crew and staff in tow, hunting would be impractical. So upon arrival, the guests split into two teams, each led by a guide along separate trails into the wilderness.
Zhou Qingyu was exhilarated, gripping a loaded rifle.
Yan Xi held one too, though she vividly remembered how the recoil of a military-grade rifle during training had nearly knocked her senseless. This wasn’t like playing CS—she opted for a lighter model, just for participation’s sake.
Truthfully, Yan Xi was the only one slacking.
Two hours later, she gaped at the wild boar Zhou Qingyu had bagged.
"Quit staring!" Zhou Qingyu cheerfully nudged the carcass with her boot. "We’re having roast boar tonight!"
After hours of trekking, even the young miss was exhausted.
The guide handed her a thermos of herbal tea.
Zhou Qingyu took a sip. "Not bad. Does the club provide this?"
Guide: "No, it was arranged by President Pei. He anticipated you’d separate from his group and insisted we prepare refreshments for you."
"Pei Hanli?" Zhou Qingyu swirled the tea. "He actually thought of this too."
[Pei Hanli really considers everything for Miss Zhou! Even when they’re apart, he’s still looking out for her!]
[I’m shipping it! The young miss should give Pei a chance—this kind of power-couple dynamic is perfect!]
[Pei’s way better than Pei Yubai! Just marry already!]
Yan Xi’s alarm bells rang louder.
Compared to Pei Yubai, Pei Hanli was way too smooth!
She sidled up to Zhou Qingyu, whispering, "So… what do you really think of Pei Hanli?"
Zhou Qingyu pondered. "Not bad. Handsome, decent personality, and he knows his place."
Yan Xi internally panicked. From the now-unromantic Zhou Qingyu, this was high praise!
Zhou Qingyu eyed her. "You don’t like him?"
She’d noticed Yan Xi tensed whenever she interacted with Pei Hanli.
Yan Xi nodded vigorously.
How could she? Pei Hanli was the villain!
"He’s ruthless!"
Zhou Qingyu countered, "Isn’t Zhou Yanci ruthless too?" (Half the Lin family’s assets had vanished overnight—no one would call that gentle.)
"He’s scheming and calculating!"
"So is Zhou Yanci."
"His family’s a mess—the Pei clan is chaos!"
"The Meng siblings are raising their grandson like a son while fighting for power. That’s not messy?"
"He took advantage of your breakup to swoop in!"
"Didn’t Zhou Yanci exploit our cold war to do the same?"
Yan Xi had no rebuttal.
Zhou Qingyu smirked triumphantly—until her expression abruptly sobered.
She pinched Yan Xi’s cheeks, forcing eye contact.
"That person you warned me about before the concert… was Pei Hanli?"
Yan Xi’s squished face muffled her words. "And the man you told me to beware of… was Zhou Yanci?"
Silence.
The forest seemed to hold its breath.
So their heartfelt warnings last week had been… completely misdirected?
Both sighed, rubbing their temples.
"Look," Zhou Qingyu released Yan Xi’s face, "Pei Hanli’s nothing like Pei Yubai. I know what I’m doing. The Pei family’s no threat to me—stop worrying."
Yan Xi bit back further protests.
The system perched on her shoulder: [Host, you’re giving up on separating Miss Zhou and Pei Hanli? He’s the villain!]
Yan Xi sighed inwardly. "She likes him. What can I do?"
Honestly, setting aside the plot’s constraints, Yan Xi didn’t dislike Pei Hanli either. His treatment of Zhou Qingyu was impeccable—she couldn’t fault it.
She was just… uneasy.
"Wait, if Pei Hanli has no direct ties to Ye Luoyi, why is he labeled the villain?"
[Probably because of Pei Yubai. The male lead’s rival naturally opposes the female lead too!]
Yan Xi stroked her chin. "So if Pei Yubai weren’t the male lead… would Pei Hanli cease to be a villain?"
[???]
[Host, what nonsense are you spouting? Pei Yubai can’t not be the male lead!]
Yan Xi let out a light chuckle. "Didn’t you say it already? This is a world shaped by romance novels, and romance novels are inherently female-centric. Even though there are male and female leads, Ye Luoyi is the true center of this world."
"Besides, this is a harem romance novel. In this genre, the male lead isn’t born as the male lead—he becomes one because the female lead chooses him out of all the men vying for her affection."
"If readers make enough noise while the novel is serialized, the author might even swap out the male lead. Given how Pei Yubai is acting now, why should Ye Luoyi stay hung up on him?"
The system trembled in fear, its little glowing orb circling Yan Xi frantically. Changing the male lead? That was practically heresy—how could she even suggest it!
[But yesterday, you proved to Ye Luoyi that Pei Yubai loves her to the point of madness, even willing to die for her! Why would she ever give up on him?!]
Yan Xi remained unfazed, her gaze dark and contemplative. "Love is love, but the hurt is real too. If the only value a man has to a woman is 'loving her,' then what’s the point of keeping him around?"
