NOVEL WEB
Chapter 27
In stark contrast to the dangerous skirmishes unfolding online, Shen Yue was lying in bed, exuding an aura of peaceful tranquility as if she would rather die on the spot than get up from bed and leave the mountain.
"Yueyue, it's time to get up," Zou Xuerong said as she walked over to the camera and turned it on.
She didn't notice anything amiss until the red recording light came back on.
Although it was a live broadcast, the guests still needed privacy when changing clothes. Thus, each room had a dedicated no-camera zone for changing.
After Zou Xuerong's clothes went into the changing area and came back out, she was dressed to impress. Shen Yue, on the other hand, remained motionless in bed, no different from a dead pig.
As she had done yesterday, Zou Xuerong first washed up before taking a towel over to the bed to wash Shen Yue's face.
As she washed, she told Shen Yue about some news she had accidentally overheard earlier. "Yueyue, today seems a bit different. The production team said they would give a question, and whoever answers correctly can get free food all day today and do whatever they want.
But those who don't answer correctly have to obey others. It feels so scary..."
Shen Yue finally opened her eyes after Zou Xuerong wiped the eye boogers off her face.
In one ear, she could hear the show's unique alarm clock: Still sleeping? Think you're some rich daddy's girl? Still sleeping? Think you're some wealthy young master? Everyone get up! This is socialist Xia Country. Anyone still sleeping in gets out of here!
In the other ear, she heard the ominous news delivered in Zou Xuerong's gentle voice.
What?
People who don't answer correctly will be treated like slaves and bullied by others! Isn't this just like Cell Block 4 where this happened every day?!
Help! Dead prison memories are suddenly attacking me!
Shen Yue, who had stubbornly refused to open her eyes just moments ago, sat up in bed to escape the recurring images of Q&A sessions in Cell Block 4 flashing through her mind. She quickly slipped into the changing area, got dressed, and began furiously brushing her teeth.
Her eyes blazed with the resolve born in the face of death!
Oh, and after brushing her teeth, Shen Yue also neatly folded her blankets into perfect tofu cubes, flawlessly uniform.
Seeing the completely changed Shen Yue, Zou Xuerong fell into deep thought.
Which of her words had stimulated Yueyue? She had to figure it out so she could use it to get Yueyue up every morning.
After everyone had tidied up, the production team gathered them to explain today's task.
Before speaking, the director took a special look at Shen Yue. Seeing she had no issues, he breathed a sigh of relief.
The current online battles were still too brutal for a 12-year-old child. Hopefully President Shen could resolve things soon. Shen Yue...was a good kid.
The director thought his furtive glance was subtle, but Shen Shuangyi noticed it. For a brief moment, the usually lazy eyes sharpened.
"After yesterday's hard work, you must all understand that effort will definitely bring rewards. You can only build a better tomorrow with your own hands!" After reading this line from the script, the director suddenly felt something was off. It seemed...not everyone had worked very hard.
There was one person who, while others were working up a sweat experiencing life's hardships, lay in bed reading novels provided by the crew, spending a blissful day.
After all, the production team hadn't expected anyone to actually complete the bomb defusing easter egg, so the reward was set rather high.
This resulted in some variables in the show.
"Ahem, with some exceptions." The director quickly checked the content below and, finding no issues, continued reading, "To help you understand the importance of effort direction, the first thing you need to do today is learn physics formulas. Through diligent study, understand the beauty of physics, and answer an applied physics question."
Physics is a fascinating subject. Those who understand it know everything has a scientific basis, while those who don't think life is full of magic everywhere.
"You may feel this is unfair to the minors present. After all, adults like Shen Shuangyi graduated from top universities and can easily answer these physics questions. But I, Old Hu, tell you from experience that even top college graduates would have forgotten those formulas after so many years. They may be able to solve calculus and spatial geometry, but not necessarily basic physics questions! So don't worry!"
"Those are the rules. Next I'll explain the rewards and punishments. Guests who answer the question correctly and can logically explain their reasoning will get food all day. Those who answer incorrectly or explain their reasoning wrongly after guessing the right answer will have to obey others who answered correctly until 8pm tonight."
"Now, let's invite our teacher to introduce some key concepts and formulas you'll need."
Zou Xuerong was a little scared. She could sense the production team was serious. If she didn't answer correctly but her sister did, they would surely make her do seemingly normal but actually terrifying things.
It was just like at home. Her sister always said it was for her own good and her dad told her to listen to her sister, but only she knew how uncomfortable the things her sister made her do were.
"Xuerong, I already told you not to play piano at home, didn't I? You play so poorly, if Dad hears he'll be angry again. Luckily it was me who heard it today. Stop playing. Go run instead, you need more exercise."
Zou Xuerong didn't like exercising...she would sweat a lot and get dirty. But her sister said she couldn't shower right after, so she always ate dinner with her dad drenched in sweat, then endured her father's accusing gaze.
She was exhausted. After eating, she just wanted to sleep, with no time or energy to chat with her dad, let alone say she didn't want to live at home anymore.
"Why can't you be more like a normal girl? Why don't you learn more from your sister?"
"How can you not know any of this? Didn't they teach it at school? Your sister was already helping out at home at your age!"
"Always making that face, who do you expect to look at it? Have I mistreated you? If you would just smile more like your sister, you wouldn't get bullied so much."
"Useless."
She was like trash next to her sister.
It would probably be the same here. Her sister could easily do the question while she was as dumb as a pig, unable to understand even after listening.
Why did she follow her sister on this show?
Oh, because her sister said she just annoyed their parents at home, so she might as well come on the show where she'd be less of a nuisance.
Zou Xuerong could already imagine the looks she'd get when she couldn't make heads or tails of the question.
She was trash.
Lost in her own world, Zou Xuerong couldn't hear anything outside. Just then, a hand grabbed her, radiating scorching heat that instantly dispersed the fog in her heart, pulling her back to reality.
"Yueyue?" Zou Xuerong was a bit surprised, but also felt it was only natural.