Back to Three Years Old: Crushing Scumbags on a Parenting Reality Show 241

Chapter 241

The program team wasn’t lying, the soundproofing was good.

Inside Zhao Can’s room, they could only hear the knocking, not the muffled voices outside.

And they weren’t concerned about the voices.

“All this… just to make me keep quiet about yesterday?” Zhao Can asked, after hearing Cheng Tingyan’s explanation, she was so angry she almost laughed. “You could have just asked, covering my mouth, dragging me in here, I thought you were going to kill me!”

“I’m sorry, I scared you.” Cheng Tingyan apologized, not offering further explanations.

The less she said, the better, if Zhao Can figured out who she was trying to hide from, it would be troublesome.

“But what’s there to hide? We’re on live TV.” Zhao Can asked, confused.

“Just promise me you won’t tell anyone.” Cheng Tingyan said, looking at her intently.

“Okay, okay, I promise.” Zhao Can said, she didn’t understand, but it wasn’t a big deal.

“Thank you.” Cheng Tingyan said, relieved, she meant it.

Zhao Can, once she made a promise, she kept it, like when she promised to take care of Zhao Tong, she did, no matter how difficult. Even if she figured things out later, she wouldn’t tell.

“You’re welcome, it’s nothing.” Zhao Can said, then, remembering something, she asked, “Speaking of which, you had enough red strings last night, did you call your grandma? What did Tongtong say?”

Silence.

Cheng Tingyan’s lips were pressed together, her gaze intense, Zhao Can, feeling a bit scared, patted her chest and said, “Right, also a secret, I understand.”

Cheng Tingyan’s actions earlier, covering her mouth, grabbing her arm, they weren’t violent, but her demeanor… like a hawk capturing a mouse, it was terrifying. And that gaze now, as if hiding a thousand secrets…

Cheng Tingyan, noticing Zhao Can’s nervous fidgeting, smiled awkwardly. “Don’t worry, I’m not going to kill you…”

“You never know.” Zhao Can muttered, then asked, “I’m Orange, you’re not… Green, are you?”

“No, I’m Red.” Cheng Tingyan said.

“Oh, good, good.” Zhao Can said, relieved, her back straightening, she chuckled. “So you’re Red, the one who was chosen by Black after just the first question, I wonder who that Black is.”

So bold, breaking up a CP right from the start…

“Let’s go and see who Black is!” Zhao Can said excitedly, rubbing her hands, she reached for the doorknob, then turned to Cheng Tingyan. “Can I open the door now?”

“Wait…” Cheng Tingyan said, just as she was about to nod, she remembered something, she pulled Zhao Can back and asked, lowering her voice, “One more thing, eight years ago, during the National Day holiday, you wanted to learn writing from Auntie Zhang, was that your own idea?”

Zhao Can, after a moment of confusion, remembered.

Mmm, this question… she couldn’t answer it directly.

It was a request, a secret. But it was Yan Yan asking… and they were on live TV…

Cheng Tingyan, seeing her conflicted expression, didn’t push it, if it was Zhao Can’s own idea, she would have said so.

She had her suspicions; she just wanted confirmation.

“This… is also a secret.” Cheng Tingyan said, looking at Zhao Can.

Zhao Can, confused, nodded instinctively.

Cheng Tingyan opened the door and saw… three people standing outside.

“Sister Yan Yan.” Wang Zhiqing said, her gaze sweeping past Zhao Can, she was still following her plan: be nice to anyone Zhao Can cared about.

Wei Maomao, slightly surprised, glanced at Wang Zhiqing, who seemed much calmer now, unlike her earlier frantic self.

“We… were just discussing something.” Cheng Tingyan said, avoiding Maomao’s gaze, she looked at Wang Zhiqing, feeling a strange sense of kinship, she offered a brief explanation.

“What?” Wang Zhiqing asked, seizing the opportunity.

“Nothing.” Zhao Can said, interrupting her, glancing at Cheng Tingyan, she changed the subject. “By the way, who’s Black?”

“Yellow, Purple, Green, no Black.” Wang Zhiqing said, pointing at herself, Xia Lanruo, and Wei Maomao, she looked at Zhao Can. “What about you?”

Zhao Can, glancing at the Green guest, her back, which had just straightened, slumped again.

“She’s Orange, I’m Red.” Cheng Tingyan said, answering Wang Zhiqing’s questioning gaze.

Zhao Can leaned closer to Cheng Tingyan and whispered, “It was Black who chose you, Red, you know.” Even if she didn’t choose Maomao, Maomao couldn’t have been with Red!

Cheng Tingyan: “…“ She hadn’t expected such a suggestive remark from Zhao Can.

After a brief exchange, they realized that Orange (Zhao Can) and Green (Wei Maomao), Purple (Xia Lanruo) and Yellow (Wang Zhiqing), were paired up.

They headed downstairs, led by Zhao Can, who was eager to find out who Black was, followed closely by Wang Zhiqing, then Xia Lanruo and Wei Maomao, who were discussing the questionnaires.

Cheng Tingyan walked behind them, her heart racing as she watched their backs, just a few steps away, her feet heavy.

She heard their conversation clearly.

Xia Lanruo mentioned the amusement park, the carousel, then said, surprised, that she and Maomao both liked carousels.

Coincidence…?

Cheng Tingyan pursed her lips.

When she answered that question, her first thought was also… the carousel. At the amusement park in Shu Store, during the filming of “Where’s Baby Going,” she and Maomao both loved the carousel.

But… worried that the program team would use their answers for matchmaking, she had deliberately chosen the 4D movie, and she had also answered several other questions differently.

Who would have thought…

Hearing Xia Lanruo’s surprised comment, and Maomao’s reply, “We both like autumn too,” then their discussion about which day of the week was better, about having children…

Cheng Tingyan clutched her clothes, her lips pressed together.

Wang Zhiqing, following Zhao Can, glanced back and saw Cheng Tingyan’s gaze, it was… She paused, almost tripping on the stairs.

Thankfully, Zhao Can caught her, then quickly let go and stepped back.

“What, am I poisonous?” Wang Zhiqing asked, annoyed, taking a step towards Zhao Can, she couldn’t dwell on what she just saw, her own matters were more important.

“Just… stand still…” Zhao Can said, backing away, she was having a headache.

On a dating show, even a small gesture could become a trending topic, she couldn’t be too close to Wang Zhiqing. But… she couldn’t be too rude either, after all, they were both in the entertainment industry.

This distance, it was so difficult to maintain! She had asked Maomao to join precisely to avoid this! And now, even more trouble… paired with Green… she would be bruised green.

Thankfully, there was a distraction.

The three male guests were waiting in the living room downstairs.

As soon as they came down, they knew who Black was.

“I was paired with Mr. Xie yesterday… needle felting and building a dollhouse. He’s quite good at it, but I’m not, so I chose him, hoping to choose the activity this time.” Yan Yongzhi said, glancing at Cheng Tingyan, a bit embarrassed. “You’re not… angry, are you, Ms. Cheng?”

“It’s fine.” Cheng Tingyan said, forcing a smile.

Paired up, they followed the signs towards the factory.

Before, they were led to their designated rooms, one by one.

Today, a map was displayed at the factory entrance, they quickly found their respective locations.

Near the entrance was the House of Strength.

The previously curtained windows were now clear, revealing a small gym inside.

“Ahem… well, I wasn’t very good at the previous two activities, so I chose something I’m better at, are you… okay with this, Ms. Cheng?” Yan Yongzhi asked, looking at the archery targets, bowling alley, basketball hoops, and climbing wall through the glass windows, he suddenly felt his choice was a bit cruel, he opened the door and forced a smile. “It’s fine, we’ll just try our best, it’s not a competition, the red strings don’t matter.”

Cheng Tingyan, also looking inside, at the sign displaying the rewards, shook her head. “The red strings do matter.”

Yan Yongzhi, turning to her, seeing her serious expression, chuckled. “You already have so many, you still want more? I won’t go easy on you.”

“Don’t. Competition first, friendship second.” Cheng Tingyan said, staring at the task board, she didn’t mention the forty red strings she needed.

“Right, friendship first, competition second… mmm?” Yan Yongzhi said, nodding, then realized something was wrong.

Cheng Tingyan pointed at the basketball hoops. “Let’s start.”

The House of Delicacies on the map, it was the baking studio from yesterday, she remembered the curtained windows, now that the curtains here were open, were the curtains there also open?

If she finished quickly, she could… go and see, even just a glance from outside.

Cheng Tingyan, eager, rolled up her sleeves as she walked towards the basketball hoops.

Yan Yongzhi: “…“ Something felt wrong.