Witch, Please Open Your Eyes

After getting back into the car, Fang Daichuan knew rationally that he should chat more and make more movements to grab the camera’s attention, but he was just too exhausted. A night of rushing through scenes left his entire body aching and his limbs numb. The scene where he fell off the horse last night seemed to have strained his inner thigh, and now he felt as if he had been forcibly split apart.

“Zhou, don’t be mad at me. I’ll just take a quick nap. Once we get there, I’ll definitely act silly and put on a good show,” Fang Daichuan thought to himself, almost instantly sinking into a deep, dark sleep.

When he woke up again, the car had already stopped.

Fang Daichuan had handed in his phone, so he didn’t know the exact time, but judging by the sky, it must have been around 6 PM. They had driven for over five hours and were already within Shandong Province.

Fang Daichuan opened the car door, and the humid wind immediately rushed into the cabin, shattering the stagnant air that had built up over the afternoon. The wind carried the salty, fishy smell unique to the seaside. Excited, Fang Daichuan climbed out of the car and tilted his head back, pretending to be intoxicated by the scent of the sea breeze.

“The sea! It’s really the sea! I’ve never seen the sea at night before in my life! It’s so beautiful!” Fang Daichuan half-shouted, half-exclaimed. The sea before him had shed its daytime guise of calm and benevolence. Layer upon layer of waves piled up the black seawater, splashing onto the rocks at Fang Daichuan’s feet, with foam churning endlessly.

He glanced back and, sure enough, the camera was still dutifully recording. The mixed-race guy was holding the camera, expressionlessly capturing his back.

Fang Daichuan immediately put on a deep act: “Seeing the sea, I truly understand how insignificant we humans are! Such a magnificent sea, endless to the eye! Boundless in space, and eternal in time! Billions of years ago, this was already the sea, unchanging since ancient times. Back then, we didn’t even know where we were!”

Mr. Chen stood beside him, lighting a cigarette: “Billions of years? The Earth is only 4.6 billion years old. No one knows where this place was billions of years ago! Besides, this area wasn’t always the sea. Have you learned about tectonic plates? Do you understand the concept of ‘the seas changing into mulberry fields’? Unchanging since ancient times, my foot.”

Failed attempt at looking profound…

But Fang Daichuan had his own way of stealing the spotlight. These days, the character setting of a relatable slacker was quite popular. He adjusted his strategy, no longer just giving his back to the camera pretending to be a heartthrob. Instead, he immediately turned his face toward the lens, putting on an awkward expression. The editors would probably turn this into a comedic moment, adding some artistic text or three black lines above his head.

“Where are we going next? Where are the others?” Fang Daichuan forcibly changed the subject.

The mixed-race guy looked up at him: “A helicopter is coming to pick us up soon. We’re heading to a deserted island.”

A deserted island? No big deal, Fang Daichuan thought. The Pitaya Channel really does have deep pockets, renting out an entire island. A helicopter wasn’t surprising either. These days, the competition in the reality show market is getting fiercer. It’s not just helicopters-paragliders and even fake kidnappings or terrorist scenarios are common. Compared to all that, the gimmicks of a Werewolf-themed show were nothing.

The helicopter arrived quickly, its sleek black body adorned with a bright red logo. The loud whirring of its propellers and its majestic sweep over the sea looked incredibly cool.

Fang Daichuan immediately switched into variety show mode, looking up at the aircraft and hamming it up.

“Wow! Big spender, big spender! So cool! This entrance is absolutely epic. The editors better add some mind-blowing effects to this later,” he said, bumping the mixed-race guy’s shoulder and causing the large camera in his hands to wobble.

The guy silently steadied the camera, glanced at Fang Daichuan’s profile, and said nothing.

So aloof? Fang Daichuan felt a bit awkward.

Mr. Chen, standing beside him, clearly had no experience with variety shows and didn’t know how to play along. Not only did he not join in, but he also gave Fang Daichuan a look that screamed, “What are you, an idiot?” Fang Daichuan thought to himself, Why are you looking at me like that? If you don’t add your own drama now, are you just waiting for the director and editors to do it for you?

But, out of respect for the older man, who was used to playing a supporting role, Fang Daichuan said nothing.

The helicopter hovered over the sea not far away.

In the vast, endless ocean, amidst the roaring waves, stood a solitary rock. The sleek black helicopter hovered above it. Compared to the cold steel representing the pinnacle of human technology and the awe-inspiring power of nature, the three warm, flesh-and-blood humans standing below seemed utterly insignificant.

The Pitaya Channel had always favored such unique perspectives. In the past, scenes like this would have been accompanied by a drone following the helicopter, capturing a top-down shot to emphasize the dramatic contrast. Fang Daichuan glanced behind the helicopter but didn’t spot any drone equipment.

“Who’s the producer this time? Isn’t it the Pitaya Channel’s usual director and cinematographer? Breaking the mold, huh?” Fang Daichuan silently wondered.

The helicopter hovered and descended slightly, stopping about ten meters above the ground. The wind from the rotor blades pressed down, making the ground tremble. A soft ladder and safety rope were lowered from above.

Mr. Chen, who probably hadn’t seen much of reality shows, was visibly terrified by the spectacle and kept backing away. To be fair, climbing into a helicopter at his age was no small feat. Fang Daichuan stepped aside and said, “Mr. Chen, you go first. It’s really safe-there’s a safety rope.”

Mr. Chen waved his hands frantically, retreating toward the nanny van they’d arrived in. “No, no, I can’t do this. I really can’t. Can I quit? I’m too old for this. I’m not up to it.”

Without a word, the mixed-race guy slung the camera over his shoulder and pulled out a gun from his pocket, aiming it squarely at Old Chen.

Well, well, Fang Daichuan thought, I misjudged the old man. This is a masterclass in stealing the spotlight! Why didn’t I think of this? He felt a pang of regret. The audience would absolutely eat this up!

Mr. Chen, ever the veteran actor, stayed in character, his face turning pale as if he were genuinely terrified. “Don’t, don’t! I’ll go, I’ll go,” he stammered.

With trembling hands, he fastened the safety rope around his waist and began climbing the soft ladder, step by step. Several times, he looked down at the sea below, freezing in fear each time. He clutched the safety rope tightly, his legs shaking uncontrollably as he inched upward.

Fang Daichuan was seething at this blatant attempt to hog the spotlight. He watched the old man’s performance, counting his own heartbeats, estimating that the old geezer had taken at least half an hour to clumsily make his way up. At the very end, Mr. Chen even let go for a moment, nearly falling before the safety rope caught him. The staff on the helicopter reacted quickly, grabbing his hand just in time.

This scene alone would easily make for ten minutes of footage in the final edit, not to mention the dramatic near-fall that even made the helicopter shake. This segment would undoubtedly be replayed multiple times, and it might even be teased as a major cliffhanger in the previews.

Fang Daichuan watched anxiously as Mr. Chen climbed up, knowing full well that in these reality shows, each group’s screen time was strictly allocated. The more time this old geezer hogged, the less time he’d have for himself. What’s a guy with one foot in the grave doing here, anyway? he thought bitterly. He’s lived half his life and seen it all-why’s he crashing a variety show, competing with a bunch of hungry young talents for the spotlight? Still, he tried to console himself: This old guy’s movements are clumsy and ungraceful. He won’t catch the audience’s attention. Screen time doesn’t matter as much as leaving a lasting impression.

The mixed-race guy turned his camera toward Fang Daichuan and gestured for him to hurry up. Fang Daichuan played along, pretending to be nervous. “Don’t point that thing at me, I’m going up!” he said with a grin.

He decided to show off a little, wrapping the safety rope loosely around his waist and using the rock as a foothold to leap onto the third rung of the ladder. Fang Daichuan had trained in martial arts since childhood, and his muscles were solid and well-defined-not the kind you get from just hitting the gym. Knowing this was the era of male heartthrobs and that young women loved this kind of display, he gave it his all, climbing with fluid, graceful movements. His tight T-shirt clung to his muscles, and he felt like a million bucks.

“Smooth as silk, light as a swallow,” Fang Daichuan narrated in his mind, giving himself a mental highlight reel. For the final rung, he decided to go big, releasing the soft ladder and flipping into the cabin using only the strength of his core.

Bravo! he cheered internally, flooding his mental screen with imaginary comments: Heartthrob alert! That last move was a perfect 10! Not only is he handsome and ripped, but his acting skills outshine all the young idols out there. And he’s amazing at extreme sports too! It’s a crime he’s not already a superstar! Applause for the heartthrob!

He leaned against the cabin door, eyes closed, basking in the moment as the fierce wind whipped past him.

“Why is there an extra person?!” Fang Daichuan was still lost in his own world when he heard someone ask in confusion-and in English, no less.

Snapping back to reality, Fang Daichuan remembered his character setting as a low-IQ slacker. He pretended not to understand, glancing around the cabin to assess the situation.

The cabin was filled with staff in black suits, all foreigners dressed exactly like the mixed-race guy below. They looked tough, with menacing expressions and bulging biceps that made it clear they weren’t to be messed with. Fang Daichuan wondered where the Pitaya Channel had found such a group of extras.

In the corner, a camera was rolling, its light on. Mr. Chen had already been “escorted” by two big guys, sitting in a corner of the cabin with a look of utter resignation.

Still acting? Really getting into it, huh? Fang Daichuan smirked to himself, silently mocking the old man.

Two big guys instantly restrained him, firmly gripping his shoulders. It was clear they were trained professionals. Fang Daichuan tried to use some finesse to break free, but it was no use.

Behind him, another person climbed into the cabin. The mixed-race guy, with a camera slung over his left shoulder, pulled himself up with one hand and swung his long leg into the cabin.

Nice! Fang Daichuan sat quietly in another corner, silently applauding.

A staff member nearby asked in English, “What’s going on? Why is there an extra person? I thought we were only picking up one.”

“No idea. He climbed into the car himself and said he was signed on too,” the mixed-race guy replied in English, his tone cool and his words brief. After the simple explanation, he sat down and said nothing more.

Fang Daichuan quickly explained, “I got caught in heavy rain at the airport, and my flight couldn’t take off. I couldn’t make it on time for the original schedule, so I couldn’t wait for the car that was supposed to pick me up later. Thanks to Mr. Chen and this guy here, they were kind enough to give me a ride.”

The staff nodded, not dwelling on the matter further, and the helicopter sped toward the small island in the open sea.

At the same time, at Qingdao Liuting Airport, flight CA256 had just landed.

As soon as the plane came to a stop, Zhou eagerly turned on her phone. Instantly, over twenty missed calls from the same number flooded in. Startled and worried something might be wrong, she quickly called back.

“This is the Pitaya Channel’s Werewolf program. Hello, is this Fang Daichuan? What’s going on? Have you arrived yet?” The voice on the other end was a woman’s, loud and urgent.

Zhou hurriedly explained, “Oh, I’m Zhou, Chuan-Ge’s assistant. Yes, I’m here, I’ve arrived in Qingdao. We waited at the airport for a long time but didn’t see your car. As soon as the flight resumed, I rushed over. I’m at Liuting Airport right now.”

“Great, come straight out. We’ve arranged for someone to pick you up,” the woman instructed quickly. “Is Chuan-Ge all set with his makeup and everything? The camera crew is here, and we’ll start filming right away!”

Zhou paused, confused. “Huh? Chuan-Ge isn’t with me. He left earlier in another actor’s car from the same program. He should’ve arrived before me!”

The other end was even more baffled. “You must be mistaken! We only needed to pick up Chuan-Ge from Beijing-there are no other actors! Chuan-Ge’s follow PD and camera crew went to the airport but couldn’t find him at all!!”