“Alright, guests! We will now use the fairest and most transparent method to choose who will draw the lots. And that is—”
“Rock, paper, scissors,” Yun Chu said.
The director’s words caught in his throat. “No!”
Yun Chu was past her initial shock and was now so sleepy she felt dazed. Wanting only to get this over with quickly, she couldn’t spare a thought for the director’s delicate feelings. She yawned and asked, “Then what is it?”
The director said, “Bring in the props.”
The props were blindfolds.
The name of the game was Blindfolded Catch.
The guests would play rock, paper, scissors to select three people to be blindfolded. After putting on their blindfolds, they would draw lots to determine their date for the day. They could then ask the production team one question about their assigned date and try to catch that person based on their guess.
All while still blindfolded.
Catching the wrong person or guessing incorrectly would result in a point deduction. The deducted points were tied to their spending allowance for the day—the more mistakes they made, the less money they would have to spend.
The guests were dumbfounded again.
Yun Chu clapped robotically. “You guys really know how to have fun.”
Zhu Wan’er said, “Come on, let’s form a circle. Rock, paper, scissors—”
Three papers, two rocks, one scissors.
“Rock, paper, scissors—”
Three rocks, three scissors.
Yun Chu, Wen Xi, and Jian You lost.
Yun Chu: “?”
She asked Jian You, “Teacher Jian, how did you lose?”
Jian You tilted her head. “…Didn’t you lose too?”
Yun Chu: “…”
That was true, but it also meant they both had to draw lots, which guaranteed they wouldn’t be paired together! Was this show not rigged? Could the director be bribed?
While Yun Chu was busy brainstorming, Jian You noticed she hadn’t responded to her question. Not minding her, she went over to the director to get her blindfold.
The blindfold was shaped like a little yellow duck, with thick duck lips and clumsily applied blush that made it look a bit silly. She frowned and asked, “Can I just close my eyes instead of wearing this?”
The director said, “You cannot.”
Jian You took a step forward. “Why?”
Intimidated by her powerful aura, the director’s knees went weak for a second. But he was a variety show director, after all. He gave himself a mental pep talk and stood his ground. “It’s part of the rules.”
Jian You gave a tight-lipped smile. “Fine.”
When she turned back, Yun Chu had already put on her blindfold.
Hers was a giant panda design, black and white. It didn’t look out of place on Yun Chu’s face at all; it was very—
“You’re so cute, Yun Chu!” Zhu Wan’er ran over to pinch Yun Chu’s cheeks. Yun Chu’s face was a little chubby, and Zhu Wan’er had been eyeing it for a long time. Seizing the opportunity, she gave them a thorough squishing. “Just adorable.”
Blindfolded and caught off guard, Yun Chu was powerless to resist the squishing. She whimpered and tried to dodge, but there was no escape.
Jian You lowered her eyes and put on the blindfold.
The director interjected in a timely manner, “Alright, the game is starting. Everyone else, go hide. The catchers, come over and draw your lots.”
Jian You drew first.
She asked the director, “Is she a good cook?”
The director said, “…We don’t know yet.”
Jian You: “Okay.”
That ruled out Zhu Wan’er.
The drawing took place in the dining room, so the others couldn’t hear the questions. Yun Chu drew second. She tried to feel the characters on the slip of paper to guess the name. After a while, the director offered a kind reminder, “If you don’t ask your question soon, you can just head out.”
“Oh.” Yun Chu tilted her head back, the panda ears on her blindfold wobbling slightly. “Is she a good cook?” she asked.
The director said, “…We don’t know yet.”
Yun Chu: “Okie dokie.”
That ruled out Zhu Wan’er.
Wen Xi drew third.
The director said, “No more questions about cooking.”
Wen Xi: “…Huh?”
The director: “Just ask.”
Wen Xi said, “Oh,” and asked, “Does she have a nice voice?”
The director: “It’s alright.”
Wen Xi: “Okay.”
That ruled out Meng Zhaozhao.
Meanwhile, in the living room, the game of blindfolded catch had already begun.
Yun Chu wasn’t in a hurry to catch anyone. She carefully held onto the sofa as she walked forward, calling out, “Teacher Jian!”
Jian You: “Yes.”
Yun Chu: “Are you scared?”
She remembered that Jian You was afraid of the dark.
Jian You, who was still standing at the entrance to the dining room, paused when she heard Yun Chu’s question. She was afraid of the dark, but her eyes were open, and the blindfold was translucent, so the conditions that triggered her phobia weren’t met.
As Jian You was thinking this, the crew members were mentally rolling their eyes. Seriously? Who do you think Director Jian is? She’s endured all sorts of harsh environments while filming! And she’s going to be scared of a blindfold? Yun Chu must be her fan, treating her like a princess!
Jian You: “…I’m scared.”
The crew: “???”
“Don’t be scared!” Yun Chu said hurriedly. “Just keep talking to me, and I’ll use your voice to find you.”
The crew: “???”
Who is she looking for?! The person she’s supposed to be catching is already hiding and waiting for her!
Teacher Jian, you’re not actually going to play along with this nonsense, are you?
As expected, Jian You fell silent.
The crew breathed a sigh of relief. They knew Teacher Jian wouldn’t—
“An actor’s ‘self-cultivation’ in the process of ‘experiencing.’ External expression depends on inner experience. The process of experiencing is of great significance because, in the creative process, every step, every movement, every action should be given life and justification by the actor’s emotions…”
The crew: “…”
Why is she suddenly reciting from a textbook? We sighed in relief too soon!
Yun Chu froze for a second, then followed the sound of the voice. Listening to Jian You’s emotionless recitation, she couldn’t help but laugh. “Stanislavski, An Actor Prepares.”
“It seems you haven’t been out of school for long; you haven’t given all your knowledge back to your teachers yet.”
“I review it every day, you know?” Yun Chu said smugly. “It’s all part of an actor’s self-cultivation.”
“Oh?”
“And not just Stanislavski. I’m familiar with Blanchett, too.”
She navigated around the coffee table and the obstacles the production team had deliberately set up, stopping in front of Jian You. Raising a hand, she grabbed Jian You’s arm, the corners of her lips turning up slightly. “Teacher Jian, I’ve caught you!”
Jian You licked her lips. “…Well, you’re quite impressive then.”
The crew: “…………”
You two are both so impressive! Why don’t you take a page from Wen Xi’s book? She’s already cornered Meng Zhaozhao!
That was right. While Yun Chu had been making her way to Jian You, Wen Xi had silently used her keen intuition to find Meng Zhaozhao hiding under the coffee table. She had already found and grabbed Meng Zhaozhao’s wrist. Meng Zhaozhao’s face was beet red, but she hadn’t made a single sound.
Wen Xi: “Is this Meng Zhaozhao?”
Meng Zhaozhao: “…”
Wen Xi: “Don’t just stay silent. You’re wearing Marc Jacobs Daisy today. I could smell it from a mile away!”
Meng Zhaozhao finally broke her silence. “You have the nose of a dog!”
Wen Xi: “Hee hee hee hee.”
The director: “Wen Xi, call out her name!”
Wen Xi: “Meng Zhaozhao!”
The director: “Correct guess.”
Wen Xi started tickling Meng Zhaozhao. “See what you get for not talking? Huh? I guessed it was you anyway! Now get out here!”
The director: “But she’s not your assigned date.”
Wen Xi’s hand paused. She was even more disappointed than Meng Zhaozhao. “What?”
The director: “Let her go and try again. Wen Xi, one point deducted.”
Wen Xi was still trying to argue. “But it can be her.”
The director: “It cannot.”
Having heard the entire exchange, Jian You and Yun Chu didn’t rush to move. Yun Chu analyzed the situation. “Wen Xi’s date isn’t Meng Zhaozhao, which means Meng Zhaozhao must be the assigned date for one of us.”
Jian You: “Mm.”
Yun Chu: “So which one of us should try to catch her?”
Jian You: “Rock, paper, scissors?”
Yun Chu: “Okay.”
Meng Zhaozhao: “…Are you two going to consider my opinion at all?”
Yun Chu won.
Even though she won, Yun Chu couldn’t possibly leave Jian You behind, so the two of them held hands as they went to find Meng Zhaozhao. Meng Zhaozhao was so stunned by the sight that she forgot to change her hiding spot, her mind screaming, I don’t care which one of you drew my name, just please don’t let me be your date!
Just as she was having a breakdown, she was caught by Yun Chu.
Meng Zhaozhao went limp on the carpet.
It made for great television, so no one cared about Meng Zhaozhao’s “suffering.” The director was laughing so hard his shoulders shook. After finally getting himself under control, his voice was still thick with amusement. “State her name.”
Yun Chu: “Meng Zhaozhao!”
The director: “Correct answer.”
Meng Zhaozhao: “Oh God, please don’t make me go on a date with the person who caught me!”
The director: “Yun Chu, the date partner you drew is also her. Congratulations, you’re a successful match.”
Yun Chu: “Yay!”
She excitedly shook Jian You’s arm. “Teacher Jian, that means your date is Pei Wan.”
Jian You, infected by her high spirits, smiled. “Mm.”
Meng Zhaozhao: “…”
So I was only caught to help Jian You eliminate an incorrect option???
Having successfully found her match, Yun Chu took off her blindfold. The sudden brightness made her instinctively shut her eyes for a moment. When she adjusted and opened them again, she realized Jian You was still holding her hand, waiting quietly by her side.
A gesture of complete trust.
Yun Chu’s heart softened. “Teacher Jian, wherever you want to go, I’ll lead you. Don’t be afraid.”
Jian You: “Mm.”
Meng Zhaozhao, who had just gotten up from under the coffee table: “…”
Maybe she should just lie back down.
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I was curious if you ever considered changing the page layout of your blog? Its very well written; I love what youve got to say. But maybe you could a little more in the way of content so people could connect with it better. Youve got an awful lot of text for only having 1 or two images. Maybe you could space it out better?