Chapter 18: Chapter 18

splitting up

“what do we do now?” ma yunyun asked with furrowed brows, “we couldn’t just sleep in the streets tomorrow!”

yan hao looked no less troubled as well. he had his part to play in tonight’s dinner too, and he’d never foreseen how easily it was for the cash to just slip between their fingers.

liao ping said, “why don’t we appeal to the director’s team for our next trip’s expenses?”

unexpectedly, everyone agreed. the employee had already rejected the suggestion, however.

nobody dared ask mo yancheng for his opinion either, so ma yunyun could only direct her temper towards gu ran. “would you just say something! weren’t you all high and mighty just now? why can’t you say anything now? we’re still in this together, you know?”

gu ran shrugged her shoulders and gestured towards the camera aimed at them.

ma yunyun frowned in confusion. “what does that mean? is your voice gone?”

gu ran glared at her in consternation, and snapped around a mouthful of champagne, “the director has already made it clear that you guys are the big shots; delicate flowers who must be looked after, while i am just a thirty-eighth tier nobody here to see to your every needs. there is no need for me to speak up.”

everyone, “…”

said director who had been filming: “…” miss, this isn’t something for you to casually reveal to the camera at this time!

“so whatever you all say goes. just treat me like i’m deaf, alright? no need to ask me. i’m unworthy, after all.”

everyone glanced at each other, before liao ping finally stepped out to play diplomat. “everyone’s on the show together and are of equal status! of course we care about your opinion!”

“i’m just a servant with no views. you guys make the decision.” gu ran replied indifferently, and continued sipping her champagne.

liao ping recalled that gu ran was able to speak a foreign language that day, a foreign language which sounded like french, which meant that she definitely had a solution to their current problem. with this in mind, she tried reasoning with her again. “how could you be anyone’s servant! we’re altogether here, now, are we not? it has to be fated to a certain extent for this to happen, we could even consider each other honorary siblings at this point! look, from now on, big sis would beat up whoever dares call you a person of low status, okay?”

“yes, yes, yes! you’re our little sister now!”

ma yunyun was also very anxious. “i’ll stop targeting you from now on, okay! do you have any ideas to help us, please? do you really want us to bunk in the streets tomorrow?”

gu ran said nothing, and only glanced around the group with a flat stare. “i do, in fact, have a solution. but i doubt you would want to hear it.”

‘says who? tell us!”

putting down her champagne flute, gu ran gestured towards feng cheng.

“what?” feng cheng froze in confusion.

“envelope. give it here.’

feng cheng frowned, but obliged with gu ran’s request.

there was still 70 pounds left in the envelope. gu ran withdrew a tenner, and placed it in her own pocket, before giving the envelope back to feng cheng. “my idea is simple. i’ll take care of my own expenses. everyone else can split up as you please so that no one gets into each other’s way.”

everyone, “…”

yan hao had no idea that gu ran’s idea would be like this. but the program had already started again, and if they were to split up now, would they not be laughing stocks for everyone in the live-stream room>

“gu ran, our original intention for participating in the program is to train ourselves. whatever grievances you might have had with us in the past, please forgive us.” as he said this, he personally poured a glass of water for her.

“seeing as we’re all from the same country in a foreign land, let’s just forget the past and move on together, alright?”

gu ran did not accept the olive branch, and only glanced at ma yunyun.

on the receiving end of her gaze, ma yunyun immediately backed down and pouted. “i’m sorry.”

gu ran then looked at feng cheng. his features were twisted into a grimace, and yan hao coughed once. he pursed his lips and finally muttered unwillingly, “i am sorry. the error in our arrangement s today is mine. this will not happen again.”