There’re Always Paranoid Thoughts to Monopolize Me - Chapter 48.1

Five minutes later.

The familiar broadcast sound echoed again over the entire recording base:

“The exam has ended.”

“The final winner is—Qin Ke. Exam score: perfect score.”

After the announcement.

The doors of the four “examination rooms” opened simultaneously, and the four “examinee” guests walked out one after another.

July, who had been eliminated earlier, was standing outside the door. All four looked at Qin Ke with complicated expressions.

July: “The moment I saw your exam papers, I thought we were all going to fail this round—so, student Qin Ke, how exactly did you manage to get a perfect score on a blank sheet of paper??”

Ling Shuang: “I’d like to know too. What kind of exam paper was that? Wasn’t it just a blank sheet? A blank sheet without even questions.”

Although Gu Yuncheng and Qi Tian didn’t speak, they looked at Qin Ke with equally complicated gazes.

Apparently, they also couldn’t understand how Qin Ke had cracked the secret of this wordless test paper.

Qin Ke then recited the first three hints she had thought of earlier to the four of them.

The four listened in confusion.

Ling Shuang: “Although I realized the gap from the moment I heard the question you asked, but—Chinese, fewer than 200 characters, scholar dying on a broken bridge—these three hints don’t seem nearly enough to indicate what we were supposed to write on the test paper, right?”

Qin Ke chuckled lightly.

She looked meaningfully at Qi Tian.

“…” Qi Tian felt a bit uncomfortable under her gaze and frowned, “Why are you looking at me?”

Qin Ke: “I’m not looking at you, I’m looking at the fourth hint.”

“?” The three had question marks on their faces, while Gu Yuncheng seemed to have an inkling.

Qin Ke decided to speak plainly. “Have you forgotten what the competition method for that privilege was?”

“………..!”

July had a sudden realization—

“The answer should be a poem!”

Qin Ke smiled. “Half right.”

“?”

This time even Gu Yuncheng couldn’t figure it out.

Qin Ke: “The answer should be, like the privilege, a poem by Li Bai.” She paused, then continued, “Combined with the question I asked the ‘examiner’ earlier, she told me that Qi Lang died under a broken bridge trapped by a flood at night.”

July: “What does that indicate?”

“You’ve probably heard of a story called ‘Weisheng Embracing the Pillar’, right? Weisheng and the woman he was meeting were supposed to leave together, but in the end, he died in a flood embracing a pillar because she didn’t show up—Li Bai’s ‘Changgan Xing No. 1’ mentions this story.”

Qin Ke blinked and smiled.

“And coincidentally, the entire poem is 180 characters, which just meets the condition of being fewer than 200 characters.”

After looking at Qin Ke’s answer sheet brought by the director’s team,

The other four: “………..”

July finally couldn’t help but jump up and down on the spot—

“Such a twisted question! How many people could possibly answer this! Forget writing it from memory in five minutes, I can’t even recite this poem!”

The guy from the director’s team, who had been sprayed with saliva, wiped his face expressionlessly, then looked at Qin Ke with a complicated expression before finally turning back.

“Actually, our correct answer didn’t require the entire poem—just the middle line ‘Always keeping the faith of embracing the pillar, how could I climb the tower to watch for my husband’s return?'”

“?”

Qin Ke paused and looked at him.

The guy from the director’s team looked even more perplexed. “The 200 characters thing, you really overthought it.”

Qin Ke: “………”

With Qin Ke’s budding expression, the recording of the first episode of “Genius Academic Show” came to a complete end.

In the comments after the broadcast, this episode finally ended with [Top Student Sister: I still overestimated the production team’s intelligence level] scrolling across the screen amidst laughter and cheers.

****

That evening was the celebration party for the show’s production team.

Normally, after just finishing the first episode’s recording, the guests and new artists should have been allowed to rest in their rooms. “Celebration” was hardly something that needed to be rushed.

However, the main sponsor had spoken, so the production team could only swallow their complaints like mutes who had eaten bitter herbs. They managed to persuade the new artists and their managers to attend this impromptu dinner gathering.

When Qin Ke received Qiao Nan’s call, she had just come out of the bathroom.

The girl was drying her jet-black long hair while walking to the side table next to the single sofa to pick up her phone, which was placed on a magazine.

“…Sister Nan?”

“Xiao Ke, were you asleep? Why did it take so long for you to answer?” Qiao Nan asked on the other end, her tone somewhat urgent.

“Ah, sorry.” Qin Ke lowered her phone and returned to the main screen, only then seeing that Qiao Nan had already called her seven or eight times. She raised the phone back to her ear, “I was in the bathroom and didn’t hear it.”

“I see. Well, quickly change your clothes and come down to the third floor.”

Qin Ke: “?”

Qin Ke paused, then asked suspiciously. “Does the production team need to reshoot something?”

“No, that’s not it.” Qiao Nan choked for a couple of seconds, then said awkwardly, “It’s Second Young Master Song wanting to throw you all a celebration party—he mentioned it at noon, did you forget?”

“……”

Qin Ke was silent for two seconds, her expression turning cold.

“Can I not go? The recording today was tiring, and I was preparing to rest.”

Qiao Nan was taken aback.

She clearly hadn’t expected a girl of Qin Ke’s age to refuse so bluntly without any consideration for face.

After this unexpected response, Qiao Nan glanced ahead awkwardly, then turned to the side and lowered her voice before speaking again. “I can understand how you feel, but Qi Tian, Ling Shuang, July, and Gu Yuncheng have all come down one after another. Wouldn’t it be a bit inappropriate if you don’t show up?”

“……”

Qin Ke almost couldn’t hold back from retorting, “Since it wasn’t originally planned, why should I have to comply?” But taking a light breath, she suppressed her unnamed anger.

After two seconds of silence, Qin Ke spoke:

“I understand.”

Qiao Nan sighed in relief, her expression relaxing, “Then I’ll wait for you here by the elevator.”

“Mm.”

“If there’s nothing else, I’ll…”

“Sister Nan.”

“?”

“……” Qin Ke was silent for a moment, then spoke in a light but calm voice. “If it’s within my obligations, I’ll do my duty without fail. But if it’s just to satisfy some people’s unreasonable demands—I hope this is the last time.”

Qiao Nan was stunned.

And on the other end of the phone, she could still hear the girl’s uncompromising words.

“If there’s a next time—or any more outrageous requests—I’d rather terminate the contract. At worst, we can settle it in court.”

“………”

The girl’s resolve, far beyond her years, left Qiao Nan speechless for quite a while.

Although she was somewhat displeased with this tone, she also knew that in this matter, she, or rather the production team, was in the wrong. She could only resignedly try to reassure her. “Hm…I understand. I’ll report this to the person in charge above.”

A few seconds later, the call ended.

Looking at the phone display showing the call had ended and returned to the main menu, Qiao Nan raised her head in resignation.

“Second Young Master Song, you’ve heard everything.”

“……”

Across from where she stood in the corridor, in the darkness half-invaded by light from the open banquet hall doors not far away, a small point of bright red flame flickered.

In this hotel where smoking was strictly forbidden, the young man who could turn off all the smoke alarms in the corridor with one phone call leaned against the wall, smiling mischievously.

“How intriguing—I can almost smell that fresh-out-of-the-bath fragrance.”

“……”

Qiao Nan frowned, and after hesitating several times, finally spoke up to advise. “Second Young Master Song, Qin Ke is not from the entertainment circle after all, but just an ordinary high school student. Moreover, she was recommended by an artist friend of the director. If any unfavorable rumors spread, it wouldn’t be good for anyone.”

Song Qingzhuo took a drag on his cigarette, looking down at Qiao Nan with a cold smile.

“Since when did someone like you get to lecture me?”

“…I wouldn’t dare mean that, Second Young Master Song. Please don’t misunderstand.” Qiao Nan lowered her head helplessly.

“Hmph.” Song Qingzhuo turned his head back. “Don’t worry, I never force women. In this circle, I can find any type I want to sleep with. Why would I lower myself to forcing anyone?”

“Yes, Second Young Master Song is right.” Qiao Nan followed his words. “With just a crook of your finger, there are plenty who would be willing to replace Qi Tian. You don’t need to limit yourself to any one person.”

Song Qingzhuo gave a cold laugh, lightly blowing out a smoke ring, watching it slowly disperse and shatter.

Through the curling smoke, he narrowed his eyes, glancing at Qiao Nan.

“You’re very protective of Qin Ke. What’s this about? You’ve only known her for half a day, and you already want to poach her as your artist?”

“…Second Young Master Song misunderstands again.” Qiao Nan frowned, but didn’t let Song Qingzhuo see. Her tone and voice remained unchanged. “Qin Ke’s personality is absolutely unsuited for a place like the entertainment industry. I have no intention of protecting her, I just think you needn’t bother with a little girl who doesn’t understand the rules. It would lower your status and might cause trouble.”

“Still saying you’re not protecting her.”

Song Qingzhuo scoffed coldly.

“Keep your concerns to yourself—since I said I won’t force her, I won’t. “

“So you…?”

“But how do you know that after I explain the rules to her, she won’t throw herself at me like Qi Tian did?”

“……”

Qiao Nan understood Song Qingzhuo’s words.

A slight mocking smile tugged at her lips, but she quickly suppressed it. Qiao Nan bowed slightly, “Then I wish you success.”

Song Qingzhuo said nothing.

Qiao Nan was about to turn towards the stairwell to meet Qin Ke when she heard Song Qingzhuo ask.

“Since you know which school she’s from, and who recommended her—do you know more about her?”

“…What kind of information do you mean?”

Song Qingzhuo frowned impatiently.

“Like her family’s financial situation, living standards, that sort of thing.”

“……”

Qiao Nan was stunned.

This question from Song Qingzhuo was completely unexpected. After all, she didn’t think Song Qingzhuo had ever been interested in understanding the family finances of his previous “playthings”… For instance, Qi Tian, despite being called “baby” “baby” by Song Qingzhuo, everyone in the production team knew that Qi Tian had only been with Song Qingzhuo since the beginning of last month.

To be honest, Song Qingzhuo’s understanding of Qi Tian was probably limited to her stage name and her body.

While Qiao Nan was lost in thought for these few seconds, she heard Song Qingzhuo seemingly change his mind.

“Forget it, if I can’t find out, what use would you be…”

Before finishing his sentence, he extinguished his cigarette and lazily turned towards the doorway where light spilled onto the carpet, heading for the banquet hall.

****