RSDH CH67

The interview officially began.

“Our theme for this episode is Trust.” The chief screenwriter pushed up her glasses, still maintaining that serious, intellectual appearance. “May I ask, as partners, have you ever had moments where you doubted each other?”

Knowing that Duan Xingye’s state wasn’t as sober as usual, Cheng Duzhou actively took over the conversation. His low, magnetic voice said relatively objectively, “Although we’ve known each other for a long time and experienced many things together, the problems encountered after entering marriage are brand new. Marriage also endowed us with a new relationship. It’s the first time for both of us to face this, so misunderstandings are inevitable. In the process, there have certainly been moments of uncertainty about each other.”

Duan Xingye seemed to be in high spirits, his eyes always containing a smile. After Cheng Duzhou finished speaking, he nodded seriously and even let out a small mn.

The audience didn’t know Duan Xingye had been drinking, but they all sensed a different aura.

“Teacher Duan is so well-behaved and sweet tonight!”

“For example?” The chief screenwriter probed deeper, asking, “In what specific aspects were there doubts?”

Cheng Duzhou recalled when Duan Xingye wanted a divorce because he hadn’t expressed his feelings, causing Duan Xingye to feel insecure.

He said, “Doubting each other’s position in the other’s heart.”

The chief screenwriter understood; Cheng Duzhou was talking about love.

She asked a soul-searching question: “Do you trust your love for him?”

The question was too direct. Cheng Duzhou was probably not used to professing love. He lowered his eyes but still nodded without hesitation.

Chief Screenwriter: “Do you trust his love for you?”

“……”

Cheng Duzhou was stumped for a moment.

He could feel Duan Xingye’s response to him in actions, but verbally, he had never received a confession.

For Cheng Duzhou, as long as Duan Xingye wanted him by his side and allowed his advances, he was satisfied. When Duan Xingye made sweet and sour ribs for him and played the violin for him, he could feel happiness. Therefore, he never delved into exactly how much Duan Xingye loved him.

The chief screenwriter saw the clue at a glance, her expression inscrutable. “You don’t trust it.”

“No.” Cheng Duzhou immediately adjusted his emotions and faced her, saying, “I believe he loves me.”

Just… maybe… not that deeply. In most cases, it was only after his persistent demands that Duan Xingye would reluctantly give him some rewards.

But Cheng Duzhou had no complaints about this, because Duan Xingye had such a cool personality—not clingy, not impulsive, and didn’t need him. Duan Xingye allowing him into his life was already an expression of love.

…Probably.

Cheng Duzhou guessed.

The chief screenwriter then looked at Duan Xingye with the same question: “Do you trust his love for you?”

Duan Xingye’s dark eyes curved into a shallow arc. “Mn.”

Chief Screenwriter: “Do you love him?”

“……” It felt like a hand had squeezed Cheng Duzhou’s heart tightly.

Actually, the chief screenwriter’s question seemed superfluous. To the audience, the couple had always appeared very loving on camera. Why marry if not for love?

But to Cheng Duzhou, it wasn’t superfluous at all. Only then did he realize he wasn’t completely indifferent to that confession. He longed to hear Duan Xingye say those words. But not saying them wouldn’t affect his love for Duan Xingye.

Cheng Duzhou hesitated for a moment, turning his head to look beside him.

Duan Xingye naturally tilted his head toward Cheng Duzhou’s shoulder. One hand groped slowly, interlocking with Cheng Duzhou’s fingers, and he said cheerfully, “Love.”

Cheng Duzhou’s heart contracted strongly, and his face grew hot.

The livestream room went crazy immediately.

“This is Teacher Duan’s first public confession of love, right?!”

“Ahhh! Interlocking fingers is too sweet! Full marks for small couple details!”

“Their interaction was quite active before, but today Teacher Duan’s feedback to President Cheng is super strong.”

“This couple truly achieves the feat of never getting boring no matter how much you ship them. Every episode reaches a new height of sweetness.”

“I’ve always looked forward to Teacher Duan taking the initiative once—truly taking the initiative, not acting for a program task. Finally waited for it, crying. I feel even more excited than President Cheng.”

The chief screenwriter showed a rare smile: “Do you trust your own love for him?”

Duan Xingye lifted their clasped hands, pressing Cheng Duzhou’s hand against his full lips. Pondering for a moment, his clear, pleasant voice became somewhat soft: “Yes. I can’t do without him.”

The bullet screen was filled with screams.

However, due to this statement contradicting his cognition, Cheng Duzhou’s heartbeat gradually stabilized.

Duan Xingye wouldn’t be unable to function without him.

Cheng Duzhou lowered his eyes to look at Duan Xingye’s snow-white face flushing red. He raised his hand to touch it; sure enough, it was very hot.

Helplessness appeared in the depths of his dark eyes.

Duan Xingye was drunk.

In the subsequent interview, Duan Xingye often looked at Cheng Duzhou with smiling eyes, so his upturned dark eyes appeared especially bright tonight. He leaned on Cheng Duzhou, holding his hand throughout, his actions appearing exceptionally intimate. Fans exclaimed “immortals descended to earth” and went crazy shipping them.

The livestream lasted for an hour. After chatting with the couple, the chief screenwriter said, “It’s evident you trust each other very much. I hope in tomorrow’s recording, this trust can help you win the final victory.”

With these words, the audience looked forward to tomorrow’s program segment even more.

After the production team withdrew, the couple washed up and went to sleep.

Cheng Duzhou got into bed, lay down, and looked to the side. “Sobered up? Anywhere uncomfortable?”

Duan Xingye arched over to Cheng Duzhou’s side under the quilt, resting his chin on his shoulder. His lowered voice was soft and sticky: “Cheng Duzhou, do you love me? Just now there was a camera, so it doesn’t count. Answer again.”

“……”

Okay, not sober.

Alcohol affected Duan Xingye more as time went on.

Cheng Duzhou didn’t hide it. “Love.”

Duan Xingye got a bit closer, his expression a little proud. “Tell me, how much.”

Cheng Duzhou thought for a moment and said, “Love you so much I can’t do without you.”

Duan Xingye: “You copied my words; really uncreative.”

Cheng Duzhou turned on his side to face him. “You answer again too, when there’s no camera.”

“No!” Duan Xingye turned his face away, humming in refusal.

Cheng Duzhou turned his bright and beautiful face back, begging, “Say it, good person.”

“……”

Duan Xingye burrowed into the quilt with a red face.

Cheng Duzhou also burrowed into the quilt.

So before sleeping, the couple covered themselves with the quilt and said all sorts of mushy sweet nothings.

So much so that when Duan Xingye woke up the next day, he was so sober he wanted to die.

…

Cheng Duzhou got up early and wasn’t by his side.

Duan Xingye lay alone on the pure white large bed, one hand supporting his forehead, ignoring the camera already turned on in the corner. He silently experienced the spreading sense of shame.

When accepting the interview last night, he was tipsy, so his whole state wasn’t online. He only felt very floaty, very happy, and his mood became unrestrained.

The hateful part was that he wasn’t drunk enough to have a blackout. Last night’s behavior was all done under a state of half alcohol catalysis and half rationality, so he remembered clearly what he had said and done.

——”Love.”

——”…I can’t do without him.”

——”Cheng Duzhou, do you love me…”

Duan Xingye turned over, burying his face in the quilt, twisting and stretching his body, wanting to scream crazily early in the morning.

This time, his persona had completely collapsed.

What would the audience think of him!

What would Cheng Duzhou think of him!!

They must think he’s usually faking seriousness!!!

And those mushy, ghostly words he said to Cheng Duzhou before sleeping… Thinking of them, Duan Xingye felt his face was about to catch fire.

Keeping love on his lips wasn’t his character at all!

Dying of embarrassment!

The livestream audience was confused.

“Why is Teacher Duan twisting himself into a pretzel early in the morning?”

“Maybe a new type of yoga.”

Duan Xingye finally calmed down with difficulty, lifted the quilt to get out of bed, and walked toward the bathroom with a beet-red face.

Just then.

Footsteps came from outside the door, and the door handle turned.

Duan Xingye straightened his back in an instant, turned around without delaying a second, stepped back onto the bed, lay down on his side, and pulled the quilt up to cover above his neck.

Bullet screen:

“???”

“Doesn’t want to see President Cheng?”

“Shy?”

Cheng Duzhou entered the bedroom, saw Duan Xingye still sleeping, walked to the bedside, bent down, and lifted the quilt. “Are you pretending to sleep, Duan Xingye?”

“…………”

Duan Xingye suffocated instantly.

Bullet screen:

“Hahahahaha! Hardcore straight ball!”

“Felt Teacher Duan’s embarrassment through the screen.”

“I also thought of the embarrassment of being caught pretending to sleep once.”

“Got it! The two must have done shameful things last night; Teacher Duan even wants to hide from President Cheng.”

“How shameful to make Teacher Duan ashamed like this?”

“Tsk, young couples play so wild.”

After gathering in the morning, all guests took a bus to the recording location.

Today’s activity venue was inside a photography base in Yu City. The architectural sets immediately pulled everyone back to the Republican era.

Guests changed clothes before appearing.

On the way to the changing room, taking advantage of not wearing microphones yet, Cheng Duzhou said to Duan Xingye, “I know you were drunk last night.”

Duan Xingye had been awkward all morning, not very willing to pay attention to him.

Hearing this, his face got a bit hot again. He only hoped Cheng Duzhou wouldn’t mention it anymore; better to let the matter pass just like that.

Cheng Duzhou lowered his eyes and whispered, “You don’t need to feel embarrassed. I didn’t take those words of yours seriously to begin with.”

“…” Duan Xingye glanced at Cheng Duzhou, his expression revealing dissatisfaction and stifled anger he couldn’t voice. Suddenly, he quickened his pace, his voice cold. “Think whatever you love to think; don’t talk to me.”

Cheng Duzhou was left behind, a bit confused.

After all guests finished changing, they gathered in the designated mansion.

Ladies wore Western dresses and qipaos, men had long gowns (changshan) and suits.

Cheng Duzhou and Duan Xingye both wore suits. In Li Lin’s movie back then, the audience was captivated by their peerless appearances. Seeing it again now, the word “handsome” filled the screen.

After everyone sat on the rosewood chairs arranged on both sides, a middle-aged man wearing a skullcap and black long gown with a long braid came on stage. It was the butler.

He bowed politely to everyone and said, “Last night, the Old Master passed away. According to forensic identification, it was not a death from illness; there is another hidden story behind the death. You have been urgently summoned to gather here because the murderer is hiding among you.”

For a moment, the young masters and madams in the hall looked at each other, all with blank faces.

Bullet screen:

“Werewolf kill!”

“Identities haven’t been assigned yet? Feels like even the murderer doesn’t know they are the murderer.”

The butler said, “Next, please search for clues, find the true culprit, right the wrong for the Old Master. Also, it concerns the final will, so please take it seriously.”

At this time, staff came on stage to give everyone further hints.

Everyone now had to go out to search for clues and needed to do tasks to obtain hints.

In the first round, everyone could choose to act alone or in pairs, but two people doing tasks would be faster.

Since everyone had just undergone soul interrogation about “trust” last night, even though the murderer might be the person sharing their pillow, everyone hesitated but still chose to act in pairs first and set off.