After returning from Beijing University, Durrell Landon's surrounding aura was so dark and sinister that even Oliver Gale, who was long accustomed to it, felt a bit uncomfortable. Seeing Durrell finish his phone call, he finally couldn't hold back and asked:
"Strange, why isn't Quiana around? Didn't she come back to Imperial View Manor with you?"
Durrell raised his head and glanced at Oliver Gale: "Do you miss her a lot?"
The eyes were clearly calm and unruffled, yet Oliver felt a shiver run down his spine, swallowing nervously.
"No."
He didn't know what had happened on the way to the school, but he knew well enough not to mention that girl at the moment.
...
Quiana Sutton hadn't left her apartment for four consecutive days, her head felt dizzy as if she'd been dreaming a lot.
She dreamt that she was kneeling in the snow, forced to drink poison, almost dying.
She dreamt of her grandfather bringing back a girl who took her place, her identity and name, bearing the contemptuous and gloating gazes from the entire Sutton Estate, making her feel exposed and unable to escape.
She dreamt she was locked in the confinement room for a whole month because she didn't achieve her grandfather's expectations.
When she came out of that confinement, she saw a boy who was also brought back by her grandfather.
She thought he wasn't from the Sutton Estate and wouldn't suffocate her life the same way, yet little did she know he was the main culprit who would push her into a more desperate abyss.
...
She dreamt of herself walking along an empty street, heading towards the sunset, step by step. She was a lonely warrior with no way home, yet she could only continue resolutely to the end...
She didn't know how much time had passed, only feeling that dark aura drowning her, overwhelming her completely.
At this moment, a phone ringing broke through, and she instinctively picked it up.
"Hello—"
Her voice was a bit hoarse, partly from drinking and partly because she hadn't gotten out of bed yet, yet it unintentionally sounded a bit alluring. Grace Sutton, who initially intended to be angry, felt as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over her, extinguishing her temper completely, leaving only a hint of grievance in her tone:
"I sent you so many messages yesterday, and you didn't reply to a single one."
Hearing Grace's voice, Quiana quickly turned over from the sofa and accidentally hit a collection of empty wine bottles scattered on the floor, which clinked together loudly. Grace recognized the sounds as that of the bottles.
"Are you drinking?"
Quiana rubbed her temples: "Just a few bottles, but I'm awake now."
Grace looked at the ceiling wordlessly: "Do you even remember today is the first day of the variety show shoot? As someone hungover, are you sure you can handle such physically demanding outdoor activities?"
Hearing that today was the first day of the shoot, the chaos in Quiana's brain instantly vanished.
"What time does it start?"
Grace slowly said, "Ten o'clock. It's already eight-thirty, so you have an hour and a half to get to the set."
"That's enough."
After hanging up the call, she immediately went to wash up. Cold water on her face cleared away the confusion in her eyes, replaced by clarity.
No matter what, this path was hers to walk alone.
Since the show was outdoors, she deliberately chose looser clothing.
With a ponytail and dressed in casual attire, she arrived at the filming location. Grace hesitated for a moment when she saw Quiana's appearance.
Even if there was no exceptional styling, at least a bit of makeup would have been nice.
"Quiana, today is a live broadcast. Isn't going barefaced a bit inappropriate?"
She wasn't particularly bothered: "I'm filming with a group of men today, not walking the red carpet, so no need for makeup. Besides, I'm beautiful enough without it."
Grace: "..."
If anyone else had said this, she would have rebutted them for being narcissistic, but Quiana saying it seemed perfectly natural, as if she was entirely stating the truth.
"Alright, do your best during the live stream. If it really doesn't work out, we'll just pull out; safety first."
At this moment, Quiana finally realized something was off. Grace mentioned a live broadcast, not a recording.
"What's going on? Why did it suddenly turn into a live broadcast?"
Grace explained helplessly: "I messaged you about it a few days ago. Maybe you didn't see it. The program team changed their mind at the last minute. A live streaming app saw the potential topic and traffic and sponsored this variety show.
Moreover, the male guests this time are quite capable. Don't be fooled by Axius Somerville being the hottest rookie idol singer; he was once the national karate champion.
As for Joseph Grant, he's of a red third generation. Rumor has it he went through devilish training from a young age, extremely skilled, while the remaining Shen Ci, Xi Feng, and Ling Yang may not compare to the other two, but they're still considered martial artists, far surpassing ordinary people.
The producers agreed to collaborate with the live streaming app.
But don't worry, the program team has bodyguards in place to ensure there should be no life-threatening situations."
Yet what displeased her was the program team's opening of individual donation channels.
A rose for ten dollars, a gemstone for a thousand, a castle for ten thousand.
Whichever celebrity's fans spent more money would get a higher ranking.
Is the program team trying to see whose fans are wealthier?
The top spot would undoubtedly go to Axius Somerville, without question. She never aimed to be first, but hopefully, her dear Quiana wouldn't end up at the bottom.
She felt a bit unsure about it.
If she landed at the bottom on this show, she might be made fun of for months.
Before the show's official start, the person in charge asked the guests to get to know each other.
Except for Axius Somerville, the others had varied expressions upon seeing Quiana Sutton.
Joseph Grant, leveraging his family's power and influence, was in the industry for fun and never took anyone seriously.
As for Quiana, though unfamiliar with her, he was often nagged about her by his female companions, naturally feeling disdainful.
Playing with his Swiss Army knife, he looked down dismissively: "You participating in this show is like a little rabbit lost among wolves, aren't you afraid of getting scared and wetting your pants?"
This variety show was shot in a part of the forest marked "Do Not Enter" and was surrounded by barbed wire, creating a semi-artificial state where no one knew what hidden wildlife lurked inside.
Quiana looked at him indifferently: "The same goes for you, better not wet yourself out of fear then."
"You—"
At home, he's the adored one, and in the industry, he was smooth sailing; no one had ever dared to go against his will.
He almost lost it but finally calmed down when Ning Yang stepped in.
"Let's calm down, both of you. Being able to be guests together this time is fate, no need for such unpleasantness."
He glanced at Joseph Grant, speaking gently: "Young Master Grant, don't argue with a girl."
Ning Yang, being the eldest among the six, was known for his fairness and enjoyed a good reputation in the industry. Joseph gave him face.
Turning to the side, he snorted and ignored Quiana.
But asking him to apologize was out of the question.
Ning Yang didn't expect Joseph to apologize anyway, so he was relieved when the confrontation ended.
He approached Quiana Sutton and spoke gently:
"Miss Sutton, Joseph is just spoiled. Don't take it to heart. Although this variety show is called 'Outdoor Survival Challenge', the program team will ensure there won't be any actual danger, at most some pranks, so no need to be overly nervous."
Quiana looked at Ning Yang and gave a soft acknowledgment.