I was criticized on a dating reality show, but I retaliated and became an internet sensation.

Shu Zi didn't finish the whole wheat sandwich in the end, but she did finish off the oranges that Gu Yan had peeled.

Su Yanhuan and Jiang Yunyou worked hard to pick out all the cherry tomatoes and corn kernels from the salad and tried to find a second piece of chicken breast, but to no avail.

Shen Yihuai and Han Jingxue ate very little; most of the time, one quietly drank water while the other chewed slowly and deliberately.

Yu Shize finished his own portion and then smiled as he helped to tidy up the empty plates in front of everyone, showing his thoughtfulness and diligence.

"Sigh, I ate nothing, and now I'm even hungrier," Jiang Yunyou lamented, rubbing his still-unfulfilled stomach.

"Be content. We're lucky we weren't left with empty promises about the sea," Su Yanhuan muttered to herself as she tidied up the mess in front of her.

People got up one after another and threw the disposable tableware into the trash can.

"Then everyone should get some rest and be well-rested, as tomorrow's mission is probably not easy," Yu Shize said first.

"Teacher Yu, you should get some rest too!" Su Yanhuan replied.

Shu Zi waved dejectedly to everyone as a farewell, then turned and headed for the stairs.

Gu Yan nodded slightly to the others and followed, his pace neither hurried nor slow, always trailing her by half a step.

Shen Yihuai also stood up, his gaze falling on Han Jingxue, who was picking up a water glass.

Han Jingxue finished the last bit of water in her glass, put it down, gave him a barely perceptible nod, and then turned and left.

Shen Yihuai followed behind her at a leisurely pace, maintaining a distance that was neither oppressive nor lacking in presence.

Yu Shize stayed behind last, helping to put the chairs back in their places and checking the restaurant lights before going upstairs.

These subtle and thoughtful "positive actions" were all captured on camera.

Back in suite 202, as he passed the closed door of the master bedroom, he didn't stop, but went straight to his second bedroom and closed the door.

[Shen Yihuai must have been up to something again! Han Jie's ears haven't gone down yet!]

Yu Shize is so diligent and polite... I felt his presence was particularly strong tonight.

My brother has always been a gentleman and a very nice person; he just wasn't given the chance to show it because of certain people in the past!

[I could laugh for a year at the sight of Shu Zi heartbroken over snacks, and the way President Gu silently followed her from behind was so touching.]

[Is Fang Yutong really asleep? Suite 202 feels eerily quiet.]

Tomorrow! Guardian mission! Secret order! Snack battle! I can't wait! (Rubbing hands frantically)

Meanwhile, in suite 301, in the master bedroom.

Shu Zi hummed an off-key song as she swayed to the bathroom mirror, preparing to begin her bedtime skincare routine.

This was her last act of defiance; she could live without snacks, but she couldn't lose face.

She had removed her makeup in the mirror; her skin was fair with a touch of pink from the heat.

She instinctively reached out and touched the spot next to her where her toiletries bag was, only to find nothing there.

Ok?

Shu Zi blinked, then touched it again; it was indeed empty.

She turned her head and glanced around the spacious washbasin.

No.

She opened the locker behind the mirror.

No.

She even glanced down at the trash can.

...Still no.

What about all her bottles and jars?

Who ate her serum, face cream, eye cream, face mask...?!

Spit it out!!!

She darted out of the bathroom, pounced on the 24-inch suitcase in the center of the room that she had already emptied once, and laid it down again.

The zipper was opened to its maximum with a "whoosh," and the few remaining clothes inside were shaken out and turned inside out completely.

Then, she squatted down and stared at the empty suitcase, which seemed to be silently mocking her.

No...did all her treasures grow wings and fly away?!

The humidity is so high at the beach. If you don't moisturize and repair your skin at night, your face will be as dry as the Sahara Desert when you wake up tomorrow. You'll look like a dried-out mummy on camera!

This won't work! Absolutely not!

[Can anyone tell me what she's doing? Is she giving her suitcase a second, heartfelt look?]

[Pausing your mind? Contemplating life? This isn't right, sister!]

[I bet...did she forget her skincare products? (Ryze's all-knowing look)]

Based on my years of experience watching this show, things are definitely not that simple.

[Many... years? Does Director Liu know about this?]

Shu Zi squatted there thinking for a full minute, then suddenly slapped her forehead—

I remember now! The thing is with Gu Yan!

Yesterday, when I was packing my luggage, there wasn't enough room, so I put his skincare products in his suitcase!

She immediately got up, put on slippers, wore a bear headband, and with her clean, white face, ran to the door of the second bedroom and knocked.

"Knock knock knock".

The door opened almost instantly, as if someone had been waiting behind it all along.

Gu Yan changed into a dark silk nightgown, with one button undone at the collar. His hair was still slightly damp, with soft wisps of hair falling softly across his forehead.

He looked at her, his gaze lingering for a moment on her plain, unguarded face and the cute, almost comical, bear headband on her head.

"What's wrong?" he asked, his voice lower than usual, slightly hoarse from just having showered.

Shu Zi didn't answer. Like a nimble little fish, she ducked down and slipped under his arm as he leaned against the doorframe, muttering as she went:

Nadon—

Before he could finish speaking, the words were automatically muted, stuck in his throat.

Because she saw that all her missing essence creams, eye creams, face masks, and other bottles, jars, patches, and stickers were standing neatly and quietly on the small round table by the window in Gu Yan's room.

Not only are they arranged in an orderly fashion, but a cup of warm water with steaming embers is also thoughtfully placed next to them.

Bathed in the warm yellow light of the bedside lamp, it even exudes a calm aura of "I have been waiting for a long time".

"……West."

She uttered the last word, then abruptly turned her head, glaring at Gu Yan, who stood calmly at the doorway, arms crossed, watching her.

"You're asking a question you already know the answer to!"

Gu Yan raised an eyebrow slightly, walked in, and closed the door behind him: "I thought you were going to leave it here with me."

Shu Zi choked.

It seems... that she really did force it in with such confidence.

But could she admit it? Of course not! Admitting it would make her look guilty!

"That was just temporary storage! Who knows if you'll use it secretly!"

She argued irrationally, strode to the table, and began rummaging through her precious items to check if anything was missing.

Gu Yan walked up behind her, looking at her fluffy hair and bear ears, a smile flashing in his eyes: "I don't need them."

"Who knows? Men need to take care of themselves too!" Shu Zi picked up a bunch of bottles and turned to leave.

"etc."

Gu stretched out his hand and easily took the expensive-looking sleeping mask from the top. "This is collateral."

???

Shu Zi's eyes widened. "Why?! Give it back!"

"Probation period," Gu Yan weighed the jar of face masks in his palm, his reasoning sound:

"To prevent examiners from staying up late scrolling through their phones, reading novels, or thinking about random things, which could affect their performance on the next day."

"You did a good job on the mission, you won back the snacks, and I got extra points," he said, shaking the jar of "hostages" in his hand. "This one is returned intact."

Shu Zi was so angry she wanted to jump up and hit his knee:

"Gu Yan! This is kidnapping! This is extortion! This is blatant threat! You are abusing your power!"

"Yes," Gu Yan nodded, readily agreeing, and even kindly added, "It's of a heinous nature."

Shu Zi: "..."

She was stunned by the man's shamelessness and his closed-loop logic.