Masked Man

"Are we really going to eat?" Tang Keke woke up to find it already dark outside—pitch black with nothing visible. The car was clearly heading into the mountains, navigating a muddy, winding road without a single streetlight in sight.

In the distance, only a few faintly lit households could be seen hundreds of meters away.

"Are we really going to eat? Feels more like we're being trafficked," Tang Duoduo chimed in, suddenly recalling scenes from TV dramas.

"Good food is like this—totally normal," Ye Shuang explained with a smile from the side. As the saying goes, good wine needs no bush. Many delicious dishes come from farmhouses, where home-raised chickens, ducks, fish, and geese are the freshest and tastiest.

After driving a while longer, a brightly lit farmhouse came into view, its courtyard already packed with parked cars.

"Wow, it's full?" Tang Duoduo was surprised that such a remote place—with rugged mountain roads and not even a proper paved path—could attract so many customers.

"Alright, let's get out."

Ye Shuang led Bai Yuyou and the others out of the car. To avoid unnecessary trouble, Ran Xinxin and a few others had already put on masks beforehand. Meanwhile, Ye Shuang casually scanned the parked cars with his system.

Knowing that gathering information could potentially enhance his system's abilities, Ye Shuang had developed a habit of scanning things whenever possible. But when his gaze landed on a black sedan, he froze for a moment.

[Item: Black Jetta

Hey buddy, it's a fake license plate.]

Fake plates?

Ye Shuang stared at the license plate for a few seconds until a masked man nearby spoke up, "What's the matter? Something wrong with my car?"

Ye Shuang withdrew his gaze and shook his head. "Nothing, just a rare plate."

"Came from out of town for the good food. Totally normal," the man replied, visibly flustered at the mention of the license plate but quickly recovering.

Ye Shuang: "..."

[Character: Wang Xiaogou

Mysterious masked man.]

"We do have a lot of delicious food here," Ye Shuang said with a light chuckle, deciding not to press further. He wasn’t keen on getting involved, though he made a mental note before heading into the private dining room.

Inside, two large round tables were set—one for the staff and another for the actors, director, and Ye Shuang’s group. While ordering, Ye Shuang got up and quietly briefed Bobo about the suspicious car.

"Mr. Ye Shuang, I’ll look into it," Bobo said. As a bodyguard, he took such matters seriously. Fake plates weren’t unheard of, but their presence at this farmhouse warranted investigation.

After asking Ye Shuang to keep an eye on Alice, Bobo left the room.

Soon, the food arrived.

Rustic farm dishes might not look fancy, but their flavors were authentic.

"Excuse me, three more bowls of rice, please," Ye Shuang called to the waiter.

"Not enough?" The waiter glanced at the table, noting each person already had a bowl.

"No, I just have a big appetite."

"Ah, got it. The rice is unlimited—you can refill from the wooden bucket over there."

"Thanks."

Bobo returned after a while, nodding at Ye Shuang without elaboration.

"Hey Bobo, where’d you go? The food’s getting cold," Alice complained, unaware of his brief absence. "Slacking off like this, I might just replace you."

"My apologies, Miss Alice," Bobo replied.

"Ugh, fine. Eat the leftovers," Alice huffed, pointing to a plate set aside. "Not that I saved it for you or anything. It was just there, untouched."

Bobo smiled, clasping his hands. "Understood, Miss Alice."

"Mr. Ye Shuang, no major issues," Bobo murmured as he sat down.

"Guess I was overthinking it," Ye Shuang said.

"Not at all. Your caution was correct."

Bobo never minded eliminating potential threats—it was part of the job.

Alice watched their cryptic exchange, puzzled.

After more eating—

"I’m going to the restroom," Alice announced.

"I’ll go too, Alice!" Tang Keke added, having drunk too much soup.

Bobo started to rise, but Alice waved him off. "Stay and eat. I’ll be fine with her."

"Just finish your meal," she insisted.

Ye Shuang chuckled. "Alice, you do care about Bobo, huh?"

"W-what? No! I just don’t want my bodyguard working on an empty stomach!" Alice stuck out her tongue playfully before dragging Tang Keke away.

Bobo still seemed uneasy, so Ye Shuang offered, "I’ll go too. Need to use the restroom anyway."

Alice didn’t object—until she remembered the farmhouse had unisex stalls in a row. If she went, he’d hear everything next door.

"Y-you—no! Hold it in!" Alice’s face flushed as she glared at Ye Shuang.

Ye Shuang: ?

Hold it in? That’s harsh.

"Don’t you dare follow until I’m back," Alice hissed, baring her little fangs before storming off with Tang Keke.

"…" Ye Shuang and Bobo exchanged glances.

"She doesn’t mind you being nearby?" Ye Shuang asked.

"Miss Alice doesn’t see me as a man."

"Oh?"

Meanwhile, Alice and Tang Keke reached the restroom.

Tang Keke entered first, while Alice opened the second stall, wrinkled her nose at the grime, and moved to the third.

"Never coming back. So gross," she muttered, finally settling on the fourth.

After finishing, Alice stepped out—only for a large hand to clamp over her mouth!

"?!!!" She struggled wildly but couldn’t make a sound.

Next door, Tang Keke finished up but found her door wouldn’t budge.

"Huh? Broken?" She jiggled the lock and pushed—still stuck.

"Eh?"

"Eh?!"