I have a persona specifically for acting.

The heavy rain was still continuing.

The three of them were hungry, so Chang Xiaonian went to the kitchen first to check the situation.

The usual pots, plates, spices, and cooking oil were all present, and the full rice jar was reassuring. The refrigerator was packed with drinks. However, there was a very conspicuous sticky note on the fridge:

[Ingredients in the kitchen are limited and will not be replenished once used.]

[Please make sure to complete tasks to earn living resources before the ingredients run out]

After explaining the situation to the others, Chang Xiaonian, a bit embarrassed, said, “I’m sorry, but I only know how to order takeout and make instant noodles…”

The other two showed similar awkward expressions.

Here, only Wei Zekai, with his “rich second-generation” identity, had the freedom to use money for takeout. However, given the torrential rain and the remote location of the villa, no delivery person was willing to come. Chang Xiaonian sighed, “Who would deliver without ten times the delivery fee!”

She glanced at Wei Zekai.

He looked like someone who didn’t care about the tenfold delivery fee.

And indeed, he didn’t.

However, what Wei Zekai said next surprised the staff:

“Is this a matter of money? With an eighth-level typhoon and torrential rain outside, if a delivery person is tempted by the tenfold fee and something happens to them while delivering, how long would I feel bad about it? I’d be at a loss.”

How could he…

Turn such morally high-grounded statements into a pompous rant?

The production team felt conflicted.

“I can’t cook either,” He Shun said, looking at the closed door on the second floor. “I don’t know if Tong Zhao can, but she just arrived, so let her rest for a while. Can’t the kitchen have some unpacked food? Surely, she can boil water and cook noodles.”

Saying this, he seemed just as unwilling to make a move.

Zhong Muxi glanced at him anxiously.

She could actually cook, though not particularly well. She had been used as a free maid by her ex for two years, and since the breakup, she had been afraid to show her capable side in front of men… [What’s the use of being capable? Being a nanny to men will only make you seem like an old hag.]

This bit of negative mental activity was also captured by the AI.

Instinctive variety shows amplify human traits infinitely; as long as they hit a point of resonance with the audience, they can achieve high ratings.

Accompanied by the rumbling thunder, the three people with their own agendas fell into silence.

The door was opened again.

The man folded his black umbrella. The rain had left droplets on his dark hair, and his white shirt was slightly damp, clinging to his skin and outlining well-defined lines. His chest muscles and abs were enough to make one instinctively swallow. After putting away the umbrella and changing into indoor shoes, he looked up at everyone, revealing an exceptionally handsome face.

He was stunningly handsome.

If it weren’t for the sharp jawline, one might believe he was a beautiful woman.

The man obviously looked tired from the journey; his light amber eyes were not sparkling and lacked the intimidating sharpness. They resembled those of a slightly tipsy traveler, clouded with an indescribable haze, giving anyone a poetic sense of unspoken thoughts.

He was very tired.

At that moment, Tong Zhao, having just finished washing her hair and wearing a floral nightgown with half-dry hair, emerged from the bedroom and met his gaze.

Tong Zhao:

[Wow, top-notch.]

“Sorry for arriving a bit late,”

The man didn’t think much of it and simply smiled at everyone:

“Hello, I’m Han Zhi, with the character ‘Zhi’ meaning ‘persistent.’”

……

Except for Tong Zhao, the two female guests blushed simultaneously.

He Shun was handsome among successful people and a looker even among ordinary folks, while Wei Zekai was a young, attractive man who could live off his looks. However, compared to the man in front of them… they fell far short. Even a single glance from Han Zhi was on a completely different level. No woman could resist him, even if he was tired.

Or perhaps because Han Zhi was tired.

A handsome and commanding man gives off a sense of pressure. Women are drawn to strength and also have a certain maternal instinct, and Han Zhi embodied the perfect combination of these two qualities.

Han Zhi was composed; through his eyes, one could feel his rock-solid inner strength. No problem could defeat him, and there was nothing he couldn’t solve. Indecisive and weak-willed? He was certainly someone you could rely on. At the same time, he seemed tired, and if you met his gaze, he would wave you over to rest your head on his shoulder, gently kiss the top of your head, and be tender and affectionate.

At this moment, the production team’s identity card for him was gradually revealed through special effects and narration:

【“The King of the Sea” and “Writer” Han Zhi. He is an unknown writer who attracts female readers through his good looks and receives continuous rewards. His book signings are like star meet-and-greets. His editor once lamented that if his writing were a bit better, he wouldn’t be so poor.】

【Han Zhi’s early life was full of women. He sought fame and praise, was always chasing new interests while getting bored with the old, and no matter how beautiful the woman, she could not stay on his girlfriend’s throne for more than a month.】

After understanding the current situation, Han Zhi said, “Wait for me to change clothes, and then I’ll make dinner.”

Hearing that someone volunteered to cook, Wei Zekai took off his headphones and looked at him appreciatively: “Thanks, brother. I’m starving.”

Seeing this, Chang Xiaonian regretted not having learned how to cook better.

Tong Zhao sat on the sofa drying her hair, which was also a dramatic, murder-like gesture.

The director was completely unprepared for the normally efficient and sharp Tong Zhao to appear as a naive and cute water lily in this reality show.

As Tong Zhao dried her hair, she shivered and sneezed.

She rubbed her red nose, and her unadorned face appeared even more charming.

She was already a young girl, and with this youthful appearance, she looked like a little loli.

If Tong Zhao’s inner thoughts hadn’t been captured, this would indeed be a very cute scene.

However, the production team clearly heard Tong Zhao, after casting a shy glance at Han Zhi’s waist, think to herself: [I really want to sleep with him.]

If Han Zhi were another male celebrity, this could have caused a major incident.

But considering Han Zhi’s true identity as an “extreme” type, the production team exchanged a complex look…

After changing into casual clothes, Han Zhi went straight to the kitchen to cook.

Soon, a spread of two meat dishes and three vegetable dishes was served on the long table in the living room. Han Zhi also made a mushroom soup. After everyone tasted it, they were captivated by the incredibly fresh and delicious flavor, each person drinking two large bowls.

He Shun was surprised, “Mr. Han’s cooking skills are really impressive. Young people these days… well, actually me too, are used to eating takeout. We get so used to it that we forget how to cook, and the mere thought of cooking is a headache.”

“My ex-girlfriend had a stomach condition and couldn’t eat takeout,” Han Zhi said, laughing at himself. “After we broke up, I didn’t let my cooking skills go to waste. Being able to make sure everyone doesn’t go hungry today is a way for them to come in handy.”

His mastery of language was employed to its fullest extent.

He didn’t say why they broke up, but how bad could a man who learned to cook for a girlfriend with a stomach issue be? Coupled with his slightly melancholic eyes, his affectionate image was vividly conveyed in just a few sentences.

Indeed, Zhong Muxi, who remained cautious around all males, cast a sympathetic look toward him.

After Tong Zhao finished a bowl of rice, she looked up with a satisfied smile and said, “I really envy Han Zhi’s girlfriend.”

Her obedient and sweet little loli image was well established.

But despite how soft and sweet her voice sounded, the intelligent AI scanning of her inner thoughts revealed a starkly contrasting, coldly mocking sentiment:

[All men’s descriptions of their exes are probably all the same.]

[Think about it. Which man would brag about being abandoned by an ex? It’s not just about hiding it; they wouldn’t mention it at all. Showing weakness always hides something ulterior—he’s just trying to create a sentimental image.]

[The cooking is actually quite good.]

“Same here.”

Wei Zekai, who enjoyed the meal, chimed in with a somewhat awkward tone.

And his inner thoughts were quite honest: [Wow, this soup is delicious. I really want to hire him as a personal chef.]

After the meal, Chang Xiaonian and Zhong Muxi took on the responsibility of washing the dishes voluntarily.

Han Zhi, who cooked, was not expected to wash dishes as well.

This also highlighted the “true selves” of the remaining three.

The chauvinistic He Shun thought that anything related to housework had nothing to do with men.

Wei Zekai always believed that dishes and furniture would clean themselves automatically and that meals would appear hot and ready on time.

As for Tong Zhao…

[Fortunately, I wasn’t asked to wash dishes. But if I were, I’d need to find a good tool to help.]

The production team: “…”

This is just too lazy!

Is Tong Zhao really this lazy?

Feng Yanqi’s character was not like this!

The assistant director clicked his tongue in amazement: “Good looks really give an advantage. I actually don’t find her annoying. She’s like a kitten looking for a caretaker, glancing around.”

Tong Zhao was assessing the three men in her mind.

[Wei Zekai clearly can’t do housework. He’s a useless layabout.]

[The top-notch guy should be saved for later. He’s a bit hard to figure out. I’ll handle the others first. Anyway, Han Zhi doesn’t seem the type to back off just because someone else is flirting.]

[Hmm, let’s start with the guy named He!]

The female sea king took the initiative, and the production team perked up, knowing there would be content to film.

What is the modern version of a queen’s flirtation like?

At the same time, the night fell.

After everyone clocked in and returned to their rooms:

When Wei Zekai got back to his room, he didn’t continue playing games. Instead, he took out a collar from his suitcase.

Though he was alone in the room, he nervously looked around to make sure no one else was present before putting on the collar: “Does it really have this magical function… damn!”

With a very cartoonish smoke effect, Wei Zekai disappeared.

In his place was a golden-brown dog.

[As a bold and unruly prodigy with the titles of “Judgment Officer” and “Rich Second Generation,” you have an important task this time besides finding your beloved person—discover the hidden sea king among you and protect true love! To enhance your investigative abilities, you will have the power to transform for one hour each day.]

Wei Zekai: “…Woof!”

What’s the point of guarding someone else’s love?

But transforming into a dog is quite novel, so Wei Zekai decided to go for a walk.

The soft little paw pads made no sound as they stepped on the soft mat. The small Zekai quietly made its way downstairs, hearing some noise from the kitchen.

Hmm?

Could someone be sneaking a midnight snack?

Wei Zekai wagged its tail excitedly, curious about who might be so hungry.

However, as it entered the kitchen, the noise became clearer—it was the sound of a girl sobbing.

“Why did you have to leave me… couldn’t you stay with me a little longer? I thought many times about you leaving me, but I didn’t expect that when the day actually came… it’s so scary…”

The frantic and confused whispers, mixed with the suppressed crying, made the little Zekai’s tail bristle.

It peered around and saw an even more horrifying scene.

The usually subdued and gloomy Zhong Muxi was repeatedly cutting her wrist with a fruit knife.

In the place where her watch was removed, there were overlapping fresh and old wounds of varying depths.

The girl did not intend to end her life.

Through the pain, she seemed to gradually calm down. After washing the blood off the fruit knife, she regretfully rushed back to her room on the second floor.

Wei Zekai, who was experiencing being a dog for the first time, wanted to hide in shock.

Although his movements were slow, he stood in a blind spot due to his short legs and was not discovered.

So, this is how serious the harm from a breakup can be?

Wei Zekai was deeply shocked.

He thought about the other two men in the villa, one of whom might be the sea king and a scumbag…

The little dog shook its fur and wore a serious expression on its face.

At that moment, it felt a profound sense of mission.