Top Dupe CH 059 Black And White Are Natural Partners

Deer first looked towards He Mu’s direction, and with a seemingly meaningful smile, said, "He Mu, there are always rumors online that you and Luo Yu don’t get along! Who would have thought—you actually get to meet your rumored opponent on this show! Will you be seeking revenge or clearing grievances today?"

He Mu was already prepared with his response. The camera zoomed in on him as he confidently smiled towards Luo Yu and said, "I have no grudges or resentment towards Luo Yu. Our development directions are different, so there’s no need for us to be opponents. Although there were some misunderstandings before, both I and my studio have clarified them. But since we’ve met today, let’s have a good contest and compete with our strengths."

The words seemed simple but implied that Luo Yu's status wasn't high enough for He Mu to bother targeting him.

Deer then looked towards Luo Yu and asked meaningfully, "So, as the guest on our show for the first time, Luo Yu, do you have anything to say to He Mu?"

Seeing this, Sister Cui was somewhat displeased. "Did the production team inform Luo Yu that this question would be asked? I need to check with the director. How can they spring such a surprise attack..."

Gu Xiaowei gently rested a hand on Sister Cui’s shoulder, signaling her to look at the director.

At that moment, the director was intently watching the screen, indicating that Luo Yu’s response was a major highlight for the show. Even if Sister Cui raised objections, the director wouldn’t give up. Moreover, Luo Yu might encounter similar situations in the future. Only by staying calm could this issue eventually become less of a problem.

"This kind of question may not have been known to He Mu beforehand. He just has more experience with recording shows and anticipated this question from the production team, so he prepared a response in advance," Gu Xiaowei said, glancing towards Luo Yu, who was dressed in fresh sportswear with a smile illuminated by the morning light. Luo Yu seemed unaffected by the MC’s sudden question.

Sister Cui sighed, feeling guilty, "It’s my fault... I didn’t think ahead due to lack of experience. I was worried he might say something wrong, and then it would be used against him after the show airs..."

"Don’t worry, Luo Yu is quite level-headed," Gu Xiaowei said calmly.

At this moment, He Mu was also staring at Luo Yu. As long as Luo Yu voiced dissatisfaction, his fans could attack him. If he said there were no grudges, then no matter how He Mu’s career progressed in the future, it would be difficult to speak ill of He Mu again.

"I’ve never intended to be the limited edition in others' eyes. I strive to stay true to myself and be a unique, out of print edition. Hello everyone, I’m actor Luo Yu."

Luo Yu's voice was clear, and his smile was like the gentle, persistent light of winter that could never be fully extinguished. Even amidst rumors, he didn’t react sharply but held his head high with an unyielding spirit that was visible in his eyes.

He Mu's expression changed because "out of print" was a term Gu Xiaowei had used when he posted a photo of Luo Yu on Weibo last time.

The words "I’m an actor," coming from Luo Yu’s lips, weighed heavily on He Mu.

As of now, in any situation or on any platform, He Mu wouldn’t dare say, "I’m an actor." Even a slight hint would bring an onslaught of criticism from his haters, mocking his acting skills and saying he lacked expression management and his lines were monotonous.

The others present could sense the implied meaning in Luo Yu’s words—He Mu, you might rule your own world, but the heights I can reach, you’ll never attain.

Each guest had a different reaction.

Li Shengyu raised his eyebrows subtly but then bumped fists with Luo Yu, indicating "Well said, I support you."

Jiang Muxing, from the same team, appeared puzzled but nodded and clapped.

Liu Songtao, ever the peacemaker, smiled and said, "Game first, friendship second!"

Dingdong covered her mouth and laughed, asking Liu Songtao, “Brother Liu, what’s first?"

"Oh, oh, oh!" Liu Songtao quickly corrected himself, "Friendship second, game first!"

"Ah?" Dingdong and Deer looked over together.

Liu Songtao pretended his mistake was unintentional, "Correction, correction, I’ll get it right this time—friendship first, game second!"

Mick, across from them, remained expressionless and told Liu Songtao, "Brother Liu, that joke is old, broken, and redundant."

"I haven’t been online much recently, so I only have some old jokes, sorry, sorry!"

Deer then said, "Since we’ve split into new teams, old teammates might now be rivals, and past rivals might become the dearest... teammates!"

"So, is it time to come up with a cheesy team name and slogan now?" Mick asked coolly.

Actually, they had already decided on the team names and slogans, specifically He Mu had already done so.

The team name was his upcoming album's name, “The Passionate Era,” and the slogan was a line from one of the lyrics, "We will impassion your vision."

It would be fine if it was singing, but shouting it out sounded extremely cheesy. Moreover, He Mu had pulled Mick and Liu Songtao into the promotion, yet when Liu Songtao’s comedy was released and asked He Mu to share it, he claimed his Weibo account was managed by his agent and he had no say.

Deer smiled, "We need to respect new friends. Luo Yu, do you have any ideas for the team name or slogan?"

Luo Yu looked at Li Shengyu and Jiang Muxing, who both shook their heads.

"Then let’s go with the Red Team and Blue Team. Red and Blue have always made a good pairing!"

Li Shengyu added, "Black and White are natural partners!"

Everyone burst into laughter, looking at each other.

"Who’s wearing black? Who’s wearing white?"

They discovered Liu Songtao was in black and He Mu in white.

He Mu's smile was forced, with his mouth twitching, wondering if Li Shengyu did it on purpose.

"Well, then Liu Songtao and I are definitely the Black and White Impermanence, Li Shengyu, watch out!" Liu Songtao quickly tried to smooth things over.

Luo Yu continued to smile, but Li Shengyu leaned in and said, "You’re in white, and the VVVVIP is in black."

"Who’s the VVVVIP..." Luo Yu looked up and met Gu Xiaowei's gaze.

Luo Yu was in white sportswear while Gu Xiaowei was in a black coat.

Luo Yu pushed Li Shengyu’s head away, "If you have the guts, say it in front of him later."

"I won’t. That would really make the Black and White Impermanence out to get me."

At this point, Deer spoke again, "So, what’s the slogan?"

Luo Yu, Li Shengyu, and Jiang Muxing answered in unison, "Our slogan is—no slogan!"

"Yes, firmly oppose the trend of shouting slogans without doing anything!"

"If you shout a slogan and don’t follow through, the audience will laugh! Does the production team still want credibility?"

Deer laughed, "Then it’s Red Team and Blue Team, no slogan, just get started!"

He Mu was stunned—was Luo Yu’s mind okay? Didn’t he watch variety shows? How could there be no slogan for team competition? How would he promote his new album without a team name or slogan? Didn’t the director have an opinion?

He Mu looked towards the director, who gave him no sign—clearly, your appearance fee is already high enough. Do you want the show to promote your album for free? Did you pay for the advertising?

"Let’s not waste any more time. So, He Mu’s team on the left is Red Team, and Luo Yu’s team is Blue Team! No objections?"

The three from Luo Yu’s side answered in unison, "No problem!"

Liu Songtao and Mick exchanged smiles, no need to chant He Mu’s lyrics anymore, and suddenly the air felt much fresher.

"We’re good with that too."

He Mu choked on his anger, incredulously looking at Liu Songtao, wondering why he was representing "us."

But at this point, with everyone agreeing, He Mu had no choice but to remain silent.

"Let’s start the first round of the game! But guests, please note, there have been slight, slight, slight adjustments to the game segment..." Dingdong’s face was full of glee, making everyone feel uneasy.

"What adjustments? Losers get sprayed with paint instead of whipped cream?" Liu Songtao asked.

Li Shengyu’s face turned pale, "Don’t tell me... jumping into a trash can?"

"You’ve jumped into a trash can?" Luo Yu asked curiously.

"Probably a few episodes ago," Li Shengyu took a deep breath, his throat moving as if he was about to vomit. "The smell was soul-crushing... rotten fish and stinky vegetables... Even after a shower, it felt like the smell was still there..."

Hearing this, Jiang Muxing instinctively took a small step back.

He Mu, on the other hand, reassured his team, "Don’t worry, as long as we win, the other team will take the punishment. If worse comes to worst... we’ll be heroes again in eighteen years!"

Liu Songtao exhaled, "Forget it, I'm basically just a salted fish... The trash bin suits me well."

But Mick firmly said, "No, we must win! That smell will linger on us for eighteen years!"

Hearing how the guests were so affected by the trash bin, Deer and Dingdong quickly clarified, "Everyone, don't get too excited. This change is not related to punishment but to the content of the game—please look at the end of our game course."

The guests’ gazes moved past the small water pool with the pendulum hanging above it, then to the climbing wall, followed by a straight path about ten meters long with many frog-shaped props on it. At the end of the straight path was a pink tent that looked like a wedding scene.

However, many apples were hanging from the ceiling of the tent.

Mick said, "It can't be that we have to compete in eating apples, right? That requires good teeth and appetite."

Deer flashed a typical mischievous smile, "It's not about you eating apples. Dingdong and I will be the ones biting down the apples. So whichever team reaches the pink tent first will get to choose which host they want to carry up to pick the apples. Pay attention to the rules: you can carry us on your back or let us step on you, as long as it doesn't cause harm, you can use any method to increase height. But Dingdong and I cannot use our hands to pick the apples; instead, we have to bite the rope tied to the apples and pull them down."

Each team looked at their members, pondering whether to choose Deer or Dingdong after running over.

"You have three minutes to discuss. But please make sure to remember, you can insult my looks but not my weight." Deer said earnestly.

But it still made the originally serious-faced guests break character in an instant.

“You're not letting us mention your weight, so how are we supposed to discuss this?” Liu Songtao called out.

“Brother Deer, what did you eat this morning?” Jiang Muxing asked worriedly.

“Not much, not much, just seven or eight buns,” Deer said casually, after all, someone else was carrying him, not the other way around.

Dingdang spoke up, “What everyone should be concerned about is not what Deer ate this morning, but how much he ate last night.”

“Uh... Brother Deer, how much did you eat last night?” Jiang Muxing asked again.

Deer laughed, “My usual amount, just two pots of stewed chicken.”

Everyone went silent, glancing at each other.

Luo Yu asked Li Shengyu beside him, “How much is two pots of stewed chicken?”

Li Shengyu gestured, “About as much as two hotel sinks.”

That’s really a challenge...

Red Team's Mick directly sighed, “Heart attack waiting to happen…”

“Now, the three-minute team discussion time begins! Please decide on your order! Each person has three minutes to complete the challenge! Timing starts now!”

As Dingdong finished speaking, she started her stopwatch.

Li Shengyu called Luo Yu and Jiang Muxing aside to discuss, with a dedicated camera following them.

"Let’s have me go first for our team, and Jiang Muxing second. Luo Yu, since this is your first time, after watching our game, you’ll have a rough idea of the rules, right?"

"I... I have no problem. It’s just that my speed and explosiveness aren’t great, so if Luo Yu goes last, there might be a lot of pressure," Jiang Muxing said matter-of-factly.

"It’s okay. After all, the loser of this episode isn’t going to the trash bin," Luo Yu said with a smile.

Li Shengyu swallowed and shook his hand vigorously, as if something was churning in his stomach. "Stop mentioning the trash bin... That smell is coming back..."

Luo Yu looked at him, realizing it seemed too real, not like an act.

"If you win, Li Shengyu, who would you choose to carry to pick apples?" Luo Yu asked again.

Li Shengyu glanced at He Mu’s side, where they had already finished discussing and were chatting about what to eat after the shoot.

"Considering Jiang Muxing's stamina, I’d definitely aim to carry Dingdong. Although the pink tent looks a bit high, Deer’s height combined with mine or Luo Yu’s should make it easier to pick a few apples. But Dingdong is smaller, so Jiang Muxing should be able to lift her higher."

Li Shengyu then looked at the other two teammates, "What do you think?"

Luo Yu asked Jiang Muxing, "Mu Xing, how much time do you think you’ll have left after swinging over the pool, climbing the wall, running down the path, and reaching the pink tent?"

Jiang Muxing, seeing Luo Yu up close for the first time, was a bit dazed. Though he had heard Luo Yu and He Mu looked alike, Jiang Muxing felt they didn’t look similar at all when Luo Yu looked at him. Those eyes were deep and gentle, like a balm for emotions.

Jiang Muxing, who was somewhat socially anxious and not very familiar with Luo Yu, had remained silent before. But as a singer, he was a complete voice enthusiast, finding Luo Yu’s voice soothing and compelling, making him inadvertently express his thoughts.

"I think... I might use up the three minutes before I even reach the tent," Jiang Muxing said. "Just crossing that pool, I’m not sure if I can make it in three minutes."

"That’s okay, just do your best. I haven’t played these games before, but watching you will help me gain experience. So don’t worry, just try different methods to see how far you can swing and how fast you can climb," Luo Yu encouraged.

Jiang Muxing nodded, "Okay, I’ll do my best."

Meanwhile, Gu Xiaowei and Sister Cui were sitting outside the field, watching Luo Yu’s direction.

He neither used an umbrella to avoid being photographed nor wore a hat or mask to cover his face, casually allowing everyone on site to see him.

Fortunately, the director had informed the entire crew in advance that Gu Xiaowei was a guest and all staff should protect his privacy, prohibiting unauthorized photos or uploads. Staff members were quite restrained and only observed.

"Teacher Gu, who do you think Luo Yu’s team should carry to pick the apples?" Sister Cui asked.

"Deer."

"Deer? Why? He looks quite heavy!"

"If Dingdong is chosen, though it’s convenient to carry or lift her, Dingdong is smaller, so the distance might be slightly less. It would require the male guest to lift Dingdong onto his shoulders. Dingdong is good at dancing and has firm muscles from years of practice, so her actual weight might be heavier than it seems. It might be easier to hold Deer’s leg and lift him up to save effort," Gu Xiaowei paused and added, "Deer only looks big in the face. I observed his build; he’s not incredibly heavy."

Sister Cui nodded and said, "It’s a pity, Gu Xiaowei. I think your way of thinking is a bit like Luo Yu’s. If you both were on a variety show together, you’d definitely have great chemistry."

"How about recording a travel vlog together instead?" Gu Xiaowei suggested.

Sister Cui was momentarily stunned, looking at Gu Xiaowei’s profile, feeling he might be serious despite initially thinking he was speaking casually.

"Teacher Gu... it’s good to have you here. Otherwise, I’d be like a parent sending their child to school for the first time, worrying aimlessly."

"Don’t worry. Luo Yu has excellent physical ability; he has practiced martial arts as a child, so his balance in the air is very strong—none of the other guests can match him in this outdoor activity."

Hearing Gu Xiaowei’s evaluation, Sister Cui felt reassured.

"Even He Mu?"

"Not even ten He Mus can compare." Gu Xiaowei looked towards Luo Yu with a deep and long gaze.

At this moment, Dingdong’s stopwatch hit zero, and she reminded all the guests to gather at the small pool for the first round of the competition.

For He Mu’s team, the first to compete was Mick, and for Luo Yu’s team, it was Li Shengyu.

Both stood in front of the pool, warming up.

With the sound of the whistle, they jumped into the pool simultaneously, their actions comparable to carp leaping over the dragon gate.

They almost simultaneously leaped onto the nearest large ball, swinging out. Mick aimed to reach the second large ball first, continuously swinging to grab the one closest to the opposite shore.

Though Li Shengyu was anxious, he remained calm, searching for the angle and method to swing across.