Chapter 65
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Chapter 65: Title
After all contestants had completed makeup adjustments, the scene returned to the studio.
Second challenge props stood ready.
Centered in the studio sprawled a sponge pit – three meters long, 1.5 meters wide**,** and equally deep.
Behind it rose a massive sponge brick wall**,** divided vertically by three red lines into four equal sections.
The wall’s base aligned perfectly with the pit’s edge, leaving a 30 cm gap between them – just enough for an adult to stand.
Before the pit sat a spinning wheel labeled: Song Yutian, Zhong Yueli, Su Moying, Pei Hao.
The director announced, "Introducing our second challenge: Know Thyself, Know Thy Foe!"
"Four contestants will occupy the wall’s four zones while their supporters prepare in the answer area.
"When we begin, supporters will answer questions left-to-right."
"Before each question, I’ll spin this wheel. Whichever name the pointer lands on requires the answerer to name one of their past works within 20 seconds – films, dramas, songs, stage works all count, but no repeats."
"Wrong answers trigger random brick protrusions behind that contestant’s wall section."
"Contestants must avoid falling into the pit. First elimination ends the round."
"Pay attention," the director waved the paper in his hand**,** "the program group has done a detailed tally of each contestant’s works, all listed on this sheet I’m holding. Trying to muddle through with random guesses won’t work!"
After the director finished speaking, the contestants and audience took a moment to digest the rules.
[Doesn’t this depend heavily on luck? I don’t know any of Pei Hao’s works.]
[No wonder it’s called ‘Know Yourself and Know Your Enemy’ – you’re doomed if you don’t study other contestants.]
[Song’s brother seems most disadvantaged as the only non-industry person.]
[Contestants’ reflexes matter too – someone might lose their first brick immediately.]
Soon, contestants and their supporters took positions in the competition area.
Supporters in the answering area sat from right to left according to first-round rankings, mirrored by the contestants’ arrangement. Song Yutian stood at the far right of the brick wall, with Zhong Yueli, Su Moying, and Pei Hao following to her left.
The director spun the wheel.
The pointer landed on Pei Hao first. His supporter easily named a TV drama he’d starred in.
When Su Moying’s senior’s turn came, the pointer stopped at Zhong Yueli. The senior immediately answered, "Ask You for Decision."
Wei Yao, third to answer, got Su Moying. She cited the title track from Su Moying’s girl group.
When Song Yuan’an’s turn arrived, the wheel landed on Su Moying again. Song Yuan’an promptly named another song title.
The director checked his sheet and nodded. "Correct!"
[He actually knew? When did Moying sing that?]
[Moying fan here – she performed this during the 50-to-35 elimination round!]
[Kid’s well-prepared! Did he study up?]
All passed the first round without brick movements. The initial stage only required naming any work, but subsequent rounds prohibited repeats, increasing difficulty.
The second round’s first two spins landed on Song Yutian and Zhong Yueli. Pei Hao and Su Moying’s supporters answered correctly again.
When Wei Yao got Pei Hao, she hesitated. From the contestant area, Pei Hao suddenly called out, "Yao Yao! I forwarded that to you yesterday!"
Wei Yao started, then smiled. "The Discussion" – the title track from Pei Hao’s latest album.
[Why’s Pei Hao helping his competitor?!]
[Pei Haoaa, wake up! Wei Yao’s not your supporter!]
[OMG, they privately contacted yesterday! squeals]
Next, Song Yuan’an’s spin also landed on Pei Hao. His brows knitted – unlike Wei Yao, he had received no "kind reminder."
Twenty seconds passed without an answer. As time expired, Song Yutian felt something thrust against her lower back.
The audience witnessed their first brick ejection. Each contestant’s two-meter-high, fifty-centimeter-wide zone contained twenty-odd bricks in three-brick rows.
The ejected brick came from Song Yutian’s middle row. At 170 cm, she dodged right just in time, halving her standing space.
[Whoa! The bricks shoot out so fast!]
[Bad luck for Sister Song – first hit’s center position!]
[Looks terrifying! Sponge or not, that impact must hurt.]
[Slow reactions = instant pool plunge!]
Song Yuan’an wore a frustrated look. Given the chance, he’d have crammed Pei Hao’s portfolio immediately. Now he could only pray against landing on Pei Hao again.
The third and fourth rounds saw bricks eject behind Pei Hao (top row), Su Moying (lower corner), and Zhong Yueli (middle-left). Zhong Yueli shifted rightward accordingly.
Song Yuan’an faced questions for Song Yutian and Pei Hao again. He answered correctly for his sister but failed when Pei Hao’s turn came.
So, another sponge brick popped out behind Song Yutian, this time from the upper right side.
Originally positioned on the right to avoid the first brick, Song Yutian now faced a brick emerging near her neck. She swayed dangerously, nearly losing her balance.
Fortunately, Song Yutian quickly bent down while clutching the protruding brick, barely stabilizing herself.
[Sister Song’s brother is having terrible luck, landing on Pei Hao twice!]
[Both bricks appeared in such awkward positions.]
[That was so close—I thought she’d fall for sure!]
[This posture looks exhausting—my back aches just watching.]
Though Song Yutian remained on the platform, the prolonged strain of her position couldn’t last. After a moment’s thought, she gripped the central protruding brick, leveraging her legs and core to swing herself to the left side of the area.
Now upright, the distance between her and Zhong Yueli abruptly narrowed to under ten centimeters. Song Yutian could nearly feel the warmth of his breath. She edged rightward in the cramped space, widening the gap slightly.
Simultaneously, she sensed Zhong Yueli’s fingers brush her wrist—a fleeting, deliberate tug, gentle yet unmistakable. The contact vanished within a heartbeat.
Song Yutian froze. Though silent, Zhong Yueli’s gesture clearly signaled she needn’t avoid accidental contact. With sensitive collar microphones capturing every sound, direct speech risked being overheard. Unsure if this explained his silence, Song Yutian likewise stayed quiet, relaxing slightly as she allowed their proximity to remain close.
A low chuckle resonated near her ear—though with the director booming through his microphone, she couldn’t be certain she’d truly heard it.
"Yutian’s in the most precarious position now! Let’s see some effort, little brother!" the director announced. "Moving to Round Five!"
As familiar works were exhausted, two consecutive contestants answered incorrectly. Bricks emerged behind Pei Hao and Su Moying, both mid-section placements that worsened their stances.
When Wei Yao’s turn arrived, the wheel landed on Zhong Yueli. She exhaled in relief, reciting one of his drama titles—memorized from their recent promotional interviews where hosts endlessly repeated his filmography.
After Wei Yao’s successful answer, Song Yuan’an tensed as the wheel spun. Please let it be Song Yutian or Su Moying, he pleaded internally. The pointer halted… on Pei Hao again.
Despair washed over Song Yuan’an’s face.
[Hahaha! What cosmic-level misfortune!]
[What’s this fated rivalry between Brother Song and Pei Hao?!]
[Is Sister Song getting eliminated here?!]
[If she falls, blame that cursed wheel!]
As the five-second countdown began, Song Yutian braced herself. When the timer hit zero, an upper-center brick—directly above her grip—shot out violently, dislodging her hands.
She lurched backward, teetering over the edge—until Zhong Yueli shifted closer. Instinctively, Song Yutian seized his forearm while he steadied her with his free hand. Their synchronized recovery left the audience breathless.
[What just happened?! Since when can they do that?!]
[Well… the rules never forbade using others for balance.]
[If Zhong Yueli pushes Song Yutian right now, would she get eliminated?]
[You in front are too devilish hahaha!]
Song Yutian had acted entirely on instinct. Only after a second did she fully process what had happened.
She released her grip on Zhong Yueli’s forearm with one hand and re-secured her hold on the nearby brick.
Her other arm remained trapped in Zhong Yueli’s grasp. Song Yutian gave a slight tug.
The man finally loosened his grip.
Retrieving her arm, Song Yutian clasped both hands around the protruding brick to stabilize herself before murmuring, "Thank you."
A whispered "You’re welcome" brushed her ear.
The game entered its sixth round.
This time, the turn landed on Su Moying through Pei Hao’s connections.
Su Moying had already been selected multiple times, leaving little unexplored material from her talent show performances.
When the countdown concluded with an incorrect answer,
a brick snapped out from behind Pei Hao’s calf. Before he could react, gasps erupted as he tumbled into the sponge pit.
Staff members rushed forward—two assisting Pei Hao from the pit while others guided the remaining contestants to safety.
Wei Yao hurried over to support Pei Hao.
The director raised his microphone. "Ahem, I hereby announce Contestant Pei Hao’s elimination from Round Two. One wonders if he regrets previously prompting Wei Yao?"
As contestants retreated to the break room, staff began arranging third-round props in the studio.
Song Yuan’an stood beside Song Yutian, guilt twisting his features. "I… I’m sorry…"
Song Yutian shook her head with a smile. "For what? This wasn’t your doing."
"If only I’d researched Pei Hao’s background earlier," Song Yuan’an mumbled.
She patted his shoulder. "It’s just misfortune you didn’t get more turns with Moying. No harm done."
"Song Yutian!" His voice regained its vigor.
Her smile widened.
"Yutian, unharmed?" Zhong Yueli approached.
Turning, she answered, "No injuries. Thank you for earlier."
His lips curved slightly. "Of course."
A softer voice interjected, "…Thanks for helping my sister."
Song Yutian’s laughter chimed through the air.
After a pause, Zhong Yueli nodded.
Twenty minutes later, the studio transformation was completed.
Before contestants returned, staff blindfolded the three competitors with dark cloth.
The director’s voice boomed through speakers: "Please have each contestant’s companion guide them into the studio to commence the final championship round."
