The Onion-Cutting Ninja's Secret Crush

119 Well-Prepared

The contestants stepped to the side as soon as the three judges approached. In part, this was certainly also because the ninjas of the Si clan alerted the others to their presence. Really, with twenty out of sixty-four people being their own, doing crowd control was quite easy.

Seeing how young master Xiao and the other two were able to pass unhindered, the ninjas were quite proud of themselves. It might not be a difficult task but the little actions were the ones that counted. In the future, they would be part of what made young master Xiao feel welcome in their midst. Well, hopefully.

When the judges reached the front of the crowd, Mister Yu tightly furrowed his brows and didn't wait even a single moment to question things. "What is going on here?"

Si Er turned around and then motioned back into the studio. "Judge Yu, I just saw Miss Fan sneak around in the studio. I didn't see what exactly she did but she was at a workstation that definitely wasn't hers. I don't want to suspect anyone but I can't see any reason for that, that isn't nefarious."

At this time, Fan Mei had already rushed back to the door. She had originally wanted to shut Si Er up but he had made such a ruckus immediately that there hadn't been enough time. The crew members close by had realized and with the judges now having come over as well, things didn't look good at all. Her only chance was to reverse the situation by staunchly refusing the accusations and making it seem like he was needlessly antagonistic. "What are you even saying? I didn't do anything! I just wanted a moment alone to take a breather."

Si Er turned back around to her, not looking like he was impressed in the slightest. Anyway, he knew what she had been up to so no matter how well she acted, he knew it was all fake. "At somebody else's workstation?"

Fan Mei tightly furrowed her brows. She didn't know what this guy had seen but it seemed that it had been more than he should. Well, as long as it was just him, there shouldn't be a problem. This could easily be explained away. "I don't know what you're talking about. I just went back in because the break was almost over anyway. I don't know about you but some of us are a bit nervous. So I wanted to go back to my own workstation to already calm down a bit."

Si Er just smiled faintly. This Fan Mei, she shouldn't think that he would give her even an inch to defend herself! He'd corner her one step at a time. "I get being nervous." Not that he had ever been but then he wasn't a real contestant who actually cared about winning. He just wanted to make it into the next episode, pretend to mess up, and then go and relax at home while the rest could try to boot out the other contestants for their master.

But until then, he could do his master and Si Shi Qi a favor by dealing with this woman. "I'd wager all of us are to a certain degree. But you didn't answer my question: Why did you go to somebody else's workstation? We were all assigned one for today. And I don't think we're supposed to linger around another one. That just feels a bit ... wrong. Like you were up to something."

Fan Mei shook her head, trying to look puzzled. "Oh, I'm pretty sure it was my own. If it wasn't, I must've mistaken it. There are so many of them, it's really easy to get the wrong one. I'm really sorry to whoever's workstation I was at. I'll apologize personally to them if you tell me who it was! We could even switch if you're uncomfortable with it." She raised her hands and shrugged her shoulders, really making it seem as if she didn't think it was a big deal but was still genuinely apologetic.

Si Er's smile got a little brighter. What was this called? It was called digging your own grave! She still didn't seem to have realized that he had an ace up his sleeve. Well, she'd find out in time. "You know, Miss Fan, I would believe that if you were one of the people in the middle of the studio.

"It can indeed be a bit difficult to judge which workstation was yours when you're number twenty-eight, thirty-six, or maybe forty-four since you're right in the middle of the studio. I mean, yes, there are big number plates on the side of each workstation that you could use to find yours after coming back but I'd give you the benefit of the doubt that you didn't notice those when we came in before." He chuckled as if he thought it was a funny thought but then turned serious again, tilting his head and furrowing his brows. "But you're number two."