Chapter 57 Client's Task

[I was cooking hot pot and singing at home, and suddenly someone stabbed me?!]

【Aaaaaaah, no one here is at fault, the fault lies with me! It was my fault for not listening to all sides back then, which led to eight million haters flooding Chaomu's Weibo, it's all my fault!!!】

The thought that Ling Zhao never had a chance to spend time with Jiu Jiu makes me laugh, hahaha, I'm not crazy, hahaha.

What sets Chaomu apart from other couples is that their usual behavior often makes people wonder if they've ever been in a relationship (not in a derogatory sense). It seems like past relationships haven't caused them any pain. But sometimes, a single word or action can be like a cold glass cutter, instantly slicing through their nonchalant facade and making people instantly certain that they were once deeply in love.

[We're both CP fans, but some people have perfect reading comprehension, while I can only helplessly guzzle through all the tissues in the house /crying /crying]

Why can I only like one comment? To the person who did the voice-over, I really want to see you write a short happy ending story on Old O Special!

...

Seeing Mu Jiu's expression shift from surprise to regaining composure.

When those slightly upturned eyes fell on him, there seemed to be something different about them, unlike the natural intimacy they always showed before.

"This is something you're not good at anyway, so there's no question of whether you did it right or wrong."

Mu Jiu calmly stood up again: "If you're not used to this height, you shouldn't follow the same route as me, but rather the beginner's route."

Ling Zhao stared at her, momentarily stunned.

Mu Jiu didn't give him any more time to react. Instead, she stood up and looked at the staff below: "We're all playing in the experience center, so it counts as two people acting together, right?"

Although she asked in a questioning tone, her eyes held an unusually assertive force: "He should be able to go to the newbie zone?"

If a guest were to fall from a height due to an accident, even with adequate safety facilities on site, it would still cause a significant public backlash against the production team.

Having recovered from the sudden incident, the staff nodded hurriedly, "Of course, we didn't think it through... Teacher Ling Zhao, shall we go down through this emergency exit?"

Mu Jiu stood at the edge of the platform, looking down as he adjusted the protective gear on his wrist. His profile was calm, as if the slightly reproachful words he had just spoken were merely an illusion.

Ling Zhao: "...Okay."

He responded and descended the platform via the shortcut in the safety passage.

Others might not notice the difference, but his time together made him immediately aware that Mu Jiu was in a different state than usual.

Although he wasn't quite sure, she seemed... angry?

"Don't panic when you fall, relax your body... When climbing up, be careful to use your legs to control your center of gravity."

"Next is free practice time."

After the coach explained the precautions for each step, Ling Zhao nodded but did not act immediately. Instead, he subconsciously looked towards the high wall separating the two areas.

Ling Zhao: "How long would it take to get through that area?"

The young coach smiled and patted him on the shoulder: "Having goals is a good thing, but it depends on each person's situation. Some have goals that last from one year to three years, but you can't push yourself too hard during that time."

I always felt that Zhaozhao was asking how many years separated him and Jiujiu.

[Stop cutting! Stop cutting! You'll make the child stupid. I just managed to stop crying, but one sentence made me burst into tears again.]

[Everyone, please don't get too emotional. Think of it this way: they've already broken up, haven't they?]

[There's a bad guy here!! (Kettle makes a sharp, popping sound)]

By the time Ling Zhao received the news and came out of the venue, the sky outside was already almost dusky.

As soon as I looked up, I saw Mu Jiu already waiting under the eaves.

She leaned against a pillar, looking down at her phone screen, her profile outlined in a pale golden hue by the afterglow of the setting sun. Hearing footsteps, her gaze fell softly on him.

Ling Zhao paused almost imperceptibly.

Mu Jiu looked at him calmly and extended her hand: "Right hand."

Ling Zhao was stunned for a moment. Before he could sort out his thoughts, his body obeyed the command and placed his right hand in hers.

There was a scratch on the back of his hand, neither long nor short. The skin was slightly broken, and although it did not bleed, the edges were red and there were faint traces of water seeping out.

In the silence, Mu Jiu lowered his head, tore open an alcohol swab, and cleaned the wound on his hand.

A sudden, icy, tingling pain washed over him, and Ling Zhao frowned slightly.

The pain didn't last long; soon a band-aid was applied to the wound, and when I looked up again, all I could see was the arc of my high ponytail.

Mu Jiu: "Let's go."

【!! I knew there would be sweetness after being stabbed in the back! Look, here comes the sweetness! Waaaaa QAQ】

[Who understands the significance of someone who just scolded a "fool" and sent them to the beginner's area, only to then wait at the door and coldly apply a band-aid to their wound?!]

[This is a dog that's been repaired! Even if it's been abandoned by its owner, it will still be obedient! /cat crying]

[Just started the live stream, isn't this so sweet? /Sunglasses/Sunglasses]

The setting sun cast long shadows of the two, creating a rare glimpse of youthful life.

The last rays of the setting sun were eventually swallowed up by the clouds in the mountains.

Immediately afterwards, the moonlight climbed up, and the shimmering shadows swayed gently in the evening breeze.

However, after returning from the experience center, both Mu Jiu and Ling Zhao were exhausted, and during dinner, they both busied themselves with eating.

This greatly worried the program crew members who were monitoring the two's situation in real time in the live broadcast room.

In the afternoon, the discussion surrounding the Chaomu CP live stream on social media suddenly increased exponentially, which was already a sign that the Chaomu CP was about to break into the mainstream once again.

Before its premiere, no one expected that "I'm Going" would become a dark horse that was even more popular than "Meng Xiangcheng".

This couple not only completely deviates from the script of a dating reality show, but also doesn't have any "industrialized sweetness" interactions in their daily lives. They rely entirely on their fans to find sweet moments in the background.

After completing the hidden mission on the first day of their trip, the two had already managed to save enough money to support themselves.

Even if the production team wanted to reduce the quota to induce the two to complete sweet interactions, they were afraid that the two would turn the style into "My Entrepreneurship Documentary".

In order to maintain the buzz, after watching the live stream clips, the production team immediately notified several staff members and held an emergency 30-minute online meeting to finally give instructions to the crew members regarding subsequent activities.

So, after Mu Jiu and Ling Zhao stopped eating, a round-headed, somewhat abstract numerical mascot suddenly appeared.

"Good evening, teachers! I'm Quan Quan, the host for this trip/date!"

The two put down their chopsticks and looked at each other.

The presence of a sponsor's mascot means that they must cooperate to complete the task.

However, generally speaking, mid-roll soft advertisements are either selected based on full participation or by taking into account the most engaging interactions to attract traffic.

Mu Jiu never expected that such a segment would appear in their live stream.

Quan Quan: "The 'Chao Mu' couple has topped the interactive charts for the 'Our Past' super topic. If the two of them can complete the task posted by Quan Quan, they can bring benefits to the fans who support 'Chao Mu'!"

"In addition to sending our fans a beautifully signed double poster specially provided by the program team, there are also some special and heartwarming gifts from Quan Quan~"

Since it was the stage where the client was asking for more money, Mu Jiu quickly put aside his distractions and got into work mode: "Okay, Quan Quan, what's today's task?"

As if she had been waiting for these words for a long time, Quan Quan eagerly raised the task board hidden behind her back.

[1. Sing a love song together]

[2. Dance a dance together]

[3. Take a group photo and post it to the super topic]

[Isn't this like feeding someone candy right to your mouth? Thank you so much, client! I'll stock up on ten cases of Quan Quan milk!]

It has to be Quan Quan!!! Who else cares about the fate of us CP fans?!

Every task in this episode touched my heart; I declare this is the episode where I most want to stock up on Quan Quan milk!

Although Zhao Zhao is a singer, I think he's the type who won't actively perform unless he's called upon.

[Ling Zhao singing a love song? Don't make me laugh, isn't it just awful? He said in the first episode that his records wouldn't sell, it's probably all thanks to the sound engineer's electric eel.]

[Why are there so many people suddenly appearing during the prize draw?! .jpg]

A staff member assisting with the filming took a break and handed the two a song list: "The two teachers can choose any song to sing or dance together."

In the distance, from the bar decorated with balloons and ornaments, came soft, melodious music, its notes rising and falling intermittently, adding a touch of ambiguity to the night.

Mu Jiu glanced at the song list and spotted a familiar name.

When she looked up, she met Ling Zhao's knowing gaze.

The production team didn't expect them to be highly professional, just capable of completing the tasks. However, since they hadn't been given any prior notice, while other tasks were manageable, based on the original owner's dance repertoire, the only options were performing dances that others had already done.

Fortunately, the practice pieces for the duet were on the list.

Mu Jiu held the song list between her fingers and looked at it: "Can we choose the same song for both tasks?"

Quan Quan gave a thumbs-up, indicating her approval: "Okay, of course, no problem. Now, please come with Quan Quan to the performance venue!"

——

As soon as Tan Xi arrived at the dormitory, she saw her roommate jumping and bouncing on her seat.

The moment the other person saw her, they promptly threw the pillow they were holding back onto the bed and hugged her.

"Wait, what are you doing? Don't touch me."

Tan Xi was so startled that she crossed her arms over her chest, her "disgust" almost making her double chin appear: "I just got off work... why are you crying and laughing?"

There was still a trace of tears in her roommate's eyes, but she was grinning brightly, which almost made her, a staunch materialist, think that the other person was possessed.

"I'm really addicted. I spent the whole day in Chaomu's live stream room, and even after the stream ended, I still watched several CP-themed clips of Chaomu."

Her roommate pinned Tan Xi down in her seat and placed the computer in front of her without a word: "You'll understand once you see this... No, you have to start by watching the afternoon's morning and evening live stream clips!"

"..."

Tan Xi sighed and resignedly said, "If you're talking about the scene where they fall together, I saw it on my way home from get off work."

"You've already seen that? Then watch this one—"

She was given no chance to resist; the play button on the screen had already been pressed.

Tan Xi shook her head helplessly, completely at a loss for what to do with her roommate who was so obsessed with their favorite couple.

Before she could straighten up and adjust to a comfortable sitting position, she heard a familiar, sweet, and cheerful melody playing in her ears.

The rhythm washes over the tranquility of the lakeside, and the gentle yet clear female voice in the song enters along with the music, unconsciously reminding people of a summer lakeside, with flowers covering the mountains and people smiling among them.

Tan Xi was taken aback: "This voice...is it Mu Jiu singing?"

Roommate: "Yes! I knew you'd find out! This is a compilation of the singing and dancing scenes, double the sweetness of morning and evening!!"

The two people in the video walk towards each other in a relaxed manner, their faces showing a completely different ease and naturalness compared to when they are on TV. Although their hand movements are simple, they are able to keep perfect time with each beat and move their feet playfully.

It was under these circumstances that a male voice, cool and refreshing like mint, came through, carrying a hint of hidden laughter.

The scene is accompanied by the two people exchanging a smile.

It was supposed to create a refreshing and sweet atmosphere, but for some reason, it left me feeling empty inside.

The sweeter the atmosphere of the song, the stronger this feeling becomes.

In the last few seconds, the happy smiles on their faces gradually faded, and Ling Zhao slowly lowered his head, his fingertips gently releasing his embrace of Mu Jiu.

Tan Xi casually looked away: "...I think I understand why you had that expression when I opened the door."

This was not a rehearsal that had been planned beforehand.

During the time leading up to their travel date, the public areas were being broadcast live 24/7, so they simply didn't have time to practice together.

That's why their almost perfect coordination, their perfect facial expressions, and their seamless physical contact and perfect timing with the music evoke so much more.

The video ended as Tan Xi began to speak, and the page automatically redirected to the comments section.

Watching all of this felt unreal. I felt like they were in love, gazing at each other so tenderly as they sang love songs, dancing intimately and passionately. But then, as it ended, reality suddenly rushed into my mind, telling me they had broken up.

I've listened to this song since I was a child, and every time I hear it, I think it's so sweet. Why can't I stop crying when Chao Mu sings it? /crying/crying/crying

I feel like I'm peeking into the happiness of dawn and dusk in a parallel universe, where they haven't experienced so many setbacks, so many misunderstandings, and can tease and "dislike" each other without restraint, and can naturally show their most radiant smiles, instead of the fleeting happiness I feel now, which makes me feel like the happiness I perceive is just fragments of the past.

The fact that they knew exactly how to move as soon as the music started shows that this song meant a lot to them. They must have really liked each other to practice singing and dancing together like that.

The next comment contained no text, only a group photo.

On the lakeside at night, Mu Jiu looked at the camera with a slight smile, making a simple "V" sign, while Ling Zhao turned his face to the side towards the camera.

His gaze fell upon her.

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Author's Note: The recommended background music for this love song duet is "You Are the Right One".