Chapter 40 Sandwich Cookies are the Way to Go! ...
Li Yichen chose Chu Ruofu, and the audience is curious about which male guest Song Yi will choose next. If she wants to win the game, the best choice is Lu Xubai, who has explosive physical strength.
Since recording the variety show, Song Yi has always had a clear goal: she insists on having feelings for Gu Junsheng, even though he always maintains a cold and aloof attitude, giving people a polite and distant feeling. She has never changed her mind.
Opportunities are earned, and only the winners have the right to choose. Before the double jump rope competition began, Song Yi chose Gu Junsheng as her partner.
As for Xia Yuqing and Lu Xubai, and Qiao Yimo and Shen Wuyang, these two teams did not have the right to change partners. In the double jump rope segment, they remained the same pair.
The guests sat or stood off-camera to rest. After a while, the staff announced that the double jump rope session was about to begin.
The guests were paired up and stood in a row, all of them appearing in the frame, and the live stream could see all the guests.
During the game segment, the director announced: "Let me explain the rules of the double jump rope game. The guests need to jump rope together within two minutes. The time will be counted, and the person who jumps the most ropes will win first place and receive the reward of changing rooms."
Winning first place allows you to move to a room closer to your desired room. Put yourself in their shoes; if you don't want to be moved, you must work hard to win the game and protect your room.
Live stream chat:
Wow, the production team really knows how to have fun.
[This competition should just be called the Love Defense War.]
[Hey XX, you don't want to be moved either, right? Try your best to protect the room of the person you like.]
Stop dawdling, I want to see the guests blushing and their hearts racing as they jump rope face-to-face.
After listening to the director's words, the guests looked at each other.
Li Yichen said to Chu Ruofu, "It seems we have to work hard. I don't want you and me to be forced to switch places."
Chu Ruofu is fine with living anywhere. The only person she doesn't want to live with right now is Qiao Yimo. She would feel pressured if she had to live with the original female lead.
Shen Wuyang looked at Chu Ruofu. If he wanted to be close to Chu Ruofu and see her at any time, he had to work hard to win the game and find someone to switch rooms with.
Gu Junsheng glanced at Chu Ruofu indifferently. He shared the same thoughts as Shen Wuyang. Living in two separate buildings, he had fewer opportunities to interact with Chu Ruofu.
He must win this double jump rope game.
Looking at the guests with their various expressions, the director asked with a smile, "Who wants to dance first?"
Let's all look at each other.
Song Yi stepped forward and said, "Gu Junsheng and I will go first."
Gu Junsheng walked forward silently. A staff member came over and handed him a jump rope. Song Yi took the jump rope, looked at Gu Junsheng, and asked, "Should you do it or should I?"
Most of the male guests are over 1.85 meters tall. Song Yi is not short among the female guests. Gu Junsheng is more than half a head taller than her. If she is the one swinging the jump rope, there is a possibility that the rope will be stepped on.
Considering the potential impact on the competition, Song Yi awaited Gu Junsheng's decision.
Gu Junsheng reached out and took the jump rope, saying calmly, "I'll do it."
The two stood facing each other, with two fists' width between them. They weren't too intimate, but they exceeded the social distance between strangers.
The director wanted this intimate, face-to-face atmosphere, and said with satisfaction, "The whistle blows to start the timer. Please get ready, both guests."
Gu Junsheng gripped the rope tightly, his attention fully focused, while Song Yi waited for the competition to begin, just like him.
With the sound of a whistle, the competition officially began. The two players performed very well, without tripping or stepping on the rope, and the counter was soaring.
Chu Ruofu felt nervous as she watched, when she heard Li Yichen's voice in her ear: "How many jumps do you think they can do?"
"I don't know." Chu Ruofu shook her head.
Lu Xubai, to her left, counted: "It's over one hundred."
Chu Ruofu thought to herself, "Song Yi is amazing. She still has so much energy after two badminton matches."
She and Song Yi are two extremes. She's a lazy bum who loves staying home and doesn't like exercising, while Song Yi manages her company well and still has the energy to exercise every day. Her high energy level is admirable.
Two minutes have passed.
After Song Yi and Gu Junsheng finished dancing, they looked relaxed and carefree.
Live stream chat:
[Sister Song and President Gu are such a great couple!]
[The second female lead and the first male lead should win first place in the double jump rope competition.]
Did you count? How many did they jump?
[It was too fast, I didn't have time to count them, but there must have been a couple hundred.]
Instead of announcing the number immediately, the staff looked at the other guests and asked, "Who's next?"
Lu Xubai silently walked to the jump rope area. He took the jump rope from the staff member. Xia Yuqing walked over when she saw this, with a sweet smile on her face, but her eyes were less smiling.
Lu Xubai deliberately threw the game in the doubles badminton match, and she lost to Chu Ruofu and Gu Junsheng. She was still angry, and although she could jump rope with Lu Xubai face to face, she was still somewhat displeased.
So, during the double jump rope segment, the director reminded the female guest that she could put her hands on the male guest's shoulders to make it easier to jump faster and more, but Xia Yuqing did not do so.
Lu Xubai took the jump rope and got into position. She kept some distance from Lu Xubai, turning her body to the side as if she didn't want to have much contact with him.
Live stream chat:
Is the third female lead still angry with the third male lead?
[I feel sorry for Qingtian. She could have won the competition, but she lost, so it's understandable that she's unhappy.]
[The three female and three male characters standing together have a very well-matched height, which is much more appealing than a couple with a significant height difference. I love evenly matched couples.]
[Hehe, comparing and belittling each other won't work, Brother Lu just likes Sister Fu [tongue out].]
Lu Xubai's voice was deep: "I'll be faster, can you keep up?"
Xia Yuqing placed her hands in front of her, fully prepared. Upon hearing this, she chuckled and said, "Who do you think you are? I can definitely keep up."
Lu Xubai said no more. When he heard the staff blow the whistle, he swung his long arm forward. The speed at which he swung the rope was so fast that it was almost invisible to the naked eye.
Xia Yuqing jumped with all her might without saying a word, and the two of them did not have a single accident. The counter was frantically increasing in numbers.
Chu Ruofu's gaze swept over Lu Xubai's strong and powerful arms. His hard muscles bulged, and his veins stood out. With his explosive power, he exuded a primal masculine tension, which was strong and oppressive.
Li Yichen glanced at her and saw that she was staring intently at Lu Xubai, so the smile on his lips faded slightly.
Gu Junsheng and Shen Wuyang both had rather unpleasant expressions, though it wasn't obvious unless you looked closely.
Song Yi glanced at Gu Junsheng and said, "They jump very fast, we might lose."
Gu Junsheng said calmly, "They cooperated very well."
Xia Yuqing, still fuming, jumped rope with more ferocity than any wild man. She was just as fast as Lu Xubai, leaving the audience dumbfounded. Sure enough, you should never upset a girl, otherwise she can explode and be stronger than a man.
The staff announced the end of the game after two minutes. Lu Xubai stopped, and Xia Yuqing held her knees and breathed heavily.
Live stream chat:
[Did you keep track of how many jumps Brother Lu did?]
[Hilarious! The atmosphere between the third male and third female leads isn't ambiguous at all; their eyes are full of competitive spirit.]
This man is terrifyingly strong.
[Brother Lu is so manly, his muscular chest is so sexy, I like men with big chests.]
Seeing that Xia Yuqing looked exhausted, Chu Ruofu quickly grabbed a bottle of beverage sponsored by the program and handed it to her: "Have some water."
Xia Yuqing glanced at her, took the drink, unscrewed it, and took a big gulp.
She raised her hand to wipe the sweat from her forehead and smiled, "Thank you."
Lu Xubai has feelings for Chu Ruofu. He feels sorry for Chu Ruofu. It was Lu Xubai's fault for letting Chu Ruofu win the game. She will not blame Chu Ruofu. It's the lousy man's fault.
After exercising, Lu Xubai's handsome face was covered in fine sweat, and his whole body exuded hormones, making him look very sexy.
Chu Ruofu glanced at it and then looked away, not daring to look any longer.
Li Yichen came to her side and said, "Let's do it in the next round."
Chu Ruofu had rested enough. Whether the competition was going to happen sooner or later, she agreed.
Xia Yuqing returned to the sidelines with her drink, and Lu Xubai left with the words, "Good luck."
Chu Ruofu said softly, "Thank you."
Li Yichen stood in the middle of the field with the new jump rope provided by the staff, and Chu Ruofu stood facing him, looking at each other.
His fox-like eyes crinkled with amusement, and his voice was cheerful: "Faster or slower?"
It was Chu Ruofu's first time working with Li Yichen, and she didn't want to be embarrassed in front of the camera, so she lowered her eyes and said, "Slow down."
Live stream chat:
[Sorry, my mind went a little crooked. If we weren't jumping rope, I would have thought it was in an indescribable situation.]
[The second male lead has indeed shed his greasy image; he was surprisingly gentle and asked the female lead for her opinion.]
[Wouldn't he lose if he jumped slower? Isn't the second male lead afraid of being outshone by the other male guests?]
[The pairing of the big-name actor and the young actor, with their significant age difference, is so sweet; they have amazing chemistry just standing together.]
The director reminded the guests, "Female guests can put their hands on the male guests' shoulders to prevent them from getting strangled by the jump rope."
Seeing Chu Ruofu hesitate, Li Yichen said, "Do whatever makes you comfortable. Don't put your hands on my shoulders, you can put them in front of your chest. I won't let you get hurt by the rope when you jump."
Chu Ruofu was afraid that she would trip and delay her rope skipping because she didn't have enough strength, so after thinking about it, she finally decided to put her hands on Li Yichen's shoulders and put her arms around his shoulders.
The moment her hand touched him, Li Yichen was stunned for a moment, then a secret smile of pleasure appeared on his lips, but it vanished in an instant.
The girl placed her hands on the broad shoulders of the tall, slender man, their posture intimate, and an ambiguous atmosphere spread between them, filling the air with a sweet feeling.
Upon seeing this scene, Lu Xubai's gaze darkened, and his expression grew even colder.
Gu Junsheng's indifferent expression vanished, and he looked at the two people on the field with a slightly serious expression.
Shen Wuyang's brows were gloomy, and a vicious killing intent flashed in his dark eyes. If his gaze were like a knife, Li Yichen's face would have been a terrible sight.
Xia Yuqing exclaimed, "Wow! Teacher Li, is your heart rate off the charts?"
Li Yichen smiled and said, "A little."
Chu Ruofu's ears burned from the teasing, and her long, drooping eyelashes trembled.
Chu Ruofu placed her hands on his shoulders; beneath her palms were the man's strong shoulders, enough to support her strength.
Li Yichen said, "You support yourself on my shoulders, and we'll jump slowly. It doesn't matter whether we win or lose."
Chu Ruofu gave a soft "hmm".
Once the two were ready, the staff blew a whistle to start the timer.
Li Yichen swung the jump rope, and Chu Ruofu put her arms around his shoulders. During the jump rope, their eyes inevitably met. Surprisingly, the two cooperated well and did not trip each other.
Chu Ruofu's heart pounded faster and faster; this was inevitable during exercise.
In this face-to-face jump rope atmosphere, it's easy to create the illusion that your heart is beating faster for the other person.
After jumping rope for a while, she ran out of energy and stopped. Li Yichen quickly stopped jumping rope, picked up a drink that was placed nearby, unscrewed the cap and handed it to her, "Drink some water first."
Chu Ruofu quickly took a sip of water to moisten her dry throat, and Li Yichen took her drink and put it back where it was.
Live stream chat:
[Where did Actor Li go for further studies?]
[Nonsense, our Brother Li has always been very good at taking care of Sister Fu.]
The female lead and the second male lead are so romantic together, it has a real idol drama vibe, it's really sweet.
[Male leads 1, 3, and 4: It's okay, I'm not jealous at all, really.]
The two continued jumping until the two minutes were up.
Chu Ruofu and Li Yichen returned to the sidelines.
Just as she was about to wipe her sweat, a tall, slender figure came to her side and handed her two tissues. "Here you go."
Chu Ruofu looked up and saw Gu Junsheng. She took the tissue he offered, said thank you, and wiped the sweat from her face with the tissue.
The last team, Qiao Yimo and Shen Wuyang, took the stage.
Qiao Yimo looked at Shen Wuyang. She and Shen Wuyang weren't very coordinated in the doubles badminton game, and she didn't have high hopes for the jump rope game, but this was a chance to get close to Shen Wuyang, and she wanted to make good use of it.
Shen Wuyang held the jump rope, keeping his distance from Qiao Yimo, and waited for her to get ready.
Qiao Yimo reached out and put her hands on his shoulders, her exquisitely made-up face beaming with a smile: "I'll support you like this."
Shen Wuyang frowned slightly, a hint of resistance appearing in his eyes. He didn't like being touched by anyone other than Chu Ruofu. He said, "There's no need for that. If you feel tired, we can just do a few simple dances."
She placed her hands on Shen Wuyang through his clothes, but the boy looked at her with disgust as if he had been infected with some kind of virus, making her lose face.
Qiao Yimo's smile froze slightly as she said softly, "I want to give it my all. What if we win? Don't you want to change rooms?"
Shen Wuyang definitely wanted to change rooms, but he had no expectations of cooperating with Qiao Yimo.
Shen Wuyang has a keen eye for human nature. Even though he doesn't like communicating with strangers, he can still see through their true nature.
Qiao Yimo's smile is fake. She seems kind to everyone, but she is not easy to get along with. She exudes an arrogance that makes her think no one can compare to her.
This is exactly the same as Li Yichen's personality. It is estimated that most artists in the entertainment industry have this kind of personality. They will only befriend people if there is something to gain from them.
When the show first aired, Qiao Yimo was still devoted to Li Yichen, seemingly hopelessly in love with him. After only two episodes, she started getting close to other male guests.
Shen Wuyang was unaware of what Qiao Yimo was after, so he remained vigilant and distant, not wanting to communicate with her too much.
Live stream chat:
[Why is it that the fourth male lead is collaborating with Sister Momo again? I hate him.]
[During the game, the fourth male contestant always dragged Momo down, which was really annoying.]
[The author, "山河无恙," didn't offend your fandom. If you're not interested, why insist on giving a smiley face? You're not some idiot trying to sell smiles.]
[Interestingly, the fourth male guest stopped maintaining his innocent and shy persona in front of the other female guests.]
“Let’s begin,” Shen Wuyang said.
Qiao Yimo managed to maintain a smile on her face, then leaned on the boy's broad shoulders and started jumping rope with him.
The two were in great form working together, and Qiao Yimo jumped closer and closer until their knees accidentally collided. They almost fell and had to stop, tidy themselves up, and start again.
Chu Ruofu watched this scene silently, feeling embarrassed for the two of them. Fortunately, she and Li Yichen did not bump into each other and maintained a safe distance.
Time was up, and two minutes later, Shen Wuyang and Qiao Yimo finished jumping rope.
Holding the jump rope counts compiled by the staff, the director announced, "I'd like to announce the jump rope counts for each guest: Xia Yuqing and Lu Xubai 211, Song Yi and Gu Junsheng 158, Chu Ruofu and Li Yichen 131, and Qiao Yimo and Shen Wuyang 104."
Upon hearing the result, Xia Yuqing smiled brightly and made a peace sign with her hand.
No one was surprised by the result; Lu Xubai and Xia Yuqing were too amazing, and the other guests were far behind them.
The director asked the two, "Would you like to change rooms?"
Xia Yuqing didn't answer immediately. She turned to look at Lu Xubai. She didn't want to give up on Lu Xubai yet. If he changed rooms, she would change rooms too.
Currently, Xia Yuqing and Lu Xubai are both living on the second floor of Building 1. If Lu Xubai is interested in Qiao Yimo and Song Yi, he will choose to move to Building 2 and exchange places with one of the male guests in Building 2.
Chu Ruofu looked at Lu Xubai curiously, wondering if he would choose to change rooms.
Lu Xubai glanced at her, his voice indifferent: "No change."
As expected, he originally stayed in Building 1 for Chu Ruofu's sake, so why would he choose to change rooms?
Seeing this, Xia Yuqing replied, "I'm very happy living in Taipei 101, I won't change rooms."
Live stream chat:
Neither guest changed rooms, so the game segment was rather pointless.
[Not changing rooms is a way of protecting one's own room; Brother Lu remains consistent, only having feelings for Sister Fu.]
[This episode of Love Room Defense is over, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.]
Looking forward to tonight's live stream, see you all later!
The sports meet has come to an end. The production team will send a car to take the guests back to the Heartbeat House. The guests are free to do as they please and will change into their new clothes for dinner in the evening.
After returning home, Chu Ruofu took her clothes to the public bathhouse, took a shower, changed into a comfortable set of clothes, and went downstairs to rest.
As soon as she sat down on the sofa, the Ragdoll cat in the cabin jumped onto it, walked gracefully over to her side, sniffed her, and rubbed against her arm.
The Samoyed was afraid of being beaten by the Ragdoll cat, and stared longingly at Chu Ruofu, not daring to come over and compete for her affection.
Chu Ruofu found its pitiful appearance hilarious; such a big dog being bullied by a cat—what a coward!
"Mimi." She beckoned with her finger.
The Samoyed was both scared and eager to enjoy human petting, its face looking pitiful.
Chu Ruofu chuckled and said, "Don't be afraid."
The ragdoll cat curled up on Chu Ruofu's lap, hogging the lap pillow, looking languid and extremely content.
The Samoyed dog crept closer, coming within Chu Ruofu's reach. It rested its chin on the sofa, as if to say, "Human, you can pet me now."
Chu Ruofu reached out and patted its head, feeling very happy.
She stroked the kitten's smooth back with her other hand, lowered her eyes and said, "Little darling, I still don't know your name."
People often call cats Mimi, and now dogs are named Mimi. When you call Mimi, the dog thinks you are calling it.
Chu Ruofu thought to herself, "The owners of these two pets must have some kind of twisted sense of humor. Is the cat-dog fight just a fight over a name?"
"You're not called Wangchai, are you?" She found it a bit abstract.
"The cat's name is Ao Bai." A cold voice rang out.
Chu Ruofu turned around and saw Lu Xubai, who had just finished bathing, wearing a dark shirt and trousers, his black hair tied back, his eyebrows and eyes sharp, unruly and wild, carrying a heavy sense of oppression.
"Ao Bai???" Chu Ruofu looked shocked.
Lu Xubai sat down next to her and said, "That's right, its name is Ao Bai. I guess its owner is a... movie buff."
Ao Bai is a ruthless villain in the movie. He has a fierce appearance and is very frightening to anyone who glares at him.
Chu Ruofu murmured, "Who would name a fairy cat Ao Bai?"
Live stream chat:
Finally, someone else is as shocked as I am.
[Haha, that certainly doesn't fit the image of the Meow King.]
I've heard that if a pet has a human name, it can be reincarnated as a human in its next life. The name Ao Bai sounds menacing, so I guess I just wanted to make sure it wasn't bullied.
You'll find out later why a cat is named Ao Bai...
Meow Meow's attention was drawn to Lu Xubai. It got up and walked towards him with elegant little steps, nuzzling him with its head.
Seeing the cat showing him affection, Chu Ruofu said, "It seems to like you a lot."
Lu Xubai gently stroked the cat's head with his large hand, his cold expression softening slightly, and said, "Mmm."
When the Samoyed saw the cat go to Lu Xubai, it quickly snuggled up to Chu Ruofu's legs, excitedly putting its front paws on the sofa and then down on it, resting its chin on her knees and whimpering affectionately.
Chu Ruofu stroked its head, a smile playing on her lips.
The atmosphere in the living room was exceptionally harmonious and pleasant.
Lu Xubai's gaze swept over her face and landed on the leg where the dog's head was resting. He subtly moved the cat, who had been rubbing against Lu Xubai for a while. When the cat saw the dog acting cute, it turned around and rushed over to give the cat a good beating.
The Samoyed, having been beaten again, frantically tried to back away, barking pitifully as it accused Lord Ao Bai of being domineering.
Chu Ruofu quickly intervened to stop the fight: "Ao Bai, don't hit Mimi."
Why does this cat always bully the dog, and the dog is terrified of it, yet it still loves to tease the cat? The two pets are making a ruckus in the living room.
Live stream chat:
I get it now, it's called Ao Bai because it's quite a fighter.
[You're absolutely right, upstairs.]
Ragdoll cats are quite strong fighters; this breed of cat tends to enjoy fighting.
Even the strongest dog can't outdo the bigger one; the dog's size clearly gives way.
The comments section erupted in debate over the cat-dog war.
As soon as Li Yichen went downstairs, he saw the dog being beaten by the cat. He couldn't bear to see the silly dog being bullied, so he picked up a banana plush toy from the sofa and separated the two pets.
He threatened, "If we fight again, we won't get any canned food."
The two pets were very intelligent. When they heard that there was no canned food, they immediately stopped making a fuss. Ao Bai jumped onto the sofa with a triumphant air, squatted down next to Lu Xubai, and casually licked his paw pads.
The dog obediently squatted beside Li Yichen's legs. Li Yichen looked up at Lu Xubai. The two male guests stared at each other, their eyes sharp, like cats and dogs locked in a fierce battle, full of possessiveness towards their loved ones.
Li Yichen sat down on the other side of Chu Ruofu, a faint fragrance of fresh scent emanating from him after his bath. He asked, "You've been exercising all day, are your legs sore?"
"It's alright," Chu Ruofu replied.
Lu Xubai looked at her and said, "If you feel uncomfortable, you can have it massaged."
Li Yichen smiled and said, "I can help you."
“You’re not suitable.” Lu Xubai’s voice was cold and hard.
Li Yichen raised an eyebrow and said, "It's just a massage, it's not like I'm doing anything shameful."
The male guests were fiercely competitive, and the comments section was incredibly entertaining.
[Don't the two male guests look like the cat and dog from before?]
[That's true, haha, Fu-mei is in a chaotic situation and wants to escape again.]
Why don't you two work together, each of you massaging one leg?
You know what, I'm actually kind of interested in watching it.
Are there any sisters who ship both of my brands?! Sandwich cookies are the best! [winking emoji]
Chu Ruofu heard the two arguing and started massaging her. She wanted to leave, but the two sat down next to her. There was a marble coffee table in front of them, and their long legs blocked the way on both sides.
Li Yichen noticed that she was fidgeting and said, "Don't be nervous, we're just talking. If you don't want a massage, then you don't have to."
Lu Xubai gave him a cold look, picked up the cat and placed it next to Chu Ruofu, who reached out to stroke the cat.
The three sat in the living room for a while, and then the production team informed the guests to go have dinner. After a long day, the production team thoughtfully prepared a sumptuous meal instead of letting the guests cook for themselves.
After dinner, Chu Ruofu was about to return to her room when Lu Xubai came to her side and asked, "Want to go for a walk with the dog?"
Chu Ruofu hesitated.
Lu Xubai knew that she had a hard time saying no, so he said, "If you don't want to go, just refuse. It's okay, I won't mind."
Chu Ruofu thought about it and agreed. She had eaten a bit too much for dinner, so going for a walk would be good to digest.
Lu Xubai put the leash on the dog and handed it to her.
Taking the leash, the two left the Heartbeat Hut together. After dinner, it was completely dark outside, and the streetlights illuminated the asphalt road. There was a park near the Heartbeat Hut, where many people played with their pets at night.
The cameraman followed at a distance that was neither too close nor too far.
In the open space of the park lake, dogs of all kinds were playing. When the Samoyed saw other dogs, it was excited and wanted to run over to play with them. Chu Ruofu was almost pulled away when a hand reached out from the side, grabbed her hand, and pulled the dog back.
"Mimi!" Lu Xubai's voice was cold and commanding.
The Samoyed looked back at its owners, the man and woman, whose eyes revealed a desire to go play.
Chu Ruofu's hand was held by Lu Xubai. The man's large hand was burning hot, and her heart beat slightly faster. She looked up at him.
After Lu Xubai ordered the Samoyed to sit down, he released her hand, his tall figure bent his knees and half-squatted in front of her, his back slightly arched, his muscles stretched out, showing the powerful sense of a man with broad shoulders and a narrow waist.
Looking down at his towering figure, she felt a strange sensation.
Lu Xubai freed the Samoyed, letting it run freely in the square to make friends with other dogs. He held the leash, while the other end was held in her hand, as if he were her loyal dog.
Chu Ruofu was startled by the inexplicable thought in her mind; how could she compare him to a dog?
That's truly a sin.
Lu Xubai stood up and held out his hand to her: "Let me take it."
Chu Ruofu reacted as if she had been burned, and quickly handed him the leash.
“Let’s go sit for a while,” Lu Xubai said.
Chu Ruofu: "Okay."
The two found a bench to sit down and rest. Chu Ruofu watched the dogs playing and thought about the sports meet that afternoon.
Lu Xubai's attack power weakened later on, and she didn't run around the badminton court much, giving Gu Junsheng enough time to counterattack the two and ultimately win the match.
“In a doubles badminton match, you don’t actually need to hold back,” she said softly.
Lu Xubai looked at her profile and said in a deep voice, "I just don't want you to lose."
Chu Ruofu's eyes flickered as she said, "I have a good mindset. If I can win a game, I will; if I can't, then so be it."
Lu Xubai said, "You'll be happy if you win, and I like seeing you smile happily."
Chu Ruofu's heart skipped a beat, and she didn't know what to reply.
Neither of them spoke again, and the atmosphere was silent, with a faint ambiguity flowing between them, seemingly intertwined yet not quite.
After walking the dog, the two returned to the Heartbeat House together.
Inside the living room, Shen Wuyang, dressed in a T-shirt and trousers, sat on the sofa. Upon seeing the two return, he immediately got up and walked towards Chu Ruofu.
"Fufu, you're finally back."
Chu Ruofu looked at him and said, "We went out for a walk with the dog."
“I came to look for you yesterday, but I didn’t see you, and I still haven’t seen you today.” Shen Wuyang said with a worried look, “I’m afraid I won’t have time to give you the gift.”
Lu Xubai was untying the leash from the Samoyed, while glancing at Chu Ruofu and Shen Wuyang out of the corner of his eye.
Shen Wuyang handed over a small paper bag and said, "Fufu, see if you like it."
Chu Ruofu accepted the gift, opened it, and found it was a floral scented sachet.
Shen Wuyang said, "Smell it."
Chu Ruofu picked up the scented sachet and smelled it; the light floral fragrance was very pleasant.
Shen Wuyang's expression softened: "I made this aromatherapy sachet myself. It can repel mosquitoes and help you sleep. Put it next to your pillow and you'll definitely sleep well at night."
Scented sachets are a very common gift; any gift given with thought is usually appreciated.
Chu Ruofu smiled faintly and said, "Thank you, I like it very much."
Shen Wuyang, with his handsome features relaxed and a touch of youthful spirit, said shyly, "I'm glad you like it."
Live stream chat:
[A pure-hearted man, four good qualities, considerate.]
[Shen Wuyang: As long as you're happy, I won't compete or fight for anything. I just want you to be happy every day.]
[Didn't you all notice that the fourth male lead is subtly infiltrating the female lead's life? He gave her the books and sachets; who knows what else he'll give her next?]
[To be honest, this innocent and adorable guy likes the female lead from beginning to end, and he always puts his heart into preparing gifts, which is a huge plus.]
Chu Ruofu took the scented sachet given to her by Shen Wuyang back to her bedroom upstairs and placed it next to her pillow. Before going to sleep that night, the production team informed the guests that they had to get up early the next day for a new activity.
After washing up and returning to her room to rest, she fell asleep to the refreshing, sleep-inducing scent and slept soundly through the night without any dreams.
The next day, Xia Yuqing's alarm clock rang, waking Chu Ruofu. After a moment of blankness, she struggled to get out of bed, wash up, and go downstairs.
The guests were gathered in the spacious living room, where the production team had placed a display board outlining the rules of the new event.
The program team decided to hold a singing gala. The pairs formed yesterday need to choose one song from four songs. They will practice the song together today and perform it at the outdoor gala tonight.
The person who ranks first in this performance will receive a surprising reward.
The prizes will not be announced at this time. We hope all the guests will work hard and strive to win first place.
She's going to perform with Li Yichen, the lead singer of a boy band who's a singer and dancer. She rarely sings, so what if she goes off-key?
Li Yichen came to her side and said, "Singing is my forte. I'll help you win this time."
Xia Yuqing sighed, "Why don't you just give the award to Li Yichen?"
The production team deliberately emphasized: "This is a duet, and both of them performed exceptionally well."
Qiao Yimo glanced at Li Yichen and saw him smiling as he spoke to Chu Ruofu. She lowered her eyelashes and clenched her hands.
If she could partner with Li Yichen, they would definitely be the most popular guests on this episode, and the two of them could become the most popular couple on the dating show. But he just doesn't want to be paired with her.
Song Yi asked, "How do we choose a song?"
The production team said, "We will choose the songs according to yesterday's ranking in the double jump rope competition."
The four songs on the wooden board are: "Because of Love", "Liang Shanbo and Juliet", "A Little Sweet" and "Only Have Feelings for You", almost all of which are familiar songs.
Xia Yuqing looked at Lu Xubai and asked, "Which one do you want to choose?"
Lu Xubai said, "You can choose."
Xia Yuqing picked up the wooden plaque for "A Little Sweet". She had sung this song many times and was very familiar with it, so she thought she would perform it well. "I choose this song."
Song Yi asked Gu Junsheng, "Which song should we choose?"
Gu Junsheng hadn't heard the other songs, only one of which he was familiar with. He pointed to "Because of Love" and asked, "Is this one okay?"
Song Yi took down the song tag: "This one will do."
Li Yichen told Chu Ruofu to choose a song: "I'm fine with anything, you choose."
Chu Ruofu took the wooden plaque for "Only You" and looked at him: "This one?"
"You have a good eye." Li Yichen said with a faint smile in his fox-like eyes, "This song is very nice."
In the end, only the wooden plaque of "Liang Shanbo and Juliet" remained, and Qiao Yimo and Shen Wuyang were to sing this song together.
Learning a song and performing it on stage in a single day is extremely challenging, and the paired guests have to spend the whole day together to build their relationship.
The production team asked the guests to pick up Bluetooth microphones to practice their songs. Chu Ruofu was holding a wooden sign; she was a little hungry and wanted to find something to eat first.
Li Yichen took two Bluetooth microphones and walked over to her, saying, "Shall we find a place to practice now?"
Chu Ruofu looked at him and said, "I'll find something to eat first."
"What do you want to eat?" Li Yichen took out his phone and said, "I'll order takeout for you."
Chu Ruofu shook her head: "No need, I'll just have some snacks."
The other guests were discussing where to practice their singing. Song Yi and Gu Junsheng decided to go back to the small living room outside their bedroom in Building 2. Qiao Yimo invited Shen Wuyang to the reading room, which was quieter.
Xia Yuqing asked Lu Xubai where he wanted to practice singing, and Lu Xubai said that she could choose. There was a rest area on the second floor, and she asked Lu Xubai to come upstairs with her.
Suddenly, the huge living room was empty.
Li Yichen sat down at the piano by the French windows and said, "They've all left. We'll practice singing here."
Chu Ruofu found some snacks in the snack cabinet and asked, "Shall we practice now?"
Li Yichen took out his phone to search for songs, connected the microphone via Bluetooth, and said, "You eat, I'll go over the song first."
Chu Ruofu sat on the small sofa, eating while looking at the man sitting in front of the piano by the floor-to-ceiling window.
Li Yichen, dressed in a white shirt, sat upright on the piano bench with his long, slender fingers on the keys. After listening to the original piece once, he began to play it on the piano.
His ten fingers glided across the piano keys like a dancer, his movements skillful and smooth, and beautiful piano music flew from his fingertips, sounding wonderful.
The man sitting in front of the white piano is confident and elegant. The rising sun shines through the glass and casts a soft glow on him. Only the most exquisite things can give him such a beautiful filter, making the scene incredibly handsome.
Chu Ruofu was stunned. She couldn't take her eyes off him as he was so engrossed in the world of music.
He's very handsome; it's hard to describe, but he's incredibly attractive.
After playing the piano once, Li Yichen started playing again. He sang a cappella, and his clear and melodious voice blended perfectly with the piano music, so beautiful that it felt like the ears were pregnant.
No wonder he was able to achieve a landslide victory when he debuted; his singing is just too good.
Live stream chat:
[Ahhhhhh, my brother sings so well!]
Please, brother, hold one more concert. I want to hear you sing.
[Heavens above! The female lead gets to sing a duet with a top idol on a dating reality show! Give me that chance, I want it!!!]
[This is a concert exclusively for Fu Mei, waaaaah, I'm so envious!]
[Who is this sly fox seducing?!]
Chu Ruofu listened quietly.
Li Yichen glanced at her, a smile on his handsome and devilish face, radiating his unique stage charm. He had a pair of captivating eyes that could bewitch people into falling for him.
Chu Ruofu's heartbeat became irregular and rapid.
After finishing his song, Li Yichen was somewhat dissatisfied with his performance. He picked up his phone and messaged the production team, asking them to provide him with a guitar.
Having many skills is never a bad thing. He was the leader of a boy band back then and could play many musical instruments.
Li Yichen approached Chu Ruofu and asked, "How was it? Was your singing alright?"
"It sounds beautiful." Chu Ruofu's eyes were filled with envy. It was as if God was feeding him; how could his singing voice be so beautiful?
Hearing her brief praise, Li Yichen smiled happily: "Let's practice the chorus now."
Chu Ruofu said, "I'm not very good at singing."
Li Yichen said patiently, "Let's practice the lyrics first. If you can't sing it, I can teach you."
Chu Ruofu responded with an "oh," holding her phone and looking down as she sang along to the original song's lyrics. Her voice was soft, and she sounded a little shy.
Li Yichen's voice carried a hint of coaxing: "It's just you and me here, you can speak louder."
Live stream chat:
[Star boy band: Waaaaah, bro, did you have this much patience to teach us back then?]
[Original fans know that back then, he used to harshly berate his teammates for singing off-key in the practice room.]
Where did my temperamental and hot-tempered boy band leader go?
[It's so sweet of Brother Li singing to his little sister! I'm totally shipping the Fuchen couple!]
Under Li Yichen's continuous praise, Chu Ruofu's voice gradually grew louder, her voice soft and sweet.
Her shy look was really cute. Li Yichen's Adam's apple bobbed as he restrained the urge to kiss her.
After finally finishing the song with some stumbles, Chu Ruofu breathed a sigh of relief.
Li Yichen looked at her with a very admiring gaze and said, "You sang very well. If we practice a few more times, we can definitely get full marks."
"Can you?" Chu Ruofu knew she wasn't singing very well.
Li Yichen: "Don't you believe me?"
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