CHAPTER 36 (PART 2)

But he suddenly had this inexplicable urge to see what that girl—who usually played the suona with puffed cheeks and a cool, untouchable demeanor—would look like if she gazed at him gently, with a hint of surprise.

“Where are they filming this variety show?” Cheng Yue suddenly asked.

The secretary reported a location.

Cheng Yue: “…Out of province?”

The secretary nodded. “Yeah, the first episode was filmed at a villa. They probably wanted a change of scenery for the second episode…”

Cheng Yue: “…”

If he rushed over now, he wouldn’t even make it in time to call an ambulance.

Cheng Yue pressed his lips together and said nothing.

But that faint sense of irritation lingered.

At this moment, the production team had arranged the order of participants, deliberately leaving Jiang Su’s team for last.

The first to go was Li Mo’er’s brother.

Even though he worked an office job, he wasn’t overweight and even had some visible abs. But pure strength-wise, he was still lacking. When he reached the mud pit, he slipped with a loud splat, instantly covering his head with mud.

[Hahaha, damn, the production team is ruthless, but this is hilarious!]

After him, two other male guests took their turns.

Each person had their own way of falling, but finally, someone stumbled their way to the finish line.

The staff immediately brought over a basin of water. “Quick, quick, hold your breath!”

That person stuck their head in, as if rinsing it off, then quickly pulled back up, gasping for air. They plopped down onto the ground and, exasperated, pointed at the production team. “I swear, you guys are trying to kill me… I’m done, I’m done.”

[Hahaha, they’re so mad they even did the orchid finger gesture.]

[Honestly, they just went in to wash the mud off their head.]

[Wait, is the next person going to hold their breath in that same water? By the time it gets to the last one, wouldn’t the whole basin be filthy?]

This segment successfully brought everyone a lot of joy.

When it was time for the girls to take their turn, Yu Xinyan was the first to call out, “You got this!” Soon, the others joined in as well.

For Jiang Su, this kind of group activity felt completely unfamiliar. She glanced around hesitantly but eventually joined in softly.

[Hahaha, is our girl not used to showing emotions so openly?]

[She’s really trying hard to engage with the group.]

The girls were lighter, and some had dance training, so they moved nimbly over the obstacles. But when they had to jump down, they landed carefully and rolled several times in the sandpit.

Some weren’t so lucky and fell straight into the mud—like Yu Xinyan. When she got up, she shook her head.

The livestream chat immediately exploded with laughter.

[Yu Xinyan, you’re not shaking your beautiful hair; you’re shaking mud! Get a grip!]

[I’m starting to get nervous for Jiang Su.]

The audience was entertained, but Cheng Yue found the whole segment pointless.

A bunch of untrained people playing this kind of game? Someone was bound to get hurt.

Cheng Yue said coolly, “Call Tongshi City and have an ambulance sent over.”

His assistant was stunned. “…Uh, got it.”

Just as Cheng Yue finished giving the order—

On the other side, Wu Qingqing had just finished holding her breath and lifted her head.

“You completed all obstacles in 3 minutes and 39 seconds.”

“Breath-holding time: 18 seconds!”

“You’re currently ranked second.”

“Next up… Jiang Su. Between you two… who’s going first?” The host hesitated, then added, “Sir, perhaps you should sit this one out?”

Mr. Xiang shook his head. “These things… are too easy. Right?”

Jiang Su nodded. “Mhm.”

[I honestly can’t tell—did Jiang Su invite an actor or something?]

While the livestream chat was still confused, Mr. Xiang rubbed his hands together, took off his vest, and handed it to Jiang Su to hold.

Then, he stepped up to the starting line—and ran.

In an instant, an overwhelming presence burst from this old man—sharp, unyielding, like an immovable mountain.

He climbed the bars with practiced ease.

Slipped through the wire mesh.

Leaped over the sandpit.

Dashed across the suspension bridge over the mud…

He reached the finish line in one continuous motion.

Lowered his head and submerged into the water.

Everyone was stunned, scrambling to start the timer.

“One second, two seconds, three seconds…”

Zhao Qiuying was frozen in place.

By the time he was born, his grandfather was already nearing retirement. He had never seen him like this.

The stories of his grandfather’s battlefield achievements had always come from his mother’s lips—but words could never compare to witnessing it firsthand.

The livestream chat was going crazy.

[WTF WTF WTF]

[Why are Jiang Su’s fans so badass?!]

[Weren’t we told he was old and frail??]

[That was some seriously professional movement… has he been trained before?]

“One minute and six seconds!” a staff member exclaimed.

Mr. Xiang finally lifted his head. Then, at a leisurely pace, he reached into his chest pocket, pulled out a handkerchief, and wiped his face.

[The way he moves… he’s got that aura. And he carries a handkerchief with him? Feels like an old-school intellectual from the ‘50s or ‘60s.]

[There’s no way this was staged. So… Jiang Su is just that amazing? Even her fans are incredible?!]

[Now it’s Jiang Su’s turn…]

[Honestly, she could just sit this one out. Grandpa already got her the top score.]

Mr. Xiang laughed heartily, feeling like he had finally let out all the pent-up frustration in his chest.

He walked straight up to Jiang Su, wanting to tell the girl, “You can rest now. See? I’m still strong! I’m not old yet!”

Jiang Su handed his vest back to him, her gaze carrying a rare trace of admiration. “Impressive.”

She respected strong people—especially those who wielded strength without aggression.

Mr. Xiang nodded, thinking, This girl, huh… why does everything she says sound so good?

So comforting.

Why didn’t our family have a girl like her?

Just as he was about to speak, Jiang Su had already stepped up to the starting line.

The entire audience instinctively held their breath.

She was still going to compete.

[Jiang Su, is this necessary?]

[Do you guys not understand sportsmanship? If you’re in, you compete till the end. Simple.]

[She’s an incredible racer, sure—that requires driving skill, arm control, a steady mind… but this is different. Plenty of contestants struggled to get past the obstacles, and even if they did, they had no energy left for the breath-holding part.]

“Racer?” Cheng Yue paused. “She can race?”

“Yeah, didn’t you see? Miss Jiang did a high-speed chase scene for a car commercial—against a top-tier professional racer! I actually watched the whole thing. It was… thrilling.”

How many more hidden sides does she have?

Unconsciously, Cheng Yue straightened in his seat, eyes locked onto Jiang Su’s figure.

She took a starting stance.

Then, in one powerful stride—

She shot forward.

Mr. Xiang was like a mountain.

She was the sea.

The vast, surging sea—cold and fierce—was undeniably a gentle, tranquil blue, yet it could swallow everything with ease.

Jiang Su grabbed the railing, her movements light and agile, leaping like a butterfly. She moved like the wind, with a grace that was almost surreal.

She was wearing a dress today.

This was a requirement from both the platform and her company—after all, as an idol, she was expected to look beautiful at all times.

While others carefully clung to the metal frame and slid down slowly, she simply bent her waist slightly, muscles tensing, and leaped down in one swift motion.

The voluminous pink dress she wore unfurled like petals and butterfly wings, and the pearls on her outfit clinked against each other with a crisp “clatter.”

The wind lifted her black hair, brushing it against her cheek, making her slender, taut neck appear even more delicate and fair.

She arrived at the suspension bridge.

In a place like this, the hem of a dress could easily get tangled.

Jiang Su didn’t even blink. She lifted her dress with one hand and dashed forward. Stepping swiftly across one square wooden plank after another, her body remained perfectly steady.

In the blink of an eye, she had reached the other side.

[Damn, I’m speechless]

[Ahhh, my girl looks like a giant moth fluttering through the air!]

[Her legs are so white. So white it’s blinding. My entire vision is just legs.]

Cheng Yue’s gaze followed Jiang Su’s every move, and along with it, his heart seemed to rise and fall in sync with her.

When someone is truly immersed in a moment, feeling it alongside another person, everything they experience feels as if it’s happening to you too.

A thrill ran up his spine in an instant.

Cheng Yue clenched the lighter in his hand, leaning forward slightly.

All things wild were beautiful.

And this kind of beauty, whether to men or women, carried an innate attraction—it stirred the adrenaline.

Unconsciously, Cheng Yue pressed his lips together, watching as Jiang Su reached the finish line. The video filled with the sound of loud cheers.

“Cleared all obstacles in 1 minute and 16 seconds,” the staff member’s voice was noticeably tense.

He watched as Jiang Su plunged her head into the water basin.

One second, two seconds.

The girl’s posture was steady, completely still.

Cheng Yue found himself holding his breath along with her.

A primal impulse surged within him—he wanted to steady her waist from behind, just in case she couldn’t breathe or accidentally choked on water and toppled over…

But Jiang Su didn’t fall.

She simply raised her hands and gripped the basin’s handles on either side.

The camera zoomed in.

Her wrists were so delicate and fair, resting against the basin’s rim, with faint blue veins visible beneath her skin, her fingertips tinged with a soft pink.

She was practically a masterpiece crafted by the divine.

[Ahhh! How is she so good at everything?!]

[She always has to push herself to the limit. I really admire that. I could never—I’d just collapse under the pressure. QAQ]

[Stop holding your breath, sis! Come up already!]

“One minute fifty-nine, sixty…”

“Two minutes…”

“Two minutes and one second.”

With a sudden splash, Jiang Su lifted her head.

She instinctively flicked her wet hair, water cascading down her face and sliding over her skin.

In that brief glance, it was as if the entire world froze for a moment.

A thin layer of water clung to her face, and under the sunlight, her eyes seemed to shimmer.

She pressed her lips together—her lips like dew-kissed, blush-colored petals.

She blinked, and the water droplets clinging to her long, curled lashes trembled before falling.

It made hearts race uncontrollably—made people want to either worship her or seize her lips in a fervent kiss.

Jiang Su tilted her head and asked, “Where’s the food?”

“Uh… over there.”

“Do they have lobster?” she asked. “I want some.”

[Eat, eat, eat! Ahhh, whatever you want, we’ll get it for you!]

Mr. Xiang still seemed a little dazed. He trailed after her slowly, murmuring, “…Young lady, have you trained before?”

And not just for a year or two.

That level of skill, endurance, and mental fortitude—it was as if it had been carved into her very soul.

Mr. Xiang suppressed his excitement, thinking to himself that this show was absolutely incredible.

His idol was too amazing!

Tomorrow, he was going to tell all his old war buddies—who had no idea how to unwind—to all come on this show!

If Zhao Qiuying knew what her grandfather was thinking at this moment, she’d probably be staring in shock, her mind full of question marks.

The people who were still in touch with her grandfather after all these years—what kind of individuals were they?

All of them joining this show? That would be utter chaos.

Jiang Su walked up to the food stand and started picking through the ingredients without hesitation.

The cold demeanor from earlier had faded away, leaving behind a trace of youthful satisfaction. When she picked up the lobster and crab, the corners of her lips even lifted slightly.

It was like she was a completely different person.

“…This show is interesting,” Cheng Yue remarked.

The secretary: ?

You weren’t saying that earlier.