Chapter 16: Hands Turned Red

“Mimi, did you sleep in again? I should go wake her up; the livestream will start soon,” Bai Ruoruo said, pretending not to know that the livestream had already begun, as she spoke to everyone with fake concern.

Gu Chuan glanced at her and said indifferently, “She didn’t sleep in.”

Bai Ruoruo’s eyes turned red as she whispered, “Then where did Mimi go? I got up at 5 a.m. to make breakfast, but I haven’t seen her all morning.”

[I’m more curious about why Gu Chuan is so sure that Jiang Mi didn’t sleep in!]

[Fellow viewers, note that Jiang Mi shares a room with Lu Yu, while Gu Chuan, Cheng Lin, and Fu Li share another. So how does Gu Chuan know?]

[Spill the tea! Did you two sneak off for a secret rendezvous last night?]

[But I must say, Bai Ruoruo is so fake! She was interacting with the audience the whole time while making breakfast.]

[What’s wrong with talking to yourself while making breakfast? There’s no need to assume the worst about people!]

[Except for Lu Yu, who went to the restroom, Jiang Mi is the only one who hasn’t shown up. It’s gross that she’s keeping everyone waiting.]

As Jiang Mi pushed open the door, she happened to hear Bai Ruoruo’s insinuating remarks. Raising her beautifully arched eyebrows, she clapped her hands.

The crisp sound immediately drew everyone’s attention, followed by their amazement at her striking, vibrant appearance that made their pupils quiver.

“You got up at five to make breakfast? That’s impressive,” Jiang Mi remarked as she walked toward Gu Chuan, her gaze, however, shifted to everyone else as she asked, “Did everyone thank Ruoruo? Getting up at five to make breakfast is really tough.”

Chen Wanruo sneered and was the first to respond, “Ruoruo, you really worked hard.”

Fu Li adjusted his glasses and added calmly, “Indeed, hard work.”

Cheng Lin, clearly unaware of the undercurrents, earnestly thought Bai Ruoruo’s effort was commendable, even impressive!

“Ruoruo, you’re amazing! Let’s give her a round of applause!”

Bai Ruoruo forced a smile as her eyes flashed with venomous resentment toward Jiang Mi. She was seething inside.

She had indeed woken up early to make breakfast, hoping to earn some goodwill. But Jiang Mi’s blunt remarks, urging everyone to thank her, had completely changed the situation.

[Haha, I knew it. As soon as Jiang Mi showed up, Bai Ruoruo’s facade would crumble.]

[A little reminder: The breakfast bought by the production team is still under the table. Clearly, they didn’t expect the guests to make breakfast, so Bai Ruoruo decided to do it herself to show off.]

[No matter the reason, Bai Ruoruo got up at five to make breakfast. Jiang Mi’s response was a bit harsh, don’t you think?]

[Come on, she asked everyone to thank her and acknowledge her hard work.]

Jiang Mi finally reached Gu Chuan and batted her beautiful, lively eyes at him, saying, “I just ran two laps around the artificial lake with Gu Chuan.”

“Gu Chuan. Gu Chuan,” the man murmured, his lips curling into a faint smile. “How do you feel?”

“It kept trying to run wild and dash off, so my hands got all red trying to control it.”

As she spoke, Jiang Mi showed Gu Chuan her hands.

Her delicate, pale hands were dotted with tiny beads of sweat. Though her palms were soft and tender, they were marred with several red marks, as if they had been intentionally mistreated.

Gu Chuan’s eyes darkened as his brows furrowed slightly.

Suddenly, a sweet fragrance drifted closer.

Jiang Mi leaned in, her soft, sweet voice tinged with a playful smile, “Hey, don’t just stare. Say something.”

She smelled wonderful, even with a bit of sweat on her.

Gu Chuan looked up briefly before quickly turning away, his voice low and slightly hoarse, “What should I say?”

Jiang Mi pouted, “At least show some concern.”

Gu Chuan licked his thin lips slightly, just about to respond when Jiang Mi suddenly straightened up and lightly scoffed in disdain, “Forget it if you don’t care. Plenty of people do.”

She turned to the others at the table and said, “I’m going to take a quick shower and change my clothes. Don’t wait for me; go ahead and eat. Oh, and I’ll be quick, so I won’t delay anything.”

[Cough, cough. A woman being quick isn’t really a good thing, is it?]

[Cough, cough, cough. As long as the man isn’t quick, it’s fine. Just look at our Gu Chuan—he seems like the enduring type.]

After Jiang Mi left, the living room fell into an awkward silence. Bai Ruoruo kept glancing at Shen Mingxuan, but he remained unusually quiet today.

Settling for less, she turned to Cheng Lin.

Cheng Lin clapped his hands, and Bai Ruoruo bit her lip, preparing her pitiful expression. But to her surprise, Cheng Lin asked, “Gu Chuan, what does Mimi like to eat? I’ll save her some.”

Gu Chuan raised his eyes and arched his handsome brows, “I’ll save some for her.”

Cheng Lin was a bit disappointed but didn’t push the issue, “Alright then.”

Bai Ruoruo felt her strength drain away, her lips turning pale as she bit them.

Jiang Mi again! Always Jiang Mi!

Upstairs, Jiang Mi indeed kept her word. She took a quick shower and changed her clothes.

The staff had warned that the upcoming game would involve leg movements, so she chose to wear jeans, pairing them with a white shirt.

She tied the shirt’s hem into a pretty bow at her waist, revealing a slim waistline.

[Jiang Mi’s figure is perfect! Her waist-to-hip ratio is insane!]

[It’s a very pure outfit, but she still exudes an irresistible sensuality. Sister, slay me!]

Not only did the audience in the comments gush over her, but even the guests on-site were once again stunned by Jiang Mi’s appearance.

Lu Yu turned into a praise machine, “Mimi, you look so beautiful in this outfit! It really shows off your figure. No, wait, your figure was amazing to begin with.”

Jiang Mi graciously thanked her, but her gaze subtly drifted to Gu Chuan, who was busy eating without even lifting his head. Inwardly, she cursed the man for being oblivious.

Little did she know, someone had been watching her the whole time.

After breakfast, the guests moved to the grassy area.

“I’m sure everyone has played this thrilling game as a child. It tests your balance, strength, and courage…”

Childhood memories were a distant thing for Jiang Mi, so she turned to Lu Yu, “Do you know what game the director is talking about?”

Lu Yu blinked her big eyes and sheepishly said, “I grew up in a village, so I haven’t played such fancy games.”

Jiang Mi laughed out loud, “Same here. I remember playing kickball and hopscotch.”

Lu Yu’s eyes lit up, and she excitedly added, “And beanbag toss! I was so good at it; I beat everyone in my class.”

Jiang Mi twirled her wrist, inadvertently glancing at the red marks on her palm again. Feeling a bit annoyed, she turned to look at Gu Chuan, accidentally meeting his dark gaze.

Jiang Mi tilted her head and smiled, mouthing, “What are you looking at? If you keep staring, I’ll start charging you.”

Gu Chuan’s gaze lowered slightly, his lips curling into a faint smile.

In contrast to their down-to-earth conversation, Bai Ruoruo and Shen Mingxuan were having a more sophisticated discussion.

“A game that tests balance, strength, and courage—could it be golf?” Bai Ruoruo pondered seriously.

Shen Mingxuan nodded, “Bowling is also possible.”

[I didn’t think so at first, but now I realize that Shen Mingxuan and Bai Ruoruo really do have image issues.]

[High EQ: They’re image-conscious. Low EQ: They’re really fake. Seriously, who played golf as a kid?]

[Just because regular people can’t afford it doesn’t mean that celebrities like Shen Mingxuan and Bai Ruoruo didn’t grow up playing it. Don’t be so bitter.]

The director, seeing that the guests had discussed enough, cleared his throat and revealed the correct answer.

“First, let me say that the winners of today’s game, both male and female, will each get to choose someone for a date.”

“What if the winning male and female choose each other? Will the opportunity roll over?” a guest asked.

“No, in that case, only one pair would go on the date, and the rest of you would have to stay behind to prepare dinner for them.”

[Whoa, this is intense.]

[It’s heartbreaking! Watching your crush go on a date with someone else and then having to cook for them? That’s brutal.]

[Just tell us what the game is already. I can’t wait to see it.]

The director stopped teasing and directly announced the game’s name. “Today’s game is—”