Chapter 28: Horse Riding

Soon, the director announced the game for the day, with the winner earning the right to go on a date.

Cheng Lin eagerly prepared himself, saying, “This time, I will definitely win.”

Fu Li adjusted his glasses and smiled mischievously, “I don’t want to lose either.”

Bai Ruoruo, her cheeks slightly flushed, gazed affectionately at Shen Mingxuan, only to find his eyes fixed on Jiang Mi.

A sudden sense of panic surged within Bai Ruoruo, and she couldn’t help but walk over. “Mingxuan-ge.”

Shen Mingxuan snapped out of his thoughts, but seeing Bai Ruoruo’s pitiful face, he felt a bit weary.

Meanwhile, Jiang Mi playfully winked at Gu Chuan, her expression both sexy and mischievous, as if sharing a private joke between them.

Gu Chuan’s lips subtly curved into a smile.

At this moment, the director finally revealed the game rules.

This round of the game was horse riding. Given that it was a dating show, the game naturally involved pairing up men and women to ride the same horse. The team that crossed the finish line first would win and earn the right to date.

There would be four livestreams of the horse race, and the team with the most popularity would also earn the right to date.

As for team assignments…

“Director, how will the teams be decided?” Shen Mingxuan asked.

“Originally, we planned to team you up according to your rooms, but unfortunately…” The director gave a helpless smile.

Jiang Mi had her own way of doing things and had separated the men and women. The only room with both genders was a trio—oh, no, two women and one man.

“So, this time, we’ll draw lots to decide.”

Soon, the assistant brought out a sealed box. The participants drew slips of paper in turn, and those with matching numbers would be paired.

Jiang Mi looked at her slip, which had a beautifully written “3” on it, and immediately glanced at Gu Chuan, who also looked over at her.

“What number did you get?” Jiang Mi asked, feeling her heart quicken with both nervousness and anticipation.

Gu Chuan’s lips curved slightly. Instead of answering directly, he tossed the question back at her, “What number do you want me to have?”

His use of the word “want” was both a subtle probe into her feelings and a straightforward expression of his own.

Jiang Mi, looking at his incredibly handsome face, blurted out, “Three.”

Gu Chuan pretended to forget the number on his slip and glanced down again.

But in that brief moment, Jiang Mi could hardly wait. She started walking toward him. “What number…?”

Gu Chuan raised his slip, revealing the number “3.” Jiang Mi’s eyes widened in surprise, and her beautiful eyes curved as she smiled brightly.

Gu Chuan stepped closer to Jiang Mi, handing her his slip while gently resting his arm around her waist. “Satisfied?”

The man’s deep, magnetic voice whispered in her ear.

Jiang Mi’s ears tingled as she realized Gu Chuan had deliberately teased her by asking that question, drawing her closer.

Even more alarming was how her heart had followed his lead the entire time, especially when Gu Chuan glanced at the slip. Her heart nearly jumped out of her chest.

Jiang Mi let out a soft breath, her smile radiant, and replied with three words, “Not satisfied.”

A faint smile flickered in Gu Chuan’s eyes as his arm fully encircled her delicate waist.

[Fans in the live chat]

• “Aww, they’re killing me with cuteness! Jiang Mi is just being coy on purpose!”
• “It’s not just coyness; she’s flirting!”
• “Jiang Mi is usually so cool and glamorous, but she turns into a playful kitten around Gu Chuan.”

Since Jiang Mi had spoken first, everyone naturally looked at her, and then they were showered with sweet couple moments.

It was frustrating. Even though this was a dating show where everyone was supposed to be romantic and flirt, why did Jiang Mi and Gu Chuan always end up showering everyone else with their lovey-dovey moments?

Soon, the others revealed their numbers as well.

Bai Ruoruo and Shen Mingxuan both had “1.”

Fu Li and Lu Yu were “2.”

Cheng Lin and Chen Wanruo were “4.”

Jiang Mi wasn’t surprised by the groupings. Shen Mingxuan and Bai Ruoruo were the main male and female leads, and although their relationship wasn’t stable yet, it made sense for them to be paired together to deepen their bond.

As for her being paired with Gu Chuan, it seemed fitting that the villainess, after causing trouble for the main leads, would now move on to the antagonist.

While Jiang Mi was lost in thought, Lu Yu nudged her arm and asked in a muffled voice, “Mi-Mi, can you ride a horse?”

Jiang Mi nodded, about to explain how she had been a war goddess in another world, riding into battle on a warhorse with a red-tasseled spear, single-handedly taking on the enemy’s stronghold.

But then, catching a glimpse of the man’s sharp profile, she changed her answer.

“I can ride a little, not much.”

Lu Yu’s eyes lit up. “Great! I don’t know how to ride, so let’s sneak away and practice a bit. Otherwise, we’ll embarrass ourselves later.”

Lu Yu reached out to pull Jiang Mi away.

Jiang Mi, feeling a bit helpless, pulled her back and pushed her toward Fu Li, blinking as she said, “Let Fu Li teach you.”

Feeling the heat and firmness of the man’s chest behind her, Lu Yu jumped away, her fair face turning bright red.

She just wanted to sneak off to avoid embarrassing herself in front of Fu Li!

Lu Yu looked at Jiang Mi with a pitiful expression.

Jiang Mi almost felt sorry for her.

But then the director spoke up, “Considering that horse riding isn’t a common activity, and some of you might not know how to do it, we’ve brought in professional instructors.”

Bai Ruoruo tried to appear considerate. “But, director, some people already know how to ride, while others are beginners. Isn’t that unfair?”

The director nodded. “It is unfair.”

Bai Ruoruo felt a surge of happiness, thinking her clever suggestion would earn her some good points.

But then the director added, “So, we’ve prepared another game—running.”

Cheng Lin mimicked a running motion. “Just running, like who runs the fastest?”

“We could also do frog jumps, running with weights, or hopping on one leg…”

Cheng Lin quickly waved his hands. “Okay, okay, let’s stick with horse riding. It’s way cooler.”

[Fans in the live chat]

• “Haha, just imagining everyone in suits running—wait, is this a sports meet or a dating show?”
• “Right? Winning or losing isn’t the point—the point is couples riding a horse together!”
• “Oh my, this reminds me of that… you know, horse-riding machine. The entertainment industry sure knows how to play!”

The director confirmed and then asked, “Who knows how to ride a horse?”

Gu Chuan, Shen Mingxuan, Cheng Lin, and Fu Li all raised their hands.

Among the women, Bai Ruoruo hesitantly raised her hand, her face looking a bit awkward.

She didn’t actually know how to ride a horse, but if she didn’t raise her hand, her earlier self-righteous comment would seem biased.

Then, Chen Wanruo confidently raised her hand as well. She had experience riding horses in several historical dramas.

In the end, only Lu Yu and Jiang Mi didn’t know how to ride.

Before the director could assign an instructor, Jiang Mi took the initiative to look at the tall man beside her. “Teacher Gu, could you teach me how to ride?”