Chapter 16: My Hands Are Chafed Red

“Mimi not sleeping in again, right? I’ll go wake her up, we’re about to start the live stream,” Bai Ruanruan pretended not to know the stream had already started, speaking in a falsely sweet tone to everyone.

Gu Chuan shot her a glance, his voice indifferent, “She’s not sleeping in.”

Bai Ruanruan’s eyes reddened slightly as she spoke softly, “Then where is Mimi? I woke up at five to make breakfast, but I haven’t seen her at all.”

【What I want to know is why Gu Chuan is so sure that Jiang Mi isn’t sleeping in?】

【Guys, let’s get this straight: Jiang Mi and Lu Yu share a room, Cheng Lin, Fu Li, and Gu Chuan share another room, and Jiang Mi hasn’t been seen at all. So how does Gu Chuan know?】

【Come on, admit it—did you two sneak off to meet each other last night?!】

【But honestly, Bai Ruanruan is so manipulative. She kept interacting with the live stream while making breakfast.】

【What’s wrong with talking to yourself while making breakfast? Why does everyone have to assume the worst?!】

【Aside from Lu Yu, who went to the bathroom, Jiang Mi is the only one missing. She’s playing the spoiled little princess, making everyone wait for her. It’s disgusting.】

When Jiang Mi entered the room, she just happened to overhear Bai Ruanruan’s insinuating remark. She raised a brow and clapped her hands.

The crisp sound of her clap immediately drew everyone’s attention.

Then, her stunning, sharp features stunned everyone, making their pupils tremble.

“You woke up at five to make breakfast? That’s really impressive,” Jiang Mi walked toward Gu Chuan, but her gaze turned to the others, her voice filled with curiosity. “Has everyone praised Ruanruan yet? Waking up at five to make breakfast is really tough, after all.”

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

Fu Li pushed his glasses up and said lightly, “Hard work.”

Cheng Lin, who hadn’t fully grasped the subtle tension, naively thought Bai Ruanruan was indeed impressive.

Waking up at five? Was that something a normal young person could do?

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

Bai Ruanruan awkwardly tugged at the corner of her lips, shooting a venomous glare at Jiang Mi, her heart filled with hatred.

She had intentionally woken up early to cook breakfast to win favor. But with Jiang Mi openly exposing it and having everyone thank her, the nature of the situation had completely changed.

【Hahaha, I knew it—once Jiang Mi showed up, Bai Ruanruan’s scheme was bound to backfire.】

【A little reminder: the breakfast was actually provided by the production team and is still under the table. Clearly, they never expected the guests to cook. Bai Ruanruan just wanted to show off.】

【No matter the reason, Bai Ruanruan woke up at five to make breakfast. Jiang Mi was a little too much with her comments.】

【So, everyone’s thanking her now, huh? Saying she worked hard.】

Jiang Mi walked over to Gu Chuan, blinking her beautiful, lively eyes, and said, “I just ran two laps around the artificial lake with the big boat.”

The big boat.

The big river.

The man’s thin lips curled into a slight smile, “How was it?”

“It started running wild, wanting to sprint around, and to control it, my hands got chafed red.”

Saying this, Jiang Mi extended her hand for Gu Chuan to see.

Her fingers, as delicate as scallions, were dotted with tiny beads of sweat. Her palms were soft and pink, but the only flaw was a few red marks, looking like they had been intentionally scratched or hurt.

Gu Chuan’s gaze darkened, his brows furrowing instinctively.

Suddenly, a light fragrance approached.

Jiang Mi leaned in slightly, her sweet voice tinged with a smile, “Hey, don’t just look at me without saying anything.”

The scent of the woman was intoxicating, even with a hint of sweat; it still smelled pleasant.

Gu Chuan lifted his eyelids, then quickly looked away, his voice low and hoarse, “What should I say?”

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

Gu Chuan licked his thin lips, about to speak, but before he could, Jiang Mi suddenly stood up, lightly humming with distaste, “Forget it, if you’re not concerned, there are plenty of others who are.”

With that, Jiang Mi turned to address everyone at the dining table. “I just finished running and need to take a quick shower and change clothes. Don’t wait for me, go ahead and eat. Oh, by the way, I’m really fast, I won’t delay you guys.”

【Ahem, I’m not sure if ‘fast’ is exactly a good thing.】

【Ahem, as long as the guy isn’t slow, it’s fine. Just look at Gu Chuan, his looks alone are enough to make him last.】

After Jiang Mi left, the living room fell into an awkward silence. Bai Ruanruan kept glancing at Shen Mingxuan, but for some reason, he remained silent, not saying a word.

Sighing, she turned her attention to Cheng Lin.

Cheng Lin clapped his hands, and Bai Ruanruan bit her lip, putting on a pitiful expression. The next moment, Cheng Lin asked, “Gu Chuan, what does Mimi like to eat? I’ll save some for her.”

Gu Chuan raised his eyelids, the corner of his mouth lifting in a casual smile, “I’ll save some for her.”

Cheng Lin looked a bit disappointed but didn’t press the issue. “Alright then.”

Bai Ruanruan immediately felt deflated, her lips turning pale from the effort of holding in her frustration.

Jiang Mi… again, it’s always about Jiang Mi!

Upstairs, just as she’d promised, Jiang Mi quickly took a shower and changed clothes.

The staff had reminded her that the upcoming game would involve leg movements, so she should wear pants if possible.

She picked out a pair of jeans and paired it with a white blouse. The hem of the blouse was tied in a cute bow at her waist, showing off her slender figure.

【Jiang Mi’s figure is insane, that waist-to-hip ratio is unbelievable!】

【It’s such a simple look, but she somehow manages to make it so deadly sexy. Big sis, please kill me!】

Not only was the live stream going crazy over her outfit, but the other guests were also once again stunned by Jiang Mi’s beauty.

Lu Yu turned into a praise machine, “Mimi, you look gorgeous! Your figure is amazing! No, no, you’ve always had an amazing figure.”

Jiang Mi graciously thanked him, but her eyes casually flicked toward Gu Chuan. Seeing him eating his meal without even glancing up at her, she silently cursed him in her mind for being a man who couldn’t appreciate beauty.

What she didn’t know was that his gaze had never left her.

After finishing the meal, the group of guests moved to the grass field for the next activity.

“I’m sure everyone has played a thrilling game like this when they were young—one that tests balance, strength, and courage…”

Jiang Mi couldn’t really recall any childhood memories related to such games, so she turned to Lu Yu and asked, “Do you know what game the director’s talking about?”

Lu Yu blinked her big eyes, looking a bit embarrassed. “I grew up in a village, so I’ve never played such fancy games.”

Jiang Mi burst out laughing. “Same here. I remember only playing things like shuttlecock kicking and hopscotch.”

Lu Yu’s eyes brightened. “Oh, and we used to play with little sandbags! My wrists are really quick, and I was unbeatable in class!”

Jiang Mi rotated her wrist and accidentally noticed the red marks on her palm again. Her anger flared up as she glanced at Gu Chuan, only to meet his dark eyes.

She tilted her head and raised an eyebrow, mouthing, “What are you staring at? Keep staring, and it’ll cost you.”

Gu Chuan’s gaze softened, a slight smile curling at the corners of his lips.

Meanwhile, on the other side, Bai Ruanruan and Shen Mingxuan looked like they were in a completely different world.

“Does it involve physical balance, strength, and courage? Is it golf?” Bai Ruanruan pondered seriously.

Shen Mingxuan nodded in agreement, “It could be bowling too.”

【I didn’t think about it before, but comparing the two sides, Shen Mingxuan and Bai Ruanruan really do have some serious idol personas.】

【High EQ: They’ve got an idol image. Low EQ: Haha, what a joke. Who played golf as a kid?】

【Just because regular people can’t afford it, doesn’t mean rich kids like Shen Mingxuan and Bai Ruanruan haven’t played it. Don’t be so salty.】

The director, seeing that the guests were done discussing, cleared his throat and revealed the name of the game.

“Let me say this first: The winning male and female pairs will each get one chance to choose a partner to go on a date.”

“What if the winning pair chooses each other? Will the opportunity be passed on?” a guest asked.

“No, if that happens, only one couple will go on the date, and the rest will stay home and prepare dinner for them.”

【Ugh, that’s harsh.】

【It’s bad enough watching your crush go on a date with someone else, but then you have to cook for them too? This is pure torture.】

【Tell us what game we’re playing already! I can’t wait to see.】

The director didn’t tease them any longer and directly revealed the name of the game.

“Today’s game is—”