Chapter 95: 95. The Actress Whose Reputation Lies in Ruins (10) Part 1

The program team had opted for live streaming from the start precisely to keep the variety show production simple.

In hindsight, that decision had clearly been the right call.

Never mind the equipment and facilities—just the guests’ attitudes alone were more than satisfactory.

—Everyone was spontaneously hyping up CP pairings for the program team.

And so, the moment they arrived on the island, the staff set up a canopy a short distance away. There they sat, savoring tea and snacks they’d brought along, chatting idly all the while.

They didn’t look like they were there to run games for the guests. If anything, they resembled vacationers kicking back.

This setup could fairly be called a self-service game session.

The only one keeping a close eye on the guests was the hostess, who had just finished outlining the rules and wandered back to join the staff.

She had all three guest groups in her sights.

That was why, upon spotting Shen Yunchu weaving between tables to slip behind Bai Qian and loosely embrace her in a pose that stretched the game’s rules a bit thin, she shot to her feet on instinct.

By the time the hostess reached them, Shen Yunchu had already helped Bai Qian peel the first potato.

Now, seeing Shen Yunchu settle in to assist with the second one in the exact same posture, the hostess finally spoke up. “Teacher Shen, the task calls for you and Bai Qian to handle it yourselves. If you…”

Shen Yunchu paused, shooting her a sidelong glance. Calmly and reasonably, she asked, “Pardon me—is she blindfolded?”

“Uh…”

“Was it her hand on the tools, or mine?”

“Hers…”

“The rules say to guide her. They don’t specify it has to be verbal guidance only, do they?”

“No…”

“So, am I breaking any rules right now?”

“No…”

“Then, may I carry on?”

Her tone was impeccably polite, each question delivered with perfect composure.

Flustered, the hostess hesitated. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught the director glancing their way from afar.

They’d been colleagues long enough to read each other without words.

Picking up on the cue, she dropped the matter and quietly withdrew to the staff area.

The moment the hostess departed, Bai Kitty started squirming. “Shen Yunchu, get off me. I can manage on my own—no need for this kind of help.”

For once, Shen Yunchu didn’t yield. Her cool voice took on a subtle edge. “And if the knife slips and cuts her hand? What then?”

Bai Kitty froze mid-motion. In that split-second lapse, the woman at her back smoothly took control once more.

“You’ve sprawled across Hengtao’s lap plenty of times. But the second I touch your hand, it’s all resistance?” A careful ear might detect a faint tang of jealousy.

Bai Qian offered no explanation. She merely tilted her head ever so slightly, giving her right ear—a spot gone itchy from the warm breath ghosting over it—a chance to settle.

…

Of the three groups, Yu Jingqing’s moved with the most efficiency.

By the time He Nianyou and her partner were prepping their first dish, Yu Jingqing had already tipped beaten eggs into sizzling oil and begun stir-frying.

He Nianyou’s group was by far the rowdiest.

Neither girl trusted the other to take the lead; both insisted on doing it themselves. After endless bickering, they fell back on their old standby: rock-paper-scissors.

He Xiaogou’s luck held steady from before, securing her the spatula for herself.

Chi Hua honored the wager and stepped up as sous-chef.

The potatoes were nearly stir-fried through—time for seasonings.

The young girl’s big, round eyes flicked toward the distant staff, all sipping tea and making small talk. She nudged He Xiaogou with her elbow and whispered, “I saw the staff stash the seasonings in that cardboard box back there. No one’s watching us. Hold off on adding anything—I’ll sneak over and grab them.”

He Xiaogou shut that down flat. “No dice. We drew this challenge, so we play by the program team’s rules. Cameras are everywhere—kids might be tuning in. You really want to set a bad example?”

Chi Hua rolled her eyes. “Can’t you bend a little? And anyway, we’re not the only ones gaming the system. Didn’t you hear Teacher Shen’s back-and-forth with the hostess?”

—When it came down to her idol or her stomach, Chi Hua needed barely a second to pick the latter.

Unswayed, He Xiaogou kept sprinkling in the white sugar the staff had provided. “I can’t stand Shen Yunchu, but she had a point back there. The rules said guide—no rule against hands-on help.”

She shot a sidelong glance at the pair locked in their cozy pose, her face impassive. “Besides, their draw was a tough one. Blindfolded cooking? Even with you coaching from across the counter, I’d be sunk. Hate to say it, but Shen Yunchu’s sharp.”

Chi Hua: “…”

【Thank you, He Xiaogou. This time, I really can’t ship your romance CP with Kitty anymore, wuwuwu.】

【If it were me, seeing someone I like getting that intimate with another person, I’d be seething with jealousy straight to the top of my head. But He Xiaogou is so calm, even rationally praising Teacher Shen—it’s clear she only sees Kitty as a friend, wuwuwu. No worries, everyone, let’s just ship the friendship CP from now on. At least that storyline hasn’t collapsed.】

【But Thrifty CP is so sweet!!!】

【”On Having the Main Couple Feed CP Fans Candy Every Single Day: The Ultimate Shipping Experience”】

【I’m a dirt dog fan—gimme more of these interactions between them, I love it!】

Shen Yunchu kept Bai Qian half-wrapped in her arms.

Her movements were gentle and unhurried, almost like she was simply chopping vegetables. Yet their stunning appearances transformed the ordinary task into something straight out of a movie, complete with that dreamy cinematic filter.

Noticing the subtle tremors running through the body in her embrace, the woman finally couldn’t hold back. She leaned in close and murmured softly, “You’ve been shaking non-stop since earlier. What’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?”

Her warm breath ghosted over the sensitive earlobe, causing Little Drama Queen’s voice to hitch and waver.

The soft, petulant tone took on a hint of coquettish complaint.

“Just talk normally—don’t whisper right in my ear!”

Shen Yunchu glanced at the flushed ear, suppressing the urge to toy with it, and chuckled lightly. “Your ear’s all red. Is it too hot in here?”

That laughing voice drifted into her ear like a feather’s gentle brush, leaving an itchy, leg-weakening tingle in its wake.

Bai Kitty instinctively leaned back, pressing most of her weight against the other woman, and whined, “No more talking! Hurry up and cook. If we lose, you’re sleeping on the sofa tonight by yourself!”

The air was thick with the other woman’s fragrance, nearly breaking her defenses. Shen Yunchu’s eyes darkened completely, her clear voice turning low and husky. “Don’t worry. Even if we lose, I won’t let you sleep on the sofa.”

~~~

While Shen Yunchu’s group was still chopping cabbage, Yu Jingqing had already ladled out the soup.

She grabbed a wet wipe, drying her hands as she asked the person beside her, “How do you want me to carry you? Princess carry it is—looks great on camera.”

Before Xia Hengtao could respond, Yu Jingqing tossed the wipe aside, bent down slightly, and effortlessly scooped her up in a princess carry.

The sudden weightlessness startled the young woman.

Her warm voice carried a touch of feigned anger that held no real bite. “Yu Jingqing, couldn’t you warn me first?”

Hearing this, Yu Jingqing pulled her closer into her embrace and, as if by accident, brought her lips near the girl’s delicate ear root. She breathed out softly, “It’s not like I haven’t carried you before. I’ve even lifted you onto the bathroom counter with one arm.”

“Yu Jingqing!”

Seeing her entire face flush crimson, Yu Jingqing wisely stopped teasing, afraid of truly upsetting her. “Feed me the veggies. We’ve got this win in the bag.”

Xia Hengtao instantly calmed down. She glanced toward Bai Kitty’s group and hesitated upon seeing they had only just started on the shredded potatoes. “Maybe we should aim for second place? The sofa downstairs is way too hard. If the Program Team draws Sis later, she won’t get a wink of sleep tonight.”

Yu Jingqing had long since given up on openly competing with Bai Qian for attention.

—She’d tried it several times, but Xia Hengtao had never once paid it any mind.

So rather than fight head-on and end up defeated alone, it was better to play it sly.

A little scheming? Perfect!

Composing herself, Yu Jingqing countered calmly, “So what you’re saying is, Bai Qian can’t sleep on the sofa, but He Nianyou’s group can?”

The question left Xia Hengtao stumped—agreeing felt wrong, but so did disagreeing.

“This is a fair and square competition. If you’re worried about Bai Qian getting picked, would you be okay sleeping on the sofa in her place tonight?”

Xia Hengtao blinked, then nodded. “Sure.”

Yu Jingqing secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

If Bai Qian ended up with the sofa that night, there was no way she’d let Xia Hengtao take the punishment for that cat.

She’d do it herself.

—With a bit of the “wounded hero” ploy, how could she possibly lose to that cat!

The atmosphere in the first group was nothing short of cozy.

In stark contrast, the air around Chi Hua’s group practically reeked of gunpowder.

Chi Hua snapped irritably, “Enough already! Stop dumping in more sugar! Shredded potatoes take white sugar, the tomato-egg stir-fry somehow has wasabi, and now this tofu soup is getting sugar too? Can’t you ease up a little!”

He Xiaogou was displeased too. “The production team swapped it out with an equivalent amount based on the original. They gave us this much, so don’t we have to use this much? Enough already—stop arguing. I’m the one cooking, not you.”

The young woman rolled her eyes furiously. “Fine, then eat a little extra later! Best if you polish it all off yourself!”

“This is a team challenge,” she replied. “I’ll divide it evenly into two portions.”

Chi Hua nearly spat blood in frustration. She took a steadying breath and tried a different approach. “Sure, the production team gave us this much, but they portioned it according to their own tastes. I prefer things bland, so if you season it my way, that shouldn’t break any rules, right?”

He Xiaogou paused mid-sprinkle of sugar. Seizing the moment while she pondered, Chi Hua snatched the remaining white sugar, capped it tightly in case she’d grab it back, and shoved it straight into her pocket.