Chapter 48: Skilled Pro Part 2

【Meanwhile, Xuan Zhelu’s already out of it.】

They clinked glasses half-heartedly. Yan Muyu couldn’t help but chime in. “We have tasks tomorrow, you know. Don’t overdo it.”

Xi Xi shot back, “What, you gonna babysit me?”

She turned to Yan Muyu. “You keep an eye on your Qiu Chao.”

Yan Muyu blinked. “My Qiu Chao?”

Xi Xi slung an arm around Liu Song’s shoulders. “My Liu Song.”

Yan Muyu let out an “oh.”

Xuan Zhelu propped her face in her hands and called out Yan Muyu’s name in a small voice. “Ah Yu… sis… I…”

The microphone was practically jammed against her lips. Yan Muyu said, “You’re drunk. Go lie down for a bit.”

But Xuan Zhelu grabbed Yan Muyu’s hand and pressed it to her own lips. “Yu…”

Yan Muyu started to pull away, only to feel a leg brushing against hers.

She nearly jumped out of her skin. Again?

Qiu Chao, sitting right beside her, looked perfectly innocent as she met Yan Muyu’s eyes. “Little Yan, could you walk me back to my room? My leg’s killing me.”

Yan Muyu had never felt quite so speechless in her life.

With the way Liu Song was eyeing her now, she suddenly felt like the universe’s biggest scumbag—the type who juggled two boats at once.

The problem was, one boat had docked ages ago, and the other had barely brushed the shore. Yan Muyu had never planned to commit to either.

Goosebumps prickled across her skin right on cue, but the live stream was still rolling.

Xi Xi, who turned chatty when tipsy, was now ranting about all the downsides of marriage—and taking shots at Qiu Chao.

“Good thing you didn’t tie the knot back then. You’d have regretted it big time.”

【This scene… yeah… I’m eating it up, haha.】

【Feels like I stumbled into the Cave of Silken Webs, lol.】

【Xi Xi’s crash course on love and marriage.】

【Help, Xuan Zhelu’s such a temptress.】

Yan Muyu gently extracted her hand from Xuan Zhelu’s grasp. She grabbed a tissue and handed it over so Xuan Zhelu could wipe the tears the booze had stung from her eyes.

At the same time, she nudged Qiu Chao’s foot with the tip of her shoe to get her to quit fooling around.

Xuan Zhelu tried to lean in again, but Yan Muyu deftly turned the hug into a polite, restrained support.

Qiu Chao’s advance fell flat too.

Yan Muyu sighed. “I’ll take her upstairs.”

Xi Xi called after her. “Coming back down?”

【Lmao, Xi Xi’s savage as hell.】

【Ding Yingxue, stop holding back that laugh. You’re in the prime viewing spot. I wanna join the chaos too.】

Qiu Chao seized Yan Muyu’s hand. “What about me?”

Her words carried a clear note of amusement—a tease, and like she knew all about Yan Muyu and Xuan Zhelu’s history. Her eyes blinked playfully.

【Is this a romantic battlefield?】

【Qiu Chao gets it.】

【Whose love triangle comes with sister-in-law vibes?】

Yan Muyu said, “What’s up? You wanna bunk with Xuan Zhelu or something?”

She didn’t sound annoyed at all. The live stream viewers only saw the guests on screen, plus the overhead fan and the dimly lit hall light.

Yan Muyu’s expression looked a touch helpless, but there was something deliberate in her words. It lent a wild edge to her features. The fan blades stirred the air, churning Qiu Chao’s heart into a stormy sea. She shook her head on instinct, breaking into a dopey grin that was anything but her usual self.

【Yan Muyu’s a pro matchmaker!!!】

【Pulling strings like that? I’m impressed.】

【Qiu Chao’s smile is so adorably goofy. So cute!】

【Feels like Qiu Chao’s never gotten to do normal-age stuff. She’s always seemed so mature… this is a nice change.】

Yan Muyu pried her hand free. “Are you drunk too? If you can’t walk, have Pei Wan help you.”

Her tone had softened. Qiu Chao’s lips pursed as her hand was brushed off. Instead, she cupped her face and gazed at Yan Muyu.

Hearing Pei Wan’s name made her shake her head again. “I’ll wait for you to come back.”

Pei Wan started to speak but held back, figuring it wasn’t her place.

To the viewers, the camera framed just these few people. But the guests saw a bustle of people coming and going off-screen. This was life, and work.

Yet right now, Yan Muyu and Qiu Chao seemed wrapped in their own little bubble, too intimate to interrupt.

Especially Qiu Chao’s eyes—they sparkled with life in the close-up, like the raw emotion she unleashed in her acting.

It evoked the teenage version of a character from one of her old films—full of dreams, yearning for love.

Before she grew into a blade-wielding warrior, delivering a merciless strike amid solemnity.

All acting, of course.

Ding Yingxue was a big fan of Qiu Chao as a senior, so Pei Wan had watched plenty of her movies too.

She marveled at Qiu Chao’s insane talent—untouched by the emotions she portrayed onscreen, her professionalism unmatched.

Objectively, Pei Wan figured this had to be an act.

But what reason did Qiu Chao have to perform here?

This was a lifestyle variety show—no personas, no scripts, just daily chores.

Life, cooking, farm work.

A rural village existence none of them had ever known.

Was this the real Qiu Chao?

Or just the Qiu Chao in front of Yan Muyu?

Yan Muyu said, “Why wait? It’s not a big deal.”

Xuan Zhelu really was smashed—no trace of her girl team leader vibe. Her manager’s face had gone green; she clearly wasn’t thrilled with Xuan Zhelu’s antics.

But she couldn’t say a word. The artist was the boss’s daughter, after all.

Xuan Zhelu had come to woo, plain and simple.

And everyone knew it.

Yan Muyu supported Xuan Zhelu without awkwardness, though with clear distance.

Qiu Chao cupped her face and shook her head. “I’ll wait till you come sit by me.”

“You’re drunk too,” Yan Muyu said.

She vaguely suspected Qiu Chao’s tolerance wasn’t this bad, but she pushed the thought aside and helped Xuan Zhelu upstairs.

Ding Yingxue had probably had the safest meal of the bunch—staying stone-cold sober meant she ended up on dish duty again.

When Yan Muyu came back down, Qiu Chao was still at the table.

The food and dishes were cleared away. Pei Wan had brewed a pot of flower tea.

Qiu Chao stared at the rising steam, watching Ding Yingxue squat by the courtyard well, scrubbing bowls.

Yan Muyu started toward another bench, but Qiu Chao caught her hand. “Look.”

Yan Muyu sat down beside her instead.

From their spot, they could see the starry sky beyond the courtyard. The moon hung round and full tonight, its light stretching Ding Yingxue’s shadow long.

“What’s so great about the moon?” Yan Muyu asked.

She poured herself a cup of tea, then grimaced a little—probably remembering how awful her cooking had been.

Qiu Chao’s cheeks were a bit pink. Her tolerance was decent, but everyone had underestimated this rural village brew. It wasn’t like store-bought stuff; the kick hit hard on a first try.

Yan Muyu skipped it because her own head for liquor was lousy. This was work—no need to risk it.

“Too many stars,” Qiu Chao said. “They’re not special.”

Yan Muyu let out an “oh.” She and Yan Tianxing had never chatted about stuff like this. It felt like she was in kindergarten.

But Qiu Chao, with her face cupped in her hands, blinked up at her with red-rimmed eyes. It sent a faint tremor through Yan Muyu’s heart.

She’d noticed Qiu Chao tearing up more easily since they arrived here.

Qiu Chao had taken a fall earlier—her hand was still injured—so she could only cup her face with one palm. The other clutched her teacup. Even the minor scrape marred her porcelain skin like a flaw on fine jade, evoking pity.

“Still hurt much?” Yan Muyu asked.

Qiu Chao shook her head. “Nah, just a scratch.”

Pei Wan emerged from the kitchen to help Ding Yingxue and glanced at Yan Muyu and Qiu Chao.

She spotted the program’s cameraman snapping shots nearby too.

These two had such opposite looks.

Qiu Chao: mature and coolly glamorous. Yan Muyu: bright and approachable. Yet together, they somehow meshed.

Sitting side by side, they smoothed away every contradiction. All barriers dissolved into the tea’s steam.

Otherwise, why did Yan Muyu refill Qiu Chao’s cup so naturally? Why did Qiu Chao’s smile at Yan Muyu look so captivating?

Qiu Chao said, “I really thought you’d yell at me.”

Yan Muyu blinked. “What?”

Qiu Chao replied, “You’ve yelled at me like that before.”

Yan Muyu let out a chuckle. “What do you mean, before?”

She closed her eyes for a moment, as if trying to relax a little. Leaning forward, she picked a flower from the vase and toyed with it.

Qiu Chao said, “When we lived together.”

Yan Muyu made an understanding sound. “That day you made the lotus leaf chicken?”

Her response came quickly—too quickly for Qiu Chao to know what to say. Qiu Chao just stared at Yan Muyu in a daze.

Yan Muyu asked, “Was that me yelling at you?”

Her fingers toyed with the slender flower stem, her gaze fixed on it unconsciously. She chuckled again. “Back then, I was just worried about you.”

Qiu Chao pressed, “And now?”

The words slipped out almost beyond her control. “Am I not worth worrying about anymore?”

【Did they forget we’re still here???】

【New here, is this a reconciliation reality show?】

【These two haven’t dated before?】

【Why’s Yan Muyu playing with flowers? Who’s spamming dirty jokes in chat.】

Qiu Chao stared at Yan Muyu, her eyes hazy with a tipsy blur, focused as if she had loved her for a thousand years.

Yan Muyu still didn’t meet her gaze. She closed her eyes briefly but didn’t dodge the question. In the sultry summer night of the hall, with cool breezes stirring the scent of tea, she said—

“Why wouldn’t you be?”

She tucked the flower back into the vase, drained the tea from her cup in one gulp, and extended a hand to Qiu Chao. “You’re popular enough to have a million admirers chasing you.”

【Why add BGM in post-production!!】

【I thought I was watching a TV drama!】

【What rural romance is this?! Yan Muyu says the cringiest stuff like it’s normal.】

【Qiu Chao really is one… Young Boss Yan’s never missed when it comes to spotting beauties.】

But Qiu Chao didn’t stand. Tilting her head back, she looked up at Yan Muyu. “Then can you carry me to bed?”

Qiu Chao’s voice was always soft and languid, with no hint of affectation.

Yet in this moment and setting, paired with the post-production music that wove sweetly around them, it made her feelings seem like a surging tide, ready to sweep Yan Muyu under.

Yan Muyu replied, “You tripped, but you didn’t break your leg.”

【Heh, talking so cold but still ends up carrying her.】

【What manager? More like bedmate.】

【Qiu Chao, what are you so smug about? That smile’s a bit too much.】

【This kind of carry must feel amazing. I want one too…】

【Never seen Qiu Chao smile that happily when a male actor carried her before.】

【Come on, Yan Muyu’s a total technician in the industry! Even straight girls wanna try it once!!】