Chapter 61: Sick Part 1

Qiu Chao might have said that, but after Yan Muyu helped her into the room, she touched the pillow and promptly fell asleep.

It was probably the effect of the fever-reducing medicine. Her shoes still dangled from the backs of her feet, and she lay sprawled over the edge of the bed, completely unaware that the cameras might capture her in such a state.

Yan Muyu glanced at the camera in the room.

【She gave me the chills.】

【For a second, I thought Young Boss Yan was gonna kill me to silence me.】

【Qiu Chao is so cute…】

【Thanks to this variety show, we’ve gotten to see a whole new side of Sister Qiu.】

【All-female variety shows are pretty rare. Hope the ratings hold steady! Director Qiu!! Blessings!!】

Though Yan Muyu felt a bit dizzy herself, she wasn’t as sleepy. Instead, she decided to sort through the photos she’d taken earlier that day right there in the room.

Verdant mountains and clear waters, shrouded in a fine mist of rain.

In the distance, a single lamp glowed faintly on the second floor. Yan Muyu’s silhouette blurred into a hazy shadow behind the rain-streaked window, lending the scene an uncanny sense of peace as the camera panned.

Behind her, Qiu Chao lay covered snugly with a blanket on the bed, her shoes neatly removed and placed to one side.

The old wooden room wasn’t well-insulated. Rain pattered softly outside, and voices chatting in the hall downstairs drifted up clearly.

It wasn’t long before Ding Yingxue came looking for Yan Muyu.

The door stood ajar, so she spotted Yan Muyu in the room right away, along with Qiu Chao, who was already fast asleep on the bed.

Ding Yingxue clutched a handful of peanuts in her hand—she’d clearly been enjoying the evening’s excitement.

“Young Boss Yan, time to announce the schedule for the next few days.”

Yan Muyu let out an “oh” and closed her laptop before heading downstairs with Ding Yingxue.

The staircase was narrow, so she reminded her, “Take it slow.”

Ding Yingxue hummed in agreement. “Is Sister Qiu okay?”

Yan Muyu replied, “She’s got a fever. The plan from here on out is for her to rest.”

She said it casually enough. The wooden stairs only had a dozen or so steps, but each riser was tall—tough to climb, risky to descend.

Even Ding Yingxue had to grip the wall for support as she went down, marveling at how difficult it must have been. She had no idea how Yan Muyu had managed to carry someone up them.

By the time Yan Muyu reached the hall, Li Xi had already taken her luggage to her room. She’d probably freshened up a bit too—her hair wasn’t quite as messy anymore.

Yan Muyu asked, “Aren’t you going to take a shower?”

Li Xi said, “In a bit. Song Bao went first.”

Yan Muyu wasn’t super close with her, but they got along well enough. She hadn’t expected to hear such a fan-like nickname from Li Xi’s mouth.

Yan Muyu teased, “Isn’t that a bit too sappy?”

Li Xi blinked. “What?”

Xi Xi wasn’t in the hall either. Yan Muyu could see her rummaging in her room from across the way—probably getting ready for a shower herself.

The young lady always seemed to need a ritual before bathing, like burning incense. Even from several meters away, Yan Muyu could sense Xi Xi’s foul mood.

Yan Muyu repeated, “Calling Liu Song ‘Song Bao’—that’s way too sappy.”

Maybe it was the rain they’d gotten caught in today, but Yan Muyu felt exhaustion weighing even heavier on her. The floaty buzz from the earlier bar gathering had mostly worn off, though.

Li Xi chuckled. “Not as sappy as Miss Qiu Chao calling you ‘Little Yan.'”

【What are you two even competing over!】

【Lol, I love this banter. Li Xi and Xi Xi’s back-and-forth earlier was hilarious too.】

【Liu Song pulling a bath escape.】

【This variety show is actually pretty thrilling.】

【Agreed, super sappy… I call her Song Bao every day no problem, but Little Yan for Yan Muyu? Feels off.】

【Depends on who’s saying it. Li Xi owns it.】

Yan Muyu shot back, “Says you. Sounds like a guilty conscience to me.”

Peanuts from earlier sat on the table—the ones Ding Yingxue had cracked open, probably bought that afternoon.

The show required them to be self-sufficient, essentially working daily just to earn meals.

If they skimped too much, it’d feel like a poverty hardship show. Kept in a reasonable range, though, and it worked well enough.

Li Xi said, “I came up with ‘Song Bao’ first. The fans just copied me.”

Li Xi had tidied her hair a little, revealing tiny braids woven in. Undone, it’d probably poof out even more.

That messy look paired with her sharp princess cut gave her an effortless allure—even a casual glance carried a unique charm.

It reminded Ding Yingxue, who was munching peanuts on the side, of a music show compilation she’d scrolled through online.

No wonder so many fans were heartbroken. Musicians really did thrive on vibe—Li Xi totally overshadowed Liu Song in presence.

Lost in thought, Ding Yingxue forgot she was even eating. She couldn’t help herself, and in the next moment, Pei Wan confiscated the peanuts, sliding them straight over to Li Xi instead.

Li Xi arched a brow. Her brow piercing glinted under the light, captivating the audience in an instant.

【Can’t take it anymore—so many women.】

【Throw me in there; I’d be a 24/7 bathhouse scrubber.】

【Song Bao really was Li Xi’s first—remember that four-to-three round? Li Xi advanced first and called her that…】

【Bet she calls her that off-stage too. Didn’t they used to eat together all the time?】

【Who stuck by her when she was a nobody!!】

【Too bad Li Xi doesn’t need the flowers and red carpets anymore… Can they just have it all? I don’t mind Song Bao working harder.】

【You guys are insane!!】

Yan Muyu remarked, “You sound awfully smug, like you’re the main wife or something.”

Li Xi nodded. “Of course. I knew Liu Song first.”

She even asked Pei Wan on the side if there was any booze left.

【Feels like Li Xi’s here to usurp the throne…】

【Yan Muyu’s playing right along, though.】

Yan Muyu said, “There’s rice wine in the kitchen, but hold off. Let me check tomorrow’s schedule first.”

She called out for Qiu Siyuan again.

An off-screen staffer said Director Qiu wasn’t around today.

Yan Muyu quipped, “What? Playing hooky? Fire the director and get a new one.”

She still sounded a little congested, her voice husky and not quite clear, but her humor shone through, making everyone want to laugh.

Someone handed her the Itinerary Card. Yan Muyu glanced at it. “Figures—with this downpour, there’s nothing to do.”

Ding Yingxue grumbled, “Speak for yourself. We’ve still got chores around the house. I knew it.”

She huffed. “Gotta paint the Fish Lamps, form teams, and someone’s gotta perform on stage… So fancy.”

Yan Muyu laughed. “It’s all laid out clear as day.”

“I’ll carry the lantern with Pei Wan. Liu Song and Li Xi handle the music. You and Qiu Chao can lead the way up front.”

Ding Yingxue asked, “What about Sister Xi?”

Yan Muyu started, “She’ll be in charge of…”

Pei Wan cut in, “You take photos. I’ll carry the lantern with her.”

Li Xi didn’t mind much. She’d come here for Liu Song, after all, and she’d be gone by the finale anyway.

She was in a creative rut lately—getting out for a stroll wasn’t a bad idea. The show was tempting enough to give her a reason to step back into the spotlight.

Yan Muyu asked, “Is photography even on the list?”

She double-checked the card a few times. Seeing Li Xi already sipping wine and offering her a glass, she quickly refused. “Just took medicine—no drinking for me.”

Right then, Liu Song walked in, fresh from her shower with a towel on her head. Yan Muyu waved her over. “Keep Li Xi company and have a drink with her.”

【Yan Muyu’s up to no good.】

【Does Li Xi have a girlfriend? I swear I saw something on her Weibo.】

【That was her sister, right? Feels like she’s not into dating.】

【She gives off total ice queen vibes…】

Liu Song had just sat down when a glass of rice wine slid her way. She froze for a second.

Looking up, she met Li Xi’s gaze. The other woman smiled warmly. “Didn’t you used to outdrink me?”

【Wait, what???】

【Since when does our Song Bao drink???】

【This show spills all the tea!!】

【Ding Yingxue, out of peanuts so now you’re munching seeds? How’d you score this? I wanna see her drama too.】

Liu Song said, “Haven’t been drinking much lately.”

Li Xi replied, “Your manager’s got you on a tight leash. Not like mine.”

Yan Muyu thought, Oh ho, inwardly. This spectacle was too good to miss.

Normally, she’d jump right in, but today her mind wandered. She messaged Qiu Siyuan—instructing her to turn off the camera in Qiu Chao’s room.

Qiu Siyuan replied fast: Got it.

Yan Muyu followed up: Where’d you disappear to? Playing hooky?

Qiu Siyuan: Went to get my fortune told. Heard there’s a TCM doc on the next peak who reads faces too.

Yan Muyu: In this storm, you’re getting a reading?

She sent it off, then it hit her—this kind of whimsy felt familiar. Back in the day, there was that young widow who dragged herself everywhere kowtowing to gods and Buddhas, nearly causing a scene over a bad fortune stick.

What a character.

Qiu Siyuan probably wouldn’t go that far, though.

Qiu Siyuan: Also checking out my illness.

Yan Muyu: What’d they say?

Qiu Siyuan: Just got here. Next door’s the clinic you went to last time—turns out it’s father and son.

Yan Muyu: Nice—East and West medicine in one.

Yan Muyu: So what’d you get read?

Qiu Siyuan: Marriage prospects.

Yan Muyu: What can a disfigured face even tell?

Qiu Siyuan didn’t reply.

The downpour raged outside. The courtyard gutters gurgled nonstop, and water overflowed from the rain barrels.

The hall under the eaves caught drafts from all sides, but summer nights were muggy anyway. The mountain breeze felt cool enough—no need for the electric fan.

Liu Song reached for her drink, but a hand stretched over and snatched the glass away.

Xi Xi downed it in one gulp and shot Liu Song a glare. “No drinking on the show.”

Then she went off to take a shower.

Xi Xi looked to be in a foul mood. She didn’t even bother with the covered walkway—instead, she cut straight across the courtyard, getting drenched by the rain on her way to bathe.

Yan Muyu let out an “oh.” “Idol drama vibes. Whose youth hasn’t involved getting caught in the rain?”

There was a hint of schadenfreude in her tone, as if she’d completely forgotten how she’d come back with Qiu Chao just moments ago.

Liu Song stood frozen in place. She first glanced at the empty wine glass, then at Xi Xi’s retreating back. Finally, her eyes turned to Li Xi.

【Epic love triangle drama!】

【I’m suddenly thinking Xuan Zhelu isn’t on this level.】

【Mainly, Yan Muyu is truly ruthless, but Liu Song isn’t!! She’s the sentimental type.】

【Hold on, you’re all assuming Liu Song’s a lesbian?】

【Because Li Xi is a real lesbian!!!】

【I get it now—the production team always plants one genuine lesbian in these love triangle setups.】

Yan Muyu said, “No work tomorrow or the day after, so we’ll just stay home.”

She unceremoniously assigned the next day’s chores to the group. “Li Xi, you and Liu Song go pick some veggies early in the morning, once the rain lets up a bit.”

She sighed. “I’ll have to contact the workshop boss to get our fish lamp delivered over.”

Pei Wan asked, “Can they even deliver it?”

Yan Muyu shrugged. “Of course. We paid for those lamps, didn’t we?”

With that, she headed upstairs. Pei Wan called Ding Yingxue along, leaving only Liu Song and Li Xi in the hall.

Yan Muyu took her time climbing the stairs and pulled out her phone to check the trending topics on Weibo.

LiXi LiuSong#

WillowAndFormerGlory#

…

They were still riding high on the hot search list, but when Yan Muyu tapped in, she could see some updates about the show.

There were also posts about Qiu Chao falling ill, with fans blasting the production team for their inaction in long, impassioned rants.

Qiu Chao was still lying in bed, her breathing heavy. Yan Muyu touched her forehead—it didn’t feel as scorching hot as before.