SH – Chapter 11

Why wasn’t she in a relationship?

…Right!

The production team was puzzled, too. They had done a background check on every guest before filming began. The person who had coordinated with them on Yun Chu’s behalf was her agent, Chen Jing, who had declared with particular pride, “Our Xiao Chu has never been in a relationship. She has high moral standards and is determined not to be one of those artists who ruins their careers with scandals!”

The production team’s liaison hesitated, at a loss for words.

Chen Jing asked, “What? You don’t believe me?”

“No, no, we believe you,” the liaison said with a dry laugh. Then, she carefully ventured, “So, what does Miss Yun do when she’s not working? I’ve seen her schedule, and it seems… uh, it seems she has quite a bit of free time, huh? What does she do with it?”

Chen Jing was silent.

It was an art, the way she so tactfully asked if Yun Chu just sat around picking her feet.

“Oh,” Chen Jing said, flipping her long hair back. “Our Xiao Chu opened a Chinese restaurant in the city center. She usually spends her time buying investment funds and managing the restaurant. Of course, she also goes to the company for acting classes. After all, she can’t let her core professional skills get rusty.”

The liaison let out a little “ah.” “I didn’t realize her life was so full.”

“Of course,” Chen Jing said. “And don’t be fooled by her low follower count on Weibo. All one hundred thousand of them are active fans! Her engagement rate is quite high, and she occasionally gives them some perks, like doing a food stream.”

In summary, Yun Chu had never been in a relationship.

But that didn’t make sense. After all, Yun Chu was beautiful and had a lively personality. She was rich and had plenty of free time. What kind of girlfriend couldn’t she find? Even if she wasn’t dating anyone now, she must have had an ex, right?

But she didn’t.

So now, it wasn’t just Jian You who was curious; the entire production team was itching with curiosity, staring at Yun Chu to see how she would answer. After her initial surprise, Yun Chu quickly composed herself. She let out an “oh” and said, “I haven’t met the right person.”

It was a conventional, completely uninteresting answer.

The production team was disappointed. They turned to see Jian You’s reaction. Jian You nodded calmly and said, “I see. Then how-”

Before she could finish her question, she was interrupted by a ringing phone.

The production team held its breath. “…”

Aaaah! Don’t leave us hanging!

The call was from Chen Jing. Although the reality show was filmed around the clock, the guests were allowed to keep their phones to help them relax and be their most authentic selves. This also gave them maximum freedom to handle work matters.

Yun Chu also thought, “…”

Of all the times to call! Why now? But a call from Chen Jing was surely important, so she couldn’t ignore it. She could only give Jian You an apologetic smile and say, “I’m going to take this call. Leave these for me to wash, okay?”

With that, she hurriedly pressed the answer button and ran out, leaving Jian You sitting alone at the table in a daze, frowning slightly at the messy aftermath of their meal.

What did Yun Chu mean?

Did she think she would wash the dishes for her?

…She hadn’t lost the bet.

---

“Yun Chu, oh, Yun Chu! You’ve hit the jackpot!”

As soon as the call connected, Chen Jing’s excited shout came through the phone. Her excitement was contagious, and Yun Chu couldn’t help but break into a wide smile. “What is it? Did I win an international award?”

“You don’t even have any work out, so stop dreaming,” Chen Jing said mercilessly.

Yun Chu huffed lightly. She leaned against a tree in the courtyard, distantly watching the restaurant curtains soak up the lamplight. A figure moved past in the flickering light. “Then what jackpot did I hit?” she asked distractedly.

Chen Jing said, “The observation guest for this season of Little Tricks for Love has been announced! It’s Qi Ke!”

Yun Chu was taken aback. “Qi Ke?”

Chen Jing paused for a moment before asking, “…Don’t tell me you don’t even know a senior artist from your own company?”

“How could I not?”

Qi Ke, a member of the girl group Sweet Day, created by Mangosteen Entertainment. A heaven-sent lead vocalist, she was already incredibly popular while in the group. After the group disbanded and she went solo, she won several prestigious music awards, cementing her position in the industry.

Later, for publicity, Qi Ke and Sweet Day’s former leader, the now-famous actress Song Yushi, participated in 30 Days of Cohabitation as “best friends.” The show’s popularity was unprecedented, and their CP was shipped by the entire nation.

Then, on the final episode of the show, the two of them came out directly on the live broadcast.

In recent years, they had gotten married, balancing their work and family lives perfectly. They were so sweet, every day seemed like the honeymoon phase. As an original guest of the show whose sexual orientation was a perfect fit, it was only natural for Qi Ke to be an observation guest.

“And according to inside sources,” Chen Jing lowered her voice, “Song Yushi will also be coming as a guest observer. Hmm? Why aren’t you excited?”

Yun Chu played along. “Wow.”

Chen Jing heard the perfunctory tone in her voice but didn’t mind. She didn’t care about Yun Chu’s reasons for joining the show; what she cared about was the show’s popularity and whether Yun Chu could gain more fans.

Now, with a top-tier star as a guest, it was bound to attract more viewers. Once Yun Chu gained a following, a rise in her market value was just around the corner!

After her excitement subsided, she asked, “What’s wrong with you, anyway?”

“Nothing,” Yun Chu said. “Is this the only reason you called me?”

“Yeah.”

She sensed something was off. “What’s wrong?”

Yun Chu turned around, resting her head against the tree. “You interrupted my love life,” she said in a small voice.

Chen Jing said, “…Isn’t this the first day of filming?”

“Yeah!” Yun Chu said righteously.

“Then who are you falling in love with?! Whose script has someone falling in love on day one? Are you planning to be in a relationship for the entire season? A publicly funded romance?”

“…Okay, fine,” Yun Chu said. “What I mean is, you interrupted me building a connection with someone.”

“Who?”

“…Teacher Jian!”

Chen Jing let out a knowing “oh.” “So you’re being a good girl now, little Yun Chu. Listen to Sister Jing, win over Jian You, and the entire domestic entertainment market will be yours!”

Yun Chu gave a few perfunctory “uh-huhs” and hung up the phone.

In that short time, the sky had already darkened. Dark clouds were gathering, brewing a winter snow. Only then did Yun Chu feel the cold, and she wrapped her down jacket tighter around herself and ran back into the house.

Although it looked dilapidated from the outside, the interior was clean and brightly decorated. In the living room, Zhu Wan’er and the others were watching a variety show. Meng Zhaozhao and Wen Xi were sitting together, whispering about something. Yun Chu didn’t see Jian You and asked, “Where’s Teacher Jian?”

“Hmm?” Zhu Wan’er was surprised. “I didn’t see her come out. She couldn’t still be eating, could she?”

Wen Xi let out a little “oh.” “Teacher Jian can really eat!”

“I’ll go check.” The dining room was connected to the kitchen, hidden in a blind spot from the living room. She lifted the curtain, glanced at the dining table, and then her eyes followed to Jian You in the kitchen.

She was wearing an apron, her back to Yun Chu, washing dishes.

Bathed in the light, she looked as beautiful as a dream.

“Teacher Jian…” Yun Chu walked over quickly, a little embarrassed. “Didn’t I say I’d wash them when I got back?”

Jian You hummed in acknowledgment. “You did.”

Yun Chu was speechless.

So it had gone in one ear and out the other!

“Let me do it.” The words died in Yun Chu’s throat as soon as she said them. Jian You might be a terrible cook, but she was surprisingly skilled at washing pots and dishes. In the time Yun Chu had been on the phone, Jian You had already washed everything.

Jian You turned off the faucet and said casually, “Help me untie my apron.”

“Oh,” Yun Chu replied sullenly, reaching out to untie the apron.

Jian You’s waist was very thin, its curve accentuated by the apron’s slender strings. Yun Chu’s mind began to race. She suddenly remembered holding Jian You’s waist that night, her fingers fumbling as she pulled down the zipper of her long dress. As her hand slid down that smooth, delicate back, she had heard Jian You let out a soft cry.

…It had sounded so good.

“What are you thinking about?” Jian You asked suddenly.

Yun Chu blurted out, “Teacher Jian’s waist is so thin.”

Jian You: “…?”

The production team: Wow.