After Getting Involved In A Love Triangle With My Mortal Enemy From A Past Life, All I Want To Do Is Lie Down And Relax - Chapter 6

By the time Sang Luo woke up, it was already 8:30 AM. He had suffered from insomnia the night before, and even now, he felt no trace of sleepiness—only a vast emptiness in his mind. He was deliberately forcing himself not to dwell on the sight of Huo Xun’s retreating back. He had not managed to fall asleep until roughly the middle of the night.

Sang Luo grabbed a hair tie to pull back his long hair, then went to brush his teeth and wash his face. As he headed downstairs, he heard laughter. Turning the corner, he saw a woman sitting on the sofa. Noticing his gaze, Liu Zhiya waved her hand. “Hello! I am Number Four, remember?” She continued, “Brother Huo Xun made breakfast. Come and have a taste.”

The “significant other” vibe she projected was palpable; her tone suggested she already considered herself one of Huo Xun’s inner circle. Sang Luo merely nodded at her without saying a word.

“You are awake? Come over, I cooked this porridge specifically for you.” Huo Xun had not heard Liu Zhiya’s earlier remark. He motioned Sang Luo over and even pulled out a chair for him.

“I am here.”

Sang Luo ignored Liu Zhiya’s awkward expression and sat down leisurely.

“Seafood porridge. How is it?”

“It is fine.”

“Just fine?” Huo Xun arched an eyebrow. “Even Bai Chen—and he is picky—said it was good.”

“Do not twist my words.” Bai Chen seemed to have just come in from outside; he caught Huo Xun’s comment the moment he entered. “I only said you could open a stall and sell it.”

“Is that not the same thing?” Huo Xun served himself a bowl, completely ignoring Bai Chen’s provocation.

The atmosphere in the living room was pleasant, except for Liu Zhiya sitting on the sofa. She had clearly heard Huo Xun say the porridge was made specifically for Sang Luo, which felt like a direct slap to the face. Combined with Huo Xun’s indifferent attitude toward her, she was fuming, though she could only vent by secretly pinching her own arm.

A while later, the others came downstairs. Number Seven, Chen Jing—the most outgoing of the group—lavished praise on the porridge. However, based on yesterday’s events, Chen Jing’s behavior was confusing; it was hard to tell if he was interested in Sang Luo or if he had a crush on Huo Xun. Overall, it was a morning of joy for some and worry for others.

After breakfast, the production team issued their task. The host walked in gracefully and sniffed the air with exaggerated surprise. “It smells wonderful! I was waiting for you all to have nothing for breakfast so you would have to beg the crew for help.”

The handsome Bai Chen glanced at Huo Xun and shrugged with a smile. “Well, we have an all-powerful CEO here. His ‘house-husband’ energy is at its maximum.”

Huo Xun, who had been leaning lazily against the sofa, laughed at the mention. “Why? Are you lonely? Jealous?”

Bai Chen remained calm, showing no anger. He blinked and replied, “Why would I be jealous of a single dog?”

“And you are not one?” Huo Xun looked at the man opposite him with a sharp, poised gaze. “Unless Movie Star Bai has been off the market for a long time?”

The air was thick with tension. The host felt a cold sweat; she should not have brought it up. She had only intended to tease them!

“Ahem! Alright, I have an announcement. From now on, you must settle your own three meals a day. The production team will not provide them.”

“Can we use the ingredients in the kitchen?” Chen Jing asked first.

“Of course,” the host replied with a sweet smile. “However, the team will not be restocking them later.”

Everyone understood immediately: the food in the kitchen was just an initial supply. Once it was gone, they had to buy more themselves. Anticipating what some might be thinking, the host added, “Note: Guests are not allowed to use their own money to buy ingredients.”

This meant that if they did not want to starve, they had to obediently complete tasks to earn money.

“Today’s task is: the Three-Legged Race.”

Some guests instantly felt a pang of dread. Could they really successfully complete an exercise that tested synchronization so rigorously? The crew did not care about their concerns and led them to an open space outside the villa. “Please get ready. We start in two minutes.”

A flicker of emotion passed through Sang Luo’s eyes. He looked down at Huo Xun, who was currently tying the rope around their legs. Their skin brushed against each other, the heat between them feeling intense enough to burn. As Huo Xun tightened the knot, the two were suddenly pressed together without any space between them. Even though it was only a small patch of skin contact, it was impossible to ignore.

The light in Sang Luo’s eyes wavered, but he maintained his cold expression.

“How is it? Is it too tight? Does it hurt?” Huo Xun asked in a low voice. Inadvertently, their eyes met.

“This is fine,” Sang Luo said, being the first to look away and staring off into the distance.

Huo Xun gave a quiet “mm” in response. He stood up, his gaze catching Sang Luo’s jet-black hair. “Should you put your hair up?”

Sang Luo took off the hair tie, wound his hair into a casual loop, and tied it together. “Like this?”

Huo Xun gave a very quick smile and nodded seriously. “Just like that.” There was a certain beauty in the messiness, though a few stray strands made him look a bit dazed.

“The race begins! There is a big prize for first place!”

Before Sang Luo could react, his bound leg stepped out instinctively. He lost his balance immediately and was about to fall when Huo Xun caught him with quick reflexes. “I will step with my free leg first, then we will move the leg we have tied together.”

Sang Luo nodded and silently followed the rhythm. Unknowingly, they were nearing the finish line. The other pairs had also quickly found their stride, but because they were still essentially strangers, they were somewhat awkward with one another.

The most hilarious pair was Chen Jing’s. His teammate was quite shy; every time they got tripped up, he would stop and look at Chen Jing on the ground in embarrassment. Chen Jing looked a bit disheveled, but he remained cheerful, constantly telling his teammate to relax and not be so tense, or they would fall easily.

In the end, Huo Xun and Sang Luo took first place. The two women came in second, Bai Chen and Liu Zhiya took third, and Chen Jing’s pair came in a somewhat pathetic fourth.

“Congratulations on reaching the finish line! The rewards are as follows: First place gets 100 yuan, second place gets 50, third gets 30, and fourth gets 15.”

Chen Jing looked up in disbelief. “I worked that hard for half the day and you only give me 15 yuan?!”

The host shrugged. “Nothing can be done about it. You can curse at the director to vent your frustration.”

Chen Jing made a bitter face. “I think I will just curse at him in secret then.”

The others gave polite laughs, but Sang Luo, standing at the back, remained calm, showing only an occasional, faint smile. He had broken a slight sweat; his cheeks were flushed, and his hair was slightly damp. Those clear eyes looked like stars, and his cloud-like eyelashes cast shadows that hid his subtle emotions.

Huo Xun had not sweated much; the day was not too hot. He was very tall, standing even a bit taller than the 182 cm Sang Luo. Consequently, when he looked down casually, he could see Sang Luo’s pale red lips and that tiny beauty mark. Huo Xun occasionally thought Sang Luo looked quite “well-behaved.” Whenever this thought occurred, he found it amusing and would ask himself: Where am I even getting that from? He had no answer, yet he continued to feel that way.

The young man being judged as “well-behaved” was not as calm as he appeared. His heart felt as though it were being gripped tightly by someone, filled with bitter memories. Sang Luo was becoming increasingly discouraged; he truly did not want to have any more contact with Huo Xun. It only made things difficult for him.

However, he had already signed the contract for the variety show and could not quit without a reason. Moreover, if he wanted to continue in this industry, he could not afford to let people criticize his professionalism.

Sang Luo comforted himself: As long as I do not initiate contact, it will be fine. Just twenty more days, and it will all be over.