After Marrying the Cold Omega in Secret - Chapter 28

Everyone looked slightly surprised.

That included Chu Jin.

She turned toward the sound. The snapping noise had come from Chi Ye’s fingers.

Chi Ye stood by the fireplace. Her tall figure looked like a sculpture. Her face remained calm as she lifted her eyes toward Chu Jin, her gaze holding a depth that was difficult to interpret.

Her eyes were dark and quiet, like a night sky, impossible to read.

In that moment when their eyes met, it felt as if time had stopped.

It was clear what the snap had meant.

Chi Ye did not want Chu Jin to be caught.

She especially did not want Qiao Man to touch her.

Chu Jin found herself confused again.

She could not understand why Chi Ye had done that. Was it just a simple attempt to help her out of a tight spot?

From a distance, Xin Ning met Chu Jin’s gaze and raised an eyebrow. Her expression said everything without words.

But the conversation Chu Jin had overheard earlier upstairs had also been real.

Her mind was a mess.

Luckily, Qiao Man turned at the sound and began walking in the direction of Chi Ye instead.

She had barely taken a few steps before the director shouted, “Move.”

Everyone started changing positions. For the sake of entertainment, Zhou Meng deliberately walked right in front of Qiao Man.

Qiao Man, quick to respond, sensed the movement and immediately called out, “Freeze.” Without any effort, she managed to catch Zhou Meng.

She reached out cautiously, starting with Zhou Meng’s clothes. When she felt a shirt, the smile on her face faded slightly. Then she touched her hair, and the short, sharp cut confirmed it.

There was only one person with that hairstyle.

Qiao Man easily gave the correct answer.

The entire process took less than two minutes.

It was still a bit too easy.

The production team quickly added a new rule. Everyone had to change into plain T-shirts, tie up their hair, and wear the same perfume.

This would at least make it more difficult to guess correctly.

The game restarted, and they needed to draw lots again.

Just a moment ago, Chu Jin had felt lucky that fate had spared her.

But this time, her luck ran out.

She raised the slip of paper in her hand.

“It’s me.”

Chi Ye, who had already been holding the black silk blindfold, stepped forward without hesitation.

“I’ll help you.”

Unlike how she had tied the blindfold for Qiao Man from behind, Chi Ye now walked directly to stand in front of Chu Jin. She leaned forward slightly, tilting her head, then slowly lifted her arms and brought the silk behind Chu Jin’s head.

They stood very close to each other.

Chu Jin’s gaze settled on Chi Ye’s eyes.

She looked into those calm, snow-like eyes, trying to read something within them. But no matter how hard she tried to see through the haze, she found nothing but uncertainty.

Chi Ye’s lips moved slightly.

“Close your eyes.”

The silk blindfold brushed against Chu Jin’s eyelids with a faint coolness.

Chi Ye’s movements were slow and deliberate. Her fingers lightly brushed against Chu Jin’s ear. The warmth of her touch lingered on Chu Jin’s skin, especially on her ear tip, which had already turned slightly red.

Chi Ye tied the blindfold carefully, her head tilted just enough to avoid the only camera that could catch her face.

“Do you need help later?” she asked softly.

Her warm breath brushed against Chu Jin’s neck, making her back stiffen.

A tingling sensation spread through her body, impossible to ignore.

What kind of help? Was she planning to snap again to give her a hint?

Even though her thoughts were a mess, Chu Jin kept a calm expression. She answered quietly with just one word.

“No.”

Aside from her striking eyes, Chu Jin’s features were delicate and well-defined. Her high nose bridge and soft, naturally curved lips gave her an elegant look. With her eyes now covered, a subtle allure was added to her appearance.

Chi Ye took extra care in tying the blindfold. When she finished, she gently smoothed out the fabric with her fingertips, making sure it looked neat and elegant, more like an accessory than a restraint.

Once everyone was ready, the game began again.

Without her sight, Chu Jin’s hearing became extremely sensitive. She stood still in the dark, listening closely for any sound. She remained that way until the director finally called out, “Freeze.”

Using her sharp hearing, she guessed that someone had moved near the sofa. That had been her hiding spot in the previous round.

Even though she had already searched that area once, it was still possible someone had taken the risk and gone back there to hide.

Chi Ye had anticipated exactly what Chu Jin would think. As soon as the game began, she had gone to the same spot Chu Jin had used earlier.

Fortunately, she had guessed right. Chu Jin immediately began moving in that direction.

She stepped carefully, much more cautious than she expected to be. Walking in total darkness turned out to be more difficult than she had imagined.

There were also quite a few obstacles in the way.

Following what Qiao Man had done earlier, Chu Jin moved slowly and cautiously.

Even so, she still bumped into several things. Thankfully, she managed to keep her balance each time by holding onto nearby furniture, and she continued inching forward.

When she brushed against the potted plant next to the sofa, she got startled. The branches caught on her clothes, and her movement became clumsy. Her foot slipped, and she began to fall sideways.

She instinctively reached out to find something to steady herself.

But this time, there was nothing to grab.

Just when she was sure she was about to fall flat on her face in front of the cameras, a pair of strong arms caught her firmly.

She was pulled into someone’s embrace.

To keep herself steady, Chu Jin instinctively wrapped her arms around the person’s waist. The waist was slender, the curves graceful, and although it felt soft, there was not a trace of excess.

Even with the same perfume sprayed on everyone, Chu Jin caught a faint, different scent.

It was subtle and hard to define.

She had not yet placed the familiar scent when it disappeared completely, like smoke vanishing in the air.

Once she stood upright again, she quickly let go and stepped back.

“Thank you,” she said.

The person did not respond.

The director’s voice came through.

“The game continues. You have one chance to guess who this is.”

Chu Jin had not expected the game to resume so quickly, but she did not hesitate.

She immediately began to examine the person in front of her.

She first touched the person’s arm. The skin was smooth and soft. Then she moved her hand down to find the hand and tried to identify them by their fingernails.

Just as her fingertips brushed against the other person’s fingers, that person suddenly moved.

They gently wrapped their hand around Chu Jin’s, enclosing her fingers completely within their palm.

Chu Jin’s right hand missed its target.

The director had not stated that the person being guessed could not interfere during the recognition process, so Chi Ye’s action was allowed under the rules.

Chu Jin had not expected her to do something like this.

But the grip was not strong. With a bit of effort, she easily pulled her hand free.

Perhaps it was her natural instinct as an Alpha, a desire for control. After being restrained for even a moment, Chu Jin lifted her hand and placed it firmly on the other person’s shoulder.

There was some pressure in her touch, keeping the person from moving away.

Judging by the height of the shoulders, this person was slightly shorter than she was.

But on this show, aside from Zhou Meng, most people were a little shorter than Chu Jin anyway.

Most of them were only about five centimeters shorter, which meant she could rule out Wen Zhixue.

Chu Jin kept one hand on the person’s shoulder while slowly moving the other.

She let her fingers follow the curve of the shoulder, gently brushing across the collarbone. The collarbone was defined and deep. She continued upward along the neck, reaching the earlobe.

When her fingers touched the cool skin of the earlobe, the person flinched slightly.

Chu Jin knew this reaction well.

The last time she touched Chi Ye’s ear, she had felt the same small tremble. Chi Ye was very sensitive in that area.

But to be fair, many people were sensitive there. Even Chu Jin herself would get goosebumps when Chi Ye leaned in close to speak. So this alone was not enough to confirm anything.

Since everyone’s hair was tied up, it offered no clues. In the end, Chu Jin had no choice but to move her fingers toward the cheek.

Her movements were gentle, barely brushing the skin. She carefully traced the features of the person’s face, trying to draw their outline in her mind.

The face was narrow and small. The brow bone was high, the eyes deeply set, the bridge of the nose tall and sharp, and the nose wings narrow. Everything was finely shaped and delicate.

By now, Chu Jin already had an answer in her heart.

She knew this person too well.

But still, her fingers reached one last place.

The lips.

They were warm, soft, and slightly moist.

Just then, she felt a slight movement.

The other person pressed a kiss to her fingertips.

A faint, barely audible sound accompanied it.

Because her hand was in the way and the kiss was so soft, the microphones did not pick it up. No one else noticed it.

Only Chu Jin felt it.

That warm kiss sent shockwaves through her heart. The answer she had been so sure of suddenly felt uncertain.

She could not believe it.

Was it really Chi Ye?

Had Chi Ye kissed her?

Even though it was only a kiss to the palm, it was unmistakable.

And it had happened in front of all the cameras, yet it was private, subtle, and deeply intimate.

Just the finger snap earlier had already thrown her thoughts into confusion. Now, this kiss made her mind even more chaotic.

She wanted to believe that Chi Ye had feelings for her.

But the conversation she had overheard upstairs at noon played again in her head like sharp thorns piercing her heart.

Any beautiful fantasy she had was like a balloon with a tiny hole. It deflated in an instant, leaving behind a stinging pain that pulled her back to reality.

So what did Chi Ye’s actions mean now?

Was she playing with her?

Was she trying to give her just enough hope to stay?

“Chu Jin, have you figured out who it is?” someone from the production team asked.

The invitation reward meant nothing to Chu Jin at this point. More than that, she did not want to say Chi Ye’s name.

She slowly lowered her hand and, with a sigh in her voice, said three simple words.

“I don’t know.”

“At least give us a name,” the director reminded.

It was part of the rules. Chu Jin could not just refuse to answer. But still, she did not say Chi Ye’s name.

“Qiao Man,” she said.

Her voice was calm, without any trace of emotion.

Naturally, the answer was wrong.

Chu Jin lost her chance to send out an invitation and would have to wait passively for someone else to invite her.

As for the correct answer, which was indeed Chi Ye, she now received a reward. Since she had saved Chu Jin from falling and had not been identified, she was granted a special privilege.

She could now send an invitation that could not be refused.

This was the same reward Qiao Man had earned earlier for correctly identifying someone.

Both of them, Qiao Man and Chi Ye, could invite anyone they wished. And the person invited would be required to accept.

By the time the game ended, it was time for dinner. After the meal, the evening’s invitation segment would begin.

The production team had prepared formal invitation cards.

Those who earned the right to make an invitation would soon be able to give their cards to the person they were interested in.

Shortly after the director made the announcement, Chu Jin received an invitation card from Qiao Man.

From the moment Qiao Man arrived, she had made her feelings clear. She had stayed close to Chu Jin from the beginning, so Chu Jin already knew this invitation was coming.

Since she had no other plans, she figured she might as well go out with Qiao Man for the day.

So she agreed.

What she did not expect was that when she returned to her bedroom, Chi Ye was also there, holding out an invitation card to her.

When Chu Jin did not respond right away, Chi Ye spoke calmly.

“You are not allowed to refuse.”

This applied to both the official rules of the show and the agreement they had signed before filming.

Chu Jin had no choice.

“You are not giving yours to Yan Sisi?” Chu Jin asked, clearly surprised after a long pause.

This was the first date. It was meant to be quality time for two people, the best chance to build a stronger bond.

Chi Ye gave no reply.

Chu Jin added softly, “I already accepted Qiao Man’s invitation.”

Chi Ye’s expression darkened immediately.

The cards had only just been handed out, and Qiao Man had already gotten to Chu Jin first. It seemed she had underestimated her.

“I will speak with the director,” Chi Ye said without hesitation.

She then placed the invitation card into Chu Jin’s hand and turned to leave the room.

Both cards were marked as non-rejectable invitations. No matter which person Chu Jin leaned toward, she could not choose only one. And the entire situation was being broadcast live.

If the situation was not handled carefully, it could affect the show’s direction and viewer response.

Chu Jin stood there quietly, staring at the two cards in her hands, deep in thought.

She had never imagined she would receive two invitations.

And one of them came from Chi Ye.

A few minutes later, Chu Jin’s phone lit up with a message notification.

It was from the production team.

“Due to one cast member receiving two S-level invitation cards (non-rejectable), the director team held an urgent discussion and has come up with the following solution: To ensure fairness and encourage emotional development between the cast members, all three people involved will go on a group date together starting at 9:00 a.m. the day after tomorrow. Please be advised.”

Chu Jin was stunned.

She could recognize every word, but when they were put together like that, she could hardly make sense of them.

Three people? A group date?

Did she read that correctly?

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