Forced to Act out a Strange Script with a Rival - Chapter 25

The dim, yellow wall lamps cast an ambiguous, warm orange glow over the hotel suite. The air was still thick with un-dissipated steam and the clean scent of shower gel.

This should have been the most relaxed moment after a shower, yet an invisible tension hung in the air.

Si Xiaoxiao was wrapped in a large, white bath towel. Her wet hair was still dripping, and water droplets slid down her smooth neck into the depths of the towel. She stood before Li Ting, her cheeks flushed with an unnatural crimson—whether from the heat or something else was unclear.

“Don’t ask why. Just do as I say.” Si Xiaoxiao’s voice was deliberately forced and rigid, trying to mask her discomfort. However, her slightly flickering eyes betrayed the truth: she was all bravado.

Li Ting’s gaze lingered for a moment on Si Xiaoxiao’s flushed earlobes and the white knuckles of the hand gripping the edge of the bath towel. She understood instantly.

This must be the system’s punishment for Si Xiaoxiao.

So, Li Ting obediently closed her eyes.

“I didn’t say open them yet! You are not allowed to open your eyes until I say so, got it!” Si Xiaoxiao emphasized again, almost through gritted teeth. Her voice carried a subtle, nervous tremor, as if Li Ting not closing her eyes tight enough would somehow be a threat.

What? Is there something I can’t see?

Is she having a magical girl transformation?

Li Ting was amused by her own thought.

But she would not be so ill-mannered as to sneak a peek, especially after being explicitly told not to.

“Go ahead and do your punishment. I won’t open my eyes,” Li Ting’s voice was calm and steady, carrying a reassuring strength.

She even leaned back slightly, adjusting herself into a more relaxed sitting posture to signal her absolute lack of prying intent.

Si Xiaoxiao grumbled, “I really hate smart people like you. You guess immediately that this is a punishment.”

The corner of Li Ting’s mouth curved up almost imperceptibly, but her voice was serious as she countered, “Isn’t it good to work with a smart person? It increases efficiency.”

“No, it’s not. I’m afraid I’ll be sold and then have to help you count the money,” Si Xiaoxiao immediately retorted, with a hint of petulant annoyance.

The warm orange glow of the wall lamp fell upon Li Ting’s tightly closed eyelids, rendering the room intimate and private.

The hotel suite was silent, save for the low hum of the central air conditioning. In this unprecedented stillness, a feeling of tension spread between the two of them.

The pain in her feet intensified, a sharp, piercing ache as if stabbed repeatedly by needles.

Li Ting guessed that this must be the shared sensation punishment the system mentioned. That meant Si Xiaoxiao’s heart rate was currently at least $120$ bpm.

This realization made her even more curious about what Si Xiaoxiao planned to do next.

Fortunately, it hasn’t exceeded 150. Right now, it’s just sharing the pain. If I could hear her thoughts, that would really be crossing a line.

Just as her mind began to wander, a piece of soft fabric—damp, still warm, and utterly unexpected—was draped over her head.

Huh?

Li Ting paused slightly.

The fabric blocked out most of the light but infinitely amplified her other senses. It carried the familiar sweet scent of shower gel, mixed more intensely with a unique… warm fragrance, seemingly fused with Si Xiaoxiao’s body heat. It permeated her nostrils, forcefully wrapping around her senses.

It smells like… a bath towel?!

“Absolutely, absolutely, do not open your eyes!” Si Xiaoxiao’s voice sounded again, more urgent and sharper than before, even cracking with a nervous tremble.

(It’s cold… this air…)

Si Xiaoxiao’s thoughts intruded into Li Ting’s mind again, carrying a near-tangible sense of shyness and panic. The end of her inner monologue even had a slight quaver.

Li Ting’s fingers, resting on her knees, curled in slightly. I can hear her thoughts, which means her heart rate hit $150$…

The sound of rustling fabric became clearer in the silence, and even more… undeniable.

Is that the soft fabric being picked up and put down, or… is it the subtle rush of air caused by skin, exposed to the cool air, tightening slightly from nervousness?

Under the dim, warm light, Li Ting’s imagination spun wildly.

(I have to put my clothes on before Li Ting opens her eyes…)

Si Xiaoxiao’s inner thought confirmed that Li Ting’s more fanciful imaginings were likely accurate.

Perhaps Si Xiaoxiao’s current embarrassment was contagious, causing Li Ting’s throat to also feel dry. “So, your task is…”

“You take the bath towel and wrap yourself in it to sleep,” Si Xiaoxiao the Great issued her latest command.

(The buttons… why can’t I button them up? So annoying! Hurry up…)

The inner thoughts were accompanied by the rustle of clothes and an extremely light, anxious gasp.

“Your punishment is to make me wear… your personal…” Li Ting found it hard to finish her guess.

The air seemed to solidify, becoming thin and viscous.

Si Xiaoxiao’s breathing was clearly audible, with subtle tremors and undisguised urgency. Her warm breath seemed to float vaguely over the strands of hair on Li Ting’s forehead, which was covered by the towel.

“Yes, I have to give you a personal item that I am currently wearing.” Her voice carried a hint of self-abandoned irritability. “I only remembered this punishment after you mentioned it…”

Li Ting was a little surprised. Does the system seem to enjoy harassing Si Xiaoxiao?

Whether it’s the role it gave her or the punishments, why are they all this type?

Perhaps Li Ting’s silence was misunderstood by Si Xiaoxiao. She quickly added in a muffled voice, “I can show you my latest health check-up…”

“?” What does a physical examination have to do with this?

“I’m very clean…”

Her voice held a maiden’s shyness. Even the dazzling and assertive big star had a side that feared being looked down upon.

Li Ting was speechless. She felt that discussing personal items was genuinely too awkward. Clutching the bath towel tightly, she chose to reply, “I will cooperate with your punishment.”

“Okay… Done!” Si Xiaoxiao’s voice held an obvious tremor and a sigh of relief. She must never have experienced such a humiliating situation. “You… you can open your eyes now!”

Li Ting slowly, deeply inhaled, before slowly raising her hand to gently pull down the bath towel covering her head.

The warm orange light re-entered her vision, a little dazzling.

She took a moment to adjust to the light, but despite consciously trying to control herself, her eyes immediately darted towards Si Xiaoxiao, who was a few steps away.

Si Xiaoxiao had already slipped into a large white T-shirt. The length barely reached mid-thigh, exposing her two straight, long legs. Her wet, long hair was draped over her shoulders, the tips still dripping and wetting a small dark patch around the shoulder blades of the T-shirt. Her exposed ears were so red they looked ready to bleed.

Li Ting’s fingertips unconsciously rubbed the delicate nap of the bath towel. Her voice husky, she asked, “How long do I need to wear it? Does it also have to be close to my skin?”

No matter how awkward, it was better to clarify the requirements.

“Close to your skin, and the longer the better,” Si Xiaoxiao replied, clearly unwilling to elaborate on such a question.

Li Ting nodded and, with an almost elegant sense of ceremony, slowly and carefully folded the white bath towel, which still retained moisture and body temperature.

“Okay, I will keep it close to me.”

She paused, and a very faint, almost imperceptible hint of mischief finally flashed across her eyes.

Si Xiaoxiao felt a rush of scalding blood shoot from her soles straight up to her head. Her entire face instantly flushed red enough to drip blood. To divert the topic, she chose to ask Li Ting, “What was the system’s punishment for you?”

She didn’t expect to hit another minefield.

If this easily angered little lion knew that she had heard her thoughts…

But if she didn’t tell her, it felt a little…

“When your heart rate reaches $120$ bpm, I will have shared sensations with you…” Li Ting began.

Before she could finish, Si Xiaoxiao immediately bristled, “I knew it!! I knew your punishment would be connected to me! This system is awful!!”

After her outburst, she immediately asked, “What does ‘shared sensations’ mean?”

Li Ting gave an example: “For instance, if your foot hurts, I will also feel the pain.”

As soon as she finished speaking, Si Xiaoxiao immediately bent down and curiously pressed her ankle. “How is it? Does it hurt?”

Li Ting was speechless. “Are you an idiot? The precondition is above $120$ bpm. Doing that will only hurt you.”

Si Xiaoxiao blinked, then put down a harsh threat: “Oh, well then I’ll keep doing squats to keep my heart rate above $120$ so you’ll be in so much pain tonight you won’t be able to stand it.”

Li Ting maintained her composure, completely unbothered by the threat. “Won’t you sleep?”

“…” Si Xiaoxiao was hit by the counter-argument, and she snapped in embarrassment, “Why is your punishment so simple and mine so difficult? Go away!”

There’s an even harder part for you, though.

Li Ting felt that listening to someone’s inner thoughts was indeed unethical. “Actually, there’s also when the heart rate reaches $150$…”

“Heart rate $150$?” Si Xiaoxiao dismissed it. “If your heart rate reaches $150$, you’re halfway to dead! I’m so emotionally stable; I won’t give you a chance to receive the second-stage punishment!”

No… you actually reached that heart rate just now…

Just as Li Ting was about to explain, Si Xiaoxiao’s phone rang at the opportune moment.

The director’s anxious voice came through the phone: “Teacher Xiaoxiao, do you have Teacher Li Ting’s number? We can’t reach her!”

Li Ting, sitting next to Si Xiaoxiao, calmly whispered, “I didn’t bring my phone.”

So Si Xiaoxiao relayed the message directly: “She said she didn’t bring her phone.”

“She said?” The director hesitated.

“She’s in my room,” Si Xiaoxiao said plainly, completely unconcerned about how suggestive her answer was.

“Oh, oh, oh, so Teacher Xiaoxiao and Teacher Li Ting have such a good private relationship!” The director, who was clearly putting things together in his head, said, “I hope I’m not interrupting anything?”

“? Interrupting what?” A question mark popped up in Si Xiaoxiao’s mind.

“Oh, nothing, it’s just that we’ve revised tomorrow’s script. We were wondering if the two of you have time later to go over it.”

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