Joining A Dating Show With Five Exes - Chapter 29

Chapter 29: Run Faster. Don’t Let Me Catch You

When (Cheng Shiyuan) unwrapped the paint-stained, layered gauze, she was prepared to see the mottled wounds again.

But to her surprise.

The hideous, jagged wounds were mostly healed, with tender new flesh already grown.

…Had this medicine always been this effective?

Under the light, Cheng Shiyuan couldn’t help but lean in to observe.

Her warm, moist breath fell on the wound. Xia Zhiran maintained an indifferent look on her face, but in her heart, she couldn’t help but sneer.

She didn’t expect Cheng Shiyuan to be so eager to show concern for her injury.

Hmph, she could satisfy her even while wearing gauze.

Maybe the gauze offered a different kind of sensation. After all, it was rough; rubbing against tender flesh should create a unique feeling, right?

She slowly licked her lips.

“Are you still hurting?” Just as expected, the person sitting on the chair, cradling her wrist, looked up hesitantly.

Xia Zhiran, whose figure could almost completely overshadow her when standing, immediately raised her chin: “Of course it doesn’t hurt. It’s just a minor injury.”

What new trick did she want to play?

Even if she wanted to apply the medicine on her body, letting her injured palm self-medicate, she would accept it—

After all, she wasn’t some old fogey.

Xia Zhiran swallowed again.

The burning desire in her phoenix eyes was practically setting the air in the room on fire.

Cheng Shiyuan slowly said, “Oh,” keeping her in suspense. Finally, just as Xia Zhiran was about to urge her, she leisurely reached for the medicine bottle on the table.

The next second.

Crack.

Xia Zhiran watched in stunned silence as Cheng Shiyuan grabbed an utility knife and swiftly pushed out a few sections of the sharp blade.

Before she could process when Cheng Shiyuan had developed such a taste for blood, the blade turned, and in a flash, it sliced through the pale skin on the back of her own hand.

A dazzling, scarlet bead of blood instantly welled up and dripped, sliding down the back of Cheng Shiyuan’s hand with a drip.

Xia Zhiran instinctively flew into a rage: “Hey!”

Her nerves stimulated by the sight of blood, she instinctively grabbed Cheng Shiyuan’s hand, trying futilely to catch the precious falling blood, even reflexively wanting to block the wound with her lips.

Until Cheng Shiyuan quickly picked up a cotton swab soaked in medicine from the bottle and touched it to the wound.

Xia Zhiran’s lips nearly kissed the medicine on the cotton swab!

Her eyelid twitched violently, and the force with which she gripped the wrist trembled heavily:

“Cheng Shiyuan, are you out of your mind?! Do the job or don’t! Did you grow a mouth just for decoration? Can’t you just say what you want? My hands are crippled like this, what the hell can I even do to you?”

“Do you need to self-mutilate here to declare your intentions?! Should I build you a Chastity Arch?”

She was furious, anxious, and enraged!

Her bad premonition had come true. Although her rational mind had long known that Cheng Shiyuan entering this room didn’t mean she would allow any substantial relationship to occur between them.

But watching the other party be so unwilling, Xia Zhiran still felt awful. That cut wasn’t on Cheng Shiyuan’s hand; it was clearly stabbed directly into Xia Zhiran’s heart.

She admitted.

Her fetishes were a bit peculiar.

But when had she ever truly forced Cheng Shiyuan from past to present?

Even for a special play in the haunted house, the Great Miss Cheng had to graciously cooperate and proactively offer her noble butt.

Even without the injury, Xia Zhiran wasn’t a robust athlete, nor did she have the ability to easily subdue someone of the same sex. Now, with these two hands, she was practically useless—like a eunuch.

Xia Zhiran had always known that this grand lady had soft, delicate skin, disliked pain, and seemed to cherish her life more than anyone recently. So what did this stunt in front of her mean? What else could it mean?

—Cheng Shiyuan hated her this much, didn’t she?!

Watching Xia Zhiran’s lips tremble with anger, her words spewed out like a machine gun, leaving no room for a breath.

Cheng Shiyuan showed a look of bewilderment, wanting to say something, yet nothing seemed appropriate.

She could only laugh helplessly, listening to all those chaotic words.

She just found it strange. Strange timing for the appearance of this medicine. Perhaps she was being influenced by Shen Lingxi’s behavior, making her paranoid. Or perhaps she wanted to be extra cautious.

Before she cut herself, she had deliberately considered it. Her fingertips were more sensitive, and an injury there would affect her work.

She also knew the utility knife was sharp, so she controlled her strength to be very light. This was, at most, a superficial cut.

Seeing Xia Zhiran, who hadn’t batted an eye when she saved her in the haunted house, getting her hand split open by the axe and getting wood splinters embedded in her skin, now making such a fuss over her minor injury.

Cheng Shiyuan blinked. She found her nervous, incoherent state somewhat amusing.

So she parted her lips.

Before she could utter a single word, her hand, whose bleeding had already stopped, was swiftly wrapped in gauze with three quick motions.

“Shut up!”

Xia Zhiran’s liver hurt from the anger. After confirming that the bandage was neither too loose nor too tight, she pointed to the door: “Get out! Do you think I’m very interested in you? Get out right now.”

But just as Cheng Shiyuan turned around, Xia Zhiran seemed to remember something and threw the utility knife out of the room with a crisp clatter.

Then, like a puffy, disgruntled minivan, she rampaged through the room, checking the cabinets and even the bathroom, making sure there were no other weapons in the room that Cheng Shiyuan could use to “declare her intentions and protect her chastity.”

She then stormed out herself, slamming the door shut with a thunderous sound.

Through the door, Cheng Shiyuan could still hear her calling Wang Shu: “Come over! Help me change my dressing. When you leave, take all the knives in this villa to your room.”

Cheng Shiyuan tilted her head, staring at the door for a while.

Belatedly reviewing all of Xia Zhiran’s angry words, she slowly stuck out her tongue into the air, playfully replying in a voice only she could hear:

“…I never said I didn’t want to do it?”

But seeing that Xia Zhiran didn’t seem to be coming back and was going to swap sleeping places with her tonight.

Cheng Shiyuan didn’t mind. She simply relaxed her limbs and fell backward onto her bed, her gaze sweeping over the room’s decor. It looked like it could be a sample room for a designer.

The chair resembled a flamingo. The bedding and rug designs were bold and passionate. Even the marble used for the small desk looked like a cross-section of a late spring garden transitioning into early summer.

In this room enveloped in a summer ambiance, she saw the most prominent item: the skincare set displayed on the dressing table.

Chanel’s Camellia series.

It wasn’t even the brand’s most expensive series, yet in the design composition of this room, it became the most eye-catching focal point.

Next to it was a clear vase, holding a beautiful, dried red camellia flower.

It was the one Cheng Shiyuan had casually picked up from the ground and tossed at her during their date at the art museum last time.

She looked at the dried flower and unknowingly drifted off to sleep, dreaming of the scent of camellias for several nights in a row.

…

“Snap out of it~”

Su Huai’s voice rang in her ear. Puzzled, she followed Cheng Shiyuan’s gaze to the dressing table, but found nothing special besides the makeup artist’s kit.

“What are you staring at? Which brand of product do you like?”

When Cheng Shiyuan clung to her arm, complaining that she was easily distracted because her work schedule had been too full lately, Su Huai couldn’t help but laugh.

She pointed to the pile of extravagant gift boxes nearby: “Look, was I the one who scheduled this itinerary today? My little ancestor, didn’t you decide to go back to the Cheng family to celebrate your cousin’s birthday yourself? See? Plenty of people care about your personal schedule—”

Su Huai first unfolded a custom-made evening gown: “This haute couture brand loves to invest in promising models. I bet this dress was sent by that mixed-race child?”

“Wow, this Hermès global limited edition bag. I heard it’s slightly easier to get outside of the country than inside. That must be from the Xia family, right?”

Next, she shook out an expensive Loro Piana cashmere shawl: “So thoughtful. Knowing you might get cold wearing an evening gown tonight. This is the type that is quietly considerate. Xie Zhiqing sent this, right?”

She clicked her tongue in admiration.

Finally, she looked at the long dress Cheng Shiyuan was wearing, which she had personally chosen and which was from her endorsed brand.

Her eyes were filled with gossip as she asked, “You’re not choosing the dress the kid sent, so what about accessories? The bag? Are you going to pick one?”

She was very curious about who Cheng Shiyuan would choose tonight.

But her little ancestor just shook her head casually.

Cheng Shiyuan wasn’t one of those socialite ladies who liked to carry bags while having afternoon tea. She wasn’t the protagonist of the Cheng family’s banquet tonight. She just needed a corner to play on her phone and eat and drink. Why would she need a troublesome bag?

The shawl was the same—too much trouble.

Su Huai asked again, “Then what about jewelry? You have to choose something, right? Otherwise, if one photo leaks tomorrow, people will scrutinize you with a magnifying glass, saying your fashion resources are poor, you’ve fallen to the eighteenth tier, you’re washed up…”

Cheng Shiyuan covered her ears, begging her not to lecture her.

…

The two were still laughing and joking when several men in suits suddenly barged in.

“Miss Cheng, this is a small token of appreciation from our boss.”

As the leader spoke, the followers, without allowing refusal, pushed several layered boxes with combination locks toward her. They even fiercely glared, driving her assistant and makeup team members who were not essential personnel out of the room.

“Apologies. Because this jewelry set is too valuable, it must be personally fitted by me to prevent any accidents.”

As he spoke.

The unique brilliance of expensive gems already glittered throughout the room.

Beautiful rubies, like pigeon’s blood, were individually guarded by shimmering diamonds, forming an expensive necklace like a wreath.

Even just looking at the matching bracelet and earrings, one would be drawn to their overly dazzling, flame-like cut facets.

Cheng Shiyuan heard Su Huai’s quiet gasp: “Isn’t this the set from the Christie’s auction last month that sold for two hundred million, the jewelry from a foreign royal family? It uses top-grade unheated pigeon blood Burmese rubies and diamonds?”

It was a mouthful, but Su Huai somehow remembered it.

Cheng Shiyuan squinted against the light of the necklace.

When the leader carefully put on black gloves and politely bowed to her.

She suddenly spoke her refusal:

“I’m sorry, it’s too expensive. I’m afraid of losing it, so I won’t wear it.”

Hearing her refusal, the head bodyguard wasn’t surprised. It was as if he had already been given instructions related to this answer. He smiled professionally, keeping his gaze only on the hem of her dress as he replied:

“The boss said it doesn’t matter if you lose it. If you like it, you can break the gems off and throw them around for fun.”

Before Cheng Shiyuan could speak again, he preemptively answered for her.

“If you don’t like this color, we have also prepared three other styles: emerald, yellow sapphire, and pink sapphire.”

Cheng Shiyuan let out a silent “Ha.”

She remembered when she used to deliberately annoy Xie Zhiqing by saying she was a control freak, acting as if she would even arrange what Cheng Shiyuan ate and wore—

But Cheng Shiyuan had always known that the person who truly loved to do this to her was not Xie Zhiqing.

Because ever since that date that ended prematurely, Xie Zhiqing had quietly removed those bodyguards.

Only one person would brazenly display this possessive control over her, despite knowing she hated it.

Cheng Shiyuan smiled, answering deliberately:

“It’s not that I don’t like the color; I don’t like the person who sent the gift. Did you understand that?”

“Please relay that sentence to your boss exactly as I said it. Then, take your people and your things, and get out of my room.”

The bodyguards exchanged glances for a moment.

It wasn’t until a new instruction was faintly heard through their earpieces that they dared to retreat like a flowing stream, just as they had arrived.

Su Huai was strangely intimidated by their presence. After a long time, she finally wanted to ask Cheng Shiyuan who this powerful figure was.

But seeing Cheng Shiyuan in a bad mood, with her brows lowered, she instinctively tried to soothe her: “Alright, no matter which nouveau riche is showing off, you haven’t finished your makeup. Don’t let yourself get upset.”

Someone quietly approached, saying the bodyguards’ rough movements had knocked over the setting spray for the lipstick, and asked if Cheng Shiyuan would mind using the one she carried.

The woman sitting in front of the mirror, like a porcelain doll, nodded casually.

Once the lip glaze’s setting film was applied, Cheng Shiyuan seemed to suddenly find a suitable item. She pointed to a pearl necklace on the corner of the table, “I’ll wear this tonight. It’s one of my endorsements too.”

Su Huai, however, looked indignant: “This brand is so insincere. The size they sent doesn’t even fit; it’s so long. We’re not renewing the contract when it expires next year!”

Why should such a disrespectful brand be favored by an angel like Cheng Shiyuan, who always took care of her partners by specifically wearing their products to events, even going out of her way to promote the endorsement in every shot?

Cheng Shiyuan gestured with her hands, “It’s so long, it’s perfect for altering. I can change it into a necklace and a bracelet, and the extra can even be stuck onto a hairpin to make a headpiece. It really matches my dress tonight.”

Su Huai, who was dubbed the “Top 1 Bottomless-Line Manager Who Dotes on Her Star in the Entertainment Industry,” was defeated by her adorable tactic once again.

…

By the time Cheng Shiyuan finished her styling and appeared at the banquet hall, there was still plenty of time before the main character, Ji Sheng, made her entrance.

But someone was already glued to her side, not budging—

Watching her third attempt to scoop up a small cake get bitten by another person’s mouth.

Cheng Shiyuan, who had consecutively lost her fruit, drink, and now her cake, looked at Chen Chuxing with a subtle expression.

“Big Sister, are you really hungry?”

Although a high-society banquet like the Cheng family’s usually prioritized privacy and wouldn’t easily let reporters in to take pictures, Cheng Shiyuan was still worried that Chen Chuxing’s public image in the circle would take a turn for the worse tomorrow, which wouldn’t be good for an actress.

Chen Chuxing licked the cream off the corner of her lips.

She looked at the small amount remaining on Cheng Shiyuan’s fork, her face showing a hint of shyness.

Several people nearby had already noticed their interaction. Although many knew Cheng Shiyuan’s sexual orientation, it was still hard to distinguish whether Chen Chuxing and she were just close friends or if there was a special relationship.

Chen Chuxing made no effort to avoid suspicion. She leaned close to Cheng Shiyuan’s ear and whispered, “I like it when Shi Yuan feeds me. It tastes the best.”

Safe.

This small cake was safe, too.

Chen Chuxing, having been to numerous events, could actually taste the flavor of certain special additives.

This was something Shen Lingxi had specially trained her for. She had even developed antibodies to some anesthetics and sedatives, which meant that when she was injured on set, she could only process the wound while completely conscious.

But conversely, she could tell if those things, which were supposed to be colorless and tasteless, had been added to food or drinks with just one taste.

Her eyes, full of affection, looked at Cheng Shiyuan: “Does Shi Yuan dislike Big Sister? You don’t want to share food with me, do you?”

Cheng Shiyuan used to love this occasional clinginess of hers.

Although she was the older one, Chen Chuxing was actually the more clingy one. However, due to her public image at many events, she couldn’t let loose and only dared to assert her claim secretly.

She didn’t expect her to be so unrestrained even on the Cheng family’s territory now.

Cheng Shiyuan was starting to look forward to seeing the faces of those old-fashioned people who had opposed them before, when they saw this scene.

Although she knew Chen Chuxing’s behavior was more like testing for poison for her, Cheng Shiyuan didn’t expose her. Instead, she leaned lazily back in the lounge chair, tilting her head to look at her, “Then why don’t Big Sister go get some fresh food? I’ll wait for you here.”

Chen Chuxing spent a long time in the serving area.

She deliberately chose desserts that others had already picked from and took the same ordinary drinking water as everyone else. She even randomly selected from the fruit platter.

The entire time she returned, she steadily avoided everyone, wanting to keep at least ten meters away from the Cheng family’s waiters.

Even after sitting down beside Cheng Shiyuan, she was still cautious, having to poke and taste a little of everything before smiling and feeding it to her:

“This one tastes quite good. Want to try it?”

Cheng Shiyuan opened her mouth to take a bite of the cake, but her gaze was fixed on Chen Chuxing.

Perhaps her mood had been negatively affected by that terribly wicked person in the room earlier, but now, even Chen Chuxing’s nervous possessiveness felt charming.

As she stared for a long time, licking the cream, she felt a surge of heat in her lower abdomen.

Her throat became unconsciously dry.

Cheng Shiyuan instinctively reached for the cool water beside her to cool herself down.

Although she was wearing safety shorts under her long dress, she actually really disliked that kind of underwear.

It would constrict too tightly.

Once her underwear became damp, the cold feeling would press against her skin, becoming particularly noticeable and making walking uncomfortable.

But she didn’t know if Chen Chuxing was exceptionally attractive to her tonight, because the more she drank this water, the thirstier she became.

It was like swallowing fire down her throat.

“…Shi Yuan?”

Chen Chuxing keenly noticed that her gaze was starting to look hazy.

Cheng Shiyuan’s first instinct was to suspect that Chen Chuxing was self-sabotaging, planning to repeat the trick she pulled backstage at the concert last time.

But her mind only felt like it was stuffed with cotton. Everything was still incredibly clear, clear enough for her to rationally and calmly judge the thread of confusion in Chen Chuxing’s eyes.

—It wasn’t Chen Chuxing.

Then who was it?

Almost the moment the question arose, the image of those glittering, rejected pieces of jewelry appeared in her mind.

Who hated rejection the most? Who would immediately think of retaliating in this way? Who liked to make her weak and helpless, only to appear when she was most afraid?

But when exactly did it happen? Did she have to guess again?

Cheng Shiyuan raised her hand to cover her eyes, curling her lip in mockery.

In front of her, Chen Chuxing seemed to have noticed her abnormality, looking surprised and uncertain, wanting to check on her.

“Miss Chen.”

The protagonist, Ji Sheng, who had appeared fashionably late, was suddenly here.

After assessing Cheng Shiyuan, who was pretending to rest her eyes again, she looked back at Chen Chuxing.

She had also seen her “ally’s” vigilant, near-poison-testing behavior just now. For a moment, Ji Sheng suspected she might be trying to betray their alliance, but she quickly figured that perhaps she was trying to disarm Cheng Shiyuan’s guard in this manner before setting her up.

Ji Sheng, who disliked interfering with her subordinates’ actions, could only sound a little impatient:

“A few of my elders want to meet you. Come with me.”

Cheng Shiyuan heard her words clearly, even with her eyes closed.

Strange. Ever since she announced giving up the heir position, these old men had adopted a take-it-or-leave-it attitude toward her, wishing they would never see a degenerate actress like her at home again in this lifetime.

Why did they suddenly have the leisure to see Chen Chuxing today?

Before she could fully think through the question.

Chen Chuxing, sitting nearby, thought of someone and her face suddenly turned pale.

She parted her lips, wanting to refuse, but Ji Sheng completely lost her patience:

“Hurry up.”

“Why are you dawdling? It’s an honor that my maternal grandparents and the others are willing to meet you. You know that the small studio under our group recently invested in some successful film projects, right? Don’t be ungrateful.”

Ji Sheng unilaterally thought that she had just spoken too highly of her ‘ally.’

She had only wanted to stop the old men from making trouble for her person, but it seemed her words carried too much weight.

Tsk, she was really giving her too much credit.

Chen Chuxing didn’t see the myriad emotions flickering in Ji Sheng’s eyes. She just sensibly thought, the Cheng family’s studio mostly invested in animated films. What good projects could there be for her?

She calmly tried to answer, but her phone rang at that moment.

With just a glance at the caller ID.

Chen Chuxing suddenly gripped the screen and rose with lightning speed: “Let’s go.”

She turned back uneasily, wanting to say something, but the person with closed eyes seemed to know when she was looking. She opened her eyes with a faint smile, glancing at her:

“Big Sister, go ahead and deal with your business. I’m not a child anymore. Do I really need someone to look after me in my own home?”

Her eyes, hazy with moisture, looked like they were damp.

The corners of her eyes were subtly starting to turn pink.

Even the joints of her fingers showed a slight pinkness.

Chen Chuxing only needed one look to know that Cheng Shiyuan had been affected right under her nose—

Why? When exactly did this happen?!

She was utterly horrified, feeling like her windpipe couldn’t take in fresh air. That feeling of being more helpless the harder she tried washed over her.

Just then.

Her phone rang again. She instinctively put it to her ear to answer.

That inorganic voice chuckled:

“You really are disobedient, Chuxing.”

“Since that’s the case, you should struggle hard—”

“Work hard, okay? Work hard to take her and run away from right under my nose. Run faster. Don’t let me catch you.”