The Second Fall - Chapter 42

Chapter 42: The Consequences of Disobeying the Mistress

It was as if Rong Yushu’s tears had splashed directly onto Lan Cixing’s face. They scorched her, making her entire face burn hot.

Lan Cixing’s mind raced along with the heat; for a moment, she couldn’t even process Rong Yushu’s words. Did she want her to chase after her to the filming location? Or when she had turned away earlier, had Rong Yushu actually been waiting for her to look back?

Whichever it was, it was completely different from what Lan Cixing had imagined. She had thought Rong Yushu truly didn’t want her anymore. After all, her “next option” was already lined up. Yu Mingsong was a top-tier Alpha—wealthy, powerful, and a double-award winner right from her debut.

Even though Yu Mingsong had shifted her focus to her company in recent years and hadn’t completed her Grand Slam, her acting was universally acclaimed. Moreover, regarding pheromones, the gap between a Top-tier and an S-class was roughly as vast as the gap between an S-class and a D-class. Some Top-tiers, like Rong Yushu, were likely only categorized as such because “Top-tier” was the ceiling of the testing system.

Lan Cixing had not yet touched that ceiling; she was merely an S-class. Furthermore, Lan Cixing knew about Yu Mingsong’s public pursuit of Rong Yushu. She had been out of the industry then, but she still secretly followed Rong Yushu’s fan pages and happened upon Yu Mingsong’s interview videos. The bitterness she felt then was tinged with melancholy, but now, it was far more intense.

Lan Cixing’s mouth trembled as she finally managed to ask: “You… didn’t you say you didn’t need me anymore?” She wanted to confirm Rong Yushu’s meaning and her… feelings.

Rong Yushu’s current attitude was too strange. It didn’t match her usual “playing with the world” persona. She was so urgent that Lan Cixing doubted the reality of her own perceptions.

“And you have the nerve to say you know me? You couldn’t tell I was speaking out of anger?” Rong Yushu bit her lip, her voice thick with tears that fell like individual pearls.

The crying of a wealthy heiress truly looked like falling pearls; the descriptions in fairy tales weren’t exaggerations. Some people even looked beautiful when they cried. The tears welling from her eyes were round, full, and shimmering. Her face was flushed, but not a deep crimson—it was a soft pink that, against the texture of her skin, made her look like a vessel of smooth pink porcelain.

Lan Cixing was dazed by the sight and stunned by the words. She truly hadn’t sensed that Rong Yushu was being sarcastic this morning. Had Yu Mingsong’s presence blinded her senses?

“You know enough to leave supplies on the road to make peace, but you don’t know to wait for me at the finish line? With such a large tent, why didn’t you just lie down inside? Do you think I’m lacking those supplies?”

Seeing Lan Cixing’s blank expression made Rong Yushu angry. She reached out to pinch Lan Cixing’s face, determined to make her just as red as herself. The moment her fingertips touched Lan Cixing, that patch of skin turned red. Lan Cixing’s body temperature was high, and the heat traveled through Rong Yushu’s nails into her heart, making her miss her even more.

“But it was desert island survival… the path was difficult, full of obstacles, and lacked the things you need. I… I was just afraid something would happen to you…”

Lan Cixing hadn’t intended to use the supplies to “make peace.” She did everything out of instinct. Regardless of whether Rong Yushu was angry or cast her aside, she would have done it. She had long accepted that she was merely the shadow on the back of Rong Yushu’s brilliance. Being her knight wasn’t a bad deal. Or rather, her bodyguard. Lan Cixing occasionally mocked herself for being delusional, always trying to glorify her role. She was a bodyguard; that was the reality of her status.

During this moment of self-deprecation, Rong Yushu’s gaze trembled again with reproach and bashfulness. She blinked away another pearl-like tear and pressed Lan Cixing down, biting hard into the lips that didn’t know how to speak.

Lan Cixing fell to the floor but felt no pain. Her senses were concentrated entirely on her lips. They were being bitten, perhaps even bleeding. But in her daze, Lan Cixing felt it was a kiss.

Rong Yushu’s tears dripped onto her face. The pearls turned to liquid fire, making Lan Cixing shiver. She was held so tightly by Rong Yushu that she couldn’t even finish her tremor. But amidst this frantic biting and pink tears, Lan Cixing thought: Perhaps this imprisonment is actually an embrace.

Now she had received Rong Yushu’s kiss. Rong Yushu really had been speaking out of anger this morning.

Lan Cixing tentatively tried to respond. Her tongue brushed against the peak of Rong Yushu’s lips. Rong Yushu had a lovely lip shape, with a full, tempting labial tubercle in the center. Lan Cixing used to love sucking on that spot. When she touched it now, Rong Yushu gave a sudden shiver. The tearing and biting stopped for a moment, and Lan Cixing boldly took the lead, kissing Rong Yushu’s lips open.

Rong Yushu lost her strength and didn’t stop her. She simply slumped into Lan Cixing’s arms, trembling as she gripped her collar. She was over-stimulated, her body out of control. It was a bitter kiss, but fortunately, it was very soft. Tears hit Lan Cixing’s face intermittently, as if she were simultaneously kissing her eyelids and cheeks.

Rong Yushu’s waist truly went soft from the kiss. When she pulled back for air, she leaned weakly against Lan Cixing. Lan Cixing remained silent, waiting for her to recover, thinking it would end here.

“Can you… can you understand what it is I actually want?” Rong Yushu’s breathing was still ragged. The rise and fall of her chest pressed against Lan Cixing. Given Rong Yushu’s personality, such a sentence was a clear hint.

Lan Cixing’s heart skipped a beat. She didn’t dare confirm her suspicion; her eyes widened, looking almost terrified. Rong Yushu exhaled and pinched her neck, kissing her again. This time, she gave her no chance to resist, suppressing her completely and turning the kiss into a punishment. They kissed for a long time, only stopping when Lan Cixing’s lip was truly bitten through.

The two were now lying on the floor, huddled together. Lan Cixing was careful not to let Rong Yushu touch the cold floor, willingly acting as her mat. Rong Yushu’s waist was firmly held by her; she gripped Lan Cixing’s neck and began to whimper unconsciously. Lan Cixing went soft as well, wishing she could kiss Rong Yushu’s forehead and clear away the stray hairs stuck there by sweat and tears. In the end, she didn’t dare move recklessly.

“I’ll help you apply the medicine, Teacher Rong.” Lan Cixing hadn’t forgotten Rong Yushu’s order from the morning. Just as she placed Rong Yushu on the sofa and knelt with the ointment, her bowtie was yanked. She was forced to stand in a very awkward, half-leaning position in front of Rong Yushu.

“I cut myself; don’t I know the state of the wound? The bleeding stopped long ago. I don’t want to hear about that.”

Rong Yushu wanted apologies, she wanted to be held, she wanted kisses, embraces, and even transgressive intimacy—but she did not want Lan Cixing’s overly gentle concern. It was as if she hadn’t just bullied the person.

Lan Cixing had defined muscle lines and sharp features, and with her red hair, she looked full of aggression. Only Rong Yushu would find her soft and gentle, like a big fluffy dog. She was as stoic as wood, capable of being carved or molded at will. No matter how she was bullied, she remained soft, kneeling to apply medicine even after being bitten for no reason.

“But, I don’t want to see you in pain.” Lan Cixing especially didn’t want Rong Yushu to have a scar. Only she had seen Rong Yushu’s perfect body. It was a sculpture; even the smooth texture of the skin was identical to one. A scar would be a tragedy.

Rong Yushu met Lan Cixing’s eyes. The heartache was so obvious that even Rong Yushu didn’t dare believe it. She raised her hand, and Lan Cixing simply closed her eyes. When she opened them again, they still held a loyal shimmer.

Rong Yushu let go, ceasing her testing. Lan Cixing knelt back down and carefully cleaned the wound. In the quiet atmosphere, she finally spoke to defend herself.

“I just didn’t dare to guess your meaning. I didn’t dare confirm if you were angry or serious.” Lan Cixing thought that she wasn’t so dense that she couldn’t tell Rong Yushu was mad. Perhaps she was playing dumb on purpose, or perhaps she was angry herself. But in the end, she couldn’t stand seeing Rong Yushu mess herself up just to “punish” her.

Lan Cixing admitted this punishment was effective. She really wouldn’t dare run off again. Truly, the consequences of disobeying the Mistress were severe.

“What if I guessed wrong, shamelessly hovered near you, and ended up making you hate me instead?” Lan Cixing finished applying the medicine and stayed in her lowly position, looking up at Rong Yushu. Her grey-blue eyes still shone with a clear light. She looked at Rong Yushu with such persistence that Rong Yushu almost didn’t dare meet her gaze. It felt as though she could see the hidden debt and grievance there.

Lan Cixing’s words were solemn: “I don’t want you to hate me. I never have.” Not even four years ago. The thing that truly broke Lan Cixing back then wasn’t the media; it was Rong Yushu’s cold gaze.

Rong Yushu, caught in Lan Cixing’s eyes, stopped dodging. After her emotions settled, her eyes became empty and emotionless, yet solemn. She became serious too. She spoke without a hint of mockery or laziness. Lan Cixing knew this was the real her, so she sat up straighter to listen.

“I want you to stay with me.” Whether it was on a show or going home. By hiring Lan Cixing as a personal bodyguard, Rong Yushu never had any other purpose. “I want you.” She had said enough; she shouldn’t have uttered that sentence. But instinct spoke for her.

Rong Yushu pinched her own palm, cutting off further words in their gaze. She was afraid she would be too blunt and scare Lan Cixing. She was afraid Lan Cixing still loathed or hated her, and that hearing her heart would awaken that hatred. She was afraid Lan Cixing no longer held the same feelings, and knowing her thoughts would make her turn and leave as decisively as she had this morning.

They weren’t even allowed a mark. The outside world, the family… even instinct would stop them. The road to loving each other was more dangerous than a deserted island.

Rong Yushu suddenly flashed a fox-like smile, her fingertip brushing against her kneeling knight, rewarding her loyalty. She played with Lan Cixing’s lips, shattering the sincere atmosphere. Ambiguity was crushed by Rong Yushu’s own hand before it could take shape.

“There are so many people with hidden agendas on this show; how could you be so heartless as to leave me alone to deal with them?” Her tone was leisurely.

“…I couldn’t bear to.” Lan Cixing replied, cupping the hand that had landed on her chin and pressing against it. Even though Rong Yushu had interrupted the moment, Lan Cixing still vaguely felt that unusual emotion. It slowly overlapped with her own, yet both were hidden so deep. Lan Cixing couldn’t distinguish it anymore.

At this moment, she only wanted Rong Yushu to stay close to her and touch her face. Even if she held her chin and trained her like a dog, it didn’t matter.

“I did something wrong.” She admitted her mistake from the morning. She shouldn’t have had the thought of leaving Rong Yushu; even during filming, she had to stay by her side. She was a personal bodyguard, after all. Rong Yushu certainly had privileges. Being caught on camera didn’t matter anymore.

“Shouldn’t Teacher Rong punish me? What’s the point of messing with yourself? You even got hurt.” Thinking of Rong Yushu saying she “cut herself,” Lan Cixing felt a pang of heartache. It would be better to cut her. She had a high pain tolerance.

“…Silver-tongued.” Rong Yushu slapped her. Lan Cixing just sat there smiling like an idiot. Rong Yushu’s slaps never hurt.

“I’ll do whatever I want; you worry too much.” Rong Yushu refrained from kicking her, shook her off, and stood up to return to filming. As Lan Cixing followed her like a little tail, Rong Yushu lowered her head and quietly pursed her lips. She suppressed a faint smile, remembering when she saw no one in the tent. She had thought Lan Cixing would be there. She thought Lan Cixing would stay by her side no matter what. In the end, she was always so self-important.

When she discovered Lan Cixing truly wasn’t there, she lost her mind. She was chaotic yet burning; in that moment, she only wanted to see Lan Cixing. She probably even forgot the pain. Only now did her calf feel the faint burning sting of the medicine.

Perhaps… perhaps instinct knew. If she hurt herself, Lan Cixing would definitely care.

Rong Yushu turned back. The smile on her face was unconcealed—faint, yet most real. She beckoned Lan Cixing, who was two steps away. Sure enough, Lan Cixing quickened her pace and pressed into her palm.

This was her good, obedient dog. If she waved her hand, she would definitely come.

Using her injury as an excuse, Rong Yushu negotiated with the production crew, wanting to bring Lan Cixing along for the filming. “If I get hurt again, my sister will scold me when she sees it.” She even brought up her superstar sister.

Hearing the name Rong Jinhuai, the crew immediately allowed Lan Cixing to follow. If it didn’t fit the dating show requirements, so be it. The survival of the show was more important; after all, the Rong family’s investment was what allowed them to start. Everyone knew Rong Jinhuai protected her sister fiercely; any industry professional who dared to touch Rong Yushu was practically torn apart. There were even rumors that Rong Jinhuai remained unmarried at 35 specifically for Rong Yushu. In what way “for,” no one knew.

The crew cautiously sent off the “little ancestor.” Looking at the bodyguard behind her—who was ordinary but wrapped up tighter than a movie star—they didn’t dare say much. Only after the two left the studio did everyone breathe a sigh of relief.

“Don’t you guys think… that bodyguard looks familiar?” an assistant girl suddenly asked.

“Why are you thinking so much? Even if that bodyguard is Rong Yushu’s little lover, we have to treat her as a bodyguard.” The director smacked her head with a rolled-up script, preventing any further identity reveals.

Outside the studio, the host told Rong Yushu they had to redo the morning’s route. The crew had re-cleared the path, intending to make it difficult for her this time. With post-production editing, they would have a perfect first episode.

The crew had a good plan. However, Rong Yushu’s cold-faced bodyguard took one look at the map and simply picked Rong Yushu up in a princess carry. She walked and paused, having enough energy to pick edible fruit and mark the trail.

A drone tried to stop them, dropping a note to Lan Cixing saying this counted as cheating. Lan Cixing happened to be letting Rong Yushu rest while peeling fruit for her. She read the note and looked into the nearest camera.

“Her foot is injured; it’s inconvenient for her to walk. Besides, you’re the ones insisting she walk the route again.” The “injury” Lan Cixing spoke of was likely a scratch that would have healed if left alone for any longer. The director couldn’t argue and could only watch as Lan Cixing “cheated,” turning a survival show into a travel show. They had travel plans, but those were for Week 4!

Exhausted, the director decided to ignore the little ancestor and see how the other groups were doing. When the camera switched, the director was even more speechless. Out of 12 people in six groups, only one group besides the cheaters had reached the destination, and they hadn’t set up their tent. The other four groups were still lost.

Maybe I should just go back to filming Rong Yushu’s vacation. That gets ratings.

At the campsite, Yu Mingsong’s tent was finally set up. Seeing Rong Yushu arrive, she put on a warm face, but her words of concern died in her throat when she saw the bodyguard behind her.

Yu Mingsong froze. Her expression was captured perfectly by the drone; it was too late to fake it. She decided to roll with it—after all, the audience would likely think the same as her.

“Yushu, why did you bring a bodyguard along?” Yu Mingsong cast blatant hostility toward the Alpha who had dropped in out of nowhere.

Lan Cixing was negotiating with the drones behind them, telling them not to film her and to focus on the actual guests. She looked dull and wooden; Yu Mingsong was clearly disgusted.

“Survival alone is too hard; I just accidentally got hurt. I wanted to bring her; Songsong won’t mind, right?” Rong Yushu played the “green tea” role for once.

“I do mind,” Yu Mingsong said, refusing to play along and glaring at Lan Cixing instead. Lan Cixing didn’t give her a second glance, focusing on building a fire and processing drinking water for Rong Yushu.

“Nothing I can do. She insisted on following me, saying she was worried.” With a light remark, Rong Yushu shifted the blame to Lan Cixing.

Lan Cixing didn’t mind. She quickly made a simple water filter and set up the pot she had brought. She even produced a bag of rice and some potatoes.

“…Wait, she knows how to cook? No, she’s cooking here??” Yu Mingsong thought they were supposed to complete tasks to get ingredients. She had been on many variety shows, and that was always the process. Why wasn’t this bodyguard following the rules?

Yu Mingsong was dazed. Then again, she was a bodyguard, not an industry person; how would she know about “tasks”?

“Where did you find this bodyguard? She’s so versatile.” She could pitch tents, boil water, and cook. Yu Mingsong saw that they really were going to “survive” in the wild today.

Rong Yushu looked anything but serious, her fox-eyes arched. She had no intention of answering seriously. “Her? Picked her up from a special forces training camp. Reliable, isn’t she?”

Rong Yushu didn’t know Lan Cixing could do all this either. She just wanted to be close to her, not expecting Lan Cixing to take over her entire survival experience.

“…” Yu Mingsong was speechless. She was hungry too and would have to mooch off the food Lan Cixing was making, so she walked over to Lan Cixing to help. Lan Cixing gave her a look that seemed to say: You?

“I think,” Yu Mingsong said, feeling defeated. Then she saw Lan Cixing and Rong Yushu holding hands, standing shoulder to shoulder, looking incredibly intimate. She almost fainted. “We should interact more with the other guests to build chemistry.” She crouched next to Rong Yushu.

Rong Yushu glanced at her and, like a little emperor, offered her empty hand. She meant for her to hold it.

Lan Cixing’s eyes drifted over.

Support The Second Fall