The Second Fall - Chapter 57

Chapter 57: Testing the Role of a Dog

Three hours earlier.

Lan Cixing had just left to find Bian Zhi and Bai Wanyan.

Rong Yushu quietly got up and followed the staff passage into the studio to find the director and her team. Seeing Rong Yushu, they were taken aback. They hadn’t even noticed her leaving the frame or the set, yet she had managed to find them.

“Little… Teacher Rong, is there something the matter?” The director looked at this person on a company-funded “honeymoon” and almost blurted out “Little Ancestor.” The carefully planned segments and potential viral moments prepared by the planners had all been shattered by Rong Yushu’s personal “cheat code.” After two episodes, the director was numb and no longer found Rong Yushu such a headache, even managing to treat this investor with a pleasant face.

“I need to transfer my points to my ‘Little Obedient’.” Rong Yushu simply tapped the table in front of the director. She wasn’t there to negotiate; she was there to notify them.

“…Huh? Why give them to her? You’ll need points to select a house later, and for tomorrow’s activities…” The director didn’t react for a moment. The planners, who were adjusting tomorrow’s activities based on points, also dropped their styluses. Everyone in the studio looked up at Rong Yushu together.

“I don’t need them. Haven’t you all been wanting to judge me for cheating? I’m giving you the chance; it’ll make for better TV.” No one could read Rong Yushu’s mind, but they could see her habitually indifferent face.

Anyone who had more than a fleeting contact with Rong Yushu realized she wasn’t a warm sun. She was colder and more distant than the moon. With capital in her hands, she usually didn’t even bother to pretend, looking at people with a cold face or, at most, a professional smile that didn’t reach her eyes. She was also temperamental. Relying on the fact that her sister was a business tycoon and she was born into a wealthy family, her personality was more erratic than the weather.

For example, right now. She surely knew points were extremely useful and closely related to tonight’s accommodation. Yet she chose to give them up without even bothering to find an excuse. Or perhaps she truly just had a sudden whim and didn’t want the points. No one could say anything to her. She didn’t provide a reason, but she provided “benefits” for the show.

The director actually really wanted to strip Rong Yushu of her points. What was the point of a survival show if it was turned into a vacation? They didn’t even know how to edit the first episode because the gap between Rong Yushu’s group and the others was so large that no clip felt appropriate. The benefit Rong Yushu offered was something the director couldn’t refuse.

The director signaled her subordinates to stop and approved Rong Yushu’s request, transferring all the points to Lan Cixing. Rong Yushu had truly just come to notify them; it didn’t seem to matter whether the crew agreed or not. She turned and returned to the set; the whole trip took less than ten minutes, and when she got back, no one had even noticed she was gone.

That led to the current situation: Lan Cixing possessing nearly 400 points. The points added from the cooking competition were based on the average scores of the three guest judges. Lan Cixing was in the top tier, earning 100 points. Feng Shi, in second place, earned 90, but after deducting 70 for the stove, she only had 187. Even two Feng Shis put together wouldn’t have as many points as Lan Cixing.

Now, Lan Cixing was the center of attention. She held absolute initiative in the upcoming room selection. Even if she wanted to spend 300 points to make everyone sleep in tents tonight, no one could stop her.

Out of the corner of her eye, Yu Mingsong glanced at Rong Yushu, noting her cold gaze, and began to understand her intention. If the two people’s points were split, they would be competitors and wouldn’t have an absolute advantage over Feng Shi. but combined, the amount was terrifyingly high. She just didn’t know how Rong Yushu had convinced the crew.

But it was true. Lan Cixing and Rong Yushu shared their group’s points. Ultimately, Lan Cixing had only received the total points from their daytime scavenging and the recent cooking competition. She hadn’t received double points for any segment. It could only be said that Lan Cixing coming to a survival variety show was a total “dimensionality reduction strike.”

Yu Mingsong blinked. Suddenly, the person she had been observing appeared in front of her. Rong Yushu moved like a ghost; she had somehow arrived at Yu Mingsong’s side. Yu Mingsong was startled by her sudden proximity.

“You don’t want to sleep with me, do you?” Those words felt a bit ambiguous.

“You’re joking. I have no interest in bullying my Sister.” Rong Yushu went along with the ambiguity. Yu Mingsong was Rong Jinhuai’s lover. Sleeping with Yu Mingsong would indeed be equivalent to bullying Rong Jinhuai.

Yu Mingsong shuddered. If she ever dared to have designs on Rong Yushu, she’d be blacklisted by Rong Jinhuai upon her return—and she’d probably see Rong Yushu sitting nearby watching the drama. “…You know what I mean. You specifically gave all your points to your bedmate; why aren’t you going to find her now?”

Yu Mingsong didn’t even need to look to know that Lan Cixing was definitely staring at Rong Yushu. She could feel the gaze coming from not far away—hot and steady, it felt like it was burning through Rong Yushu and pinning itself onto her.

“What ‘bedmate’? That’s my ‘Little Obedient’.” Rong Yushu shot Yu Mingsong a side glance.

Yu Mingsong almost raised her hands in surrender. Last week they were bedmates, and this week she didn’t want to acknowledge that relationship. So fickle. Only Lan Cixing could put up with Rong Yushu and even wag her tail to coax her.

“Let me borrow you for a moment.” After saying this, Rong Yushu quietly raised her hand and pressed it in front of Yu Mingsong, using her as a shield to block someone.

Yu Mingsong turned her head. She didn’t see Feng Shi or anyone else; she only met Lan Cixing’s unblinking eyes. The grayish-blue was now as sharp as a knife. Lan Cixing was no longer a submissive, loyal dog; she was more like a wolf ready to pounce. Yu Mingsong had no doubt that if there weren’t so many people around, Lan Cixing would rush over and tear her apart.

It couldn’t be… that she was hiding from Lan Cixing, could it? Yu Mingsong felt a bit dazed. She wanted to run. Could these people please not drag her into their “Asura Field”? After all, she was someone who already “belonged” to someone else.

Lan Cixing had the highest points and was in the first tier of the cooking competition. The only other person who could choose a first-class room was Feng Shi. With two people choosing between three houses, there was zero competitive pressure.

Lan Cixing looked at the descriptions of the three houses and immediately took a fancy to the treehouse. A large bathtub, a luxurious king-sized bed, a small kitchen, and a washer-dryer. The balcony offered a night view, and a ladder led down to the stream with the best scenery.

She wondered which one Feng Shi was looking at. Lan Cixing finally withdrew her gaze from Rong Yushu and took two steps forward. She was half a head taller than Feng Shi; standing closer, her shadow covered Feng Shi’s eyes, making Feng Shi lift her eyelids.

“Is something the matter?” The person Feng Shi least wanted to deal with was Lan Cixing. But she also had to thank Lan Cixing; though she didn’t know how Lan Cixing had snatched all the points, without her, Rong Yushu wouldn’t be in her current predicament. Feng Shi wouldn’t give up such a great opportunity.

“Let’s make a deal. Which one are you looking at?” Having finally gotten so many points, Lan Cixing didn’t want to waste them. She had a feeling that Rong Yushu had handed her the “financial power.” Her ears felt a bit hot as she spoke. Her Sister had said she wouldn’t hate her. No matter how angry she was, she would still hand the best things over to her.

If Yu Mingsong could figure it out, Lan Cixing naturally could too. Her heart was still soft from the shock of earlier, as well as the bitterness of Rong Yushu avoiding her. Lan Cixing didn’t want to waste too much time on Feng Shi. Rong Yushu was so angry she was using Yu Mingsong to hide from her; she had to go coax her quickly.

“Why should I tell you? Isn’t bidding for the highest bidder?” Seeing Lan Cixing made Feng Shi angry. Her tone was terrible, and she spoke without thinking.

“Then you can’t outbid me either. If you don’t choose, I plan to spend some points to make you sleep in a tent.” Lan Cixing held 377 points and could walk tall in the show; she wasn’t going to be polite to Feng Shi. She was kindly trying to save Feng Shi some points—mostly to save them for her own little household. Lan Cixing didn’t know Rong Yushu had tricked Feng Shi while bidding for the stove, but she wouldn’t have been surprised. Her attitude toward a rival wouldn’t be much better than Feng Shi’s. Lan Cixing understood Feng Shi’s feelings quite well. But she only “understood.”

“…You’re despicable!” Feng Shi wouldn’t scold Rong Yushu for not cooperating, but she turned her spearhead toward Lan Cixing. Wearing her mic, a curse almost flew out. If the camera zoomed in, one could see the red corners of her eyes stained with tears.

“Forget the cooperation then. I’ll go talk to the host.” Lan Cixing ignored her temper. Except for those close to her, Lan Cixing wasn’t that soft. Having been to a military academy, if she didn’t show any expression, her eyes were scary enough.

“Wait, wait a minute.” Seeing her seriousness and calculating the points, Feng Shi realized that if Lan Cixing sincerely wanted to make her sleep in a tent, she had no way to fight back. It was a waste that she had the script; she might as well have asked the crew to let her cheat and put her in the same group as Rong Yushu. Feng Shi was angry and helpless, her whole face flushing red. She had to bite her lip and call out to Lan Cixing.

Lan Cixing took two more steps forward. “I’ll agree to it!” Only then did Feng Shi flush red with urgency and chase after Lan Cixing with small steps. She didn’t know how Lan Cixing walked; it took Feng Shi several tries to catch up across just two steps of distance. “Which room type are you looking at?”

She was just short of grabbing the corner of Lan Cixing’s clothes. A cold white tea scent suddenly arrived, blocking Feng Shi’s extended hand and making her pull back as if her fingers had been cut by a knife. When Feng Shi looked up again, she only saw Lan Cixing saying she would choose the treehouse she liked. The owner of the white tea scent was nowhere to be seen.

Feng Shi was anxious to find the source of that scent. As a Beta, she couldn’t recognize pheromones, but she was instinctively attracted to the perfume on Rong Yushu. She also wanted to compete with Lan Cixing for the house. The two thoughts fought in her mind. Feng Shi was dazed. In the end, she only heard the host asking if she wanted to bid for the treehouse.

“…I won’t bid. I’ll choose the twin room.” Only now did Feng Shi realize she had lost the initiative. If she had agreed to discuss with Lan Cixing earlier, she might have gotten the treehouse; now, she could only take what Lan Cixing left behind. After all, she couldn’t outbid Lan Cixing and might even be punished by having to sleep in a tent. Even in front of the camera, Feng Shi couldn’t control her emotions, her clenched fists trembling slightly. Lan Cixing ignored her and turned to find Rong Yushu.

When she found Rong Yushu, she was participating in the bidding for the third-tier rooms. Five people were competing for three sets of houses. The competition wasn’t as fierce as the second tier, where six people were fighting for three houses. Yu Mingsong was in the second tier; only after the groups were decided did she feel like she had lost out. With her points, she would have an advantage in the third tier and could save some for tomorrow. In the second tier, she’d have to spend her entire fortune for a place to stay. Of course, the second-tier houses were better, located near the set with full facilities.

The third-tier houses were similar to the one Rong Yushu stayed in during the first episode. Twin rooms, single beds, no kitchen, no fridge, and an incredibly small bathroom. Furthermore, they weren’t in the forest; if they chose one, they’d have to take a two-hour bus ride out of the mountains and another two-hour ride back in tomorrow morning.

Like a young girl joining the fun, Rong Yushu looked up with interest, wanting to place a bid. Lan Cixing pressed against her back, glanced at the situation, and casually called out “twenty points.” The two people bidding heard a third party join and almost cried with anxiety, counting their points on their fingers. One of them quickly called out “thirty points.” Only after shouting did they realize something was wrong; they turned around and saw that Rong Yushu’s “accomplice” had arrived, and they fell silent.

“Thirty points three times, sold!” Unfortunately, the host’s gavel fell on the third strike. Having spent ten extra points, the person who bought it had no way to regret it.

“Sister.” After finishing her mischief, Lan Cixing quietly took Rong Yushu’s hand. Rong Yushu looked back at her, her hand as slippery as a snake, inadvertently leaving Lan Cixing’s palm.

“Sister, I picked the best treehouse for you. Let’s go back together later, okay?” Lan Cixing wasn’t bothered; she covered Rong Yushu’s palm again. Her fingertips lightly tapped the back of her hand, as if kissing her with her fingers. This time Lan Cixing held tight, and Rong Yushu couldn’t break free after a few struggles. With the cameras around, their play-fighting wasn’t too intense.

The staff delivered the key and map to Lan Cixing, and she prepared to take Rong Yushu away. “Are you really choosing me? Not going to care about your little lover?” Before taking two steps, Rong Yushu glanced back lazily, her tone full of laughter. It sent a chill through Lan Cixing.

“Where would I get a little lover…” Lan Cixing usually had good patience, but hearing this, she couldn’t help but feel anxious, squeezing Rong Yushu’s finger hard. She looked back, only to see the person coming was Feng Shi. She was even more speechless.

“Isn’t she? You two were communicating so intimately just now. She even touched you.” Rong Yushu feigned surprise. Those two sentences completely twisted the truth.

Lan Cixing helplessly stepped toward Feng Shi. She blocked her line of sight, shielding Rong Yushu. “I’m not interested in you. Stop chasing me.” Anyone with eyes knew who Feng Shi actually liked. But since Rong Yushu said that, Lan Cixing could only state it that way. Having said that, Lan Cixing didn’t care about Feng Shi’s stunned expression and hurriedly caught up with Rong Yushu. She disappeared into the moonlight with her in a few steps. It took a long time for Feng Shi to react, her face flushing red with anger. She even forgot she had come to beg Rong Yushu to share a room with her. “No, who is interested in her?” Feng Shi cursed as she walked, twisting her fists as she went to find the crew to ask for tomorrow’s activity schedule.

They finally entered the treehouse. Rong Yushu was quite proactive; she had taken the key from Lan Cixing on the way, and entering the room now, it was as if the treehouse were her property. She closed the door even faster, with no awareness of the person behind her. Lan Cixing quickly put out a foot to block the door and managed to slip inside just in time.

“Sister.” Entering the door, Lan Cixing casually threw her jacket to cover the living room camera, then immediately stripped off her disguise and hugged Rong Yushu. “Sister, I was wrong.” She apologized so quickly that Rong Yushu’s temper was frozen in place. The Alpha’s arms softly wrapped around Rong Yushu’s bristled fur. Her lips brushed past Rong Yushu’s ear almost imperceptibly, the cloying sweetness dissolving the knot in Rong Yushu’s chest.

“I shouldn’t have left you to save people. I shouldn’t have stayed with others so long. I shouldn’t have failed to hug you immediately upon return. I shouldn’t have listened to Bian Zhi. And I definitely shouldn’t have been alone with Feng Shi…” A string of words poured out of Lan Cixing, blocking Rong Yushu’s angry retorts in her throat.

Her puppy seemed to have taken the wrong medicine; she had been a bit too bold these past few days. She dared to say anything, no longer as timid as before. It was clearly a good thing. Yet Rong Yushu found it a bit hard to handle. As Lan Cixing held her, her waist went soft. Her green eyes were watery with desire. Her arms lost the strength to do anything. She had always had very low resistance, which was why she liked to keep the initiative in her hands. Her temper was large, and when it flared up, it was embarrassingly shameful. Everything in the world had to be under her control to feel safe. Only with Lan Cixing would she let go bit by bit. Like right now, she was utterly willing to let her whole body go soft.

Lan Cixing talked a lot, mentioning everything that happened in the afternoon. Finally, she added, “If Sister is unhappy, I won’t talk to them anymore. I’m your person, your bodyguard.” And her bedmate, her “Little Obedient.” “I’ll definitely take your side.”

Lan Cixing didn’t notice the abnormality of the person in her arms; she just held her tighter. Her hands circled her waist, her fingers interlacing with Rong Yushu’s. Her nose touched her shoulder as she sniffed the white tea scent on her. She couldn’t help but think that the status of “bedmate” was great. Like right now, she could hold Rong Yushu unscrupulously. Even if she didn’t dare to kiss her directly yet, she was satisfied enough. “Sister… I’m very obedient. If you’re unhappy, just order me as you like.” Lan Cixing buried her face, surrounded by the white tea scent, and couldn’t help but lift her waist, vigorously wagging a non-existent tail. She really wanted to be a puppy, clinging to the person she liked and wagging incessantly. No words were needed to convey her emotions.

Rong Yushu remained silent, letting her do as she pleased, even allowing her to rub against her neck almost offensively. She didn’t act. Lan Cixing didn’t know her softness or her desire. She could only smell her scent. Getting just this was enough for her to forget she was human. Lan Cixing fervently inhaled everything about Rong Yushu.

Rong Yushu suddenly raised her hand and pulled Lan Cixing’s collar. She pulled her, making her stop in front of her. She pressed her, wanting her to bend down and look up. “By saying that, do you want to be my dog?” Rong Yushu leaned closer, one foot having lost its shoe, and unhesitatingly stepped on Lan Cixing’s knee, pressing her down and bending her.

“I was always your dog.” Lan Cixing looked up, her eyes shimmering with a light that even Rong Yushu couldn’t stand. It must be that the treehouse lights were too bright. Lan Cixing’s eye color was too light. The halo was too dazzling, tugging at Rong Yushu’s heart. It was as if she were saying “I like you.” The realization Lan Cixing had a week ago was now inadvertently being transmitted to Rong Yushu through her eyes. Lan Cixing’s eyes could never hide anything.

Rong Yushu suppressed her breathing, somewhat afraid to believe her judgment. She let go of her hand. Lan Cixing remained kneeling, her knees moving forward as she tentatively hugged Rong Yushu’s waist. She quietly pressed her head against her lower abdomen. It was soft as a cloud. Lan Cixing wanted to call out “Mommy” as she rested there. Sister… Mommy… the person she liked was being circled in her arms, allowing her to get close. The place she didn’t dare to lick last week, she was approaching it with desire this week.

Lan Cixing was waiting for a deeper permission. Instead, she received Rong Yushu’s bowed head. Rong Yushu bent her waist for her, cupping the back of her head and gently making her look up. Looking at her. Their eyes met. Rong Yushu felt her green eyes were being suppressed by Lan Cixing’s gray. She took a step back, and Lan Cixing took a step forward. Avoiding her temper, Lan Cixing still came forward to hold her and coax her gently.

Was that feeling she just sensed real? Rong Yushu had originally designed many things, but every day her plans were being broken by Lan Cixing. Tonight was the same. No one wanted to test things so early. Rong Yushu wanted to wait for a moment when Lan Cixing couldn’t leave her, wait for Lan Cixing to send over half of her full affection before slowly revealing her own half.

Rong Yushu just couldn’t help it. She brushed over Lan Cixing’s lips, looking at her slightly parted mouth and the watery light in her eyes. She actually spoke. “Do you know…”

Lan Cixing blinked, her eyes flickering. Rong Yushu stopped mid-sentence. “That Bian Zhi…” She was just testing, yet why was she sweating and so disheveled?

“Ah.” Lan Cixing let go of Rong Yushu. The movement was so fast that Rong Yushu couldn’t react. Then Lan Cixing hugged her again. “Did something happen to her?” Lan Cixing’s heart skipped a beat. She wasn’t that sharp, but she had an intuition. Her intuition told her to let go. Once she did, she regretted it. Lan Cixing also felt she was being inexplicable. But her heart kept beating so fast it hurt.

“…To be my dog, you have to be obedient.” Rong Yushu’s fingertips applied pressure. Her tone didn’t change—the same one she used to tease Lan Cixing—a mix of softness with a knife’s edge. This time the movement wasn’t gentle, her sharp nails digging into the back of Lan Cixing’s head. “No more talking to her.” She pinched the back of Lan Cixing’s head, giving her punishment. It turned out some people bowed their heads just to deliver a punishment.

Lan Cixing accepted it gladly, her eyes hazy, the white tea scent overwhelming her thoughts. “No more looking at her.” Rong Yushu let go of Lan Cixing. Lan Cixing habitually moved downward but didn’t let her head drop. Whether it was four years ago or today, she was willing to be Rong Yushu’s dog. Before, it might have been an unspoken understanding; today, when Rong Yushu asked, she acknowledged it. “Mommy’s orders, I will follow.”

She was completely let go by Rong Yushu. In a blink, Rong Yushu left with the white tea scent. Lan Cixing hurriedly got up to follow, grabbing the corner of Rong Yushu’s clothes and leaning toward her, obediently sticking close and hugging her waist again. “Mommy, the puppy wants…” She wanted to kiss Rong Yushu’s earlobe. Her lips rubbed against that soft, hot skin. Lan Cixing didn’t know when Rong Yushu had become so hot.

“Is this how you’re a dog?” Rong Yushu gave her a scoff. Meeting her eyes, there was no dazing this time. Lan Cixing blinked, looking truly innocent and pitiful. She was a natural for punishment.

Rong Yushu actually grabbed her, tugging at her collar. Lan Cixing closed her eyes, thinking she was going to get a slap. Only she would treat a slap as a treat. She was even quite excited, her eyebrows raised high. Instead, she only received a whisper. “To be my dog, you have to at least…”

Lan Cixing snapped her eyes open. The clarity in her eyes was gone, replaced by a dazed enchantment. She reached toward the hem of Rong Yushu’s skirt. It turned out that in places she didn’t know, Rong Yushu had truly been inviting her all along. She really wasn’t a qualified good dog, to actually require Rong Yushu to give her such a blunt “punishment.”

—To be my dog, you have to at least.

—Make me cry.

Lan Cixing quietly pulled out the marking auxiliary dental braces she had brought and put them on. The ones she bought were cheap, not very thin, and didn’t fit perfectly. Rong Yushu noticed when they kissed but said nothing. Lan Cixing felt relieved and became slightly bolder. Fulfilling Rong Yushu’s task.

She didn’t know if this counted as the first marking after four years. The auxiliary marking tool, the braces, were useful, tugging at Lan Cixing’s gland for pheromones. It felt completely different from a real person. Lan Cixing left her pheromones in the braces, feeling a bit uncomfortable. After finishing the task, she was exhausted. After a day of survival in the forest, even the most energy couldn’t last. Taking off the braces, Lan Cixing fell asleep immediately. She couldn’t stay awake for another second.

Rong Yushu looked at her, speechless for a moment. Wiping her tears halfway, she really wanted to give Lan Cixing a kick. This person was quite relaxed, falling asleep directly from exhaustion. She didn’t even want to explain the auxiliary marking to her. Rong Yushu went into the bathroom to cry softly by herself. When she came out, Lan Cixing was fast asleep. Rong Yushu sat beside her, knowing how long she had walked today, and ultimately couldn’t bring herself to actually kick her. She just gently stroked her face.

The test had failed. If that affection were sincere and fiery—like four years ago—Lan Cixing wouldn’t have had that reaction when she heard about Bian Zhi. But… it didn’t matter anymore. At least their relationship had progressed tonight.

The treehouse environment was great. Built high up, there were few insects. With the glass windows closed, a sliver of moonlight could still enter, falling sparsely on Rong Yushu, covering her in frost. She didn’t move, just silently watching Lan Cixing, as if hearing her breathing was enough. Lan Cixing would never know. Rong Yushu was more easily satisfied than she was.

In the middle of the night.

Rong Yushu finally fully woke up. She quietly reached for the braces on the nightstand and cleaned them slightly. Then she opened the independent collector hanging below it, her movements quite familiar, as if she had rehearsed several times. The Alpha’s scent burst forth. The sweetness of the fir was tempered by the metallic burnt scent, and the spiciness of the flint was extremely intense. With just one breath, Rong Yushu’s eyes went dazed, and she couldn’t help but lean in. Extending her tongue.

The Lan Cixing behind her suddenly moved. “Mommy…”

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