When I Woke Up, I Had Three Romantic Partners - Chapter 20

When Si Jiamo finally let go, Chi Jinqing’s legs were so weak she could barely support herself.

With eyes full of moisture, Chi Jinqing raised her hand to gently touch her slightly swollen lips, her face flushed crimson. Her voice was slightly hoarse as she complained in a teasing manner, “What are you doing?”

Facing Chi Jinqing’s complaint, Si Jiamo used her thumb to wipe away the lipstick that had smudged at the corner of her mouth. She said plainly, “Testing it out. It seems kissing doesn’t feel any different.”

Chi Jinqing rolled her eyes: “…Are you insane?”

Is the twenty-six-year-old Si Jiamo mentally unstable?

And what exactly was she talking about? Chi Jinqing couldn’t understand.

Si Jiamo stood up and said calmly, looking down at her, “Your mouth isn’t soft. It doesn’t feel good to kiss. It’s not as good as the stand-ins in movies.”

Chi Jinqing: “…”

Understanding Si Jiamo’s meaning, Chi Jinqing’s face instantly darkened. “What do you mean?”

Si Jiamo: “My meaning is very clear. Things between us are over, starting now. You no longer need to force yourself to agree to my demands for money and be my pet.”

Chi Jinqing was furious. What did she mean?

What did this person mean?

A pet?

She considered everything she had done over the years as merely a pet to be summoned and dismissed at will?

The earlier flutter and shyness faded away, and Chi Jinqing’s expression became extremely ugly. She clenched her fists, stood up, and looked directly into Si Jiamo’s eyes. In an uncontrollable fury, she said, “Say that again.”

Si Jiamo: “To me, you are just an expendable pet. Now, I’m tired of playing with you, and I don’t want you anymore. You can leave.”

She recalled the physical report of her mother that her elder sister had sent her in the bathroom. It clearly stated, late-stage breast cancer.

This was a type of cancer that, even with treatment, only offered two or three years. That’s why Si Jiongui had asked her to be obedient and quickly fulfill her mother’s wish.

Si Jiongmo’s mother had always disliked the entertainment industry, so she wasn’t fond of people who worked in that circle. If it hadn’t been for Si Jiongui’s suggestion back then—that Si Jiamo should enter the entertainment industry to get a good workout, and because it was the only place where Si Jiamo could quickly feel loved by many people—her mother would never have allowed Si Jiamo to go.

So, if Si Jiamo wanted to fulfill her mother’s wish, she couldn’t take Chi Jinqing back. She could only listen to her sister and go on the blind date with that fan.

She would take the fan home then and try her best to make her mother happier.

She lowered her eyes and did not look at Chi Jinqing. When Chi Jinqing heard these words, her expression twisted for a moment. Her clenched fist loosened and tightened, tightened and loosened again. Her expression went from initial rage and disbelief to a self-mocking smile, and finally, biting her lower lip, she laughed sarcastically, “Pet?”

Her voice was slightly hoarse. She stumbled back two steps, hitting the window. Her damp long hair hung over her eyes, obscuring half her face. She said self-deprecatingly, “You’re absolutely right. Aren’t I just a pet you bought and locked in a cage?”

“Don’t worry, even a pet has its dignity. I won’t pester you. I will pay back the money I owe the company.”

Si Jiamo’s voice was icy: “Yes, that would be for the best.”

Chi Jinqing picked up her bracelet and put it on. She composed herself and said calmly, “Then let’s just finish recording this variety show. I’ll be mindful.”

“Okay.”

The two put on their bracelets again and went downstairs. As they descended, Chi Jinqing was limping, looking very inconvenient. Si Jiamo wanted to reach out several times but ultimately pulled her hand back.

The words had already been spoken. If she acted too close now, her mother would be even more unhappy if she watched.

The usual warmth was gone from Si Jiamo’s face, as if she had suddenly woken up. She treated Chi Jinqing with extreme distance.

It was even more apparent in the evening when they were applying face masks. Because they were handcuffed together, things could easily go wrong if their movements weren’t coordinated. Before, either Chi Jinqing accommodated Si Jiamo or Si Jiamo accommodated Chi Jinqing, and they were in perfect harmony.

But tonight, it was as if the two had completely fallen out. While their implicit understanding was still there, there was a noticeable, deliberate effort to maintain distance.

Luo Wanshuang looked at Si Jiamo, then at Chi Jinqing, and whispered into Feng Yan’s ear, “How did they turn out like this after one shower?”

Feng Yan shook her head. She didn’t know either. The mood swings of these two were strange and seemed very sudden.

Feng Yan and Luo Wanshuang, who had been ready to eat some snacks, chat, watch TV, and share some little secrets, suddenly found themselves unable to speak when they saw the two acting so distant.

The fourth day of filming was supposed to be a team-based, two-person “three-legged race” style intimate small activity, designed to test the resilience of their relationship. If this were earlier, everyone would never have doubted Si Jiamo and Chi Jinqing.

However, Chi Jinqing, who was already injured and needed a cane to walk, stumbled before they even started the race. She was dragged down quite badly by Si Jiamo.

After the fifth fall, Chi Jinqing really couldn’t take it anymore.

But before she could even speak, Si Jiamo simply clapped her hands and started walking again with a flat expression. Neither of them chose to link arms or hold onto each other like the others; they didn’t even hold hands.

They simply walked, dragging their connected legs, each relying on their own strength.

Piglet: Why do I feel like the atmosphere isn’t right? Why do these two seem like their relationship suddenly froze? And why does Si Jiamo seem brain-damaged, like her emotional intelligence is offline? She’s not caring for Chi Jinqing at all! She’s still injured, and she’s dragging her like this? Chi Jinqing’s brow is furrowed into a mountain!

MoMo’s Minced Meat: You’re not the only one. I feel it too. It’s like these two suddenly broke up. They look completely unfamiliar with each other, just like how it was before, when they came from the same school but no one knew they knew each other.

Garfield: What are these two doing? I came here to watch romance, not a breakup!

Everyone was completely confused and couldn’t figure out what was going on with the pair.

In the following days of filming, the relationship between Si Jiamo and Chi Jinqing did not change. Furthermore, because the bracelets were removed, they kept an even greater distance, as if they were avoiding suspicion.

This left everyone scratching their heads. What was happening?

They were on a dating show, right? Not a press conference for a relationship clarification, right?

Gonna Hang Soon: What is this? What are they doing?

Chilled: These two look like they’d tear each other apart if they got too close. This is completely different from before. My bets weren’t based on this.

Chi Early or Si Later ncf: My CP has already died?

Flower World is Tempting: Oh-ho, is this a plot twist prepared by the production team?

The production team, seeing these comments, was also miserable. What was going on? She was the one who insisted on coming in the first place, and now she was suddenly giving them attitude and refusing to perform?

Even a financial backer shouldn’t behave like this!

The assistant director, worried, was practically pulling out the few hairs he had left: “What should we do, main director? This can’t go on.”

This was a dating show. If there was no romantic atmosphere, could it still be called a romance?

The main director took a drag from his cigarette and sighed heavily: “You ask me? What can I do?”

He was just an employee paid to do a job.

He didn’t dare offend the financial backer either.

“You guys need to work harder on the promotion and post-production editing. Try your best to create an atmosphere for those watching the recorded broadcast. Also, add more sweet moments from the other two couples. Don’t edit in the signs of conflict between these two.”

Besides that, he couldn’t think of a better solution.

On the last day of the variety show, Luo Wanshuang quietly leaned in next to Chi Jinqing, her eyes filled with concern for Chi Jinqing’s relationship. Over the past few days, her relationship with Feng Yan had grown exponentially, and they had quickly become close sisters who shared everything. Both parties had the intention of continuing their relationship.

At this rate, they would likely stay on for the next season of the dating show until their relationship was confirmed before leaving.

Their progress had been so fast, but something big seemed to have gone wrong with Chi Jinqing. The pair who started out the sweetest suddenly seemed like enemies, and they barely interacted anymore.

As the biggest CP fan of Chi Jinqing and Si Jiamo, it took Luo Wanshuang several days to finally come and ask, which was already quite a feat: “Idol, what’s wrong with you two?”

“Hmm?”

Chi Jinqing didn’t understand what she was referring to. Recently, she had been learning all sorts of things, including the guitar from Luo Wanshuang. Now, she could more or less play the song “Two Tigers” in a respectable manner.

Chi Jinqing, who was playing a new song, looked at her confusedly, seemingly not understanding the problem she was pointing out.

Luo Wanshuang stamped her foot anxiously: “I mean Si Jiamo! What’s going on with you and her? You’ve been way too cold lately!”

“This is a dating show, a dating show! You can’t be like this! Is there anything you can’t openly talk about? Even if you don’t like her, you can wait until after this period is over!”

It was the last day. Couldn’t the two of them reconcile?

If this continued, public opinion would turn against Chi Jinqing.

Chi Jinqing stopped playing the piano and suddenly asked, “…What do you think of me as a person?”

Luo Wanshuang’s eyes widened: “Very good! Why else would you be my idol?”

“Is that so?”

Very good?

Chi Jinqing lowered her eyes and continued to play the piano.

Luo Wanshuang sensed something was wrong. After a moment of thought, she took off her ear microphone, grabbed Chi Jinqing’s ear microphone, and asked very softly, “Did Si Jiamo bully you?”

“No.”

Chi Jinqing pulled away Luo Wanshuang’s hand, her voice very calm: “I just suddenly feel that if I really want to be in a relationship, it seems too much trouble.”

“I really don’t think I know how to date.”

It was as if she no longer understood Si Jiamo’s heart, nor the circle she was in.

She patted Luo Wanshuang’s head and said softly, “You study hard, and when you figure it out, come and tell me.”

Luo Wanshuang: “?”

Why did those words feel like utter despair?

“Idol, are you really okay?”

Chi Jinqing smiled lightly: “I’m fine. Today is the last day. I haven’t properly thanked you for teaching me the guitar yet.”

“How about I give you a gift then?”