Ch. 351..360
Chapter 351: It’s Okay, I’m Here Meanwhile, Lu Xingxing and Lu Xingyu’s team was facing a tough challenge.
“These are either math problems, chemistry questions, or history queries. What do we do? I don’t know any.”
Lu Xingxing was truly a ditz, especially when it came to academics.
And Lu Xingyu, standing by, could solve a few history questions, but math and chemistry were his Achilles’ heel.
The broadcast kept announcing that Mo Chen and Qiao Ruoxin had nabbed several more Crystal Balls, which nearly drove Lu Xingxing mad.
“Can’t you do it? How come Mo Chen can?”
The more she thought about it, the angrier she became, believing that had she been partnered with Mo Chen, they probably would have finished the task by now.
Lu Xingxing continued to look at the question card somewhat awkwardly, as the camera crew was following them; after all, this was a show being filmed, and she couldn’t lose her temper.
But he was truly fed up with this Miss Lu. She was not greatly skilled, yet her temper was substantial.
At that moment, Lu Feifei and one of the hosts came over.
“Sis! Sis! Can you solve this code? I’ve only found two Crystal Balls so far!”
Lu Xingxing, as if seeing a savior, walked over and clung to her sister’s arm.
With a disdainful glance, Lu Feifei said, “I’ve been diving since I was a child. I didn’t focus much on academics, so I don’t know either.”
The group of four exchanged looks, left with no choice but to admit defeat.
…
An hour later, outside the museum, everyone gathered back at the starting point.
The field director said, “This time, the couple who found the most Crystal Balls are sister Qiao and Mr. Mo, so the benefit goes to them.”
Qiao Ruoxin smiled as she stepped forward to receive an envelope from the director’s hand.
Lu Xingxing’s face lengthened, her eyes full of jealousy.
The field director continued, “Next, we’ll take a vehicle to a location.”
Thus, the four couples returned to their vehicles, preparing to head to the next location, although no one knew what content they would be filming next.
Inside the vehicle.
Qiao Ruoxin was drinking mineral water from the sponsor’s brand, squeezing her ankle with her other hand, muttering under her breath, “High heels are so exhausting, and I still have to wear them for several more hours…”
The man picked up her ankle and placed it on his lap, then started massaging her foot out of habit.
She was initially startled, but then the corners of her mouth lifted slightly.
This jerk was at his best in one respect—his indulgent pampering.
Now she finally had the chance to properly observe Mo Chen’s outfit. It was a vintage Republic of China style black suit paired with a black shirt and vest underneath. Two buttons of the shirt collar were undone, adding a strong sense of the era’s fashion.
But Mo Chen could pull off any garment, mainly because of his perfect body proportions, which made him look handsome in anything.
“What are you looking at?” the man looked up at her.
Qiao Ruoxin snapped back to reality, “Nothing much, just that the outfit the crew picked for you looks really sharp.”
Mo Chen chuckled softly, “Check out what the benefit card is.”
“Oh, right, I had forgotten about that.”
She picked up the envelope, opened it, and pulled out a map, frowning, “Huh? This looks like a map of an ancient house. How is this a benefit?”
He took the map from her hand, glanced at it, and said, “Looks like it’s a map for the next location.”
Qiao Ruoxin nodded and decided to get some sleep; walking in high heels for an hour had been too exhausting.
“I’ll take a nap. Wake me when we get there.”
“Mhm.”
“But there are cameras in this car…”
Mo Chen pulled out a handkerchief from his suit’s breast pocket, covered the camera, then looked at her and said, “Go ahead and sleep.”
She chuckled, “You’re the worst.”
The man’s handsome eyebrows lifted, “How about calling me ‘big brother’?”
It had been many days since he last heard Little Ghost call him ‘Brother Mo Chen,’ and he kind of missed the feeling.
Qiao Ruoxin moved her face closer with a smile and called out in a soft tone, “Mo Chen!”
“…” The man chuckled helplessly, “Little Ghost, I asked you to call me ‘brother,’ remember?”
“I won’t do it! I haven’t forgiven you yet!”
“Better get some sleep.”
Qiao Ruoxin leaned back in her seat, closed her eyes, and a smile still lingered on her lips.
She woke up after half an hour and realized they hadn’t reached the destination yet.
She then looked at the man beside her, who was resting with his eyes closed, appearing as if he were asleep.
Suddenly, a brilliant idea struck her.
At the moment, she was dressed in a cheongsam, and Mo Chen was wearing a suit in the style of the Republic era; it would be such a waste not to take a picture together.
Qiao Ruoxin quietly took out her phone, switched it to silent mode, then opened the camera to take a selfie.
She slowly moved closer, adjusting the camera in selfie mode to include both her and the sleeping man.
After taking one photo, she wasn’t satisfied; the angle made her face look less three-dimensional.
So, she adjusted the angle again and continued taking selfies, with the sleeping Mr. Mo serving as a prop.
After many shots, she finally captured a satisfying selfie to post on her Weibo later.
At that moment, the man’s deep voice slowly arose, “Are you done? Can I open my eyes now?”
Qiao Ruoxin was slightly stunned, then she looked at the man’s handsome face.
Mo Chen curved his lips into a smile and opened his pitch-black eyes to gaze at her.
“You were awake all along?”
“I never actually slept; I was just resting with my eyes closed.”
Qiao Ruoxin could only retort stubbornly, “I’m just taking a few photos; you are still my boyfriend for now, can’t I take a picture with you?”
“That’s why I cooperated by continuing to pretend to be asleep, letting you take selfies for ten minutes,” the man’s voice was deep, lazy, and a tad sexy.
The car slowly stopped.
They had finally reached their destination, and Qiao Ruoxin didn’t hesitate to push the car door open and get out.
The man watched her guilty back with a curve forming at his lips.
…
In front of an ancient mansion.
All four couples stood in place.
The on-site director said, “The task you have to complete next is to find a pink Crystal Ball inside this ancient mansion, which will determine what transportation you take tomorrow morning. We’ve placed three pink Crystal Balls in the mansion, which means one pair will not find one.”
The on-site director added, “The benefit card given to Sister Qiao and Mr. Mo is a map of the haunted house to help you locate the Crystal Ball. Also, I want to remind everyone that this ancient mansion has a hundred years of history from the Republican era and is rumored to be haunted, so please be mentally prepared. Good luck to all.”
After the director finished speaking, everyone’s complexion changed, except for Mo Chen, who remained indifferent.
Qiao Ruoxin turned her head to look at the gloomy ancient mansion and immediately felt a chill.
She instinctively clung to Mo Chen’s arm and moved closer to him.
Mo Chen looked down at her frightened eyes, wrapped his arm around her slender waist, and whispered in her ear, “Don’t worry, I’m here.”
Host 1 lamented, “Director, what are you doing? I can’t do this, I’m scared, I really can’t handle these ghost house adventures at night.”
Lu Xingxing complained, “I’m scared too—it’s almost 10 p.m., this is too terrifying.”
Lu Xingxing felt that as a daughter of a wealthy family, why should she endure such humiliation? She wasn’t someone who couldn’t live without earning this money!
Lu Feifei retorted, “Don’t you have your partner with you? What’s there to be afraid of?”
: Chapter 352: Exploring the Ancient Mansion Host 3: “I might end up crying here tonight, you’ll have to carry me out later.”
Host 4: “I want to cry right now, what do I do?”
Lu Xingyu: “The production team, you’re really brutal. Isn’t this supposed to be a couple’s special? Why has it turned into a horror special?”
Live director: “This is also to test the teamwork between couples.”
Host 1: “Aside from Mo and Qiao, we’re all makeshift couples here. When disaster strikes, we’ll definitely scatter, that goes without saying.”
Suddenly, a burst of laughter erupted on the set.
Live director: “Hurry up and set off, otherwise we won’t finish on time tonight.”
…
And so, the four couples turned and walked towards the mansion. The mansion’s doors slowly opened to pitch darkness inside, not a single light to be seen.
The staff handed each of them a flashlight.
Lu Xingxing grabbed her sister’s arm, her voice trembling: “The production team has gone too far. They won’t even turn on a light. This could scare someone to death.”
As they stepped over the threshold into the mansion, a chilly wind blew past them.
Qiao Ruoxin instantly felt her scalp tingle and subconsciously slowed her pace, her face beginning to pale.
Fear filled her doe-like, clear eyes.
Mo Chen glanced back at her, took her icy small hand, and frowned as he spoke in a deep voice, “Or should I just carry you?”
“How could I let that happen? Once the show airs, the internet will definitely say I’m being melodramatic,” she replied.
Netizens were scrutinizing reality shows with magnifying glasses these days. A tiny misstep, and celebrities could face moral condemnation.
The man laughed uncontrollably, observing her tiny, trembling form that still tried to put on a brave front.
Qiao Ruoxin picked up the map card in her hand: “Anyway, we have a map. Let’s hurry and find the pink Crystal Ball.”
Gathering her courage, she suppressed the fear in her heart and walked along the corridor.
Mo Chen’s lips curved into an indulgent smile as he slightly tilted his head, watching her slender figure, following the figure of Little Ghost, ready to be her knight in shining armor.
Meanwhile—
The atmosphere among the couples had somehow shifted their focus onto the map card.
Lu Feifei: “This mansion is so huge. To search seriously, it would take at least two to three hours, not to mention the added difficulty without any lights.”
Host 1: “Right, now the only way to quickly find the pink Crystal Ball is with that map card.”
Lu Xingxing: “Let’s just take the map card, we can’t lose again. What if they make us walk there tomorrow?”
Lu Xingyu: “Isn’t directly snatching it a bit much?”
Host 2: “Our Xingyu still has some idol pride, huh? Don’t worry, I’ll be the bad guy. I need to get out quickly, or I might just die of fright in here, it’s so dark.”
These people quickly conspired not to search for the Crystal Ball anymore but to snatch the map card first.
…
Over here.
Qiao Ruoxin reached the entrance of the ancestral hall and shone her flashlight directly inside, only to see a heap of ancestral tablets, scaring her into stepping back.
She turned and threw herself into Mo’s arms.
Mo Chen instinctively hugged her soft body, then looked up at the myriad plaques in the hall.
“Scared?”
“Mhm… It’s too horrible. I don’t want to go in. Can you look for it?” her voice even carried a slightly aggrieved tremble.
The man patted her head: “Wait here for me.”
Mo Chen released her from his embrace, ready to enter the ancestral hall alone. Unexpectedly, the woman behind him grabbed his clothes again.
He looked back: “What’s wrong?”
Qiao Ruoxin glanced around, the surrounding atmosphere gloomy and frightening, waiting here alone was even more terrifying!
“I’ll go with you; it’s scarier to be here alone.”
“Okay.”
“I’ll walk in front of you!”
Mo Chen clasped her hand in his: “Let’s go.”
She clung tightly to the man’s arm, wishing she could hide inside his coat. Inside the shrine was too dark to see anything.
As they entered the shrine, Qiao Ruoxin felt an even more chilling presence, a heavy aura of gloom.
The man, holding a flashlight, scanned it around. Besides the numerous spiritual tablets, there were several portraits hanging, likely of ancestors, dressed in Qing Dynasty official robes.
Mo Chen then walked toward a corner, and Qiao Ruoxin followed closely, fearful of being left behind by this scoundrel of a man.
Indeed.
In that pitch-black corner, there was a chest with the program’s logo on it.
Qiao Ruoxin instantly breathed a sigh of relief.
Because the difficulty had increased this time, there was no password needed. The chest could be opened directly.
Opening the chest, she found it empty, without the Crystal Ball, and felt a bit disappointed.
“Let’s get out of here quickly, it’s too creepy inside, I’m having trouble breathing.”
Mo Chen responded, then felt her body trembling slightly.
He sighed softly, swept her up in his arms, but only for a few seconds before quickly leaving the shrine and setting her back on the ground to stand.
Before Qiao Ruoxin could react, she stood outside the shrine.
Looking at the bright moonlight, she felt a bit more comfortable in her heart.
She looked up at Mo Chen, “Don’t hold me, we’re recording a show. If it’s broadcast, I’ll get scolded.”
“Then I shall hire an online army to scold them back.”
“…”
Qiao Ruoxin turned and walked in another direction but had barely taken a few steps when suddenly! Out of nowhere, a cat leaped down, meowing loudly and startling her to take a sharp breath of cold air.
She spun around and jumped onto Mo Chen.
Mo Chen caught her in his arms.
“What was that sound!” Her face buried into the man’s chest, she dared not open her eyes.
“It’s nothing, just a stray cat.”
The man gently patted her back, comforting her with his deep and tender voice, as if he was soothing his own daughter.
Qiao Ruoxin kept her eyes tightly shut, hugging the man’s body, and asked in a low voice, “Is it gone?”
“It’s gone.”
Only then did she carefully open her eyes, looked back for a moment, and then slowly left the man’s embrace.
She felt like she was about to break into a cold sweat.
She had to find the pink Crystal Ball quickly; otherwise, she felt she was on the verge of a nervous breakdown from fright.
Watching her timid little expression, Mo Chen found it quite cute; she had lost her usual haughty demeanor.
“We must find the pink Crystal Ball quickly. I can’t stand it anymore. The thing I hate the most is exploring haunted houses.”
She held the map card seriously and studied it carefully, pondering where the chest might be placed.
Suddenly!
A figure darted out from the darkness, snatching the map card from Qiao Ruoxin’s hand!
“Who!”
“Sorry, Sister Qiao! We have to win this round!”
In the darkness, she only saw a shadow running away at the speed of the wind while throwing down these words.
Both Qiao Ruoxin and Mo Chen remained remarkably calm, standing still without any reaction.
She looked at the scoundrel beside her: “I can’t run in high heels, why didn’t you chase after them?”
“To leave you alone here, are you sure you wouldn’t end up crying from fright?”
“…”
Alright, she would end up crying from fear.
Chapter 353: Then You Should Carry Me Up The night deepened, and chilling winds swept through the grand old mansion, casting an eerie atmosphere.
Qiao Ruoxin looked at Mo Chen with some frustration, “So what do we do now? Without the map card, we’re just searching aimlessly. How long will it take to find that pink Crystal Ball?”
“Let’s go,” he said.
The man took her hand and continued along the corridor.
But she held onto Mo Chen, “Or should we try to get the map card back? This place is too big; it will take a long time to search.”
Mo Chen looked into her worried eyes and smiled, patting her head gently, “Don’t worry, I’ve memorized the map already.”
????
A light suddenly shone in her dim eyes.
Are geniuses always this willful? How could this guy have only glanced at the map a few times and memorized it?
“Did you really memorize it?”
“Yes, I’m currently calculating where the boxes could be,” he replied.
One must admit, when this guy gets serious, he’s incredibly charismatic, so handsome it’s explosive!
Qiao Ruoxin stared at his handsome face, with a bit of admiration in her eyes.
Truly worthy of being the man she chose. Outstanding!
Of course, these thoughts she kept to herself, not wishing to say them out loud and risk inflating Mo Chen’s ego even more.
She and Mo Chen arrived at the mansion’s reception hall and looked around but still found no box.
Mo Chen said, “There should be a box here. Check the room behind.”
So they went to the room behind and from the flashlight’s beam, they illuminated every corner of the room. Sure enough, they saw a box on the bed.
Qiao Ruoxin went over to open it, only to find it empty again.
“Why is it empty again?”
Mo Chen closed his eyes, recalling the map card, and spoke in a deep voice, “There are only three, they won’t be that easy to find.”
She acknowledged with a nod, realizing he was right.
But in such a vast ancient mansion, when will they find it? And it’s pitch-black everywhere, not a single light.
For someone afraid of the dark, this was a nightmare.
Suddenly, Mo Chen opened his eyes and pointed the flashlight towards the stairs.
He took her hand and started walking upstairs.
“Slow down, I can’t walk fast in high heels,” she said.
Although the heels weren’t very high, they still made walking somewhat difficult.
Standing in front of the stairs, looking up at the seemingly endless steps, he looked down at her and said in a low voice, “You have two choices, one, walk up by yourself; two, I’ll carry you.”
“…”
This staircase was so high. If she walked up by herself, it would take half a day, and it was all in pitch darkness. If she wasn’t careful and fell, she would roll down the stairs.
That wouldn’t just be an adventure in an ancient mansion; it would become a crime scene.
After giving it some thought, Qiao Ruoxin spoke softly, “Then you carry me. You’re my boyfriend after all, and even if this gets aired, the audience will understand.”
“…”
This Little Ghost changes faces so quickly.
The cameraman who had been following them the whole time couldn’t help but laugh, thinking that this couple was endlessly sweet.
Mo Chen chuckled softly, his gaze full of indulgence as he looked into her dark eyes, then he lifted her by the waist.
Her slender arms instinctively wrapped around his neck, and she eagerly tried to please him in a very sycophantic manner, “Isn’t it hot wearing so much? Let me fan you.”
Qiao Ruoxin took the exquisite folding fan and fanned the man.
Carrying her, he stepped onto the stairs, with a deep and lazy voice, “It is a bit hot.”
Mo Chen was not only holding her in his arms but also holding a flashlight to light the path ahead.
“Then let me fan you,” her voice was sweet and soft, and that delicate and beautiful little face moved closer, batting her eyelids.
When they finally reached the upstairs, the man put her down on the ground and shone the flashlight around, spotting a box under a Taishi Chair.
His long legs carried him over in a few strides, and he opened the box to indeed find a pink Crystal Ball lying inside.
At that moment, the voice of Little Ghost came from behind, “How is it, is it there?”
Mo Chen took the Crystal Ball and slipped it into his pocket, then stood up with an indifferent face, and turned back to look at her, “No, it’s not.”
“Not there again? Why is it so hard to find? With so many empty boxes, let’s go look somewhere else then,” she said.
The man walked up to her, lifted her by the waist once more, and headed toward the stairs to the third floor.
Qiao Ruoxin clung tightly to his neck, not forgetting to fan him, as affectionate as could be.
In the past few days, Little Ghost had been deliberately vexing him, and he hadn’t enjoyed such treatment for a long time, so why not revel in it a bit longer.
A faint smile appeared on the man’s lips.
Of course, Qiao Ruoxin didn’t notice at all and was seriously looking around, afraid that something else would jump out.
“Little Ghost.”
“Ah?”
“I’ll buy you a few more qipaos to wear, how about that?”
Mo Chen seemed to have taken a fancy to watching Little Ghost wear a qipao, her figure graceful and sexy, and her demeanor becoming more alluring.
“You like that?”
Through the darkness, she looked at the man’s profile, so this guy actually liked qipaos.
“Mm, I like them,” he replied.
Qiao Ruoxin chuckled lightly, “Since you like them, then… I won’t wear them!”
Mo Chen’s dark eyes flickered with surprise, then he chuckled, that was just like Little Ghost’s true nature, always like a rebellious teenage girl.
“Then I’ll just have to force you to wear one.”
She raised an eyebrow, “I won’t wear it, what can you do to me? How will you force me to wear it?”
When the man reached the third floor, he set her down on the ground to stand properly, then took a firm hold of her slender waist with his large palm, leaned down close, and murmured, “I’ll clean you, tie you to the bed, and then personally help you into the qipao.”
“…”
That was utterly perverse.
This was the true nature of Master Mo!
Qiao Ruoxin slapped away the hand at her waist, “Why are you always so rough and simple, can’t you be a little more gentle?”
“As long as it works,” the man’s smile now tinged with a bit of roguishness.
Their cameraman carrying the equipment felt mixed emotions.
Could these two show some restraint in displaying their affection? They completely forgot about the existence of their photographer, capturing many clips that couldn’t be aired.
Qiao Ruoxin suddenly noticed the photographer and then signalled to the man with her eyes, whispering close, “We’re recording a show, pay attention to the image, don’t talk nonsense.”
Mo Chen just laughed and walked towards the corner with the flashlight.
She hurriedly followed and saw the man stopping there, looking at a painting.
“The woman in this painting is quite beautiful,” she noted.
Qiao Ruoxin surveyed her surroundings; this should be a woman’s room, with a vanity and such. The painting that was hanging should be the portrait of the room’s mistress.
The man spoke gravely, “She must have been the concubine of a military officer, and also beauties are often ill-fated.”
“Why do you say that? Where can you tell that from?” she was a bit curious.
Mo Chen’s expression remained calm as he casually pointed behind her, “There’s a hanging rope behind you.”
Chapter 354: That’s different, you are my woman Qiao Ruoxin screamed in shock, “Ah!”
Then, she quickly hid behind the man, revealing her small face, and scolded angrily, “Why didn’t you say anything earlier! I stood there for so long!”
“Aren’t you usually very brave when you’re bullying me? Why so cowardly now?” The man’s tone was unmistakably mocking.
“When have I ever bullied you? It’s always you bullying me.”
Mo Chen turned around and pinned her against the corner, deliberately avoiding the camera, and looked down at her, “Not admitting it?”
“That’s right, I can’t beat you, you’re powerful and influential, I’m just a little star, how can I bully you? It’s always you bullying me!”
The man let out a snicker and lowered his voice by her ear, “Alright, then as you wish, I’ll bully you tonight.”
Then, he straightened up, instantly reverting to the cold, proper Mo Chen.
Qiao Ruoxin couldn’t help tensing up, why was there a strange premonition that tonight, in the long night ahead, was destined to be troubled…
She and Mo Chen had searched the ancient mansion for a long time, but couldn’t find the pink Crystal Ball, and she was nearly scared to a nervous breakdown.
As she was walking to the garden, the heel of her high-heeled shoe got stuck in a crack between the bricks, and she couldn’t pull it out, how embarrassing.
“Mo Chen! My heel…”
The man stopped walking, came back to her side, looked down at her foot with a smile, and said, “Little Ghost, you’re really a genius.”
“What do you mean by that, are you mocking me?”
Mo Chen knelt down on one knee, grasped her ankle, and shone his flashlight on the ground, then saw that the heel of the high-heeled shoe had embedded itself in the gap between the tiles—it was not easy to pull out.
He suddenly had an urge to tease this Little Ghost.
Looking up at her small face, the man announced, “It won’t come out.”
“What should I do then? Think of something.”
Mo Chen held onto her ankle, and tried to pull for a long time, but it seemed like it truly wouldn’t come out.
He stood up straight and looked down at Qiao Ruoxin’s hopeful little face, “How about taking off your shoes and walking barefoot?”
“Are you doing this on purpose? There are pebbles everywhere here, do you want my feet to be bruised and bleeding?”
“Then you can wait here while I go look.”
“…”
If this weren’t during the filming of the show, she would definitely bite him!
This damn man was too irritating, he obviously knew she was afraid of the dark and even more afraid of mansions and haunted houses like this, yet he still entertained the thought of leaving her behind!
Qiao Ruoxin grabbed the man’s arm in a haste, “I’m scared…”
The corners of the man’s mouth curved up, and he raised his eyebrows slightly, “Want to walk with me?”
“Mmm-hmm!”
“Then call me ‘Brother’?”
Qiao Ruoxin narrowed her beautiful eyes, “Mo Chen, you’re exploiting the situation, aren’t you! I won’t call you, I won’t and that’s final!”
“That’s striking while the iron is hot. It’s you who brought the opportunity to my doorstep.”
“If I don’t call you, will you really leave me here?”
“You could try it.”
Suddenly!
From somewhere came a piercing scream, probably Lu Xingxing’s? It sounded like someone encountering a ghost.
Qiao Ruoxin went pale.
The man looked back and commented casually, “Looks like some couples got scared.”
“Mo Chen, you wouldn’t be so cruel, right? You spoil me the most…” She smiled and clung to his arm, gently swaying, knowing this damn man was a sucker for this tactic.
Mo Chen let her sway his arm, but his attitude remained firm, a smile playing on his lips, “Call me ‘Brother’?”
If she were to compromise so easily and forgive Mo Chen,
Then, perhaps, acts of malice like that morning would recur from time to time, and she’d often find herself tortured into the hospital by Mo Chen!
This bad habit really couldn’t be indulged; otherwise, he would only become more and more perverted.
Seeing her silent for so long, the man frowned in displeasure, “Is it that hard for you to call me ‘brother’? Then just wait here.”
Having said that, Mo Chen removed her small hand and turned to leave without looking back.
Qiao Ruoxin became anxious, “Brother, brother! Mo Chen, brother! Help! Don’t go!”
A smirk curled up the corners of the man’s lips as he stopped in his tracks and turned to look at her, “Now you know to call me ‘brother,’ huh?”
Mo Chen returned to her side, knelt down on one knee, and took hold of her ankle again, helping her pull the heel of her high-heeled shoe out.
“It’s you who threatened me! As soon as my high heel is out, I will…”
The man suddenly stopped what he was doing, “And what will you do? Turn your back on me?”
She turned her head aside, “I didn’t say that.”
A hint of helplessness flickered across Mo Chen’s handsome face, and he chuckled, then yanked her high heel forcefully, pulling it out before putting it back on for her.
As he slowly stood up, he was greeted with a glare from the Little Ghost.
“Why are you glaring at me? Wasn’t it you who willingly called me ‘brother’ just now?” the man teased with a roguish smile on his lips.
“That’s because you forced me!”
“Hmm, I did force you, but you still called me ‘brother.’ I’m very pleased,” he responded.
Qiao Ruoxin was so infuriated she laughed, “Pleased my foot, hurry up and find the pink Crystal Ball! I don’t want to stay here another second!”
Then, she boldly hid behind the man and pushed him to keep moving forward.
It was already deep into the night, and the ancient house was filled with an eerie chill accompanied by gusts of cold wind, as the temperature started to drop.
Qiao Ruoxin was only wearing a thin cheongsam, with her arms and legs exposed, feeling chilly.
She couldn’t help but hug her arms.
The man glanced back at her casually, frowning slightly, “Cold?”
“Yeah, a bit,” she admitted.
Without another word, Mo Chen took off his suit jacket and draped it over her shoulders, enveloping her cheongsam and making her look even more delicate and pitiable.
She was taken aback for a moment and then couldn’t help but smile, “Mo Chen, you’ve really grown up. In the past, when you saw a female classmate with an open zipper, you wouldn’t offer your jacket, but now you know to give it to me.”
Mo Chen: “That’s different, you’re my woman, she was just a classmate.”
Suddenly, warmth filled her heart.
She smiled softly, feeling inexplicably good, “Thank you, Mo Chen.”
Having removed his suit jacket, Mo Chen now wore a waistcoat and a black shirt underneath, his dark and aristocratic temperament becoming even more pronounced and imposing.
Mo Chen walked into the annex of the ancient house with her.
As soon as they entered the door, a woman’s dark silhouette crashed into them, wailing like a ghost.
“Wooooh! Help! Ghosts!”
Mo Chen pulled Qiao Ruoxin behind him, not letting her get hit.
That voice… It was Lu Xingxing!
After bumping into them, Lu Xingxing screamed in fright, non-stop.
Qiao Ruoxin, annoyed by the noise, shouted, “Stop shouting! It’s us!”
Upon stopping her screams and recognizing Mo Chen, Lu Xingxing cried tears of joy as if she had seen a savior.
“Mo Chen! It’s you! Thank goodness! I was scared to death!” Lu Xingxing grabbed the man’s arm tightly, refusing to let go.
The man’s expression turned icy in an instant, his voice cold, “Let go.”
Chapter 355: Because I Want to Spend More Time with You Qiao Ruoxin also noticed Lu Xingxing’s hand, a bit over the top! They were still recording the show!
“But I’m scared…”
Mo Chen said coldly without any expression, “You have your partner, go find him.”
Lu Xingxing made a face of disgust, “I don’t want to find him. That Lu Xingyu doesn’t care about me at all. He just goes looking for the box by himself, completely ignoring whether I am scared or not.”
A trace of irritation crossed the man’s brow, and he abruptly withdrew his arm.
He took Qiao Ruoxin by the hand and walked toward the yard.
However, Lu Xingxing shouted at his retreating back, “Don’t go in! It’s especially terrifying inside, there’s a phonograph that plays!”
Yet, Mo Chen didn’t even turn back to glance.
Lu Xingxing stomped her feet in anger!
So annoying!
Even though Mo Chen and she were betrothed since childhood, she hadn’t realized his presence early enough. If she had gotten together with Mo Chen sooner, there wouldn’t have been anything related to that vixen Qiao Ruoxin!
Moreover, Lu Xingxing found that she seemed to like Mo Chen more and more.
Seeing Qiao Ruoxin protected behind the man, she felt an inner jealousy welling up!
Mo Chen was originally her, Lu Xingxing’s, fiancé! She must take back her man!
The cameraman lugged his equipment and aimed at Lu Xingxing’s face to shoot.
Lu Xingxing let loose, her temper as a young lady flaring up: “What are you shooting! Go away! Stop shooting! Can’t you see I’ve been scared to tears?”
The cameraman felt somewhat helpless and could only carry the equipment behind Lu Xingxing, filming her furiously storming away.
…
Qiao Ruoxin and Mo Chen entered the yard and felt it was very eerie, with desolation spread all around.
“Lu Xingxing said the phonograph in there will play, shall we still go in?”
She indeed felt a bit cowardly. She couldn’t even watch a horror movie on a normal day, and here she was venturing into a century-old mansion of the Republican era. This was seriously life-threatening.
The man wrapped his arm around her waist, looked down at her, and said, “If you’re scared, just hold on to me tightly.”
Qiao Ruoxin obediently wrapped her arms tightly around the man’s waist. This darn man must have been working out again recently. How come his abs feel even firmer?
She buried her little face in the man’s chest and closed her eyes tightly.
Mo Chen looked at her frightened expression, the smile at the corner of his mouth growing thicker. The urge to tease her became stronger.
This Little Ghost had been deliberately distancing from him these past few days, making him sleep on the floor, and only now did she obediently hide in his embrace.
Pushing open the door, it creaked, giving off a sense of age and desolation.
Qiao Ruoxin sneakily opened her eyes, scanned the room in the light, and it didn’t seem like there was a box to be found.
“Let’s get out of here. It doesn’t look like there’s a box.”
Mo Chen, however, spotted the phonograph immediately.
He walked over with his arm around the woman’s slender waist, put a record on the phonograph, and then the broken, intermittent voice of a woman singing began to play, old and eerie, a distorted sound.
“This singing is really creepy…”
“That’s how it was in that era,” he said with an indifferent expression, no big reactions, as if he was just appreciating an antique.
Qiao Ruoxin looked up at the man’s profile. “Aren’t you afraid of ghosts at all? Have you never believed in them?”
The man chuckled lowly, his long fingers tapping lightly on her forehead, “I am a man.”
“Do all men not fear ghosts? The male hosts seemed quite scared just now.”
Mo Chen looked down at the phonograph in front of him with interest, feeling quite curious about this retro item.
“Not necessarily.”
Suddenly!
A noise came from behind her as something fell to the ground.
Qiao Ruoxin let out a piercing scream, “Ah! What is that!”
Then she buried her little face into the man’s chest, clinging tightly to his tall body, her slender frame trembling slightly.
Mo Chen embraced her, his large palm cupping her head, while his other arm encircled her waist, soothing her.
“It’s nothing, a painting just fell off the wall.”
Qiao Ruoxin then lifted her head and sneakily glanced at the painting that had fallen to the floor, indeed, it was just a painting that had fallen.
She breathed a sigh of relief, the taut string inside her relaxed.
At that moment, the broadcast from the production team came from outside: “There are only ten minutes left, please hurry up.”
Qiao Ruoxin started to panic, “Only ten minutes left?”
Until now, she still hadn’t found the pink Crystal Ball!
“Quick, quick, quick, let’s find that pink Crystal Ball, or else we might have to walk to the next location tomorrow.”
She pulled at the man, ready to leave the room.
Mo Chen, however, pulled her back into his arms, then took out the pink Crystal Ball and held it up before her eyes.
Her face was anxious, but upon seeing the pink Crystal Ball, she burst into laughter, “When did you find it?”
“Second floor.”
Qiao Ruoxin was slightly taken aback, then she became angry, “When I asked you earlier, why did you say you didn’t have it? You did it on purpose!”
As she spoke, she tried to slap his chest.
Mo Chen quickly grabbed her slender wrist, his deep gaze locked on her, “I wanted to spend more time with you.”
That profound gaze…
She withdrew her hand, “Stop that, you’re trying to trick me again.”
The man pulled her into his embrace, his arm wrapped around her slender waist, stroking her back, his chin resting on the top of her head as he spoke in a deep voice, “Actually, on second thought, I don’t think I’ve been a very good boyfriend.”
“…”
Qiao Ruoxin looked puzzled, lifting her head to gaze at his handsome face.
Mo Chen: “After I won you over, I often neglected you, and I said I’d take you traveling, but through our on-again, off-again relationship, I never fulfilled that promise.”
He hadn’t come to terms with these issues over the past two years.
Yet these last few days, he somewhat understood how Qiao Ruoxin felt two years ago.
Two years earlier, he was young and impetuous, and having just returned to the country, his father put him to work in the laboratory, aiming to hone his skills so that he could achieve something and later enter the corporate hierarchy without controversy.
At that time, with the help of some bad friends, he chased down this Little Ghost.
Only for the first month did he date her every day, taking her to various events, but then his work became increasingly busy, spending longer hours in the laboratory, as he was rushing for the new product launch.
When Little Ghost threw tantrums, he did nothing but throw money at her with gifts to keep her appeased, without any other change.
Thinking back, with his arrogant attitude towards love at the time, a breakup was inevitable.
But Little Ghost’s disappearance from the Human World delivered him an unprecedented sense of defeat.
Mo Chen looked at the small face before him and slowly said, “So, I’d like to take this opportunity as a way of traveling with you, hmm?”
“Would you say this counts as a business trip?”
The man frowned slightly, “I funded the entire budget for this couple’s special, including the use of a private plane.”
Her slender fingers climbed onto the man’s shoulders, “So you had planned all along? Everything at the company is arranged too?”
Chapter 356: Do you have to sleep in my room tonight? Mo Chen’s lips curled into a smile, “Hmm, of course.”
“But I don’t want to stay a moment longer in this ancient house! It’s so scary here!”
This guy’s thought process is really something, talking about love in this creepy, haunted old house? Can’t we find a more romantic place to go outside!
The man looked at her collapsing, aggrieved little face and lowered his head to kiss her forehead, “Okay, we’ll go out.”
The photographers following them were fed another face-full of dog food, feeling worn out.
…
After a whole night of commotion, the photography shoot finally ended.
By the time Qiao Ruoxin got back to the car, she felt nearly exhausted.
“So tired… Finally left that creepy old house, I will never go there a second time.”
She nearly had a nervous breakdown that night.
Mo Chen leaned back in his seat, looking at her fatigued appearance, “Go back, take a bath, apply medication, and then go to sleep early. You’ll probably have to get up early tomorrow.”
“Hmm, but forget about the medication, it’s been several days, it’s not that serious anymore.”
The man looked at her silently.
Forget it, I’ll still go and apply the medication for her later.
After returning to the hotel.
Qiao Ruoxin went straight to her own room, immediately took off her high heels, and walked on the carpet to the living room, where she collapsed onto the sofa.
She was just too tired, feeling like she could fall asleep in a second.
“No, I must have the self-care of a female star. No matter how tired, I have to remove the makeup, take a bath, and apply a facial mask before sleeping.”
She mustered the last bit of her strength to stand up and walk to the bathroom.
Standing in front of the washbasin, she began to remove her makeup, exhausted, barely able to keep her eyes open.
After removing her makeup, she tied up her long hair and began to undress from the cheongsam, which had a rather difficult knot to untie.
Half an hour later.
Wrapped in a bathrobe, she walked out of the bathroom, applied various night-time skincare products, and planned to sit on the living room sofa for a while before going to sleep.
Ding Dong—
The doorbell rang.
Qiao Ruoxin stood up and walked to the entryway, opening the door, and as expected, it was Mo Chen.
The man stood expressionless outside the door, looking up when she opened it, “Why did it take you so long to open the door?”
“What are you doing at my room? Didn’t the production team arrange a room for you?”
Mo Chen’s lips curled up, his voice husky, “Little Ghost…”
“What?”
“I was locked out, didn’t bring my room card, so…” His gaze shifted towards her room behind her.
Qiao Ruoxin let out a cold laugh, “Then go to the lobby and ask at the front desk. What use is it coming to me?”
The man frowned displeasedly, “You are my woman. Can’t we sleep in the same room?”
“Of course not!”
With that, Qiao Ruoxin was about to close the door, but she had already lost the moment she opened it.
Mo Chen pushed open the door and wrapped his arms around her slender waist, pushing her into the room, as the door automatically closed.
“Mo Chen! What are you doing! I haven’t forgiven you yet! Stop messing around!”
The man advanced step by step, forcing her to retreat step by step.
Mo Chen scooped her up around the waist, heading straight for the bedroom and then laying her on the bed.
“You!”
“Didn’t you miss the feeling of being touched last night? Lie down, let me apply the medication.”
“Mo Chen! I’ve already told you, it doesn’t hurt anymore, it’s not that serious.”
Mo Chen pushed her down onto the bed, undoing the belt around her bathrobe, his deep voice coaxing her, “Be good, don’t move, let me apply the medication one last time.”
Feeling helpless, she lay on the bed and continued to feign death, closing her eyes.
Then, she once again felt that strange sensation from her dream the previous night.
Mo Chen’s warm hands roamed over her body, followed by the cold cream being applied to her skin.
Suddenly, her body stiffened, and she abruptly opened her eyes.
This damn man was actually touching her on purpose…
“Mo Chen, I asked you to apply the ointment, not to take advantage of me! Don’t touch me randomly!”
“Don’t you quite like this feeling though?”
Qiao Ruoxin sat up, put on her robe, and glared at the damn man, “The ointment is on, you can leave now, I want to sleep.”
The man looked down at Little Ghost from above, “I will sleep here, on the sofa.”
“…”
Qiao Ruoxin stood up, “Do you have to sleep in my room tonight?”
“Mhm.”
“Then you sleep on the bed, the sofa is so uncomfortable.”
Mo Chen raised his eyebrows slightly, surprise flitting across his handsome face, “Really?”
She gave a slow smile, “Mhm, go take a bath, I’ll wait for you.”
The man narrowed his eyes, feeling that things couldn’t be that simple, but he turned and headed to the bathroom anyway.
It wasn’t until the bathroom door closed, and the sound of running water could be heard.
Qiao Ruoxin couldn’t help but laugh, then leaned back on the bed to wait, picking up her phone to flip through her photo album, admiring the selfies she had taken that night.
…
Ten minutes later.
Mo Chen walked out of the bathroom, wearing a white bathrobe.
But he couldn’t find Little Ghost’s figure anywhere in the bedroom.
Had she run off?
At the thought of these two words, his temples throbbed violently.
He picked up the phone and dialed Xiaowu’s number, “Have you seen where she went?”
“Boss Mo, Miss Qiao seems to have gone to your room.”
“…”
He really wanted to kill this Little Ghost.
With a gloomy expression on his handsome face, he hung up the phone, left the presidential suite, and went straight to his own room.
Standing outside the door, he rang the doorbell.
After a long while, Qiao Ruoxin lazily opened the door, “Boss Mo, you finally came. I went to the front desk and got a room card to help you unlock your door. Aren’t I amazing?”
Mo Chen clenched his teeth and said, “You are really fucking amazing!”
“You’re welcome; then get some sleep, I’m leaving.”
After saying that, Qiao Ruoxin put on a gentle smile, ready to leave.
But unexpectedly, the man hoisted her over his shoulder and slammed the room door shut.
Her smile froze on her lips, “What are you doing! Let me go! Are you planning to repeat that morning’s atrocities? I’m telling you, if you dare do that to me again, I will never forgive you!”
Mo Chen carried her back to the bedroom and after closing the door, he locked it.
Then he put her on the bed and pounced on her, pinning her down so she couldn’t move.
He wouldn’t spend the whole night on top of her again, would he?
This was Mo Chen’s classic sleeping position.
Mo Chen pressed her down hard, his arms holding her slender waist, his forehead against hers, “Little Ghost, I haven’t held you in my sleep for several days now, I miss you, I can’t live without you, do you understand?”
“…”
All she could do was listen quietly.
The man embraced her soft body and kissed her lips, but it was only a brief touch.
“I know I frightened you that morning, so I won’t touch you now, it’s just to sleep, okay?”
She huffed softly, turned her head away, and didn’t want to deal with this damn man.
Mo Chen turned on his side and lay next to her, tucking her in with the blanket, then he turned off the bedside lamp.
“Little Ghost, good night.”
The man tightened his hold on her body, burying his head into the nape of her neck, his warm breath spraying on her collarbone, tickling.
Chapter 357: The Prop is Tampered With Lu Xingxing knocked on her sister Lu Feifei’s door and entered the room.
“Why are you not sleeping at this late hour and running to my room instead?” Lu Feifei was somewhat displeased. After being troubled all night long, she couldn’t even get a good night’s sleep; how could there be such an idiotic little sister.
Lu Xingxing began to be unreasonable.
“Sis! What should I do now? Mo Chen has gone too far. For a woman, he’s even willing to go on a reality TV show when he normally refuses to even accept interviews.”
Lu Feifei, who was applying a face mask, sat on the sofa with her legs elegantly crossed: “Isn’t that a good thing? If you end up marrying him in the future, he will spoil you the same way.”
Upon thinking this way, Lu Xingxing indeed felt less upset.
“That’s true, but would he dote on me like he dotes on that vixen?”
Lu Feifei: “Why not? Anything is possible.”
“But I still haven’t found any evidence of Qiao Ruoxin’s fake pregnancy. I’ve been listening through the bug for a long time and haven’t found any useful information—it’s all them flirting and bickering! So annoying!”
The more she listened, the more suffocated she felt inside, which is why Lu Xingxing ran over to vent to her sister.
Lu Feifei glanced at her sister with some speechlessness: “Can’t you be a bit more patient? It’s only been a few days?”
“But when I see Mo Chen treating that little vixen so well, it hurts! This man was originally mine! And now he’s pampering another woman!”
Enraged, Lu Xingxing hugged the pillow: “Mo Chen must think she’s pregnant, so that’s why he’s spoiling her. No way! I have to tell Mo Chen that the vixen isn’t really pregnant; she’s deceiving him!”
After saying that, Lu Xingxing immediately stood up, but was pulled back by Lu Feifei to sit on the sofa.
“Are you out of your mind? If you tell him rashly like this, do you think Mo Chen will believe you?”
“Then… Sis, what should I do? I get so angry just looking at Qiao Ruoxin! How can I get evidence that she’s not pregnant? You’ve seen her too, with her heavy makeup and high heels; she doesn’t look pregnant at all.”
Lu Feifei narrowed her eyes, removed the face mask, and tossed it into the trash can: “To prove swiftly that she is not pregnant, there’s only one way: get her blood, send it for testing at the hospital, and show Mo Chen the test report. That will be more convincing than anything.”
“Sis, how is that possible? I can’t even get close to Qiao Ruoxin, let alone draw her blood.”
“That’s why you can only use the bug and wait. If she’s not pregnant, she’ll slip up sooner or later.”
Lu Xingxing was a bit anxious: “But how long will I have to wait?”
“I’ve already inquired about the process. Tomorrow is the individual battle for the girls; you have a chance to be grouped with Mo Chen.”
Lu Xingxing looked incredulous: “What are you talking about? How is that possible? Weren’t the pairs set already for the couples’ special?”
Lu Feifei, holding her smartphone, lightly tapped the screen: “Tomorrow morning is the girls’ PK. If you win, you get the chance to replace a male guest. I’ll help you win. Then, you can get Mo Chen switched to your team, fair and square. If Qiao Ruoxin dares to make a fuss, well, it won’t look good for her either since it’s during the filming of the show.”
“Really? Thank you, sis! You’re so smart!”
“I’ve created an opportunity for you. You have to seize it, or even a deity won’t be able to help you.”
“I definitely will!”
…
Three o’clock in the morning.
Qiao Ruoxin groggily opened her eyes, momentarily unable to recall where she was.
Only when she saw the man’s sturdy arm around her waist did she remember what had happened before they fell asleep.
She had been carried back to bed by Mo Chen, and then… she fell asleep.
This man always became brutish at critical moments and wouldn’t allow any resistance.
She tried to pry his arm away, but the man tightened his grip and a languid, sensual voice came from behind her ear, “Where are you going?”
“To the bathroom.”
With a curve at the corner of his mouth, the man released her waist: “Go ahead. If you dare not come back, I’ll come and fetch you myself.”
“Mo Chen, you’re just a pervert!”
She removed the man’s arm in one swift motion, glared at him behind her, and then got up to walk towards the bathroom.
Qiao Ruoxin entered the bathroom, stood in front of the washstand, and looked at herself in the mirror.
She turned on the tap, splashing cold water on her face, which woke her up a bit.
The time was still early, so she had to hurry up and get some more sleep, or else she would have a whole day of shooting tomorrow.
When Qiao Ruoxin returned to the bed, the man pulled her soft body into his arms and kissed her earlobe, “It’s still early, sleep a bit longer.”
“Mm,” she replied with a slight smile at the corner of her mouth, actually, being in love with Mo Chen was quite sweet.
She closed her eyes and quickly fell into a deep sleep.
…
The next day, early morning.
Modu University, gymnasium.
A thousand students from the school sat in the audience, waiting to participate in the recording, with screams erupting from the site, primarily fans of Lu Xingyu and Qiao Ruoxin, each making up half.
“Xingyu baby! Come out!”
“Mortal Princess Qiao Ruoxin! Mortal Princess Qiao Ruoxin!”
“Ahhh! Lu Xingyu is so handsome!”
The screams at the venue almost flipped the gymnasium upside down.
At the moment when all the guests entered, the gymnasium erupted in screams like a concert with ten thousand people.
Qiao Ruoxin and Mo Chen changed into white couple’s sportswear, casual and refreshing.
She raised a smile and greeted her fans in the venue, “Hello everyone, I’m your Xinxin, Qiao Ruoxin, I’m very happy to be here~”
Xinxin?
The man standing to the side curved the corners of his mouth and glanced at the delicate makeup of the little ghost, his dark eyes full of doting.
“Sister Qiao, you’re so beautiful! Even more so than on television!”
“That’s really pretty, such a great figure, such long legs, such white skin.”
“Mo Chen is so handsome! My God, the two of them are such a perfect match.”
“Jealously crying, moved by their love, just look at the way Lord Mo is always watching Qiao Ruoxin.”
The screaming gradually quieted down.
The onsite director began to announce the tasks, “Welcome everyone to the gymnasium at Imperial Capital University, where we will conduct a women’s competition, and the winner will have the opportunity to replace their partner.”
As soon as these words came out, Lu Xingxing’s lips curled into a smug smile, and she couldn’t help but glance at her sister, Lu Feifei.
Sister was right, the show was about to start!
Upon hearing the task, Qiao Ruoxin’s eyes, bright and clear, suddenly widened, “Why is it like this?”
The handsome and tall Mo Chen next to her furrowed his brows slightly, a hint of displeasure appearing on his beautiful features.
He sponsored the whole event just to be in the same team as the little ghost, was this segment courting death?
Mo Chen’s jawline was tense, and his expression grew colder.
Qiao Ruoxin had already felt the aggression emanating from the man, she leaned over quietly, covered her mouth, and whispered, “Don’t worry, I won’t lose.”
Chapter 358: You’re Breaking the Rules! The man let out a disdainful sneer, giving her a sideways glance with a deep voice, “You want to replace me after winning, huh?”
“…”
Qiao Ruoxin was stunned for a moment. Was she really that bad in this jerk’s eyes?
She coughed and nudged the man with her body, tilting her head and said softly, “Although I haven’t forgiven you yet, I can’t just watch you team up with another woman. We have gone public with our relationship, I’m not that senseless.”
A trace of amusement finally appeared on Mo Chen’s cold, handsome face. He considered Little Ghost to still have some conscience.
The man’s arm automatically wrapped around her slender waist, as he lowered his head close to her and simply replied, “Mmhmm.”
“Mmhmm your head! Be good later, don’t give me attitude, we’re recording the show right now. If this gets broadcast, netizens will definitely overinterpret it.”
A glimmer of distaste appeared amid Mo Chen’s brows, as he said in a deep voice, “I know.”
Director on set, “Okay, let’s start the first challenge now: acupressure mat sprint. Whoever runs the most times wins.”
The host let out a howl.
Host 1: “Oh my god, the production team is too much! Another acupressure mat, do you know how painful that is? It’s killing me!”
Host 2: “I feel like I could die on the spot, can I just give up now?”
Lu Xingyu: “You seem to have forgotten this is the women’s competition, it has nothing to do with us.”
Host 3: “Oh dear, how did I forget that! Hahaha, well then, we are princes in need of saving by princesses, go princesses!”
Qiao Ruoxin looked at the runway paved with acupressure mats in front of her and her feet already hurt.
Lu Xingxing had a smug look on her face, as if she had already foreseen herself winning.
Lu Feifei whispered beside her, “This round I’ll purposely win, you take the next one. I’ve messed with the props, so take it easy later.”
“Yeah yeah! Thanks, sis!”
Director on set: “Ladies, you may now talk trash to each other.”
Lu Xingxing, with a determined demeanor, “I will definitely win! I want to switch partners and try a new one!”
Lu Feifei: “I’ll do my best.”
Qiao Ruoxin smiled faintly, “You guys go ahead, as long as I’m with Mr. Mo, I’m good.”
Director on set: “Now gentlemen, cheer on your partners.”
Lu Xingyu said without much enthusiasm, “Cheer up, if you win, you can replace me, hurry up and go.”
The audience laughed uproariously, thinking that Lu Xingyu and Lu Feifei were playing the bickering couple, unaware that these two genuinely couldn’t stand each other.
When it came to Mo Chen, the whole place fell silent, everyone waiting for Mr. Mo’s domineering declaration.
However, Mo Chen glanced sideways at her and said in a deep voice, “Little Ghost, I’m yours.”
In an instant, the whole city erupted, everyone screamed.
Host 1: “Wow, spreading the dog food again, how can we fake couples bear it!”
Host 2: “Real couples are so sweet, I’m sweetened by it, what are we even doing here, broadcasting a live romance drama of the wealthy? The production team is too much, did you invite them to scatter dog food?”
Lu Xingxing snorted. After winning the game later, she would definitely switch Mo Chen out!
Lu Feifei muttered to herself, “Didn’t expect the legendary Mr. Mo to be so good at pampering women, heh…”
And so, the whistle blew, and the first competition began.
Qiao Ruoxin looked at the acupressure mats and her feet felt sore. If she had to run on this several times, it felt like her feet would be ruined.
Lu Xingxing glanced at her, “You lack exercise just by looking at you, you winning is a ghost’s chance. My sister will definitely win this round!”
As soon as Qiao Ruoxin stepped on the acupressure mat, her brows twisted, it was too painful!
It was like stepping on sharp little pebbles.
Mo Chen stood aside, watching her, “Quicken your pace, it might hurt less.”
“Okay!”
She bit her teeth and ran forward quickly.
As expected, Lu Feifei won the round in first place, amid cheers from the audience, all marveling at the physical fitness worthy of an Olympian athlete.
Qiao Ruoxin stood to the side, a bit unhappy.
Mo Chen picked up her slender leg and helped her rub her foot, “It’s fine, best two out of three.”
The live audience, upon witnessing this scene, started screaming again, finding it simply incredible. That was the son of Asia’s wealthiest man, the notoriously temperamental Mo Chen, actually massaging Qiao Ruoxin’s foot!
But what nobody knew was that this was actually just their routine.
“The acupressure board hurts too much, it’s my first time walking on one.”
The man continued to rub her foot, looking up at her, “Does it feel any better now?”
“Mm…”
Lu Xingxing, who was resting to the side, was about to explode with anger looking at this scene.
“Sis! Look at this Qiao Ruoxin. We’re still recording the show, in public, and she doesn’t know the first thing about shame.”
Lu Feifei: “She’s just naturally suited to be a lover, and a secret one at that.”
“Haha, right… exactly! A starlet who can’t make the cut!” Lu Xingxing’s tone was full of disdain.
Break time was over.
Live director: “For the second round, the four princesses will hold water cups while jumping rope. The one who spills the least water wins.”
Jumping rope?
She was good at this, and a smile appeared on her face.
The competition officially started.
Each person held a cup of water as they jumped rope together.
In Qiao Ruoxin’s cup, only half of the water remained. Lu Feifei ended up with just an empty cup, while Lu Xingxing actually still had more than half a cup left!
The live director announced that Lu Xingxing won this round.
Qiao Ruoxin stared at Lu Xingxing’s water cup, thinking it simply did not make sense.
Lu Xingxing, however, smirked extremely smugly because her water cup was specially designed, a result of her sister having bribed the props team—such a thrill!
Win one more round, and she could bring Mo Chen back!
The third round.
Live director: “This round’s task is to pop balloons. Each of the four princesses has ten balloons attached to them. The one who pops the most balloons wins.”
Qiao Ruoxin pursed her lips tightly, eyeing the Lu sisters across from her. She had to win this round, otherwise Mo Chen would definitely be taken away.
The competition began.
The four women engaged in the fray, popping balloons off each other.
Lu Feifei seemed to intentionally go easy on her sister, and within a short time, all the balloons had been popped by Lu Xingxing.
The competition now reached a fever pitch.
Only Qiao Ruoxin and Lu Xingxing remained on the field.
Mo Chen, seated in the resting area, had a dark expression on his face, his handsome features tense, his pitch-black eyes focusing intently on Little Ghost in the competition.
Lu Xingyu next to him spoke, “Mr. Mo, do you think Ruoxin can win?”
Mo Chen was silent, not bothering to reply.
Meanwhile.
Lu Xingxing and Qiao Ruoxin gradually moved closer.
“This time I will definitely win. I have to get Mo Chen over to my side!”
Qiao Ruoxin let out a laugh, “Why are you so confident?”
Lu Xingxing suddenly leaned in, lowering her voice, “Because I have a secret weapon!”
Having said that, Lu Xingxing suddenly pulled out a needle and thrust it towards the balloons behind her, bursting three of them in a second.
“That’s cheating! How do you have a needle?”
Chapter 359: You Don’t Know Shit! I’m So Tired! Lu Xingxing smiled shamelessly, “What’s it to you? The production team didn’t say we couldn’t prepare ourselves. In any case, you’re doomed to lose!”
Even if one could inflate balloons quickly, it was still not as fast as bursting them with a needle!
Qiao Ruoxin retreated and dodged, but she was quickly defeated by Lu Xingxing, who popped all her balloons with a needle.
The production team ultimately declared Lu Xingxing the winner.
Given that they were still recording, and there were so many spectators around constantly filming with their phones, Qiao Ruoxin didn’t have the luxury of losing her temper or else she would be recorded and accused online of throwing a diva fit.
The onsite director said, “Xingxing, you now have the choice to switch partners or not.”
Lu Xingxing replied, “Of course I want to switch. Otherwise, what was the point of all the effort to win? I choose to switch with Mo Chen!”
The atmosphere went silent, filled with awkwardness.
The production team was also a bit at a loss. They couldn’t afford to offend either the Mo Family or the Lu Family.
The onsite director could only turn to Qiao Ruoxin, “Ruoxin, are you and Mr. Mo willing?”
Yet, Qiao Ruoxin simply smiled faintly, “I bet and I accept the loss. Let’s switch. Isn’t it this afternoon that we can switch back? When I win, I’ll come back.”
Mo Chen’s handsome face was cold as always, and with his typical economy of words, he uttered just four, “I bet and accept.”
Lu Xingxing laughed joyfully, “Exactly! You’ve got to have the spirit of accepting a bet when you play a game! Sorry, little sister Qiao, I’m just borrowing your partner for a bit.”
The onsite director breathed a sigh of relief, thankful that the big shot was being cooperative, or else they really couldn’t have continued filming the program.
The onsite director announced, “Alright, partner switch successful. However, this afternoon’s competition will allow for another switch back, so all princesses, give it your all!”
A cold smirk appeared at the corner of Mo Chen’s mouth as he glanced sideways at the Little Ghost, “Was that intentional?”
“Of course not!”
The man let out a cold laugh.
Qiao Ruoxin could sense the man was truly angry. She quietly slipped her small hand into his palm, tiptoed, and whispered into his ear, “Mo Chen, I’ll win you back this afternoon! I’ll definitely win in the afternoon!”
The onsite director said, “We’ve had a great time today with the students from Modu University. Now we can head to the next location.”
Then the morning filming officially ended, and they returned to the hotel for a lunch break.
…
The hotel.
Mo Chen returned to the presidential suite, his expression dark, visibly irked to the core.
He pressed his lips tightly together, removed his tracksuit jacket, and tossed it onto the sofa nearby.
His tall frame collapsed onto the plush bed, frowning in irritation. The thought of standing next to Lu Xingxing that afternoon made him feel nauseous.
Suddenly, the doorbell rang.
Mo Chen’s brows furrowed, choosing to ignore it.
But the doorbell continued to ring, and finally, out of impatience, he angrily got up to answer it.
The moment he opened the door, Qiao Ruoxin’s delicate and pretty face appeared, wearing a smiling expression.
“Mo Chen, they said you don’t eat lunch, so I ordered takeout from the best eatery in Modu. Let’s eat together,” she said.
Mo Chen glanced down at her eyes, “I don’t feel like eating, I have no appetite.”
With that, he turned and walked back into the room.
Qiao Ruoxin followed close behind, entering the room with him.
The man sat on the living room couch and picked up a box of cigarettes, taking one out and placing it between his lips, then lighting it with a lighter.
She placed the takeout boxes on the coffee table, then walked over, straddled the man’s waist, and removed the cigarette from his thin lips, extinguishing it in the ashtray.
“No smoking! Time to eat!”
Qiao Ruoxin adjusted her sitting position, sitting sideways in the man’s arms, then opened the takeout bag, set out the meal boxes, and instantly, a scent of food filled the air.
Mo Chen looked at her pursed rosy lips and chuckled, “Little Ghost, are you trying to seduce me again?”
“Would that work?”
The man’s slender fingers pinched her chin, “Then call me ‘big brother’?”
She blinked, her voice soft as she called out, “Mo Chen big brother.”
“You only behave for just a moment like this.”
“Shall we eat, okay?”
She picked up a xiaolongbao with her chopsticks and brought it to the man’s lips, her clear eyes full of sincerity.
Mo Chen chuckled softly and then bit into the xiaolongbao.
It wasn’t easy to have this Little Ghost coax him to eat, so he treasured the opportunity.
Qiao Ruoxin fed him good-humoredly until he finished his meal and then started to feed him fruit, feeling like she was an emotionless feeding machine.
No matter what she fed him, Mo Chen ate it all.
“Why aren’t you eating?”
“I’m a star; you’re not. I need to look good on camera; otherwise, I’ll swell up in the afternoon.”
As she spoke, she picked up a piece of cut fruit with a fork and placed it into the man’s mouth.
Mo Chen frowned, “Are you saying I don’t need to care about my image?”
She laughed, “You’re a man, and besides, Mo Chen big brother, you’re in such good shape, a little more won’t matter, you’re very thin.”
Mo Chen’s large palm held her slim waist, his fingers already sneaking underneath her T-shirt, touching the skin around her waist.
The man’s voice suddenly became husky, drawing close to her little face, “Little Ghost, actually, I want to eat you more.”
Qiao Ruoxin’s body stiffened in an instant, subconsciously pulling the man’s hand away, seeing that things were about to get heated!
“I’m warning you, you should always remember the atrocity you committed that morning! I haven’t forgiven you yet, and if you really want to leave me with a psychological shadow that makes me forever resist sleeping with you, then just keep going.”
This bad habit had to be fixed in Mo Chen, otherwise she’d end up abused into the hospital, and who could stand that?
A faint layer of helplessness shrouded Mo Chen’s handsome face, he said gravely, “It was just a thought.”
She huffed, “Even thinking is not okay! Because you’re a man of action, if you think too much you’ll act on it!”
“You know me so well?”
“Of course, otherwise how could I have the nerve to be your girlfriend?”
Mo Chen chuckled, “Then you should know, it’s because I’m willing to spoil you that I care about your feelings, otherwise your psychological shadow would mean nothing to me.”
Indeed, that was the case.
Mo Chen could have forced himself on her against her will, just like the atrocity he committed that morning.
But he still cared about her feelings, wanting her to also enjoy their intimacy, so he endured and waited.
That morning, her tactless words and aggressive manner really did hurt a man’s pride, which provoked Mo Chen and led to his loss of control.
She took the initiative to wrap her arms around the man’s neck, leaning on his shoulder, “I know, you treat me the best.”
“Join me in bed for a rest, hmm? I’m tired from all the fussing this morning.”
The man picked her up and walked towards the bedroom.
“I was the one moving all morning, what are you tired for?” she said with a laugh.
Mo Chen glanced at her indifferently, “You don’t know shit! I’m mentally exhausted!”
Chapter 360: We Must Win This Time She couldn’t help but laugh out loud again.
The man let her lay down on the bed to sleep and soon she heard his steady breathing behind her.
Was he really that tired? He fell asleep so quickly, acting as if he was the one who had competed that morning.
It was clearly she who had been busy all morning without a break.
Qiao Ruoxin also got into a comfortable position and closed her eyes, it was time to rest for a while, otherwise, how would she win the competition in the afternoon?
In the afternoon, she must win and switch Mo Chen back!
She really didn’t want to see Mo Chen standing next to Lu Xingxing, such an eyesore!
…
In the afternoon, the shooting continued.
As the four couples started to get into the cars, Qiao Ruoxin distinctly felt the aura of hostility emanating from Mo Chen; he got into the car with Lu Xingxing with a dark expression on his face.
She and Lu Xingyu got into another car.
It would take forty minutes to reach their destination from here, and those forty minutes, Mo Chen would probably have to endure till he exploded.
Lu Xingyu, seeing her constantly texting on her phone, couldn’t help but ask, “What, missing him already after being apart just for a while?”
She looked up at Lu Xingyu and smiled without saying a word.
There wasn’t much to explain, let him think what he wanted.
Lu Xingyu added, “I can finally have a bit of peace and quiet.”
“Hm? What do you mean by that?”
“Lu Xingxing is just too noisy, I really can’t stand her princess temper, I can’t wait for her to swap me away.”
Qiao Ruoxin muttered to herself inwardly: Mr. Lu, I still need to have you switched back this afternoon.
She looked down at her phone screen, a WeChat message from Mo Chen read: [You have to win later!]
Qiao Ruoxin: [Mhm, I know! Just be good and endure a little while longer, once we get to the field, it’ll all be fine.]
Mo Chen: [Annoying like a fly.]
Qiao Ruoxin: [Wasn’t she your childhood betrothed? Is it really appropriate to dislike her so much?]
Mo Chen: [Shut the fuck up!]
Even through the phone screen, she could feel Mo Chen’s fury; a smile spilled over the corner of her mouth, poor Mo Chen.
Meanwhile—
In another car.
Lu Xingxing had finally won the opportunity to pair up with Mo Chen and she certainly wasn’t going to waste it.
“Mo Chen, won’t you even congratulate me for winning?”
Lu Xingxing, observing the man’s profile from such a close distance, clicked her tongue in amazement, thinking that indeed, he was the golden standard of good looks in the second generation social circle, extremely handsome.
If it weren’t for his explosive temper, he would truly be flawless.
The man kept his eyes on his phone screen, head down, unwilling even to spare Lu Xingxing an extra glance.
Lu Xingxing, angered by his indifference, snatched his phone away, “I’m talking to you! Can you look at me! What’s with that attitude!”
In an instant, the atmosphere in the car became tense, ready to ignite at a moment’s notice.
Mo Chen, containing the revulsion deep inside, gritted his teeth and said, “Shut the fuck up! Or I swear I’ll kick you out of the car!”
He retrieved his phone, and the thought of Lu Xingxing having touched it flashed a hint of disgust in his eyes.
He picked up a wet wipe from beside him and wiped down the phone.
The photographer sitting in the passenger seat captured this scene and was so shocked that he didn’t dare to utter a word, even holding his breath.
The tempers of these rich second generations really are unpredictable, changing at the drop of a hat.
The photographer was nearly sweating bullets—the atmosphere inside the car was like an icy wasteland where an avalanche could happen at any moment.
Lu Xingxing stared dazedly at the man, with the photographer and the driver still in the car, she simply couldn’t descend from her mortifying pedestal.
She had thought that Mo Chen would restrain his temper for the sake of the recording show, but she hadn’t expected him to be just as irascible.
Lu Xingxing’s face turned alternately pale and flushed, unsure of how to react.
After what felt like a long time, Lu Xingxing suddenly asked, “Do you treat Qiao Ruoxin the same way?”
Mo Chen simply put on his headphones, closed his eyes to rest, and didn’t want to say another word to this woman.
Throughout the trip, the atmosphere in the car was extremely oppressive, to the point where the photographer felt an urge to get out—it was too suffocating.
Finally, the car arrived at the destination and came to a slow stop.
As soon as the car stopped, Mo Chen’s face was icy. He immediately took off his headphones, pushed open the car door, and got out, leaving behind only a cold silhouette.
The driver and the photographer quickly followed suit and got out.
Lu Xingxing sat alone in the car, watching Mo Chen’s indifferent figure, her fists clenched so tightly that her fingernails dug into her palms, her eyes filled with resentful fury.
“Just you wait and see! You can only be my man! Otherwise, neither of you will have it easy!”
Lu Xingxing had indeed succeeded in adding a touch of hatred to her feelings of love.
He was supposed to be her man, but now he treated her like she was trash—she is the daughter of the Lu Family! Why should she be treated like this?
Defeated by that little vixen Qiao Ruoxin, she couldn’t accept it!
Back when she was abroad, Lu Ming had mentioned that Mo Chen was studying there and suggested she get in touch with him, but she had dismissed it with contempt, not giving a second thought to the arranged marriage her father had set up.
But now, Lu Xingxing felt an irresistible urge that he was the one! She absolutely couldn’t let Qiao Ruoxin steal her happiness!
…
Entering the filming location in the afternoon, it turned out to be a pool competition.
Everyone went to change and then gathered at the swimming pool.
As soon as Qiao Ruoxin entered, she saw Mo Chen’s tall, aloof figure, even his silhouette radiating an air of animosity, clearly holding back a great fury on the way here.
She walked up to him and bumped his arm with her shoulder, “Brother Mo Chen.”
At that moment, Mo Chen’s brows were tightly furrowed. Upon hearing her voice, his expression softened slightly as he glanced sideways at her, “Why did you just arrive?”
“It’s a bit troublesome for a woman to change clothes.”
She looked Mo Chen up and down again and nodded with satisfaction, “Not bad at all, you still look handsome like this. You truly have a solid foundation.”
That’s when Lu Xingxing sidled up and pushed her aside, “Qiao Ruoxin, stick to the rules of the competition. We’ve switched partners now, so stay away from us. We’re rivals in a moment.”
She was almost amused by anger, “Now you’re telling me about the rules of the competition? Why didn’t you mention them when you were breaking them this morning?”
“What are you talking about? I don’t understand what you’re saying.”
After all, with photographers constantly following and a dozen cameras set up in front, she smiled faintly, wrapped her arms around Lu Xingxing’s shoulders, and whispered softly, “Lu Xingxing, brace yourself for a tough time later, I’m determined to win!”
“Then I’m definitely going to make you lose!” Lu Xingxing sneered.
Mo Chen watched the intimacy between the two women growing increasingly disgruntled, he walked over and pulled Qiao Ruoxin into his arms.
“Do you need to hug women that tightly?”
“…” Qiao Ruoxin was speechless; this man was truly domineering and unreasonable.
The on-site director took his place, ready to announce the start of the match.
On-site director: “This task is a water polo competition, whichever princess seizes the most water balls will win.”
Qiao Ruoxin’s eyes were resolute; she had to win this time, otherwise Mo Chen would probably have a volcanic eruption.