After the Soul Swap Between Love Rival AO - Chapter 17

The two retreated to the next room to discuss the date itinerary.

Cheng Luanxin was completely deflated, slumping lifelessly over the table and slapping her palms against the surface to vent her frustration.

Song Qiuchi grabbed her wrists with a frown: “Sit up. We need to hurry and figure this out.”

Cheng Luanxin remained sprawled, utterly unmotivated: “Song Qiuchi, why are we so unlucky? I mean, it’s not like we did anything special. How did we end up as the ‘model couple’?”

Song Qiuchi: “Like you said, the audience knows us. Nothing we can do about it.”

Cheng Luanxin grimaced: “But it’s so embarrassing! Just think—Du Zhiruo will be watching us awkwardly chat while leaving comments about us. My god, what kind of hell is this?”

Song Qiuchi had long grown used to Cheng Luanxin’s constant mentions of Du Zhiruo and didn’t bother commenting: “It’s not like we haven’t been on dates before. Just treat it normally.”

Cheng Luanxin: “But if we keep doing this, won’t we run out of script material?”

Yu Peiyin had originally given them a script outlining eight date scenarios: returning to their alma mater, visiting Cheng Luanxin’s home, baking desserts, experiencing a pet shop, soaking in hot springs, attending a music festival, camping by the sea to watch the sunrise, and shopping at a home goods store. Yet in less than a week, they’d already completed two.

Song Qiuchi thought for a moment: “Let’s stick to the script for now. If we run out, you can always ask your agent for more material.”

In the end, the two settled on baking together.

Half an hour later, the livestream began.

Cheng Luanxin and Song Qiuchi stood in front of the camera and waved: “Hey everyone, can you hear us?”

Comments:

Su Ling: We can hear you! Being a romance observer is so fun, lol.

Zhuang Mingchu: Loud and clear.

Bian Ning: So excited!

Cheng Luanxin scratched her head: “If the equipment’s working, then you should be able to hear us. Today, Qiuchi and I are going to attempt baking. If all goes well, you’ll get to enjoy some sweet treats from us tonight.”

Song Qiuchi said, “It’s our first time doing this, so please don’t have high expectations for our skills.”

Cheng Luanxin retorted, “Already giving up before we even start?!”

Live comments:

He Ran: LMAO, you two sound like a comedy duo!

Lin Zhiyun: So this is the dynamic of ‘Chi Xin An Xu’?

Liang Shengxia: Then we’ll just wait for your not-so-skilled but lovingly made desserts!

Cheng Luanxin and Song Qiuchi exchanged a glance before she said, “Alright, no more jokes. We’re heading to the supermarket now.”

Song Qiuchi opened the car door for Cheng Luanxin. “Get in.”

The dorm only had one oven and no other baking tools, so they had to buy everything from scratch.

Cheng Luanxin searched for baking tutorials on her phone. “What should we make today?”

Song Qiuchi suggested, “Why not ask the audience? Everyone, comment what dessert you’d like to see!”

Live comments:

Su Ling: We get to choose? Such VIP treatment?

Du Zhiruo: Anything? I want taro cake!

Duan Mengshu: Can we have soy milk pudding boxes?

Cheng Luanxin grinned. “Feel free to share your thoughts—not like we’ll actually see them anyway.”

Su Ling: …I actually believed it for a second.

Bian Ning: HAHAHAHA this is gold

Song Qiuchi leaned in to look at her phone. “Find anything good?”

Cheng Luanxin pushed the screen toward her. “Everything looks hard. Maybe we should just make egg tarts. The supermarket sells ready-made tart shells and custard—even a fool could do it.”

Song Qiuchi: “…Let’s look for something else. I’d rather not be the fool.”

After much deliberation, they settled on donuts—visually appealing, delicious, and most importantly, easy to make without disaster.

Cheng Luanxin held up her phone. “I’ll check what we need for donuts. You jot it down.”

Song Qiuchi nodded. “Got it.”

Cheng Luanxin read from the tutorial: “Stainless steel bowl, ceramic bowl, whisk…”

Song Qiuchi frowned. “We need a stainless steel bowl? Doesn’t the kitchen have one?”

Cheng Luanxin honestly couldn’t remember. It should, but she wasn’t sure.

Song Qiuchi continued, “And we don’t need to buy ceramic bowls—the kitchen definitely has those. You’re so clueless about daily life. Switch with me—you take notes.”

Cheng Luanxin pouted. “Fine, you do it.”

Song Qiuchi rewound the video, paused, then began listing ingredients: “Eggs, sugar, salt, corn oil, cake flour, baking powder…”

Cheng Luanxin cut in, “Hold on, you’re calling me clueless? Does the kitchen not have sugar? Salt? Eggs? Did the chicken personally lay the eggs for your tomato stir-fry last night?”

Song Qiuchi: “…”

Song Qiuchi: “What if we ran out?”

Cheng Luanxin: “I say we just buy everything the video mentions, just in case.”

Song Qiuchi fell silent for a moment before sighing. “Whatever you say.”

Cheng Luanxin raised her head proudly: “Switch back, I’ll dictate and you take notes.”

The live chat was in stitches:

Liang Shengxia: “Hahahahaha, Chi Xin An Xu is really hilarious!”

Su Ling: “Did the chicken lay the eggs fresh for your tomato and egg stir-fry last night? wwww”

He Ran: “I never expected Qiu Chi to have this kind of personality before.”

Lin Zhiyun: “Kinda starting to get the appeal of Chi Xin An Xu.”

Du Zhiruo had originally typed something, but after seeing the comments, she seemed lost in thought and deleted it all.

Along the way, the two bickered but eventually managed to jot down all the necessary ingredients for making donuts and successfully arrived at the supermarket.

A staff member reminded them: “After picking out your items, don’t pay directly. Remember to come to me to exchange for tokens.”

Cheng Luanxin was taken aback: “Exchange for what tokens? Didn’t we already give you the tokens for the ride?”

The staff member was equally surprised: “You didn’t know? All purchases must be made using rose tokens. Each token can be exchanged for one item.”

Cheng Luanxin and Song Qiuchi exchanged glances—they genuinely hadn’t known. After all, their first date’s sweet rice balls were complimentary from the shop owner, and the scented balm from their second date was a gift from Cheng Luanxin’s grandmother. Neither had required spending money.

Song Qiuchi frowned: “One token for one item, regardless of the item’s price?”

The staff nodded: “Yes, for accounting convenience, one token corresponds to one item.”

Cheng Luanxin was dumbfounded. No matter how many tokens they had, this spending rate was unsustainable. The materials they needed amounted to nearly thirty different items—this was way too costly.

Though she wasn’t exactly the thrifty type, she did have a habit of hoarding things and was naturally reluctant to part with her rose tokens. She tried to negotiate: “But weren’t we chosen today for everyone to observe and learn from us? Do we really have to pay for this ourselves?”

The staff nodded: “Those are the show’s rules.”

Cheng Luanxin pouted and looked pitifully at Song Qiuchi.

Song Qiuchi: “Just spend them. There’s a group activity next week—we can earn more then.”

Cheng Luanxin blinked her eyes pleadingly: “Then you have to split the cost with me, okay?”

Song Qiuchi: “…Can’t you be a little more generous?”

Live chat:

Zhuang Mingchu: “They only just found out they need rose tokens to buy things?”

Du Zhiruo: “Probably never had to spend money before.”

Su Ling: “Their penny-pinching is killing me.”

Liang Shengxia: “Hahaha, the richer they are, the stingier they get.”

The frugal Cheng Luanxin and Song Qiuchi pushed a shopping cart into the supermarket together, heading first to the kitchenware section to browse the shelves.

Song Qiuchi picked up a stainless steel bowl and was about to place it in the cart when Cheng Luanxin stopped her. She grabbed a larger one from the shelf: “Get this one. It’s bigger, more expensive—better value.”

Song Qiuchi sighed: “The base is so wide. Do you think it’ll be easy to mix in?”

Cheng Luanxin widened her eyes: “But there are ten of us, plus all the staff. A small bowl won’t be enough!”

Song Qiuchi: “I think this size is plenty.”

Cheng Luanxin: “I disagree. How about we settle it with rock-paper-scissors, best two out of three?”

Song Qiuchi irritably put the bowl back on the shelf: “Forget it, let’s just get the big one.”

Cheng Luanxin triumphantly hugged the bowl and hummed a tune as she walked ahead.

Live chat:

Su Ling: “This bowl is way too big, hahahaha. How many donuts is Qiu Chi planning to make?”

Lin Zhiyun: “They really get along so naturally.”

Zhuang Mingchu: “It’s actually quite sweet.”

Only Du Zhiruo didn’t comment, and only she noticed—the melody Song Qiuchi was humming on screen was none other than Cheng Luanxin’s debut song, Three Years of Sweet Nothings.

She had always thought this song was written specifically for her. But now, it seemed that might not be the case.