After the Soul Swap Between Love Rival AO - Chapter 25

Du Zhiruo was taken aback, as if she hadn’t expected Song Qiuchi to be so cold. “Am I not welcome?”

Just as Song Qiuchi was about to respond, Cheng Luanxin cut in, “Of course you’re welcome!”

Du Zhiruo awkwardly tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “Am I being too forward by forcing my way into your group?”

Cheng Luanxin quickly reassured her, “How is this forcing your way in? We’re all good friends! Don’t mind her—she’s just not great at expressing herself, but she really does welcome you! Right, Cheng Luanxin?”

Song Qiuchi gave a resigned twitch of her lips. “Right.”

Cheng Luanxin, worried the atmosphere might be off, deliberately pulled the other two in front of the camera and said, “Look, our sun-protective jackets and hats are matching sets! We bought them together over the weekend. What do you think, do they look good?”

Bullet comments:

“Emmmm, even though Qiu Chi is trying to lighten the mood, I still feel something’s off between Cheng Luanxin and Du Zhiruo. Did they have a fight?”

“I think it’s because Du Zhiruo is too fake—our tough-as-nails Luanbao can’t stand her.”

“HAHAHAHA how did Luanbao become ‘tough-as-nails’? Wasn’t her persona supposed to be the awkward spicy girl before?”

“Srds still, real talk though, I love this three-way standoff, hehehe.”

Cheng Luanxin, like a shopping mall salesperson, started introducing her backpack: “We bought this bag together too. Look at this bag—it’s super convenient, spacious, and really comfortable to carry. Plus, it comes with a hydration bladder. See this tube? You can drink without even opening the bag. And there’s this trekking pole attachment…”

Song Qiuchi tugged at her: “Stop rambling. The other teams have already started moving.”

First, they took the cable car.

The cable car started at the foot of the mountain and took just five minutes to transport visitors directly to Yihua Peak, saving nearly three hours of hiking.

One cable car could hold exactly six people—Cheng Luanxin, Song Qiuchi, Du Zhiruo, plus three cameramen—just enough.

The group boarded the cable car, with Cheng Luanxin sitting in the middle again and the three cameramen opposite them.

With a creaking, grating sound, the cable car swayed and began its ascent. Barely a few dozen meters up, Cheng Luanxin noticed the cameraman assigned to her was struggling, his hands trembling violently.

She quickly asked, “Are you okay?”

The cameraman shakily set the camera down on his lap for a moment. “I’m fine, I’m fine.”

Cheng Luanxin was concerned. “Big bro, if you’re like this now, how are you going to film up on the mountain?”

The cameraman’s lips trembled. “Once we’re on the mountain, it’ll be fine… Up there, we’ll be standing on solid ground. Here, we’re standing on the sky…”

Cheng Luanxin pondered this and found the man’s words oddly philosophical. She glanced left and right. “How about you two? You okay?”

Du Zhiruo smiled. “I’m fine. The speed isn’t too bad. After trying that roller coaster last time, this level is nothing to me.”

Song Qiuchi: “…I’m okay.”

Cheng Luanxin could tell from Song Qiuchi’s voice that something was off. She turned to look and saw Song Qiuchi’s face was deathly pale, her lips devoid of any color.

Cheng Luanxin: “…”

“Hey, sis, you were the one who said you wanted to take the cable car, remember?”

Song Qiuchi looked miserable. “…I didn’t realize standing on the sky would feel like this.”

Looking around, all they could see were jagged, towering cliffs, with an unfathomable sea of clouds and dense forests below—truly a bit terrifying.

Cheng Luanxin thought for a moment. “Want to lie on my lap for a bit?”

Song Qiuchi glanced at her, then without another word, flopped onto Cheng Luanxin’s thighs.

Cheng Luanxin hadn’t expected Song Qiuchi to be so direct and felt a little awkward herself. “Just a heads-up—exposing the back of your neck like this is dangerous.”

Song Qiuchi paused, then lifted a hand to cover her nape.

Cheng Luanxin moved her hand away. “It’s fine if it’s me—I’m a righteous person. Can I scratch it for you? Cats and dogs love getting scratches.”

“Luanbao knows Qiuchi so well, deliberately saving her a seat because she gets carsick. So thoughtful~”

“But what are they talking about? Can I listen too?”

Cheng Luanxin pushed her luck, reaching out to touch Song Qiuchi’s braid: “Didn’t expect you to be so good at braiding hair. It looks really nice. We’ll have to take lots of photos when we reach the summit and send them to my grandma.”

Song Qiuchi lowered her voice: “What do you mean, your grandma? Can you watch what you say? There are so many people on the bus, and we’re already recording.”

Cheng Luanxin was shocked: “We’re recording already?! And you picked seats this far up front?!”

Her eyes darted around until she spotted the camera mounted at the front of the bus. Timidly, she waved at the lens: “Hi~”

Live Chat:

“HAHAHAHAHA Qiuchi didn’t realize the livestream had already started, did she?!”

“No wonder she was teasing Luanbao so shamelessly, playing with her hair like that lol”

“Who wouldn’t ship them after seeing this? KSWL!”

“Rose ×1”

Now aware she was sitting right under the camera, Cheng Luanxin suddenly felt awkward in every way. She wanted to close her eyes and rest but couldn’t find a comfortable position, so she kept talking to Song Qiuchi: “Hey, do you think I’ll throw up?”

Song Qiuchi sighed, pulling a pack of motion sickness patches from her pocket and handing them over: “Put it on yourself.”

Cheng Luanxin carefully read the instructions but still didn’t understand: “Where’s the Shenque acupoint?”

Song Qiuchi: “Your belly button.”

Cheng Luanxin stared at the small, round patch in confusion: “But… my belly button is a hole. Am I supposed to cover it or fill it?”

Song Qiuchi: “…”

Song Qiuchi: “Cover it.”

Cheng Luanxin mumbled, “Huh? Just cover it? This thing’s so tiny—my belly button’s kinda big…”

Song Qiuchi couldn’t take it anymore. In all her years, this was the first time she’d heard someone critique their own belly button, and she was thoroughly unimpressed: “Lift your shirt. I’ll do it.”

Cheng Luanxin gasped, covering her stomach: “Isn’t that a bit inappropriate?”

Song Qiuchi deadpanned: “It’s just a motion sickness patch. Nothing inappropriate about it.”

After fidgeting for a while, Cheng Luanxin reasoned that since they were supposed to be playing up their “CP” image, this counted as normal interaction. Besides, it was Song Qiuchi’s body anyway—what was there to be shy about? She tugged at her seatbelt, lifted her shirt slightly, and turned her head away: “Fine, go ahead.”

Song Qiuchi exhaled, peeled off the backing, and pressed the patch firmly over Cheng Luanxin’s belly button with her palm. One second—done. No lingering touches, no hint of flirtation.

Cheng Luanxin felt something was off but couldn’t pinpoint it: “You’re pretty good at this.”

Live Chat:

“AAAAAHHH THEY’RE SO SWEET”

“I’m dying at Qiuchi’s ‘cover it or fill it’ LOL”

“I love how Luanbao just resignedly takes care of Qiuchi!”

The two fell silent after that. Song Qiuchi opened her tablet to work, while Cheng Luanxin put on headphones and closed her eyes.

The two-hour journey passed quickly. As the bus entered the Mengshan scenic area, the road narrowed and grew bumpy. Cheng Luanxin’s discomfort became obvious.

She squirmed in her seat, twisting and turning with a pained expression until Song Qiuchi noticed.

“Not feeling well?”

Cheng Luanxin nodded, pointing at her belly button: “Didn’t work.”

Song Qiuchi thought to herself that the motion sickness patches were actually quite effective. Given her constitution, without them, she probably wouldn’t last half an hour. She didn’t want to scare Cheng Luanxin by saying so, so she simply pointed to her lap and asked, “Want to rest your head here for a bit?”

Cheng Luanxin was taken aback. “Can I?”

Song Qiuchi nodded. “It’ll be more comfortable.”

A faint blush spread across Cheng Luanxin’s cheeks. The dizziness had already made her too disoriented to question whether it was appropriate. She gently laid her head on Song Qiuchi’s thighs and asked, “Can I hold onto your waist?”

Song Qiuchi slightly lifted her waist in response, signaling her consent.

Cheng Luanxin wrapped her arms around Song Qiuchi’s waist, adjusting into a comfortable position, and couldn’t resist complimenting herself: “So slim.”

Song Qiuchi sighed helplessly and smoothed Cheng Luanxin’s bangs. “Rest for a while. I’ll wake you when we arrive.”

Cheng Luanxin mumbled, “I’m not that weak. I’ll get up after a short nap.”

But despite her words, Cheng Luanxin fell asleep faster than anyone else. By the time Song Qiuchi gently shook her awake, half an hour had already passed.

Still groggy, Cheng Luanxin stepped off the bus and was immediately awestruck by the sight before her.

The Mengshan mountain range stretched endlessly, its peaks competing in grandeur, half-hidden in the vast sea of clouds like a flowing ink painting.

It was the off-season for tourism, so there weren’t many visitors. The only group at the foot of the mountain was the crew of Romance for You.

An’nai began explaining the activity rules: “Today’s group activity is climbing Mengshan. As you all know, there are many routes up the mountain. The guidebook you just received outlines four recommended routes planned by our team. Today, you’ll form your own teams and freely choose a route. Along the way, you can collect rose tokens. We’ll meet at Chengyang Hotel on Puyun Peak by 7 p.m. Does everyone understand?”

The guests nodded in agreement.

Du Zhiruo naturally gravitated toward Cheng Luanxin. “Qiuchi, which route do you want to take?”

Cheng Luanxin flipped through the guidebook, torn between the options. Each route featured famous landmarks, making it hard for a novice traveler like her to decide.

Song Qiuchi suggested, “Let’s take Route Three. We’ll ride the cable car to Yihua Peak first, then start hiking. This route includes Fuyan Grand Canyon without backtracking, saving time. We’ll also pass by Xushan Temple—we can stop and take a look.”

Cheng Luanxin paused, then realized: Xushan Temple was a renowned monastery. Perhaps they could find a solution to their soul-swapping dilemma there.

She quickly agreed, “Then let’s choose Route Three. Taking the cable car up sounds great—less effort, and I’ve never ridden a sightseeing cable car before.”

Du Zhiruo also nodded. “Then let’s go. We should line up for the cable car.”

Song Qiuchi hesitated, stopping in her tracks. “Are you still coming with us?”

Chapter 25: Cats and Dogs Both Love a Good Scratch.

Du Zhiruo was taken aback, as if she hadn’t expected Song Qiuchi to be so cold. “Am I not welcome?”

Just as Song Qiuchi was about to respond, Cheng Luanxin cut in, “Of course you’re welcome!”

Du Zhiruo awkwardly tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “Am I being too forward by forcing my way into your group?”

Cheng Luanxin quickly reassured her, “How is this forcing your way in? We’re all good friends! Don’t mind her—she’s just not great at expressing herself, but she really does welcome you! Right, Cheng Luanxin?”

Song Qiuchi gave a resigned twitch of her lips. “Right.”

Cheng Luanxin, worried the atmosphere might be off, deliberately pulled the other two in front of the camera and said, “Look, our sun-protective jackets and hats are matching sets! We bought them together over the weekend. What do you think, do they look good?”

Bullet comments:

“Emmmm, even though Qiu Chi is trying to lighten the mood, I still feel something’s off between Cheng Luanxin and Du Zhiruo. Did they have a fight?”

“I think it’s because Du Zhiruo is too fake—our tough-as-nails Luanbao can’t stand her.”

“HAHAHAHA how did Luanbao become ‘tough-as-nails’? Wasn’t her persona supposed to be the awkward spicy girl before?”

“Srds still, real talk though, I love this three-way standoff, hehehe.”

Cheng Luanxin, like a shopping mall salesperson, started introducing her backpack: “We bought this bag together too. Look at this bag—it’s super convenient, spacious, and really comfortable to carry. Plus, it comes with a hydration bladder. See this tube? You can drink without even opening the bag. And there’s this trekking pole attachment…”

Song Qiuchi tugged at her: “Stop rambling. The other teams have already started moving.”

First, they took the cable car.

The cable car started at the foot of the mountain and took just five minutes to transport visitors directly to Yihua Peak, saving nearly three hours of hiking.

One cable car could hold exactly six people—Cheng Luanxin, Song Qiuchi, Du Zhiruo, plus three cameramen—just enough.

The group boarded the cable car, with Cheng Luanxin sitting in the middle again and the three cameramen opposite them.

With a creaking, grating sound, the cable car swayed and began its ascent. Barely a few dozen meters up, Cheng Luanxin noticed the cameraman assigned to her was struggling, his hands trembling violently.

She quickly asked, “Are you okay?”

The cameraman shakily set the camera down on his lap for a moment. “I’m fine, I’m fine.”

Cheng Luanxin was concerned. “Big bro, if you’re like this now, how are you going to film up on the mountain?”

The cameraman’s lips trembled. “Once we’re on the mountain, it’ll be fine… Up there, we’ll be standing on solid ground. Here, we’re standing on the sky…”

Cheng Luanxin pondered this and found the man’s words oddly philosophical. She glanced left and right. “How about you two? You okay?”

Du Zhiruo smiled. “I’m fine. The speed isn’t too bad. After trying that roller coaster last time, this level is nothing to me.”

Song Qiuchi: “…I’m okay.”

Cheng Luanxin could tell from Song Qiuchi’s voice that something was off. She turned to look and saw Song Qiuchi’s face was deathly pale, her lips devoid of any color.

Cheng Luanxin: “…”

“Hey, sis, you were the one who said you wanted to take the cable car, remember?”

Song Qiuchi looked miserable. “…I didn’t realize standing on the sky would feel like this.”

Looking around, all they could see were jagged, towering cliffs, with an unfathomable sea of clouds and dense forests below—truly a bit terrifying.

Cheng Luanxin thought for a moment. “Want to lie on my lap for a bit?”

Song Qiuchi glanced at her, then without another word, flopped onto Cheng Luanxin’s thighs.

Cheng Luanxin hadn’t expected Song Qiuchi to be so direct and felt a little awkward herself. “Just a heads-up—exposing the back of your neck like this is dangerous.”

Song Qiuchi paused, then lifted a hand to cover her nape.

Cheng Luanxin moved her hand away. “It’s fine if it’s me—I’m a righteous person. Can I scratch it for you? Cats and dogs love getting scratches.”

Song Qiuchi: “…”

Song Qiuchi straightened up and simply closed his eyes. “Thanks to you, I don’t feel as dizzy anymore.”

Live Comments:

–

“LMAO, even cats and dogs love a good scratch!”

–

“I agree, Song Qiuchi is the most upright Alpha I’ve ever seen!”

–

“HAHAHAHA is it me laughing so hard or is the cameraman’s hand shaking?”

–

“u1s1, this cable car is pretty terrifying.”

–

“Roses ×2”

After an excruciating five minutes, the six of them finally arrived safely at Yihua Peak.

Song Qiuchi, too, was freed from the weakness of his limp limbs and regained a sense of security with solid ground beneath his feet.

As for Cheng Luanxin, she had already excitedly climbed several steps ahead. “Wow, the air up here is so fresh! What should I do? I love it here so much!”

The cameraman panted from below the steps. “Teacher Song, slow down. I haven’t caught my breath yet.”

Cheng Luanxin hurried back down. “Sorry, sorry, I forgot about you. Should we find a place to sit and rest for a bit?”

The cameraman waved his hand. “No need, no need. Otherwise, we won’t finish today’s tasks.”

The first scenic spot the trio headed to was the Fuyan Grand Canyon. Standing atop Fuyan Peak and looking down, they saw a vast expanse of deep emerald green. The thought of descending to the valley floor via a steep ladder was enough to make anyone’s legs go weak.

After walking for a while, everyone’s legs had stiffened. Cheng Luanxin’s cameraman and Song Qiuchi, in particular, looked troubled, filled with resistance toward the journey ahead.

Cheng Luanxin rallied their spirits and took charge. “Friends, we’ve come all this way—how can we miss such an important spot? Going downhill is much easier than climbing up! Once we’re down, we can even have a picnic by Wanxi Stream. Doesn’t that sound fun? I’m sure the audience watching from home is looking forward to seeing us go down too!”

Live Comments:

–

“HAHAHAHAHA the master of empty promises, Song Qiuchi, has arrived!”

–

“Cameraman: You guys get to picnic, but what about us?”

–

“But honestly, I have to say, going downhill isn’t necessarily easier than going up…”

As the comments predicted, Cheng Luanxin took a few steps down before realizing something was wrong. Her legs, accustomed to climbing upward, struggled to adjust to the descent. The moment she moved, her muscles cramped up, and her entire left leg hurt so much she couldn’t take another step.

She wanted to take off her shoes and massage her calves and soles.

But taking off her shoes and rubbing her feet in public? Way too embarrassing.

Song Qiuchi passed by her and glanced over. “What’s wrong?”

Unwilling to show weakness, Cheng Luanxin stubbornly replied, “The scenery here is nice. I’m just trying to find a good angle for photos.”

Song Qiuchi nodded. “Oh.”

Cheng Luanxin pretended to pull out her phone. “You guys go ahead. Don’t wait for me.”

Seeing the cameraman still lingering nearby, she urged, “You should go too. I’ll catch up in a bit.”

The cameraman hesitated. “But I’m assigned to follow you?”

Cheng Luanxin: “Just film Cheng Luanxin for now. It’s the same, it’s the same.”

As soon as the group rounded the next bend and disappeared behind the mountain’s cover, Cheng Luanxin eagerly plopped onto the stone steps, took off her shoes, and stretched out her legs.

Unfortunately, it did nothing.

She tried stretching her legs in a different direction, even attempting to stand and jump, but the pain in her legs refused to ease.

She wanted to bend over and rub her calves, but the pain made it impossible to even bend her legs.

Cheng Luanxin’s forehead beaded with cold sweat. Who would have thought she’d suddenly get a cramp in the middle of this remote mountain forest? Would she pass out from the pain? That would really help Song Qiuchi become famous.

Just then, the rhythmic tapping of trekking poles echoed from around the bend. Her heart leaped into her throat as she turned toward the sound. The next second, a figure appeared at the end of the winding path.

It was Song Qiuchi.

Cheng Luanxin’s tense nerves instantly relaxed. Pouting pitifully, she waved at her.

Song Qiuchi sighed helplessly and quickened her pace up the steps.

“What’s wrong?”

Cheng Luanxin pointed miserably at her calf. “Cramp. The photographers didn’t follow, right?”

“No, I told them to take a break.” Song Qiuchi crouched beside her. “How did you suddenly get a cramp?”

Cheng Luanxin: “How should I know why your leg is so useless? Come on, rub it for me.”

First criticized for having too big a belly button, now her leg was being called useless. Annoyed, Song Qiuchi lifted Cheng Luanxin’s leg and rested it on her knee. “Bear with it.”

She carefully massaged several acupoints on Cheng Luanxin’s calf, her movements slow and pressure just right. Cheng Luanxin clearly enjoyed it, tilting her head back with an expression of bliss, as if basking in the essence of heaven and earth.

“Song Qiuchi, I didn’t know you were so good at massages. When you retire, you could open a massage parlor. With skills like this, you’d have no shortage of customers.”

“By the time I retire, I’d still have to work giving massages? You really don’t wish me well. Alright, try to get up.”

Cheng Luanxin giggled with her eyes closed. “Give me a little more, please? It feels so good.”

Song Qiuchi looked at her silly, upturned face and suddenly felt an odd impulse. Unable to resist, she reached out and lightly scratched her throat.

Cheng Luanxin jolted, eyes snapping open as she instinctively yanked her leg back and clutched her throat. “What are you doing?!”

Song Qiuchi hadn’t expected such a strong reaction and hesitated, unsure whether to withdraw her hand.

The two stared at each other.

Cheng Luanxin looked as wary as a bristling kitten.

Song Qiuchi said uncertainly, “You said it yourself—cats and dogs like being scratched.”