Before Going on a Variety Show, the Actress Lost Her Memory - Chapter 4

The bathroom was filled with swirling steam, water droplets slowly tracing ambiguous patterns down the glass.

Yu Wenyu’s hazy reflection appeared in the mirror as she soaked in the warm bath, her eyes gently closed in rest.

From her throat downward, faint pink marks of intimacy were completely concealed by the thick layer of bubbles.

Yu Wenyu was utterly exhausted. Xi Xiuyun was being unreasonable, and she just wanted to drift off to sleep. But the approaching footsteps growing louder in her ears had no intention of granting her that wish.

Xi Xiuyun had already finished washing herself. Seeing Yu Wenyu’s utterly unwilling-to-move, lazy-cat-like state, she couldn’t help but smile and decided to come and scoop up this little cat.

Gently lifting Yu Wenyu, Xi Xiuyun supported her back with one hand while using the other to softly wipe the bubbles from Yu Wenyu’s chin. “Go sleep in bed. Soaking for too long isn’t good for you.”

“But I’m so tired, Sister Xi,” Yu Wenyu murmured, lazily lifting her eyelids. Lingering traces of passion still lingered in her eyes, making her appear soft and vulnerable, almost begging to be teased.

Unaware of her own allure, Yu Wenyu was caught between sleep and forced wakefulness. She draped her arm over Xi Xiuyun’s shoulder, instinctively wanting to snuggle into her embrace.

Xi Xiuyun, wearing only a bathrobe, didn’t mind Yu Wenyu’s closeness, even with the bubbles still clinging to her skin.

She naturally wrapped her arms around Yu Wenyu, who leaned closer. The girl’s soft body pressed against her, their skin touching without the barrier of the bathrobe.

Oblivious, Yu Wenyu continued to nuzzle Xi Xiuyun’s neck like a kitten, humming softly.

Xi Xiuyun nearly lost her composure from the teasing, but remembering Yu Wenyu’s exhaustion—she was practically falling asleep in the bathtub—she restrained herself.

Reaching for a nearby towel, Xi Xiuyun wrapped Yu Wenyu in it and, despite the girl’s startled gasp, carried her to the bed.

Gently placing Yu Wenyu down, Xi Xiuyun gazed at her, her eyes crinkling with laughter until they nearly disappeared.

She kissed Yu Wenyu’s forehead, cheeks, and chin before finally pressing her lips to hers. She lingered, kissing her softly several more times without any hint of passion.

The loud “pop” of their kisses made Yu Wenyu burst into laughter, her eyes curving into crescents. Even after all these years, we’re still acting like young lovers, she thought, amused.

Seeing Yu Wenyu laugh, Xi Xiuyun stopped kissing her and smiled along. But then, remembering something, her smile faded. She stroked Yu Wenyu’s cheek and said carefully, “Baby, rest for a bit. Lin Yiqiao will be here soon to discuss some details about Accompanying the Rest of Our Lives.”

Noticing Xi Xiuyun’s slightly guilty expression, Yu Wenyu sensed something was amiss. “Sister Lin is coming to talk to me? Where are you going?”

Yu Wenyu’s tone wasn’t a question, but a statement.

Xi Xiuyun sat down on the edge of the bed, helped Yu Wenyu sit up, and dressed her in a camisole nightgown.

“I need to go to the office for a bit. After being away for two days, the secretaries have handled the routine tasks, but there are some important matters that require my attention. I also need to make arrangements for the follow-up work.”

Yu Wenyu was displeased. Xi Xiuyun had just been discharged from the hospital, and while she had no external injuries, she had suffered a concussion. She hadn’t even rested properly yet, and now she was going straight back to work.

“Hmph, I guess I asked at the wrong time. If I’d known Sister Xi was so busy, I wouldn’t have bothered you.”

As a fan of Lin Duidui, Yu Wenyu could rattle off her classic lines at a moment’s notice.

Xi Xiuyun frowned, her head throbbing. She pinched Yu Wenyu’s slender waist, catching her off guard.

A waist so slender, it could be spanned with a single hand. This perfectly described Yu Wenyu’s figure.

“Where did this ‘Sister Lin’ come from? I’m no Jia Baoyu. Be careful not to push me too far…” Xi Xiuyun trailed off, casting a meaningful glance at Yu Wenyu’s legs.

Yu Wenyu: ……

Enraged and embarrassed, Yu Wenyu grabbed a pillow and started hitting Xi Xiuyun with it.

“Xi Xiuyun! You! You’re a pervert! Three hours already! Can’t you act like a normal person?!”

Xi Xiuyun, forgetting her usual persona, refused to indulge Yu Wenyu this time. She snatched the pillow away, pinned Yu Wenyu down, and kissed her until Yu Wenyu’s face flushed crimson and she promised to go to sleep obediently. Only then did Xi Xiuyun release her.

Watching Xi Xiuyun’s retreating figure, Yu Wenyu immediately dropped her obedient act. She sat up in bed, angrily punched the innocent pillow, and erupted in impotent fury.

“Aaaah! Xi Xiuyun! You bastard! Why are you still bullying me like this even at 28?! Hmph! You’ll be sleeping on the sofa tonight!”

Yet their long-overdue playfulness also reminded Yu Wenyu of their youthful days together. The girl had been spirited and mischievous, her ponytail flying in the wind, forever stirring Yu Wenyu’s heart.

Though this Xi Xiuyun was just as much of a rascal as she’d been in high school, she was now more vibrant, making Yu Wenyu love her even more.

Thinking back to high school, Yu Wenyu grew shy again, burrowing under the covers like a bashful turtle.

The group had been buzzing with activity these past two days. Assistant Wen finally managed to see her boss, who had been missing for two days, at 3 PM.

Heaven knows, with the Xi and Yu families locking down all information, she couldn’t even get a glimpse of her boss.

“President Xi, these are the documents requiring your signature from the past two days.”

Assistant Wen stole a glance at her boss’s complexion. Every strand of hair was perfectly styled, and her face looked healthy, showing no signs of a recent argument. Then… where has she been these past few days?

Xi Xiuyun regarded Wen Buzhi coolly, her gaze carrying a hint of coldness. “Assistant Wen, if you continue to scrutinize me like this, I’ll assume you’re longing for Africa again.”

How to Cope When the Pain of Death Suddenly Strikes Me Assistant Wen plastered on a perfect corporate smile and swiftly departed with the documents signed by the CEO.

She had been foolish. Her wife had been fretting daily about whether Yu Yinghou was the reason President Xi was neglecting her duties, leading Assistant Wen to foolishly imagine she might catch a glimpse of some romantic sweetness on her boss’s face.

But what kind of person was Xi Xiuyun, after all? Wen Buzhi shivered, ruthlessly labeling President Xi as “a wolf in sheep’s clothing, actually a super-duper white-cut black.”

To ensure she could spend the next few days properly accompanying her wife during the variety show filming, Xi Xiuyun now focused intently on processing documents, showing none of the playful demeanor she displayed with Yu Wenyu.

“Yu Wenyu, Yu Wenyu, you’re such a fool! How could you let Best Actress Xi leave so many marks on you?

You two are glued together every day—is that really necessary? You have a recording session in less than a week!

Don’t you know your own constitution? Will the internet think you two are deeply in love, or will they accuse you of domestic abuse?”

Lin Yiqiao was furious. If Yu Wenyu hadn’t been so well-behaved normally, she would have exploded with anger.

Yu Wenyu glanced guiltily at Lin Yiqiao. “Sister Lin, I…”

Lin Yiqiao interrupted her with a disdainful look. “Shut up!”

Yu Wenyu: ……

There’s no need to be so disgusted.

Yu Wenyu finally spoke properly, dropping her dramatic act. “Sister Lin, don’t worry. There won’t be any new marks. They’ll fade in a few days. I’ll just use concealer—you won’t even notice them.”

Lin Yiqiao’s eyes widened. “You were planning to add more?”

Yu Wenyu, caught red-handed, coughed awkwardly. “Ah, well… why are you telling me this? Tell Sister Xi!”

“Tsk, you never take responsibility for anything! You want me to talk to Best Actress Xi? Do you think I want to do that?”

After going through the motions of “disdaining” Yu Wenyu, Lin Yiqiao began explaining the requirements for the variety show Accompanying the Rest of Our Lives.

“Don’t let the cheesy title fool you. Accompanying the Rest of Our Lives has been highly anticipated for two years, so its popularity is guaranteed. Plus, with the double Best Actress CP of you and Best Actress Xi, we won’t have to worry about viewership at all. This exposure should be enough for both of you—probably enough for you two to laze around for another two years without working.”

To be honest, Yu Wenyu didn’t care about fame. She had acted purely out of passion, not for recognition. After marrying Xi Xiuyun, her wife gradually shifted her focus to managing the company. To maintain their marriage and due to her own health issues in recent years, Yu Wenyu had stopped accepting many projects.

Currently, both women were in a semi-retirement state. They relied on the backlog of films they had made in previous years, ensuring at least one release annually, which allowed Yu Wenyu to stay out of the public eye without fans clamoring for her return.

What truly appealed to Yu Wenyu was the prospect of another two years of leisure, not that she disliked making movies. It was just that… well, she had to admit she was a hopeless romantic and a hopeless pervert. She had betrayed her drama fans, waaaah!

Seeing Yu Wenyu about to launch into her “A Brief Encounter with My Fans: Those Hasty Years” act again, Lin Yiqiao hurriedly called “Cut!”

Yu Wenyu had two faces: a delicate white flower for Best Actress Xi, but a domineering queen in front of Lin Yiqiao.

Having her spellcasting interrupted again, Yu Wenyu seethed with resentment. She was determined to be her usual mischievous self today.

“Sister Lin, this variety show isn’t going to make my wife and me sleep in separate rooms, is it? Sniffle That would make me so sad…”

Lin Yiqiao: … Subway. Old man. Phone.

She wondered how Best Actress Xi had endured Yu Wenyu’s antics all these years.

Unable to hit her or out-crazy her, Lin Yiqiao resigned herself to being a soulless cue-card machine.

“The show has twelve episodes. Here’s the format: for the first three episodes, we’ll install cameras in your home to livestream your daily life.

Of course, cameras won’t be placed in private spaces, and you can end the livestream in special circumstances.”

As she mentioned “special circumstances,” Lin Yiqiao “accidentally” glanced at the hickey on Yu Wenyu’s neck.

Yu Wenyu: Numb.

“Starting from the fourth episode, you’ll join three other couples.”

“Including you, there will be two lesbian couples, one gay couple, and one heterosexual couple. You’ll travel while completing missions, with each episode featuring a different theme.”

“That’s the general idea. The director said it would be more fun to experience the details firsthand, so no spoilers.”

Yu Wenyu opened her mouth to speak, but Lin Yiqiao, fearing she might say something foolish, quickly ignored her and continued.

Yu Wenyu: ……

“The other three couples are: veteran voice actors Li Yan and his wife Fang Wenxia; director Shang Lin and his husband Xu Keqing, who came out a few years ago but have been together for over a decade; and rising star Su Junwan and her wife, singer Xiao Huili, who publicly announced their relationship last year.”

Lin Yiqiao paused for breath, still not giving Yu Wenyu a chance to interrupt.

“Everyone in the industry knows about these couples. Except for the newly public one, the others are relatively stable. There shouldn’t be any drama, but you never truly know what’s in someone’s heart. The Yu and Xi Clans should be able to access more detailed information. If necessary, Best Actress Xi will personally discuss it with you.”

Yu Wenyu stared at Lin Yiqiao, momentarily speechless. She could only manage a dry agreement before taking the contract and the profiles of the other three couples to review.