Forced Cohabitation After a Hit Romance Variety Show with My Rival Actress - Chapter 16

In a secluded corner, the sea breeze whispered gently.

Strands of hair brushed softly against Chi Yu’s cheek, carrying the delicate fragrance of jasmine.

Feeling the tickle, Chi Yu tilted her head back, trying to avoid the stray strands. But the movement only brought her crimson lips closer to Gu Yuan’s.

For a moment, neither of them moved.

Nor did they speak.

The collar microphone was a state-of-the-art model—waterproof, shockproof, and highly sensitive. It would likely capture even the slightly louder breathing caused by their racing heartbeats.

Pinned against the wooden wall, Gu Yuan’s long, narrow eyes flickered with an unreadable emotion. “What are you worried about?”

Chi Yu smiled innocently, her hand gliding up the back of Gu Yuan’s white dress.

Her fingertips traced the curve of Gu Yuan’s spine, drifting toward her shoulder blades.

“We’ll be going into the water soon,” Chi Yu said, blinking her bright, dewy deer-like eyes. “You need to make sure your inner lining is properly secured. It wouldn’t do for anyone to see you like that.”

The scene felt strangely familiar.

If Chi Yu were to tie her hair into a high ponytail right now and swap her swimsuit and cover-up for a blue high school uniform, the scene would perfectly mirror that moment from the past.

“Hmm?” Gu Yuan tilted her chin slightly, her gaze dropping to meet Chi Yu’s. “Are you afraid someone will see me?”

The jasmine scent mingling with the faint fragrance of her skin was utterly intoxicating.

“Or do you just not want anyone to see me?”

Chi Yu adored Gu Yuan’s scent. Even after all these years, she was still drawn to that captivating aroma.

The truth was, only she knew this wasn’t perfume—it was Gu Yuan’s natural body scent.

“There’s no difference,” Chi Yu said with a smile, her fingers continuing to trace upward until they paused at Gu Yuan’s shoulder blade. Through the fabric, she felt the bow of the swimsuit tie beneath.

“Oh… Sister came prepared after all.”

Chi Yu’s words were clear confirmation, yet she didn’t release her hold. Instead, she tilted her head, her smile radiant. “I worried for nothing, then.”

If one were to only hear her voice, no hint of ulterior motive would be detected.

By now, the film crew had noticed the pair’s absence and begun frantically searching for them. After all, this was the seaside, and the crew feared something might have happened.

At that moment, the two women leisurely emerged from behind the house.

The production assistant and assistant director were frantic, wiping sweat from their foreheads. “Where did you two go? We were so worried!”

Chi Yu flashed her disarmingly innocent smile, her hair fluttering in the sea breeze, radiating pure and refreshing charm.

“Gu Yuan was checking her wardrobe, and I went with her,” she explained.

A faint smile also appeared on Gu Yuan’s face.

“Yes, Chi Yu is such a responsible and caring younger sister. She’s been ‘keeping me company’ the whole time.”

The way she emphasized the phrase “keeping me company” sounded slightly forced, but most people wouldn’t notice the subtle nuance.

The live comments erupted in praise:

Ah, sisters! Their relationship is so sweet!

Such a harmonious scene! Both of them are so beautiful and their chemistry is off the charts!

I wonder if Ruan Feiyu, who’s busy looking at clothes and bags, would cry if she saw her rivals getting along so well?

LOL! I just came back from Ruan Feiyu’s storyline. She’s so miserable! Seagulls are even landing on her head to sleep. Someone might mistake her for a statue soon!

Oh my god, they’re going into the water!

Gu Yuan’s white dress is getting wet! Hnnngh!

Gu Yuan stepped into the turquoise sea, waves gently lapping against her legs.

As expected, the white dress clung to her body when wet, accentuating her beautiful figure.

She turned to look back at the shore, her eyes catching the light of the setting sun. The golden rays softened her gaze, giving it a slightly hazy, dreamy quality.

Behind her, a crimson sunset painted the sky, the sun sinking into the horizon like a vibrant brushstroke of ink dropped onto the world by a celestial artist.

The shimmering sea shattered the fiery orange-red hues into countless fragments, scattering them across the water’s surface in undulating patterns.

Against this breathtaking backdrop, Chi Yu’s footsteps froze the moment Gu Yuan turned her head.

The scene before her was so exquisite, so beyond words, that it stirred something deep within her. She could only sense it concretely, a tightening in her chest.

Then she heard the coach beside them explaining the flying technique in English: “The wind is strong today. I recommend flying in a hug.”

Gu Yuan tilted her chin.

Chi Yu chimed in, “How do you fly in a hug?”

“Like this,” the coach demonstrated, wrapping his arms around himself. “Embrace your partner tightly, face-to-face.”

Though it was a perfectly normal instructional gesture, in that moment, it felt strangely intimate.

An indescribable sensation gently tugged at the depths of her heart.

After a moment, Chi Yu smiled. “Then what does Sister Gu Yuan think?”

Gu Yuan’s smile remained serene. “Let’s follow the Coach’s instructions.”

The Eastern charm in her voice and expression was both gentle and elegant, leaving the Coach somewhat dazed as he repeatedly nodded, “Yes, yes, yes.”

The two women began the flight simulation exercise.

Chi Yu: “Sister, hold me tight.”

Gu Yuan raised an eyebrow, but before she could respond, Chi Yu had already stepped onto the simulator.

In the next instant, Chi Yu’s arm wrapped firmly around Gu Yuan’s slender waist, pulling her forcefully into a tight embrace.

Whether intentional or not, the collision brought Chi Yu into contact with something soft and fragrant.

A triumphant smirk played on Chi Yu’s lips, her mischief executed with practiced ease. The audience, however, remained oblivious, their attention fixed on the simulator as it rose higher above the water, the women’s delicate ankles nearly breaking the surface.

The live chat buzzed with commentary:

Aiyo, their embrace looks so natural!

Honestly, if you hadn’t said Gu Yuan and Ruan Feiyu were ex-girlfriends, I would have suspected Gu Yuan’s ex was Chi Yu.

Can we stop obsessing over who’s whose ex? Just open your eyes and look at this beautiful scene!

Holy crap, watching them hug actually made pink bubbles appear in front of my eyes.

Chi Yu held Gu Yuan close, a slight smile curving her lips. “If you’re scared, just hold me tight like before.”

Gu Yuan: “I’m not scared anymore.”

Huh???

Did I just hear “like before”?

Damn, I seriously suspect these two are up to something. The energy between them is way too sus.

The comments flooded the screen in a frenzy, completely oblivious to how much they were revealing.

Gu Yuan wrapped her arm around Chi Yu’s waist, pulling her in with a grip so tight it made Chi Yu wince slightly.

“Ouch…”

“Not scared anymore?” Chi Yu raised an eyebrow. “Then why are you holding me so tight?”

Gu Yuan chuckled softly. “Because my hair is caught on your name tag.”

“……”

The two women embraced, spinning through the air above the azure sea under the setting sun.

Chi Yu, a seasoned extreme sports enthusiast, kept performing daring aerial maneuvers, eliciting gasps from the coaches and film crew on set.

The live comments section was flooded with rapid-fire messages.

Chi Yu held Gu Yuan close as they soared and twirled above the water, like winged creatures reveling in their freedom.

Gu Yuan’s hair, damp and clinging to her pale cheeks, made her already fair skin appear even more bloodless.

Though she must have been frightened, her lips were pressed into a tight line, as if she were locked in a silent battle with herself, refusing to yield.

Chi Yu noticed this immediately and deliberately executed a series of challenging angled dives into the water, a mischievous grin playing on her lips as she watched Gu Yuan’s reaction.

Just as she prepared to complete one final spin, she felt a sudden pop behind her, as if something had detached from her body under the force of the water impact.

Chi Yu: “……”

This time, it was Gu Yuan’s turn to smile slowly. She maintained her embrace with Chi Yu as they plunged into the water together.

They bobbed gently in the waves.

“Hmm? What’s wrong?” Gu Yuan deliberately drawled. “Why aren’t you flying anymore?”

Chi Yu’s expression darkened. She wanted to say something, but then remembered the cameras silently recording everything nearby.

Suddenly, she gripped Gu Yuan tightly, pressing her body against hers without reservation.

In the icy seawater, only the warmth of their bodies allowed them to feel each other.

It was a strange sensation, but Chi Yu had no time to savor it. She clung to Gu Yuan as if she were clinging to a piece of driftwood or a lifeline.

“Sister, hold me tight.”

“……”

Gu Yuan, who had been holding Chi Yu’s waist tightly, loosened her grip slightly. “Why?”

Chi Yu, growing frantic, grabbed Gu Yuan’s arm and pressed it against her own waist. “No reason. Just hold me tight.”

“But you’re not flying anymore. Isn’t holding me redundant?”

Chi Yu lowered her voice and covered her microphone. “Don’t move. My swimsuit’s coming undone.”