Forced Cohabitation After a Hit Romance Variety Show with My Rival Actress - Chapter 19

As the Director announced the winner of the deluxe king-size room, envious glances swept across the set.

“It’s the deluxe king-size room! A double king-size bed, luxuriously bold and underlined!”

Lu Wenrui leaped off the sofa, pointing back and forth between Gu Yuan and Chi Yu, who were seated on opposite ends of the same long sofa. “You two are going to share a deluxe king-size bed!”

“……”

Her voice boomed so loudly that the room fell into an awkward silence.

“……”

Even the live chat paused for two seconds before resuming its rapid scrolling.

Oh my god, if Lu Wenrui hadn’t shouted it out, I wouldn’t have realized that “deluxe king-size bed” meant Gu Yuan and Chi Yu sharing the same bed!

LOL, didn’t they fight enough in the water today? Are they moving the battle to the bed now?

Upstairs, are you serious? Why do you keep bringing up our Sister Feiyu’s rival? Our sister wouldn’t even look at an 18th-tier nobody!

Yeah, yeah, your sister wouldn’t look at an 18th-tier nobody, but she’s sharing a bed with one. Oh? Are you jealous?

Heh, the commenter above is clearly a Chi Yu fan pretending to be a neutral observer. What’s this? Even an 18th-tier celebrity has fans now? Stay in your lane, you nobody.

She never claimed to be neutral. Can you solo stans calm down? This is a dating reality show!

Gu Yuan is already sharing a bed with Chi Yu. Who knows what might happen during their long, intimate nights? Why are you so anxious? Dog emoji

The silence on set was even more profound than the shock in the live chat. For over half a minute, no one spoke.

“……”

How could they not be stunned? The heart-fluttering text messages hadn’t even been sent yet, and they were already facing such an intimate situation: guests sharing a bed.

In dating reality shows, room assignments are a major highlight, full of strategy and significance. This is where contestants’ true intentions—who they want to get close to—become glaringly obvious. It’s undoubtedly one of the show’s main attractions.

No one had expected Love’s Heartbeat to go this far, especially by pairing rivals with established CP lines.

Chi Yu’s laughter broke the heavy silence.

“Sister Wenrui, don’t tease me. Even rooms with a large bed have floor mats for sleeping.”

Her smile was disarmingly innocent, but Lu Wenrui couldn’t bring herself to laugh.

Because Lu Wenrui’s Heartbeat Coins could only be exchanged for a so-called “elegant floor mat,” which was literally just a floor mat to sleep on.

The words struck Lu Wenrui’s chest like a sharp arrow, piercing her heart with a whoosh. One could almost visualize a cartoonish chibi doll with swirling mosquito coil eyes spitting out a mouthful of bl00d.

As if struck by an arrow, Lu Wenrui clutched her chest.

“…There’s no need to hurt each other like this.”

The Live Chat erupted with schadenfreude:

Does a deluxe king-size room even have a floor mat? Hahahaha, I’m dying of laughter! Xiao Rui looks like she’s been stabbed—she’s so hurt!

People who stay in deluxe king-size rooms have no idea how pitiful it is to sleep on the floor. Even though the local temperature is mild at night, let’s all mourn for Lu Wenrui for a minute.

Lu Wenrui remained unaware of the online sympathy she was receiving, her round, wide eyes darting between the two figures.

“Hey, you two in the deluxe king-size room—why are you sitting so far apart on opposite ends of the sofa?”

“……”

A faint jasmine fragrance, mingled with the milky warmth of Chi Yu’s skin, drifted almost imperceptibly through the air.

After the afternoon’s events, even at a distance, Chi Yu felt those scents deliberately burrowing into her nostrils.

Though the fragrance was pleasant, she feared it was too pleasant. Her body instinctively recalled past moments, and she might unconsciously pull that person into her arms—

At Yan University Affiliated High School, Chi Yu wore the ugly, oversized blue uniform. She had rolled up the jacket-style sleeves, revealing a stretch of slender, pale forearm.

That pale arm circled around Gu Yuan, drawing her close—a gesture Chi Yu had repeated countless times, almost becoming a muscle memory.

“This is my girlfriend, Gu Yuan.”

Jin Hongjin, standing opposite them, choked slightly. “Sister-in-law…”

Chi Yu smiled sweetly and tightened her embrace.

A gentle breeze lifted strands of her high ponytail, brushing against Gu Yuan’s ear.

“…”

Gu Yuan seemed a little embarrassed, a faint blush coloring her fair cheeks.

But mindful of her third-year graduate student status and maintaining a tolerant attitude toward her younger girlfriend’s passionate affection, she nodded politely at Jin Hongjin, who was also wearing the same uniform.

Jin Hongjin was shorter than Chi Yu and didn’t look nearly as good in the uniform. A drop of oil stained her chest—a gift from the school cafeteria.

Overall, she was a pretty girl, but her mouth ran a mile a minute. “Hey, can you two show some consideration for us mortals? Chi Yu, you’ve got this gorgeous, high-achieving girlfriend, and I’m still single! Can you please stop making out in front of me and hurting innocent bystanders? As one of those innocent bystanders, I’m feeling seriously unbalanced!”

Chi Yu’s smile grew even sweeter. “I’m used to it. It’s like ‘automatic hand mode.’ You’ll get used to it too.”

Jin Hongjin: “Never.”

Chi Yu: “Then suck it up.”

“……”

Jin Hongjin barely suppressed the urge to roll her eyes. “Fine, you win. Just be careful Sister Gu Yuan doesn’t stop letting you hug her one day!”

Chi Yu: “Impossible! I’ll always hug her. Right, Sister?”

The woman in her arms lifted her face, her features striking, her slightly elongated eyes shimmering with a watery sheen.

It was Gu Yuan.

Gu Yuan smiled gently, her expression warming the air like sunshine. “Mm, you can.”

“……”

Four years had passed, wrinkling the fabric of time.

Chi Yu’s thoughts snapped back to the present.

Her brow furrowed slightly, her fingers instinctively twitching upward before she forced them back down.

Today’s close proximity seemed to have triggered some dormant memories in her body, causing them to surface unbidden.

And these physical memories seemed stubbornly resistant to change; any lapse in vigilance risked revealing her secret.

As if trying to escape the cloying fragrance, Chi Yu unconsciously shifted closer to the sofa armrest.

Before she could speak, Gu Yuan spoke first.

Her clear, melodious voice rang out:

“Can I request not to share a room with Xiao Chi?”

“……”

Live Chat: Oh-ho!

Live Chat: Gu Yuan just rejected Chi Yu!

Live Chat: Looks like the Best Actress isn’t interested in this young starlet. Is she afraid of upsetting Ruan Feiyu?

Live Chat: Yeah! After all, Ruan Feiyu is Gu Yuan’s ex-girlfriend. Gu Yuan probably joined this show just for Ruan Feiyu, so of course she’d refuse to share a bed with Chi Yu!

Live Chat: Oh! I see. But if that’s the case, Chi Yu must be so embarrassed after being publicly rejected like that!

The worries of the live audience mirrored those in the live chat. Involuntarily, their gazes shifted to Ruan Feiyu.

Someone surreptitiously glanced at Chi Yu, then quickly looked away, as if already feeling awkward on her behalf.

Chi Yu couldn’t quite describe what she was feeling. In a daze, she realized that not only had Gu Yuan refused to let her hug her, but she was also refusing to share a room with her.

The faint, elegant scent of jasmine still lingered, but it no longer belonged to her.

Well, that’s perfectly normal.

Finally, Chi Yu smiled, but it wasn’t the sweet smile of the girl in the school uniform from her memories. It was just a perfunctory smile.

“Alright, then we won’t share a room. That’s fine.”

“……”

The moment she said that, Lu Wenrui jumped up. “Hey! Can I have the chance to sleep in the king-size room? I want to get a good rest there!”

“……”

She grinned at the group. “Anyone want to trade rooms with me?”

Everyone stared at the card in her hand, which read “Elegant Floor Mat,” and fell silent.

Gu Yuan and Chi Yu remained silent as well. After all, an “elegant floor mat” was still just a floor mat.

Trading a luxurious king-size room for a floor mat would make anyone question your sanity.

Lu Wenrui persisted, “This is something I earned today with an incredibly difficult stunt—a full Thomas rotation on a jet ski into the water! It’s extremely valuable!”

“Come on, come on! Which of you two wants to try this ‘elegant’ experience?”

But the silence had already answered everything.

No one wanted to trade.

Li Tianyin couldn’t help but shake her head. “If it’s so valuable, you should cherish it yourself.”

“Tianyin Eonni!!”

Lu Wenrui planted her hands on her hips, expressing her displeasure as she plopped down beside Li Tianyin. “Why are you saying that? We’re so close to succeeding!”

Li Tianyin continued drying her hair with a white towel. “Succeeding? What makes you think you’ll succeed?”

“Tianyin Eonni!” Lu Wenrui puffed out her cheeks in a pout. “Which room are you sleeping in tonight? You think you’re so great—why don’t you switch with me if you’re so capable?”

Lin Yihan: “She’s staying in the tent room.”

“She’s sharing a room with me.”

“……”

The CEO’s perpetually icy expression seemed to infuse his words with frost.

Lu Wenrui immediately abandoned her plan to cozy up to Li Tianyin.

She was, after all, a little afraid of Lin Yihan. Yet Lin Yihan sat with regal poise, taking a sip of his steeped tea before slowly raising his gaze to Lu Wenrui with a smile. “You want to share a room with me?”

“……”

It was a smile as devastating as a nuclear explosion.

Lu Wenrui swallowed hard, shaking her head violently and waving her hands. “No, no, I’m not used to sleeping in tents.”

As she spoke, Lu Wenrui didn’t forget to call for backup. Since Li Tianyin was too scared to help, she grabbed the person sitting closest to her.

She plopped down on the plush carpet, gazing at Ruan Feiyu with puppy-dog eyes. “Feifei, wanna swap rooms with me? Mine’s super elegant, you know~”

“It totally matches your refined vibe~”

Live Chat: Matches my ass!

Xiao Rui’s such a little schemer.

Nah, I think Xiao Rui’s genuinely losing it. Rough estimate: if we’re going by effort, Ruan Feiyu didn’t do jack today. How could her room be better than Xiao Rui’s?

Ruan Feiyu had been sitting on the sofa, fidgeting with her room card. The cardboard edges were already frayed from her nervous handling.

Snapping out of her daze, she blinked in confusion. “Huh? What was that?”

Lu Wenrui pouted, clearly annoyed. “Seriously, Feifei? Zoning out on me?”

“I asked what room you’re in. Wanna swap?”

“…Swap…”

Ruan Feiyu chewed on the word “exchange” twice, as if finally making up her mind. She pursed her lips and said, “How about Hao Hao and I switch?”

“Huh?!”

Ruan Feiyu spoke earnestly, emphasizing each word: “I want to share a room with Yuanyuan.”

!!!

The moment those words left her lips, the live chat exploded with even more excitement than Lu Wenrui’s barely suppressed expression.

Hahaha, really? Is the ex-girlfriend strategy about to succeed?

I told you the room assignments on this dating reality show would be a bloodbath! This is gold!

Friendly reminder: Ruan Feiyu is Gu Yuan’s ex-girlfriend!

Ooh, it’s starting! Sister Gu Yuan’s expression flickered for a moment—is she shocked that her ex wants her back?

So, who’s going to be fighting in bed tonight? (Not that kind of fighting!)

Wait a minute! Didn’t Ruan Feiyu and Chi Yu have a scandalous rumor trending before? Will Chi Yu really let Gu Yuan share a bed with Ruan Feiyu?

When rivals meet, sparks fly! We’re so lucky to witness this battlefield of emotions!

Gu Yuan smiled gently, her jade-like fingers tapping lightly on the sofa armrest. “Sharing a room with Feiyu would be lovely.”

She paused, then continued, “I have no objection, but we should ask Chi Yu if she’s comfortable with Feiyu and me sharing a room.”

“……”

Her demeanor was impeccably polite, instantly making Chi Yu feel that Gu Yuan genuinely wanted to share a room with Ruan Feiyu.

Annoyed.

“Sister Feiyu, which room did you get?” Chi Yu asked, resting her cheek in her hand.

Ruan Feiyu realized she hadn’t shown her room card yet. She flipped it over and held it up for the cameras.

“Pfft—”

Lu Wenrui tugged at Li Tianyin’s sleeve. “Tianyin Eonni, someone’s even worse off than me! Feifei got the worst hammock—she doesn’t even have a room!”

“Good thing she didn’t agree to switch with me!”

Her voice wasn’t particularly quiet, effectively making it a public execution.

Chi Yu smiled, though the smile didn’t quite reach her heart. Still, her doe-like eyes held a deceptive charm, radiating pure, sweet innocence.

“Sister Feiyu, are you asking me to sleep in the hammock?”

Ruan Feiyu bit her lip, a little embarrassed as she fidgeted with the corner of her room card. “Well… it might be a bit awkward, but…”

“But you want to share a room with Gu Yuan?” Chi Yu finished, propping her cheek in her hand as she gazed at Ruan Feiyu.

“Nope, I’m not switching,” Chi Yu declared.

“I’m going to share a room with Sister Gu Yuan, and maybe even the same bed.”

“……”