I Have Everything They Like - Chapter 3

Fu Jinyan was a light sleeper. At five in the morning, the vibration of her phone woke her. She answered reflexively, listened for a moment, then rose and walked out of the bedroom. As the door closed, a sliver of hallway light seeped through the crack, accompanied by her barely audible reply:

“I’m on my way now.”

She didn’t even have time to change out of her pajamas. When she saw the Production Team members chasing after her with cameras, she belatedly realized she was still filming. Though her pajamas were neatly buttoned, she quickly threw on a thin cardigan.

No. 10 Manor was only a fifteen-minute drive from the top-tier hospital. Fu Jinyan arrived just as she ran into a cardiology intern on duty in the emergency room. The intern, rushing about, stopped abruptly when he saw her. “Director Fu!”

Fu Jinyan glanced at the crowded emergency room and said, “Try not to run. Work more methodically.”

After the intern nodded obediently, she swiped her card to enter the staff elevator and headed straight for the designated ward on the inpatient floor. A resident physician waiting for her handed her a bottle of hand sanitizer. As she took it, the sharp, cold scent of alcohol instantly dispelled the lingering drowsiness and the faint, cheap peach fragrance that had clung to her in her sleep.

Her jet-black eyes snapped fully awake, their depths like imperial jade, their brilliance restrained.

“What’s the situation with Bed 3?”

“Sigh.”

Six in the morning.

You Tao sighed softly, reluctantly opening her eyes and struggling against the air-conditioned blanket that had twisted into a tangled mess. She was a light sleeper; even Fu Jinyan’s quiet movements as he got up had already roused her. Thanks to her ingrained habit of waking early to look for work, she found herself unable to fall back asleep in this luxurious villa, where every square inch was worth its weight in gold and the construction cost a hundred million yuan.

Chuckling at her lack of “rich person’s luck,” she got up and turned on the light. She nearly tripped getting out of bed, glancing back to see her blanket already separated from its duvet after just one night. Across the room, the other bed’s blanket lay perfectly flat, as if no one had slept there at all.

Just a quick look before school… You Tao wouldn’t like Fu Jinyan, would she? He didn’t send any “heartbeat” texts to anyone last night. He’s always so doting on Taotao.

Teacher Jing is already up too. The life of a wage slave is truly miserable.

“Good morning.”

You Tao, having finished washing up, was staring at the kitchen’s hidden wall, wondering where the refrigerator was, when a gentle voice brushed past her ear like a spring breeze.

You Tao turned to see Jing Sinian dressed in a long, emerald-green floral dress paired with a pure white knitted cardigan. Her scent had changed to another equally non-intrusive fragrance. Smiling, You Tao greeted, “Good morning, Teacher Jing. Would you like some breakfast?”

Jing Sinian shook her head. “No, I need to check on the morning reading session and should be leaving soon… Oh, do you happen to have any medicinal patches or something similar?”

“Are you hurt?”

“Not exactly. It might just be a bit of rheumatism. I want to put a patch on my leg.” Jing Sinian felt a pang of regret, realizing she’d forgotten to pack her hidden-pattern patches. If I can’t borrow one, I’ll have to try my luck at finding an early-opening pharmacy on the way.

You Tao blinked and turned to lead the way. “Come with me.”

She led Jing Sinian into her room and retrieved a stack of hidden-pattern patches from her wardrobe—they looked almost identical to medicinal patches. “Would these work?” she asked tentatively.

Jing Sinian raised an eyebrow, her gaze flickering between You Tao and the patches in her hand. After a moment, she chuckled. “You…”

You Tao flinched back instinctively as Jing Sinian suddenly leaned closer, her head bumping lightly against the wardrobe door. She realized the other woman was merely taking the patches from her hand. But in Jing Sinian’s gentle, beautiful eyes, there now lingered a hint of something deeper.

“Classmate You certainly knows a lot of secrets~”

What happened that I don’t know about?

Why did borrowing a plaster suddenly lead to this?

Hiss… Does anyone else feel like this closet scene, happening while Dr. Fu is away, has a thrilling, illicit vibe?

You Tao exchanged a knowing smile with her. “Just a coincidence.”

Jing Sinian weighed the items in her hand, took a half-step back, and reverted to her usual gentle demeanor. She removed a few items and handed the rest back unchanged. “I’ll thank you properly another time. Gotta run!”

At 6:45 AM, a van pulled up outside No. 10 Manor. A team carrying suitcases and makeup bags stepped out. You Tao opened the door for them.

The assistant greeted her politely before hurrying off to wake Shen Mingrui. As they walked to her room, the assistant remarked to the cameraman filming beside her, “Mingrui is very conscious of her image. With you here, she’ll definitely be too embarrassed to stay in bed.”

Wooo! The fairy is waking up! Even without makeup, she’s so beautiful! The girl group’s center deserves her spot, both in looks and talent!

Zzz…

As Shen Mingrui’s bare face drew praise from the live stream audience, You Tao was cracking eggs into a pan. The yellow and white yolks sizzled in the hot oil, releasing a rich, savory aroma that filled the kitchen.

She prepared two simple sandwiches, adding extra salad and ketchup to the second one, along with a strip of bacon and a slice of ham. When the elevator doors opened, she took the more elaborate sandwich for herself and handed the other to the assistant who was adjusting Shen Mingrui’s dress.

Her gaze remained fixed on the glamorous star. “I made you a low-fat breakfast. Want to take it with you?”

Shen Mingrui stared at the more fragrant sandwich in You Tao’s hand, then glanced at the plainer one being offered to her assistant. “Favoritism?” she blurted out instinctively.

You Tao froze, startled by the question. The assistant, sensing the awkwardness, was about to smooth things over when Shen Mingrui herself defused the tension.

“Just teasing you. I’m on a strict diet these days. This breakfast looks great—I’ll make sure to eat it. By the way, did you see what I sent you last night?”

Last night you sent both the script and a flirty text message. Which one are you asking about?

In Secret Heartbeat House, guests weren’t required to send a “heartbeat text” every night, but they could only skip three nights. The texts were one-way; recipients could see the message but not know who sent it, nor could they reply.

Last night, You Tao had sent a text to Dr. Fu and was surprised to receive one herself. The message was highly specific, mentioning the script, making it impossible to mistake the sender.

“I saw it,” she replied, her words carrying a double meaning.

Shen Mingrui’s expression brightened further. “Great! See you tonight, Taotao.”

As she left, she left a lingering trail of perfume. Outside the manor, her assistant, noticing the camera behind her, asked in a cooperative tone, “You seem to really like Teacher You Tao. I saw you practicing the script with her on the live stream last night.”

Shen Mingrui bent to enter the car, glancing back at the manor with a radiant smile that remained flawless from any angle. “I love listening to her talk. Her voice reminds me so much of a friend.”

Just when I was about to feel sorry for our big star Shen Mingrui for not receiving a text, I hear this?!

A… a substitute romance?!

I really want to trash this dogshit script for being so absurd, but the local audience loves this kind of substitute romance and “chasing after the wife in the crematorium” trope!

At No. 10 Manor, You Tao, having finished breakfast, continued exploring the vast villa. Yesterday, she had only glimpsed the first-floor hall and the second-floor area near her bedroom. The villa also had a basement and a third floor, plus outdoor natural scenery, providing ample space for her to stroll and digest her meal.

You Tao first went to the basement. As soon as she stepped out of the elevator, her eyes were dazzled by shimmering light. Tilting her head, she realized it was a rectangular, crystal-clear, semi-outdoor swimming pool.

Sunlight streamed onto the pool’s surface, its reflected ripples dancing across the surrounding tiled walls and railings, filling the room with a golden glow.

Mesmerized by the glittering light, she instinctively moved closer to the pool. Her slippers, stepping on the constantly overflowing wet tiles, suddenly stuck to the ground due to their excellent waterproof soles. Her step was blocked, and she began to lose her balance—

Ahhh, I’m closing my eyes!

You Tao closed her eyes too, even holding her breath, until a force pulled her back by the waist. She spun half a circle and pressed her hand against the chest of the person who had caught her.

A lazy chuckle sounded.

“Let go. Stop taking advantage of me.”

You Tao’s eyes snapped open, startled to realize she had just acted out a cliché idol drama scene with the man before her. Her gaze followed the water droplets trailing from Huo Lang’s blue-tipped hair, sliding down his neck to the pool of water nestled in his collarbone. Her eyes drifted further, landing on her palm pressed against his collarbone, half-submerged beneath the white bathrobe.

Their damp, warm skin pressed together, her palm registered the firmness of his muscles beneath—undoubtedly honed through exercise. But this wasn’t what caught her attention. Her gaze fixed on the half-visible black planet tattoo peeking out from beneath her hand.

prprpr Mom asked why I was wiping my phone with a tissue while watching the live stream.

Huo Lang’s physique is insane! Muscular but not overly bulky—exactly my type! Ugh, I’m dying!

Shipping the cult of the rich second-generation playboy who can scoop up the clumsy Taotao in one arm and kiss her!

“Wipe your drool,” Huo Lang said, his voice laced with amusement.

After releasing her hand, he waited for her to react, his eyes narrowed in a teasing smirk, as if accustomed to his own allure. The newly added blue diamond in his ear glinted in the light.

You Tao withdrew her hand, maintaining her composure. “Thank you.”

Remembering he was pursuing Teacher Jing, she lowered her gaze and shifted her focus. “You have tattoos too?”

“Too?” Huo Lang bristled at the word. He casually tugged at his bathrobe, completely concealing the black planet tattoo. “Don’t lump my things in with just anyone’s. They’re not even in the same league as me.”