I Turned a Competitive Variety Show into a Dating Show - Chapter 17

From Jian Zhi’s words, Shi Xu keenly sensed something amiss.

Recalling Jian Zhi’s drunken episode last time, when she had no memory of the previous night’s events, Shi Xu wondered why she was now specifically warning her. Unless…

Shi Xu refused to blindly follow Jian Zhi’s lead again, and she certainly didn’t want to be forgotten a second time.

Last night had been so passionate, and Jian Zhi had even initiated it. How could her attitude change so drastically after just one night’s sleep?

Leaning forward, Shi Xu stared intently at Jian Zhi. “Sister, are you trying to shirk responsibility?”

Jian Zhi froze, pausing for over ten seconds before replying, “I don’t know what nonsense you’re spouting. Just pretend none of this ever happened.”

Perhaps Shi Xu’s expression was too aggrieved, because Jian Zhi choked slightly, her voice softening considerably.

“…This is for the best for both of us.”

As Jian Zhi turned to leave, Shi Xu grabbed her wrist, pulling her back. Their noses bumped—not painful, but a sharp ache bloomed in Shi Xu’s sinuses.

“How is this for the best? You’re making all the decisions yourself. Have you ever considered how I feel?”

Jian Zhi gazed at Shi Xu’s reddened eyes, and a strange memory surfaced: last night, Shi Xu had stared at her with undisguised desire, her fox-like eyes burning with a fiercer, more alluring intensity than they held now.

If Shi Xu had been a cunning, greedy fox last night, she now resembled a small dog abandoned by its master.

Not only had she been abandoned, but she had also been drenched in the rain, shivering in a corner, waiting for a kind soul to take her in.

Jian Zhi asked herself: Could I really take this little dog home? The answer was no.

She wasn’t a kind soul.

Barely able to manage her own life, how could she possibly be responsible for another’s?

Jian Zhi averted her gaze, steeled her heart, and wrenched her hand free, fleeing as if escaping. Shi Xu, desperate to stop her, lost her balance and tumbled off the bed.

Just before falling, Shi Xu grabbed Jian Zhi’s hand. Jian Zhi instinctively tried to pull her up, but instead, they both crashed to the floor with a loud thud.

Shi Xu looked up from where she had landed against Jian Zhi’s chest, her voice urgent: “Sister, are you okay?”

Jian Zhi didn’t answer, turning her face away and covering her eyes. After a long moment, she finally said, “Aren’t you going to get up?”

Seeing Jian Zhi’s obvious avoidance, Shi Xu felt a sudden surge of anger. Instead of getting up, she buried her face deeper into the softness.

Jian Zhi flinched and snapped, “What are you doing?!”

“Just doing what Sister did to me last night,” Shi Xu said, rubbing her face against the softness. “Maybe if we reenact it, Sister will remember.”

As she spoke, Shi Xu continued to nuzzle, reveling in the extraordinary softness. She wanted to hold it in her hands, cherish it, and taste it.

Jian Zhi pressed her hand against Shi Xu’s head, her fingers tangling in the thick black hair. Her chest heaved violently, and her breathing grew ragged.

“Get up now, before I lose my temper.”

Though the words should have sounded stern and cold, Jian Zhi’s voice was thin and slightly hoarse, almost like a plea.

Even so, Shi Xu’s heart ached.

She buried her face deeper, wrapping her arms around Jian Zhi’s waist and pulling her tightly against her.

“Why should you be angry? You’re the one who provoked me first—used me, then left without a word. Is this how Sister always treats people?”

Jian Zhi was stung by her words. After a brief pause, she said, “You’re right. This has always been my way of doing things. We only seek solace in the night, and by dawn, we’re strangers again, each going our own way. That’s why I don’t want to sleep with someone so young. They’re clueless, clingy, and such a hassle.”

As she finished speaking, Jian Zhi felt utterly disgusted with herself. Shi Xu, who was pressed against her chest, gritted her teeth, fighting back tears. Her eyes were bloodshot, as if they might bleed.

“If I’m such a hassle, you shouldn’t have seduced me in the first place,” Shi Xu said, leaning down to bite the small protrusion through Jian Zhi’s clothes.

Jian Zhi gasped in pain, instinctively grabbing Shi Xu’s hair and yanking her away.

Shi Xu stared at her with tear-filled eyes, seemingly oblivious to the pain. She bit down harder until the metallic tang of bl00d filled her mouth before finally releasing her.

A small bloodstain seeped through the pale nightgown. Shi Xu’s heart clenched, and her rationality gradually returned. Afraid to meet Jian Zhi’s gaze, she endured the burning in her eyes and stood up, pulling Jian Zhi up with her.

“I’m sorry. I…” I didn’t mean to hurt you…

The words caught in her throat, her heart throbbing with an unfamiliar ache. Shi Xu abruptly turned and strode toward the door.

“I’ll do as you say. I’ll forget everything that’s happened these past few days. I promise I won’t cause you any trouble. You can rest assured.”

Shi Xu said in a low voice and closed the door.

Only she knew how desperately she had to hold back her tears.

If only I hadn’t joined this show, she thought. At least then I could have kept my admiration for Jian Zhi, and our relationship wouldn’t have ended up like this.

Yet even after Jian Zhi’s treatment, Shi Xu couldn’t bring herself to hate her. She even worried about whether the bite mark she had left on Jian Zhi’s neck was painful.

Shi Xu leaned against the door and slowly sank to the floor, covering her stinging eyes with her hands and letting out a long sigh.

“Shi Xu, you’re hopeless.”

The moment the door closed, it seemed to shut out all the light as well. It took Jian Zhi a long while to realize she was feeling sad.

A warm, wet streak slid down her cheek. She reached up and touched it, finding a small droplet on her fingertip.

Why am I crying? she wondered, confused.

Shi Xu, still in her thin pajamas, wandered outside for a while before returning to change. She left again immediately. Jian Zhi was there, but the two didn’t exchange a word, not even a glance.

It felt like they were back to when they first met, but now the awkwardness was a hundred times worse. Fortunately, Shi Xu had more important matters to attend to and didn’t have time to linger in the dorm, feeling the stifling atmosphere.

Jian Zhi shared the same sentiment. She didn’t mind the silence, yet she couldn’t help but worry about Shi Xu.

Several times she wanted to break the silence, but when she opened her mouth, no words came out.

The livestream was scheduled for tonight, and preparations should have started by noon. But by 3 PM, there was still no sign of activity. Just as she was about to call to inquire, a staff member arrived.

“Teacher Jian, we’ve already reached the required number of viewers for the livestream. You don’t need to prepare.”

Jian Zhi was surprised. No one had been willing to host the livestream for her before. How had they suddenly reached the quota?

“Who’s taking my place?”

The staff member hesitated, then said awkwardly, “You’ll find out soon enough. I have other work to do, so I’ll be going now.”

After blurting out the words, the staff member vanished in a flash, terrified Jian Zhi might ask another question.

Though puzzled, Jian Zhi let out a heavy sigh of relief. She slumped back against the sofa, staring blankly at the chandelier on the ceiling. For the first time, the dormitory felt vast and empty.

The livestream program had been heavily promoted, and fans and viewers had been waiting in the chat room for hours. When Shi Xu’s face appeared on Jian Zhi’s account, the chat exploded.

Tens of thousands of comments flooded the screen every second, demanding to know where Jian Zhi was and why Shi Xu was hosting the stream.

When Shi Xu smiled and announced she would be filling in for Jian Zhi, the confused fans assumed their “Sister” had been replaced by a “royal family” member. They immediately unleashed a full-scale attack on Shi Xu, bombarding her with insults and accusations.

Watching the lightning-fast barrage of comments and Shi Xu’s unwavering smile, Jian Zhi felt a complex mix of emotions. The icy shell around her began to crack.