I Turned a Competitive Variety Show into a Dating Show - Chapter 34

“The dormitory is locked?” Jian Zhi asked, her voice filled with confusion. The words had barely left her lips when she burst into laughter.

Shi Xu awkwardly lowered her head, desperately searching for a hole to crawl into. Unfortunately, the private room was too impeccably furnished, its polished floor tiles reflecting like mirrors, leaving no crevice for her to escape into.

“So… you don’t want to go back?” Jian Zhi asked again, her tone hesitant, as if she wanted to say more but held back. What she really wanted to know was whether Shi Xu simply didn’t want to return to the dormitory, or if she wanted to spend more time with her.

But the question was suppressed before it could fully form.

It was a question that couldn’t be voiced aloud, lest the delicate balance they had finally achieved be shattered. The current arrangement suited them both perfectly, requiring no additional “emotional” complications.

Shi Xu nodded, looking at her and saying, “Let’s take a walk before going back. You said you ate too much, right? It’ll be uncomfortable to sleep right away.”

Her eyes sparkled with cautious anticipation, like a puppy who had done something wrong. Jian Zhi nearly reached out to pet her, but realizing the inappropriateness of the gesture, she quickly turned and walked ahead.

Shi Xu, thinking Jian Zhi didn’t want to be alone with her, followed behind with her head bowed. Jian Zhi stopped at the door, turned around, and said, “What are you dawdling for? Keep up.”

“Huh?” Shi Xu looked up at her.

Jian Zhi tilted her head helplessly. “Weren’t we going for a run? Did you change your mind again?”

“No, no!” Shi Xu hurried forward to open the door for her. “Sister, please go ahead~”

Jian Zhi glanced again at Shi Xu’s swaying “tail,” her ears seeming to twitch. For a moment, she had a fleeting thought: Shi Xu would probably look stunning with golden hair.

Feeling self-conscious under Jian Zhi’s gaze, Shi Xu touched her face and asked, “Is there something on my face?”

“No, let’s go.” Jian Zhi abruptly withdrew her gaze and strode out.

Shi Xu trotted after her, her imaginary tail wagging furiously.

The hotel manager was already waiting in the lobby. As the two women stepped out of the elevator, he presented Jian Zhi with a large bouquet of pink roses. “I apologize for the rushed preparations earlier. Though Miss Jian is more beautiful than any flower, these Luoshen roses are particularly fitting for you. I hope you won’t let the earlier incident spoil your mood and that you enjoy a wonderful evening.”

Shi Xu listened, her heart a mix of emotions. No wonder she works in the service industry, she thought. She’s got all the right lines.

Jian Zhi lowered her head, gazing at the intricate layers of the roses, her dark lashes, thick as raven’s feathers, concealing the emotions in her eyes.

Shi Xu’s gaze met the manager’s across the room. The manager raised an eyebrow and thumped his chest with a fist.

You can trust me to handle this.

Shi Xu: ……

Why didn’t he show this talent sooner? He just stood there and watched me embarrass myself! This guy was definitely doing it on purpose!

As Shi Xu left, she said, “Manager Ye seems to be taking it too easy. Should I mention it to Big Sister and get his salary cut?”

Ye froze, then cracked.

Jian Zhi carried the flowers, her mood bright all the way home. Shi Xu couldn’t help but ask, “Does Sister really love roses?”

Jian Zhi turned to look at her, a faint smile on her face, radiating a sense of peaceful contentment. Shi Xu’s heart fluttered, and she found herself smiling too.

Jian Zhi didn’t answer aloud, keeping her thoughts to herself. Even if she loved flowers, it depended on who gave them to her. Over the years, she’d received all sorts of bouquets, and while she appreciated the gifts from her fans, none had ever stirred this kind of flutter in her heart.

She could clearly feel herself standing on the edge of a trap. One more step forward, and she would fall into the blissful illusion woven by the puppy. Yet when she tried to retreat, she discovered that traps surrounded her, each guarded by a Shi Xu puppy. Some deliberately widened their eyes, gazing at her with pitiful expressions; others lay down, wagging their tails to appear adorable; still others stuck out their tongues and called her “Sister”… No matter the tactic, she couldn’t bring herself to refuse any of them.

Jian Zhi stared at Shi Xu. From this angle, her eyes were unmistakably fox-like, their inner corners curving sharply upward like the blade of a knife. How had she ever mistaken her for a docile, oversized puppy?

Shi Xu, in turn, found Jian Zhi equally breathtaking.

The dim streetlights cast a soft glow around her, while the Luoshen flowers bloomed vibrantly, their fragrance filling the air with the essence of spring. The flowers alone were a sight to behold, yet they paled in comparison to Jian Zhi’s presence. She seemed like an ethereal being who had wandered into the mortal realm, radiating an aura of untouchable purity.

More beautiful than flowers—a perfectly apt description.

Their eyes met, and Shi Xu’s heart fluttered, her body suddenly feeling flushed. She averted her gaze and continued walking forward, her steps stiff and disordered. It wasn’t until she had gone quite a distance that she realized Jian Zhi was no longer beside her.

Turning back, she saw Jian Zhi still standing where she had been, cradling the flowers motionless. The road behind her was swallowed by darkness, her slender figure appearing frail and solitary, as if she might vanish into the night at any moment.

Shi Xu was slightly nearsighted; at this distance, she could no longer make out Jian Zhi’s expression. She didn’t know what Jian Zhi was feeling, but her own heart felt like a heavy stone sinking deeper and deeper.

Lost in the moment, Shi Xu had only one thought: to pull Jian Zhi close and prevent her from being consumed by loneliness.

She strode back, her arms already outstretched before she reached Jian Zhi. If Jian Zhi doesn’t like it, she’ll move away, Shi Xu reasoned.

But Jian Zhi didn’t move.

Shi Xu hugged her fiercely, pulling Jian Zhi—flowers and all—into a tight embrace, trapping her arms so she couldn’t push away.

“Shi Xu,” Jian Zhi called out.

Shi Xu buried her face in Jian Zhi’s shoulder, her voice muffled. “It’s too dark ahead,” she said. “I’m scared to walk alone. I need my sister to stay with me.”

Though the words were simple, Jian Zhi trembled violently, her mind blank. For a long moment, she couldn’t gather her thoughts.

“You’ll stay with me, right? Hmm, Sister?” Shi Xu pressed.

Jian Zhi opened her mouth to speak, but no words came. Shi Xu didn’t press her further, simply holding her tightly, as if she wanted to meld Jian Zhi into her very being.

After what felt like an eternity, the night deepened, the wind grew cooler. Jian Zhi struggled slightly. “Let go of me,” she said. “If someone recognizes me…”

“Then promise me first,” Shi Xu interrupted, her tone uncharacteristically firm.

Another long silence stretched between them. Finally, Jian Zhi sighed in resignation, her body relaxing. She buried her face in Shi Xu’s shoulder and whispered, her voice barely audible, “Fine, I promise.”

Shi Xu tightened her embrace, playfully whining, “It’s a little cold. Let me hold you a little longer.”

Sweating profusely, Jian Zhi sighed again, silently acquiescing to Shi Xu’s shameless behavior and feeling a strange sense of relief.

After dawdling until midnight, returning to the dorm was now out of the question.

“Going back now would disturb everyone’s sleep. I’d better just go home,” Jian Zhi said, clutching her flattened flowers and preparing to call a taxi.

Shi Xu grabbed her arm, pulling her back. “It’s not safe for you to go home alone at this hour.”

Shi Xu’s concern was purely selfless. Even for an ordinary girl, taking a taxi alone at this hour would be risky, let alone for Jian Zhi, a nationally recognized actress.

Trust no one, Shi Xu thought. She would never let Jian Zhi go home alone.

“It’s fine…”

“It’s not fine.”

Shi Xu took Jian Zhi’s hand, her fox-like eyes widening into round, almond-shaped orbs as she stared at her earnestly. “Forget the danger—your home is over an hour away. A round trip would take three hours. How much sleep would you even get? Let’s just find a place nearby for the night. At least you’ll get a few more hours of rest.”

“Nearby? Like a hotel?” Jian Zhi frowned.

During filming, she was constantly jetting around the world, and she’d grown tired of staying in hotels. No matter how luxurious the hotel, she always felt a suffocating sense of confinement, as if it were trying to swallow her whole.

She hated hotels.

Shi Xu, ever perceptive, sensed her unease and offered a more reasonable suggestion.

“Why don’t you come to my place? It’s just over there in Jingyuan.”

Jian Zhi was momentarily speechless, her reason and emotions warring within her. In the end, reason was decisively defeated.

Jingyuan was located in the heart of the city’s prime real estate, where every inch of land was worth more than its weight in gold. Buying a house there required more than just money; one needed substantial power, connections, and influence. The residents were the wealthiest and most prestigious individuals, the elite at the very top of the pyramid.

First, there was the Yanhai Restaurant, where ordinary people couldn’t even enter the front gate, and where the general manager of the nation’s top hotel personally served her. Now, she was being invited to Jingyuan. All these signs pointed to Shi Xu’s unfathomable background.

Jian Zhi didn’t know if her decision was right, but when she came to her senses, she was already standing in Shi Xu’s living room.

“Don’t be shy. Make yourself at home. What would you like to drink, Sister?”

Jian Zhi gazed at the meticulously decorated room, filled with antique cabinets, ancient paintings hanging everywhere, and rare artifacts. It was hard not to feel intimidated.

The calligraphy, paintings, and antiques she had only ever seen on television were all here, and she couldn’t bring herself to believe they were fake. How could the residents of Jingyuan display counterfeit items?

Shi Xu brought over several drinks and said, “My mom uses this place as a storage room. When she runs out of space at home, she just moves things here. I only returned two years ago and have been busy filming, so I haven’t had time to organize properly. Even if it’s a mess, you can’t laugh at me, Sister.”

Jian Zhi couldn’t bring herself to laugh. Any single item from this collection would be enough to keep her striving for half a lifetime. How could she possibly criticize the mess?

“What would you like to drink?” Shi Xu asked again.

Jian Zhi focused on the drinks in front of her, her eyes landing on the bottle of Romanée-Conti.

“Maybe we should skip the red wine. I don’t want you to get drunk…” Shi Xu cautioned.

Jian Zhi glanced at her sideways. “Then why did you bring it out? Just to show off your fancy wine?”

“No, this is a gift for you. I brought it out early so I wouldn’t forget to give it to you tomorrow morning.”

Jian Zhi stared into Shi Xu’s eyes. Her usually vibrant, glass-like pupils seemed paler, and the upturned corners of her eyes held a hint of sharpness. But in an instant, her fox-like eyes softened into round, harmless puppy eyes.

“Fine, I’ll just have sparkling water,” Jian Zhi said, lowering her gaze.

Shi Xu poured her a glass of sparkling water and downed a glass of ice water herself before taking her clothes into the bathroom.

When she emerged, she wasn’t wearing the pajamas she’d brought in, but a silk robe that revealed glimpses of her long, slender legs as she moved.

“I accidentally got my clothes wet,” Shi Xu said, sitting cross-legged on the carpet, a level below Jian Zhi, who was on the sofa. From Jian Zhi’s vantage point, Shi Xu was completely exposed.

“I’m going to take a shower too. You should go to bed first.”

Shi Xu ran a hand through her half-dry hair and murmured, “Didn’t manage to seduce her… Am I just not attractive enough?”

The sound of running water filled the bathroom. Shi Xu poured herself another glass of sparkling water. By the time Jian Zhi emerged, her hair was already dry.

After sitting in silence for a while, Jian Zhi asked, “Where am I sleeping?”

“We only have one bedroom,” Shi Xu said, her expression unwavering.

Jian Zhi glanced at her pointedly, then gestured toward a room that was clearly a side bedroom. “Then what’s this?”

“My sister stays here occasionally. She’s very temperamental and doesn’t allow anyone in her room.”

Shi Xu’s eyes were clear and her tone earnest, showing no signs of deception.

Jian Zhi didn’t doubt her. She herself disliked others entering her room, and the thought of someone sleeping in her bed made her even more uncomfortable.

“So none of these rooms are bedrooms?”

“Nope. My mom uses them to store all this stuff. Want to take a look?”

Shi Xu nodded toward the “stuff,” which turned out to be priceless antiques and calligraphy.

“No need. I’ll just sleep on the sofa.”

Huh? Shi Xu was stunned. Why isn’t she asking to share the side bedroom with me?

Jian Zhi picked up a throw pillow and settled down on the sofa, curling her legs up instinctively, her tall frame shrinking into a tight ball.

Shi Xu didn’t expect Jian Zhi to share her bed, but she hoped she would at least get a good night’s sleep.

“You sleep in the bed, I’ll take the sofa. That’s settled.”

“It’s okay, I…”

“Do you want me to carry you inside?”

Jian Zhi immediately got up, slipped on her slippers, and headed for the bedroom.

Before opening the door, she had imagined Shi Xu’s room would be flamboyant, given her taste. But upon entering, she found the color scheme elegant and the decor minimalist. The overall style was similar to the rest of the house: understated luxury with a modern Chinese aesthetic.

Jian Zhi initially thought this couldn’t have been Shi Xu’s original preference, but then realized she was being prejudiced. After all, as the child of a wealthy family, even if she were surrounded by money, she could still develop good taste. It was simply her inherent flamboyance and rebellious spirit that made her more casual.

This confidence stemmed from her privileged background, leaving others only to envy her.

Lifting the covers, Jian Zhi climbed into bed. A faint fragrance wafted up, making her feel as if Shi Xu were holding her. Her ears burned, and she buried her face in the pillow to stop her wandering thoughts.

Shi Xu lay on the sofa, planning to sneak into the guest room later and slip out early the next morning before Jian Zhi noticed. But before she could put her plan into action, she fell asleep.

Jian Zhi tossed and turned, unable to sleep. She got up for a drink of water and saw Shi Xu sprawled on the sofa, one leg dangling over the edge, her robe half-open. Jian Zhi’s already muddled mind grew even more disoriented. After a moment’s hesitation, she opened the expensive bottle of red wine on the table.

Shi Xu woke up groggily, feeling a heavy weight pressing down on her. She struggled to breathe and forced her eyes open to see Jian Zhi lying on top of her. It took her a few stunned seconds to realize this wasn’t a dream.

“Sister, what are you doing…?”

Jian Zhi glanced down at her, her eyes half-lidded. “The bed smells like you,” she murmured. “I can’t sleep.”

Her breath reeked of wine. Shi Xu glanced at the bottle on the table—two-thirds of it was already gone. No glass in sight—had she been drinking straight from the bottle?

“People only tell the truth when they’re drunk,” Shi Xu sighed helplessly, shifting Jian Zhi slightly upward. “Just sleep like this. You wouldn’t listen if I told you to go to bed anyway.”

Jian Zhi stared at her for a long moment, her dark pupils glazed with moisture, half-drunk and half-sober. She reached out to stroke Shi Xu’s eyes, murmuring, “Why don’t you look like a puppy anymore?”

Here we go again, Shi Xu thought with a wry smile. The mandatory drunk routine: turning people into dogs.

Shi Xu forced her eyes wide open and asked, “I’ll always be your little puppy, so stop fussing and go to sleep.”

Jian Zhi’s hand slid down Shi Xu’s cheek, her finger gently poking her lips. “Will the little dog always stay with me?”

“Yes,” Shi Xu replied softly.

“And will the little dog always be obedient?” Jian Zhi’s voice was slightly hoarse.

Shi Xu’s heart fluttered. She bit Jian Zhi’s finger, her canines grazing it. “Yes, the little dog will always listen to her master.”

Jian Zhi’s fingertips trembled slightly, her long lashes fluttering as she leaned in and pecked Shi Xu’s lips.

Shi Xu’s heart pounded. Her teeth unconsciously tightened, causing Jian Zhi to hiss. Just as Jian Zhi pulled her finger away, Shi Xu’s hand clamped down on the back of her head.

“Since the little dog is so obedient, shouldn’t her master give her a reward?”

Before Jian Zhi could answer, Shi Xu pressed her lips against hers. Both women trembled as their lips met. The heavy scent of alcohol filled Jian Zhi’s mouth. After several rounds of exchanging saliva, Shi Xu felt herself growing drunk as well.

Their lips and teeth tangled, Shi Xu stealing all the air from Jian Zhi’s mouth. Deprived of oxygen, Jian Zhi’s body went limp, her fists weakly pounding against Shi Xu’s chest, giving Shi Xu an opening to deepen the kiss.

Nipping at Jian Zhi’s wet, soft tongue, Shi Xu’s hand slipped beneath the loose robe, caressing the smooth, delicate skin of her back. The skin beneath her palm felt like silk, so smooth and supple that she couldn’t bear to let go.

Jian Zhi let out a soft moan and bit Shi Xu’s tongue, trying to make her release her grip. Instead, Shi Xu was further aroused, losing all restraint and kissing her even more fiercely.

Weakened by the wine and overwhelmed by Shi Xu’s relentless assault, Jian Zhi soon melted into a boneless puddle, collapsing against Shi Xu. Her feverish body only fueled Shi Xu’s growing restlessness, making mere kisses no longer enough.

Shi Xu’s hand traced the prominent butterfly bones down Jian Zhi’s spine, inch by inch, her fingertips gliding along the vertebrae. The skin beneath her palm trembled as Jian Zhi’s soft, whimpering sounds escaped her lips—more effective than any deliberate provocation.

Releasing Jian Zhi’s lips and tongue, Shi Xu nipped at her sharp chin. When Jian Zhi tried to pull away, Shi Xu tightened her grip around her waist, burying her face in the hollow of Jian Zhi’s neck and nibbling at her delicate collarbone.

Jian Zhi had a mole on her collarbone, almost in the same spot as Shi Xu’s, just on the opposite side. It was as if it had been placed there to perfectly complement her. Shi Xu bit down with her sharp canines, eliciting a soft cry of pain from Jian Zhi, her whimpers sounding more like playful teasing.

This woman, usually so cold and aloof, had even bought her a collar, wanting to keep her as a pet. Yet in reality, she was hopelessly soft and tender, unable to bring herself to punish Shi Xu or refuse her anything. Even when being teased, she could only whimper softly.

What kind of pet is this?

Shi Xu looked up at her, her glass-like eyes pale to the extreme, the inner corners curving downward like those of a cunning fox.

If you act like this, people will take advantage of you. Luckily, your little dog is me. I’ll only ever cherish you, Sister.

Someone lowered her gaze, concealing the greed in her eyes, and leaned down soundlessly, burying her face in the soft, cloud-like mass.

“Master, the little dog wants milk.”

Jian Zhi’s eyes were clouded with mist, her pupils unfocused and hazy, her mind sluggish. She reacted to Shi Xu’s words after a moment, her body jerking violently. A blush rose on her cheeks, burning her eye sockets red, tears trembling on the verge of spilling.

Her red lips parted slightly as she asked hoarsely, “W-what?”

You clearly heard me, yet you’re pretending not to know? And you think you’re not giving yourself away, shaking like that? How adorable.

Shi Xu watched Jian Zhi’s bashful expression, her eyes darkening with each passing moment. A slight tilt of her head would reveal the spring scenery: a delicate pink flower blooming on the glistening snow-capped mountain, trembling as it awaited someone to pluck it.

“I said… I want…” Shi Xu spoke as she moved, her throat bobbing twice. She pressed her lips against the soft, glistening flesh, her eyes locked on Jian Zhi’s. The surging desire in her gaze burned like flames, making her stare possessive and predatory.

“Milk.”