I Turned a Competitive Variety Show into a Dating Show - Chapter 39

Shi Xu was furious—furious at Jian Zhi’s inaction, at her own immaturity, and at the stranger’s composure and confidence. Her chest felt so constricted she thought she might vomit bl00d.

Yet, when Jian Zhi extended her hand, Shi Xu willingly stepped forward, obediently placing her face in Jian Zhi’s palm. She clasped Jian Zhi’s hand in both of hers, nuzzling against it in a desperate attempt to win her back.

“Sister, don’t send me away. And don’t degrade yourself…”

She spoke nervously, bracing herself for Jian Zhi’s scolding or rebuke. After all, what seemed like reckless behavior to Shi Xu might be commonplace for them. Her words were undoubtedly provocative.

But the expected cold reprimand never came. Instead, Jian Zhi pinched her cheeks and gave them a playful squeeze before releasing her. “Nothing like what you’re imagining will happen,” she said, looking at Shi Xu. “Stop crying.”

Huh? Was I still crying? Just then, a tear slipped into Shi Xu’s mouth, salty and bitter, mirroring her current mood. She should have vehemently condemned Jian Zhi’s “slap and sweeten” tactic, but instead, she found herself strangely comforted by it.

Her sister had gone to such lengths to coax her, what was there to complain about? Shi Xu, having been soothed, forgot her earlier distress and no longer felt wronged.

Su Yin clicked her tongue. “Just like a child—so easily pacified.”

Shi Xu, thoroughly annoyed, glared fiercely at Su Yin before blocking her gaze. She pulled Jian Zhi into her line of sight, preventing any further eye contact between Jian Zhi and the older woman.

Jian Zhi glanced at the hand on her waist but didn’t remind Shi Xu to remove it. Instead, she turned to Su Yin and said, “Didn’t you have something to discuss with me? Let’s sit down and talk.”

You? Using such formal language—had they played the “puppy and Master” game too? Was her own Master someone else’s puppy? Shi Xu pouted, on the verge of tears again.

Su Yin brazenly clung to Jian Zhi’s side, silently following her to the dining table by the floor-to-ceiling windows. With only one chair available, Su Yin remained standing, determined not to leave the two alone together.

Leaning back in her chair, Su Yin drawled, “Want to eavesdrop? The conversation Zhizhi and I are about to have is quite explosive. You might get hurt, you know.”

Shi Xu glared at Su Yin, her eyes cold and sharp, itching to punch that smug, self-assured smile off her face.

“Don’t tease her anymore,” Jian Zhi said, her voice laced with affection. “If she starts crying, I’ll have to comfort her, and that’s such a hassle.”

Shi Xu’s attention was fixed on Su Yin, but when she heard Jian Zhi call her a “hassle,” her mind went blank, as if her world had suddenly collapsed.

Jian Zhi glanced at her and said, “Go sit on the sofa over there. I’ll try to finish this quickly.”

Shi Xu huddled on the sofa, looking pitiful, wronged, and yet still imposing. Her eyes burned into Su Yin, as if she could turn her gaze into a blade and stab her repeatedly.

“So, you really like her, huh? Finally figured it out?” Su Yin asked.

Jian Zhi shrugged helplessly. “Well, that’s how it is. I don’t know what happened. You just told me to accompany you to the hotel. Once the task is done, shouldn’t I leave?”

“Tsk! How heartless. My Zhizhi’s wings have hardened, and she’s forgotten how I raised her, wiping her ass and changing her diapers. Now she’s abandoning me for some outsider. How heartbreaking.” Su Yin’s expression was exaggeratedly dramatic as she reached for Jian Zhi’s hand, her voice trembling with feigned emotion.

Suddenly, a cold, sharp gaze shot from the side, sending a chill down Su Yin’s spine.

Shi Xu clenched her teeth so hard they nearly cracked, barely restraining herself from rushing over and chopping off Su Yin’s groping hand.

Jian Zhi withdrew her hand, sighing helplessly. “Then stop being so secretive. Just say what you want to say. Shi Xu is too far away to hear anyway.”

Su Yin’s expression grew more serious. She poured two glasses of red wine, placed one in front of Jian Zhi, and said, “Try this. It’s a rare vintage from 1988. The taste should suit your palate.”

When Jian Zhi didn’t reach for the glass, Su Yin clinked her own glass against Jian Zhi’s and drained her glass in one gulp.

“Zhizhi, come to America with me. I’ve already contacted the best mental health counseling centers there… I’ll be with you every step of the way, okay?”

Jian Zhi’s hand, resting on the table, suddenly clenched into a fist. She glanced sideways at Shi Xu, relieved to see no particular reaction.

“Auntie, let’s talk about this later. I’m going home now.”

“Zhizhi, don’t avoid seeking help. This isn’t something to be afraid of.”

Jian Zhi shot to her feet, grabbed her glass, and chugged the wine. She turned and dragged Shi Xu out of the room.

Shi Xu, completely unaware of what was happening, obediently followed Jian Zhi’s hurried steps. The sharp pain in her wrist made her realize Jian Zhi was surprisingly strong; given her slender frame, she’d assumed she couldn’t even lift a chicken.

Su Yin rushed forward, catching up with them. “I’m sorry, I was too impatient,” she said to Jian Zhi. “Take your time to think it over. I’ll be staying in the country for a long time, so don’t feel pressured.”

Jian Zhi nodded. “Then I’ll head back now, Auntie. We can celebrate your return properly another time.”

The word “Auntie” hit Shi Xu’s mind like a thunderclap, leaving her dazed. Even after they left the hotel, she was still wondering if she’d said something too harsh. Upon reflection, she realized she’d been overly aggressive, completely offending Jian Zhi’s aunt.

Great.

“Ugh,” Jian Zhi suddenly retched. Shi Xu rushed to her side, patting her back to help her through it.

“Sister, why are you suddenly throwing up? Is your stomach acting up again? Just wait, I’ll call a car and we’ll go to the hospital.”

As she fumbled for her phone, Jian Zhi grabbed her hand. Shi Xu looked up to see tears welling in her eyes, her nose red and her expression unusually vulnerable.

“I don’t want to go to the hospital.”

“You look like you’re in so much pain, Sis,” Shi Xu said.

Jian Zhi gripped her hand. “It’s okay, I know what I’m doing.”

Shi Xu could tell she had no idea what she was doing. Jian Zhi simply didn’t want to go to the hospital. Ever since their last visit, Shi Xu had noticed Jian Zhi’s inexplicable aversion to hospitals. Perhaps it stemmed from past experiences; it was best not to push her.

“Then let’s go to my place. I’ll give you some medicine.”

Jian Zhi nodded weakly, her face pale, hands trembling, and skin cold to the touch. Seeing her unsteady gait, Shi Xu crouched down and carried her on her back. They walked to the street and hailed a taxi, arriving home quickly.

The house was stocked with various over-the-counter medications. Since their mother also suffered from a sensitive stomach, she kept stomach remedies on hand for all four sisters, ensuring they could alleviate any discomfort quickly.

Shi Xu boiled water and fed Jian Zhi the medicine. Jian Zhi took it from her hand and slowly curled up under the covers, her large frame shrinking into a pitiful ball.

Shi Xu knelt by the bed, wiping the sweat from Jian Zhi’s forehead. “Feeling any better?” she asked anxiously. “If it doesn’t improve, we really should go to the hospital.”

Jian Zhi looked at her and said, “How could it get better so quickly?”

“Okay, let’s wait a bit longer. If you’re not feeling better in twenty minutes, we’ll go to the hospital.”

Jian Zhi reached out and gently scratched the back of Shi Xu’s hand, whispering, “Come up here too. It’s a bit cold.”

It shouldn’t have been cold in June, but Shi Xu, remembering Jian Zhi’s icy skin, didn’t doubt her for a moment. She lifted the blanket and climbed into bed, pulling the trembling girl into her arms.

“Sister, why did this happen so suddenly? It was the same last time—you suddenly started shaking all over and fainted. Besides your stomach issues, is there anything else bothering you?”

Shi Xu didn’t reveal that she knew about Jian Zhi’s anxiety disorder. She hoped Jian Zhi would tell her in her own time. Moreover, Jian Zhi’s avoidance of the topic made it clear she didn’t want others to know. Bringing it up would only cause her more distress.

“It’s just my stomach acting up from not eating all day and then drinking red wine. The shaking is probably from the stomach pain too.”

“You didn’t eat all day? What happened to the nutritious lunch I asked Xue Qing to bring you?”

Jian Zhi looked up at her and said softly, “That was from you? I thought Xue Qing bought it. I didn’t have an appetite, so I let her eat it.”

Shi Xu felt utterly miserable. She had meticulously prepared the meal, even cutting the fruit into heart shapes. If she had known it would end up in Xue Qing’s stomach, she should have added a laxative—not enough to kill her, but enough to give her a good case of diarrhea.

“Why is Xue Qing so greedy? She’ll eat anything! She’ll get fat and die,” Shi Xu muttered darkly.

Jian Zhi chuckled softly and pressed a kiss to the corner of her lips. “Thank you. I’ll eat properly next time.”

Looking at Jian Zhi’s face, pale as paper, Shi Xu felt no romantic stirrings, only overwhelming concern.

“Next time, I’ll bring it to you myself. Please don’t ignore me like that again. It really hurts me when you do that.”

“Okay, good girl,” Jian Zhi murmured sleepily.

Shi Xu glanced down and saw Jian Zhi’s eyelids fluttering, struggling to stay open. Her valiant effort to resist sleep looked almost endearing.

“Sleep now, Sister. You’ll feel better when you wake up.”

Once Jian Zhi had drifted off, Shi Xu tiptoed out of bed and called her Second Sister, Shi Mu. Sound asleep, Shi Mu answered the phone groggily, her voice hoarse. “Little devil, do you even know what time it is?”

“Any time, any place, my dear sister will always answer my call,” Shi Xu began with flattery before revealing her true intention. “I wanted to ask you, what do you usually make for Big Sister when her stomach hurts?”

“Ah? Your stomach’s acting up too?”

“Not mine, it’s for a senior I’m working with on a show.”

Shi Mu glanced at the empty space beside her, grabbed a handful of hair, and got out of bed. “Just make something easy on the stomach, like congee. A light soup would be good too, but since it’s so late, let’s stick with congee for now. You should have ingredients in your fridge. Get them out, and I’ll teach you how to make it.”

Shi Mu glanced at the kitchen light, walked over to wash her hands, and began instructing Shi Xu while preparing an identical portion for herself.

Just as she hung up the phone and was about to serve the congee, Shi Chao wrapped his arms around her from behind, his crisp, clean scent immediately enveloping her, overpowering the aroma of the congee.

“Smells delicious! What did you make?”

“Just simple congee with some side dishes. Wash your hands before you eat.”

Shi Chao smiled and pecked Shi Mu on the cheek. “You’ve worked so hard, Mumu. I suddenly feel so incredibly happy.”

Shi Mu said nothing, only her lips curved into a gentle smile.

Jian Zhi’s sleep was restless. In her dreams, blurred faces from the past surrounded her, their voices indistinct. She startled awake to find the spot beside her already cold, a wave of disappointment washing over her as she curled up tighter.

“Sister, are you awake?”

Shi Xu’s clear voice came from behind her. Jian Zhi turned to see Shi Xu propped up on her elbow at the edge of the bed, her eyes sparkling with a warm smile, like a puppy eagerly awaiting its master’s first glance upon waking.

“I made some porridge for you. It tastes pretty good. Why don’t you have some?”

“Okay,” Jian Zhi replied, sitting up. As she reached to throw back the covers and get out of bed, Shi Xu scooped her up, blanket and all, into her arms. She cradled Jian Zhi against her chest, picked up the bowl, scooped a spoonful of porridge, blew on it, and held it to Jian Zhi’s lips.

“Come on, open wide. Ah~”