Provoking Fire [Entertainment Circle] - Chapter 20

The moment the director finished speaking, Lu Rujin had already dashed over to Su Yan and Chu Xiyue, looking pitiful and begging to be taken in, practically wanting to throw herself into their arms like a clinging vine. Yao Tian couldn’t bear to watch.

Yao Tian wasn’t jealous, though. After hearing that Su Yan and Chu Xiyue’s group had even managed to grill fish the night before, she was quite tempted to join them herself.

Lu Rujin’s face, usually bright as the morning sun, was now etched with grievance. Seeing her, one couldn’t help but imagine a delicate flower, withered by wind and rain, its petals drooping and its stem bowed in dejection. It was impossible to refuse her.

When two of the three groups wanted to team up, the remaining group would inevitably feel awkward and excluded.

Rumor had it that Heartbeat 3 was originally planned to feature four pairs of guests, as in previous seasons. However, due to various reasons, the final pair couldn’t make it, leaving only three couples.

With one fewer pair, each group’s screen time would increase. To avoid any perception of cliques forming, Yao Tian proactively invited Zhao Fei and Meng Qin’s group to join them, saying, “The more, the merrier!”

Yao Tian, known as the “Queen of Ratings,” was also famous for her good temper and ever-present smile. Meng Qin, whose behavior was somewhat eccentric, didn’t refuse the invitation. The socially adept Zhao Fei naturally wouldn’t embarrass her, and Chu Xiyue simply ignored their confrontation from two days prior.

After all, if anyone should feel awkward, it was Meng Qin, not her.

Today, however, Meng Qin refrained from any unusual behavior. Under the bright autumn sun of the island, the group strolled along the path, chatting and laughing, enjoying the refreshing sea breeze.

They explored Heart Island all day, receiving ingredients from the staff at fixed times for lunch and dinner. Initially worried, they breathed a collective sigh of relief when they realized everything was normal. However, the tasks were bizarre and humiliating, ranging from simulated kissing scenes with forced perspective to carrying someone in a princess carry for five minutes—each more brutal than the last.

The former wasn’t too bad, but the princess carry required immense arm strength and endurance. Even for women who exercised regularly for fitness and health, it was nearly impossible to effortlessly carry another adult woman horizontally for that long.

Only Su Yan and Chu Xiyue could manage such a feat.

With the ingredients secured, Meng Qin, Zhao Fei, and Yao Tian finally had a chance to shine. These three were skilled cooks, but even the most talented chef can’t work miracles without ingredients. Fortunately, Yao Tian’s house was nearby and had a small kitchen, so they went inside to prepare a delicious lunch. That evening, everyone gathered in the courtyard of the seaside villa, sipping wine and stargazing.

By now, the group had grown much closer than when they first arrived, and their wine consumption had increased accordingly. Zhao Fei, slightly tipsy, even suggested they take a boat trip to the small island across the bay the next day, determined not to waste this rare opportunity to get away.

“Exactly! I’m always busy with work, so I rarely get to relax like this. And with Big Sweetie here, I want to spend as much time with her as possible!”

Lu Rujin hadn’t drunk much, but she leaned her head against Yao Tian’s shoulder, her eyes sparkling like crushed diamonds scattered across the night sky, and smiled warmly at her.

Perhaps it was because their departure was drawing near, or because the reality dating show was nearing its end, but Zhao Fei had become more talkative and relaxed. After drinking a bit too much, he was escorted back to his room by Su Yan and Chu Xiyue, who took him for a walk.

Chu Xiyue was visibly delighted.

The next morning, everyone woke up at the agreed-upon time and borrowed the production team’s jet skis to ride the waves. The jet skis looked cool and sleek, and riding them felt like racing across the sea, far more thrilling and visually appealing than quietly paddling in kayaks. However, few of the participants knew how to operate the jet skis, leading to a round of polite pushing and shoving as they deferred to one another.

The production team, of course, couldn’t let them waste time or risk accidents. They had already arranged for a professional instructor to be on standby.

As the other two groups went to find the instructor, Su Yan turned to Chu Xiyue.

Unlike the other pairs, Chu Xiyue seemed perfectly at ease with this kind of extreme sport. While jet skis might seem bulky for an average-sized woman, Chu Xiyue’s tall frame and long legs allowed her to straddle the machine without looking dwarfed, and she handled it with ease. After a few adjustments, she quickly familiarized herself with the jet ski and waved Su Yan over.

“Sister Chuchu is so amazing! No wonder she dared to go bungee jumping!”

Chu Xiyue regularly posted promotional photos on Weibo. After joining the dating show, each group had followed the others, but Chu Xiyue’s last bungee jumping adventure had been a long time ago. It must have taken quite a while for them to dig up that old post.

Hearing Lu Rujin’s envious words, Chu Xiyue simply extended her hand toward Su Yan, radiating the calm confidence of someone in control.

“Sister, are you scared?”

“Are you suggesting that if I’m scared, I can hold on tight to you?” Su Yan replied with rare playfulness, her cool, clear voice carrying a unique charm.

Today, she wore a French countryside-style polka-dot maxi dress that perfectly complemented the azure coastline—a departure from her usual style. The hem of the dress revealed a glimpse of her slender ankles as she walked barefoot on the beach. Though the other guests were dressed casually in Crocs and sneakers, Su Yan’s simple attire seemed to glow with an effortless elegance.

Once Su Yan boarded the jet ski, she realized her earlier remark hadn’t been a joke. She truly needed to cling tightly to the driver’s waist to maintain her balance.

“You guys catch up later! We’re heading out first!” Chu Xiyue called out.

Since the beginning of the year, Chu Xiyue’s schedule had been packed with back-to-back engagements, leaving her no time for leisure like she had when she first debuted. The moment her hand gripped the jet ski’s throttle, the thrill buried deep in her veins surged to life.

She didn’t rush off immediately. Noticing Su Yan’s barely concealed excitement, she took the group on a wide loop across the sea, allowing the cameramen on the surface to capture plenty of shots.

The jet ski sliced through the waves, surging and bucking with each splash as it raced toward another small island. Chu Xiyue could feel the warm curve pressed against her back, a testament to Su Yan’s trust. Her arms remained loosely wrapped around her, not holding too tightly.

The two islands were so close that the other island soon came into view, its silhouette looming larger than Heart Island. After lingering on the water for a while, the other two teams caught up. Yao Tian and Zhao Fei, driving flying cars, lacked Chu Xiyue’s showmanship, their movements cautious and novice-like.

Seeing Chu Xiyue and Su Yan still there, Lu Rujin assumed they were waiting for her and called out excitedly. But her voice was quickly drowned out by the roar of the engines.

Chu Xiyue brought the jet ski to a halt and leaped into the shallow water, letting the waves wet her ankles. She waded ashore in two strides and extended a hand to Su Yan.