Provoking Fire [Entertainment Circle] - Chapter 5

Suddenly, Chu Xiyue’s vision plunged into darkness.

As the countdown began and everyone prepared, Su Yan wrapped her arms around Chu Xiyue from behind, gripping her wrist to guide her movements.

It was a firm, grounding embrace.

With her vision stripped away by the darkness, Chu Xiyue’s other senses sharpened. She could feel the woman’s warm body pressed intimately against her, the small gap between them filled by a sudden, soft warmth against her back.

The few centimeters of height difference between them seemed magnified in that moment. With her vision temporarily blurred, Chu Xiyue’s attention involuntarily shifted to touch and scent. The crisp, cool fragrance of mint lingered, both intimately close and tantalizingly distant, driving her heartbeat wild.

Before they began, Chu Xiyue had never imagined Su Yan would make such a bold move, catching her completely off guard.

Regaining her composure, Chu Xiyue refused to back down. She forced herself to calm down first.

Before they began, they had ten seconds to quickly memorize the images. Chu Xiyue scanned the pool and recognized all the photos, which had been specially made into relief sculptures for easy tactile identification.

For example, Lu Rujin’s photo was a viral sensation: a stage shot of her holding a microphone, facing the audience, with backlighting casting a halo around her exquisite face, making her appear like a vibrant angel.

Su Yan’s photo featured her portraying a flamboyant villain. The blonde-haired woman straddled a modified heavy motorcycle—a vehicle too large for most women, but perfectly suited to Su Yan’s 175 cm frame. The bike leaned sideways, one of her long legs braced against the ground. Her exceptional proportions and striking features combined to create an aura of cool defiance, making her a natural in still photography.

The images had been cut into jigsaw pieces and scattered across the pool, but with only six pieces per person, the puzzle wasn’t overly difficult. Su Yan’s motorcycle pose was particularly distinctive. Though she couldn’t participate directly, being able to clearly observe from behind gave her a significant advantage.

Su Yan gripped Chu Xiyue’s wrist, clearly feeling the woman in her arms instinctively struggle and grope around. The stalemate felt like a stubborn arm-wrestling match between the two.

The pool had been filled with distracting objects to increase the difficulty. Chu Xiyue reached out to grab something, but when her hand brushed against a cold, slippery object, she instinctively recoiled, completely closing the already minimal space between them.

Su Yan’s eyes darkened slightly before Chu Xiyue countered, their fingers intertwining tightly as they locked hands, feeling each other’s warmth.

Beneath the surface, a silent battle raged, a contest of wills.

Chu Xiyue had never encountered such a difficult opponent. She repeatedly tried to regain control, only to be thwarted by the woman’s interference. While restrained, that faint, cool fragrance lingered beside her, unsettling her composure.

Su Yan’s long, silky hair brushed against Chu Xiyue’s cheek, her warm breath caressing the woman’s soft, droplet-shaped earlobe, creating a ticklish sensation. Chu Xiyue paused, forced to follow Su Yan’s movements and grope around. But her stiff limbs made the task clumsy, and the two women moved in a chaotic, tangled dance, like evenly matched fighters locked in a messy brawl.

Am I going crazy, or are Chu Xiyue and Su Yan the ones who’ve lost their minds?

Whether the two participants had gone mad was anyone’s guess, but the audience was certainly on the verge of it. Bullet Screen messages flooded the screen in rapid succession.

Seriously? They’re starting with something this intense? Can I even watch this for free?

I was fully prepared for this group to be the most awkward, but now I’m completely thrown off.

Calm down, they’re just having a friendly martial arts exchange!

Stop talking nonsense! They’re clearly just desperate to win. Su Yan-jie is already exhausted! Dog emoji

Occasionally, hardcore fans would try to explain it was all for the game or parrot official PR lines, but this was the Bullet Screen, not Weibo. Without organized mass support, fans couldn’t easily suppress others’ opinions, and their voices were quickly drowned out by the tidal wave of comments.

Meanwhile, the other two pairs were still cautiously probing each other. Yao Tian and Lu Rujin were attempting to coordinate their movements by linking arms, but Lu Rujin, her eyes wide, suddenly noticed the two women locked in what looked like a relentless struggle. Her gaze froze, and she couldn’t help but let out a soft, ambiguous hum.

The mumbled remark was quickly swallowed back.

After Chu Xiyue finally gave up struggling and awkwardly relinquished control to Su Yan behind her, the two completed the puzzle at a temporary second-place pace. Meanwhile, Zhao Fei and Meng Qin were still working diligently. Chu Xiyue couldn’t see their progress and began to regret letting them manipulate her from the start.

In the second half of the game, Su Yan encountered a problem while piecing together Chu Xiyue’s promotional photos.

The pool contained puzzle pieces of varying sizes mixed with other debris. Although the ten-second memory window was short, it was usually enough for someone familiar with the subject to recall the general shapes.

However, the audience gradually realized that Su Yan seemed to have never seen Chu Xiyue’s dramas.

The woman’s movements visibly slowed, but she remained calm and methodical, maintaining a steady pace as she carefully selected pieces from the chaotic pool.

“Congratulations to Yao Tian and Lu Rujin’s team for completing the mission!”

As the director’s announcement echoed through the speakers, Chu Xiyue grew anxious.

By now, Chu Xiyue’s smooth hair was already slightly disheveled from their earlier movements, with a few strands damp with sweat clinging to her face. The pure black blindfold, trimmed with delicate lace, accentuated her porcelain-white skin and hinted at an unintentional, burgeoning desire.

Before Su Yan could react, Chu Xiyue had already seized her wrist, turning the tables and pulling Su Yan forward. She wrapped her arms around Su Yan’s arms, pressing them tightly together once more.

Despite taking such decisive action, Chu Xiyue wore a faintly aggrieved expression. Her voice carried a hint of reproach, but the complaint sounded utterly harmless, even a little soft. She asked:

“Teacher Su, are you really up for this?”

Before Su Yan could answer, Chu Xiyue seized the moment while the woman was still stunned. She turned Su Yan around and swiftly removed the black lace blindfold, placing it over Su Yan’s eyes instead.

She also deliberately messed up Su Yan’s freshly tied ponytail.

Though the roles had switched mid-game, Chu Xiyue didn’t glance at the pool again. She simply preferred being in control, so it wasn’t technically a violation of the rules. The production team, of course, turned a blind eye, not wanting to nitpick with the guests.

Chu Xiyue maintained her grip on Su Yan with the same hold. The slight height difference of a few centimeters posed no obstacle; she merely tilted her head slightly. The moment her vision was restored, Chu Xiyue beamed with satisfaction. She eagerly pieced together her own photo, then abruptly released Su Yan and dashed to press the button, as if afraid someone might snatch it first.

Zhao Fei and Meng Qin, still struggling to catch up, exchanged silent glances.

Though they were indeed moving at a snail’s pace, they refused to give up. After meticulously completing their task, they followed the procedure and rang the bell, marking the official end of this segment.

Chu Xiyue, despite having separated from Su Yan promptly, still felt Su Yan’s warmth lingering on her skin. She found herself drifting off during the director’s instructions, her mind wandering elsewhere.

With the icebreaker games concluded, the group was given free time. However, those who had worn blindfolds—Yao Tian, Zhao Fei, and Su Yan—were not allowed to remove them. Their partners had to guide them to their rooms.

As Chu Xiyue watched the transparent, winding staircase with its long, curving steps, she secretly rejoiced that she wasn’t the one who had to feel her way up.

“Alright, everyone,” Zhao Fei announced, his voice clear and pleasant. “Let’s take a half-hour break in our rooms and then meet back downstairs to prepare dinner together. How does that sound?”

As the host, Zhao Fei’s voice was exceptionally pleasing, his pronunciation crisp and comforting. His smile was as warm as a spring breeze. No one objected; after all, they hadn’t even had time to unpack their luggage upon arrival, having been rushed straight from their rooms to the initial filming location.

One by one, they took their partners by the hand and began heading upstairs. Chu Xiyue lingered a step behind, watching Lu Rujin, nimble as a deer, pull Yao Tian toward the elevator. Zhao Fei and Meng Qin, who were nearby, quickly followed suit. The cramped elevator left barely any room, packed to the brim with the four of them.

Lu Rujin flashed her signature mischievous grin and winked at Chu Xiyue, who remained outside.

Chu Xiyue felt no particular emotion about this prank, even harboring a hint of schadenfreude.

“Teacher Su,” Chu Xiyue said, feigning regret as the elevator began to ascend. Su Yan, her eyes closed, heard the woman’s soft sigh near her ear. “This elevator is so slow. Should we take the stairs instead?”

The moment Chu Xiyue finished speaking, the bullet screen erupted:

Two floors? It’s still faster than the stairs. Your math must be different from mine.

What are you talking about? Little Chu just wants to spend more time with her sister.

LOL, elevators are so unromantic! Has no one noticed you can see the sunset perfectly from the stairs right now?

Seriously, the “Heartbeat” production team is so good at pulling these little tricks!

Darkness enveloped Su Yan’s vision, but it didn’t prevent her from hearing Chu Xiyue’s voice and sensing that the other woman was standing right beside her. Chu Xiyue’s voice was calm as she said, “I’m fine with either.”

The villa’s interior was exquisitely decorated, exuding warmth and elegance. Its three spacious floors offered panoramic views, even the load-bearing pillars were adorned with intricate carvings. Through the massive floor-to-ceiling windows, one could gaze upon the vibrant spectacle of the garden outside, where meticulously manicured evergreen trees stood in artful disarray, their branches framing the scene perfectly.

Within the sprawling villa, most scenes were captured by cameras, with few production staff members present. As dusk settled, the watery sunset gradually seeped through the window frames, painting the staircase with translucent hues.

The spacious layout of each floor allowed the spiral staircase to ascend gradually, creating a sense of shifting scenery with every step. Chu Xiyue had initially been amused by Su Yan’s fumbling attempts to navigate the stairs, but now she found herself captivated by the view outside, slowing her pace. Suddenly, Su Yan’s slender fingers tightened around her wrist.

Chu Xiyue turned to see Su Yan, who was one step behind, tilting her chin up. “Teacher Su, what’s wrong?” she asked.

Su Yan’s red lips parted slightly. “If Teacher Chu doesn’t hold my hand tightly, I don’t feel secure.”

Although Chu Xiyue had her share of anti-fans, they were powerless to stir up trouble on a high-profile variety show like Heartbeat Acceleration. Shortly after the official broadcast began, both anti-fans and hardcore fans were completely drowned out by the overwhelming flood of bullet screen comments from casual viewers. Whether Su Yan’s fans criticized Chu Xiyue for clout-chasing or Chu Xiyue’s fans mocked Su Yan for her aloofness, one undeniable truth remained: the mere combination of their appearances created an overwhelming sexual tension.

This was especially true because Su Yan, despite her regal and commanding features, spoke with a soft, upward-inflected tone that sounded almost like she was playfully teasing Chu Xiyue. She tilted her head as if trying to discern Chu Xiyue’s location by sound alone, and this rare display of vulnerability sent her fans into a frenzy.

Chu Xiyue smiled helplessly. Amidst the silent screams erupting in the bullet screen comments, she gathered Su Yan’s fingers into her palm, holding them tightly.

Though the two women addressed each other as “Teacher” here and there, their undeniable beauty created a visual feast that practically begged for a ship to form. Combined with their subtle lead in popularity among the six contestants, their CP’s real-time voting numbers were impressive, clearly aiming for the top spot.

As Chu Xiyue watched the bl00d-red text in her mind flashing the notification “Life Extension Time increased,” she rinsed off in a quick battle shower, collapsed onto her bed, and finally let out a sigh of relief, chuckling softly to herself.

Just wait, she thought. At this rate, regaining my freedom after this gig ends will be a piece of cake!

It was a stroke of luck amidst misfortune, she figured. At least she only had to deal with Su Yan during “work hours.”

Just as she was thinking this, a notification popped up on her phone, startling her. She glanced at the screen and saw:

Special Attention: Bad Wood has sent you a new message.