Provoking Fire [Entertainment Circle] - Chapter 8

Even after Chu Xiyue left the frame, the bullet screen remained ablaze.

She was just being coy, right? Right? Chu Xiyue, I admit I used to be too harsh on you. Now you’re my darling wife!

The guy above hasn’t woken up yet. Go back to sleep and stop daydreaming about stealing someone else’s wife.

Am I the only one wondering who this “someone” she mentioned is?

Who’s the “someone”? What happened after the livestream ended yesterday? Tsk, this is too hard to guess.

Chu Xiyue strode out of the villa, slipped on her sunglasses, and confidently strode toward her Lamborghini parked in the residential garage. The silver-gray car gleamed under the early morning sun, its sleek lines shimmering with a lustrous sheen.

Moments later, she smoothly backed out of the driveway.

Driving a Revuelto to buy breakfast? I’m seriously starting to resent the rich. And here I thought Miss Chu was going to cook herself this time.

As if Miss Chu would cook for us mere mortals! Her casual supercar costs at least six million, while Su Yan, fresh off her international award, doesn’t even own a car worth a million. Miss Chu is truly on another level.

Some of you haters need to chill. What’s with the passive-aggressive comments? At least she’s following the rules and getting up early to buy breakfast. You’re the ones making a fuss about everything.

Chu Xiyue hadn’t appeared on many variety shows since her debut, and this was her first time participating in a long-form, unedited live broadcast. All eyes were on her. However, after discovering that Miss Chu wasn’t the temperamental diva the rumors suggested, but rather quite approachable, many viewers began to change their opinions.

“Boss, two multigrain pancakes, please. One with sweet sauce, one with savory sauce, and load them up with toppings.”

Though still groggy from waking up early, Chu Xiyue had finally shaken off the lingering drowsiness from the previous night. After doing some quick research, she found a highly-rated morning market street nearby and followed the recommendations to a popular vendor.

The stall offered everything from multigrain pancakes and savory sauce pancakes to steamed buns and tofu pudding. She even packed up some noodle soup in a container to bring back. Soon, the others began to stir. Lu Rujin, who usually slept in, had to be dragged out of bed by Yao Tian, her eyes barely open. But the moment she caught a whiff of the fragrant spread Chu Xiyue had brought back, she showered it with praise.

Meng Qin and Zhao Fei helped unpack the dishes from their containers. Just then, the villa’s living room door swung open, and Su Yan strode in, clad in workout gear. She carried with her the radiant morning sunlight of early autumn, bathing the room in a warm, golden glow.

Chu Xiyue smoothly pulled out a chair and sat down, her gaze subtly drifting to Su Yan to gauge her expression.

Last night, she had only learned of Su Yan’s remarkable self-discipline; she hadn’t realized the woman also had a habit of morning exercise. Su Yan’s tall, slender figure and long legs were evident even beneath her loose-fitting sportswear, the fabric hinting at the curves beneath. The short sleeves revealed a glimpse of toned arm muscles—not overly defined, but radiating health and lean strength.

Sensing Chu Xiyue’s gaze, Su Yan turned to meet her eyes. For a rare moment, Miss Chu felt a pang of guilt.

This feeling intensified when she glanced at the Remaining Lifespan displayed in her mind.

“Sister Ayan, come sit here,” Chu Xiyue called out.

Su Yan had arrived late, and the others were already bustling about. Feeling somewhat awkward, she lingered near the entrance. Chu Xiyue, ever considerate, pulled out a chair and beckoned her over.

But—

Chu Xiyue’s voice, clear and melodious as a lark’s song, carried a hint of sweetness as she called Su Yan “Sister Ayan.” Without a trace of affectation, the endearment instantly drew curious glances from everyone in the room.

Chuchu’s getting into character fast! Yesterday it was “Teacher Su,” now it’s “Sister Ayan”!

But the way she calls her “Sister” is so cute! Can I fall for her first?!

Meanwhile, the woman Chu Xiyue had called “Sister” glanced around, her long, thick lashes fluttering like resting butterflies, softening the natural sharpness of her features after her workout.

The aloof beauty maintained her usual cool demeanor, but instead of sitting down beside Chu Xiyue as suggested, she remained standing. With the others nearly finished setting the table, Lu Rujin felt awkward standing idle and began fiddling with the European-style vase on the table.

Su Yan strode over casually, as if simply passing by. Her slender fingers lifted a strand of Chu Xiyue’s hair that had fallen onto her shoulder. With practiced ease, she stretched a hair tie between two fingers and deftly pulled Chu Xiyue’s hair into a bun. Then, she retrieved a disposable hairnet from her workout pants pocket and neatly secured the bun.

“Tie your hair up before we eat,” Su Yan said.

Chu Xiyue froze for a moment, her gaze instinctively following Su Yan as she sat down. Noticing there were no wet wipes on the table, Chu Xiyue was about to ask someone nearby to pass her some when Meng Qin swiftly leaned back and grabbed an entire pack.

But Su Yan had already calmly picked up her chopsticks.

Meng Qin paused, just as Yao Tian accidentally splashed soup on her hand. Yao Tian took the box of wet wipes from Meng Qin, thanked her, and pulled out two sheets to wipe her hands.

Watching this exchange, Chu Xiyue couldn’t decide if Meng Qin truly had a germaphobia.

Was their earlier meeting deliberate, a way to put me in my place?

Zhao Fei finally sat down, having already rolled up his sleeves. Seeing everyone ready, he smiled warmly, first thanking Chu Xiyue, then urging everyone to start eating quickly so as not to waste the abundant and delicious breakfast.

Though none of them were amateurs—their careers required maintaining a screen-ready physique—a single carb-heavy meal was hardly a threat. With the aroma of the local delicacies filling the air, no one could resist.

The atmosphere soon became lively. No one observed the “no talking at the table” rule. Yao Tian even brought up a dream she had last night about being back on set, which led to sharing amusing anecdotes from their time filming. The six women laughed and chatted freely.

Only Chu Xiyue seemed somewhat distracted while eating, especially when drinking her soy milk. Hearing Zhao Fei mention it was unsweetened, Su Yan promptly got up to fetch a bag of rock sugar from the kitchen. Using small tweezers, she placed a few pieces in the communal dish and casually nudged it closer to Chu Xiyue.

Chu Xiyue had a sweet tooth. Though her manager forbade her from indulging in sugary drinks like milk tea too often, she never missed an opportunity to add rock sugar to her soy milk or regular milk, always insisting on drinking it hot, regardless of the weather.

This habit had even earned her the exasperated nickname “Princess” from her manager.

But how did Su Yan know about this?

Has the other team already learned so much about us?!

Chu Xiyue’s sense of urgency surged. Throughout the brief breakfast, she stole at least ten glances at Su Yan, desperately trying to memorize the woman’s culinary preferences.

Chu Xiyue thought she was being discreet, but before long, she felt the warm touch of chopsticks against her lips. Su Yan had placed a pan-fried bun in her mouth—small, perfectly round, and filled with juicy meat. Chu Xiyue had already eaten one and resolved not to indulge further, but when such deliciousness was suddenly offered, her instinctive reaction was to bite down on it, right off Su Yan’s chopsticks.

After taking the bite, she froze, completely stunned.

I’m dying of laughter! How can Chuchu be so adorable?

Caught sneaking glances at Sister Ayan, she immediately accepts the food offered. She practically begged to be caught—all because Sister Ayan’s beauty is too overwhelming!

Ahhh, Su Yan’s gaze! Who wouldn’t be mesmerized by that look?

Is this what it’s like to be in love with a goddess? If this is a dream, I never want to wake up.

Once Chu Xiyue had finished the last bite of her pan-fried bun, Su Yan finally set down her chopsticks and asked leisurely, “So, is the food from someone else’s plate tastier?”

Miss Chu, caught off guard like a hamster hoarding food for winter, found herself in a dazed, delayed reaction. Only when she heard Su Yan’s question did she belatedly feel a mix of embarrassment and annoyance, yet she couldn’t come up with a retort. Su Yan, relentless, mimicked Chu Xiyue’s usual pose, resting her chin in her hand as she gazed at her with languid ease, her voice rising slightly as she drawled, “Hmm?”

In the end, Chu Xiyue couldn’t withstand Su Yan’s probing gaze any longer. She surrendered with a perfunctory agreement: “Fine, fine, I just like what’s in other people’s bowls better.”

“Then have another bite?”

“You just can’t finish it yourself, can you?!”

Despite her words, Su Yan’s plate was spotless, a testament to her meticulous nature and attention to detail. The small piece of scallion pancake, rolled with slices of ham sausage and pan-fried on both sides, offered a crispy, savory flavor that perfectly balanced the sweetness of the soy milk.

It had been a long time since Chu Xiyue had indulged in carbohydrates so freely. After finishing breakfast, she felt utterly satisfied, from her taste buds to her very soul.

Since Chu Xiyue was in charge of bringing breakfast, the others had helped with the preparations. After the meal, Su Yan volunteered to clear the table.

As morning transitioned into midday, the director finally announced today’s task: each partner would write down their desired date locations on separate sheets of paper. A match would count as a successful reservation. This was a test of unspoken coordination, and the production team immediately forbade any communication between the pairs.

None of the participants knew the program’s exact format, leaving them momentarily bewildered. They began racking their brains, desperately trying to guess their partner’s preferences.

Chu Xiyue, however, was the first to reach a conclusion.

After all, she was trying to create a CP. She couldn’t possibly have done no research. She had secretly infiltrated Su Yan’s fan community using a burner account and easily gleaned Su Yan’s interests from the fans’ discussions.

With a flourish, she wrote down:

Museum, Ceramic Exhibition Hall, Starry Night Art Exhibition.

Confident that at least one of her three choices would match, Chu Xiyue submitted her list. But when she saw the production team pick up Su Yan’s sheet, a smug smile crept across her face.

The production team mercilessly held up a sign with a large “NO” printed on it.

Chu Xiyue refused to give up and wrote several more answers, only to have them all rejected.

How strange.

Meng Qin and Zhao Fei, on the other hand, got it right on their first try. They excitedly high-fived, already planning their date. Chu Xiyue turned to look at Su Yan, who was sitting across from her, idly twirling a black pen between her pale fingers. The stark contrast between the dark pen and her snow-white skin made her complexion appear even more luminous, as pure and translucent as snow.

The production team had strictly forbidden cheating, and their primary targets of surveillance were Chu Xiyue and Lu Rujin. As a result, they hadn’t paid much attention to Su Yan. Just as Chu Xiyue glanced her way, Su Yan suddenly made two half-circle shapes above her head with her hands, wrinkling her nose and pouting her lips.

Aaaah! Everyone, come quick! My Goddess is being forced to act cute for the cameras!

I never thought I’d see the day! I thought you were naturally reserved and didn’t like to smile, but it turns out you just pick and choose who to be nice to! Doge meme

Though Su Yan quickly composed herself, the sudden, exaggeratedly goofy expression on her usually cold and aloof face created an unprecedented contrast that made Chu Xiyue burst out laughing.

But what did Su Yan mean by that gesture?

Chu Xiyue was completely baffled. She pondered for a slightly longer time this time before solemnly writing down her answer and submitting it to the production team. As the camera zoomed in for a close-up, the audience nearly lost it with laughter.

What’s an “Abstract Art Grand Exhibition”? Teacher Su, is Yueyue’s brain circuit really working properly?

Su Yan didn’t see Chu Xiyue’s answer, but she could tell Chu Xiyue hadn’t grasped her meaning. Her gaze turned reproachful and slightly annoyed. It wasn’t until the fourth attempt that Chu Xiyue finally realized Su Yan had been secretly gesturing… Mickey Mouse?

The woman’s face, both regal and sharp, clashed hilariously with her exaggerated expressions. Her earnest attempts at charades were undeniably… adorable, making Chu Xiyue burst out laughing.

But why would the Goddess want to go to an amusement park? I remember her saying she’d never even been on school trips and wasn’t particularly interested in them.

It wasn’t just Su Yan’s devoted fans who were puzzled. After Chu Xiyue finished laughing, she felt a sense of relief at finally completing the task, but also shared the same lingering question.

She recalled Su Yan’s fondness for art exhibitions of all kinds, perfectly fitting the stereotypical image of a cold, aloof beauty. The woman seemed born to wander through the sea of art, rather than bustling, chaotic environments.

Hearing Chu Xiyue’s question, Su Yan casually tossed her used answer board into the air, her clear, melodious voice ringing out.

“Maybe… I just suddenly felt like it?”