We Went Viral After Appearing on a Dating Reality Show with Movie Queen O - Chapter 39

Gu Xingyu lowered her gaze, concealing her disappointment. A moment later, she looked up, her expression puzzled and slightly flustered as she turned to Shulan.

“What’s wrong?” Bai Shulan asked with a gentle smile, as if nothing had happened.

“…Nothing. Why is Chen Ren here?” Gu Xingyu’s eyelashes trembled slightly as she avoided eye contact.

“…Business. She wants me to invest in a joint venture,” Bai Shulan stated directly, without hesitation.

“Oh, I see,” Gu Xingyu nodded thoughtfully. She knew nothing about business matters and had never interfered in such affairs, so there was no room for her to question Shulan’s decision.

“You’re still watching Spring Love? Let’s watch it together,” Bai Shulan said, walking straight to the sofa.

“Okay,” Gu Xingyu forced a smile, but it looked stiff and unnatural.

“Are you upset?” Bai Shulan asked directly, noticing Gu Xingyu’s reaction.

“…Huh? No… no, I’m not,” Gu Xingyu replied, sitting beside Shulan and adjusting the playback progress with the remote.

Bai Shulan turned her head, gazing at Gu Xingyu with a playful smile. Her crescent-shaped peach blossom eyes held a deeper meaning.

“So you’re still a little stutterer?” Bai Shulan teased, her voice playful. “Are you jealous?” She leaned closer, her gaze fixed intently on Gu Xingyu’s eyes.

Perhaps it was the intensity of Bai Shulan’s gaze, but Gu Xingyu’s ears flushed crimson, and the sour feeling in her heart suddenly seemed to shift into something else.

“…No, don’t make things up…” Gu Xingyu straightened her posture, sitting up rigidly to maintain some distance from Bai Shulan.

“Hmph, fine, I won’t make things up then,” Bai Shulan retorted, glancing at Gu Xingyu before settling back to watch the television.

On the screen, footage played of the group gathered at Heartspring Lake for their nighttime picnic. At that moment, Gu Xingyu and Chen Ren were setting up the tent together.

Gu Xingyu’s face gradually reddened. If she remembered correctly, she and Bai Shulan had been alone in the tent at one point, and she had accidentally hugged her. It seemed that scene hadn’t made the final cut.

A mix of relief and disappointment washed over her. She instinctively turned her head to steal a furtive glance at Bai Shulan.

The screen shifted to show Shulan and Qi Meng chatting, just as Shulan’s name was mentioned.

Gu Xingyu sat upright, her eyes glued to the screen, determined not to miss a single frame or word.

“I think Xingyu is pretty great,” Qi Meng said.

“Chen Ren and I aren’t anything. She’s a very proud person,” Shulan replied.

The words struck Gu Xingyu like a bolt of lightning. For a moment, she froze, as if she couldn’t hear anything else. Her heart pounded wildly, and a surge of secret joy washed over her.

She turned in astonishment to look at Shulan, who sat beside her with an air of serene nonchalance, as if those words hadn’t come from her own mouth.

Sensing Gu Xingyu’s gaze, Bai Shulan smiled faintly and glanced back. She said nothing, but as she turned away, the tips of her ears, hidden beneath her glossy black hair, flushed crimson.

As if burned, Gu Xingyu immediately averted her eyes, a blush spreading across her cheeks.

Shulan and Chen Ren aren’t anything? Shulan doesn’t like Chen Ren? Shulan thinks I’m great?!

In Gu Xingyu’s heart, fireworks erupted in dazzling splendor, her pulse drumming like thunder.

But this was followed by a deep sense of disbelief and a heart full of doubt.

After a long moment, Gu Xingyu finally dared to steal a glance at Shulan.

Shulan’s lips were curved in a gentle smile, her eyes soft and tender as they rested on Gu Xingyu.

Gu Xingyu took a deep breath, lifted her head, and asked hesitantly, her gaze drifting, “Shulan, you and Chen Ren… there’s nothing between you, is there?”

But no answer came for a long time.

Shulan smiled without speaking, revealing nothing.

Though Bai Shulan’s expression remained unchanged, a flicker of darkness flashed through her eyes.

“See? I’m going to bed now,” she said, turning and walking upstairs.

Is Chen Ren’s presence really that important? What difference does it make whether she’s here or not? Xingyu has never clearly expressed her feelings or taken a firm stance.

It seemed that no matter what Bai Shulan did, Gu Xingyu remained stuck in place, never taking even half a step forward, never.

Has my affection not been clear enough? Or is my love unworthy of trust? Or perhaps… Gu Xingyu only harbors a shallow fondness for me, nothing more…

It seemed that Bai Shulan had always been the one forcing things.

A flicker of desolation crossed Bai Shulan’s eyes, followed by a surge of resentment that flooded her heart. The bright, smiling peach blossom eyes gradually misted over, and she bit her lower lip.

But what does it matter? In the end, Gu Xingyu will only ever be mine.

Bai Shulan’s gaze turned icy, her eyes churning with obscure, turbulent emotions.

Meanwhile, Gu Xingyu, sitting on the living room sofa, had lost all interest in the television program. Panic began to rise within her. Did I ask the wrong question? Did I misunderstand?

Her thick lashes lowered as she braced her hands on the sofa, her mind a tangled mess of thoughts, like a hopelessly knotted ball of yarn.

She couldn’t help but stand up and pace restlessly around the living room. Yet, instead of continuing to wander, she found herself walking upstairs.

The landing felt like a boundary line. To the left was her room; to the right, a space she had never dared to cross without permission.

Now, should she go ahead and disturb…?

Calming her racing thoughts, Gu Xingyu finally stepped forward and knocked on the door.

I need to at least understand why she’s angry, she thought.

“Shulan, are you asleep?” Gu Xingyu asked softly, tapping twice.

But no sound came from within the room.

“Shulan?” she called again hesitantly, her voice barely a whisper.

After a moment, Shulan’s clear voice finally replied, “Come in.”

Gu Xingyu took a deep breath and pushed the door open.

Her eyes fell on Shulan, who was leaning against the headboard in a lake-blue nightgown, staring straight at her with a blank expression.

Her usually warm, crescent-shaped eyes were now cold and devoid of emotion.

Gu Xingyu froze in place, afraid to step further into the room, her heart pounding with anxiety.

“What is it?” Shulan glanced up at her briefly before looking back down at her phone.

“Oh, nothing… I just wanted to ask what you’d like for dinner,” Gu Xingyu stammered, her carefully rehearsed questions vanishing from her mind in an instant.

“Anything is fine,” Shulan replied curtly. “Is there anything else?” she asked coldly, making it clear she wanted Gu Xingyu to leave.

“……Do you want some soup?” Gu Xingyu blurted out, flustered and barely aware of what she was asking. After a long moment, her ears flushed crimson, and a faint pink tinge spread across her lowered cheeks.

She hadn’t meant anything by it at all…

“Soup?” Bai Shulan echoed, unable to resist a smile. She glanced up at the flustered Gu Xingyu, the corners of her lips curving into a faint smile.

“…Anything is fine,” Gu Xingyu replied with a small smile.

Gu Xingyu lowered her head, looking like a scolded student standing awkwardly in place. She stole a glance at Shulan, who was finally smiling. Encouraged, she stepped forward.

“Shulan, I’m a little unhappy… no, you’re unhappy…” After a moment, her face flushed crimson as she slowly admitted, “I’m a little jealous… I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have asked that kind of question…”

Unable to find the right answer, Gu Xingyu decided to retrace her steps and dismantle all her previous responses. After all, these were the very things that had angered Shulan. Surely, one of them would strike the right chord.

But after a long silence, Shulan remained silent.

“……” Bai Shulan mentally reviewed Gu Xingyu’s words before asking with a gentle smile, “What kind of question?”

“Hmm…” Gu Xingyu hesitated, thinking she shouldn’t have mentioned Chen Ren.

“Chen Ren?” Bai Shulan looked genuinely confused.

“…Come sit down,” Bai Shulan sighed softly, still not understanding.

But she wasn’t angry anymore. She had heard the answer she wanted.

It was magical how just a little initiative from Xingyu could make her so happy, as if she had glimpsed a new dawn of hope.

Gu Xingyu obediently sat on the edge of the bed, in the spot Shulan had patted.

“…?” The two stared at each other for a moment before bursting into laughter.

“Come sit on the bed… and try to restrain yourself,” Bai Shulan added after a pause.

“Okay,” Gu Xingyu nodded obediently, her face flushed crimson.

“Xingyu, are you jealous of Chen Ren? Are you upset?” Bai Shulan asked with a gentle smile.

“…Ahem, let’s watch TV,” Gu Xingyu said, avoiding her gaze as she quickly turned on the television and scrolled through the program.

The Spring Love episode was paused at the exact moment Shulan confessed her feelings.

“I think Xingyu is pretty great.”

“Chen Ren and I are nothing. She’s a very proud person.”