After Lu Shiyu applied medicine and bandaged Ming Shu’s leg, he silently packed their luggage without even sparing her a glance. He was clearly furious.
Ming Shu had already recovered. As long as she didn’t move around recklessly, the pain wasn’t too bad.
She had learned her lesson from the day they filmed the prelude episode: never act sulky in front of the camera. The audience was highly sensitive—they might not always distinguish between genuine sweetness and forced affection, but sulking and cold expressions would definitely be noticed.
Besides, Lu Shiyu wasn’t at fault. She was the one who had been too impatient.
“Husband.”
Ming Shu walked over and pressed her soft body against Lu Shiyu’s back. It was broad and strong, radiating a sense of security. Even with her entire weight leaning on him, he didn’t waver in the slightest.
Lu Shiyu didn’t react. He continued organizing Ming Shu’s small belongings—hair ties, bracelets, socks… sorting them all neatly so they’d be easy to find when needed. Ming Shu never handled such trivial tasks; she didn’t know how to. She probably didn’t even know her own bra size.
Lu Shiyu treated her like a treasure. He couldn’t help but be good to her, no matter how infuriating she could be. He simply couldn’t bring himself to scold her. Perhaps he was born owing her a debt, destined to serve her like an ox or a horse to repay it.
“Lu Shiyu, Ah Yu…”
Ming Shu could feel the firm, smooth lines of his muscles through his back. That was exactly why… how could she ever agree to bathe with Lu Shiyu? She was afraid she wouldn’t be able to control herself in the face of his beautiful, toned body. Lusting after Lu Shiyu would come at a heavy price!
She had realized this—and been utterly shocked—when she accidentally caught sight of Lu Shiyu using the bathroom.
“Ah Yu… Ah Yu…” she cooed in a soft, milky voice, clinging to his back and acting spoiled.
Lu Shiyu swore he didn’t have any skin hunger, but the little treasure on his back was too delicate and soft. Even through a layer of fabric, her touch was intoxicating, sending electric waves of pleasure through his limbs.
“Call me husband.”
“Husband!”
“Good.”
Lu Shiyu reached back to support her soft bottom and carried her out of the bedroom just like that.
Ming Shu: !!
The camera in the bedroom was covered, but the rest of the house was full of cameras, and the filming crew was everywhere!
“Husband! Husband!”
Before Ming Shu could say anything, a cameraman approached them and signaled that the scene was being broadcast live.
Ming Shu: …
Lu Shiyu: “She fell while showering earlier and hurt her knee a little.”
[She got injured while showering? How old is she, not a child anymore.]
[I bet Ming Shu is deliberately making trouble for Lu Shen. So annoying.]
[Ming Shu seems like a drama queen.]
[Lu Shen is so strong—I mean, his stamina is incredible. Carrying Ming Shu without any effort at all, his back straight, walking steadily… I’m so jealous!]
Ming Shu thought to herself, This display of affection should be pretty convincing, right? The audience must be completely smitten by the sweetness!
Lu Shiyu set her down on the sofa, then checked the ingredients in the fridge. He took out a few fruits and started making a salad.
The audience thought, So Lu Shen is cold on the outside but warm on the inside. He’s even making a salad for the MCs who’ll arrive later. You really can’t judge a book by its cover—the stereotype of the aloof, untouchable beauty is unreliable.
But then…
In front of 170 million viewers in the live stream, Lu Shiyu brought the salad to Ming Shu and asked if she needed to be fed.
Ming Shu quickly shook her head and proactively fed him a piece instead. “Husband, you’ve worked hard. You eat first.”
Lu Shiyu: “Mmm, it’s very sweet.”
Ming Shu glanced at the clock and exclaimed in surprise, “It’s been almost two hours—why hasn’t anyone arrived yet?”
Post-production caption: Because you took two keys…
[What should I do? I think Ming Shu is so fake!]
[She’s asking on purpose, mocking the other guests for their lack of intelligence?]
[Ming Shu really doesn’t know how to be humble. Does she think she’s a genius just because she found two keys?]
Lu Shiyu said, “It’s still early before noon. It’s not mealtime yet.”
Li Ye: …
There didn’t seem to be anything wrong with that statement, but upon closer thought, it was clearly a sly tease.
As expected of a master—even his words were indirect.
Ming Shu turned to the camera and flashed a cunning smile. “We’ve been busy all morning. Who will be making lunch? Let’s wait and see!”
She asked, “Husband, you haven’t answered me yet—who are you closest to?”
Lu Shiyu thought for a moment. “Song Qinglin, I suppose. We’ve collaborated on two films, and I have his phone number.”
Ming Shu said excitedly, “Give it to me, quick!”
Lu Shiyu looked at her affectionately. “Alright, I’ll send it to you.”
After Ming Shu dialed Song Qinglin’s number, the livestream screen split into two, showing the current situation of both couples.
Song Qinglin was slightly out of breath, his voice rough as he said, “Hello?”
Of course he was panting—he had been searching for keys under the scorching sun for over two hours, only to come up empty-handed.
Li Youling was hugging her suitcase, sitting on the street, refusing to move no matter what. She was completely exhausted.
This was hardly a reality show about couples showing affection—it was more like a survival game.
[The Qing-You couple is so pitiful, hahaha!]
[Song Qinglin is standing in front of his wife to block the sun—so thoughtful!]
[Childhood sweethearts are the sweetest!]
Ming Shu asked, “Is this Song Qinglin, Teacher Song?”
Song Qinglin replied, “Yes, it’s me.”
Ming Shu said, “Hello, hello! This is Ming Shu. Lu Shiyu is here with me.”
Song Qinglin turned on the speakerphone so he and Li Youling could listen together.
Li Youling said, “Hello, Teacher Lu. Hello, Ming Shu. This is Li Youling.”
Ming Shu replied, “Hello, Teacher Li. Here’s the thing—I still have a key. If I choose to give it to you, the production team will arrange a car to bring you over.”
Li Youling caught on quickly and smiled. “That sounds great! We can’t just take the key you worked so hard to find without offering something in return. What can we do for you?”
Ming Shu narrowed her eyes. It was refreshing to talk to someone so straightforward.
“We’ll be living under the same roof soon, so there’s no need to be so formal. Just come over first, and we can talk later.”
“Alright, thank you.”
In post-production, a pair of fox ears was added to Ming Shu’s head.
Lu Shiyu turned his face slightly, a faint smile playing on his lips. “Little Fox, what do you need me to do?”
Ming Shu pinched her own ears. With cameras and the filming crew in front of her, she felt a bit embarrassed and said, “You don’t need to do anything. Just follow me and enjoy the good life.”
Lu Shiyu chuckled softly. “Alright, I’ll listen to you.”
[Little Fox—that nickname is so affectionate!]
[Ugh, the way he looks at Ming Shu is so gentle. I’m jealous!]
[Aren’t they a contractual couple with no real feelings?]
[Lu Shiyu is an award-winning actor. Even if he doesn’t have feelings for Ming Shu, he can still act affectionate!]
[Did you forget how awkward their chemistry was in the preview?]
[I don’t think it’s affectionate at all. Can’t you see the reluctance in Lu Shiyu’s eyes?]
After the Qing-You couple arrived at the villa, the remaining two couples gradually made their way there as well.
Eight people sat in the living room, briefly introducing themselves.
Everyone belonged to the same circle, so even if they hadn’t worked together before, they had at least heard of one another.
Li Youling, who was three years older than Ming Shu, asked, “Ming Shu, how did you end up with two keys?”
Ming Shu replied, “The poem gave a hint—the keys were either in the freezer or somewhere with plum blossoms. We moved quickly and managed to find both.”
Li Youling said admiringly, “Qinglin and I only thought of the plum blossom clue.”
Su Jin’er chimed in, “Same here, no wonder it took us so long. Ming Shu, you’re really clever.”
She had intended to set Ming Shu up for a fall, but Sun Qian exclaimed in surprise, “Oh my, you’re all so smart! We had to eliminate shops one by one to find the key. You guys are amazing.”
Su Jin’er: …
Ignoring Su Jin’er, Ming Shu smiled and said, “You should go check out the rooms now.”
Everyone scattered to look for the bedrooms, and Ming Shu stood up, eager to join the excitement.
Lu Shiyu cleared his throat. “Ahem.”
Ming Shu obediently sat back down on the sofa, tugging at his sleeve and pouting. She had worked so hard to find the keys—how could she miss the chance to see Zhou Yichen and Su Jin’er’s frustrated expressions? Although she could watch the replay later, seeing it live would be much more satisfying.